I was one of three KUNR reporters who recently graduated from a clown class taught by the Reno Rodeo’s new barrelman and rodeo clown, John Harrison. I spent the class taking photos and laughing with--and at--my colleagues. The class consisted of learning how to put clown makeup on, what it’s like to be in a barrel in the arena, and what it takes to entertain a crowd.
Under red neon lights, Harrison and his son, Caz, were decked out in matching outfits. They wore bright yellow shirts with firetruck red tassles, shorts and long, mismatched socks. Harrison came to class with completed makeup, so he demonstrated on his son.
Before attending, I imagined the lesson would take place in a classroom. However, all of the reporters sat along a bar facing sideways mirrors. Everything had a soft red glow from the neon sign. We watched as Harrison explained his tips and tricks, including how to get the makeup to show up darker and to wash it off as soon as possible, to avoid dyeing your skin.
Harrison said his wife finds him stealing her eyeliner, and he said with a chuckle that he wears more than her on average.
We learned that there’s no secret to success or a “right way” to decorate your face with the makeup. Harrison suggested to look up photos of other clowns for inspirations. He showed the group some examples.
We watched closely as we knew it would soon be our turn to become clowns. I sat with our reporters in the studio to ask them about their experience.
“I just got on my phone and looked up, 'female clown makeup,' and I found a Raggedy Ann-looking clown, and that was my girl,” said KUNR’s Arts and Culture Reporter Holly Hutchings.
Our pallet consisted of a white paste, a red crayon and black eye liner resembling Halloween makeup.
Harrison said he gets frightened responses often at rodeos as more people are afraid of clowns than he expected, especially adults. However, the reporters at this clown class couldn’t stop giggling.
“I had big, huge white eyes outlined in black, and I tried to put on eyelashes and I just looked kind of sad. I turned to the reporter next to me and he immediately started cracking up laughing, and he wouldn't stop for, like, 30 seconds,” Hutchings said.
As I was snapping photos of my colleagues, I thought the coast was clear and that I wouldn’t have to apply makeup myself. With a little bit of friendly peer pressure, I finally sat down to start applying my own makeup. I knew I wanted to be a sad clown because that is my personal aesthetic. I tried adding running tears from my eyes down my cheeks but the eye liner I was using was too thick to make the shape of a tear, so they looked like dots. My clown makeup did not look good, but I couldn’t resist taking selfies once we got to the arena.
Once we got situated, Harrison had his barrel ready for a demonstration. We were about to learn what it takes to physically get in a barrel. Inside the barrel is a shelf where one curls up, tucks their neck in tight and prepares for a wild, rolling ride. The barrel is bottomed out so barrelmen can stand up in the barrel and run around for entertainment. Harrison said not to fall or you’ll embarrass yourself in front of other clowns.
KUNR’s Morning Edition Host, Zender, was the first to try her luck getting inside the barrel.
“It was really tight. I mean, it makes sense because you have to get in there so quickly in order to not be hit by the bull, but, like, you were held in there by the force of your own body," Zender said. "You really have to push your arms out, engage your core, get in real tight, almost like a fetus a little bit, and just make sure you're in there and fully locked and loaded before the bull hits you because it could be a matter of life or death.”
Once Zender was secured inside the barrel, Harrison then proceeded to tip over Zender and to roll the barrel around in the dirt. Yet, I can’t help but wonder how this controlled simulation compares to actually getting hit by a bull at full speed and force.
It isn’t all about makeup and getting cozy inside the barrel. It’s about keeping the crowd entertained and occupied. This is a familiar feeling to Zender, who has a degree in theater.
“I came from a world of improv before I started doing radio and you really have to stay completely present. That goes for both comedy and for safety. You can't just do the run-of-the-mill stuff. You have to be in the moment and engaging with people and reacting to the situation,” Zender said.
In addition to learning new makeup skills and barrel safety, my fellow reporters had meaningful takeaways.
After posting a photo of her clown makeup on Twitter, an issue was brought to Zender’s attention.
“Someone was asking me about the history of clown makeup and I ended up learning a little bit about the blackface origins of clown makeup. I didn't realize that it kind of has this history. It does kind of look similar if you look at historical comparisons of blackface and clown makeup, "Zender said. "We learned a little bit about the history of clown makeup, and this shouldn't be erased.”
Zender said it was valuable to be educated on this piece of history that she didn’t think about. She hopes others can learn from it, too. Our other reporter, Holly Hutchings, learned to laugh, especially when she feels silly. She considered the class as a bonding experience.
“I probably learned a little humility," Hutchings said. "We had just met these other reporters from other outlets and we just instantly looked silly around them, so you kind of humble yourself a little bit, yet it was really fun. Once you kind of got down on the arena dirt and next to the barrel, you weren't thinking, 'Someone's going to see me.' You kind of felt like in character and ready to do this job, like, jump in this barrel and be a clown.”
Personally, I learned how incredibly difficult it is to remove clown makeup. After driving separately back to the KUNR station, I was shocked when I discovered my colleagues had removed their makeup and I was still walking around in it. I tried wiping it off, but it was too late and the makeup left a faded red ring around my lips. I might avoid clown makeup for a little while after this.
