Clown Forum History?

Pickles · #1 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 08:53 AM

I was just wondering how Clown Forum came to be. Fitz, can you give us a Clown Forum history lesson?

Mr. Dazzle · #2 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 09:50 AM

I think the forum was delivered by the stork.

Scruffy · #3 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 10:48 AM

Pickles,
I am not sure we can nail down an absolute answer. I joined the Clown forum in the fall of 03.... I think. The guy who started the forum, ( a pleasant gent from Ireland by the name of Dave) had started the group sometime before that. Sapphire Sue, Jamz, and myself joined around the same time (I believe both of then were here before me). There was very little,(almost NO) activity on the forum. My first post was titled "Is anybody out there?"
Things gradually began to improve and more members joined' Jobee, Darrell, Dave "Buckaroo" Gittings, also Southwest Sam. Gigi came in there somewhere. I'm pretty sure that Fitz was an early Member, but wasn't very active at the time.
I know that when Dave (former owner/webmaster) went on a long trip out of the country I was asked to be the acting Webmaster. Later, He offered the forum to me for purchase, but being unemployed, It just wasn't an option. However, HRH The Princess of Bozonia, stepped up to the plate and the rest is history.
Perhaps, the other Old timers can fill in the gaps. ANd /or correct an error I might have made.
Cheers,Scruffy

The_Princess_of_Bozonia · #4 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 12:27 PM

It was late summer of 2005 Dave just couldn't take care of the site anymore and made the decision to let it go. I saw his ad and checked out the site, and immediately thought the place needed more color. (This is the template it was using, with a brown logo... I saved the logo somewhere, but can't find it now.) It was also slow as molasses! Dave didn't want to turn it over to just anyone though, he didn't want some interloper to plaster ads everywhere or wreck the community.

At first I struggled with the notion of taking over the site, thinking "What could I possibly offer them? I'm not a clown!" I'd had several surgeries as a child and been entertained by hospital clowns, but didn't really know much about them until I later made friends with a clown (who was also a patient at that time) during another hospital stay when I was an adult. I didn't feel that was enough exposure to the world of clowning to run a web site about it. But I kept thinking about lonely little Clown Forum, how I could improve the site, and how much fun it would be to have a forum full of clown friends. After a few days I remembered my friend telling me that I was a clown at heart even though I couldn't express it physically. He thought of clowning as a philosophy and a way of life, not just a profession. So I finally contacted Dave and convinced him I was the right person for the job.

We had a few anxious moments at first, what with server problems and the loss of 20 days' worth of posts (Dave had forgotten to make a backup), but I got things running smoothly on a new server once I trashed the old software and template. I had a wonderful artist named Nathalie draw the new logo and smileys (if anyone wants to hire her I'll put you in touch, she does wonderful illustrations at very reasonable prices). SaphireSue, Scruffy, Jamz and the others helped out by answering all the clowning questions, exhorting others to post, and telling their friends to drop by. And all that hard work has borne fruit; I'm really proud of the way the forum has grown and developed. It's more than just a web site; it's a true community.

Pickles · #5 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Princess_of_Bozonia

It's more than just a web site; it's a true community.

Ain't that the truth!!

Thank you, Princess, for sharing the Clown Forum story and for all that you've done to make Clown Forum what it is today. We appreciate you, Your Royal Highness.

And, Scruffy, I had no idea you were one of the original clowns here. Interesting!

Bookworm · #6 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 03:15 PM

Thanks for the info Princess

Mr. Dazzle · #7 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 03:16 PM

I knew about the princess' history... but I didn't know the forum existed BP... Before Princess.

saphireSue · #8 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 03:50 PM

Dave was a nice guy, but the site was slow, very little participation, and chat was basically non-existant. Since the Princess has taken over so much has improved, I very seldom even bother to check out the old yahoo groups, to much bickering and fussing on those. [Except for Sam's red nose ranch which at one point was an active group unfortunately there's not much there any more] I only mention his because his was one of the good groups.

Scruffy · #9 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luki Loki

All Hail Princess Of Bozonia. Hip Hip Hurray! Hip Hip Hurray! Hip Hip Hurray!!!!!!!!!!!

Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate??

Princess! Princess! Princess!!!!

Thank you Again. You really are a Clown, Michelle. You have proven that you don't need makeup to do this job.
Cheers,
Scruffy

Fitzwilly · #10 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 09:48 PM

According to the record I joined in the fall of 2004. However, I forgot that I joined shortly thereafter (the lack of posts made stopping by on a regular basis somewhat of a nonissue.) Fast forward to March of 2007 when I was talking to Carmen of Charmandhappy.com and she asked what I thought of the Clown Forum? I then asked her what she was talking about. So she directed me to the site and sure enough, I had joined years before, but now there was actual discussion going on. I realized that unlike the yahoo groups there wasn't a lot of bickering going on and spam was almost nonexistent. Then I realized that the people participating in the discussions had a real passion for clowning. So I humbly bow and take my hat off to Michelle for her hard work and loving hand on the controls of the Forum. Thank you dear Princess, you do indeed have the heart of a clown.