“The clown may be the source of mirth, but - who shall make the clown laugh?”
Angela Carter book Nights at the Circus
Source: Nights at the Circus
"Be A Clown" (written in 1946)
The Pirate (1948)
“The clown may be the source of mirth, but - who shall make the clown laugh?”
Angela Carter book Nights at the Circus
Source: Nights at the Circus
“A wise man can play the part of a clown, but a clown can't play the part of a wise man.”
Malcolm X (1925–1965) American human rights activist
“There are two types of people in this world. People who hate clowns… and clowns. (Bobby Pendragon)”
D.J. MacHale The Quillan Games
Variant: There are two types of people in this world. People who hate clowns... and clowns. -Bobby Pendragon
Source: The Quillan Games
“The child's laughter is pure until he first laughs at a clown.”
Angela Carter book Nights at the Circus
Source: Nights at the Circus
Kate Bush (1958) British recording artist; singer, songwriter, musician and record producer
This was a song written for the soundtrack of The Magician of Lublin (1979), based on the 1960 novel by Isaac Bashevis Singer; Kate's singing of it appears at times in the background within the film - YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkfbkVKmbG0 <br class="br">Song lyrics, Singles and rarities
“People hunger for love, and clowning is a trick to get love close.”
Patch Adams (1945) Physician, activist, diplomat, author
As quoted in "Patch Adams and clowns spreading laughter at hospital" (2 March 2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gtw5nzgYpA <br class="br">Context: You know, it's always the same. I've clowned in 81 countries. People hunger for love, and clowning is a trick to get love close. As a clown I can do things that people are too frightened of Love to allow you to do.
Harper Lee book To Kill a Mockingbird
Pt. 2, ch. 22
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Context: "I think I'll be a clown when I get grown," said Dill. "Yes, sir, a clown.... There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off."
"You got it backwards, Dill," said Jem. "Clowns are sad, it's folks that laugh at them."
"Well, I'm gonna be a new kind of clown. I'm gonna stand in the middle of the ring and laugh at the folks."