Ricardo Gonzales actually was a Dentist, and became a clown by painting his face so children would not be afraid of the dentist. It worked, and he got some interviews on Local TV, in Monterrey, N.L., Mexico, where he's from.
His nickname, Cepillin, is a diminutive of 'cepillo', which means 'brush' (in spanish), like in Tootbrush.
Cepillin became famous when Televisa started producing a show called El Show de Cepillin. His show included learning, comedy and interview sections, and he interviewed a large variety of guests, from singers to boxers. During the 1970s, El Show de Cepillin became very popular among children in countries such as Chile and Puerto Rico, apart from the popularity it reached in Mexico.
Cepillin also released various albums with children's songs. One of his most famous songs was La Fiesta de Cepillin (Cepillin's Party). He had two greatest hits albums released, one to commemorate his 15 greatest hits and the other one to commemorate his 20 greatest hits.
Cepillins show showcased many young Mexican and international singers. One singer who benefited from exposure in his show was Yuri.
Cepillin is also a circus performer. Although long retired from the television cameras, he is still on tour, taking his act to many circuses across Mexico.