By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
These are tough times for clowns.
Reports of creepy clowns stalking schoolyards or streets have given well-meaning clowns a bad name. The crazy-haired, red-nosed, big-shoed clowns already suffer from an estimated 12 percent of U.S. population having an irrational fear of the costumed pranksters. There are so many with this clown consternation that the fear has its own name – coulrophobia.
Then came the recent rash of creepy clown reports.
Bowling Green Police Division saw a “flurry” of clown reports a couple weeks ago, Police Chief Tony Hetrick said. The only report that panned out was a couple kids who stole clown masks from a Halloween costume store in the city.
But the recent scares have some legitimate clowns concerned.
So that led to Doug Kaufman, otherwise known as “Curly Top,” to contact the city police and let them know that he dresses as a clown for “gigs” – with the intent to delight, not demonize.
“Professional clowns aren’t the ones engaged in this activity,” Hetrick said. “People who do the clown thing take a long time to put on makeup,” and don’t just pull on a mask.
Kaufman plans to alert the police anytime he has a gig, just in case they get calls about a clown around town.
“I want to make sure I don’t instigate anything by accident,” Kaufman said.
Kaufman is actually a graduate of “clown school,” where he learned such skills as how to apply and remove the heavy makeup, and create a repertoire of balloon animals such as long dogs, tall giraffes and tiny mice. His specialty is writing children’s names backwards on the animals so they appear correct when viewed in a mirror.
“I’ve always been a little backwards,” Kaufman said in his corny clown way.
Doug Kaufman as “Curly Top”
He started clowning when he and his wife operated a restaurant in McClure in the 1980s. The restaurant hosted parties, and Kaufman thought offering a clown for children’s parties would be a nice perk. His wife made him a costume, topped off with a multi-colored curly wig – hence the name “Curly Top.”
“It’s a little bit of a joke since I have so little hair,” Kaufman said, rubbing his nearly bald head.
In the summer, he sheds the full costume for a striped shirt, shorts and mismatched shoes. A constant during all seasons is his apron full of balloons.
At 6-foot 2-inches, Kaufman could scare kids already on the edge of clown phobia.
“It’s a little imposing,” he said. “Because of that, I try to either kneel or bend down to kids.”
Kaufman is now in the life insurance business, but has continued clowning around for gatherings of families, churches or parades.
“There are occasional gigs when I actually get paid,” he said, smiling.
Since it takes Kaufman more than an hour to apply his makeup and get in his complete costume, he sometimes makes surprise visits while he’s dressed up. It’s not unusual for him to stop by a nursing home or hospital and visit anyone in need of cheering up.
“It’s fun to see the kids smile, and the parents, too.”
Kaufman said he makes sure to talk with parents before approaching children. Otherwise, “I could upset a lot of people,” he said.
He is well aware of the discomfort some people have about clowns. Kaufman was performing at a county fair when he encountered a little girl afraid of clowns. So he had his wife take a series of photos of his transformation from mild-mannered man to crazy clown. The next day at the fair, he showed the little girl.
“I don’t think she became a clown fan, but she wasn’t afraid of me anymore,” he said.
Kaufman is troubled by these latest clown scares.
“I’m very upset about it. They are taking something that is fun, and taking it away from kids,” he said.
But Kaufman has no plans to retire his multi-colored wig or empty his balloon-filled apron.
“I have too much fun,” he said.
