Australia: Clowning Around Fremantle, Perth

Here is a write up of my day clowning with wonderful friends. It is indeed an amazing world.

Today was an amazing day, I went out with giggles clown, the love clown and another friend who filmed us playing around in Fremantle in Perth. My friends clowned for the first time.

What I loved was their laughter putting on makeup and seeing themselves transform. I helped my friend craft her image as a love clown. I tried to show her to feel the love clown. She could say ‘love is in the air… can you see it…’ and look wistfully for the love. Normally when I have love glasses I put them on and fall in love with people. I put glitter on her face with two big love hearts around her eyes and on her chest, so the message was clear. I told her to go into the feeling of love as a clown, just blow kisses and spread the joy. I gave her my love heart hat, a lovely pink hat with love hearts coming out. It looked great.

The other friend called herself giggles the clown. Reminded me of a friend of mine in Melbourne called that. She called herself giggles because she is always laughing, she had a great laugh. She had two round red circles painted on her cheeks and white makeup on her eyes. As an Asian clown she looked great. She had a shock of blue for a wig and very colourful clothes. I gave her my jesters hat to wear.

It has been a while for me since I clowned and I love the ritual of putting on my makeup. It is 12 years now since I first discovered the joy of being a clown. It is hard work as you give love to everyone, it can be exhausting, but I’ve never come home feeling it was a waste of time. Always for me it feels as if a priviledge.

We took some photos outside so the girls recorded their first time and leaving the house. I gave them pointers on moving into people’s space and to check with them if they hug or massage. I am a peace clown so I have what I call a giggle stick (orgasmatron – yep that is what it is called). I also have a vibrating massager. I like to bring a sense of peace and relaxation to people. So I instructed to not hug too tight but to give them a gentle hug and pat on the back, to meet people’s eyes and give a wave, to shake hands and blow bubbles. Anything to connect and cheer up the space.

So we headed to Fremantle prison carpark (near Fremantle). Jumped out of the car and greeted people in the carpark waving and blowing kisses. Asked people if they were out on parole, they laughed. The prison is a tourist destination, yep, people go to look at the prison and learn about incarceration, can’t imagine how hard that would be.

We skipped along and met some Chinese folks I said ‘neeha’ which they love. It is hello in their language. I met a Indian man from Gujurat, told him I loved Gandhi. Had a bit of a fun chat and then waved to them all saying goodbye to Gandhi at the top of my voice and a cheerio to the Chinese folks.

We walked on and my friends laughed. I gave my love clown friend a fly swatter in the shape of a hand, she could use that to shake hands with people or give clown blessings. It can be used to wave as well, quite versatile, and yes you could squat a fly, but I avoid that. We kept on and ended up having a game with a couple of girls. I threw my juggling balls at them and they threw them back. We blew bubbles and laughed with them. I said hi to the mother and she told me she was waiting to be picked up – I said we are all waiting. Why wait just join us as a clown. She laughed.

I walked across a road pretending my leg was hurt and slowing the traffic giving them a wave and others tooted as they spotted this colourful array. We saw a lovely old man in a black beret and I looked in the direction he was staring saying ‘anything interesting hmmm’, he smiled and ‘Its okay to stand around you never know who you might meet maybe some crazy clowns’, says me. He was happy, I gave him a hug and the love clown gave him a love sticker. We told him love is coming for him. He was very happy. Off we skipped across the road interacting with families, guys walking passed. I juggled my friends said hello and we spread the colour and joy as we went.

We went out onto the main street and saw a homeless guy. His eyes lite up. I told him he had his baseball hat back to front and turned it around. I found out from my friends he could juggle. Off he went juggling away. Now I said put on a colourful hat and you will double your profits. Give something to make others happy and they will give more. I could see the light in his eyes and we all gathered around and gave him a group hug.

I saw a little child and we played a bit of a ball game with my juggling ball. I then started running and this child chased me. I then jumped up on a strong wooden table. I juggled there as people all streamed passed yelling ‘woo hoo’. Then I made out I had to jump down hesitating and then finally doing a jump and tumbling to the ground, making out I needed help on the ground. Some nice bikie guy grabbed my hand and hauled me up. I gave him a hug and called him ‘gorgeous’. I asked him if he wanted to dance, he enthusiastically said ‘yes’. So we did the tango in the middle of a busy street and he twirled me and I twirled him. I gave him a hug and could see he was chuffed.

Onwards we marched and I saw a disabled man. His angel parents were pushing him in his wheelchair. I juggled for him. Then I pulled out the bubbles and gave him a shower of bubbles. He was excited. I put my juggling balls in his hands and he made juggling movements up and down. I was going wow look at him he juggles. I could see him dribbling and I knew he was very happy. I gave him a hug and his parents wheeled him on.

