Suggestions - Please post them in this thread

[Zimbo the Clown]

Hi everyone,

If you have a suggestion for this forum please post it here so I can keep track of it and see if I can apply it to the forum. I really want to make this a fun and interactive place so please suggest almost anything then I will see if I can make it happen.

Thanks

Zimbo

[Kallie]

May be a place where one can start a group on a specific topic which make it easier to chat about that topic to the people who join that group because they also are interesseted in that topic. This is more to help you to get to know your fellows  who is interessted in the same topics as you, as what it must help with that spesific topic.

Like : Magicians, Jugglers, Balloon Artists, Musicians, Face Painters, Gamers, Ventriloquists, Stiltwalkers, Puppeteers, etc.

[Kallie]

Got guys who ask me if they can join even if they not a clown. This is a clown forum but clowns come in lots of a variety of characters. May be Zimbo can put something under the rules section, so it will be easy to find for new visits that all entertainers are welcome. Even if you are a juggler or other you can still give input to your skills  or entertainment. A clown is a Jack of all trades afterall. Then there is sections which have to do just for them in their field.

[Zimbo the Clown]

This is not only a clown forum, it is an entertainers forum so there are sections for all entertainers, if they have a section they want me to add then just message me

[Kallie]

Hi Zimbo, just relized what I was missing from the start. This is a Clown-Forum and there is not even a Clowngags, skits and props section under Skills and Development or under Clown Board ?

[Bubbels]

I also agree that although this a clown forum, we all could listen and learn from other variety artists such as puppeteers, vents, magicians, mimes, story tellers, jugglers, face painters etc. etc. I have indeed send invites to a lot of other variety artists and I think by "exposing" our art form of clowning with them we could gain more respect from fellow entertainers that not all clowns are "just hiding behind masks because they are bad magicians, or poor jugglers or whatever".
Likewise we as clowns could gain from such other entertainers by allowing them to share with us their respective skills and artforms.

[Kallie]

Can we have under skills and development a topic like " My best book or dvd" I really think a book has so much more practical, technical and educational value to learn say a new trick, how to perform it right, how to use it right etc. Then it contains say 10 or 20 more tricks as just to go buy one trick. that can include all types of entertainment books from clown, magic, mime, juggle, face paint etc.

[Bubbels]

Very good suggestion Kallie. I have had a look on Kalahari.com just to see what books on the topic "CLOWNS" are available and to my surprise most of the great books that I have bought in America are available to be delivered to your front door.

[Kallie]

Goeie gedorie, I'll have to check that out, thanks.

[Kallie]

Can we possibly start some Blacklist thread for agents and people that we get problems with, so no other entertainer may fall in their trap.
It could be better if it work in a table form, but do not no if this is possible.
It can contain the date, contact name, area of performance, sort of problem like ; no payment, behaviour, or any other problem you received.

[Zimbo the Clown]

I was thinking the same thing. I will see what I can do. Call it "name and shame" .. I just need to make sure we can't get suid! Anyone know law??? Bubbles?

[Spanner The Clown]

Well,im not bubbles but wont it work on the same basis as hello-peter?? name and shame,but,give the guilty person also oppurtunity to put his case forward?

[Bubbels]

As one of the few clowns that have throughout my 22 year clown career tried NOT to work with or through agents I am absolutely in favor of this. Don't get me wrong, I have worked with wonderful agents with whom I would work again anytime, but then there are also those with whom if I never have to work again, it would be to soon.

Yes we do get those clients, agents, shopping mall PRO's and so on that we certainly would not like to work for or have any of our clown buddies had to work for. Like Spanner indeed said, we could list them and in such a way that if they want to they could share their version or opinion. I am no expert on the legal matters of this, but if I have a bad experience such as ill, or none payment from a client or corporation (such as the city council of the city in which I stay), and I inform my clown- and other entertainer buddies about this, I am stating facts, I don't do anything illegal.
Come to think about it, if that client feels that they got a "raw deal" or unfair treatment from the clown, would they be polite in telling their friends about their "bad experience with the clown"?

Then again we should also remember that VERY SADLY there are a few clowns out there whom is giving us all a bad name. If an agent or client gives them "ill treatment" maybe they deserved it, but who are us to judge? Well for one, I see myself as a clown whom love my art form, I have great respect for my art form and I love to keep up to date with what is going on in Clowndom. I think that the clowns whom know about this forum and regulary visits it feels the same.
Therfor I will NOT stand for clowns whom destroys it for us, agents, clients or corporates who treated us like "inferior beings" or like the street bum.

So I say yes, let's bring on that list without it becoming a whitch hunt or "out to get you list".