Go for it; hire yourself a cheap-ass clown off Craigslist instead on NYC's Best Magician.
Sure, your kid's party will be ruined by the psychopath in greasepaint. Think about it folks, you're hiring some dude off the Internet to show up wearing makeup and a wig! It sends shivers down my spine. I've been a magician at parties all over New York City for more years than I care to acknowledge. I've seen some great parties, and I've seen some parties get ruined by hiring really crummy entertainment.
Look, you might think that by saving a few dollars and hiring some cheap clown off of Craigslist or some other message board, you're going to get a great bargain. Sure those services are great for finding used couch with not too many stains on it. Or maybe some other rubbish that somebody wants to get rid of absolutely. Go ahead and use it.
But your child's birthday party is more important than that. Are you going to trust your child's birthday to some incompetent stranger in greasepaint?
I've got a secret to share with you, buddy. There is no entrance exam to call yourself a professional birthday party clown! It just requires low self-esteem and access to women's makeup. (I'm kidding ... please no angry letters from clowns)
Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of really great professional clowns in New York City. Some of my best friends are professional clowns. They do a fantastic job at entertaining children ... but here's the thing. When they do a show for kids, they wear professional costume and makeup and perform a professional show.... and so they charge a professional fee. If you buy cheap, you get cheap.
A note about clowns and makeup. While watching a clown in full white face in the comfort of a circus seat hundreds of feet away is a lot of fun for little kids, it's not that much fun when the clown is only inches away. Because of this a good professional clown will scale down the costume and makeup. They will look a bit silly, but they are not going to wear thick makeup and bright wigs that can terrify small children.
Personally I don't wear any kind of makeup in my show, but I'm still at heart a clown. I love getting my audience to laugh and respond to the magic I do. I use lots of visual humor, sight gags, slapstick and corny jokes too!
If you're looking for professional magician for children's birthday party in New York City, give us a call at my office. Amazing magic shows for NYC birthday parties. "Hijinx is the best!" As seen in TimeOut and New York Magazines!