Approximately 11 minutes walk from Kings Cross station in London, there is a public park. Joseph Grimaldi Park. Once the burial grounds for St James’s Anglican Chapel, tombstones in the centre now lean against the fencing for a colourful basketball court. Nearby, two coffin shaped “graves” in the ground produce music when you step on them, an artwork by Henry Krokatsis introduced in 2010 to honour one of the most influential performers of the nineteenth century and the parks namesake - Joseph Grimaldi. Grimaldi’s own final resting place is close-by, adorned with the masks of theatre.
Born in 1778 London as the son of Italian immigrants and entertainers, Grimaldi made a reputation for himself early on as a performer in London’s theatres, initially taking minor roles as monkeys, imps, fairies and demons - the four genders of theatre - with pure gumption folks! During one performance as a monkey, Joseph’s father swung him around by a chain, until the chain snapped and Joey went flying into the orchestra pit below the stage. Such were the vibes for young J-dog. In the years that followed, Grimaldi would take on the guise of a clown in various productions, from pantomimes to Punch (Judy’s husband) but the clown we are most interested in my friends…is Joey.
Depicted above and above again, Grimaldi developed the look of Joey the Clown in 1802 for an Easter pantomime at Sadler’s Wells theatre. The all-over white face paint, red blush on the cheeks and lips became the most iconic clown serve of the century, and one that endures to this day as a popular choice for clown performers. By the end of 1802, Grimaldi was the sole clown at Sadler’s Wells and a fan favourite. The rest is a long, very interesting history. A history that culminates in economic and physical ruin for our boy, who then attempted suicide with his wife by drinking poison, resulting in non-fatal stomach cramps. A truly clown-like exit from life, Joey would later get absolutely wasted at a party and die in his bed. The coroner would record that he died “from a visitation by God”. Grimaldi died in 1837 and went to clown heaven, which was fairly empty at the time but has since become a buzzing spot, probably?
Jump to 2023, and Grimaldi’s influence is undeniable. The Grimaldi memorial service held in East London every February attests to his iconography, as dozens of clowns flock to pay tribute in their own Grimaldi-core garb. The white faceprint and red accents still an identifiable mark of what we call a clown. Do you have a favourite clown design or in fact, a favourite clown? Do you find them repulsive and terrifying? Cool! Let’s explore some of my favourite clown designs and pay homage to the painted weirdos of past and present.
“I’m Pierrot, I’m Everyman”
In 1976, David Bowie gave an interview stating “I’m Pierrot. I'm Everyman. What I'm doing is theatre, and only theatre … What you see on stage isn't sinister. It's pure clown. I'm using myself as a canvas and trying to paint the truth of our time on it”. Likely influenced by his time studying with mime artist Lindsay Kemp - who starred in Pierrot in Turqoise or The Looking Glass Murders (1970) alongside Bowie - Bowie incorporated the choreography and iconography of mime into some of his performances, including the Pierrot look in the Ashes to Ashes music video, from 1980.
But who is this Pierrot? Another creation we can originally thank the Italians for, Pierrot - meaning Pierre, or Peter - is a pantomime clown that contrasts with the Grimaldi type of slapstick, drunkard clown. Donning similar white face paint, Pierrot is often depicted as a sad clown, and is seen as a close relative of the mime figure. Pierrot was originally popularised by Italian performers based in seventeenth century Paris. Unlike his British drunkard cousin, Pierrot is preoccupied with pining for his lover, Columbine, who frequently cheats on him. Man can’t catch a break.
Like many clowns before and after, Pierrot speaks to a deeper sense of being inadequate or in a more radical sense, disenfranchised. We live in a society, type vibes. This may explain how Pierrot become a useful persona for Bowie, who repeatedly used his stardom to highlight issues in contemporary society. Bowie also used the Ziggy Stardust persona, an alien, to similar effect on the now cult album from 1972. To me, Pierrot is simply the drippiest clown and my personal favourite. Here’s some Pierrot pieces that I love.
