Self Defense clown skit – courtesy of The Red Skelton Hour episode, The Love Bug’ll Getcha If You Don’t Use DDT – a one-minute drama, or blackout skit
Props
- A rubber knife
- A domino mask (for the robber)
- A toy gun (for the robber)
Skit
Two clowns meet on stage. “I’m nervous about being here in this bad neighborhood.” So the second clown hands him the rubber knife, and says, “Take this knife — if anyone tries to hold you up, give it to him right in the ribs.” Despite the first clown protesting that he couldn’t do that, the second clown walks off.
As he’s standing there, a short robber (played by a kid here) comes up to his side, pulls out a gun, and says, “Stick ’em up!” The clown turns and stabs at the empty air — where an adult’s ribs would be.
Editor’s notes:
Clearly, a very short skit. Feel free to use this as a framework to build on. Some quick thoughts:
- Have the first clown play with the knife when he’s first given it, to make it plain to the audience that it’s a harmless rubber knife.
- Other things to clown up the performance, such as picking your teeth with the knife, pretending to stab yourself with the knife in the armpit, etc.
- In the original skit on TV, the robber was played by famous little person Billy Barty. For a clown troupe, you’d likely want a kid to play the part of the robber. Or, have an adult get on his knees, and milk that visual joke for all it’s worth. “I’m a little short this month.”