Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana McCurtain-Talbert.
Hi Diana , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My son started doing magic at the age of 6. When he was 9, our church had a person who wanted to start a clown ministry, so they decided to teach a clown school. My son thought it would be a great way to perform magic for others. So we went to clown school. After learning and getting started, we joined a local clown alley and were able to volunteer in the community. This allowed us to continue learning and growing in our clown skills. We spent several years doing volunteer activities, and then one day, someone asked if I could do a birthday party, and it started there. I did a few things via word of mouth, then created business cards, a website, and Buttons Party Events was born. Today, my clown team includes my son, Sean “Freckles” McCurtain; my husband, Michael “Rowdy” Talbert; my daughter-in-law, Miss Alissa; and me, Diana “Buttons” McCurtain-Talbert.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This has been a fairly smooth road. There isn’t much overhead in doing something like this. The economy can determine how busy I am from one year to the next. So, as much as I love the work I do and wish this were my single source of income, I find comfort in knowing that I can work full-time in another job, and still have this be a very fun side gig. This is the job I love because I don’t have to treat it like a job. Some of the biggest struggles in this job are around people being “afraid” of clowns. We know that true “coulrophobia”, or fear of clowns, exists, and I am always sensitive to that. However, there are people out there who also think it’s fun to propagate the fear and make it something that gets attention when it’s more of a “hype’ thing than a fear thing. That can make it hard because those people are usually older and end up scaring children who would not otherwise be afraid.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
So, I am a professional clown; I have been clowning part-time for 21 years. I do comedy skits, magic shows, face painting, and balloon twisting. I have been able to clown in various places across the United States, Canada, Malaysia, and Honduras. One of my favorite places I clowned at was an orphanage. One of the most meaningful was at the bedside of an 8-year-old who had leukemia. The thing is, you never know how the red nose will impact someone’s life. I was told later that, as she was nearing the end, she told her grandma she wondered what Sprinkles (my bunny puppet) was doing. This is why I clown. I have been the President of the Texas Clown Association, and have been awarded their Ambassador of Clowning award, and while those are great, the greatest achievement is still knowing that I gave this precious little girl some joy while she was sick.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
There is so much controversy around happy clowns, family clowns, and yes, even scary clowns. When I first started clowning (yes, clown is a verb), I was completely opposed to the scary clown. My attitude has shifted. The reality is that it is simply a performing arts genre. There are all sorts of entertainment that are simply one. I have learned that after many years, there are enough people in the world to entertain, and I entertain those who enjoy the family-friendly, happy clown persona that is Buttons.
Pricing:
- I charge 150 for 1 hour in SA city limits
- 175 for 1.5 hours in SA city limits
- 225 for 2 hours in SA city limits
- Longer than two hours we talk about pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.buttonspartyevents.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buttonspartyevents/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buttons_party_events/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/buttons-party-events-san-antonio?osq=Buttons+Party+Events
