How to Become a Professional Clown

How to Become a Professional Clown

This article relates to Stop Me If You've Heard This One

In Stop Me If You've Heard This One, the main character, Cherry, chases her dreams of becoming a successful clown. The unusual career path actually requires a lot more work—and financial investment—than one might assume. If you're considering trading in your 9-to-5 for a bright red nose, here are some steps you might consider:

Brush up on the basics
Clowning involves many skills, from the practical (making balloon animals) to the more esoteric (understanding what makes kids laugh). You could read some of the many books on the topic, but you could also consider specialized training. Mooseburger Clown Camp offers six days packed with courses ranging from "Beginner and Intermediate Facepainting" to "Creative Entrepreneurship." Meanwhile, Dell'Arte International's week-long "Clown Core" program features a course load focused on acting exercises and improv games designed to "discover the unique clown that is already inside of each participant."

Develop your distinct character and act
Many clowns have a unique persona that sets them apart. For instance, in Stop Me If You've Heard This One, Cherry's clownish alter ego longs for life on a ranch but is pathologically terrified of horses. The act includes singing "Home on the Range" and pretending to be terrified of a cardboard cut-out of a horse. Twentieth-century circus clown Emmett Kelly, Jr. became renowned for his clown character Weary Willie, a down-on-his-luck, mopey man who'd perform menial chores, like hanging his laundry on the tightrope or trying in vain to literally sweep away the spotlight. To fully inhabit your chosen character, you'll likely need to invest in your costume and makeup: professional clowns use theatre-grade greasepaint, not the kind of face paint set you might buy for Halloween.

Consider volunteering to develop your skills
If you're not getting paid gigs yet, you can practice your act and put your skills to good use by performing for free at children's hospitals. In the industry, this is known as "caring clowning." Experts say that it's crucial to reach out to the hospital in advance—no one likes an uninvited guest, even a funny one.

Join a clowning society and an "alley"
The two biggest clowning bodies (at least in the U.S.) are the World Clown Association and Clowns of America International. These groups provide access to conferences, educational resources, and networking opportunities. They can also help connect you with an "alley"—smaller local or virtual groups that connect regularly for social events, workshops, and sometimes even parades! The clowns in your alley can even help connect you with paying gigs.

If you're serious about funny business, a clowning career could be for you.

Circus poster for a performance featuring Emmett Kelly at the Kennedy Center (n.d.), courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Filed under Cultural Curiosities

This article relates to Stop Me If You've Heard This One. It will run in the March 26, 2025 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.