THE COMPANY that manages Harborplace has told Jerry Rowan, its most popular and interesting performer over the last two decades, to pack up his unicycle, flaming torches and snappy one-liners, and find another place to do his act.

Rowan, a juggler-comic who frequently draws the biggest crowds to Harborplace's outdoor amphitheater, complains that he's a victim of corporate overreaction to his sometimes biting, New York wise-guy comedy. (He thinks a couple of cracks about law enforcement's efforts to catch the Beltway sniper angered some police officers who were watching a recent performance.)

The Rouse Co., which dropped Rowan from its list of street performers for Harborplace, says the juggler cracked too many offensive jokes in the last year or so, and that warnings to tone down his act were ignored.

Having seen Rowan's act, as thousands of Harborplace visitors have over the years, you can understand how this talented and funny guy might have provoked a few phone calls and letters to the Harborplace management.

Rowan juggles while standing. He juggles while riding a unicycle. He juggles while riding one of those tiny circus bikes. He'll put a 5-year-old boy on his shoulders and unicycle while blindfolded. I believe I saw the man balance a full-sized adult bicycle on his nose.

Rowan is wired -- boy, is he wired! -- with a microphone and almost never stops talking. He pokes fun at people in the audience and makes sometimes stinging comments about passers-by -- especially people who are ignoring him or heckling him. Anyone who strolls by is fair game.

Some people find that hilarious and charming. Nine years ago, a Rouse Co. official wrote Rowan a letter of appreciation for his "moxie" and his "outrageousness" at Harborplace. The letter wished Rowan well as he set out to entertain corporate clients who "can sure use some of the freeing up your wit will bring."

But some people have found the words coming out of Rowan's mouth offensive. They apparently have complained to the Rouse Co., too.

In February, as the new street-performer season was about to begin, Rowan and other acts received a letter from Harborplace management that warned that "jokes that make reference to an individuals (sic) race, gender or sexual preference are NOT permitted, specifically in reference to the events of September 11. ... The use of off-color humor or profanity will not be permitted as part of any performance."

The letter threatened suspension of any of the unpaid-working-for-tips performers who violate the policy, and Rowan received a personal warning from Harborplace's marketing coordinator.

But, of course, the judgment about what constitutes an offensive remark is highly subjective -- especially in the context of public comedy -- and apparently that judgment is in the hands of the Rouse Co.

To find out, from Harborplace management's view, what Rowan did to warrant his termination from the program, I called three people at Rouse on Friday before being referred to a fourth -- David Tripp, vice president of investor relations and corporate communications. Tripp wasn't exactly helpful in the pursuit of truth.

What did Jerry Rowan do or say to get the hook?

"I'm not going to discuss it," Tripp said.

You can't tell us what Rowan said that was so offensive that you had to ban him from performing in the amphitheater?

"We've had numerous complaints about Jerry, and they're all documented," Tripp said. "We warned him. He went too far."

OK, but what's "too far"?

"I'm not going to discuss it," Tripp said, "Jerry can tell you. He can explain it in the newspaper if he wants. We're not going to get into it."

I asked Tripp if Harborplace had a contractual relationship with Rowan, and he refused to get into that, either. I was trying to determine what legal basis the Rouse Co. has for removing a street performer and generally controlling what goes on in the amphitheater. I told Tripp I didn't understand why he didn't want to explain this.

"I don't care that you don't understand," he said, and that was about when I gave up.

Tripp called back the next day to say: "I would offer you one thought: Since we don't pay Harborplace street performers -- they simply perform and collect whatever they can -- what do you suppose would be our motivation not wanting Jerry Rowan to perform? Wouldn't it seem logical that there must be some good reason and that reason is we've had a lot of complaints? We don't want to drag Jerry through the mud; he's been a long, loyal performer. But in the past year or so it's really gone downhill and we can't put up with these kind of complaints in a family environment."

Rowan, Tripp said, refused to understand that he can't use the same humor he'd use in a comedy club -- or on Late Night with David Letterman, where he once appeared -- as he would in the "family environment" of Harborplace.

I guess I understand that. My 12-year-old son reminds me that, two summers ago, when we caught Rowan's act, we thought he was hugely entertaining but maybe running on the edge of good taste a couple of times. But I don't remember it causing anyone to boo or walk away from Rowan's performance. In fact, the crowd was huge and roaring with laughter.

Maybe Rowan's brand of street performance -- spontaneous, fluid, sharp-witted -- doesn't work in such a contrived family environment. Maybe he just needs another location, free from corporate oversight.

I bet Jerry Rowan will draw a crowd wherever he throws flaming torches and one-liners.