5 Great Clown Gags

Gags and Props:

Clowns using props and gags is always a crowd pleaser. If I had a quarter for every time someone asked to squeak my nose or wanted to know if my flower squirts water....

Tips:

• Always make sure your victims are having a good time and are OK with you messing with them. We are not out to make people unhappy.
• If possible make yourself the brunt of the joke or gag.

Snake In A Can:

Snake in a Can is an oldie but a goodie. Be creative and disguise your can, and they won't see the gag coming. In my act I have an audience member help me do tricks with my pet skunk, their job is to feed him his treats. I have a 30 foot spring snake that is packed into a plastic can labeled animal chow. They cup their hands as I get ready to pour out some “animal chow” then out flies 30' of spring loaded madness.

Squirting Camera:

The Double Squirting camera is perfect of a walk around trick. You can either pose someone for a picture and squirt them or set the camera to squirt your victim as they take your picture. What fun!

Pet B:

I'd like to by a vowel Pet! The little foam letters sold for sight gags are great. You can buy brown E's, black I's or a free B. The letter b can also be your pet bee. I bought a large letter B and use it in my stage show for a quick filler bit.

My New Best Friend Lunch Box:

Another simple prop and a make at home kind is “your best friend.” Get a small mirror and a plastic lunch box, glue the mirror to the inside of the lunch box lid and you are ready to go. Walk up to a spectator and ask if they want to see your best friend; holding the lunch box in view. Now bring the lunch box to their eye level and open it, they see their reflection as you say; “You must be my new best friend!” awww.....

Plastic Bread:

Last but not least. I found a round, plastic loaf of bread that I knew had to have a gag somewhere. I tell a few bad jokes and do a silly routine, then I pause, pull out this loaf of bread and lean on it. The line of course is: “Don't stop me now folks, I'm on a roll!” A groaner indeed, but it works.

Caring for Your Wig

How to Care for Your Wig:

Looking your best as a clown is a must; but it shouldn't end with the costume and make up. Your clown wigs is also in need of proper attention to detail. No matter if it is a less expensive wig in the $30.00 range or into the hundreds of dollars for a custom model, always care and store your wig properly.

1. Number one on the list is to make sure the wig is cut and styled for your look and character. Hand wash your wig with a gentle shampoo; many wig manufacturers suggested baby shampoo. Gently dry the wig, place it on a foam wig form to finish drying and for styling.
2. Now that your wig is clean, dry and styled, store it safely on the wig form and it will be ready to go for the next show.

If you are working a regularly and your wig goes through a great deal of wear and washing, make sure you replace it before it gets too shabby. Again, your wig is also an important part of your professional look.

Tips:

• Proper care will help your wig last a long time.
• No matter how tempting, never wash your wig by machine, that is a true recipe for disaster.
• You may use stain remover on the cloth cap portion of a bald head wig, still washing by hand after.

How To Paint A Skull Face by Russ Kennedy

This is a great face paint using just two colors, and doesn't take long to do.

The skull:

1. Cover the face in white using a sponge or make up wedge, make sure to leave the eye area clean.

2. Use a medium flat brush to color the eyes in black. A thin brush to draw a black detail line above the eye.

3. With a fine tip brush paint in your skull nose.

4. Next are the teeth, vertical lines starting above the upper lip and going down below the lower lip an inch or two makes for a nice creepy smile.

5. Also paint a black line across the lips to darken the smile.

6. Then draw in a simple jaw line with your thin brush , this really ads to the effect of your skull.

Mismade Flag Magic Routine

Patriotic Magic:

When it comes to magic with a patriotic theme one trick stands the test of time; the Mismade Flag. This is a very colorful piece of magic with plenty of laughs and great magic throughout the routine. I find a change bag is the prop to use with this routine.

What You Need:

• Magic wand
• Mismade flag trick
• Change bag

Routine:

Performer shows the audience three silks, 1 red, 1 white, 1 blue, asking the audience if they know something that could be made from these silks that is red, white and blue. An American Flag! is usually shouted from the crowd.

Bring an assistant up to help you change your silks into a flag using your magic wand and change bag. The assistant has the red and white silks and the wand, the performer holds the bag and blue silk.

Instruct the assistant to place their silks in the bag, and wave the magic wand over the bag after you place your silk in.

Time this action so that you both go for the bag at once and accidentally drop your blue silk on the floor.

Reveal the first mismade flag which, is missing the blue.

Have your assistant take the blue silk with the mismade flag and place them in the bag; waving the magic wand to fix the mistake. Now all the colors are there but they are mixed up.

This really gets the crowd laughing as tell you that it's still wrong. Performer states that all the colors are there; the crowd is going to insist you fix it. Finally the mismade flag goes back into the bag, wave the wand once more and out comes the beautiful American flag.

How the Magic Trick Works

First off, the change bag is one of the most useful props in a magicians kit. You can produce, vanish and even change items while using a change bag. The bag has a second, secret bag that is controlled by a lever in the handle.

The mismade flag has all you need, three silks red, white, blue. Two mis made flags and one regular flag.

I load all three flags in the secret portion of the bag, in the order of appearance. This way you can show the bag empty at the beginning of your routine.

The blue and white silks go in the other part of the bag during the routine, as well as the mismade flags. This will now leave the secret bag empty after you produce the regular flag if you choose to show the bag is empty at the end of the trick.

Final Words:

This routine is great for Memorial Day and Fourth of July celebrations, but a good patriotic routine is always well received.

5 Great Clown Gags

Gags and Props

Clowns using props and gags is always a crowd pleaser. If I had a quarter for every time someone asked to squeak my nose or wanted to know if my flower squirts water.

Tips

• Always make sure your victims are having a good time and are OK with you messing with them. We are not out to make people unhappy.
• If possible make yourself the brunt of the joke or gag.

Snake In A Can:

Snake in a Can is an oldie but a goodie. Be creative and disguise your can, and they won't see the gag coming. In my act I have an audience member help me do tricks with my pet skunk, their job is to feed him his treats. I have a 30 foot spring snake that is packed into a plastic can labeled animal chow. They cup their hands as I get ready to pour out some “animal chow” then out flies 30' of spring loaded madness.

Squirting Camera:

The Double Squirting camera is perfect of a walk around trick. You can either pose someone for a picture and squirt them or set the camera to squirt your victim as they take your picture. What fun!

Pet B:

I'd like to by a vowel Pet! The little foam letters sold for sight gags are great. You can buy brown E's, black I's or a free B. The letter b can also be your pet bee. I bought a large letter B and use it in my stage show for a quick filler bit.

My New Best Friend Lunch Box:

Another simple prop and a make at home kind is “your best friend.” Get a small mirror and a plastic lunch box, glue the mirror to the inside of the lunch box lid and you are ready to go. Walk up to a spectator and ask if they want to see your best friend; holding the lunch box in view. Now bring the lunch box to their eye level and open it, they see their reflection as you say; “You must be my new best friend!” awww.....

Plastic Bread:

Last but not least. I found a round, plastic loaf of bread that I knew had to have a gag somewhere. I tell a few bad jokes and do a silly routine, then I pause, pull out this loaf of bread and lean on it. The line of course is: “Don't stop me now folks, I'm on a roll!” A groaner indeed, but it works.