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Clown Tricks and Smiles in October

Clown Tricks and Smiles in October

I find great joy in the work of hospital clowning, especially because of the wonderful support we receive from the hospital staff, including the doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. It's heartwarming to see the smiles on their faces when we arrive, and it's even more fulfilling when they join us in our activities, such as singing and playing music. In a previous post (link here), I shared about the time Dr. Levine joined us in singing a lullaby to the patients in the NICU.

During my recent visit to the hospital, I was delighted to encounter Dr. Levine once again, this time wearing a bowtie similar to mine. We both looked rather dapper. dr. tiny and I took a moment to capture the memory with a photo by dr. tiny in the NICU.

On the same day, we also had the pleasure of interacting with a group of young interns who were training to become doctors.

Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonOctober 7, 2024Batch 7Comment

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HOSPITAL CLOWNING

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HOSPITAL CLOWNING

Celebrating 25 Years as a Hospital Clown

This fall, I will begin my 25th year of working as a hospital clown.

It's hard to believe that 25 years have passed since I first started doing this work as Squeeze the Clown. As I mark the beginning of my 25th year, I want to take a moment to think about my history as a hospital clown.

I was excited to be hired by the Big Apple Circus and to be one of the original members of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit in Atlanta. Michael Christensen of the Big Apple Circus created the modern idea of hospital clowning. I’m proud to have that connection to Michael and the BIg Apple Circus. As a new hire, I was one of eight members who traveled from Atlanta to New York for weeks of training in hospitals and studio rehearsals. These rehearsals were artistically inspiring, and the hospital work was emotionally challenging. I was drawn to using humor to lift spirits, and children's hospitals were new to me. At the time, I didn't realize the impact a clown could have in a setting like a hospital. But I did know that I wanted to make people laugh.

Art, Clowning, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonSeptember 19, 2024Batch 7 Comments

Clown Week in Montreal, Post #3 Meeting of the Noses Conference

Clown Week in Montreal, Post #3 Meeting of the Noses Conference

The topic for the panel was "How is a clowning agent of social change? Should that be the role of the clown? How can clowns help society?

I thought about this topic a lot, and I felt some extra pressure because I was expected to comment on it. Clowns can be agents of social change, and our organizations should play a role in that. That said, during the panel, I focused on how difficult change can be.

Clowning, Clowns w/out Borders, Afro-American Issues, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonMay 20, 2024Batch 7 Comments

Cool Fool School in ATL!

Cool Fool School in ATL!

This past week, I've enjoyed attending and teaching at the Cool Fool School in Atlanta, Hosted by the Laughter League. It's been an artistic highlight for me. I'm particularly grateful for the artistic challenge. The

Clowning, Afro-American Issues, Hospital Clowning, Racial IssuesMeredith GordonMarch 3, 2024Batch 7Comment

Who let the dogs in the hospital?

Who let the dogs in the hospital?

At first glance, she looked like she is in her 60s. She was lying in her bed with a look of stoic unease. I often see this look on the faces of adults in a way that I don't see in children. A sense of fatigue and weariness is unique to adults. dr. tiny, and I carefully approached

Art, Clowning, Hospital Clowning, MusicMeredith GordonJuly 14, 2023Batch 7Comment

Different Voices, Same Choir

Different Voices, Same Choir

At this point, I stopped everything again and said. "Why am I singing? You should be singing all the lyrics to this song."

Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonJune 18, 2023Batch 7 Comments

I will not go quietly.

I will not go quietly.

Clowns are known for not following the rules. It's one of the things we expect from clowns. Following this tradition is something we do in the hospital constantly. As medical clowns, we take the medical aspects of our work seriously. We are trained to function in the hospital as we do our work. That said, we are still clowns. We still find some norms to break as we follow medical regulations.

Clowning, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonFebruary 7, 2023Batch 7 Comments

Remembering Vincenzo

Remembering Vincenzo

Vincenzo Tortorici, a friend, and clown, passed away 10 years ago this August. He was an actor, musician, clown, and overall wonderful artist. Looking back on his passing, I can't help but ponder how so many things are different now compared to how they were when he died. I'm also aware of what remains the same.

Clowning, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonAugust 30, 2022Batch 7 Comment

"It's All Right"

"It's All Right"

I'm always looking for new material to perform in the hospital. Usually, some of the better musical material are things right under my nose, everyday things, or songs I grew up with. It's just a matter of finding the right piece and seeing the opportunity to use it.

