Have you heard of Puddles Pity Party ?
Maybe you encountered him searching for "Postmodern Jukebox" videos on YouTube. Maybe you caught his viral audition for "America’s Got Talent" in 2017 (a melancholy cover of Sia’s "Chandelier").
If none of this is ringing a bell, go ahead and Google "Puddles Pity Party" and "Royals" (or "Mad World," or "Where Is My Mind" - he’s a master of the melancholy pop cover).
That is basically all you need to know about Puddles.
He’s seven feet tall. He’s sad. And he can sing like nobody’s business.
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Puddles the Clown doesn’t speak (he does mime, however) during his shows. He does type, though. So we asked him a few questions about his upcoming Austin show.
You’ve had a long and varied musical career so far. Can you point to any performances or moments that were turning points for you?
There have been so many memorable moments on my musical adventures! Opening for Tenacious D with my Greasepaint brothers way back in the day. Traipsing through Europe with EELS. Accompanying my Adult Swim pals on the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live tour. Dueting with Nick Offerman in Perth, Australia. Serenading Neil Patrick Harris at (the) Just for Laughs Gala. Performing for the likes of Paul Reubens and Eric Idle with my Brookledge Follies family. Collaborating with Postmodern Jukebox on a bunch of fun videos. And, of course, "America’s Got Talent" was definitely a turning point!
There’s a clown college in northern Minnesota. Did you attend a similar school?
I could never afford college. My meemaw and pawpaw pushed me outta the trailer when I was just a young fella to make my own way. I think I’ve had just about every job a ding-dong like me could get.
With such a varied set list, how do you go about finding new songs to share? Do you ever write your own music?
I’m most attracted to cover songs that are a bit over-the-top in terms of emotion and drama. But I like a simple little ditty now and then, too. I’ve written a few songs over the years. Mostly they’re goofy songs that I sing to my dog, Georgie. Or I’ll compose fart noises in elevators (great acoustics in elevators). Is "fart sounds" a music genre? It is now.
I see that you include a lot of audience participation in your shows.
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I love when my assistant is just willing to play along. They just let go of their inhibitions and go with it. It creates unity with the audience, and they become the stars of the show.
If you could choose any three famous clowns, living or dead, to have a dinner party with, who would you pick?
Who would want to have supper with a dead guy? That’s just weird. And who would want to have dinner with a clown??
What: Puddles Pity Party
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25
Where: Paramount Theatre, 125 4th Ave. NE, Austin
Cost; $25 in advance, $30 day of
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