And Now for Something Seriously Silly
notes from a healthcare clown
I love my job. It’s actually more of a calling. A purpose for using my gifts as a life long goofball and perpetual internal 11 year old. If you’ve never heard of our profession, Healthcare clowning or medical clowning or hospital clowning - it’s relatively new. I mean there have been clowns, in and out of the nose, since the beginning of time. But healthcare clowning started in the U.S. in the 1980’s. I’ve been a healthcare clown since - and here’s the best date to start this particular job - April 1st, 1997.
We work in pediatric hospitals, and some in my profession have extended our work into nursing, rehab and assisted living facilities, specifically engaging with people living with dementia. But, my work is in pediatric hospitals, including Boston Children’s Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital (Providence, RI).
We work in pairs, for several reasons, humor is easier when you have a partner to engage with, more can be mined with two people’s clown brains working together. It’s also for safety, two pairs of eyes and senses in a hospital setting is a plus, with so much going on. And for mental health, it’s good to have a partner to share the tougher moments and to share the magic with.
Our job, role, is to be part of the circle of care. To engage and connect with patients, families and staff, in creating an environment of healing, play, joy, laughter, humor, compassion, love and outright silliness. To ensure we are empowering patients to be their true authentic kid selves, despite whatever illness or malady they may be experiencing. We have no set agenda, only to be present, breathe, read the room, assess what is happening, and how we can engage in a way that allows for play, stress relief, relaxation, and a good warm fun vibe to linger once we’ve left the room.
Every day is different. Every day is a gift. Every kid, family, staff member we engage with, share a moment with, laugh, sing, play, with is an honor and allows us to truly be better humans. Some days have tough moments. Last week, a patient we were close to passed away. He was such a creative force. One of the last things he wanted us to do was write a song about bunnies pooping out pickles. A patient we saw yesterday in the behavioral health clinic, told us about the book they are writing, at the age of ten. A chapter book. They were brilliant, they combined words to create a new word. One kiddo in the same unit, showed us how easily they could do a split. I’ve never in my life come close. I think my quads gave out a slight scream.
We’ve had kids share so many jokes with us, we could write a series of books.
Here’s a few favorites:
What’s brown and sticky? ………….. A stick.
Why did the goat and cow get in an argument? ………….. They were both in a baaaaaaaad mooooooood.
What weighs less than green? ……….. Light green.
Why did the frog worry about where to park their car? …….. They didn’t want to get towed.
Sharing jokes with kids and families has a fantastic ripple effect. Because they can be shared from room to room. Kid to kid. Nurse to family. Etc.
We get to be embodied permission for patients, families and staff to breathe in authentic human connection, using our tools as clowns, which include anything from a silly face to a magic trick to a song to just making up whatever meets the moment. Like a song about bunnies and pickles. I love this work. For reasons I can fully articulate and for reasons that live in my body and mind that don’t have words.
All of this, makes me more me, more human, more connected to what’s truly powerful, remarkable. What’s truly immeasurable. I hope I can keep showing up for whatever comes, whatever the moment brings, allows, opens.
If you want to learn more about healthcare clowning, check out the organization I work for, The Laughter League. We are a non-profit and as many know, arts organizations that do incredible work, like ours, always can use more support.
A former colleague of mine, known as Nurse BB, (Bob Widdop) wrote a book about his years in the know and the nose. There are anecdotes and photos that he shares that I was a part of. You can find it here:
Nothing To Laugh At: Compassion and Empathy Meet The Funny
And one more joke, a good summer themed one, please share it. Well, if you like it. I’m sure you may have a fabulous joke of your own. If you don’t, make one up, that’s what we do, that’s what kids do. Right now, we can all use more healing human connection. That’s what makes a better world. Oh, and pickles and bunnies. Duh.
Why didn’t the shark like their lunch? ….. Because it was clownfish and they taste funny.
Thanks for being here. Spread some love and laughter. And Nutella.
Thank you for being a clown! And also for the green joke. I'm snort-laughing.
The first joke I told that made my father laugh..."What's big, and green, and eats rocks?" Answer: "A great big green rock-eater." I'm jes' sayin'....