Summer begins. June 3rd, 2018.

Summer has pretty much started as we’re now in the first week of June. I worked the San Francisco Giants game the last 3 days. Day game today, and Friday and Saturday night were night games against the Philadelphia Phillies. The people at the games are very nice compared to a lot of the tourist spots I work at. I think having worked there many years now, has made things considerably better. A lot of people who come to the games, kind of know me, so I’ve found that’s helped a great deal. The interactions with the kids are great. They really love the bubble machine I bring out for each game. The Giants used to kick me out, but I think they finally get that I’m an entertainer, and now not only leave me alone, but actually seem to enjoy my performance. This makes me feel good.

No love for a clown.

Just got back home from the Oracle Arena in Oakland, where I was trying to do some busking/street performing. I was turned back every step of the way. First I tried to work in front of the arena, but security came out and told me to turn of my speaker, and my bubble machines. He said it was the owners decision. Then a few minutes later another security officer told me I had to leave the premises, even though I complied with the first security officers request. I then returned to the Bart ramp where they’ve allowed street performing and vending for many years. When I got there, I noticed it was completely empty as far as vendors and performers. Even though I wouldn’t have minded the lack of competition, I instantly recognized it was not a good thing. And sure enough I was right, as a few minutes later, two police officers came up and instructed me that we were no longer welcomed to perform in the area.

I’m not to frustrated, as I know this is par for the course, or part of the game. As I always say, if you’re street performing and your not getting kicked out of places, you’re not doing your job. Or as Robin Williams said, “if you’re doing comedy, and you’re not failing, you’re doing something wrong.”

 

Houston, we have a problem.%

Thinking about flying out to Houston, Texas next week for two purposes. One to perform. The Golden State Warriors, look like they will be playing the Houston Rockets for the Western Conference Championship in the NBA. I’m constantly quoting Nick Drake, the singer/song writer “the goal of every artist is to reach as broad a possible audience, while still staying authentic.” Millions of people will be watching this game, so I figure, if it’s not too expensive why not take a flyer and see if I can make a little money performing as well.

My second reason for wanting to get out to Houston, Texas, is I have to take care of two tickets I received for the same so called infraction. While working the Superbowl which was being played in Houston 2 years ago, I received a officer wrote me a citation. One for selling without a permit (which I wasn’t doing. As for years I’ve been trying to explain, particularly to law enforcement, that I do not sale balloons, I give them out freely, and if people choose to leave a tip or donation behind, voluntarily, then I’m happy to accept to off set my expenses, such as travel, food, make up, props, speakers, bubble machines, and yes even the balloons which up to 75% of the people take as complimentary, or some kind of public common courtesy they being extended for the privilege of them taking their children to that particular public venue). The other citation that he wrote was for selling without a proper display, whatever that means. Last time I looked, each citation was for about $450 dollars.

If I can get a cheap flight, and can reach the Houston Court to see if it’s feasible to work out a deal if I fly down there, I think I”m going to try. It’s funny, I was working in Downtown Redwood City last Friday night, and a gentleman who was leaving the restaurant I was eating at, took the time to thank me for doing what I was doing, entertaining people. He said, “you don’t see too many people doing what you’re doing anymore.” It made me feel very good. At the same time, when I look at all the trouble I’ve had to go through, with a small percentage of law enforcement, I can see why this is the case. Though I absolutely love and thrive on what I do for a living, financially it’s been very tough to stay afloat without tickets and fines. Not sure it’s going to happen, but I’d like to see the public become more aware of the bullying that legitimate buskers have to go through, in order to perform for them.

One thing I do remember about performing in Houston, is the people were very warm, and friendly. I stayed in Katy, Texas, and became friends with the family whose Airblnb I stayed with. I can’t let one incident cloud the wonderful experience I had in the city.

Cinco De Mayo

I performed at the Cinco De Mayo Festival on Valencia and 21st-24th on Saturday at the Cinco De Mayo Festival in San Francisco, in the Mission District. It was a good and interesting day. San Francisco is always an interesting place to perform on the streets as a clown. My own personal theory is that people know so much about the deviancy, and strange that it becomes difficult them for then to turn around and understand something as simple as a clown trying to make balloons, and make their children happy. Something just seem’s out of place. As the author Seth Goldin (“Purple Cow.”) say’s, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” And in my career as I think back to watching all of the parents wheels turn in their heads, this is by far one of the most constant themes. As an artist, I don’t mind, I’m used to it. “It’s part of the game” as us street performers are known to say. As a business person, it’s my achilles hill. I’ve heard it said, most people don’t know the distinction between a street performer and a begger. The difference in my case is I’m actually giving away money in the form of a free balloon. Half the time the people are more confused than grateful.

 

That being said, I’ve added a monumental addition to my act over the last year, and that is several bubble machines. The bubbles have transformed what I do 100 percent. The reaction has gone from that of confusion, to one of amazement at a magical experience for the kids. Saturday was no different. I had one Latino parent tell me I was a “true artist.” This felt great.

I has another interesting experience with a female police officer. The officer I’m speaking of saw me a couple of weeks ago at the Giants game at AT&T Park, where I’ve been performing my same act for years. She asked me if I had a “permit for my speaker?” In all my years performing on the streets in San Francisco, and other cities around the country, this is the first time I’ve heard such a request. When I said I didn’t she instructed me to turn off the amplification, which I did. I thought it odd that she made such a request. She also then followed me around the corner after I decided to move. The way she talked to me, suggested that perhaps there was something more personal going on then just the speaker. As it turns out, the same female police officer was working the Cinco De Mayo Festival. She gave me the same line of questioning on the speaker, and said “we’ve given you several warning, and the next time she catches me with my amplifier it’s going to result in a ticket that’s a miss demeanor. ” Very frustrating, not sure how to deal with this problem, as I’m not going to stop doing my act, but I have a feeling this is not the last I’ve seen of her.