Clowning, Afro-American Issues, Hospital Clowning, Racial IssuesMeredith GordonJuly 21, 2022Batch 7 Comments

Onward, Sudden and Suspended at HCIM

Onward, Sudden and Suspended at HCIM

The room was full of bodies moving, of people responding to the cues I gave them. They moved eagerly, without reservation. They followed the cues I gave them, each person interpreting the instructions in their way. It was like a room full of people doing the same dance, yet each person had a unique version of the movement. We were suddenly moving together. Suspended in a moment where all that mattered was our movement. We moved, experienced, learned, and shared our experiences.

Art, Clowning, Clowns w/out Borders, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonJune 2, 2022Batch 7 Comment

From our clown rounds in Columbus

From our clown rounds in Columbus

In the morning dr. tiny and I approached one of the hospital rooms. Inside the room were an eight-year-old girl and her mother. Seeing us, the girl called out. She said, "Hey, are you clowns"? We, of course, said, "yes." The girl was surprised to see us, and she asked if we were "really clowns."

Clowning, Art, Hospital Clowning, MusicMeredith GordonMay 27, 2022Batch 3 Comments

Teaching a Workshop

Teaching a Workshop

I was so happy when I looked at the screen. There were about 25 small squares on my computer. Each square had a person waiting to take the class. Some looked back at me, waiting to begin. Others were going about their business eating, stretching, or playing on their computers, It was an early Monday morning, and I wanted to start with something energetic

Clowning, Acting, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonApril 8, 2022Batch 3 Comments

Blast from the past… looking forward to the future.

My nostalgia has led me to stumble across some pictures of our work. Mainly photos with Vincenzo Tortorici. Vincenzo was with me when I began as part of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit. He was instrumental in helping us establish hospital clowning in Atlanta. I always enjoyed working with him…

Clowning, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonSeptember 8, 2021Batch 3Comment

Clown Time at the Hospital

A few notable moments from my most recent day clowning at The Children's Hospital Piedmont in Columbus, Georgia, with dr. tiny, a.k.a. Ron Anglin. Ron is doing an excellent job of organizing and maintaining our clown presents in Columbia. …

Clowning, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonAugust 25, 2021Batch 3Comment

Healthcare Clown International Meeting 2021!

Folks,

I will be involved in two presentations at H.C.I.M., the Healthcare Clown International Meeting. The conference is October 6-8th at The Hague in the Netherlands. The Healthcare Clown International Meeting is a conference of medical clowns from across the world. Three years ago and I was able to attend the conference in Vienna. This year, I'm delighted that they excepted the two proposals for the workshops…

Hospital Clowning, ArtMeredith GordonAugust 17, 2021Batch 3Comment

A Legacy of Hospital Clowning.

"I have a legacy.", he says. He raises his hands in celebration, knowing that his work is remembered. Jonathan Perry is a former hospital clown. He is celebrating a memory he created. A picture on my phone reminds him of the legacy he started twenty-one years ago. He was one of the founding members of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit…

Clowning, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonJanuary 31, 2021Batch 3Comment

A challenge to do more.

The patient looked back at me as he smiled. He was about to say something, but then he paused to think about precisely what he was going to say. After thinking it over, he said, "I bet you can't drop your hat down onto your foot and then toss it back up onto your head."..

Art, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonSeptember 21, 2020Batch 3 Comments

Keep dancing, even when the music stops.

Yesterday I had two meetings with a bunch of clowns.

It started as a big mess—clowns talking over each other. One clown played the ukulele while another clown played a completely different song on the kazoo. There were lots of missteps as clowns introduced themselves,

Clowning, Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonApril 11, 2020Batch 6Comment

Twenty years of working in children’s hospitals, as a parent and as a clown.

A woman showed me an image on her cell phone. It was an image of an old photo. By old photo, I mean an image many of us remember as a film picture before the days of digital cell phones. As she showed me the photo, she said, “Does this look familiar ?“…

Hospital Clowning, Family, ClowningMeredith GordonFebruary 13, 2020Batch 6Comment

Clowning in Columbus.

Clowning in Columbus.

Yesterday I clowned in a new hospital. It was Piedmont Columbus Regional in Colombus, Georgia. While I was there, I came across this painting. I was sure that the man in this frame was Tom Hanks…

Hospital ClowningMeredith GordonDecember 6, 2019batch 4Comment