LOCAL FEATURE CLOWNS BLAHAWESOME & RHYTHM THE CLOWN POSE WITH CHILDREN. CREDIT: ADRIAN MICHAEL much fun, so I stuck with it. The kids we met were so happy to see us; we had lots of interaction. It was great to brighten people’s day, and that was so rewarding.” Both Michelle and Mashika enjoy seeing people gravitating to them as clowns. “We’re bringing energy and life. Putting smiles on somebody’s face just makes the world of a difference. There’s so much negative stuff going on in the world, and it’s best to bring positivity,” Michelle said. BlahAwesome and Rhythm attended the Sixth Annual CLOWNS BLAHAWESOME & RHYTHM TAKE A SELFIE WITH A GROUP OF KIDS. CREDIT: ADRIAN MICHAEL BLAHAWESOME & RHYTHM: CLOWNING FOR GOOD BY ADRIAN MICHAEL “I NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD BE CLOWNING,” said Michelle Gaddis, “but I did love telling jokes and seeing people smile.” The ability to tell jokes would help Gaddis’ transition into an industry that she didn’t expect. “I had just experienced a lot of unexpected death,” she said. “My favorite cousin in 2013, my mom in 2014, and my sister in 2015. Since it was back-to-back deaths, it was hard to heal in the grieving process. I was asked if I would like to join the clown unit of the Shriners Daughters of the Imperial Court (an affiliate of the Prince Hall Shriners), and I agreed since it was something different, something to occupy my time.” Gaddis performs as BlahAwesome (a portmanteau of Blah and Awesome) and has been clowning since 2017. “As I started creating my [clown] image, I thought about my love of plants and flowers, and I said to myself ‘I want to blossom.’ I was going through so much, and some days I felt blah, and other days I felt awesome, thus how my name was created,” Gaddis said. RHYTHM TOSSES A FOOTBALL BACK & FORTH WITH GIRL. CREDIT: ADRIAN MICHAEL Gaddis said it took her four months of studying the art of clowning, gathering props, learning to apply makeup, and piecing together her wardrobe. It paid off when she was awarded “best new clown” in her first year attending the Imperial convention. Gaddis’ daughter, Mashika, has been performing as Rhythm the Clown since 2020. Her clown name comes from her love of dancing; however, she didn’t always share the same enthusiasm as her mother. “I wasn’t interested in clowning,” Mashika said, “but I gave it a shot, and our first appearance went great. We had so Aurora Day Backpack Giveaway in August, where they were able to showcase the energy and positivity that brings so many smiles to kids and adults. They helped pass out backpacks, taught kids how to do the Cupid Shuffle line dance, and took lots of photos with kids. Their appearance was to make sure the narrative of clowns changes. Horror movies such as “It” and “Terrifier” have contributed to the fear of clowns. In an October 2014 article in the Hollywood Reporter magazine, Clowns of America International President Glenn Kohlberger said, “Hollywood makes money…. sensationalizing the norm. They can take any situation, no matter how good or pure, and turn it into a nightmare, and we do not support in any way, shape, or form any medium that sensationalizes or adds to coulrophobia or ‘clown fear.’” 1 6 DENVER VOICE September 2023
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