History
Clowning is an ancient art form, which appears inside some manner in virtually each culture. An early form of clowns was a court jester, a role that may be traced back to ancient Egypt. Though virtually all motley fool suffered from either a select few physical deformity & were typically a butt of jokes, it were typically a merely courtiers world health organization enjoyed free speech, and may commonly freely speak their minds to the monarch.

Word origin
A word clown comes from either words meaning "clot" or even "clod" which come besides to mean "clumsy fellow", based on data from a Oxford English Dictionary.

Clown is two the noun & the verb, & can likewise become an adjective (clown bike, clown shoes, clown white, clown gag so in). Clown is besides wont to refer to anyone world health organization will bring amusement around the buffoonish manner. Inside a "clown world", & among agent clowns, "clown" typically refers to the character portrayed, like than a performing artist. This usage is somewhat uncommon outside of the agency clown and/or theatrical community.

Clown skills
It has been said "clowns can do anything", this is mostly because clowns develop such wildly variable performances. "Everyone knows" that the clown can wash magic, juggle, balance items in his nose, clean backflips, etc, however clowns might exist as known as in to run upright astir anything.

In the circus, the clown can exist as convinced to perform an additional circus role: Hike the tightrope, the highwire, the slack rope, or even the piece of rope on the ground, though in the latter out break, the predictably unpredictable clown can exist when even as in all likelihood to wrestle in the area of on the ground by using it, as whenever it were a boa constrictor. Ride the horse, a zebra, a donkey, an elephant, or even an ostrich. Substitute himself in the role of "lion tamer". Work when "emcee", from either M.C. or even Master of Ceremonies, the favorite term for the clown ingesting on the role of "Ringmaster". "Sit in" by using a orchestra, perhaps inside the "pin spot" in the center ring, or even from either the seat in the audience. Anything any more circus performing artist may clean. These are non rare for an acrobat, a horse-equestrian, or even a lion tamer to secretly have-substitute for the clown, the "switch" ingesting place around the brief moment wing.

Types
There are many different types of clowns, including:

A whiteface clown, a virtually all easily-known of modern clown types - Joey Grimaldi was a whiteface clown. A whiteface clown utilizes makeup to exaggerate their facial features & expressions like than modify or even conceal the children. Whilst a whiteface is performing by using more clowns these are commonly a leader & the hurt of these. skullcaps/baldcaps or even even headgear appliances simulating the tall, pointy, or otherwise unusually

A comedy whiten face or even grotesque clown, world health organization utilizes exaggerated produce-higher & costumes, like big noses, shaped head, midget hat, etc. Lou Jacobs is a famous grotesque clown.

A character clown, world health organization adopts the character of the select few most common nature and severity, like a butcher, a police officer, woman of the house or even hobo. Prime examples of this nature and severity of clown come Emmett Kelly, Red Skelton and Charlie Chaplin. Lucy Ricardo, the best known character played by Lucille Ball is considered by clowns to be the character clown. Lucille Ball's clown character itself typically dressed higher when more characters, an time of the character clown successively swimming the clown when a portion of the role.

A rodeo clown has one of the most serious jobs altogether of show business. The rodeo clown occurs as brave & arduous-tireless cowboy or animal wrangler, dressed in uncivilized costumes — near universally outsized & consisting of free fitting shells of vesture to protect the two from either, & to distract, Rodeo bulls, etc. the looseness of the shells allows a rodeo clown to shed portions of their dress in the event of its existence snagged. This agency — whose extremely unsafe job is to protect more performing artist from either bucking horses & charging bulls when at the equivalent instance entertaining a audience by using a trick of a clown — can explain: "Druther lose a shirt than lose my life".

A Pierrot, or "French clown", appears in whiteface, generally by owning super little more color on the face. This clown character prefers black & white or even even more the elementary primary colourize his or her costume. (lupus erythematosus Pierrot is typically female, & has besides been known as "Pirouette" or even "Pierrette". Whenever Bernard Delfont was made the life peer, he chose "Pierrot and Pierrette" when a heraldist supporters of his coat of arms.). Each women use list which translate when "red", however reuben's admittedly love is dressed inside pure white, a more, to whom he played his fateful song, is the "lady in red" this symbolism can indicate that Reuben was Pierrot's companion, Arlecchino:

Harlequin, or even Arlecchino, a character originally from either Commedia dell'Arte, is a "motley" clown — in "commedia", Arlecchino used a cane to "whack" the other performers. This is believed to become a origin of "slapstick" a form of physical comedy. The slapstick (battacio around Italian) is the prop by using ii flat flexible wooden pieces mounted around parallel, them sticks clap together while a implement is stricken, stimulating a slapping healthy, exaggerating the symptom of a comedic blow. Harlequin's more list: Traccagnino, Bagattino, Tabarrino, Tortellino, Naccherino, Gradelino, Mezzettino, Polpettino, Nespolino, Bertoldino, Fagiuolino, Trappolino, Zaccagnino, Trivellino, Passerino, Bagolino, Temellino, Fagottino, Pedrolino, Fritellino, Tabacchino can whole exist as considered funny-sounding names, even to an Italian.

