TRIVIA BITS … CLOWNS

TRIVIA BITS … CLOWNS

A clown is a character of pantomime and circus, known by the distinctive makeup and costume, ludicrous antics, and buffoonery. The earliest ancestors of the clown flourished in ancient Greece and Rome; they were bald-headed buffoons who performed in farces and mime, parodying the actions of more serious characters and sometimes pelting the spectators with nuts. The clown formed part of the acts of medieval minstrels and jugglers but was not considered a professional comic actor until the late Middle Ages when traveling entertainers imitated the antics of the court jesters. The traditional whiteface makeup of the clown was likely introduced by the character of Pierrot (or Pedrolino), the French clown with a bald head and flour-whitened face who first appeared during the latter part of the 17th century. Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns.