Today is a Federal holiday in the United States in honor of the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. Many people celebrate it by performing a service project today in his memory.
Service should be more than just a one-day special occasion. It should be a way of life. The Boy Scout slogan is "Do a Good Turn Daily."
There are many different perceptions about clowning and other variety arts. Some see it as a profession. Others see it as a craft. Some see it as an art. Others see it as a service.
Those involved in caring clowning or clown ministry are most likely to describe it as a service, especially if they do it voluntarily. (Some caring clowns and clown ministers are paid for their service.) However, any type of clowning can be approached as a service. Many of the best clowns, no matter what venue they work in, say that a clown performance is not about them, but about the audience.
I was reminded of that several years ago. I had been running errands during the afternoon on New Year Eve. When I got home Carole told me a man was desperately seeking a clown for a birthday party that night. He said he had hired somebody who had called that afternoon to cancel. He told me that it was for his wife's birthday party, and requested that I make no reference to the holiday during the party. He hired me for an hour. When I arrived at the house he was the only one there. There were no guests. He explained that his wife had never had a party that was just for her birthday. It had always been celebrated as part of a New Year Eve party. He had hired me as a surprise for his wife. When she arrived home for work a half hour later the two of them sat on the couch holding hands looking into each other's eyes while I did a half-hour show. They hardly paid any attention to me and I didn't get any applause. The fact that I was there was more important than anything I did. For her, the important thing was the he had paid attention to her feelings and honored her by having a party simply because it was her birthday. For him, the important thing was that I allowed him to give her that gift.
I started my career as a circus clown. Many circus contracts include the phrase, "and be generally useful." It doesn't matter what their official duties are, circus people serve each other and will do anything for the success of the show. For example, when I toured with the Carson & Barnes Circus, Laura Herriot Walker presented a liberty horse act. People hired in the animal department often did not last the entire season. So, when she was short on grooms I would help out by leading a pair of her horses in and out of the ring. When somebody needed help with their act, somebody not busy at the time would assist them.
It seems that some variety club officers are motivated by ego because their title gives them a feeling of importance. However, a title does not make them a leader. I recently read The Leaders Code by Donovan Campbell. He defines leadership as service to those who follow you. A few years ago I heard somebody comment that a leader's effectiveness is not determined by the awards they receive, but by the awards received by those they lead. That is because an effective leader seeks to honor and encourage those who follow them.
When you perform, how do you serve your audience? What are their needs and how can you meet them? When you perform with other entertainers, how can you serve them? What can you do to assist them in doing a better performance? If you are an officer in a club, how can you serve the members? What are their needs? How can you meet those needs?
