Clown Gags - Making Your Clown Act Funnier!
Today is the day. You got your first booking as a clown and you are set to go. Your costume is fantastic, your makeup is perfect and the wig and shoes scream, "I am a FUNNY CLOWN!" You have learned how to do a few balloon animals and a couple of magic tricks, so you've got your act together! Or do you?
Now, you need to start making your clown act funnier.
Don't fret! Many clowns are not naturally funny, so we have to learn how to be funny. It is really a lot easier than you think to make children laugh. Here are a few tips to get you headed in the right direction.
Mispronunciation
Mispronouncing words is often funny. A classic example is calling scissors "skissors". When children correct you, you respond by saying, "I call them skissors because I never learned how to pronounce scissors". The children will now point out that you said it correctly. This can be played up and is very amusing to children.
Misnaming
Calling things by the wrong name or getting the names of things backwards can produce good results. For example, you meet two children and get their names. One is Michael and the other is Susan. You call the girl Michael and boy Susan. Say, "Oops, that was wrong. I am just a bit confused because you are standing in wrong places." Have them switch places and say, "Now I can get your names right." Again, you call them by the wrong names. Say, "Stop moving around!", switch them back and this time get their names right. End by saying, "See, if you just stop moving around I would get your names right!"
One-liners
It is also helpful to have a list of one-liners that you can use in various situations.
Just little quickies like:- When you meet a child who is not smiling ask him or her, "Why do you look so unhappy? Are your underpants too tight?"
- When a child mumbles something in response to a question, you can say:
"Could you answer that in English?"
or
Just smile and mumble something back and then turn to the audience and say, "We went to the same school."
The more lines you have at your disposal, the easier it is to be spontaneously funny!
