Therapeutic clowns from Quebec protest against their representation in the series STAT after a clown character in colorful attire appeared in the corridors of Saint-Vincent hospital.
In the last episodes of the series, actor Richardson Zéphir plays a clown who wanders around the hospital with a colorful costume and theatrical makeup, a representation which contrasts with the reality of professional therapeutic workers, according to the co-founder and general director by Saguenay Therapeutic Clowns, Josée Gagnon.
“It can be so detrimental to our work. We are so careful and we walk on eggshells because the clown is unloved. For us, it’s revolting,” said the director on QUB radio at 99.5 FM Montreal on Wednesday morning.
“It’s something that is completely ridiculous, it’s childish. This is extremely insulting to our work. We are actors trained to work in hospital environments,” she added.
“I work as a clown doctor. So I’m dressed as a doctor, but I have a clown’s nose. I don’t have a wig, I don’t have makeup, I don’t walk around with balloons,” she clarified, emphasizing the difference with the character in the series.
Apologies demanded
-She demands a public apology from the producer of the series, Fabienne Larouche.
“We can’t afford to botch something because our name is Fabienne Larouche and post ridiculous images without having done a minimum of homework. This is completely unacceptable,” she emphasizes.
The organization, which has carried out more than 60,000 interventions in 18 years, is sad to see their work caricatured in this way.
“We are not here to simply give joy and make people laugh and entertain them. We are here to promote hospitalized people,” explained Ms. Gagnon.
*This text, generated with the help of artificial intelligence, was reviewed and validated by our team based on an interview carried out at QUB.
