Basic Trope: A job as an entertainer for a kids' party is seen as a bad thing.
- Straight: Bob agrees to entertain for his niece Alice's birthday party, only to find that he hates the job.
- Exaggerated:
- Bob has to entertain all of the small children in the country. He absolutely despises it.
- The kids are so rough that they literally kill him.
- Bob gets turned into a clown by the local clown cult and now has to entertain birthday parties for the rest of time.
- Downplayed: Although Bob has some difficulties with entertaining the children, he can manage it for the most part.
- Justified:
- Bob is a Child Hater or otherwise is uncomfortable around children.
- Alice and her friends are evil or otherwise mean to Bob, such as by blatantly ignoring him when he tries to tell them a story.
- Bob's boss is unfair to him.
- The party itself is set at a horrible location. Bob has to both entertain and keep himself safe from the elements. Whether Bob is a mascot character in the scorching heat or an athletic performer in the frigid cold, the elements can punish him for doing his job.
- The parents use Bob's job as an excuse to abuse and belittle him.
- Inverted:
- Bob loves entertaining at kids' birthday parties.
- Alternatively, he enjoys performing at a party for his adult friends.
- Bob has to entertain for his adult friend Charles' birthday party, and hates it.
- Bob is a massive jerk, and makes the birthday party terrible for everyone else.
- Bob is a child who hates his birthday because a major disaster has occurred at the party every single time.
- Subverted:
- Bob initially dreads the job, but finds that Alice's birthday party is actually very fun.
- The kids are originally ignoring Bob and/or acting out, but someone tells them to stop.
- Double Subverted:
- Until later on, when the kids start getting bored of Bob.
- It doesn't work, and the kids continue acting out anyway.
- Parodied:
- Bob's sister asks him if he will entertain for Alice's party. Bob gives a fearful Big "NO!" and gets the heck out of there.
- Satan punishes Bob by forcing him to entertain at a birthday party. Bob considers it a Fate Worse than Death.
- Bob gets so tired of the job that he yells an Atomic F-Bomb. And of course, the kids learn a new word.
- Bob is a contestant challenged by his fratbro roomate to survive a children's party for 5 minutes. 30 seconds later, Fratbro checks the passenger's seat and sees Bob's severed head perfectly gift wrapped (including the little bow).
- Zig-Zagged:
- We see Bob entertain at multiple parties. Some go well, while others are chaotic.
- Averted:
- Nobody has to entertain at a kids' party.
- Bob isn't abused at the party.
- Enforced:
- Write What You Know, if based on the author's experiences of entertaining at kids' parties.
- To throw in some Cringe Comedy.
- To introduce an Enfant Terrible or a pair of Abusive Parents.
- The party was written for a themed origin story of a Monster Clown.
- Lampshaded: "You're entertaining at a kid's birthday party? Your funeral, man."
- Invoked:
- The kids are intentionally encouraged to be on their worst behavior when Bob comes over.
- Bob's boss puts him on Birthday Duty after overhearing about an Unsatisfiable Customer's party. He gives him a free reservation solely to spite Bob.
- Exploited:
- Bob's sister Debra wants to get revenge on Bob for something that happened, so she tells him to entertain at her daughter Alice's party knowing he will hate the job.
- The parents record their children beating up Bob to go viral.
- Defied:
- Bob decides that no matter what, he will have fun at Alice's birthday party.
- Bob declines the offer to be at Alice's birthday party.
- Discussed: "I've never wanted to be an entertainer for a kids' party, really. I mean, the kids start acting out, and half the time the adults do nothing about it."
- Conversed: "The main character has to entertain for a birthday party... this isn't gonna go well."
- Implied:
- The actual party is not shown, but Bob comes back from his job as a kids' party entertainer disheveled and/or upset.
- Bob mentions that he once entertained for a kids' party and hated it, but doesn't go in depth.
- Deconstructed: Because of how badly the job goes, Bob decides to quit and possibly even develops a fear or distrust for children.
- Reconstructed: Later on, Bob tries again, this time with some older kids who are more likely to listen. He finds that it actually goes quite well.
- Played for Laughs: Cringe Comedy ensues.
- Played for Drama: Bob is thoroughly humiliated by the job, and has a Despair Event Horizon.
- Played for Horror: Bob has to entertain a bunch of evil children that may or may not be monsters, and is at risk of being seriously injured or killed.
Back to Dreaded Kids' Party Entertainer Job, the kids are waiting for you!
