If you love to clown around, it's time to get serious about itserious fun that is. Being a clown means more than merely putting on silly makeup and jumping around: it's a wonderful form of self-expression that brings joy to yourself and to others. Take a look at the world's best jesters and expand your understanding of comedy. Here are the (literal) tricks of the trade: ideas for using cartoon-like imagery, choosing a distinctive costume, finding a comic rhythm, and mastering physical skills that will make people roll in the aisles. Project the right raucous attitude, work in duets, and develop an irresistibly humorous "clown walk." Even say hello in a way that gets your audience giggling. Actual routines unfold in a series of photos and descriptions, with tips on selling them. From the "levitation gag" to "wire walking," to developing your own act, it's the perfect clown school.

*8 X 10
*160 pages all in color