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]
(..) Most of the world doesn't share your opinion, Mr. Wayne. Maybe it's the... Gotham City and me, we just... ... have a bad history with freaks dressed like clowns. Boys! Mm, Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent. Ah, I love it! I love bringing people together! - How are we? (..)2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice