Emily O'Dell at St. Jude's in Beirut
I became a clown when these docs came to the house in Berkeley and asked me to come cheer up kids. I’d just had my third spinal fusion, and I was looking for something to take my mind off the pain I was in. — Wavy Gravy
While doing a little karma yoga this week-end–i.e. volunteering at CCCL/St. Jude’s in Beirut–the kids and I found these awesome sunglasses in the playroom. Every time one of the kids needed a pick-me-up, I put on these crazy sunglasses–and they ignited an instant smile. Relishing this welcome reminder of the healing power of the ridiculous, I began to think that we could all use a much bigger dose of the ridiculous in this crazy world…
A clown is like aspirin, only he works twice as fast. — Groucho Marx
Going from room to room in the cancer hospital in my oversized orange plastic sunglasses, I thought of many clowns–Charlie Chaplin, Patch Adams, and Wavy Gravy–“the illegitimate child of Harpo Marx and Mother Teresa.” The clown–in critiquing society, mocking politicians, and musing on tragedy–has a unique and historical role unlike any other.
I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.
— Charlie Chaplin
The clown is a public servant–and a politician’s nightmare. The clown is a doctor–and a madman. A mirror–reflecting back to us our collective and personal faults. Some say the clown is a saint. And many agree that the clown is free–like, for instance, Wavy Gravy…
(A viewer just told me that this link is not available in the U.S.–if that’s the case, you can watch the inspiring trailer for the amazing movie Saint Misbehavin’ about Wavy Gravy here)
Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together.— Eugene Ionesco
Here in Beirut, where bombs from Israel fell last week south of Beirut and car bombs killed many in Tripoli, everyone’s a bundle of nerves about the (likely?) possibility of American intervention in Syria. As for me, I’m thinking a lot about clowns. Clowns, the antithesis of ideology. Clowns, the unveilers of hypocrisy. Maybe it’s not more arms we need–but an army of clowns.
Where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns–quick, send in the clowns. — Stephen Sondheim
How much happier we all might be, if we just let ourselves be the clowns we were born to be…
Dare to wear the foolish clown face. — Frank Sinatra
Enough with perfection and pretension, send in the clowns! Enough with bullets and blood–send in the clowns! Enough with death and destruction–send in the clowns! Where are the clowns? Send in the clowns…
Nonviolence is a flop. The only bigger flop is violence. — Joan Baez
Sondheim’s “clowns” were the vaudeville comedians who would be sent on stage when an act was flopping–which is why they appear in the chorus of this song–sung by a character dealing with the pain of rejection by an old love, and looking to be rescued from her own personal flop. Since it’s so good, you might as well listen to it twice (each rendition has its own unique magic)…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnwJ5KIcKX4
Quick, send in the clowns. Don’t bother, they’re here. — Sondheim
Peter Sellars & Emily O'Dell in Beirut
On second thought, maybe we don’t need to send in any clowns–since we’re already here. Let’s face it: we’re all clowns–some masked, some unmasked–but who has dared to take their white gloved finger and wipe away the tear? Even Wavy Gravy didn’t become Wavy Gravy, until he was forced to find some positive and benevolent way to distract him from his pain.
When Peter Sellars was here earlier this year in Beirut, we spoke about the necessity of curating and creating “moments” and “spectacles,” versus “mass demonstrations” and “movements.” After all, that’s what clowns do–they use a small canvas, to make a big statement. To say “yes” instead of “no.” The clown’s touch is personal, but the clamour of a crowd is undefined. Perhaps it’s no accident that Peter–the genius-award winning opera & theatre director–has the face, heart, and wardrobe of a clown.
Scary in the idea it could be a little overwhelming to have 70 or 100 clowns in a public space. Intriguing in that it could be something interesting. I’m up for any kind of public art. — Carol King
Emily O'Dell at St. Jude's in Beirut
Here are some closing quotes to inspire any inner clowns out there to dare to smile, to wipe away someone else’s tear (or their own), and to deploy the weapon and panacea of the ridiculous–to drown out all the darkness…
Laughter is the valve on the pressure cooker of life. Either you laugh and suffer, or you got your beans or brains on the ceiling. — Wavy Gravy
It is meat and drink to me to see a clown. — William Shakespeare
Sure, I could of done it different… put my clown in a closet and dressed up in straight clothing. I could of compromised my essence, and swallowed my soul. — Wavy Gravy
I see myself as an intelligent, sensitive human, with the soul of a clown, which forces me to blow it at the most important moments. — Jim Morrison
I always say, dare to struggle, dare to grin. — Wavy Gravy