Auguste : accompanying the circus clown, when section of the company, or even when one of the clown duo, there exists typically a second clown character called an auguste, however a auguste's role is different from either a more clowns: he is the "straight man" around virtually all gags. A Auguste is then self-chesty that a audience inevitably will require a more clown to heart when their protagonist. Bongo (of the duo Bongo and Clownzo) is an Auguste clown, which moniker he might guarantee that you means "dignified and respectable".

A Auguste is the zaniest & virtually all goosy of the clown's class action, however tries to look self-respectful, & thinks of himself after hurt & superior & caring, which simply lends to the comedic outare when he receives his inevitable come-uppance. A cleverer clown (a pal) universally defeat the auguste. A auguste gets a pie in the face, is squirted using a river, is knocked down in his tail, sits in the soaked paint, etc.

There are besides differing styles of clowning. Around Europe there is a tradition of "entree Clowning" in which a company of clowns normally comprising of "White Face, August and a "Joey" (taken from Joseph Grimaldi famous Italian clown) perform a set routine, for example "A Busy Bee" in German " Beinchen Beinchen Gib Mir Honig", "A Bon Bon " "a Ghost" are just a few that are regularly performed in European Circus . Water entrees and Paste(soap) entrees are also staple diet for these audiences. Up until the eighties reprise clowns in europe were very traditional but lately they are showing more versatility with a range of different styles and presentations involving audience participation and more inventive "gags" rather that relying on the old faithfuls. The main difference with the U.S. is that usually european shows have one ring and the clown has the complete attention of the audience , in the states where multiple rings are the norm there are more clowns each working on a different section of the public. there was for many years a tradition of families of clowns all working together ie; the Rastellis, the Francescos, The Alexis and many more, but with the economics changing it is no longer vialble for many shows to afford a large family unit so they are slowly disappearing.

This trend appears to be reversing due to the development of the a new class of "Celebrity Clowns". Circuses have recently been faced with stiff pressure from animal rights groups such as peta for their abuse and mistreatment of animals, as well as the competetive pressure from popular new live action versions of children's television programs. In response, American circuses at least, have begun to lean towards shows based specifically around the clown as a marketable character and personality. Celebrity clowns like Bello Knock or David Larible are headlining recent Ringling Brothers tours and garnering exponentially larger shares of the a shows's operating budget than their fellow performers. This return to clown as central theme in circus, is mirrored it seems, in the likes of Cirque du Solei, who commonly uses clowns a central thread to link their acts and give their shows structure, and the myriad smaller independent and underground circuses around the world who have always relied upon the clown as the primary staple in their retinue.

"A Power Clown" Wall Street Journal Aug 12th 2005

Customs and traditions
As with any ancient artform, fools, clowns and other related artists have developed customs, traditions and even superstitions regarding their chosen avocation. Many of these customs are widely held, and considered fundamental to the Art of Clowning.

A knock is a plug
Professional clowns typically do not make disparaging remarks about other clowns, not only because this is considered petty, but because of the tradition that "a knock occurs as plug", in other words, to mention a poor performer by name is to provide that performer with undue advertisement.

The Code
Each individual clown has the informal right to a costume, makeup and other unique performance attributes that must not be infringed by other clowns. Despite no enforcement through intellectual property laws, this code of non-infringement is always respected by the professional clown, and its protection is even extended to individual clown routines and acts. This practice is of such a great importance to clowns, that it is often referred to by clowns as simply "A Code."

"Clown Eggs"
In Britain, as recognition of The Code, each clown has their own clown face painted onto an eggshell and no two eggs can be alike.

Clown superstition
It is not uncommon for clowns to avoid the use of blue face paint, as this is considered bad luck.

Clowns do not wish each other good luck, an old show business custom, however, among clowns the expression "knock 'em dead" seems more prevalent than the customary show-biz expression, "break a leg". Wishing a fellow performer "practiced luck" is considered a jinx.

Clown gags
Among the more well-known clown "gags" are: squirting flower; the "as well-numbers of-clowns-coming-out-of-the-microscopic single-celled-car" stunt; doing just about anything with a rubber chicken, tripping over his own feet (or an air pocket or imaginary blemish in the floor), or riding any number of ridiculous vehicles or "clown bikes".

