Your ever serving beloved clown

There are many different meanings behind the word “clown”. Clowns are deeply misunderstood creatures. Much like many comedians, they are deeply melancholic and that’s partly the reason they want to make other people laugh. Their ultimate goal is to elicit their highly regarded prize; their audiences’ laughter. Or is it maybe that because that’s all they could ever do, they eventually became melancholic?

Don’t know, it’s a chicken-egg question and it will probably remain unresolved. However, clowns and comedians have a major difference in their approach; Comedians rely mainly on their witty comebacks and sharp one-liners to make others laugh, while clowns have solely their behavior. They are a combination of clumsiness, funny faces and/or noises and, most importantly, their ability and strength to ridicule themselves.

Of course, I’m talking about professionals here. But there are others… For example, the ones who are ridiculous due to immature behavior and stupid decision making – but, I’m not talking about them either. I’m here to talk about some very specific, good, albeit non-professional, clowns that all of you have come to meet during your life.

It’s us, your friends. And we are willing to do anything and everything to make you laugh. We are not witty enough to entertain you with our humor, our brilliant one-liners and comebacks, so we resort to the only thing we’ve got; our behavior. We can fall while we walk, become over-dramatic when we tell a story and exaggerate our stupidity – all with a single purpose; to entertain our beloved audience.

But why do we do it? What’s in it for us to gain? And that’s when the Voice War began once more…

“I think that’s a remarkable trait. It’s selfless, touching and it strengthens or even creates bonds. In a scenario where a new group of people get together, the “clown” is the one that becomes deliberately the target for banter, so that the others can bond over him.

In a friendship, it’s the person that makes their own stories widely stupid, in order to make their friends feel better for their own blunders. And, in a relationship, they’re always the first to stumble upon furniture and laugh with themselves, just to see their significant other smile.

No feeling is greater than the one that permeates your soul when you see a loving face cracking up and holding their stomach – with you being the cause of it.

It takes great courage to be able not only to laugh at yourself, but to be willingly to give others the chance to do so as well. After all, like the great Monty Python have sung “you’ll see it’s all a show, keep ’em laughing as you go.” Ain’t no proof in the world that you truly care about the people that surround you than that.”

“Yeah, it’s so nice and cute and rainbow-y, aweee. I’m touched – and, also, deeply annoyed. Are you insane? Making a fool out of yourself seems like a remarkable trait to you? Undermining one’s self and trying to exaggerate your mistakes just to make others laugh? What are you; an idiot?

There’s a reason why the word “clown” has acquired such a negative tone over the years. Because it’s become the synonym of silliness and of a desperate need to hear a round of chuckles and applauses.

Did it ever occur to you that, maybe, you have the same need? Maybe this behavior does not derive from a glorified selflessness, but from burried-deep complexes and the urge to feel accepted. Or maybe you try to exploit your own faults and minuses before anyone else does and pretend like you’re cool with them, so that you feel almighty and strong.

And, being the Devil’s advocate here, aren’t you afraid that, if you keep doing this, others might end up wanting you in their lives just because you make them laugh and feel superior and good in their own skin?

Be careful kid, ’cause it’s one thing to care about others and go after their smile (that’s a clown) and a totally different story to be a jester; a hopeless beggar for attention, feeling like they’re gonna chop off your head and be done with you, if you don’t do well.”

You see, I’ve given it a lot of thought throughout the years and I realized that, yes, for some people, you might end up being their jester; their source of amusement and superiority feelings. These people will fly away as soon as you remove your make up and decide to rest your happy face for a while. That’s okay.

Because there will be a selected few that, even though they are used to you being their inexhaustible supply of funny stories, they will stick by you during the times you’re not. With these people, no matter what you do, you will always be a clown; one they appreciate, love and look forward to seeing on stage again.