1. Introduction
Hello, and welcome to the weekly Clown-Ministry mailing list. This is just a short note to let everyone who’s interested know about new additions to the site, and related information.
First, a welcome to all of the new subscribers from around the world! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, or to post a question in the Forums. Second, the ‘update’ to the site’s pages slowly continues — but the end is now is sight, God willing. Also went and corrected more typographical errors that I care to admit to :o(
And now, back to our regularly-scheduled newsletter.
2. New skits on-line
2 new skits from Larry & Grannie — Pinocchio on the Mount, a skit for 4 talking clowns dealing with gossip, a retelling of the Good Samaritan that they originally did for their AWANAs group — thanks to them both! Also, from Mizzizippy at aol.com comes “Obstacle in the Road Ahead” — how to deal with obstacles? with God’s help & perspective, of course! Thanks to all who’ve contributed — and don’t forget, if you have any original skits that you would like to contribute, just e-mail it to tfraymond@earthlink.net
3. New Articles
Updated the Red Skelton biography. Also updated the Memorial Day article with the 2004 proclamation, and updated the biography of Pinto Colvig — the first person to portray Bozo the Clown, and was inducted into the Clown Hall of Fame on May 28th. Interestingly enough, Larry Harmon’s place in the Clown Hall of Fame has been removed — there will be a future article on this. Also, since several people have complained about not receiving the newsletters, I’ve added an online archive of the newsletters (2004 so far, and I’ll add previous years’ newsletters as time permits).
4. Questions
Q: Last time, I asked what sort of things you typically carry in your (clown) pockets — here are the answers I received:
A: What’s in a Clown’s pocket? Good question. LuLu
usually wears large Lee Jeans … in the right hand pocket there’s usually
the cubed dinosaur egg … some stickers, the fuzzy mouse that squeaks
when you pet him if you’ve been good, some give away rings, some brown
E’s. In the change pocket of the jeans I carry an extra mouth coil and
two folded sm Kleenex’ for an emergency just gotta do a skit. In the
left pocket, more stickers, some lifesavers (for stale breath), my
“stool” sample and a yo-yo with my clown picture in it. (deep down is a
small bottle of nose glue) … in the back left pocket there’s the King
of Hearts and the mind reading of a number you choose. (I keep several
of the mind reading tricks when visiting teenagers in the hospital …
give it to them with a promise not to tell anyone how it works and a
small plain brown bag (for catching that “magic” ball. In the right
back pocket I carry some clown ministry tracts and my Freckle Collection
notebook with pen. I carry extra large safety pins on the inside of
the pockets … never know when you’re going to need them! I wear shorts
under all this where I carry my id and any money I may need. Sounds
like a lot but boy, you can walk around and have a lot of FUN! <“Kay
Bradley”>
Q: I remember a song from Bozo probably in the 1940’s –
about good manners. It goes somewhat like this: use good manners,
every one, because good manners can
be fun, how do you do, how do you do, i offer my hand to
you…… I am interested in finding out the words for the complete
song. can you help me? or a record that has this on it. thanks, gwen
eckelman @ stlouistrackclub at juno dot com or eckelmann at aol dot com
A: I have to admit to having no clue about this song — can anyone else help?
Q: “Thomas Eisenberg, \”TJ\”” <risinsun at avalon
dot net> Hello, I hope that this may be a no-brainer for you, but I
have run across a quote in literature referencing “clowns and tubs”. Do
you have any immediate ideas about movie moments, skits, clown bits or
anything that may be a plausible origin for this image. Seems to me
that it may be a common schtick but I really don’t have a knowledge base
for anything more specific. Could you please respond to this with any
insight and/or references to which you might direct me. Thank you for
your time and consideration in this peculiar request.
Aahhooooogaaaa (My best horn sound!) Tj Eisenberg
A: Well, I have to admit to only a few things that
immediately pop into my mind — Lou Jacobs, for example, had a routine
of driving a motorized bathtub around the circus ring, the 3 Stooges had
(at least) one scene where they fell into a bathtub as the “blow off”
to the movie – “Hey, it ain’t Saturday night!” — does anybody else have
any other ideas?
