His classmates remember him as 'the class clown'. [=a student who tried to make other students laugh]
a rodeo 'clown' [=a person in a rodeo who dresses like a circus clown]
He was always 'playing the clown'. [=trying to make people laugh]
(..) next weekend, but it's my kid's birthday. - Can you go for me? - Chicago? - Yeah. - It's cold there. - Aw, come on. I promised I'd be the clown. - I don't know. If I could drag an associate along to help with interviews so I don't fall behind. Uh, Feller? - Any interest? Chicago? (..)2005 In Her Shoes