Dreams take strange twist for Suparno

Dreams take strange twist for Suparno

JAKARTA (JP): When Suparno Saputro graduated from a management
school he never thought he would end up being the chief clown in
a small-scale entertainment business.

Suparno started his life in the capital city in 1987, when he
arrived from his hometown of Sragen, Central Java. For a start,
he helped his brother sell dolls in the fish market in Ancol,
North Jakarta, while going to a senior high school.

It was at Ancol that he discovered his talents as an
entrepreneur and an entertainer.

His work as a clown continued after he graduated from senior
high school. His ability to interact with and please small
children meant he had an income he hoped would help make his
dreams of becoming an office worker, and some day a manager, come
true.

Suparno then registered as a student of the Academy of Company
Management in Central Jakarta. He continued to work and as a
clown on the weekends and in his spare time.

He graduated from the academy with high hopes that he could
put away his funny clothes and grease paint.

"I wanted to be an office staff member," he said.

"I applied for jobs with the city administration, the Ministry
of Justice, the Ministry of Trade, Garuda Indonesia, Astra and
other places, but never received any replies," he complained with
a wry smile.

While waiting for answers to his job applications, he kept
accepting orders to be a clown at farewell parties, birthday
celebrations and other social gatherings.

The more he dedicated his time to entertainment, the more he
benefited from the experience both financially and socially.

"Anyway, I had no other way to make money," he said.

Initially, he also had to sell shoes and clothes to friends
and other businesses in order to make ends meet. "This helped me
build business relations and set out a firm foundation for my
entertainment activities."

In the beginning, Suparno earned Rp 75,000 (US$34) per show,
now he can charge between Rp 150,000 and Rp 1,000,000, depending
on the entertainment package and the number of clowns required.

The entertainment packages he offers include puppet shows,
acrobatic performances and magic shows.

Suparno himself made a point to learn magic tricks from
friends. "A handkerchief becomes a bird, the color of the water
in a glass changes, or paper turns into money. Children loves
these tricks as much as they enjoy the animal costumes I wear,"
he said.

Suparno is not only a favorite among the children, he is also
popular among parents, especially the mothers.

"Most children listen more to a clown than to their parents,"
Suparno told The Jakarta Post. For this reason, many parents have
turned to him as a consultant, he added.

The 38-year old Suparno realizes that as a clown he can make a
great contribution to the psychological development of the
children he comes into contact with.

He said the knowledge of child psychology is crucial in
working with children and helping them overcome shyness, feelings
of inferiority and aggressiveness.

"I got the knowledge from books on children and teenagers, as
well as a one-semester course in psychology, and this helps me a
lot," he said.

Presently Suparno has five permanent assistants and a large
number of temporary ones who are ready to accompany him to
parties wearing any of his 20 animal costumes, such as those of
Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and other Disneyland figures. He also
has a Santa Clause costume for seasonal parties.

After setting aside Rp 10,000 to Rp 20,000 per order for each
of his assistants, Suparno brings home an average of Rp 700,000
($315) per month.

In this way the clown business has enabled him to buy a house
in Cileduk, South Jakarta, a car, and to send his three children
to school.

For his business he rents a modest house in Palmerah, Central
Jakarta. All of the signs he posts on trees, or puts up at the
roadside, to advertise his "Clown and Magician" list that
address.

Although he has done well, as a manager who provides
employment for others, he worries.

"The business is uncertain, we depend completely on orders,"
he said. "On a bad day, there might not be even one order."

Only June, July and December are excellent months for the
clown business. June and July are always full of orders due to
the ending of the school year and the ensuing farewell parties.
And December has the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

Having to face 100 groups with up to 50 clowns each now,
Suparno is finding business in Jakarta getting tougher.

"The business is more competitive now because a number of
groups are owned by rich people. This means fewer orders for me,"
he complained.

The other groups, especially those owned by the people with a
lot of ready cash, provide masks and other equipment, besides
sending clowns and magicians to entertain the children, he said.

Yet, he stays in the business and dreams of expanding. His
work as a clown/entertainer and the long wait for a job in an
office have altered his view of what a career in management could
mean.

"I no longer have the ambition I had some years ago. What I
want now is to run a company and provide more job opportunities
for fellow clowns," he said.

"My obsession with office work died after trying in vain for
such a job for 12 years since graduating from the management
academy," he said.