Party Clown vs Circus Clown

[BennyO]

Howdi Everyone,

I work as a full time clown and magician doing mostly parties, and I want to be the best I can be. In my attempt to be the best I have been watching and reading about as much clowning and physical comedy as I can. Majority of this is obviously circus or stage skits.

When I started doing kids parties a good friend of mine said take care not to hit yourself as this let the kids know that it is ok to hit you too. The problem I see with that though is the funniest clowning I see is where the clown gets themselves in helpless trouble. I think from a philosophical point of view this is right it just isn't that practical out of the ring. I personally believe that kids need clowns so they can see adult type people make a fool of themselves like they do as kids. They get a chance to laugh at someone else's mishaps. So how does one act like a child, stay funny and .. drum roll... also stay an authoritative figure? I am starting to believe that clowns belong in circuses and on stages only where they can truly act like clowns.

This all comes out as I did a 2 hour roam at a children's football carnival today. 100's of kids and they where all snatchy (I had to run off to reattach my nose twice) so it prevented me from being as funny as I like to be because I had to continue to watch my back.

Is it possible to be an authoritative buffoon?

(I would like to follow Rumple's theory that if someone has the pportunity to think about picking on you, they aren't laughing hard enough)

[Jolly Well]

Is it possible to be an authoritative buffoon?

Without question - yes. There is a point when you have to stop the intrusions, even if it means you just come out and tell them to do this or that. It may not be funny or entertaining or whatever, but you must draw a line somewhere.

You are always going to have idiots that think it would be funny to do <insert something stupid> to the clown/stiltwalker/magician/etc, but you have to dissuade them from disrupting the entertainment for everyone else.

Ideally the event sponsors have security or a spotter, but this is not so as often (or moreso) than it is avaliable.

When I stiltwalk at festivals and overhear someone talking about how funny it would be to push me or whatever, I try friendly patter to nip it in the bud. If it doesn't put and end to it and/or they look like they may act on the rubbish, I offer them a fair warning; something along the lines of "If you try to push me I'm going to kick you with my stilts," and let them know that they are made of metal and have fairly sharp angles that will send them to the Emergency Room.

Stealing a clown nose isn't quite as detrimental as being pushed from stilts, but it is disruptive nonetheless. Find an event coordinator, security officer, or cop and put an end to it. If the get off with your property report it.

I use to just try to laugh it off but my patience is too thin for the morons that are making their way into the crowds these days.

Most likely, these aren't the type of people who would hire me for a private gig anyway so Im not losing their business, and I tend not to associate with that calber of person so Im not losing a friend. What else can you get out of them? - Send them packing imo.

A party atmosphere is different than open strolling at a fair, festival, etc - At a party you can get to the host fairly easy and put a stop to the situation. In strolling in a larger environment, you have to set your boundaries and put a stop to the nonsense that you will occassionally encounter.

[Scruffy]

The "Clown in trouble" scenario is one that is played out time and again on both the professional, and Living room circuit. Yes, you will have trouble with the little heathens from time to time. I really try to keep everyone from touching my nose. IF you can't prevent it, then grasp their hand and tell them "ONE FINGER ONLY". then, use your hand to determine how hard they touch you . Stepping on your big funny shoes is another great delight. i have asked told them flat out, "Hey, I have been very nice to you, I even made you a special balloon. (Or whatever) I haven't hurt you, why do you want to hurt me? That isn't playing nice or fair." I lay it on the line with them. Sometimes all you can do is leave the area or get an adult to calm things down.
Cheers,
Scruffy

[Willace-the-Clown]

Ive never as of yet really had any trouble besides people trying to go in my things I do let kids touch my nose I have a sqeaker in my nose so i let them squeak it but i keep a firm hold on my nose when they do to make sure if one is a worthless little brat they do yank it & have the band sling shot it back in my face

[Jolly Well]

It's rare that I have problems with really small kids. Either they're on good behavior or they have a parent there to put an end to any issues. Teens and young adults can be a pain when they're grouped up trying to impress each other. I stand by the approach of confronting them and calling them on their plans. Again, it's best to get a figure of authority by way of festival hosts or cops - but they're not always around.

The peer pressure approach works well enough for a younger crowd, but isn't going to do much on the teen/adult crowd in my experience. You may get a minority on your side, but even then they don't seem willing to step up to the plate and talk their pals down.

I try to avoid being confrontational, but it's a better option than a victim for certain. I've had more success calling people out on their antics than waiting around for something to happen. As a stiltwalker I've got more at stake than a $14 ProKnows if some idiot wants to be cool. If I lose a customer or three over the episode, I probably don't know about it - so no big deal. I imagine 9 out of 10, that the general spectator will assume that the performer is "in the right" and it won't effect potential business.

[Willace-the-Clown]

As Willace I carry a Cain & as Hobo Bob I Carry a Broom Handle

[BennyO]

Hehehe.... Willace just carries a weapon. That might work.

Maybe I am just overreacting too. It was still a fairly fun gig and most of the people where lovely. I just got lazy.

It's kind of like we use to say in IT. "Computers work wonderfully, it;s just when a user logs in that is when the trouble occurs." For me to put forward an arguement about clowns not belonging in public is like saying I like IT, I just hate fixing peoples problems.