Clown of the Year

LAKE PLACID, Fla. - As a successful obstetrics and gynecology practitioner in Newark, Celina native Dr. Nick Reed delivered more than 12,000 babies during his 44-year career.

Now 84 and retired, "Doc" Reed said he's always had a sense of humor and has long believed laughter is the best medicine.

A combination of empathy, humor and knowledge made Reed a successful OB/GYN.

It's also what helped make him the 2022 Clown of the Year, the most prestigious award that can be bestowed upon a person in the clown community.

The Clown of the Year "exemplifies the true meaning of what it is to be a clown through his/her caring, sharing and performance ability," according to Clowns of America International, the award's sponsor.

A 1958 Celina High School graduate, Reed went to Miami University in Ohio but left after three years. He later was accepted into medical school, also at Miami University, based on his high MCAT scores, he said. There he received his undergraduate and medical degrees, graduating at the age of 23.

Reed interned at Mount Carmel Hospital, Columbus, while also completing his four-year medical residency at Ohio State University.

He completed his residency in 1970 and soon after was drafted into the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. He served as a Major, spending two years as head of the hospital at Kincheloe Air Force Base near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Once Reed completed his service, he and his wife returned to Ohio and settled in Newark where he practiced until his retirement in 2007.

After more than four decades as a doctor, the Reeds moved to Lake Placid, Florida, in 2008. Reed said he knew there was a clown school there, and in 2008 he decided to attend Toby's Clown School. Thus "Doc" Reed the clown was born.

"When I practiced in Newark I got a reputation for having a good sense of humor," he said. "I tried to use it to alleviate the anxiety or nervousness of patients, especially as an OB-GYN. I kinda used humor therapy … so it was an easy transition after I retired to become a clown."

Reed said he didn't perform stand-up while his patients were in stirrups, but noted a little humor could go a long way to comfort a patient anxious over an ultrasound or test results.

Humor therapy uses humor to help relieve pain and stress and improve a person's sense of well-being, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This type of therapy can be used to help people cope with a serious disease or traumatic event. In fact, the NCI specifically lists clowns as a type of humor therapy, alongside laughter exercises and comedy movies, books, games and puzzles.

Reed's humor is genuine to the core - comforting rather than crass, and heartfelt rather than hurtful. He strongly believes laughter can be the best medicine and said he often provides humor therapy at hospitals and community organizations.

Clowns each year compete at conventions and competitions throughout the U.S. and the globe, Reed said.

He's attended dozens over the years. He's won nearly an equal amount of awards for his clowning artistry, including in his specialities of makeup and costumes.

"Artistry" is a fitting word for the level of skill and dedication Reed pours into his craft.

His makeup application alone usually takes three to five hours to complete, he said. Reed's makeup skills have landed him several first place awards in various makeup categories, such as makeup character, makeup senior, tramp/hobo makeup, lite auguste makeup and classic white face makeup.

Lite auguste makeup incorporates accents on the eyes, mouth, eyebrows, cheeks and nose and does not cover the entire face. White face makeup covers the entire face and neck.

"It can be hard to compete with young people, people in their 20s and 30s with smooth skin and good complexions," he said. "You have to stand in front of five judges, and they're picky."

Two huge closets hold Reed's costumes, which number around 35, he said. Some of the costumes are bought, while others are professionally made by friends in the clowning community.

While clowning itself is funny business, the associated costs can be sizeable. Costumes, especially those that are custom made by professionals, can run between $3,000-$4,000, his wife Nancy said. Clown shoes alone can cost $600.

A newly built shed dubbed the "clown cottage" on the Reed property holds a plethora of props Reed uses in parades and festivals. Nick Reed said the money he's invested into clowning is worth it.

"I've never made a penny (from clowning)," he said. "I do it all for free. I try to pass (humor) along. Laughter is good medicine, so that's what I've tried to do."

Nick Reed claimed Lake Placid has the highest clown per capita rate in the U.S. The clowns there are staples of the community, invited to all the fairs, parades and festivals the town frequently hosts, he said.

Reed even teaches makeup, skits and paradeability (one's parade performance abilities) at his alma mater, Toby's Clown School.

Although he teaches clowning, he said the best clown qualities can't be taught.

"Anyone can put on a costume. Anyone can put on makeup," he said. "The answer is simple - you have to enjoy doing it, and it has to come from your heart."

Nick Reed said although every clown's goal is to spread smiles, love and laughter to all ages, a sizable portion of the population feels the exact opposite when encountering a clown.

While some people just get the creeps from clowns, there are others with coulrophobia - fear of clowns, Nick Reed said.

"If (a clown) meets up with someone, we never try to convert them, especially little kids," he said. "We respect their apprehension and don't try to force ourselves or change their opinion."

For example, he said if he is handing out candy or balloons to children as part of a parade or performance he will try to give it to an adult so they can give it to the child instead.

Nancy Reed said her husband has a gift for clowning. She isn't a clown herself ("I'm too proper to be a clown," she said with a laugh), and admitted she finds some clowns to be a bit strange. However, those same strange people are often the happiest in any room, she said.

"It's a very positive group of people," Nancy Reed said. "It's brought a lot of happiness to our house."

Nancy Reed, 81, said she and Nick have been married for 57 years. Her husband had humble beginnings, she said, but they paid off their student loan debt before they had their three sons, two of whom went on to become physicians while the other became a lawyer. They covered the costs of their sons' combined 23 years of secondary education, too, she said.

"He's a success story of the American dream," Nancy Reed said. "I've always found him to be the 1% of the 1% of all men I've ever known."

Nancy Reed said even some of her husband's clown colleagues find his transition from OB/GYN to clown to be unique. However, she said she feels God chose her husband to be an OB/GYN.

"He brought so many wonderful babies into the world. He brought happiness to so many people. And when he retired he continued to bring happiness to people by becoming a clown," she said.