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."
Read MoreAs I sat in rehearsal listening to the music, I choked up. I've been listening to my mother sing and play all of my life, but this experience was different. My mom, Florence Gordon, passed away six years ago. Several years earlier, I made recordings of mom playing and singing gospel music. Listening to one of the songs in this rehearsal made me choke up and cry. These recordings of her singing…
Read MoreIt's about to happen. I am at the airport waiting for my flight to Amsterdam. After that, I will travel to The Hague for the Healthcare Clown International Meeting, H.C.I.M. 2022. I've been looking forward to this conference for a long time. It was initially scheduled for October 2021. However, the COVID pandemic caused it to be postponed. I am glad it's happening. I'm doing two presentations at the conference.
Read MoreI 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
Read MoreThere is a vibrancy in the image heightened by an almost 3-D quality of his body in front of a pattern behind him. Each time I visited the museum and saw this image, I noticed how the young man seemed to float in front of the canvas…
Read MoreIt's ironic that amid COVID, a community has developed despite the pandemic. My favorite part of the experience is the after-show talk. Most of the performers stay on Zoom after the performance is over. It's an opportunity for the performers to hang out, chat, get acquainted with each other.
Read More….Sydney Poitier and Helen Donnelly were trailblazers creating new paths, moving us forward to a new normal. Both authentically shared their work with us. We are better because of their art and their lives.
Read MoreBeing visible… It is there if you find a way to see it.
Read MoreAIDS is a cruel disease. Jim had it when the disease was at its cruelest. After several weeks in the hospital, Jim and I decided that it would be best if he moved to Atlanta to stay with me. He lived with me that last year and a half; sometimes, he was in the hospital for weeks…
Read MoreWhy it so hard to move this rock…
Read MoreMy 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…
Read MoreA 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. …
Read MoreFolks,
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…
Read MoreHealthcare clowning has always been close to my heart. Over the years, I've watched some programs begin working with adults and eldercare populations.
Eldercare clowning is especially close to my heart because of my experience with my mother, Florence Gordon. Mom played the piano at church. Some of my earliest memories are of my mom playing the piano at church in my hometown of Cleveland, Tennessee. I would sit in the pew during church services and watch mom…
Read MoreOne of the unique challenges in the field now is that there are very few African-American clowns doing this work. When I began this work 21 years ago, I was one of eight people who were hired. I was the only black clown on the team…
Read MoreI've done a lot of soul searching about clowning over the past four years. The soul-searching is led me to question my place in the work. It's made me ask why I value the work I do and, more importantly, why I continue to want to do it…
Read MoreWe're coming up on a full year of the Covid pandemic. The pandemic routine has become oddly familiar, almost comfortable. The pandemic has introduced a schedule for me, mostly staying at home, on the rare occasion going out into public. I'm an introvert at heart…
Read More"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…
Read MoreThe recent focus on Black Lives Matter and the racial awakening that began last year renew a focus on an issue that I've wrestled with over these 20 years…
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