I'm a part-time clown in addition to magic and with a local clown group.

I've heard some stories where clowns have been threatened, attacked, etc. and wonder if anybody carries anything to "even things out" in a case like this???

Don't mean a gun or a knief (although....),but something that would "fit" a clown but be a defensive "weapon" just in case a drunken jerk decided to do something.

Have an idea for something if anybody would like to hear it...and would like to hear anything that others might carry with them!!???

A large creme pie.

A rubber chicken loaded with a pound or two of buckshot?

Squirting Flower with chilli water inside?

I wouldn't carry anything. Some people will give you a hard time, but your best bet is to be aware of the situation and your surroundings. Stay in a large crowd of people and leave if anyone starts to give you a hard time. In 20 years I have never found myself face to face, squaring off with anybody.

I have been pushed. I've had an air horn blown in my ear. I've been sprayed with silly string. I've had people throw dropped juggling balls at me with great force. I've had people act like they were going to push me down when I was wearing stilts. I've had dogs chase me on my uncycle.

Pulling a weapon out and acting agressivly would not have improved any of these situations. Stay alert, keep your head and walk away from bad situations.

A smile

Absolutely right , Rsummer27. I have never been in that situation, The thing to remember Is don't let yourself get in one of those situations.
I remember a few years ago the county fair had a dunk tank with a loud mouthed, insulting, vulgar clown. Not only was he a disgrace to the art, but frankly I thought he deserved the beating that he purportedly got.

Homey don't play that.

Have you considered very large, red plastic scissors? :}

Yes, but we're not allowed to run with them.

It is the clown in the dunk tanks job to get people angry and want to spend money to try to dunk him. That is how it works, that is how all of the dunk tank clowns work, that is their job. He wants to get them so mad they throw very hard and not accurate.
These guys are carnival workers not entertainers.
I don't carry anything either, stay with the crowd, if you are really worried take self defence class. I did years ago, I have never had a problem in 16+ years.

My idea....have a large fake flower on my vest (I wear the magic vest with the big overalls and loud shirt 'n all) and run some plastic tubing through that so a little of it sticks out the center of it (aquarium air hose I guess)...then...run the length of it to a can of the type of "Wasp Spray" that "...wipes out the whole nest!!.." and will shoot a thick spray about 20 ft!!! Epoxy this to the "nozzel" (???) on the spary (guess I'd take the can to the aquarium place to get a size that fits sung on there!!)....

Put the can in my pants pocket and run the hose under shirt and through the flower!!! Maybe spray it out enough so it's in most of the tubing, but then you'd want make sure it works okay IF you needed it!!!

Of course you'd NEVER want to have to do this "smell the flower" trick!!! But a drunken geek coming at me would be in for a BIG surprise!!!

Plus...if someone had this set up and wanted to be really nasty to an attacker...or his car or whatever...this stuff is falamable too!!!!

Guess I watched "Doink The Evil Clown" on wrestling too much!!!!

Have one of those dynamite straps that when you press a button the bang flag pops out. That would be cool. Same could be done with a gun. That was funny when I watched it on Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

You thought of bringing a weapon to your show as self defense in case anyone has beef with you??? In clown suit?? wow... that's one paranoid clown...

I would say.. a HUGE hammer.. lol.. paint it bright red..

I have a very heavy metal magic wand.....

Now I have had people try to knock me down or pull me down on stilts before, and I easily remedyed that with some simple joint manipulation tecniques.

But clown wise, you could just always look into a combination of tai-chi moves and drunken boxing. Akido could also come in handy in case things do get rough.

But the best thing over all is just verbally defusing the situation before things get ugly.

How about a water gun!!!!???? that's perfect!! They come close, you super soak them! hehe

I know this topic is serious, but if you knew your defensive moves well(and those can be attained at a local police dept. or online)I can't fathom the hilarity it would be seeing a clown beating the crumb out of some idiot pestering him. I know this isn't what a good clown wants to do, but in the pinch, I'm not letting some "so-called" bully harass me if I'm in a place to make people happy...as long as kids aren't around.

Getting in trouble might be far fetched....after all your face is concealed and who in the heck would press charges after getting beat up by a clown.

Cop: Ok sir, what did he look like?"
Idiot:...um...er...nevermind...."

BTW: Rodeo clowns are pretty tough cookies. Hang with them.

I know the original post was ages ago, but I think there is a better idea than a weapon. As a clown, you are most likely to run into violence in a "public" appearance, i.e.: a festival, parade, fair, shopping center appearance, etc. In that situation, what you really need is a whistle, a horn, or something loud enough to draw the attention of others when you need it.
I carry a whistle. On those occasions when I've had problems (usually teenagers or young men using bad language near a balloon line consisting of moms and kids) I whistle to get the attention of the nearest policeman. Any public event with a crowd (at least in the U.S.) has one or more cops assigned to it. I am not shy about bringing trouble to an officer's attention and pointing out who is causing the trouble. Without exception, the police have escorted the offenders away and that was the end of the story.
I am 6'2", 210 lbs. and played college football, but it isn't my job to police idiots at a public event. If someone is abusive, I immediately make it clear to them that they will stop. Someone trying to knock you off stilts is attempting to do you injury. If there isn't a policeman nearby, carry a cellphone and use it. If an assault charge results, follow up on it and contact the press. They would love to take video of some jackass getting sentenced to a few weeks in jail for assaulting a clown.

http://www.trsdirect.com/talent.php?id=Vunak (Self defense)

http://www.trsdirect.com/product.php?sku=HW3-77 (weapon)

http://www.galls.com/gaweb.dll (type in the word spray)

As a police investigator, I was required to carry my shield and firearm 24/7. I had a fully enclosed leg holster custom made to totally secure & conceal the pistol & badge beneath my clown costume. My primary concern in costume was the absolute safety of the weapon. I never had to pull it while in costume...but I often wondered what kind of response...and news coverage...I would have received if the issue had been forced. My greatest fear, however, was being called in from off-duty status to back-up a coded crime scene while in full costume.

Back to your question, however. Your greatest defense is visibility. Try to stay in populated, high visible areas. Personally, I advise against any kind of weapon in character, however, if you really feel that you NEED some sort of defensive tool, a good pepper or stun spray is your best option. Avoid the junk they sell at Wal-Mart and online. Visit your local gunshop and ask for the personal size of their strongest, civilian-available spray. Buy the type that shoots out in a stream rather than a spray. A good gunsmith will have training canisters available to teach you how to use the dispenser for maximum effect and safety. For example, shooting a stream of this stuff into the wind will cause you to get a face full of your own spray. This incapacitates YOU at a time when you need to have your wits and all abilities about you.

Then...SECURE IT TOTALLY on your person and completely out of reach of prying & curious young hands. Even an accidental release can cause you discomfort and harm a child...resulting in your being beaten to pulp by an outraged mother or father.

Keep in mind that ANY time you use something like this, even in self-defense or defense of another, you are opening yourself to criminal or civil action. Think it through carefully. Ten years after retiring, I still occasionally carry my licensed firearm concealed...but never in costume. You have to personally calculate the benefits & risks of carrying any weapon while out and about.

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