Jesters of some sort have been around since ancient Egypt and China. Our modern clown was invented around 1800 and ever since they have been getting steadily creepier. Learn all about clowns in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The host shares stories about a Russian astronaut who found himself stuck in space, and also explores the fascinating topic of clowns.
The podcast host discusses the odd gifts that he and others have received, including a four-foot-tall hand-carved bear and meeting the infamous 'masturbating bear guy'.
A 2008 study showed that the majority of children feared or disliked clowns, leading to the DSM including it as a childhood fear of costumed characters. It's recommended to keep clowns and children separate.
This podcast episode delves into the history of clowns, from their origins with 18th century performer Grimaldi, to the role of taiko mochi in Japanese red light districts.
The spread of clowning and jesters in Europe is attributed to jesters being forced to leave court for crossing a line, as well as down on their luck court jesters traveling along the road.
This transcript discusses the physicality of clowns, including the use of big movements and slapstick as tools to convey emotions and reactions.
The word 'clown' comes from a 16th century German word meaning 'country bumpkin' and initially, the clown was a minor character in Commedia dell'Arte productions. But as face paint, colored hair, and endearing qualities were added, it became one of the primary focal points of the show.
The august clown has a larger red ball nose and is more hilarious than the white face clown, who takes orders from him. The sad hobo clown was a creation of the august clown.
Clowns have the ability to vent the general population's frustrations that abuse heaped on us by the ruling class or the conventions of society, but there is an argument that the clown just keeps the status quo in place.
This podcast episode features the story of a man who trained to become the youngest person to go to space and his experience spending 313 days in space. It also highlights a unique character who drives a silver hearse.
The University of Haifa in Israel offers a bachelor's degree in medical clowning which applies to anyone in a hospital who wants to have their spirits picked up and react well to clowns. However, not everyone is a fan - some patients may not appreciate it.
Jacques Lecoq, an innovator in clowning, believed in the philosophy of Via Negativa where he did not label performances as right or wrong. He encouraged performers to figure out their own style of clown and bring it out as big as possible.
The speaker discusses how paintings of clowns from prison can reinforce their creepy reputation, and how in recent years, the popularity of clowns has increased through movies and books.
The fear of clowns might get so overdone that people will start looking to clowns for their innocence, says the speaker while discussing the evolution of the reputation of clowns with a mention of French teens dressing up as clowns to create chaos.
The Unpacking the Toolbox podcast is promoted by the host as he shares his own story and teases a story of a Russian astronaut.