Blog Archives
Block Party! YEF Stage
I recently jointed the Youth Enrichment Foundation as a Platinum Participating Merchant > You can now buy $100 gift checks through them toward my services. They invited me out to their annual Block Party at the Hawk’s Prairie Home Depot Parking lot. They had 60 vendors and shows every hour on the hour. I took the 2 o’clock spot and also offered to improvise during set changes with some witty banter. Since I was so close to breaking the 500th pie mark I played that up.
I reached the 500th pie by 12:45!
Kai Lyn got pied
Clown campers, Smoothy, Memo & Checked the clowns showed up and helped with the show. We did 15 minutes of Laughter Yoga and then they handled pieing another dozen faces .
the sprinkler laugh
I stuck around until after the Kids at Play set. They had about 50 youth singing and dancing selections from Honk, the musical (based on Hans Christian Anderson’s “the Ugly Duckling”). I got it into my head that I would try for a new record of faces pied ALL AT ONCE. I figured that I’d get each kid to hold a mini-pie, and I could run down the line pieing them in a wave.
They had other plans…
complete chaos and mass hysteria! They pied each other and then pied me! Oh, well. It guess I had it coming.
Is it more fun to give than receive?
Share your opinion in the comments
Lacey Spring Fun Fair 2011 [vlog]
This year’s Lacey Spring Fun Fair entry by the Red Nose Brigade included: Jusby, Sprout, Bean Sprout, Lilly, Buzzy, Stormy & Bubble~Trouble.
Sprout made the front page of the Olympian!
Jack Lobb, 2, gives a kiss to his aunt, Jenni Hatfield, who is dressed as Sprouts the Clown, during the annual Lacey Spring Fun Fair on the Saint Martin’s University campus on Saturday, May 21, 2011. The event continues on Sunday. (Tony Overman/Staff Photographer)
The alley planned to recreate our award-winning parade entry, “Road Apple Pie or Pie a la Road”, but we kept tweaking it…
- We eliminated the fake apples we were dropping
- We eliminated the hobby horses we were riding
- We added horse ears and tails to our costumes
- We eliminated the wheelbarrow
- We added a riding lawnmower that towed a wagon
- We forgot the large fake pie
- We substituted a real pie
Consequently, of course, a dude got pied!
For some reason, we had trouble getting together for a group shot. This is Sprout, Jusby & Bubble~Trouble. Not Pictured: Stormy, Buzzy, Lilly, & Bean Sprout!
This is a girl I know from my day job. She admitted that she had been afraid of clowns because she was traumatized by a clown chasing her with a balloon… at the Lacey Spring Fun Fair! However, it was before I joined the RNB, so I know it wasn’t me!
Coincidentally, I knew her mother from my time as an AmeriCorps*VISTA (2001-200).
National Train Day & Free Comics [vlog]
I just found out that Sprout made the paper on again on National Train Day!
Sprouts the Clown greets Nancy and Fredrick Gomes of Vancouver, B.C., as they arrive for a family visit at the Olympia-Lacey Centennial Station during National Train Day celebration on Saturday, May 7, 2011. Sprouts, played by Jenni Hatfield of Lacey, is a member of the Red Nose Brigade clown troupe. (Tony Overman/Staff Photographer)
Here’s the two of us getting almost all aboard!
There’s one guy who agreed to a pie!
Olympia Centennial Station
6600 Yelm Highway
Lacey, WA 98513Event Date: SATURDAY 5/7/2011
Start Time: 10:00 a.m.
End Time: 2:00 p.m.
Event Description: Celebrate National Train Day with the Centennial Station Committee! Bring the entire family to the ONLY train station in the Amtrak system staffed completely with volunteers and built with donated funds, materials and labor. Refreshments will be provided by Lacey Costco. Door prizes will be given away. Other activities include face painting and clowns, free stuff for the kids, and entertainment by the Dixieland band, DixieKats and the Olympia Bagpipers.”
When is MY train going to come in??
Then I took Orion out for Free Comic Book Day!
GI JOE Themed Party (~378 Total faces pied)
A client recently had me come for a 6 y/o boy’s GI Joe themed birthday party.
I went with the basic black topped with Grampa Del’s garrison cap, accented with a camouflaged belt from a long gone bathrobe. For extra fancy, I added the spats that came from Puck F.
On the way, I noticed someone had pranked a car in the OHS parking lot. I left them my card in case they wanted to get even.
Afterwards, I pied a bonus face back home. AJ had been visiting and took a large pie to the face.
The videos tell about the Magic Kombucha grenade fail.
Pirate (Clown) Party for 6 y/o Boy
Captain Jusby, First Mate Miss Kate and their Pirate crew
Dear Jusby,
I am in need of a clown quickly, my son is having his 6th birthday party in Lacey WA. at Rainier Vista park on Sunday May 23rd, the party is from 3:30 to 6:30, but we need a clown for an hour or so. I know it’s short notice but he wanted a pirate party and well no pirates around here I guess, now he wants a clown. Is there anything you can do? What is your cost?
