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posted by janrinok on Tuesday September 17 2019, @07:07PM   Printer-friendly
from the still-smiling dept.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/sep/13/new-zealand-man-copywriter-clown-redundancy

An Auckland advertising copywriter brought a clown to his redundancy meeting, as first reported in the New Zealand Herald on Friday. New Zealand legally requires employers to allow workers the option of bringing a support person to serious disciplinary meetings, usually relating to an employee's prospective dismissal.

After FCB New Zealand lost a significant client and began layoffs, Josh Thompson, who had reportedly been with the company for five months, received an ominous email from his bosses that read: "Bad news. We're having a meeting to discuss your role."

Faced with the task of securing an appropriate support person for the potentially tense meeting, Thompson, a comedian who performs under the name Joshua Jack, said: "I thought it's best to bring in a professional, and so I paid $200 and hired a clown."

The clown, who Thompson refers to as "Joe", crafted balloon animals throughout the meeting, including a poodle. His antics were squeaky, and Thompson's bosses had to request he quieten down several times.

"It's further understood," reported the Herald, "that the clown mimed crying when the redundancy paperwork was handed over."


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 18 2019, @12:21AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 18 2019, @12:21AM (#895427)

    Would you elaborate as to why "quieten down" was offensive? It is perfectly acceptable New Zealand English.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 18 2019, @12:37AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 18 2019, @12:37AM (#895440)

    I usually say "Sessio Silentium" loudly while waving my wand, It works every time. It means 'sit down and shut the fuck up' in Harry Potters world.