History ComicStrip / FrumpyTheClown

A newspaper comic by Judd Winick (''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee''), ''Frumpy the Clown'' is about a clown who moved in with a Jewish family (Mike - father, Mona - mother, and twins Brad and Kim). It was never explained why he dresses up as a clown; he doesn't work in a circus (heck, in one storyline it shows that he HATES it), isn't particularly jolly, and he doesn't do tricks. He loves kids, though. He teaches elementary school, seemingly avoiding being fired.

* UltimateJobSecurity: This was a running gag with Frumpy's teaching job. Principal Carr always tried to fire him, but the union protection prevented it. This trope was finally averted when the strip came to an end, however, when a budget cut gave the Principal a legitimate excuse to get rid of him.

* MundaneWish: One strip had Frumpy and Brad encounter a wizard who claimed he could give them whatever would "make [their lives] complete." Frumpy immediately wishes for the first Music/{{ABBA}} album on vinyl and a watermelon. While Brad complains that he could have wished bigger, [[GenreSavvy Frumpy quips that he doesn't trust midgets with wands]].

* UltimateJobSecurity: This was a running gag with Frumpy's teaching job. The Principal always tried to fire him, but the union protection prevented it. This trope was finally averted when the strip came to an end, however, when a budget cut finally gave the Principal a legitimate excuse to get rid of him.

* UltimateJobSecurity: This was a running gag with Frumpy's teaching job. The Principal always tried to fire him, but the union protection prevented it. Until the end of the strip, that is, when a budget cut finally gave the Principal a legitimate excuse to get rid of him.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Mike's cousin Rumus appeared for the first three months of 1997 then disappeared. He didn't make a reappearance until 1998, in the one page ''Frumpy'' comic that ran in ''Oni Double Feature #3''.

* VerySpecialEpisode: Alot of later strips have this. Strangely enough, this is parodied in one strip where Frumpy asks Mona and the kids why they watch ''Series/PartyOfFive'' if it bums them out so much. Mona replies because it's a "Very Special Episode." Kim quips that they're ALL "Very Special Episodes."

A newspaper comic by Judd Winick (''TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee''), '''''Frumpy the Clown''''' was about a clown who moved in with a Jewish family (Mike - father, Mona - mother, and twins Brad and Kim). It was never explained why he dresses up as a clown; he doesn't work in a circus (heck, in one storyline it shows that he HATES it), isn't particularly jolly, and he doesn't do tricks. He loves kids, though. He teaches elementary school, seemingly avoiding being fired.

!!Provides Examples Of:

--> '''Frumpy:''' You're enjoying [firing me], aren't you?
--> '''Principal Carr:''' No. I enjoyed firing the football coach. I am '''loving this.'''
* VerySpecialEpisode: Alot of later strips have this.
** Strangely enough, this is parodied in one strip where Frumpy asks Mona and the kids why they watch ''Series/PartyOfFive'' if it bums them out so much. Mona replies because it's a "Very Special Episode." Kim quips that they're ALL "Very Special Episodes."

* MundaneWish: One strip had Frumpy and Brad encounter a wizard who claimed he could give them whatever would "make [their lives] complete." Frumpy immediately wishes for the first {{ABBA}} album on vinyl and a watermelon. While Brad complains that he could have wished bigger, [[GenreSavvy Frumpy quips that he doesn't trust midgets with wands]].
* NaziGermany: Mike's mother is a Holocaust survivor.

* UltimateJobSecurity: Frumpy with his teaching job...until the end of the strip's run, when the budget cuts finally gave the Principal an excuse to get rid of him.

** Strangely enough, this is parodied in one strip where Frumpy asks Mona and the kids why they watch ''PartyOfFive'' if it bums them out so much. Mona replies because it's a "Very Special Episode." Kim quips that they're ALL "Very Special Episodes."

** Strangely enough, this is parodied in one strip where Mona and the kids are watching TV with a depressed look on their faces. When Frumpy walks in and asks why they're watching it, Mona replies "Because it's a very special episode".

A newspaper comic by Judd Winick (''TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee''), '''''Frumpy the Clown''''' was about a clown who moved in with a Jewish family. It was never explained why he dresses up as a clown; he doesn't work in a circus (heck, in one storyline it shows that he HATES it), isn't particularly jolly, and he doesn't do tricks. He loves kids, though. He teaches elementary school, seemingly avoiding being fired.

* UltimateJobSecurity: Principal Carr ''really'' wanted to fire Frumpy, but was never able to due, the running gag being that the Teachers Union would hound him if he did. However, this was finally averted in the final storyline, when the school's budgets were cut, finally giving the Principal an excuse to get rid of him.

--> '''Principal Carr:''' No. I enjoyed firing the football coach. I am ''locing this.''

** Strangely enough, this is parodied in one episode where Mona and the kids are watching TV with a depressed look on their faces. When Frumpy walks in and asks why they're watching it, Mona replies "Because it's a very special episode".

* MundaneWish: One strip had Frumpy and Brad encounter a wizard who claimed he could give them whatever would "make [their lives] complete." Frumpy immediately wishes for the first {{ABBA}} album on vinyl and a watermelon. While Brad complains that he could have wished bigger, [[GenreSavvy Frumpy quips that he doesn't trust midgets with wands]].