Clown "bits"
A clown duo might employ a number of cooperative "bits" to help them create an improvisational performance. Using this technique allows both clowns to participate in what looks like a well-rehearsed sketch, but might well be a mere placeholder/spacefiller for a missing act, or used to cover "prop failure" etc. Particularly in a Circus or Variety show, clowns are often relied on to perform "at the drop of a hat" and a well-prepared clown will not only have a large repertoire of bits, but will remain alert when off-stage. In accordance with the well-known "show biz" tradition that "The Show Must Go On", the best clowns will always be ready to save the day, even in the midst of a tragedy -- such as an injured performer.

Pete and re-Pete
"I personally look at busy people bought yourself the fresh hat"

--"Yethe, a Future Hat (large happy grinning of contentment using his battered stovepipe hat)

"Get it uptown?"

--"Yup, Got it Up Town, oh Yeah, you're not gonna get a Fine New Hat like this one DOWN town (taking the hat off again for another satisfied look at the hat, and rocking up on to the balls of his feet and back on his heels, proudly)

"That you may say that again"

--"Alright: Had it Higher Town, yea, non gonna acquire one of these business district" (another proud look at the hat, picking an imagined piece of lint from the torn brim of the bedraggled Fine New Hat), yep, nothing like an Up Town Hat"

"Uhuh... they pay you much?"

(a 1st clown narrates a gag, a 2nd repetition independent elements of this exposition)

"Thats good/that's bad"
''Around "thats good/that's bad", a number one clown narrates a gag, a 2nd responds alternately with "that's good /that's bad"'':

"I found a dog"

--"that's good"(noncommittally)

"It wasn't a hot dog though" (showing a mutt)

--"that's too bad" (seeking at a mutt, wistfully)

"He's really friendly"

--"Oh, that's good" (pleasantly)

"with people's legs"

--"Well THAT's bad" (appalled)

"He doesn't eat much

--"that's adept" (nodding agreeably)

"He sure enough poops much though"

--"that's badness"('that stinks' expression)

"he's housebroken"

--"THAT's proficient"(of course it is)

"There is no that's badness, he did a bit of poky instance for the last housebreak"

--"Okeh, so that's badness..."(willing to be corrected)

"There are no that's skillful - it was his 2nd offense. He's no more straight now"

--"that's... uhhh... full?"(confused now)

"There is no that's badness, he's no more straight in your pastrami sandwich!"

This bit is also seen with other "good/bad" interjections: perhaps ''"that's fortunate/unfortunate" or even (with a pair of two "Surfer Dude" clowns) as "Dude that rocks!/Man, that bites"''.

Note that a clown would likely choose the word 'pastrami' rather than 'corned beef', because pastrami is a funny word and corned beef is not. Clowns prefer: monkey wrenches to "wrench"; doohickeys to "gizmo"; kitchen gadgets to "little appliance"; monickers to "nicknames"; would much prefer to be fidgety than "restless".

Each clown has his own gags or bits, these techniques are used to share gags with other clowns that are unfamiliar with the material, by using "Yes, &..." techniques ("Yes &" has become a technique commonly taught in "improv" classes) such as "Pete & re-Pete", and "Thats good/that's badness", the clowns avoid conflicting gags, supporting each other in whatever they may say, and keeping the performance flowing.

"Hi Dewey, looks prefer professional people had yourself the fresh pair of shoes"

-- "There are no, Microscopic, which are actually our regular shoes."

Some famous clowns

Achille Zavatta (1915–1993). Alfredo Rastelli, world famous Italian clown. Avner Eisenberg, a.k.a. Avner the Eccentric a "Broadway" clown. Batatinha (literally Little Potato), from Portugal. A very well-known clown. Bill Irwin, a "loose-fitting pants" clown known for his vaudeville-style performances. Bim Bom, a famous clown of Revolutionary Russian, executed by the Cheka for his Bolshevik satires. Bongo, Clownzo's "Auguste" partner, portrayed by the American multi-media and performance artist whose name is simply "Glenn". Bozo the Clown, a franchised clown, played by many local television performers. He was also the name of a character in the cartoon. Coco (Nicolai Poliakoff), a famous clown of Latvian origin. David Konyot , 4 times winner best clown (U K) Hungarian circus festival, Polish circus Festival. David Larible Die Chickys, classic european clown act. Emmett Kelly, "sad clown" with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. Francesco Caroli. The Fratellinis, a dynasty of French clowns. George Washington Lafayette Fox, perhaps the most famous American clown during the 19th century and one of the first known performers to become typecast in a role. Glen "Frosty" Little, a "white face" clown with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. Grock (Adrian Wettach). Habakkuk (Arminio Rothstein). J. P. Patches, seattle children's television clown. Johnny Tatum, rodeo clown Joseph Grimaldi credited with being "a number one whiteface clown" — in an homage to Grimaldi, circus clowns began referring to them selves and each other as "Joey"s, and the term 'joey' is now a synonym for clown. Karandash (Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev). Lou Jacobs, one the world's most well-known circus clowns, most often performing as a grotesque clown. Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) television superstar/producer, certainly one of America's most famous clowns, and a fine example of a character clown. Oleg Popov, great clown from the Soviet Union. Quail Dobbs, rodeo clown Red Skelton aka Freddy the Freeloader or Clem Kadiddlehopper. Remi, "Puerto Rico's Greatest Clown". Ronald McDonald, McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain's advertising clown character, performed by various performers, all of whom were trained to portray the character in an identical manner. Prior to this standardization of the character, Ronald McDonald was played by several performers. In the first television ad featuring Ronald McDonald, the clown was portrayed by Willard Scott. Rusty Nails, Pacific Northwest Children's television clown, and model (in part) for Matt Groening's "Krusty" character on the television program "A Simpsons" Slim Pickens, rodeo clown and film actor. Will Kemp (fl c 1589–1600) actor dancer and clown who worked with Shakespeare. Yuri Nikulin, Russian clown and actor.

