Hickory's
Tips of the Week

August to December 1997

Clowns are a caring - sharing group of people. We share our time and talents with those in need of laughter, and we share our routines and experiences with each other. This page is a compilation of Hickory's Tip of the Week, and is a series of contribution from people like you, and from my own experiences. Please read through this and other "tip" pages. You are welcome to use any of the ideas or routines that may be presented here, however, there is no guarantees that what you read here will work as described. Also, any make-up or other tips are presented as-is at face value, and I cannot be held liable for anything that might result from their use. Enough legality. Please read, enjoy and grow in your clown....

8/1-8/8
On these HOT SUMMER days, it is always a good idea to have a spray bottle nearby to "spritz" yourself during a break or between gigs. A quick spray not only makes you feel better but freshens your makeup as well. It's a good idea to put paper towel around your collar to protect from moisture or rinsed off makeup. Pat your face dry - lightly - to avoid smearing. Warm weather tends to make your makeup soft and easily smudged.

Thank you Mischief for this helpful suggestion.

8/9 - 8/15
If your character wears a nose ( as opposed to a painted one ) purchase a spare !! You NEVER know what might happen to your original and it could take some time to order another, costing you business

Thank you BUNGLES THE CLOWN - As a novice clown I became over-zealous cleaning my nose after a show, leaving it in pieces. It took me several days before I could replace it via mail order. A lesson to be learned. "Hickory"

8/16 - 8/24
Here is a goodie for you, (make a big wave and say ) WAVE!, (now bring your hand to your shoulder and wiggle your fingers where the audience can see your fingers wave, now say) MICRO WAVE! Enjoy.

Thank you Bangles - Hickory is always looking for some good - quick routines to pass on. Please E-mail me with your one liners, puns, sight gags or anything else that will make an audience laugh.

8/25 - 8/31
Well, have I got an experience, or two or three to share!! This pastweekend, my husband (magician) and I were hired to perform for a "kids day". A grandmother had all of her grandchildren over for a special day and hired us to each do a show and tie balloons. My husband performed first and it was quite clear that there was a heckler in the crowd. He wasn't your regular heckler, either. During my husband's performance he yelled, "hey, is Bimbo (my name is Beep-O) dead yet or do I have to sit through her too?"

So, as can be expected, he was loud and had many smart comments to say throughout my show. I tried from the very beginning to have him become a part of my show but I knew that this was fruitless when he yelled, " I think Bimbo needs psychiatric treatment." When I apparently suprised him with the effect of my trick (produced a rabbit), he said, "well maybe I need therapy." That's not the best of it!! A cute little 3 year old asked if she could honk my nose and he yelled, "her nose doesn't honk, it's red because she was snorting lines of cocaine on the way here". This kid was only about 8 years old and this is not the kind of language that most kids his age kbow. It seemed to me as though psyschaitric treatment and drugs must somehow be a part of his life. My response was to simply ignore him and not miss a beat. His mother never intervened and offered excuses for his behavior afterwards, as she asked me back for next year! I kindly told her that her special day for the grandchildren was a nice idea and I looked forward to hearing for her again. And I said this all with a straight face!!! The heckler's uncle jokingly told me that A.J.'s birthday was next week and he would like to have me perform. We both got a chuckle out of that.

Thank you Beep-O the Clown

9/1 - 9/7
A tip for novice clowns using hollow noses...(I use ProKnows noses now). Put some tissue INSIDE the nose before attaching to your face ...that way when you look up, the sweat inside will not run down your face! Coomon sense, huh? Yes, but I've never seen it written ANYWHERE!

Thank you Gingernutt the Clown

9/7 - 9/14
I learned a valuable lesson the other day, while doing the "Needle Through The Balloon" trick. I had gone through my entire setup routine, getting the audience primed for when the needle went through the balloon without popping. Unfortunately, the balloon popped when I was pulling the needle through! Not only was it embarrassing, but I fell short on two areas: 1) I didn't have a good comeback for when the balloon popped 2) I didn't have any more balloons (it was my last one) What did I learn? Be prepared for the unexpected and have a line prepared for when a trick fails. Second, carry spare parts. Third, an old lesson relearned, balloons become less elastic when they are old or stay in heat. Keep your stock fresh! Hickory

9/14 - 9/19
It's not too soon to think about taxes. In fact, this is the best time to begin looking at your 1997 Tax Returns. Make sure your books are in order and try to project your 1997 net income. This is the time to look at buying that expensive automatic balloon pump - that fancy new magic trick - that 1st place winning costume. Don't wait until January when it's too late. Plan ahead.

9/20 - 10/5
Walk a little planer Dad, said a little boy so frail.
I'm following your footsteps, and I don't want to fail
Sometimes your steps are very plain,
Sometimes they are hard to see,
So walk a little plainer Dad, for you are leading me.

I know that once you walked this way, so many years ago
And what you did along the way, I'd really like to know,
For sometimes when I am tempted, I don't know what to do,
So walk a little plainer Dad, for I must follow you.

Someday when I'm all grown up, it's you I'd like to be,
I'll have a little child, who wants to follow me,
I will try to lead him right, And help him to be true,
So walk a little plainer Dad, for we must follow you.

