# Please Critique My New Clown Outfit **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223 "2013-03-18T03:10:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/41 "2013-03-19T20:40:02Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > The ones from _this_ thread? :dubious: Sorry..I was clownin..:eek: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/42 "2013-03-19T21:17:53Z")
Yes, better than the last one. Still needs: Colored wig (crazy and big) Lose the white coat or dye it multi-color Lose the goatee, or cover with makeup More face makeup [Here is your reference point.](http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=my-myy&va=clown) ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/43 "2013-03-19T22:38:30Z")
Ditch that coat! After you molest the kids, it is going to be hell to get the blood stains out of it! Yes, poor taste. I have been waiting decades to use that joke. Sorry. \ ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/44 "2013-03-20T01:31:58Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > Ditch that coat! After you molest the kids, it is going to be hell to get the blood stains out of it! > > Yes, poor taste. I have been waiting decades to use that joke. Sorry. \ I know you were making a (poor) joke, but it does reinforce something I thought the first time I read this thread. > [@DocCathode](#): > > Re My Persona > > I am The Silly Man. Most clowns move boldly and dramatically. IMHO This is one of the things that scares small kids. So, the Silly Man is timid. He stresses that he needs the kids’ help and belief to make his tricks work. **He also stresses that he is the children’s co conspirator. As he would say ‘It’s you and me against the real grown ups’.** The Silly Man cannot juggle or ride a unicycle (Though I’m working on the second). He does do simple magic, twist balloons and have other skills. Bolding mine. I’d be careful with your message/wording here. It’s clear that you are looking to entertain and amuse, but anything that sounds as though you’re asking kids to join you “against the real grown ups” sounds creepy and like you’re trying to lure them. “I need your help” and “I need you to keep a secret just between us; no other grown-ups” are two commonly-used tactics by people doing bad things to kids. Maybe tell them that you need their help proving something to the grown-ups, or something similar, since that keeps them ‘with’ their grown-ups, emotionally speaking, and not apart. It likely sounds picky but, as a parent to kids who are probably your target audience, I don’t want you co-conspiring with them against me. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/45 "2013-03-20T02:25:32Z")
**Lorene** You have a sound point. When out clowning, I always always tell the kids I twist balloons for “Never take anything from a stranger unless you are with a grown up you know”. As for being a co conspirator, I worded that poorly. Think of Dr Seuss or better still Shel Silverstein. While many children’s entertainers spoke down to the children in varying degrees, these two spoke to the kids as equals. I find that approach much more effective. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/46 "2013-03-20T08:23:30Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > Bolding mine. > I’d be careful with your message/wording here. It’s clear that you are looking to entertain and amuse, but anything that sounds as though you’re asking kids to join you “against the real grown ups” sounds creepy and like you’re trying to lure them. “I need your help” and “I need you to keep a secret just between us; no other grown-ups” are two commonly-used tactics by people doing bad things to kids. Maybe tell them that you need their help proving something to the grown-ups, or something similar, since that keeps them ‘with’ their grown-ups, emotionally speaking, and not apart. > > It likely sounds picky but, as a parent to kids who are probably your target audience, I don’t want you co-conspiring with them against me. I wouldn’t worry. This would likely be in the context of a party of children, with The Silly Man entertaining them all together while grown ups supervise. You’re right it would seem creepy if he separated a kid and said these things, but in the context it’s fine. As a side note: I teach English to really young children. The classes are really fun, they barely realise they are learning. Yesterday we did "I am… " (feelings, eg I am happy or I am cold). We were acting out the emotions and generally being really silly. We were having huge amounts of fun. Then this little girl, 4 yrs old, turns to me and says: “Are you _really_ a grown up?!” I couldn’t breathe for laughter! ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/47 "2013-03-20T13:44:42Z")
And remember not to put _too_ much stock in anything you heard from some clown on the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/48 "2013-03-20T14:48:53Z")
A couple of humble suggestions; The hat elastic must go! The lab coat needs to have several pockets on the inside, which can be filled with things like noisemakers, confetti, sparkle bombs, balloons and other silly things. Also, what? No water squirting flower on the lapel? The pants look comfy but too much like regular pants. I do like the idea of painting a footprint on the ass though, that’s brilliant. You could slip off the coat and turn around and surprise everyone. And I like the wild socks idea I wanted to suggest you have the legs elasticized at the hem, adding wildly coloured ruffled trim. I suppose you could just shorten them up till the cool socks can be seen too! Also, consider a bright and wide sash, (perhaps of something sparkly?), worn like a wide cummerbund, to cover the elastic top of the pants. Possibly even have noisy, baubly, sparkly trinkets, hung from the shirt on ribbons or strings of different lengths. You could then, at some point, remove the sash with a flourish and all the noisy shiny trinkets would suddenly appear with a clatter! You’re definitely on the right track! Keep at it, and send more picture! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/49 "2013-03-20T15:01:58Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > And remember not to put _too_ much stock in anything you heard from some clown on the Internet. This is the most important thing, as I notice everyone dislikes different pieces of your outfit. If you listen to all the advice, you’ll become “Mr. Naked” and then you’ll _really_ scare the kids, and the parents won’t be wildly pleased either. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/50 "2013-04-09T16:26:50Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/51 "2013-04-09T16:58:08Z")
Is this for casual Friday? Cuz I don’t think the boss is gonna go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/52 "2013-04-09T20:18:42Z")
The clown thing+the fetish you shared in another thread add up to creepy as hell. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223/53 "2013-04-09T20:56:50Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > The clown thing+the fetish you shared in another thread add up to creepy as hell. Hey, kids, wanna see The Silly Man make Daddy’s gun disappear? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-critique-my-new-clown-outfit/653223.md?page=2)