My name is Jerry Loney. As a letter carrier in Topeka, KS, I deliver the mail. In my role as a freelance clown, I deliver joy and laughter.
After college, a friend suggested that I get into theater. I learned to juggle to audition for the role of the clown Touchstone in the Shakespeare play “As You Like It.” Then a local camera shop had a circus photo fair, and I agreed to be a clown for the weekend for $150.
On May 6, 1983, J.R. Juggles the Clown was born.
More than 40 years later, I juggle, do magic and twist animal balloons for events. Somebody who comes to the show might feel depressed, so for 45 minutes I’m telling jokes and taking away the sadness.
I went on a mission trip to New Orleans six months after Hurricane Katrina hit. I took my clown nose with me and offered to help. On another mission trip, I helped rebuild houses in western Kansas after a town was devastated by a tornado. I like to bring joy and laughter while helping people.
In 2033, I plan to give a free show to the city of Topeka to celebrate J.R. Juggles’ 50th anniversary.
I’ve been a carrier for about two years. At age 64, I was hired as a city carrier assistant. Most of my customers know me, and I always try to give them a kind word.
I plan to work for the Postal Service for another 10 years or so, but I have no plans to stop being a clown.
Clowning is a serious job. Every person who hires me is my boss. Every show is different. I’ve also got to be quick because my magic tricks fail sometimes. So I say, “Oh, I’m just clowning around.”
“Off the Clock,” a column on Postal Service employees and their after-hours pursuits, appears regularly in Link.
