Clowning around

Pat Henning, Sun City resident, is a member of the Sun City Band that performed in the recent ‘Under The Big Top’ concert. Henning said, “A circus needs a balloon lady to make it complete. A friend of mine in a group I work with told me her daughter makes balloon animals, as well as magic so I was very happy when she called me and I was I’m able to arrange a plan for her to join our concert. When I saw her come, dressed in a cute clown-type outfit, I thought this is just perfect. And she was a hit.”

Melissa Gonzales, daughter of Sun City resident Diane Gonzales, came to the Big Top in Sun City. She was sporting a red noise, volunteering her time to present concert attendees with a balloon creation, in return she got smiles. The scene of residents holding a scepter or sporting a crown was a sight to behold and all were smiling.

Melissa Gonzales, peforming as Gonzo, presents Sun City resident Mary Honeman with a balloon scepter. (Photo by Christine Such/My Sun Day News)

Gonzales’ clown name is Gonzo and she has been clowning around for 20 years.

Gonzales said, “I was scared of clowns. I think it began at an air and water show. I was sitting in the bleacher and somehow a clown tumbled down and ended up in my lap. I had such a tremendous fear. I would cry and visibly shake so much that I couldn’t participate in any Halloween activities and I was excused from participating in school activities that there were clowns present. I ended up going to therapy. About the time I was a junior in high school, I was finally able to answer the door for trick-or-treaters without breaking into hives.”

How did she decide to become a clown yourself?

“I decided to put my energy into the creativity of being a clown. I went to clown classes. The instruction was in crafts like juggling, balloon art, and make-up. Through these classes, I made some good friends, Bill and Bonnie Hunt. They were performers in venues like Disney and Las Vegas. I learned a lot from them. Bill was a fire-eater, and Bonnie walked on stilts. They both had a lot of influence on my character and helped me.”

Gonzalez’s clown name had some evolutions.

“Well, initially I was not Gonzo. I had to come up with a gimmick to complete the clown program. I am a procrastinator and at the last minute, I decided not to wear a wig, but have a conehead. Something like the Coneheads on Saturday Night Live. It worked and I became Coney the clown. I did a trick where I would balance a raw egg on the top of my head. I would bow down at the end of the trick, and the egg would stay on the cone. It was stuck on.”

Gonzales started performing at restaurants, parties, craft shows, and corporate events. Maintaining a job in the corporate world, her creativity shined there also, designing events to increase employee morale.

Gonzales said, “Liga and I travel the world without traveling the world. Meaning we are welcomed into so many homes of so many nationalities and religions. For example, I was a clown for a mosque when the men were praying in the other room while I was entertaining their kids. Also, I just did a show for Muslims where the little boy read from the Quran and trained for four years to do so. So many religions and cultures have welcomed us. We are invited to eat their food and join their family for that festive day of whatever they are celebrating. This is why I do these shows.”

Gonzales credits her partner, Liga, for supporting her and running the “clown business,” crediting her with the creation of the website and business cards.

Gonzales asks, “Did you know there are three types of clowns? The Whiteface Clown is a clown with skills. The customary features of the Whiteface include a full white face, red-and-white features, a colorful outfit, and a wig. The character clown is a silly clown, colorful, and has some skills. And then there is the auguste clown, which is a mixture of whiteface and character. Gonzo is an auguste clown.”

If interested in hiring ‘Gonzo’ for your next event, you can book her on her website at gonzogroupent.net.

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