(author Unknown) Submitted by Bangles

10/5 - 10/11
The winter convention season will soon be upon us. This is a great opportunity for you to meet new friends, swap some tales and spend lots of money in the dealers room. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to learn from some of today's greatest clowning professionals. So save your pennies and attend a conference in a hotel near you. It's the greatest gift you could ever give your clown. Hickory The Clown

10/11 - 10/19
Making balloon sculptures has become a necessary skill for today's clown. There are many books, videos and even WWW sites (see list below) teaching the art of balloon sculptures. One thing that you don't often find in books is the need to entertain while you're making the sculpture. Parents and children may have to wait a long time in line waiting for your creation. If you have the energy - try to keep 'em laughing. Using your balloon as a prop, play with the person you're making the sculpture for. They'll enjoy it and so will you.

10/19 - 10/26
Here's a routine I use when working in a religious environment: Props: 260 Balloon Hand Pump with "God's Love" written on side.

Routine: Take the balloon and show it to your audience. Wiggle it to show how limp the uninflated balloon is. "Many lives are very much like this balloon. Full of potential but not much happening. But! .... " - take pump and show it to the audience - "if we fill our lives with God's Love" - fill balloon to proper size. While making your favorite sculpture - "then God will be able to turn us into something magnificent."

While doing a worship service at a Summer Camp, I used this routine for the "Assurance of God's Love". Later during the Sermon I needed to blow up a large heart balloon. For some reason I couldn't blow it up until a child from the congregation reminded me, "You need to fill it with God's Love". I used the hand pump and everything worked fine. The lesson had been learned and taught back to me.

10/26 - 11/02
Here is one of the most fundamental pieces of advice, that cannot be pressed home enough:

PREPARE YOUR PROPS in ADVANCE! Before packing up for a show have a script of what you are going to do, and then follow that script as you load up you stage, case or prop box. Have a list of every routine you do and the props that are required. Then if you are short of time - just go to your script and prop lists to make sure you have everything you need. There is nothing more embarrassing than getting half way through a routine and realizing you forgot a key prop.

Moral of the story, be prepared - be rehearsed - be professional.

110/2 - 11/09
One of my favorite hobbies is to take magic routines and put a gospel message to them.

The main prop for this story is the Stratosphere Magic Tube (R) that has the green ball on the bottom, the yellow ball in the middle, and the red ball on top. The balls are inserted into a clear plastic tube which is surrounded by a metal tube.

"Jesus tells us that we should ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength and with all your soul.' And that we are to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Hold up each ball to show the audience before putting it into the tube.

"Well I try to put God first in my life" (insert green ball) "And I try to love my neighbor as myself" (insert yellow ball) "And I always try to put myself last" (insert red ball)

(While removing metal tube..)

"But it doesn't matter, I always come out first."

(Balls are revealed as red on bottom, then green with yellow ball on top)

Return the tube. Try it again ... same results.

Instead of putting the red ball into the tube, put it in the Jester (hiding) box.

Try again ... same results. Show the ball has disappeared from the box.

"Will you help me say a prayer? By calling on God's help I know I can do it." (say appropriate prayer)

Try again ... this time it works! "Thank you God for helping me."

11/09 - 11/16
I've said this before, but it bears repeating again. The holiday season is almost upon us, with all the chaos and confusion it brings. Now is the time to get all of your accounting in order - before year end. Make sure you have your receipts organized. How about those miles you drive between jobs? Are they accounted for? Tips? Makeup? Props? Books? Give-aways? Gifts for the birthday child? How about paying that babysitter so you can work that grand opening? December 31st is almost here. Make sure your books are in order.

11/16 - 11/23
This is a comedy bit that can be done as an interuption while you are performing. An assistant hands you a letter (the postal kind). You say, "What is this? Fan mail?" Fan yourself with it. Open the letter and pull out a 3 X 5 piece of black construction paper. "Hey what is this, black mail?" Pull out a 3 X 5 card with a large letter "E" and say, "No, I was wrong. It's an e-mail. (asking the audience) Want to see a display of E-motion?" (Move the card around in circles. e-motion, get it?) Finally you pull out a small bead chain. "I was wrong again, it's a chain letter!"

Thank you Ralph Dewey for this excellent routine.

11/23 - 11/29
Makeup Tip:

On cold mornings grease paint is tough to work with. I've found that placing the canister in my armpit does a very good job of warming it up in a short period of time. You can also open the top and breathing warm breaths on the surface. You can also spread some on the palm of your hand. This will bring it to body temperature.

Also, if your paint is a little too think - or "gloppy" - mix a drop of baby oil on the surface. This will make the paint easier to brush on. Don't use too much or the paint will be too thin.

11/29 - 12/7
Here's a cute routine courtesy of SWEEPER the Clown:

Try putting T G I F on the toe of your shoes. When someone asks you what it means you tell them "TOES GO IN FIRST!"

12/7 - 12/13
This is an idea that only another clown would appreciate. Maybe you can use it at your next alley meeting or convention. * Glue a doll's wig on top of a set of chattering teeth (the wind up type). Ask your clown friend, "Have you noticed my new Yak wig?" Pull out the teeth and let them chatter.

Once again, thank you Ralph Dewey

12/13 - 12/27
With the holidays rapidly approaching there will be many families flying home with small children. Long delays in airports make people, big and small very cranky. If you bring some pocketsized walkabouts along, you can use them to help pass the time for you and the children. Might also be alot of fun!

Please E-mail Hickory for any questions or comments This page is copyright 1998 - 2007 © by Hickory Publications, Latham, NY

Page was last changed on 03/16/08 09:14:08 AM