Thank You! A Mom
Dear Mom,
I am totally willing to tweak my costume and routine toward a Pirate themed party.
As you have noticed from the website, the pie-in-the-face is my specialty, and I find it best if parents have advance warning so they can be prepared with 1) spare clothes & 2) their own camera!I’m thinking I’ll include:
Pirate Transformations (Scars, mustaches, temp tattoos)
Treasure Hunt (wild goose chase)
Balloon SwordsOf course, I’ll bring “Snowball” the pie-rat and plenty of pies.
***
I found an assistant who is available on Sunday: (“First Mate”) Miss Kate! She also attended The Silly Fool School of Top Secret Esoteric Clowning AND has clowned abroad with Patch Adams, AND she is a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader.
Her services are included in my rates. We will paint faces twice as fast. We will PIE faces twice as fast.
We can split guests into two teams for pirate games.
We can engage adults AND children simultaneously.Oh, I love it when an assistant is available!
Jusby
Oh, kid, this is gonna be great! Are you absolutely sure you want this?
This girl kept trying to put the labcoat on forwards instead of backwards like a smock. We had a little matador action going on for a minute.
Jusby gives advice about pie-ing your own mother: “She carried you for nine months… don’t hurt her!”
Okay, Mom, this is what happens when you hire Jusby.
Dad’s Turn!
Mission Accomplished
Jusby’s Singing Telegram(s)
I got a call during lunch on Friday from Jon, of AmericanSingingTelegrams.com asking if I was available Saturday. The client was an active duty serviceman serving in Iraq who wanted to wish his mom a happy mother’s day.
The last time Jon called he had been looking for a guy in a gorilla suit, and this time he was asking after Elvis.
“I’ve got a train conductor… secret agent… doctor… uh… ” Why does he keep asking for these redonkulous things!?
Well, it’s because these are what John Q. Public from Anytown, USA wants in a singing telegram, and these are the costumes listed and pictured on their website. >Note the position of ‘CLOWN’
OUR COSTUMES (availabilty varies per region):
.: GORILLA
.: PINK GORILLA
.: CHICKEN
.: BROADWAY TUX/TOP HAT
.: HIT MAN/SOPRANOS
.: GRIM REAPER/FUNERAL MOURNER
.: ELVIS
.: MARILYN
.: SINATRA
.: AUSTIN POWERS
.: FRENCH MAID
.: NAUGHTY NURSE
.: BAG LADY
.: DOCTOR
.: SHOWGIRL
.: MALE BALLERINA
.. (fun drag, tutuguy)
.: DANCING HEART
… (valentines, anniversary, love)
.: POLICEMAN
.: COWBOY/GIRL
.: CLOWN
.: BELLY DANCER
.: BIKINIGRAM
We settled on the Tuxedo and Top Hat. I told him that it was a white tux with tails and had primary color buttons: a clown tux, you know. As it got closer I started to wonder whether I was even supposed to be a clown. Then I knew that I couldn’t wear a clown tux, act like a clown, and sing like a clown without wearing a clown nose.
It would dilute my brand to do anything but show up as Jusby… and give the mom her telegram on Jusby stationary… and sing Jusby’s signature song.
So that’s what I did… wearing a tux jacket with shorts… gave her a HUGE bouquet in a vase, a balloon hat, and four helium balloons. Great gig!
The mom was naturally moved to tears by my customized serenade. The dad puddled up too. Or was it allergies?
Henrik Bothe at Huntamer Park
Henrik Bothe [http://www.coolneonman.com/] came to the Lacey Children’s Entertainment Series and gave a show in near 100 degree weather. Lucky for him (and us), his show started at 6:30 and he had some cover.
The Four Leg Teeterboard Gag
An assistant (a former classmate of mine from Madison), threw Henrik the third club after he had mounted his extra tall unicycle.
He did the one-legged trick and the kick the hat up to his head trick.
He did the juggle a pin under the leg while on unicycle and juggled ping pong balls with his mouth.
Then Orion got to be his assistant for a Guess Which Hand routine.
His first try with the red ball goes fine, but then Henrik keeps tossing them behind Orion and moving to larger and larger balls.
By the end, Henrik throws his water bottle over Orion’s head. When it hits the ground Orion figures out what’s been happening.
The big finale involves EIGHT spinning plates. He only broke two of them.
And EIGHT spoons flipped into EIGHT glasses.
I asked him about the straitjacket bit, curious if he had left it off because of the heat. He said that most of the kids just don’t recognize it, and he didn’t need two unicycle acts in one show. I knew enough not to ask why he hadn’t done the Neonman routine… It wasn’t DARK ENOUGH!
A mom came up during our conversation with her awestruck little son and asked he ever did “small little birthday parties”. He doesn’t. Not really, no. It would be too expensive, but he enouraged her to have his school hire him.
The guy’s a professional, lady. Didn’t you see the part when I went up on stage to be a volunteer? He asked, “What’s your name?” I said, “Jusby the clown.”
