Graduation Day clown skit, courtesy of the Red Skelton Hour episode, The Love Bug’ll Getcha If You Don’t Use DDT.
Graduation Day clown skit — this is one of Red Skelton‘s one-minute sketches, similar to the blackout sketches from vaudeville. This deals with a graduation ceremony — at a Judo academy!
Props:
- 2 graduation caps
- a piece of rolled-up paper with a ribbon around it, as a diploma
- two white coats or robes
- Two black belts
- A podium
Clowns:
Two clowns of any type. Probably a whiteface clown as the Professor, and an Auguste (really any type) as the graduating student.
The Skit
The skit begins with one clown, The Professor, standing behind a podium. The reason is primarily to hide the fact that he’s wearing a black belt. It’s not immediately obvious that this is a graduation ceremony for a Judo academy.
The Professor: [feel free to rewrite this to fit your clown] Thank you all for coming today. It is with pride that I present the first graduating class of Clown College’s Judo Academy. You will each step forward as your name is called. Fittingly, our first recipient is the valedictorian of the class, Clown.
[at this, Clown walks onstage from the wing, also wearing a graduation cap, white robe, and black belt. The Professor walks out from behind the podium.]
[The two face each other. The student does a bow to the Professor, who then returns the bow. The student does it again, so the Professor does it again. Following the rule of three, on the third round the Professor loses his patience and hits him over the head with the diploma!]
[The Professor shakes his hand as he hands him the diploma — ending with a Judo flip!]
Editor’s notes:
- It’s obvious that this is a fairly short sketch. Feel free to add additional bits to stretch it out, such as:
- The student walks in wearing black suspenders instead of his belt! Why? The belt’s in the wash.
- As the two approach each other, accidentally walk past each other, turn around, try again, etc.
- Also, I’m not about to do a judo flip. Couldn’t do it without hurting myself. 🙂 So, instead feel free so substitute:
- For example, have the Professor take the Student’s hand — firmly. So firmly, the pain brings the Student to his knees!
- Then, the Student can return the favor, bringing the Professor to his knees!
- Then, the two can pump each other’s arms, raising them up (like a car jack).
As always, feel free to change this to suit your needs. And let us know, and we’ll update the skit with your ideas!