Back in California

Just got back to the Bay Area last week from New York. New York was wonderful, except for the fact that practically everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong. I lost an $150 balloon pump. Somehow wrecked a $450 lap top computer. Damaged an inverter that I use for my bubble machines. Broke a bubble machine. Received a ticket by an over zealous police officer in Times Square for blocking the sidewalk, when he originally wanted to give me a ticket for selling balloons. That being said, I still would like to go back to New York and try again. I’ve heard it said, Michael Jordan never lost a basketball game, he just ran out of time. I try to have the same competitive zeal when it comes to busking on the streets. Sometimes this works in my favor, other times it tends to back fire, as not every location is idea for working.

So far this week, I’ve worked about 4 San Francisco Giants games. Fisherman’s Wharf about twice. And I worked the Glenn Park Street Fair last Sunday. Right now I’ve trying to perfect my cart I’m using for my bubble machine. Trying to figure out how to maximize the space.  I store my balloons, bubble solution, water, and other items. I also use the cart to carry my bubble machine and speaker.

New York City.

What a day. Still waiting for a few breaks. Specifically housing, looking for a place close to Manhattan, or Central Park Zoo, that’s not real expensive, and flat so I don’t have to lift my car battery, and other equipment I haul around for my show. Good luck, right. Lol. I’m constantly having to remind myself of the quote I heard many years ago, “the job of the street performer is to make the impossible look easy, and the easy look beautiful.” The quote, alternately inspires, and depresses me. Waiting now on an approval from an Airbnb. I’m still feeling optimistic about this trip, but it’s definitely not all fun and games.

My friend Johnny Vegas, say’s I should talk about traveling around, and being a window. Well one thing I can say for sure, is New York is no nonsense. Tell you the truth, I really like that. I see so many bad actors and hustlers in San Francisco, I’ve often felt as though I’m the one who get’s punished for a lot of these miss deeds of others. It’s just a theory, as I haven’t performed yet in New York, but my hunch is that I’ll do better out here, because New Yorkers will reward a legit hustle, as oppose to a con artist. We’ll see about that. Right now my attention is on my living situation.

New York Day 1.

I’m feeling so excited right now. I just arrived in New York last night, coming from the French Quarters in New Orleans. It’s already been quite an experience. I’m sitting here in a Starbucks in Jamaica Queens. So I’m walking down the street, after getting off the bus to get here, and a pretty middle aged black woman stops me in near tears, and try’s talking to me. My first thought is she’s hustling for money, and I make the mistake of assuming that’s what she’s doing, and she corrects me, and asks me if I believe in God? I’m taken back as I realize I was incorrect in my assumption, (I feel like a hypocrite, as I always tell other people not to make assumptions. Anyhow we have a nice quick conversation, as I apologize to her for my mistake.

Not quite sure what my plan is as far as performing here, but I’m trying to take it all in and enjoy the experience. Last night I arrived at my Airbnb. Seemed a little fishy, as the real address was around the block from where the add said the place would be. Not to mention the guy seemed like he wanted to negotiate with me when I got there. Something doesn’t seem right, but for $73 for two day’s stay in New York, and guess I shouldn’t be to surprised. One thing I feel I’ve observed about New Yorkers is, you better be who you say you are, or you’re going to have problems. I am, so I can live with that, and I look forward to my time and interactions in the Big Apple.

2018 French Quarter Festival cont.

The French Quarter Festival started on Thursday. I arrived to New Orleans Wednesday. My brother from another mother Terry, who is an Uber driver picked me up from the airport. Such a nice guy, he won’t even take money for me for driving me places. Coming from Northern California, and working in San Francisco for much of my career, I’m just not used to the hospitality I’ve seen in the 7 years I’ve been coming to New Orleans. I’ve heard San Francisco described as the “most capitalistic place on the earth.” I do not dispute this claim.

 

 

2018 French Quarter Festival.

I’m at the airport in New Orleans, waiting to fly to New York. I ran into my good friend “Johnny Vegas” in New Orleans, and he urged me to start writing a blog, detailing my experiences as a traveling clown in the United States of America. At first, I must say I was a little bit reluctant, as I had started to blog at one point and gave it up, due to the day to day requirements of being a street performing/busking professional clown. I thought about it a little more, because Mr. Vegas made some very compelling reasons for doing so. As Johnny said, “you’re the only touring professional clown who comes through New Orleans.” He said that I could be a window into the world of Red and Blue America. So this is what I’m going to do. Johnny Vegas said that because Kenny the Clown is a “funnel” when it comes to performing in public places Red and Blue are standing right next to each other without even knowing it. This reminds me of something my friend, the comedian Marvellus Marv Lucas once told me. He said, “there’s two types of people, those who bring people together. And those who divide people apart.” I definitely want to be the former.

 

I’ve been busking/street performing as a clown for so long, I probably take for granted what I’ve seen and even accomplished over the 15 or so years that I’ve been performing. After all how many grown me in their early 50’s (52) are running around riding skateboards, running multiple bubble machines, and dressing up in clown regalia making what essentially amounts to free balloons for kids all over the country (the reason I say free is that because I work for tips, a great percentage of the people gladly take the balloons and entertainment I provide, and walk off without as much as a thank you. More on this later).

YouTube – Kenny the Clown – Best Fisherman’s Wharf Artist of 2008

YouTube – Kenny the Clown – Best Fisherman’s Wharf Artist of 2008.