He said, “Jusby… the clown…? Get out of here! I work alone!”
It was all in good fun. I didn’t mind. I would probably have tried to upstage him. Too bad Orion didn’t get the picture of me being sent to the curb though.
on a funny side note… I just grabbed this from a recent Simpson’s episode I saw on Hulu.
Homer: “Big deal! I could juggle six pins if they let me use a UNICYCLE!”
Juggler: “Well, If you think it’s too easy, why don’t you throw me something else.”
Homer throws Bart in.
Juggler: “Are you insane? You can’t throw a little boy into my cascade!”
Homer throws Lisa in.
Juggler: “Stop tossing kids!”
Homer jumps in.
Lacey Spring Fun Fair and Beyond
Lacey Spring Fun Fair at St. Martin’s University this weekend!
With my old friend, Officer Abernethy of the LSP (Lacey Senior Patrol). I said he was OLD! He’s a former WRC (Washington Reading Corps) tutor that I recruited for Lacey Elementary when I was an AmeriCorps*VISTA in 2001!
Orion riding the pony
Jusby and Honey riding the Circus Train (notice the Train Theme continuing?). We had to sit in the CAGE CAR! Probably since Honey had Hedwig the owl.
She first met Hedwig at the Seattle Value Village. He cost only 50c because he was slightly pinkish. Orion and I first met Hedwig whilst bartering with Honey over some great make-up and accessories. He was drying off in her bathtub and clean as ever! He’s actually a Folkmannis puppet. He’s got a reticulated head, and Honey did some marvelous Socratic dialogues with the children she encountered.
Clowns Unlimited ALWAYS sends their Circus Train and Multiple Bouncy Houses. Strangely, they NEVER send a clown!
The Red Nose Brigade 2009
Honey, Sprout, Professor Buzzy, Stormy, Marci Sunshine, Jusby, Little Bee Bop and Bean Sprout. Taken by Nita right before the parade started and right before Bubble~Trouble arrived with her guests.
After we leave Lacey, we’re hungry, so I suggest drive-thru. Orion agrees. We head for the Eastside Big Tom’s, of course.
At the freshly repainted Eastside Big Tom’s bartering tots for a publicity shot!
At the Hands on Children’s Museum, crashing Carbon’s 6th birthday for lemonade and fried chicken.
Carbon collected all the helium balloons and wants to recreate the new Pixar movie, UP!
Mentor Carnival
In honor of National Mentoring Month, the Be The One coalition invited me to attend their Take A Bow Carnival at Komachin Middle School. I wondered how they had found me. My friend, Heather, of Profoundia, had referred me. She and I met at one of Dawn’s Simple Fool classes a year ago. It seemed natural that I should call her and make sure she came along. She decided on her clown name when we reached the parking lot: “Honey”.
Honey and I surround Stephanie from Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
Our initial contact was with Jennifer, also of Big Brothers, Big Sisters (Foster Care enrollment/ Match Support).
Then I got in contact with the coordinator, Puck, of Thurston County Health and Public Services, who thought she might be able to provide me with great quantities of pies and towels. Although that was later vetoed, she did then promise to give me her spats and hooked me up with some pizza… from Brewery City, no less.
Here’s Adam Lee, the illustrious balloon twister. He used to clown but tired of the make-up and had an uncanny knack for the balloons. (Not pictured, his mom who accompanies him.)
Honey was excited about the cotton candy Jackie’s making. Jackie gave us the word from the North Thurston school district: No Pies!
So I only brought one pie and made discrete inquiries. Then left them wanting more.
Eight Pied Faces and Signing Santa
Our pal, Rainshine, helps coordinate the Signing Santa program. Every year he’s been mentioning it to the Red Nose Brigade, and tonight I finally made it over to Mt. View Elementary. I’m wearing my festive red sport coat, white frosted hair and some sound dampening headphones to empathize with the deaf and hearing impaired community. Plus it eliminated the irritating sound of those police sirens as I sped 80 mph through a school zone (j/k!).
Aspen agreed to it before we even got through the door!
Darrin fell to peer pressure. At least it broke the monotony of waiting in line!
Xitto started the ball really rolling!
Alex!
Reagan surprised me by hanging around, getting comfortable and then finally giving the nod.
Gia also changed her mind after watching half a dozen others go through it!
Hyung joined the fun!
Min had to share the last towel with his brother.
Then we split with our pic of Signing Santa.
How sweet is that? Orion, Santa, and Isaiah. Somebody either needs new trousers or longer stockings!
Then we went to Dance Oly Dance!
A wonderful Friday night in Thurston county.
Reading at Relay 4 Life
After a few rounds of golf in 90+ degree heat. I stopped in the shade to peek inside the cover of Clown Girl by Monica Drake.
Actually, I just finished Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle…
Please do read it. For the discussion group, after all.
Lacey Spring Fun Fair Foto
Stormy, Buzzy, Little Buzzy, Bubble~Trouble, Jusby, Sprout, Bean Sprout, Orion and Isaiah
