Ms. Rainbow Clown, Tara Rock, transforms Reese Scruggs, a 3-year-old from Memphis, into an Elsa princess on Sunday for her birthday. Ms. Rainbow has been clowning around Memphis for over 17 years including face painting and balloon art.
The U.S. is currently facing a clown shortage, but Memphian Mike Rogers is doing his part to keep people laughing.
Membership in the World Clown Organization, the country’s largest trade group for clowns, has dropped from nearly 3,500 to 2,500 since 2004, according to the group’s president, Deanna Hartimier.
The shortage is said to be due to declining interest, old age and higher standards among employers.
Rogers works for Gig Masters, a professional clown company in Memphis, which provides silly services mainly to birthday parties for children.
“The challenge is getting younger people to become interested in becoming a clown,†Rogers said. “What happens is they go to high school and college, and becoming a clown just is not cool.â€
Rogers doesn’t let those perceptions of a clown career deter him.
“I love being a clown,†Rogers said. “Being a clown gives me an opportunity to make a living out of having fun.â€
Rogers began his career as a professional clown 10 years ago when he needed to find a job that would help him afford his college tuition.
“I honestly didn’t even want to be a clown at first,†Rogers said. “I had my sights set on doing something else with my life. I wanted to be an engineer.â€
Although being a clown was not a part of Rogers’ initial dreams, he has come to love his job and the people he gets to interact with.
The current national shortage of clowns does not have a negative effect on Rogers himself. He understands the importance of having a diverse and large number of clowns in society.
Yet, he is also aware of the benefits that come with being a clown during this time. “Being one of the so few clowns in Memphis means I get more jobs,†Rogers said. “I would not be able to have as many job offers as I do now if there were more clowns.â€
Being a clown is important to Rogers because it lets him remain a kid for as long as he wants to.
“There is no rush to grow up,†Rogers said. “I have my entire life to get old. Why would I want to rush it?â€
