Below are eight clown types. These are notes I made in 1980 on an old Altair computer -- one of the very first personal computers. We had to flip switches on the front panel to input binary code to boot the computer.
I don't recall where precisely I found the inspiration/source for this material those 30 some years ago. But here they are for your edification.
Bureaucrat
Definitely a company person, this clown's view of the world is restricted to the unspoken rules and regulations that crop up in any society. By confining himself to this narrow point of view, this clown exempts himself from thought or feeling. He does not have to consider how his actions affect his fellows because he always acts "properly." The blind spots that are established by this character serve only to point up the absurdity of this position.
Demagogue
The figure of unbridled authority operates on this own set of rules with a narrow-mindedness that excludes variant opinions completely.
Dummy
This character is not really dumb -- he is just overly logical. When another clown gives him a job to do, he does it to the letter. If asked to shake he does shake -- but all over. he is so literal minded that the other clowns must take care in what they say when he is around, or they will find their very own words turned against them. The dummy seems dumb through all of the insanity he creates because he cannot understand why everything is going awry.
Egotist
This clown is always right, whether he is or not. He pushes the other clowns about to fit his own conception of the way things should be and is always ready to take credit where none is due. When this character gets slapped down, the audience enjoys seeing this guy get his for a change.
Narcissist
Filled with a sense of his own beauty, this character is always a trifle removed from this situation because his attention is centered on himself. Like the egotist, he has little of which to be proud.
Poor Soul
The luck of this character always seems to run against him. That he actually is the author of a major portion of his own misfortune never seems to occur to him. He remains constantly resigned to what he believes is his inevitable fate.
Timid Soul
This character would be afraid to ask for water even if he were dying of thirst. his insecurity is painfully evident to the audience. The least boisterous of all the clowns, he is often the butt of the pranks of his fellows. But, like the fool, he seems protected by God, for he always seems to come out on top. Through this shyness and uncertainty he man ages to turn the tables on his detractors.
Tippler
The clown uses this character to poke fun at overindulgence. This is not the chronic drunk.
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