Tommy the Clown

Thomas Johnson, also known as Tommy the Clown, is an American dancer best known as the inventor of the "clowning" style of dance, which evolved into krumping. Johnson invented the style in 1992 to enhance birthday party clown acts, thereby creating the concept of "hip-hop clowns". Johnson and his followers have performed at birthday parties ranging from inner city communities to celebrities like Madonna, Pamela Anderson, and Cedric the Entertainer. He achieved international acclaim as focus of David LaChapelle's 2005 documentary Rize. Tommy the Clown also danced with Ray Ray, of Mindless Behavior fame.

Biography

Thomas Johnson was born in Detroit, Michigan, and was raised in South Central Los Angeles, California. Growing up, he, as did many of his friends and neighbors in the community, often found himself falling in and out of trouble. After Johnson spent five years in jail he realized that his lifestyle needed a significant change. He acquired a job as a typist clerk until 1992 when he received his first opportunity to perform; a co-worker asked him to be a clown at her child's birthday celebration because of his entertaining personality. He accepted the job, thus creating his Tommy the Clown persona. After this event, Tommy the Clown led the way in the stirring dance movement called "Clowning" and "Krumping". He also developed this form of dance in response to the 1992 Rodney King riots. He is now internationally known as the "Father of Krumping".

The Clown (short story)

"The Clown" or "The Joker" as it is usually translated in English (orig. German Der Bajazzo), is one of Thomas Mann's short stories which were collected in Little Herr Friedemann and later, after his death, in the collection Death in Venice and other Stories.

It is a satirical story about a man who wastes his whole life idling, but simply lives on the interest of his father's inheritance. When he was alive, his father had often told him that he 'was just a joker and would do nothing.' He views his inactivity initially with optimism, calling it "philosophical loneliness". In the end, he is no longer able to deny his loneliness for what it actually is. This makes itself known in a reunion with an old acquaintance who originally believes that he (the first-person narrator) has "arranged his life so comfortably" and that he is surely "the smarter of the two", but leaves town early upon seeing through his façade. He toys shortly with the idea of suicide but gives the thought up after noting that such an act would be too heroic for a clown. Instead, he laments that his life will continue in the same monotonous manner.

The Clown

The Clown or The Clowns may refer to:

See also

The Clown (2011 film)

The Clown (Portuguese: O Palhaço) is a 2011 Brazilian comedy-drama film. It is the second feature film directed by Selton Mello, who also stars as the protagonist.

The film follows the story of the father and son Benjamin and Valdemar, who work as clowns Pangaré and Puro Sangue, running the country roads together with the Circus Hope troupe. The clown Benjamin, however, is in crisis. He thinks that is not funny anymore.

The film was selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards.

Plot

The film tells the story of Benjamin and Valdemar, father and son known as the clowns Pangaré and Puro Sangue. They make their living traveling the country with Circus Hope, without a fixed address, no neighbors, and no ID.

The drama begins when Pangaré, tired of life on the road, feels that is no longer a funny clown, awakening a lifelong dream of having a place to live and a social security number, proof of residence, and an identity card.