How To Stay Young Forever
Since I was very little, I loved to put on shows and make people laugh. There was a hole in a hedge, in my Grandparents backyard, against the neighbor’s chain link fence. I used to hear the neighbor kids playing next door, and I would get myself into all sorts of costumes and do shows for them through the hedge opening. One of my "characters" I played was "funny man." The kids would all gather at the fence and yell, "Tommy!!...Tell ‘funny man’ to come out!" I would pretend I wasn't sure if he was around and leave for a moment. Moments later, I would emerge in an old felt hat, an oversize shirt of my Grandpa's, and race towards my cheering "crowd" at full speed! LOL! I would act off my rocker...running across the grass, pretending to trip over the hose, and pop up in the air after a summersault across the grass. Total goofball stuff. I would pull my oversize shirt over my knees and hobble around like a little person...on and on. I recall the neighbor kids, three little girls: Bonnie Sue, Tishy and Robin, and at times, even their Mom, would be in absolute stitches laughing! I mean pee-their-pants kinda laughing. It was the best feeling...to be able to make people laugh to that extreme. I was quite a true little clown.
Well, one of my childhood idols at this time, was comedian, Jerry Lewis. One movie in particular that he starred in was "The Errand Boy." He made me laugh as hard as the neighbor girls laughed at "The Funny Man" act I would do. But one scene in this Movie was very touching to me. Jerry interacts, with no words, with a little clown puppet in the dusty shelves of an old Movie prop house. This very melancholy music plays in the background. Not sure why, but it always got me all choked up and teary eyed. It was just very simple, sweet and heartfelt.
So, as my tribute to the laughter and tears that Jerry Lewis brought me, I did my version of the "Little Clown" here. This is my story about a little clown, artist, believing in magic, and the power of childhood wonder. It was sort of a reminder to myself how important this is. It is also is a reminder to me, never to forget where my old felt hat and oversize shirt can be found-- in case I need it. I filmed this just for fun one Saturday Morning. I even made the little clown puppet, exactly as it looked in "The Errand Boy."
Enjoy, my friends. And remember...whatever you do...to stay young forever. ~~THOR