DAPHNE, Ala.—Dorothy Stevens Johnson, aka “DK the clown,” has always been a little clownish.

“When I was growing up, I always made people laugh,” Johnson, a Belforest resident, said. “My sister always said, ‘You just so crazy.’ ”

Johnson’s favorite part about being a clown is seeing the smiles on people’s faces when she entertains. She also enjoys hearing the laughter that usually accompanies smiles.

“The kids here in our area are not used to seeing clowns,” Johnson——who last year graduated from clown class in Las Vegas—said. To help with that, she plans to volunteer at hospitals as “DK” and bring cheer to sick children.

The name comes from Dorothy, plus the names of her two children: Kendrick and Kim.

Thought she moonlights in face paints and goofy shoes, Johnson doesn’t clown around.

She has worked in the Baldwin County school system for 17 years; before moving into the classroom, she was a cafeteria employee for nine years. She currently works with autistic students as a peer educator at Spanish Fort High School, where she’s taught for three years.

At Daphne High School, Johnson would use sign language to communicate with an autistic student; what began as the effort to reach out to another person turned into a career change.

“I was doing the signs of the menu,” Johnson said. “The principal told me that I needed to interview for the peer educator position.”

Though Johnson finds limitations with incorporating her clown persona into the classroom—some students can’t handle all of the makeup—she’s found other ways of blending the two passions.

“Last Friday night at the (Spanish Fort High) football game, I stood next to the cheerleaders and made balloons,” she said. “All of the donations I got, I gave it to the cheerleaders.”

Her first volunteer gig was performing at the sixth annual Easter Egg Eggstravaganza, a festival that helps suport battered women and children. She said she made 400 balloon animals that day.

Johnson studied directly under the tutelage of Hanna Banana, the most famous female clown in the world. Hanna Banana—who has worked as a clown for 25 years and has served more than 100,000 children—raised three biological children and adopted 57 others.

“Hanna made me feel welcome the first time I called her on the phone,” Johnson said.

She said she plans to use her clown persona to bring happiness to those hardest hit by economic downtimes.

People who choose the life of a clown first create a character they would like to play; the clown performs in full costume and makeup, assuming their new identity while entertaining the crowd, Johnson said.

One can choose from many types of clowns. For instance, tramps are often “frustrated and unhappy”; Auguste clowns wear simple makeup and are usually “ridiculous and unintelligent”; and the classic clown is more clever and humorous than its counterparts, she said.

Some clown approach their craft with little care; others are very serious in their endeavors, treating clowning as a respected and historically important art form. These professional clowns have taken clown courses to hone their skills.

Johnson recently performed at the “Spike Out Autism” event at Spanish Fort High School and at the Honeybee Festival in Robertsdale.

She plans to be at the Pecan Festival in Theodore Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 and also at Daphne’s Veterans Day Parade Nov. 11, where she will pass out treats and make balloon-shaped animals.

“DK” is a fully insured and licensed performer and has joined the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce.

Johnson is currently waiting to hear back from a producer of ABC-TV’s “Wife Swap”; the walk-on part is for a clown and Johnson is excited about possibly landing the opportunity.

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