Do you know this clown?

By The_Princess_of_Bozonia

Goofie is looking to find the clown pictured to the left, who performed at his birthday party when he was 7 and apparently had a lasting effect on him.  This was in New Jersey in the 1970s.  Please get in touch if you have any information!

Clown News Flash: Legendary circus clown Emmett Kelly Jr. dead at 83

By The_Princess_of_Bozonia

Emmett Kelly Jr., son of one of the nation's most famous hobo clowns who followed his father into a career under the big top, died Wednesday. He was 83.

Kelly died of complications from pneumonia at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center near his home in Tombstone, according to his daughter, CherryAnn Kelly-Knapp.

"Up until the day he died, he got letters and cards and poems from fans and friends," Kelly-Knapp said Thursday. "The world has lost the most wonderful friend."

Born in Dyersburg, Tenn., Kelly spent much of his childhood around the circus industry.

His father - before being a clown - and mother, Eva Mae, performed as trapeze artists, according to Kelly's official Web site.

Wanting their son to live in a stable environment, Kelly's parents allowed his grandparents to raise him but he spent summers traveling with the circus, the Web site said.

At 18, Kelly enlisted in the U.S. Navy and spent three years in the Pacific. After World War II, his Web site said Kelly planned to work as an automotive mechanic.

In 1960, with the makeup and blessing of his father, Kelly made his clown debut at the Circus Festival in Peru, Ind.,

Kelly's miming and clowning skills grew in popularity. Four years later, Eastman Kodak signed him to appear at the New York World's Fair.

Besides touring with the circus, Kelly went on to entertain at more than 2,800 hospitals and he was featured in print ads and TV commercials. His Web site said there are still products today depicting his likeness available, such as figurines and lithographs.

"He was the most humble, gentle loving man. He never got over the amazement that people loved his character," Kelly-Knapp said.

In 1980, Kelly moved to Tombstone. Having passed through the town several times with the circus, he fell in love with the town's mining history, Kelly-Knapp said.

Kelly made personal appearances as a clown until a year ago, due to health reasons.

He is survived by two other daughters and three sons.

Funeral plans were not immediately available.

The Christmas Prop Swap!

By The_Princess_of_Bozonia

If you've been in Clown Chat or following the transcripts you'll have heard I want to try having a Christmas prop and gag exchange this year... like a cookie exchange, but for clowns.  If this goes well we'll do it again, kids!  Here's how it will work. *consults clipboard*

Step 1.  Tell me, by private message, what prop you'll contribute so I can ensure there's no duplication.  I strongly encourage everybody to use your imagination and make something unique, but we'll accept storebought props from busy clowns too.  (If you can give me an idea of how much it will weigh, any special packaging requirements, etc., I would appreciate it.)

Step 2.  Using a super-secret algorithm, I will try to divide up the groups according to approximate value of the prop, so that people contributing a more expensive/complicated prop will have fewer group members to provide for.  On October 21st, I will let you know by private message how many props (I'm aiming for between 5 and 10) to contribute.

Step 3.  Make or buy your inexpensive props or gags during the month of November.

Step 4.  Affix "From" tags with your Clown Forum username (required) and email address (optional). You may include Christmas cards for your fellow clowns if you wish.

Step 5.  Mail the whole mess to me at Clown Forum Headquarters by November 20th along with your address and $5 (if you're in the U.S.) to cover shipping costs back to you.  (If you're outside the U.S., it will be more, and depending on how heavy people's props are, I may need to raise the U.S. shipping quote as well.)

Step 6.  Santa has kindly agreed to lend me a pair of elves, so we'll get all hopped up on eggnog, sort and distribute the props, and plan to mail them back out again on December 3rd.  If your props aren't received before then you run the risk of not getting your package!

Step 7.  Post on Clown Forum about how cool your new toys are!

P.S. The person who sent in the best (homemade) prop or gag will find a prize in their package ;)

Who's in?

Next Clown Chat topic: Clowning for the Youngest Among Us

By The_Princess_of_Bozonia

Princess, knocking on Willace's dressing room door: Willace, you're late, you should be out there already!  Let's get this show on the road.
Willace, muffled: Just a minute...
Princess: What are you doing in there?  Willace, I need you out on stage NOW! *turns doorknob*
Willace: No, don't come in here!

(Princess flings open the door to find Willace clad in diaper and baby bonnet, pulls door shut again in horror)

Willace: Princess!  I can explain!
Princess, babbling: No no, please don't!  This is none of my business, after all.  I've read about this on the Internet already, I've just never seen one in the wild before, I mean met... I accept people as they are, of course, and what happens in the dressing room stays in the dressing room--You just surprised me, that's all, I just need a minute, to, catch, my, breath... (panting)  Oh god, the image is already seared into my brain.
Willace: It's not what you think!  It's Method clowning! It's for this week's chat!
Princess: Really?
Willace: Yes, since the topic next Thursday is Clowning for the Youngest Among Us, toddlers, I was doing this to get some perspective.  You know, try to get inside the mind of a three-year-old.
Princess: OH thank GOD. But Clown Chat is next Thursday September 14 at 9 p.m. EST, why must you do this now?
Willace: Well, these cotton nappies are surprisingly comfortable...
Princess: NEVER SPEAK OF THIS AGAIN.

Makeup!!

By Sassafras