Entertainment was based on the cliché of the tragic clown mixed with era appropriate horror movie tropes. He wore scrubs, white gloves and a milk white mask. During the show, members of the audience would demand Entertainment to remove his mask revealing an even more horrific mask beneath. Entertainment was a mirror of the human condition. We all wear masks, the handler would say, and under we’re not hiding this amazing personality we’re too shy to show the world… We’re hiding an even darker self.
Crafting the clown was easy, his movements and mannerisms were the brainchild of MVOE Comic Brian C. But, the show was more difficult to devise. It was decided Entertainment the Clown would be advertised as a side attraction special guest who would perform magic, juggle, dance and make balloon animals for the kids (at this over 21 venue).
But, that wasn’t “entertaining” enough. So MVOE’s Sexfinger came up with a soundtrack for Entertainment’s performance. The Entertainment the Clown Suite contained 3 musical movements containing 11 unique compositions. With the music a longer act needed to be devised, moving Entertainment from special guest to roster performer.
The act, which would go along with the Suite, was ballooned to contain a dramatic unmasking and a fortune telling segment where the silent clown would ring a bell when an absurd prediction would be read that he believed would come true in the coming 2003. Lastly, a hand of the family card game UNO where Entertainment would fly into a rage when he was dealt a draw four wild card, all the while Sexfinger would assure the crowd “He’s just clowning around.” This was based on the real life childhood annual New Year’s Eve UNO games held at the childhood home of Jared Morris. The games, he remember, usually ended in a battle when some member of the clan would erupt after receiving too many obstacle cards.
Looking back on it now, it seems naive to think that this would go on without a hitch. The evening had already had two cancellations by performers. A local comedian and the only other band performing no showed leaving My Version of It and Entertainment The Clown as the evenings only entertainment on a busy and crowded New Years Eve. Having never actually clowned Entertainment’s handler didn’t realize that to make balloon animals, an air pump was needed. The Clown could merely hand out deflated worms to bar patrons.
Not to put to fine a point on it, Entertainment was told by club management to get off the stage. “You guys have to stop.” The Clown and Sexfinger were told. It was a little bit heart breaking for the guys and stress from the evening actually led to a break up of My Version of It. They didn’t play together again for 10 months, ironically at an impromptu gig at The Barn Door when another band canceled.
Although he never again appeared in public, Entertainment the Clown was never forgotten by The Group. In celebration of the 15th anniversary of his one and only performance, Jared Morris, The WMC Fishclub and Sexfinger have recreated, re-arranged and rerecorded the original “Entertainment The Clown Suite.” The original suite was a rushed recording done quickly with a keyboard and an old Gateway. These versions are finally fully realized, fully orchestrated and complete for the first time.
In addition to the 3-part “Entertainment the Clown Suite,” three other songs were recorded for the 33 minute digital release. A reworked version of The New Highly Unlikely’s 1995 composition “Human Zooillogical Reform” with WMC Fishclub, a new single by Sexfinger called “Snow Angels” which tells the story of Entertainment the Clown and his handler in 4 ribald limericks and a monologue, and “The Handler’s Theme” a reworked dance take on “Clymerican Gothic” a song written as a theme for a fictitious professional wrestling organization.
credits
released January 1, 2003
Music written by My Version of It (Morris, Grind, Dugan)
Produced by The Sexfinger for the MVOEntertainment Group
Concept by Dave Grind and B. Clymer
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