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- “The magic starts within each of us.” ~Chris Sullivan
A lot of clowns talk about running away with the circus, but few have the opportunity that Chris Sullivan was offered in March, 2011.
Chris is now a performing clown with the 141st Edition of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey The Greatest Show on Earth – Fully Charged. He shares his experiences and inspiring perspective…
“Everything has been going great with the show. I’ve traveled all over the United States this year seeing more of it than I could ever have imagined possible. Before I joined the circus I had never really traveled West of the Mississippi river… other than flying to Dallas,Texas August of 2010 for the Ringing audition and flying to L.A., California to catch my connecting flight to India earlier this year.
Last August I did the audition. It was a wonderful workshop lead by Karen Hoyer and a few of the Circus clowns. We each participated in the workshop doing various exercises, group exercises, partner work, and finally our own five minutes of spotlight to perform something which we had prepared in advance. After the audition they talked to several people individually– unfortunately I was not in that cut. So after seeing the show that night, I ventured back to TN the next morning.
During the time at home I pondered about some friends who I knew were planning a trip to India. I inquired with the group leader and was invited to join them. So I spent my winter preparing for the trip. During the last week of January I flew to L.A. where I met up with our team made up of two clowns from Minnesota Brad Stone and Sandy Kephart, and two clowns from Texas Brenda Marshall and Brittany Allen. All of us are Moose Camp Alumni and had seen each other the previous two summers.
The trip to India was amazing. We spent time doing Vacation Bible School programs with two different orphanages, we also spent time doing shows in Schools, Churches, Streets, a treatment center, and even Roof tops. The children in India are absolutely beautiful. You can see Gods love in their eyes and joy in their smiles.
People today take so much for granted– myself included. However to the children we were working with the smallest and most simple things meant the world to them. This really made me reflect on things and has been teaching me to reduce and simplify my own life.
A week after I returned home I got a call from the Director of Talent inviting me to join the 141st Edition of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth. He allowed me to finish a theatrical project I was currently involved with at home… So I packed my red nose and big shoes and on March 25th I flew to Ohio to join the cast of Fully Charged.
The circus has been around for going on 142 years. As a result the show is one of America’s oldest living traditions. Older than Coca Cola and Baseball. Clowning itself has been dated back to early Egyptian times centuries and centuries ago B.C. as a young Egyptian Pharoh witnessed a clown performing and called him a “Divine Spirit.”
So far this year I have spent three months in California, as well as time in Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts… just to name a few. It really is fun to zig-zag across the country in the mile long Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey train.
Aside from the show — which is three hours of non stop three-ring fun from pre-show to finale, we do all sorts of advance and public relations work for the show. During these times I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with boys and girls clubs, boy scouts and girl scouts with our Scout Clinics, Libraries with Reading with Ringling, Schools with Circus Fit, and Museums presenting “Science of the Circus.”
We have done some really neat projects too, like opening a Fresno, Grizzlies baseball game, juggling and shooting our Human Fuse down the Vegas Strip, and being the opening act for the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade.
I’ve also been privileged to work for the Starlight Foundation, Ronald McDonald Houses, and various hospitals which host the Beads of Courage program. I’ve found that these experiences can be the most heart-warming.
Children need and deserve entertainment… no matter how healthy or sick they are. If they aren’t able to come to the circus then it is our job to bring a little of the circus to them. I am proud to be a small part in making that possible. Afterall, they do say that “laughter is the best medicine.”
The magic starts within each of us. If we believe in ourselves and believe that what we are doing as clowns then it is all realistic to children. To quote Steve Smith- a former teacher of mine- If we believe in what we are doing then there really is a Neverland, snow on Christmas, and all day suckers. The magic and healing power of clowning and laughter is very real.
Now I am back home in TN for Christmas and New Year. Reflecting back on my journey and experiences this past year is really a little overwhelming. Everything happened and went by so fast. But, thats how things go when you are in a new city each week or two. Pricilla Mooseburger once told me that “Life is like an elephant blanket. Each blanket has thousands of tiny sequins which work together to make a beautiful design. As performers, we are each earning our own sequin on that blanket.”
