How Did You Start?

[Bookworm]

I was just wodering, how did you all get your start in clowning.

[Chance Marmalade]

I've often wondered this myself and it's been a bunch of things that led up to me deciding to be a clown. If I go back to before I was born my Grandfather and my Uncle were both in radio. So I have some amount of performance in my blood!

But in less of a pseudo science kind of way I can trace it back to when I was about 6 or 7 when I saw a performance of a Key Stone Cops style stage show. Can't remember why I was there or where it was other than in San Francisco but the whole show was done silent with live ragtime music and at the chase scenes they flicked on a strobe projector that made all the clowns look like silent movie characters. I remember I really liked that show.

A few years later my school did a stage show where we were all different artists from the "We Are the World" video that was popular then in the 80s. I got to be Huey Lewis (who I thought was the coolest dude ever) and that bit me with the acting bug.

Then in high school I did a lot of drama and I watched a lot of Chaplin and really sympathized with his character. I did my first street performance Sophmore year with a friend and we made about 4 bucks between us. We were doing a sort of fast talking con man style of vaudeville show "I'll bet you a dime I can knock this building down." Knock downwards on the building. "Find the lady, find the lady, it's easy to find the lady!"

I was hooked. I didn't do much clowning for a while. Then I went to school and got a theatre degree and my girlfriend at the time (who was attending Cornish College of the Arts) had bought tickets to this Broadway show called Fool Moon for a class project. It starred Bill Irwin (who I knew from Popeye and Sesame Street) and David Shiner a clown I had never heard of. It was one of the best shows I have ever seen to this day. So, I started clowning again, just for fun, then when I was about to turn 30 I made a decision to pursue it as a career.

I got my first vaudeville gig almost exactly a year ago. Since then I've written several clown shows and have one in production now! It's been a long journey (and a lot of forum space apparently!) to get where I am today but I absolutely love clowning and only wish I'd gotten into it sooner.

[Twinkles LC]

Through my church and my crazy, carefree sense of humor. Oh and I am married and had a child who entered high school. That's enough to drive anyone a little looney so this way I can do it legally.

[Bumbles]

Pattycake and I started about 10 or so years ago clowning for our church and for different events, nothing professional, last year we joined the Grotto Clowns and started to think of it as a sideline job. We took classes offered by a local Clown Alley and graduated in December as a result we joined the Buffalo Clown Alley and have met some wonderful people. Pattycake is now taking a class in Facepainting and I just finished one for balloon twisting.

[Bonkers #361]

I started as a Mascot for Toys R Us. When I lost that job I looked for another way I could interact with kids. Did I mention I was the coolest dad in my daughters preschool when I was a mascot. Now, I am still the coolest dad around in her eyes plus she wants to be just like me.

[SuitcaseSam]

I was working at a local Magic & Novelty shop in 1990 and had dreams of being the next David Copperfield. A call came in requesting a Clown and ours had just quit. The Boss insisted I'd make a Great Clown and offered me the use of any props and makeup in the store.

I informed him that something about a man wearing makeup and a wig didn't interest me but his persistence paid off. (Besides the gig paid $75....my first paying gig I thought).

I went home and spent the entire night practicing applying makeup without a clue as to what I was doing. Looking back, I looked hideous that next morning but when I showed up and saw the little kids at the daycare yelling, "A CLOWN!!! LOOK! A CLOWN!!!" , my heart melted. It was then I decided I would forever be a Clown.

Bonkers,
Seeing you at the Alley meeting last month reminded me of when my 12yr old use to look up to her dad being a Clown. Cherish those moments while you can my friend. I'm still the coolest in my 12yr old's eyes but I miss the days when she wanted to Clown with dear ol' Dad.

~Sam

[Stubby T. Clown]

I started about a year ago. Just helping a lady clown in our church, i in youth ministry so I thought it would me breat the ice when we have events. i clown at our block party and do some birthday parties for church members, mostly balloons, some walk-a-round magic and starting to do small skits.
Stubby

[Fitzwilly]

I just bought a pair of stilts at a pawn shop Stubby. Maybe by the end of the summer we will both have them mastered. (Either that or we can compare medical bills.)

[Darrell]

I started out slowly. The Internet helped me the most. I went to a couple of Weekend Clown Seminars and that helped tremendously. This forum is the best though!

Darrell

[Stubby T. Clown]

Fitzwilly
Thats cool, man hope you bought padding also (ha ha ha ). thats a great idea looking forward to see how you do.

P.S. do you come down to the "RED SKELTON DAYS" in vincennes in.?
Stubby