Thomas “Tommy the Clown” Johnson was born in Detroit and moved to Los Angeles when he was an early teen. Like many of his friends and neighbors, Tommy found himself in and out of trouble while trying to survive. After living a troubled lifestyle for a while, he realized that this lifestyle was not for him and needed to make a drastic change. Determined to never go back to his old ways, Thomas rejoined society and got an honest job as a typist clerk. But in 1992, Thomas’ life changed in a way he could have never predicted. One of his co-workers asked him to be a clown for her child’s birthday and because of his upbeat personality and sense of humor, she thought he’d be perfect for the job. Up for the challenge, he took the job and Tommy the Clown was born. Tommy the Clown has since become the pioneer of an inspirational dance movement known as “Clowning” and “Krumping” and turned a popular form of birthday party entertainment into a worldwide phenomenon.