I believe everything happens for a reason. We all have paths that our lives are meant to follow. I am and always will be a dreamer. Gandhi once said “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Now realistically I know I can’t change the world. But if I can make it a little bit better for someone through humor, I’ll do that.”
You’re invited to receive our FREE Hospital Clown/Healthcare Family Entertainer/Applied Humor Therapist/SmileMaker e-Newsletter… by signing up to receive FREE Hospital Clown e-Newsletter (click on this link here) Published ongoing since 2007!
Click here for Miles of Smiles: Funny Smile Makerz Kit + MORE
Funny Smile Makerz have been popular for years with a lot of folks all over the place wanting to share smiles!
Funny Smile Makerz Kit + MORE is now available on our established Podclass platform. Podclass is the awesome place on the web where we’ve offered our AHeart4Clowning and Healing Humor webinars and audio programs since 2008. It’s a very user-friendly platform you can visit as often as you like, and enjoy our classes, webinars and products ongoing, indefinitely!
Over the years we have offered the Funny Smile Makerz Kit, it has grown, but so has the need! With this in mind, we expanded the Funny Smile Makerz to much more than just an art file to print out…
Funny Smile Makerz have always been able to:
- Easily share Smiles everywhere
- Print as many Smiles as desired, often as needed
- Produce quantities of Smiles in batches
We’ve repackaged and renamed it: Funny Smile Makerz Kit + MORE — and also included:
- 37 Totally FUN “Bright Ideas” eBook, filled with experienced presentation and production pointers to create more FUN and Smiles
- FUN Printable Label Templates, to share smiles more creatively
- Video Tips
- Easy Printing Tips eBooklet
The Tips and Performance Pointers are designed to help you create a presentation or performance segment built around and using Funny Smiles for all types of audiences and venues. These ideas are based on my tried-and-true experience as a Family Entertainer since 1997. We believe this repackaging offers much more value, service and product, presented in an all-in-one user-friendly environment, organized and easy for you to find, use and enjoy!
- Click here for Miles of Smiles: Check out Funny Smile Makerz Kit + MORE
This all-NEW very cool version of Funny Smile Makerz Kit is better than ever, with added features, NO waiting, NO email hassles.
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Our Promise: If the Funny Smile Makerz Kit + MORE fee increases — you will pay no additional charges.
When new materials are added to this program, you will receive the value at NO additional charge!
Check out our NEW Funny Smile Makerz Kit + MORE (click this link)
World Laughter Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May. The celebration joins thousands of people in more than 70 countries, laughing” together to promote peace and harmony in the midst of natural disasters, global unrest, violence and terrorism, all of which has disrupted the tranquility of our planet – mother earth. It is also a day committed to spread the message of good health and joy through laughter.”
~ Dr. Kataria, Laughter Yoga & World Laughter Day Founder
The above vid is a FlashMob Scene from Capetown with friend my Nikki Jackman of the Uplightment Programme and friends, celebrating World Laughter Day! Watching it will brighten your day, and inspire not only some good laughter, but also some great group improv exercises.
What an absolute delight and a joy it was to see Dr. Kataria’s presentation at the AATH Conference, as he shared about the beginnings of Laughter Yoga, and the true essence of what it’s all about.
So laugh for Peace, laugh for Joy and please laugh for the Health of it!
More about World Laughter Day: http://www.worldlaughterday.org/
About Laughter Yoga: Global Movement for Health, Joy & World Peace: http://www.laughteryoga.org/
AHeart4Clowning on World News Network
Tune In! To view: Click on above graphic (or click here)
Finding Healing Humor with Therapeutic Clown Cheryl "Miss Loosie" Oberg, Certified Laughter Leader
A lightened mood often begins just at the edge of a smile, as Certified Laughter Leader Cheryl “Miss Loosie” Oberg well knows… in fact, that is the name of her company, Edge of a Smile! She has observed this remarkable phenomena time and again, and often provoked that serendipitous reaction!
