Hollywood, CA. “What is ‘clowning’? An old art form gets a new paint job in the L.A. comedy scene.” That’s the title of the article (and a link to it) in which my photo appears. The image above shows a group of us mesmerized by a ring light on the ground. I’m standing on the right. (Photo credit, Wesley Lapointe/Los Angeles Times)
I have a passion for both dramatic and comedic acting; I love improv, sketch comedy, and stand-up. Recently, I added this new version of clowning to my comedic repertoire, sans a white painted face and red nose. Collaborative chaos might be the best description of a “Clown Zoo” live show. The LA Times just published a story about our antics. In the photo below, I was asked by the photographer to ham it up, so I’m doing a back bend over a railing.
I’m new to the group, but absolutely adore the supportive irreverent friends I’ve been making. It’s just plain fun and, I hope, fun for the audience.
From the LA Times:
Chad Damiani, a veritable ringleader in the clowning community in L.A., takes on this taskmaster directing role, which bolsters the audience to join in the chaotic revelry onstage in rebellion against his exacting demands. Damiani muses that clowning is an “intimate experience with an audience, but from a position of your most joyful, primal, childlike impulses.”
Jet Eveleth says the following about contemporary clowning:
“In the simplest terms, clown is a celebration of the physical and vulnerable side of the human experience. When the performer embraces this ‘muchness’ of life, they serve as a mirror for the audience to see and laugh at themselves from a safe distance.”
“Yes, it is mostly just falling down, falling in love or farting, but from a wider angle, clown is poking fun at the human condition.” It’s worth noting that Clown Zoo has been and continues to be specifically performed with masks a la commedia dell’arte, though it’s done with a 21st century, postmodernist flair with frequent disregard for any kind of fourth wall. In fact, the formats of Clown Zoo and so many of the current clown shows around L.A. are imagined as “rehearsals” or “exhibitions” of some staggering work of genius that are directed live by another one of the clowns, only to be disappointed by the rest of the clowns’ joyful defiance of any direction or prompt given to them.
My friend, Blake Rosier is also pictured performing during the evening of clowning.
Special thanks to Wesley Lapointe from the Los Angeles Times for taking an interest in this new form of comedic entertainment.
His Instagram: @wlapointephoto https://www.instagram.com/wlapointephoto/
and website: https://www.wesleylapointe.com/.
