How to Be a Clown

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 42 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time.

This article has been viewed 198,842 times.

Do you love making people laugh and sharing your laughter with others? Do you love working with children, adults, hospital patients, or any large audiences? Do you like dressing up and working with a variety of props? If so, then you may be the perfect fit for the job of professional clown. So how do you do it? Stop clowning around and follow these steps.

Part 1 of 3:

Getting Your Act Together

Step 1 Get your props.

Step 1 Get your props.

Step 1 Get your props.

Step 1 Get your props.

Step 2 Get a clown costume.

Step 2 Get a clown costume.

Advertisement

Step 3 Put your makeup on.

Step 3 Put your makeup on.

Step 3 Put your makeup on.

Step 3 Put your makeup on.

Step 3 Put your makeup on.

Step 4 Decide whether you want a sidekick.

Step 5 Plan your show.

Step 5 Plan your show.

Step 5 Plan your show.

Step 5 Plan your show.

Step 5 Plan your show.

Step 5 Plan your show.

Step 5 Plan your show.

Step 6 Add magic to.

Step 7 Work on your Slapstick skills.

Work on your Slapstick skills. If you want to use slapstick - practice - there is almost nothing less funny than slapstick done badly. The best comedy will try to emulate some real life, such as talking about bosses, home life, and other things people can connect with. try to include jokes about things the likely audience will understand and appreciate!

Step 8 Avoid clown clichés.

Step 8 Avoid clown clichés.

Step 8 Avoid clown clichés.

Step 8 Avoid clown clichés.

Step 8 Avoid clown clichés.

Step 9 Rehearse your act.

Rehearse your act. Once you have your act together, you've scripted it and acquired the necessary tools, start practising. An ability to time the jokes just right, and the ability to make a smooth recovery if something goes wrong, is essential. First, try your act on your own and tape yourself to see how you can improve. Then, work your moves on a trusted friend. Open it up to your family or small group of children and see how you do.

Advertisement Part 2 of 3:

Finding Work

<a href=Step 1 Decide what kind of clown you want to be." width="460" height="345" />

Step 2 Go to clown school.

Go to clown school. Clown school used to be more popular, such as the Barnum and Bailey's clown school that was a big hit until the mid-90s, but you can still find some classes to take if you want to improve as a clown. Barnum and Baileys, for example, still offers a one-year clown school if you make the cut, though it does not have a permanent location. [4] X Research source

Step 3 Go to clown conferences and camps.

Go to clown conferences and camps. If you don't have time for clown school or if there aren't any clown schools in your area, you can still go to clown conventions to learn some tricks and moves from the great masters. The Clowns of America International web site, for example, advertises a clown camp in Orlando in 2014. Going to conventions is a great way to meet other clowns and to improve your skills.

Step 4 Learn the tricks of the trade from other clowns.

Learn the tricks of the trade from other clowns. The CAI website also offers information about Clown Alleys, or places where you can find and learn from groups of other clowns. You can contact these clowns and ask if they wouldn't mind having a student. The best way to learn, really, is to find a clown mentor that is right for you. Remember that, just because a clown is great doesn't mean that he or she is interested in the same kind of clowning that tickles your fancy.

Step 5 Advertise like a professional.

Advertise like a professional. If you want to make this a business, try to get some advertisements up around your local area. Contact your local newspaper and local venues to see if you can pay to put up posters and adverts. To really make it as a clown, you'll have to understand marketing and advertising techniques, especially on a local basis, to improve your chances of booking gigs and actually making a profit. [5] X Research source

Step 6 Start small.