HOUSTON – No one likes to see a sad clown, but Bippy, The Clown of Bippy’s World, said it’s hard to laugh, let alone smile after the voicemail she received last week.
“I’ve even thought about quitting clowning around. I’ve even thought about not doing it anymore,” said the entertainer, who asked not to use her real name for safety.
Bippy has been making adults and children smile since 1992. In May, she traveled to Uvalde to turn frowns upside down following the deadly elementary school shooting. The Black clown says the racial slur that was left on her phone’s voicemail has left her angry and concerned for her safety.
“You’re a pedophile. You’re a pedophile, (racial epithet)” the voicemail said in part.
Bippy said she wants to know the caller’s motive.
“Everything I do with the kids is to make people happy,” she said. “So when I heard it I didn’t think that I heard it right the first time and I just kept listening to it over and over.”
Bippy, who is a one-woman show, said the day after that voicemail she received a strange call trying to lure her to a location. She said the person refused to provide any contact information, which is customary for booking an event.
“I go into people’s homes, I have to deliver bounce houses, popcorn by myself at times. I go into their backyards, to venues by myself,” Bippy said. “I’m afraid that what happens if one day I go somewhere and I’m subject to abuse.”
While she doesn’t know whether the caller was clowning around, she said she reported it to Houston police. She said she, unfortunately, hasn’t been able to trace the caller’s phone number through the voicemail.