Most people think “clown” and picture a red, squeaky nose, white face paint and maybe some curly red hair. Oversized feet and squirting flowers are, of course, standard.
But Tricia Cotton Dean, aka Cotton the Clown, defies expectations. In clown guise, she has pink, straight hair, perhaps a colorful frock and a large bow in her hair, but her face is her own, unblemished by white powder or a red, bulbous nose.
She used to dress like your more traditional clowns, but gradually found that it could be off-putting for some people.“I found that I would encounter anxiety not only from children but from some very seasoned adults,” she said.
Clown anxiety has become something of a running joke in today’s culture, but for those who make their livelihood dressing as modern day jesters, it can be serious business.
Cotton the Clown draws a crowd at KidZ in a Minute Drop-In Child Care at Triangle Town Center.
It all started when somebody who knew of her artistic proclivities asked her to do some face painting at a party. She went and noticed many of the other face painters were clowns. An idea was born.
“I did not really care to do any kind of clown stuff, but I had to do that,” she said. “It gave people something to identify with. If you said child entertainer, it was kind of too vague.”
Her clown career took off from there. Dean is based in North Hills but performs all over the city, including large swaths of North Raleigh. “I don’t pass hardly three blocks without seeing somewhere that I’ve performed at one time or another,” she said.
Indeed, she recalls a point when she was making the performance rounds at nine bookstores and coffee shops each week; and her popularity just grew.
“All of them were just packed. It just created an incredible notoriety for what I was doing,” she said. “I didn’t have enough time or I would have gone to other places, too. I couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized.”
She was so well-liked that businesspeople would often ask her to incorporate their businesses into the songs she performed. “One guy was detailing my car out in the parking lot while I was singing, just so I would mention his service to everyone there.”
Helping people on the inside
Songs are a big part of her business. She plays guitar and likes to have the kids come up and sing along. Face painting, too, is a mainstay. And sometimes, singing telegrams.
“I even had a judge hire me to break up courtroom proceedings,” she said. “I got to ride up on the sheriff’s elevator and everything. That’s like the ultimate in power, to break up court proceedings.”
And though she changed her costume to assuage some of the public’s clown fears, Dean has phobias of her own: balloons.
“If I had a party where we decorated with balloons, I would put them in the backyard and hope they’d pop because I couldn’t pop them myself.”
Thankfully, she worked through her fear and is now a competent creator of balloon animals.
As a life-long Raleigh resident, Cotton appreciates the growth of the city, though she thinks that the modern sprawl has led to some depersonalization. She sees her job as Cotton the Clown to bring that personal touch back into people’s lives.
“This is about helping people on the inside,” she said. “Helping people see the humor in things and have a good time.”
And knowing how things are in the world, who doesn’t need an extra helping of humor now and again?
Alex Granados writes about people, places and traditions in North Raleigh and beyond.
“I think you see a lot more stranger anxiety now than you used to,” Dean said. “I just like to not deal with the fear factor.”
Dean is a Raleigh gal, born and bred. She left for a little while to experience the big city life of the Washington, D.C., area but eventually found her way back to her native land. She never set out to be a clown, but after she and her husband separated in 1991, she knew she needed to do something.
She is a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts and has some mean artistic and performance skills, but she had never tried to turn those skills into a career.
"I've always been incredibly thankful for the talent I have and the intelligence I have," she said. "But I never learned to push it further than I had to, because I never had to."
But the separation forced the former stay-at-home mom to find a path of her own.
ON ACQUIRING A PROFESSIONAL PARTY ENTERTAINER VERSUS THE ONE STOP SHOPPING VARIETY
Professional Children's Entertainers witness an annual growth of new and novice entertainers with listings in the various directories and on search engines. Having published contact information or a web site does not guarantee quality or professional wisdom and even integrity. The current economic downturn has produced an onslaught of inexperienced "clowns," "magicians" and especially "costumed characters."
If you are considering hiring a performer who advertises syndicated characters like Dora, Barney, Elmo and all the other popular celebrities, it is important that you understand that the company who offers these is breaking the law. Just because they can get away with it, all such companies flagrantly make a profit that belongs in part to the owners of these characters.
In all of life, but especially for people who educate and entertain children, I feel it is of utmost importance that party planners make every effort to accept legal guidelines and respect the companies that own these characters and their music.
ONE-STOP-SHOPPING for plates, cups, favors and the like provides the party planner with a true convenience, but this is not the case when it comes to hiring a person or persons who will lead your party, setting the tone for your guests. Your entertainer is going to be the most prominent presence at your party while they're there.
I am leary of any company or person who proclaims that they "have it all," as I've learned that while anyone can attempt to offer anything and everything, it is impossible for anyone to do "everything" well. Businesspeople who advertize having every facet of children's entertainment often work out of their homes, contracting out to inexperienced or performers who have not made an impression that engendered word of mouth referrals.
I would rather choose my performer directly, understanding their strengths, reputation and popularity, because I then can be assured of a high-quality level of entertainment for my guests, to be long-remembered after my party has ended.
A new breed of "children's entertainment ONE-STOP shopping is quickly emerging. At first thought, it would seem that the company that offers EVERYTHING would make party planning most efficient and easy.
Considerations:
Is it of concern whether the entertainment I secure for my party is primarily engaged in the pursuit of cash flow, or is in the business because they are talented, love to entertain and are experienced?
Would I prefer to secure a seasoned performer who is adept in all areas of their specialty, posess an unblemished reputation and are popular.... or will it be sufficient to go through an third-party agency staffed by increasingly popular methods of enlisting inexperienced 'performers' hired via venues like Craigslist to entertain the kids at my party?
While, such agencies often ensure that their employees have been thoroughly scrutinized and their backgrounds checked, often those hired aren't old enough to have established much history (esp. in working with children) that would show up via searches.
KidZ in a Minute is here for parents who don't have time to hunt down last minute child care on an "as needed" basis. Our Track Out Camp is available for school age children who are in Kindergarten and older… KidZ in a Minute is a peanut-free zone. We are environmentally friendly, implementing the "go green" example in a fashion that's fun for children to discover and follow. We'd love to hear from you with questions or to inquiries about special considerations for your child, as we strive to adhere to your specifications, giving you 100% peace of mind!
"Cotton,Thanks for encouraging me [at your show yesterday] to put aside my agenda, and do what was more important...You are such a dear person...I met someone tonight who I've seen at your shows before but have never officially met. We talked about how wonderful you are, and what a blessing your shows are. She and I had an immediate common bond..."
for choice times, don't delay...
