Prologue
The real nurse in me must speak before the clown:
If you’re out clowning during this CoVid19 crisis, stop.
If your hospital or facility says it’s okay to do clown visits, stop.
If you’re giving out red noses or other give-a-ways to cheer people up, stop.
It’s a virus.
It’s very, very tiny.
It doesn’t care who you are or what you think.
It doesn’t care that you don’t believe it exists.
If you think you don’t even have it, you might be carrying it or you may have it but are asymptomatic.
If your symptoms are mild, think about those around you that are not so lucky.
People are actually dying in the thousands (for now).
This is the time to stop and think about others.
Was that too negative? Yeah, reality bites. Like I said, I do real nursing stuff for a living. I don't sugarcoat.
What if you’re about to burst because you need to get out there and do your entertainment thing? What if you know you can cheer people up because you’re an awesome clown? Good news! The internet is waiting for you. People are out there going...sorry...viral with their creativity. There are adorable dogs delivering meals to seniors, there are teddy bears in neighborhood windows, there are some hilarious parodies of songs (one UK couple have done the best “One Day More” parody from the Les Miserables Broadway show with their four children). What makes you think you’re less creative? Sit down, come up with something, write it down, put it on the web.
Do you have a website? Are you on social media? It’s not a hurricane; you have electricity. Turn on your computer. You can create a video where you perform gags, jokes, magic, juggling or even a clown skit. It can be a silly picture used as a “meme”. It can be a parody of a song or commercial. You may be able to dub a music video. Take the opportunity to teach one of your signature tricks or a fancy clown makeup tutorial. Sparkle online!
Epilogue
Stay at home.
Be safe.
The enemy is real.
The enemy is tiny.
Write down ideas.
Get creative.
Stay-at-home safety doesn’t mean a complete halt to your clowning.
You can still cheer people up.
Turn CoVid Clowning into something unforgettable and expand your internet presence.
Lucy E. Nunez has been a theatrical performer since 2002. She created Nurse Lulu for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in 2014. She was a resident clown there and at Baptist Children's Hospital. For more information please visit: www.sunnybearbuds.wix.com/buds
1 comment
How about a viritual clown skit! When I clicked on the link to get here I was pleasantly surprised! Our daughter is a nurse.