Bold & Beautiful: Daddy the Clown

PJ Stinson (he/they) didn’t follow a traditional path into performance. Their artistic identity began in a haunted house, setting the tone for a career of unconventional choices.

Stinson, known by his stage name Daddy the Clown, was mesmerized by the creativity of his haunted house coworkers and found inspiration in their ability to entertain. This experience solidified his desire to embrace clowning as an artistic expression. “When I finally got the opportunity to be a clown, I was so excited. I looked up to them so much,” Stinson says. 

His community at the haunted house allowed him to craft a storyline for Daddy the Clown, elevating his art to the next level. However, he realized there was more he could do to help others understand who Daddy the Clown was and bring his vision to life.

While creating their character, Stinton drew inspiration from Charles Manson to capture the essence of pure evil. “I wanted to be like the most evil character you could imagine,” Stinson says. 

After years of developing a character designed to frighten audiences, Stinson found inspiration in another local performer, Shortcake the Clown, while attending a drag show. This experience showed them that there was more to their art than just clowning — they could combine it with drag and burlesque. This combination allowed them to explore new avenues of performance within the drag community.

A major aspect of bringing Daddy the Clown from the haunted house to the stage was the costumes. Stinson says that in every costume he designs, he adds a color that looks great under black light, like dark blue or neon pink. He says it makes the overall look more vibrant.

They also try to incorporate trash or thrift-store items to create a distressed look. Hammers and nails are staples in the clown’s wardrobe.

Once the costume is finished, it’s showtime for Daddy the Clown. Some performances are carefully planned, while others are more improvisational. Over eight years of performing as Daddy the Clown, they have developed a unique movement style and a distinctive lip-sync that captivates and frightens audiences.

How much goes into the performance depends on how early it was booked and how comfortable Stinson is at the venue or with the drag artists he’s performing with. However, he is comfortable in his character and can morph into anything needed for a show. “I don’t exist in this reality; I’m only dancing and playing in this reality. Ideally, I live in dreams or nightmares,” Stinson says. 

Stinson’s art form can sometimes be misunderstood, though. While drag and burlesque have a well-established community in Utah, clown drag is less common. Stinson says that he is often the “odd one out” or the “freak in the room.”

“I’ve had people try to push me out or tell me I don’t belong in the drag scene,” they say. However, Daddy the Clown continues to perform authentically and stay true to themselves. Being unique is a part of their character. Daddy the Clown is an artist who combines eerie clownery with movements from drag and burlesque to create a show worth watching. Their next show will be at Metro Music Hall at the end of February, and they also perform occasionally at Why Kiki. For more details on upcoming performances, visit their Instagram @swagmasterkandy.

Read more Bold & Beautiful stories:
Bold & Beautiful: Violet Ends
Bold & Beautiful: Sky Faux