Some other clowns
Jonny Mortensen, from Sweden, a really "nerdy" clown. He is without doubt Karlstad's (in Sweden) most famous "newsclown". Jack, advertising icon for the fast food company, Jack in the Box. Jorn 'Erasorhead' Barger,from Hoboken,a hobo-clown in the tradition of Freddy the Freeloader of Red Skelton fame. Ernest Borgnine, the American film and television actor, enjoys performing as a clown in parades, particularly in New York City. Three peace-seeking clowns were beaten up by police during the protests against the 1981 Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand. The protest movement thereafter added "Send in the Clowns" to its repertoire of songs. Pat Cashin, (America) solo clown with the Shrine Circus Cepillín, a Mexican clown.

Fictional clowns
Krusty the Clown the washed-up, has-been television clown from the animated television series The Simpsons. Shakes the Clown the title character of the movie of the same name. Shakes the Clown was called "a Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies" by the New York Times. Pennywise the Clown, a character from Stephen King's It. Binky the Clown, a character from Garfield comics. Homey the Clown, a character from the In Living Color television program, whose famous catch phrase was "Homey don't play dat", played by Damon Wayans. Buttons (clown), a central character from the 1952 movie The Greatest Show on Earth, played by Jimmy Stewart. Clarabell the clown was a regular character from the Howdy Doody television program, originally played by Bob Keeshan of Captain Kangaroo fame. I Pagliacci, (The Clowns) a tragic opera by Ruggiero Leoncavallo prominently features Arlecchino as a character. This opera was inspired by a true story. Yorick was a court jester who featured as the subject of a lengthy soliloquy in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Chuckles the Clown was a Mary Tyler Moore Show background character who was trampled to death in one of the best-known episodes. Calvero was a famous clown character played Charlie Chaplin in the film Limelight (film). Frenchy the Clown of the national lampoon comic "Evil clown comedian" series. Koko the Clown from Max Fleischer's Out of the Inkwell series of animated cartoons. The Joker is a supervillain from DC Comics. Buggy the Clown is a fictional character & antagonist of the manga and anime One Piece. His appearance is best described as a mix between a blue-haired clown and a stereotypical pirate. He is extreamly sensitive about his real nose (which actually looks like a false clown nose) and anyone who says any thing that he thinks sounds like an insult to his nose, (even if the statement has absolutly nothing to do with his nose) will cause him to get extremly violent. (if you was the episodes in japanese you will se the words ar similer to "large" "red" & "nose") Doink the Clown, a gimmick used by several wrestlers in the 1990s. Doink began as a heel wrestler in the evil clown archetype, but later Doinks portrayed the character as a babyface who loved to entertain the children in the crowd. Captain Spaulding, from the horror films House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects.

Coulrophobia

The term coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, is a recent coining in response to a surprisingly large amount of interest in the condition, particularly on the Internet, where websites have been developed which are specifically devoted to the issue.

The word has no significant coverage in printed dictionaries, but try an Internet search on coulrophobia and you’ll discover a host of websites by coulrophobes (people who fear clowns), the condition being one of the most remarked-upon phobias on the Internet.

Much of the interest has originated with a man called Rodney Blackwell, a web designer whose affliction with the phobia led him to set up several website featuring message boards where fellow coulrophobes could share experiences. The sites also affords opportunities to buy merchandise bearing an ‘I hate Clowns’ logo, and play games like ‘Punch-the-Clown’.

Causes of the phobia

In discussions of causes of coulrophobia, sufferers seem to agree that the most fear-inducing aspect of clowns is the heavy makeup which, accompanied by the bulbous nose and weird color of hair, completely conceals the wearer's identity.