Be sure to tune into AHeart4Clowning TalkRadio Show on Thursday March 17 at 1PM ET – Noon Central – 10AM PT to hear what Cheryl shares with us about her journey in the field of Applied Humor Therapy, behind that red nose, as a Certified Laughter Leader, and a variety of situations. She will also share a bit about her upcoming presentation “Laughter in an Ocean of Grief,” at the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor Conference next month.
Cheryl Oberg, CLL is a therapeutic clown who facilitates humor and laughter with families and children in the hospital setting, seniors living in care facilities, hospice, corporate teams in the workplace, youth in career forums and schools. She has received several awards for her gift of sharing joy and laughter.
Show link:
Listen L-I-V-E from the comfort of your computer or phone… catch recorded show later from the archive, or download to your iPod.
Receive A Heart4Clowning TalkRadio Show Notes:
’tis always the season for Hospital and Caring Clowns to share their hearts and to give lots of smiles! One of the fun things about making Clown Rounds is having a little leave-behind, or a small token as a reminder of the visit. Of course stickers often come to mind, but there are many things that can be made at low to almost no cost — simple is best. But do keep in mind the facility guidelines, and get any item approved before you begin handing it out.
Here is a nifty-gifty basket I just made up for our next Clown Rounds… I purchased this cardboard ‘handbag’ from a crafts store, in the party section, and filled it with fun small give-away items.
TIP: Make your own gift basket or bag by cutting the bottom off a cereal box to the desired height, cover it with fun contact paper (so you can wipe it clean, for hygiene). Attach your handle with brads or knotted yarn, rope or ribbons, fill it with cool stuff — and away you go!
Great Give-away: Make Miles of Smiles with the Funny Smile Makerz Kit
Here is a great video on Smile Project Montreal, featuring Pam Wener, Certified Laughter Leader:
Total coolness!
Isn’t this a great-fun video?! Seeing Pam share our Funny Smiles at The Smile Project Montreal makes us smile! How totally FUN and completely wonderful to see her sharing Smiles and laughter, as she does! Crowd reactions are absolutely priceless and precious.
The colored craft sticks Pam uses are way cool FUN, too — great idea!
It’s heartwarming to see Miles of Smiles appearing all over the world YaY
What a thrill to have our Funny Smiles touching so many hearts!
Miles of Smiles — it’s a simple idea really, isn’t it?! It’s all about the idea — a simple-simple concept. Let’s hope this becomes a true epidemic!
Join the Miles of Smiles Campaign — Smile project — share a Funny Smile!
Get your own Funny Smile Makerz Kit here: Funny Smile Makerz Kit+MORE
The week of August 1-7 is International Clown Week!
This fabulously-fun event is celebrated all over the world, in many ways, by clowns with special events, parades, parties and proclamations!
But first, a little history:
Under the 91st Congress, the House and Senate Public passed Law 91-443, JJR 26 on October 8, 1970.
The joint resolution was then sent on to President Richard Nixon, and signed into law officially on August 2, 1971, designating “National Clown Week by the President of the United States of America Proclamation.”
Following suit, throughout the United States, Governors and Mayors have their own Clown week proclamation for their respective state or city.
Since its inception, ‘National Clown Week’ has expansively grown to become “International Clown Week”!
In this video clip, Laffy Taffy shares her experiences and surprising discovery, in setting up FRMC Charlies’ Chaplains’ now-infamous Nose Transplant Clinic for the first time in 2005…
Laffy will be celebrating this special week with Frye Regional Medical Center’s Charlie’s Chaplains, as they perform FREE Nose Transplants and FaceLifts (Smiles!) in their now-infamous Clinic for the sixth consecutive year!
How will you celebrate International Clown Week? Please share your plans and events with us, by leaving a comment!