We were then signalled to by some men at the pub. I indicated to the others to go in. I asked the security if they wanted to frisk me as I had weapons of mass distraction, they had there serious veneer but I knew there was a lightness there. We came in and I mimed drinking at the bar, then waved at people squeaking my large dummy. All these big men there have drinks. We found the table of guys and I orgasmatroned them all (head massager). They had a good laugh and one said I gave him head, I then gave him a tap on the bum with the fly swatter calling him naughty. I saw another group of tall men. I needed a hydraulic lifter to get to their height but fortunately managed to give them a nice massager. I love to see their smiles break out across their faces. We then turned around and made our way out of the pub. I saw a guy on the mobile and tried to make contact but he was looking away, he did have a little look as we left the pub.

My friend and I did slow mo, that is slow motion, walking very slowly like Chariots of Fire. We did that passed the window of the men who invited us in. They were all smiles. We then saw some youth and young kids. I made out I was pulling on a rope towards these kids. I got closer and pulled some of my props out of my bag, my expanding ball which looks like a atom structure. I played with that. I blew some bubbles and also a head massager. I gave mum one as well.

We saw the guy at the clown shop and I chatted to the family. The mum was tired so I told one child to massage her feet, the other to massage her face and the husband to cook dinner. Organised them and then off again.

We headed for the tea shop as we were ready for a break. It is like being a celebrity but much more because you are constantly waving, interacting, making eye contact, joking and smiling. My friend said her jaw was getting saw from smiling. She is a yoga teacher, I said it was the one part of her body that probably doesn’t get a work out that much. Although she is a smiley girl I have to say. She had lovely green fairy wings on and found the stickers really worked for her. People liked receiving love stickers. That was great she could see the difference that made

The owner of the tea shop was from Vietnam and she was very happy we were there. She gave me a cheap tea which I was grateful for. The other girls had to wait as this shop didn’t accept plastic cards.
We had a bit of a debrief there. They observed that it was different than they expected. My friend said she had to do what was her. She tried to copy me and put on a funny voice but it didn’t work for her, she didn’t feel it was her. She prefers her Scottish accent and getting to know people. I agreed with her that that is a way and great. The other giggles clown felt she needed more props but had fun smiling at people. They commented how some people were uncomfortable and they were careful not to push into their space preferring to seek permission. They did feel tension on the street and the lady filming did hear some negative comments. I said we are in the community there will be occasional comments but it is good they are interacting. Mostly they observed people were happy and they felt accepted by the crowds. Indeed they were as people feel the celebration, festival in clowns. I explained to them they did very well for their first time. It can be confronting stepping out of the comfort zone as this is direct interaction with the public. You never know what will happen. They needed to get used to approaching people and interacting with such a wide variety. They noticed I was able to interact gently and was accepted. I find myself so relaxed these days that it is hard to imagine someone wouldn’t want a hug. I smile and play with people and I do have a sense of people as my family.

For me it is a joy that is indescribable to be a clown. I do feel a priviledge on the street and I see the beauty and good humour of people. The street people we interacted with had lights in their eyes and I made comments about having been homeless myself. I haven’t had a home for a year now, I have been house sitting, I passed this information on and encouraged them to find the fun in it. For me it was a delight to see that transformation. To pull people out of the routine. Even one trader was standoffish from us. I found out he was from Peru and told him I clowned in Arequippa and Cusco (Machu Picchu). He instantly connected when he knew I’d been there, I saw the smile come across his face and I told him we sent blessings and put a love sticker on him so he attracted many girls to buy his beads. I sensed he was not happy but I knew he shifted after our little chat. Those are the moments I love. When I see a young man yell out ‘woo’ on seeing us he is breaking out a little and being seen. I love the enthusiasm and I love the smiles that filter through the crowd like light through a canopy. It is my joy to bring joy. I know the clowning is not easy as it is hyper vigilant but for me I am so used to it that I find I just give my all. It helps me to connect with people I would not normally connect with.

The breakthroughs with those who aren’t so happy are my highlights. I see their beauty and I wish them to know it. There is always hope in this life and always there are good people with no agenda.

So I am home now relaxing and reflecting and so glad I had the chance to give of myself again and share the love. I see we are here to love each other, I know society doesn’t allow that light to shine but when we are around there is permission to just smile and play.

I love being a World Peace Clown and I love the courageous women who came out today and experienced the full glare of publicity in a spotlight they had never experienced. There was much chatter and debriefing later. They will come out again, I was pleased to hear that.

So step out of your comfort zone, give a compliment, give a smile, give of yourself and the whole world will give back to you. That is my experience, life is indeed a mirror of ourselves.

I want to add that later in the night when I was about to sleep this wave of tears came over me. I saw the beauty in everyone, the only way I can describe this beauty is a deep love for everyone, it is grace. I cried and cried for a long time as I felt the beauty all around me. This is what it is to really fall in love with life, it is an amazing experience and I am deeply grateful to be a clown, I love it so much.

Peace and joy to you.