Business in the U.S. Odd & Bizarre Jobs: Clowns

About odd jobs and bizarre ways to make a living in the United States, being a clown in a circus.

Clown: Want to run away and join the circus? Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circus conducts a yearly clown training school in Venice, Fla. Approximately 30 students are picked from 300 hopefuls; not everyone graduates, but those who make it get a 2-year contract starting at $200 per week. "Clowns are the pegs to hang the circus on," said P. T. Barnum. A former actor and present clown trainee says, "The clown is pure--pure pathos, pure slapstick. It's the essence of drama."