Smiles — and clown noses — all around!
Looking for a great schtick? Here’s one you can easily perform on Clown Rounds, at special events, Humor Clinics or whenever you feel this screening is needed!
Attending conferences and ongoing training is good for all of us. It inspires, informs and our networks branch out in new, meaningful ways.
I’m still relishing the wonderful memories and enjoying people I met at the AATH Conference last month. What a thrill to present “Establishing a Hospital Clown or Family Entertainer Group: Train, Prepare, Equip and Promote” at this year’s Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor Conference at Disneyland in Anaheim, California!
It was a stellar gathering of folks from all over the world, involved in many different aspects of Applied Humor Therapy. The free-flow of ideas and encouragement was tremendous. I had heard there was a lot of energy in this group — and I can attest to that! It picked us up and carried us throughout our time there, from the time we stepped off the plane…
Because there were so many aspects and venues for Applied Humor Therapy represented by the attendees, this gave me an excellent opportunity to video several for an exciting new segment on Humor Bit-TV, on the Healing Humor Channel!
The new segment will present a good handful of representative applications of humor in various aspects of everyday life — in the words of the experts! I am truly grateful for all who embraced this special project, and gave a few precious moments of their time and to sharing their hearts on this topic.
Currently, we are in production mode and will soon be releasing these new episodes on the Healing Humor Channel. Last year’s ‘Humor Bit-TV’ theme was “Memorable Healing Humor Moments” featuring several well-known clowns and family entertainers. This year’s focus is on various venues for Applied Humor Therapy, and benefits.
Please stay tuned — more to come soon!
Meantime, tune-in any time 24-7…
Humor Bit-TV on the Healing Humor Channel:
New Design!
As the world grows increasingly gray, the need for humor in every day life is paramount… recognizing the need and seeking out ways to enahance your life by adding your own special blend of humorous ingredients offers health-boosting benefits, as well as making your world brighter!
Discover the positive health benefits of humor, how to administer generous doses of humor, in every day, for a happier healthier life!
Now available in your choice of 2 convenient forms, with a beautifully redesigned cover:
#1: A self-paced Healing Humor online course with immediately available downloadable materials allows attendees to listen to audios at their convenience, enjoy EBooks and printables immediately! The course is presented in 5 separate audio segements, with related downloadables, all available online, to be listened to and enjoyed indefinitely, from the time of enrollment.
For more info: budurl.com/HealingHumorAudio
#2 Healing Humor: Live Happy – Be Healthy Audio CD, is a physical audio CD product that includes the audio portion (only) – for your own personal copy, and as a great addition to your Humor Library and resources.
For more info: http://budurl.com/LiveHappyBeHealthyCD
The backstory of Healing Humor: Live Happy-Be Healthy Audio Program is that it was written and recorded by Becky Cortino, as part of the “Creative Arts Celebration” held at Frye Regional Medical Center in April, 2008.
Breaking News for Healing Humor: Live Happy-Be Healthy Audio Program is the flashy, cool new design!
We’re celebrating the new bright art, lighter look, and the fact that so many people have been enjoying this program since 2008!
Blast off for National Humor Month!
In a post earlier this month, we announced the arrival of National Humor Month, kicking off officially on April 1st, aka “April Fool’s Day.
To help you keep the humor going — maybe even long after this month – we suggest a quick visit to the Official National Humor Month site! It features a lot of great resources and tools. We especially love the clever free downloadable posters!
How about humor in the classroom? The site offers 48 Action Projects and a teacher’s guide for National Humor Month.
To keep the smiles going, we are pleased to once again be offering our “Funny Smile Makerz Kit” — back by popular demand! Simple, quick and easy, “Funny Smilez” are a great fun reminder enjoyed by all ages.
What are you doing for National Humor Month? Do you have any celebrations scheduled at your healthcare facility? Seems like a great excuse to celebrate, doesn’t it?! Please leave your ideas and comments…