Conan Gets Clown-Shamed | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan

Tell us a little bit about yourself, Matthew. What do I need to know about. one Matthew D. Goldie? >> Yep. Uh, well, what do you need to know. about me? Um, I am a a circus clown. I. guess we'll start there. That would be. the best place to start. >> Wow. Very cool. You're a circus clown in. Brisbane. Is that where your circus is? >> The circus is in Brisbane at the moment, but we travel all over the country, but. at the moment we're in Brisbane. >> Okay. And are you in It looks like. you're in a little compartment right.

now. Maybe even a in a large steamer. trunk. [laughter] Uh. are are you in one of those circus. wagons right now? >> Yeah, basically. That's right. So I I. used to have a a big 30ft caravan behind. me and this was my truck that was. basically our laundry and a little spare. bedroom. But uh my family have left. They ran away from the circus uh. [laughter]. 6 months ago. So now I just live in my. little truck. It's about a 2.5x 2.5 me.

space. >> Okay. >> And I've got everything I need in here. And uh yeah, this is my little home on. wheels. >> Okay. I just want to make sure. You said. your family left you. Did they leave you. leave you or did they just they'll see. you'll see them again soon? I mean. there's nothing acrimonious here. Cuz it. sounded dramatic for a second. >> I seen them [laughter]. >> and you said I've got everything I need. I'm like, "Well, your family's gone, dude.". >> Yes, that's true. I've got everything I. need except my family. Um, no, that my.

daughter wanted to run away from the. circus and go to school. She wanted to. [laughter] She's decided, >> oh my god, >> I want to be a neurologist. >> You crazy kid. You'll wear a red nose. and like it. >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> Yeah. There's a million kids around the. world like, "What are you talking. about?" But the other way around, >> I have so many questions for you, Matthew. First of all, how does one. become uh a circus clown in the first. place? How did this happen? >> My sister was a dancer and she got a job. with the circus when I was a kid. And. then one day I came home from school and.

there was a job opening from my parents. and uh I came home from school and my. mom said, "We're selling the house and. we're running away to join the circus.". >> Oh my god. That's what I wished happened. when I was a kid. And it didn't. >> Yeah. >> So then I had to be a freak on my own. Um [laughter]. >> Yeah. You you worked it out just fine. yourself. I've been watching. >> What what jobs did your parents do in. the circus? >> My my mom worked in the canteen. There's. always jobs around the circus that. aren't performing. And my dad would take. tickets at the door and seat people and.

they would cook for the tent hands and. >> jobs around the place. And my sister. became a trapeze artist and. >> wow. >> And uh I became a clown. >> So tell us a little bit about first of. all did you know that clown was right. for you? Did you think about, oh, I. could be a strong man. I could be the. bearded lady. Uh, or did you did you. know that? What drew you to being a. clown? >> Well, for starters, I've got no ability. to control my body from about the neck. down. So, I had no I tried to do trapze. and everything, but I I had no luck.

doing any of that. So, I just found. myself watching the clowns. I didn't. even know I was doing that, but that's. what I was watching and taking in and. watching and taking in. And so, when it. got got time to perform, that's what I. started doing. Tell us a little bit. about your clown character. You have to. you have to find who your clown is. What. is your clown like? >> Yes. >> What's it What's your clown's name? >> The clown's name is Goldie the Clown, which is a ridiculous name for a clown, but because my last name is Matthew Deg. Goldie, my mom I said I want to be. Buttons or Patches or Mr. Stinky Pants.

But uh she said and but it's worked. Um. you know, it's a good name for a. goldfish. >> It's [laughter] a good name for a golden. retriever. >> Yeah, >> it's a stupid name for a clown. >> I think it's much better than Mr. Stinky. Pants. I think that would [laughter]. have signing that on a check would have. followed you forever. Uh it would have. hurt your love life really terribly. >> Try getting a table in a restaurant. >> Yeah, the name Stinky Pants. [laughter]. Matthew Stinky Pants. Um so that's your. name. Tell us a little bit about your. persona, your look. That's what we want.