Q: Frankye Johnson <pastor at lawtonfirstumc dot org> Would you please send me a script of Mr. Shaffer’s original Clown Communion?
I once had a copy, but have misplaced it. I have found the DramaShare one for Chrysalis, but would like to compare it to the original. Am willing to pay for it, if I could simply download it. Thank you.
A: Unfortunately, I don’t have a script; it’s described in his book “If I Were A Clown“, but that’s not a script. Can anyone point Frankye Johnson toward an actual script?
Q: “Vann Mitchell” Vannmitch at aol dot com : Hi, I
have many costume designs, face designs and prop designs by Paul Jung.
It is a very large collection purchased from his estate many years ago.
Do you know where the best place to sell these items would be? Many
thanks.
A: Can any collectors help? My first reaction is “E-bay”
although I know from the COAI mailing list that there’s been talk
mulling about the creation of a “Clown-bay” service …
Q: Sherry Gdog <sgdog2 at yahoo dot com>: Dear
tom, trying to reach some clowns for a friend of mine who has a brain
tumor…so they say…i have prayed for him and expect a better
report…in the meantime i would like as many clowns as possible to send
him just a quick card or note to flood his life with love and more
prayers are a great idea…he knows leon mcbryde and so do i so i was
actually trying to just send notes to as many as possible…please get
hold of all the clowns you can and send a card to crunchy t. clown at
850 S. Erie in wichita, kansas 67212….your efforts would make our card
shower a heavy load for the postman…but he knows crunchy too and will
be fine with this…hee!..thank you rainbow t. clown in wichita…got
hold of linda and leon by phone…but glad to discover another
minister…i am ordained by vcc in tulsa as a clown minister also …
A: OK, so it’s not as much a question as a request… by
the way, I do want to mention for the record that I am not an ordained
minister — I do the web site as a ministry, but I’m a “lay person” not
an ordained minister of any type :o)
Q: Linda Tilley <peru_admin at hchfi dot org>
Dear sirs, The Town of Peru In. is know as Circus City due to its
history and we have a Youth Circus here yearly. This year in honor of
the event the town is holding a Clowns on Parade contest with businesses
in the town dressing and displaying clowns (Singular to Cows on Parade
in Chicago). Hickory Creek is a Charitable non profit Nursing home and
our staff and residents want to dress and display our clown. We were in
hope you could give us some assistance in designing and/or objects
needed for this display. we are again charitable not for profit so any
contribution could be tax deductible. Due to the nature of our business
of caring for the elderly Any ideas regarding a retired clown. Please
assist us in anyway you can and would love to display any
acknowledgement of your assistance. The Clowns are due to be displayed
starting June 15th.
A: Again, more of a request… we’re on a roll, apparently!
Q: harry totherow <moviesandmovies at yahoo dot
com>: Hello, I am trying to find a signed print by jim howle, called
porot . I would also like to know the price of this print. Hope you can
help,,,,, TIA
A: Again, any Jim Howle collectors out there?
5. Web Site of the Week
In honor of the UW-La Crosse Clown Camp beginning this week, check out their web site (http://perth.uwlax.edu/clown camp/) – it’s highly recommended, if you’ve never attended a clown camp (i.e. Mooseburger Camp, etc.)
6. Outroduction
This is a weekly e-mailing from http://www.clown-ministry.com/ — if you received this by mistake, or you just don’t want to receive it any more then simply reply to this message with ‘unsubscribe’ as the subject of your message, and I’ll gladly remove you from any future mailings. As always, feel free to submit your own skits, articles, ideas for articles, etc.
Thanks for listening, and bump a nose!
Tom Raymond
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http://www.clown-ministry.com/
“Clowns work like aspirin, only faster” — Groucho Marx