Clown is a type of comic performer who usually works in a circus. To make audiences laugh, most clowns wear funny costumes and makeup and behave in a strange or silly manner. Many clowns develop humorous routines that emphasize playful antics and tricks.
There are two chief types of circus clowns–auguste and whiteface. Auguste clowns wear extravagant makeup and baggy suits and appear stupid and clumsy. Whiteface clowns are more elegant. They wear white makeup and clown suits and often perform opposite auguste clowns, especially in European circuses. Another type, known as tramp clowns, or hobo or Charley clowns, became popular in American circuses. They resemble tramps, with their tattered suits, unshaven faces, and red noses. They always look sad or lonely.
The first clowns date back to ancient times. They have been called by such names as jester, fool, and buffoon. The word clown was popularized in the early 1800’s by Joseph Grimaldi, a famous British comic actor. To this day, circus clowns are often called Joeys after Grimaldi.
The American circus clown began in the late 1700’s as a kind of comedian who stood in front of an audience and told jokes. Because the first circuses were small in size, a single clown could entertain the entire audience with jokes and songs. During that time, clowns ranked among the great stars of the circus. As circuses grew larger in the mid-1800’s, individual clowns could no longer entertain audiences. Groups of frolicking clowns replaced the single performing clown. However, in the mid-1900’s, such performers as the tramp clown Emmett Kelly continued the earlier tradition.
