THE CLOWN'S PRAYER

By Peter Vuono


     I have  a friend named Tom Kennedy. Tom is my mentor in the magic business. My mom gave me Tom's number and after I contacted him, he kindly, without ever asking for anything back, took me under his wing and introduced me to the world of magic. After I thought I was ready, I entertained for the next 26 years. If I was successful  in making just one of the thousands I stood before laugh, I owe it to Tom.
   Tom is naturally funny. He constantly makes me laugh. To paraphrase George Burns, "If you're 18 and you get no laughs, you become 80 very quickly. Also, if you're 80 and you get laughs right away, you become 18 very quickly. Tom Kennedy will always be 18. Tom is a Shriners clown. He's entertained thousands of kids who were maimed or burned from fire. He has wiped away the tears of many for decades. This is why, it's so incredibly disconcerting to me that many clowns are not being employed because  the  public wrongfully associates a good horror movie with a good children's entertainer.
   I loved the movie "It" and Tim Curry is a favorite of mine. I intend to see the remake but unlike much of  America, I leave my thoughts about a good horror movie at the door of the theater. I don't understand why so many people can't differentiate. It puts the good work of Tom Kennedy and many of his colleagues in the same category as horror and this is wrong.
  Do you remember Chris Farley? Chris was, in this author's opinion the finest clown ever produced by Saturday Night Live. Chris, in spite of having addictions, was a man of deep faith. He always carried a copy of "The Clown's Prayer", in his wallet. The prayer was tearfully recited by his beloved brother at Chris's funeral.
   Tom Kennedy gave me that prayer which I will include here today. I hope that when you read it, you too, like Tom, will understand the true nature and intentions of authentic clowns. That's my prayer for you, for Tom , for children and for laughter.



                                                   THE CLOWN'S  PRAYER


     Dear Lord,
         As I stumble through this life, help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more happiness than gloom, spread more cheer than despair. Never let me become so blaze that I fail to see the wonder in the eyes of a child or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.. Never let me forget that my work is to cheer people, make them happy, make them laugh, make them forget at least for the moment, the unpleasantness in their lives.
          Never let me acquire success to the point that I discontinue calling on my creator in the hour of need, acknowledging and thanking him in the hour of plenty, and in my final moment, may I hear you whisper, "When you made my people smile, you made me smile"