Okay, as most of us know, there are many many clowns out ther - as well as many who have long since retired or gone on to that great Circus above. Anyhow, the chances of having duplicate names in clown world are huge!

This got me thinking... how important it is REALLY that we all have different names?? Just as regular people sometimes share names we can tell them apart right? Their faces are different, their personallities are different and how or where we meet them all vary. To top it off, their position in society - beit hugely famous, local celebrity or simply a person next door - all differ.

If another "Bob" manages to become a well sought after actor, does that give other "Bob's" the right to request that the actor stop using his name as he was born later? I'm not saying someone who is copying someone else mind you - just the same name. Sounds crazy and I believe that it should be just as silly sounding in our clown world.

This is just a thought. I've heard of clowns being asked to change their name locally and it has bothered me. I have never had the problem myself - but it must be devistating. After spending so much time developing a character that is unique and has a personallity of his/her own.... wow.

Just my thoughts... what do you think???


"Patches" the clown (... hmmm heard of that one before too....)
:-P

I feel that if the name choice was not a deliberate copy of another clown why would anyone object? Let's say, Patches, that I decide I like the name "Patches" too. I don't see the problem. But, if I also copied your costume and makeup along with your name, that is a problem. I'm with you on the name thing. Let the clown be happy with the name they chose as long as they aren't deliberately trying to be "someone else".

~~Mercy Me~~

I agree. people, have the same name. Example, in my community there are seven Robert Smiths in my phone book. None of them look exactly the same- even if related, none have the same personality. God made us all different, and this also makes our characters different. Even if there are two Clowns with the same name.
That said, I think just to copy a face and costume verbatim out of a book and then take the name too just shows lack of initive on the part of a joey. When I was a first of may I tried different things, in fact the eyes I use for my character were taken from a clown named Barnaby whos picture I found in a book. I reworked them until they fit my face, by doing that I made them my own.
I think if you want to take a clowns name as a tribute (Emmett, Otto, Lou, Felix, Willy, Charlie) then great. But to copy everything about them, no, i can't see that.

I think 99.99999% of the time a name is just common for a clown. It's just coincidence. To for someone to change their name just because its taken seems a bit selfish. The two clowns probably don't even know each other. I can't imagine someone forcing a name change would happen very often, but it doesn't seem a happy clown who would do that! :lol:

You mean I'm not the only clown named Binky?!!! :-o