Hmmm. What do I think? Baloney!
Each year I am blessed with meeting some of the most wonderful clowns on the planet! I meet folks who have been clowning for decades, and folks who are just getting started. It is true that the face of clowning is changing, but that is okay. Change can be GOOD if we choose to embrace it.
Are there really not as many people going into clowning? Maybe.
6 comments:
Before reading this article, I never thought of clowning as a lifestyle or a means of making income. Clowning to me is a hobby that a certain demographic of people enjoy to partake in. I found it sorta amusing that this article was so upset that there was a shortage of clowns, thats probably because people are starting to use their education more wisely. I can't imagine a large group of people wanting to be clowns for the rest or their lives, but we all have different things we are passionate about. Many people would look down on the entertainment industry as a profession as well. Clowning is for sure no longer in high demand and it takes me by no surprise that the closing community that does exist is more online. In a few more decades I would be very surprised is there was any more clowns.
From the few summers I spent learning flying trapeze, aerial silks, fire eating, and more, I actually know several professional or trying-to-be-professional clowns. It's cool because they totally approach it as an art, or even a sport, that needs to be practiced and grown. I don't even think they do birthday parties or mitzvahs or whatever else you may expect! It's cool to see how seriously clowns, or really all circus artists and aerialists, take their work. Of course, the epitome of this is Cirque du Soleil where we see all aspects of the circus, clowns included, working to create something so thrilling and beautiful.
Where would the world be if the number of clowns were declining? Honestly it has been a while since I have seen a clown. I used to see them go to work every morning on the subway, half dressed, half make-uped, but still very clearly a clown. I think it is interesting that the article kept pointing out how the craft was evolving and i would love to read more about how the art of clowning and how the clowning population itself is changing.
I am not surprised at the content of this article, after all the market for clowning as clearly depleted. Not only have the number of traveling circuses dwindled, but so too have the number of private events trying to hire entertainers. I owned and operated a juggling company for two years which worked on a for-hire basis entertaining at children's parties and other events. Finding clients, however, was much much harder than I would have anticipated going in. So while the spirit of clowning may not be dying, the number of people able to call it their profession is definitely on the decline.
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!! Without clowns where would this fine nation be!! Without them, who would entertain us!!! I think that the true problem here isn't that there are less clowns, I think that it's just that they're all entering the higher paying job of Politics. But seriously, it is quite sad to see that there is a decline in the amount of clowns in the workforce, as a kid I loved seeing the clowns in the circus make fools of themselves for our entertainment. The problem likely is that clowns are portrayed in such a terrible way in the media making less people interested in becoming one.
I find this sooooooooo amusing! I have never thought that there could be a shortage of clowns. I think that this is due to the fact that circuses are becoming more about the fancy acrobats than the humorous clowns. Also kids are starting to develop a fear for clowns. I myself am not scared of them, and can't see why anyone would be. Maybe that might just be me.
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