Tools for Rodeo Clowns

Rodeo clowns face danger every time they go to work by assuming responsibility for bull riders' and each others' safety. They must protect a bull rider as he dismounts or falls off a bull, occasionally using their own bodies to intervene should the animal attack the cowboy. Despite the danger, many rodeo clowns pride themselves on using a bare minimum of tools and gear.

  1. Clothing

    • Rodeo clowns wear baggy clothes with loud colors -- often bright red, white and blue. They often wear loose-fitting shirts and enormous denim pants held up by suspenders. Polka dots are common. Many elite bullfighters who are charged with the same safety tasks as rodeo clowns do not wear garish outfits but instead more athletic-looking uniforms with sponsor logos.

    Padding

    • Underneath the funny clothes, rodeo clowns don padding to prevent injuries. Common rodeo clown and bullfighter armor includes knee pads and protective vests.

    Barrel

    • Some rodeo clowns, known as "barrel men," engage in assorted antics and pranks, and jump inside a padded barrel for safety if the a bull comes too close.

    Microphone

    • "Barrel man" - style rodeo clowns often amplify their voices with headset microphones to entertain the audience during TV timeouts, commercial breaks or other periods when the other rodeo performers are preparing the next installment. Miked barrel men crack jokes or make fun of cowboys to fill the downtime.