I’ve spent far too much time thinking about clowns and clown history for someone who doesn’t tell jokes. I spent some time researching comedy and how it’s changed over the years.
For example, the classic roles of comedy still sort of carry over to modern comedians. For example, Goerge Carlin was a classic example of a Whiteface. His comedy was almost always about telling you who you should be laughing at. He pointed, and you laughed, he never took a pratfall, You never laughed at him.
Robin Williams on the other hand more often took on the role of the Auguste, the Red Nose (Because they’re the only clowns that wear the red nose prop). He was loud and boisterous, and took pratfalls. You laughed at his antics, his physical humor, just as much as at what he said.
The Auguste is almost always the butt of the joke when there’s a Whiteface, but can be the one playing the jokes when paired with a Rube (A straight man who isn’t in on the joke)
There are more classic clown roles that exist, the Tramp is an American clown (but the underlying concept is global) that is always the butt of every joke. Their makeup is usually patterned after the 1930s hobo, they take the sad clown motif to the extreme. The sort of “my life is so shit that it’s funny” kind of archetype. Or they can show up in a sort of “the prince and the pauper” situation where they’re either slobs in a high society setting, or show refined manners while eating out of a trashcan.
The Tramp is like an extreme form of the Auguste. While the Auguste might get revenge on the Whiteface, the Tramp never will. Also, the Auguste will abuse the Tramp in exactly the same way that he in tern is abused by the WhiteFace.
The Three Stooges come to mind for this dynamic, although none of them were really the Tramp. Larry was firmly an Auguste, and Curly and Shep were closer to the Tramp side of things, but were still Auguste. Moe was a Whiteface.
Anyway, I hope that helps to explain the circus that is the Trump org. They aren’t trying to be clowns, but they fit the roles.
This is a very unique take and I’m here for it.
I’ve spent far too much time thinking about clowns and clown history for someone who doesn’t tell jokes. I spent some time researching comedy and how it’s changed over the years.
For example, the classic roles of comedy still sort of carry over to modern comedians. For example, Goerge Carlin was a classic example of a Whiteface. His comedy was almost always about telling you who you should be laughing at. He pointed, and you laughed, he never took a pratfall, You never laughed at him.
Robin Williams on the other hand more often took on the role of the Auguste, the Red Nose (Because they’re the only clowns that wear the red nose prop). He was loud and boisterous, and took pratfalls. You laughed at his antics, his physical humor, just as much as at what he said.
The Auguste is almost always the butt of the joke when there’s a Whiteface, but can be the one playing the jokes when paired with a Rube (A straight man who isn’t in on the joke)
There are more classic clown roles that exist, the Tramp is an American clown (but the underlying concept is global) that is always the butt of every joke. Their makeup is usually patterned after the 1930s hobo, they take the sad clown motif to the extreme. The sort of “my life is so shit that it’s funny” kind of archetype. Or they can show up in a sort of “the prince and the pauper” situation where they’re either slobs in a high society setting, or show refined manners while eating out of a trashcan.
The Tramp is like an extreme form of the Auguste. While the Auguste might get revenge on the Whiteface, the Tramp never will. Also, the Auguste will abuse the Tramp in exactly the same way that he in tern is abused by the WhiteFace.
The Three Stooges come to mind for this dynamic, although none of them were really the Tramp. Larry was firmly an Auguste, and Curly and Shep were closer to the Tramp side of things, but were still Auguste. Moe was a Whiteface.
Anyway, I hope that helps to explain the circus that is the Trump org. They aren’t trying to be clowns, but they fit the roles.
Thanks for that little lesson. That’s some interesting info.