Don't Feed the Clowns

Characters

• Template:Data:Links
• Patrick Star
• Jellyfish
• Elephant snail Template:Single appearance
• Template:Data:Links
  • Clowns
    • Incidental C1 Template:Debut
  • Incidental 105
  • Incidental 106
  • Incidental 108
  • Incidental 30 ^{(normal; 68-colored)}
  • Incidental 92
  • Incidental 83
  • Incidental 22
  • Incidental 68
  • Incidental 20
  • Incidental 16
  • Incidental 107
  • Incidental 73
  • Incidental 63
  • Incidental 18
  • Sandals
  • Incidental 45
  • Incidental 6
  • Incidental 31
  • Incidental 13
  • Incidental 69
  • Incidental 158
  • Incidental 67
  • Fred
  • Incidental 2
  • Incidental 41
  • Incidental 47
  • Incidental 14
  • Incidental 3
  • Incidental 48
  • Incidental 103
  • Incidental 4
  • Incidental 8
  • Incidental 42
  • Incidental 152
  • Incidental 154
  • Incidental 114
  • Incidental 5
  • Incidental 25
  • Incidental 26
  • Scooter
  • Incidental 157
  • Incidental FG3
  • Incidental 40
  • Incidental 49
  • Incidental 60
  • Incidental 119
  • Fire fish
    • Incidental 27
    • Incidental 36
    • Incidental 64
• Ringmaster Template:Single appearance
• Ringmaster's assistant Template:Single appearance
• Mrs. Puff
• Mr. Puff ^{(indirectly mentioned)}
• Vendor Template:Single appearance
• Boss Template:Single appearance
• Boss' assistant Template:Single appearance
• Boss' wife ^(mentioned)
• Mr. Crustacean
• Flats the Flounder Template:Cameo

Synopsis

File:Don't Feed the Clowns 074.png

SpongeBob meets a clown.

In the beginning of the episode, SpongeBob and Patrick are watching clowns perform acts at the circus. SpongeBob then sees a little clown who seems hungry, so he offers him a piece of popcorn, though the ringmaster prevents this and tells SpongeBob not to feed the clowns. SpongeBob and Patrick then witness the other clowns saving no pieces of candy in a box for the little clown. Out of sympathy, SpongeBob tries to feed the clown a bag of popcorn. The little clown is then found hiding in a popcorn bucket and reveals that he wants a job.

SpongeBob then sees a hot dog stand and suggests that the little clown gets a job as a hot dog vendor. He shows him the ropes, but little clown does not serve them properly. Just then, a muscular fish spots the two interfering with his hot dog stand. SpongeBob realizes that it was his cart and tries to apologize, but then the vendor grabs him and the little clown and turns them into a hot dog shape in a bun, He squeezes SpongeBob and the clown into a bun and then proceeds to throw it and kicks SpongeBob and the little clown out from the Hot Dog stand and told him to stay out in anger.

Later, at Template:Data:Links, SpongeBob tries making the little clown's appearance less clown-like and more presentable for a job. Afterward, the clown gets a job as a businessman. Due to him slamming his stamp ink-covered face onto the papers and stamping his co-workers' faces, he gets fired from the job.

The next job that the little clown gets is a fireman. He drives a firetruck to Mrs. Puff's Boating School, which is on fire. Instead of using a hose to put it out, he uses clown streamers. Afterward, the school burns down and Mrs. Puff furiously screams at the little clown that he is fired.

The final job that the little clown gets is a baker at the Bikini Bottom Bakery. SpongeBob has his sentient eyes enter the bakery to make sure he does not mess his job up this time. As with his previous occupations, he does not follow directions and instead throws pies at the customers. As a result, the little clown is fired. He and SpongeBob are then rolled into a pie by the head baker, Mr. Crustacean.

After this catastrophe, SpongeBob concludes that the little clown is unfortunately not fit for a job. However, he then finds a place suitable for him in Kelp Forest. SpongeBob cuts the kelp with a machete and then reveals the slapstick plains. The little clown, after a long time of suffering through misery, is finally happy thanks to this place, as the episode ends.

Running gags

• The ringmaster using his assistant as a whip.
• The ringmaster shouting "Don't feed the clowns!"
• The little clown getting fired from various jobs.
• The little clown throwing pies at people's faces.

Production

The episode was confirmed by Vincent Waller on November 2, 2017.

Art

• File:Ringmaster & Assistant concept art.jpg
• File:Snail Elephant concept art.jpg
• File:Clowns 1.png
• File:Clowns 2.png
• File:Clowns 3.png
• File:Clowns 4.png
• File:Clowns 5.png
• File:DFTC Boss Concept Art.jpg
• File:Adam Paloian misc characters.png

Storyboards

File:Dont Feed the Clowns!

File:Don't Feed the Clowns Final

Release

• This episode is available on the SpongeBob SquarePants Vol. 18, The Complete Eleventh Season, and Chatterbox Gary DVDs.

Trivia

General

• This episode's title card uses the same music track, "Calling All Clowns," as the title card for Rocko's Modern Life episode, "Closet Clown."
  • In that episode, Stephen Hillenburg was credited as co-story writer (along with Tim Hill) and creative director.
• When Mrs. Puff deflates after yelling "You're fired!" to the little clown, she looks like her deflated form in "Demolition Doofus."
• The title card is similar to "Plankton Gets the Boot," though Template:Data:Links's eyes are replaced with circus balls and the background is light green instead of blue.
• The ringmaster mentions the episode title twice when he says "Don't feed the clowns."
• This episode marks the first usage of the following tracks:
  • "Calling All Clowns" since "I Had an Accident."
  • "Clowns" since "No Hat for Pat."
  • "Vergnügungspark" since "Missing Identity."
  • "Keystone Chaos" since "Friend or Foe."
• This is the second episode that mainly revolves around an incidental character (Incidental C1), which the first being "Plankton's Regular," which revolved around Incidental 41.

Cultural references

• The title is a pun on "don't feed the animals."

Errors

File:Ring Master.jpg

"Ring Master."

File:Don't Feed the Clowns 111.png

Two Incidental 41s.

• During one scene in the business building, R.A. PennyPincher is replaced with another Incidental 41.
• In the end credits, Ringmaster is incorrectly listed as "Ring Master."
• In one scene, SpongeBob's eyelashes are missing.

Video

File:SpongeBob SquarePants - Stop Clowning Around Nickelodeon