Talk:Clown

Contents

1 welcome 2 general discuss thread 3 'Brettrix' 4 a few requests 5 Recently appointed jester 6 a pie in our colllective face: 7 John Wayne Gacy is a notable clown

welcome

Clown fans, plenty to do on this page! Ortolan88 11:52 Aug 2, 2002 (PDT)

general discuss thread

Great choice for an article, Ortolan. A while ago, I thought of doing an article on the Flying Wallendas--not clowns but trapeze artists--but got side-tracked. I will see what I can find over the weekend. Danny

I don't even like clowns. At age 9 or so I was dragged out of the audience at the Clyde Beatty circus by a grotesque fat female clown who plopped me on the back of a donkey (in a flying harness, to be sure), from which perch I was promptly dumped to the glee of the crowd. I can still remember her reassuring grin through the makeup, and her reassurances that nothing was going to happen. And, short of humiliation, nothing did, only humiliation. Ortolan88

Neither did I, but when I began researching this a little, I realized how many important entertainers, inlcuding ones that I love, can be classified as clowns. There is also a remarkable history of clowns, which are found in virtually every culture. Danny

Here's a couple resources: http://www.coai.org/history.asp

http://www.clown-ministry.com/History/clowntype-tramp.html

'Brettrix'

Wow! The most recent addition is pretty doggone obscure:

Brettrix, a role that can be traced back to ancient Ashtead

I hope you'll provide more, both on the Brettrix, and maybe an article on ancient Ashtead as well. Ashtead, Surrey isn't much help.Ortolan88

If that was vandalism, as whoever deleted it says it was, it was pretty classy vandalism. Ortolan88

If that info is good, please reinstate it. I have no clue about 'Brettix' myselfPedant

a few requests

Hi folks, I've sort of adopted this pages, watch for changes and extensions.

I invite you to amplify anything I might include if you can. I have taught clowning and juggling, and performed professionally as well. I'm also a maven of the juggling arts, circus skills, and a dabbler in clown, juggling and circus history, but I don't consider myself The Expert.

Of real interest to me at this time would be the addition of 'Famous people not well known as clowns but who perform/performed as clowns'(such as Ernest Borgnine) as well as the addition of 'Performers whose primary or major role was a clown role - but might not be considered by many 'outside the clown world' (those who really know clowning more than anyone else are clowns - it takes one to know one)to be clowns but who are unmistakably and demonstrably in fact clowns("Pee Wee Herman" and "Lucy Ricardo" are examples.)

Also, some of the clowns on this page don't have any info but their name. They could use a description or even a short bio.

I'm looking for information on bit "The Stranger With a Kind Face" aka "Niagara Falls!" aka "Slowly I turned" I know it is of vaudevillian origin but I haven't found the originator. (this bit was featured on I love Lucy and on one of the Three Stooges movies) you know it:"slowly I turned,step by step, inch by inch...."

also If you can, add to the clown material on pages that link here (see my additions toLucille Ball) and link to this page from any related pages you might think of.

I envision Clown as a robust hub page eventually. If you have any suggestions I thoroughly welcome them. Pedant 18:31, 4 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Recently appointed jester

http://accessibility.english-heritage.org.uk/Default.asp?WCI=NewsItem&WCE=486

a pie in our colllective face:

as they say in the 'clown world': "a knock is a plug", the article this link points to is a raving rant against clowns, yet in it/s own way, it, itself is an example of clowning-used-as-political-activity, and is really kinda amusing.

• Consider a career as a clown (http://www.enragedbaboon.com/clowns.html)

I'm half-tempted to leave this link in, but after checking the other articles on that site, I think the article's content as well as the author themself may be unstable.

If you want to add joke links like this, please put them on the discuss page, where they might be appreciated longer. Clowns obviously edit this article, and many of us even have a sense of humor.Pedant

John Wayne Gacy is a notable clown

Go visit the Gacy article, look at the picture, and tell me he wasn't a notorious clown. Until a coherent argument can be made to exclude gacy from the list of notable clowns, I am reverting User:Wyss' vandalism to this article. --Oipolloi 21:26, 11 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Gacy was not professionally noted as a clown and IMO doesn't belong on a list of people who gained notability through their work as clowns. However, I see there is another section for historical clowns and it seems appropriate to me, so I've moved his name there. Readers are welcome to look at my contribution history and talk page if they have any questions about my edits and their compliance with WP policy. Wyss 05:42, 13 Jun 2005 (UTC)