When you see a clown performing at an event, did you ever think about how they got started, what makes a person decide to become a clown and where do they even begin to get the ideas to mold their character to what you end up seeing in front of you!
When KC the Clown first started out over twenty years ago, she thought that it would be an easy transition to be a clown since she was already in the entertainment business. Family and friends encouraged her to “go for it” since she seemed to have the personality that suited a funny, goofy character anyway. “Yea”, she thought, “Why not?”
She first had to decide what kind of clown she wanted to be. You see there are basically three types of clowns, the White faced, the Auguste and the Tramp or Hobo. Now, I’m not going to give you a history lesson on clowns, if you’ re really curious you can do a search on the internet and find out everything you ever wanted to know about them!
She decided to go with the Auguste clown because then she could leave part of her face unpainted, so the children could see that there was a person under the makeup and they wouldn’t be afraid of her.
Then more decisions had to be made. What would her face look like and what colors would she use? What costume would she decide to go with? What kind of shoes to wear? What programs should she offer? How do you learn to make the balloon sculptures? Should she learn different songs to sing? Where should she advertise and do I get cards made? What kind of events should she cater to? What kind of payment from the customer? How does a person act like a clown? And where do you GET the answers to all these questions?? The more she thought about the entire process, more questions kept popping up! Yea, becoming a clown…NO PROBLEM!!
So after months and months and months of research, trying out different clown faces, learning the balloon art, and figuring everything out, the day had come for the first children’s party…..it was, to say the least, a horrible experience for KC!
Since she never did one before, she didn’t think of the small things that would have made it go a lot easier. Like, bobbiepin her hat down so her hat wouldn’t fall off! Having to do the balloon art, and talking, and acting like a clown All at the same time. Being a clown…No Problem!!
I sincerely had a lot of respect for my fellow clowns. Who knew it would be so hard. And after a couple of months of doing clown gigs, I told my family at the dinner table, that I decided not to pursue being a clown anymore. That it was just too much work with everything else going on in my life.
But my young daughter, with her big brown eyes, would have her say about the matter. She said, “Mommy, please don’t stop being a clown. Please be a clown.”
Well…If it weren’t for her I would have given up. So, I kept pushing through every event and it soon became easier and more enjoyable. Now I say, “Being a clown…not a problem, AT ALL!
“Thank you”, to my Daughter.
