Clowns without borders are jest what the doctor ordered
OLM O’Grady ran into a spot of bother in Jerusalem in 1996. Straying into a rough area of town, the acrobat and student nurse found himself set upon by children throwing rocks. In a potentially life-threatening situation, O’Grady’s response may seem unusual; instead of running or becoming aggressive, he picked up some of the projectiles and started juggling.
“The kids gathered around me and I ended up playing basketball with them, and helping them with their homework. We made friends. I remember walking away and thinking, ‘That’s the power of clowning’.”
