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Club de Payasos

Oscar "Oskarin" Corona puts on his makeup, which takes about an hour, at the Club de Payasos -- the Club of Clowns.

Oscar “Oskarin” Corona puts on his makeup, which takes about an hour, at the Club de Payasos -- the Club of Clowns.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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The 16 payasos, or clowns, whose weekends have them running and dancing through comedy skits at birthdays, baptisms and other events make up the Club de Payasos. Performances are all in Spanish.

Preparing to entertain

Oscar “Oskarin” Corona, left, puts on his clown shoes while fellow clowns put on makeup. Oskarin says even when he is old and his joints creak like worn stairs from a lifetime of hard work, he still would be a clown. ¿If I could do a party with a walker,¿ says the 41-year-old, who speaks only Spanish, ¿then I would.¿   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A birthday party

Mayra “Zafiro” Ortiz, foreground, paints the face of Jonathan Hernandez, 4, while Oscar “Oskarin” Corona paints another guest’s face at a birthday party for 1-year-old Miguelito Escamilla in South Gate.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Finding laughs

Mayra “Zafiro” Ortiz, left, and Oscar “Oskarin” Corona entertain the guests.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Another performance in the books

The two clowns finish their weekend work. The club was founded in 1985 so owner Carlos Clemente could network with other clowns.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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