Somehow, this isn't satire. Somehow, this is an actual Op-Ed that was just published in The Washington Post.
Behold:
Cue the laughter.
The piece was written by Tim Cunningham, the head clown at Clowns Without Borders, a group that performs clown shows for migrants and refugees. We're not kidding.
Here's an ad from a recent talk he gave:
The entire article is a masterpiece of hilarious self-seriousness, but here are a few samples:
Clown demands years, if not a lifetime, of study. Consider the physical virtuosity of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, or the impeccable comedic timing of Mr. Bean. What's more, Clown is not an invention of the modern era; several ancient Indigenous cultures revere a sacred clown figure. For example, the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux) people celebrate the heyoka, an honorable community member who uses humor to shed light on societal problems.
Literally this energy: 😂
The piece continues:
Yet, our joyful work has been diminished into an insult. Every election season, the word "clown" resurfaces to compare tumultuous Washington politics to a circus. Political commentators and social media users are not the only ones who wrongfully sling this jibe. "Clown" is used by almost everyone to belittle those seen as foolish or incompetent. The more we mistreat the word, the more we lose understanding of a sacred art form.
I can't breathe. 💀 I'm laughing too hard at this.
The clown concludes, saying:
Let's find a better metaphor to despise and depose fascism. Keep Clown out of Trumpian comparisons, and for that matter, all politics. Offer Clown the respect it deserves and invoke us for good: in alliance with other artists, activists and humans who believe in a better, happier world.
We've reached a clown singularity. Actual clowns are writing for the clown show that is The Washington Post.
Good luck topping that one, Babylon Bee!
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