to know about. >> It's a happy August clown character. The. the style is called it's and I'm I'm the. classic clown. I haven't pushed away. from which a lot of clowns have been. doing in the last 30 years because of. the the scary clown movies and all that. stuff that's happened and but I've got. the hoopy pants, the big shoes, the big. red nose, the red wig. I'm sticking with. that. >> You're a clown classic. I'm sticking. with clown classic and I'm not going to. change it. >> I I also think that um it's good to get. the message out that not all clowns.

kill. Most do, but not all do. >> Well, we don't know. We We're only 5. minutes into this interview. >> Yeah. And you do look like you're hiding. right now from from. >> they couldn't prove anything. [laughter]. >> I had an alibi every time. >> So, this is good. You've got uh do you. do all the makeup and stuff? >> Yeah, face paint. So, that's what I. prefer to call. Thank you. Yeah, ladies. wear makeup. Clowns wear face paint. That's how I just. >> All right. What about lady [laughter]. clowns? Yeah. >> And by the way, I wear makeup. Not now, but I wear it all the time and I love. it. Um.

>> Sorry, I didn't mean to deasculate you. Yeah, [laughter] you just you just clown. shamed me. So, uh so this is good. This is good. I. like this. You're so you've been working. as a clown for many years and then you. you find your your wife. You have some. kids and you get them into the act, too. Is that right? >> Yeah. My son's a clown with me and and. my wife was the ring master with the. circus. And uh my daughter performed for. a little while, but then she didn't want. to do that. That's not her. She's like.

the Marilyn in our monsters. She wants. to be just normal. [laughter]. >> And. >> I, by the way, I love that reference. >> Yeah, >> I love that reference. Um, you've just. alienated all of our younger uh. listeners, but yes. Yes, you're the. normal one. >> Three generations of your family have. worked at the circus. Is that right? >> No. No. We were the first generation. as many. >> Your your parents, you and your. children, right? >> Well, that's true. That's right. You. are. I hadn't even thought about it. That's right. So, he's. >> thought about it. He just said,

[laughter] "No, Matt just said exactly. what you are." He's like, "You're so. You're sort of like a clown in Brisbane, Australia." AND YOU WENT, "NO, NO, NO.". AND YOU PUT. >> A CLOWN, so I don't think much. >> Yeah. Um, >> babies. >> What is [laughter] Yeah. >> Circus Neo. >> Yeah. You're just a clown cuz your dad. was a clown. You're not talented. Yeah. [laughter]. >> Um, what is the life cycle of a clown in. a year? Are you working? Is there a. season to clowning? Um, I mean, I clown.

24/7 365, >> but I don't know. I don't know what. you're you're like the old school uh. hardcore. um you know, real thing. What's it like? Is there a downtime for clowns? >> Yes. After the show and before like I we. do 360 or so shows a year. Wow. >> Um I've been doing it now for 35 nearly. 35 years. I was in a theme park for many. years. So, I I developed my character.

there, like street performing, improvising, joking around with people. And that's where you started to shine to. me cuz I was out of the circus. I didn't. have any clowns that I was watching. And. I started watching this TV show at. night. And this and and there was. another man there that had this 5 day a. week comedy gig. And I had a 5day a week. comedy gig. And I started getting cuz. there's so many inspirations in comedy. There's so many different ways to do it, but this talk show host in America. started to become my biggest inspiration.

for my clown. And I didn't understand. why um [laughter] until you went on. James Lipton and you did that interview. with him and in that interview you said. basically I'm a clown. Yeah. >> And I went I knew it. I knew [laughter]. >> you know it's it's funny because that. was something I realized a long time. ago. I always wanted my show or whatever. I was doing to be funny even if the. sound was off. And so because of my. background, people thought, well, it'll. be, you know, he he'll be like verbally.

dextrous and it'll be about uh, you. know, his intellect. And I thought, what. are you talking about? I I love to make. kids laugh. To me, that's the best test. if someone's funny is can you make a kid. laugh? And I if if two or. three-year-olds are around, I work. really hard to get them laughing. And uh. if they don't laugh, I'm shattered. Absolutely shattered. And you've seen. that Sona, right? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm like, I had Mikey, but I didn't get.

Charlie. [laughter]. >> What happened? And then I'm drinking and. you're like, Conan, take it easy. And. I'm taking pills. [laughter and gasps]. >> Descent. Yeah. Descent into madness. >> I know the feeling. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> He probably just had gas, too. It wasn't. It had nothing to do with. >> I took it personally.