Do I need to explain this one? Baby Pierrot holding a cat that looks like a goblin. I’ve been looking at getting this as a tattoo because it goes so hard. Clowns and cats is an underrated combo.
In this one, Pierrot looks on as a woman tickles him with a feather, dull to the mockery, finding companionship with a chained up dog. Shit just sucks for Pierrot doesn’t it.
Just to nail home that idea, here is Pierrot fucking around AND finding out, after losing a duel. There’s a few copies of this out and about, but this is the OG and best I believe. In summary, Pierrot suffered for his drip but will go down as an all-timer. Would you swipe right on Pierrot? Let me know.
McBozo
Finally, we turn to the United States, a country renown for clownery (so is the UK! Don’t sue me I love you really). Have you heard of Capitol Records? A California based record label, Capitol Records was/is the US label of The Beatles, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, The Beach Boys and even Ice Spice! They also had a mascot called Bozo the Clown. Got whiplash yet? Buckle in bitch.
As Capitol Records released read-along audiobooks on vinyl back in the day, Bozo became a popular character, with such hits as Bozo at the Dog Show (1954) and of course, Bozo Meets the Moon Goon (1959). To be fair to them, illustrated Bozo isn’t that creepy, he’s a goofy little guy!
So you know, it may not have seemed a foregone conclusion that Bozo would become a terrifying nightmare who has been copied in countless horror films of the A and B-grade variety for decades. Looking at you, Pennywise. What made Bozo interesting is that he essentially became a franchise, like a McDonalds. His likeness was licensed out to various channels that could produce their own Bozo with their own actor and so on. This helped Bozo spread far and wide, much more so of course than Joey or Pierrot as archetypal clown figures, with actors as far as Brazil taking up the mantle by the 1980s. The signature red hair, white facepaint, red button nose, oversized frilly clothing and big shoes is to many, the classic clown. And also the reason a lot of people hate clowns which, you know fair enough.
Remember when I said Bozo is like the McDonalds of clowns? Like thirty seconds ago? Well what if there was a McDonalds of clowns, at McDonalds? And what if he was based on Bozo? And what if the first person to play him, was Willard Scott, a Washington DC based Bozo actor from 1959-1962? Well that would explain the truly haunting image above. Ronald McDonald, landed in 1963, appearing on TV sets nationwide in 1965. I dare you to click that link.
To even try and attempt the plethora of ways Ronald has been depicted over the years would be impossible. He’s been TV, film, toys, music, artwork, sculptures, a politicised abstraction of global capital and labour struggle, you name it. But let me include some of my favourite depictions of Ronald over the years until I run out of email.
Donald Land (1988) for the Nintendo Entertainment System was the first McDonalds video game and was only released in Japan. The game centres around an evil wizard stealing all the other random ass characters from the McDonalds lore - the Hamburger and such - and Donald has to Mario his way through various enemies using apples that explode. You can watch this play through to learn more. It’s Mario but shit, which sums up about 90% of platformers from 1981 onwards if we’re being honest.
The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald was a miniseries that ran for six episodes and was only available as a VHS that could be gained by dining at a McDonalds between 1998-2003. It has a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse element to it, if you were to take acid and immediately induce a stroke. This video is actually genuinely scary and horrified me in various ways. But the set, the characters, the plot, the music, the McMise-en-scène if you will, is top notch.
And finally, I leave you with this diptych: An instagram post from Ronald himself, as he flosses to a Fat Joe song and this article from Vice which makes the fairly convincing case, that Ronald is dead.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this long-read about some of my favourite clowns and their histories, sorry it’s late! April has been busy for me, but we got it over the line. Would you like to write for Rat Depot? Or submit your artwork, your music, your photography, your Ronald McDonald memorabilia? Give me a DM on instagram, or an email at paullewis.pk@gmail.com, or a comment down below if you’re reading on Substack.
Love,
Paulie x
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