Four weeks ago I was open to work. Today I'm humbled to share that I've accepted the role of Executive Director of the Safe Clowning Alliance, the body that now maintains the CCF standard. It's the first full-time position in the Alliance's history, and the first job I've had where the office comes with mats. Thank you to everyone who reached out, shared, or offered me bull work (Dusty, I'm keeping that in my back pocket). First priority: CCF Level 2. Stairs, advanced falls, and the full trip-and-recover. Protect your knees. I'm now paid to say so.

This morning in Hall B in Sarasota, the Safe Clowning Alliance membership voted to ratify Certified Controlled Faller Level 1 as a v1.0.0 standard. 412 in favour, 3 against, 1 abstention (a mime; we're counting it as a yes). I presented in a personal capacity, as I'm currently between roles. Thank you to everyone who submitted comments, every candidate who fell for the pilot, and Dusty Calhoun, whose late comment on section 4.2 (“Rodeo don't have a mat”) became our new Appendix D: Falls Where There Is No Mat. Certify the landing, not just the fall. It's in the standard now.

Following the RBTSHP integration, the Northeast Region has been consolidated into the new “Eastern Region (including Ohio)”, and my role as VP of Slapstick has been eliminated. I'm proud of what we built: 11 years, zero career-ending falls, and a regional knee-injury rate 60% below the industry average. I'm open to work: leadership roles in slapstick, safety or standards, anywhere a fall can be made safer. I will relocate. I will not relocate to Ohio, which I understand is now covered. Protect your knees, and if you know someone hiring, please share.

Public comment closed with 212 submissions, one of which was a single photo of a mat. The pilot cohort is done: 31 candidates, 27 passes, 4 resubmissions, zero knee incidents. The most common failure mode remains visible surprise, and I want to be clear that this criterion is staying. Special thanks to Penny Wise Jr., who turned her own failed practical into the best study guide we have. That is what a safety culture looks like. Next stop: ratification at ClownCon 2026.

Exemplary review. One question for the record: were there any knee injuries during the outage? If not, please say so in the report. Absence of injury is data.

As standards lead I can't comment on individual results. As your friend: the surprise criterion is non-negotiable, Penny. Look shocked. You've got three weeks.

Adopted. CCF Level 1 will ship as v1.0.0, and any change that affects a knee requires a major version and a vote. This is why we publish drafts.

Six weeks ago I said the pratfall is underregulated. Today the Safe Clowning Alliance publishes the first draft of the Certified Controlled Faller (CCF) Level 1 standard. 46 pages. Three appendices. One diagram of a knee that I will be thinking about for the rest of my life. The practical assessment covers four criteria: controlled descent, safe landing, recovery to standing, and visible surprise. Yes, surprise is assessed. A pratfall nobody believes is just lying down. Public comment closes August 15. Protect your knees. Comment on the draft.

“Certify the landing, not just the fall” is going straight on the cert checklist, Penny. This is the thread that becomes the standard.

Unpopular opinion: the pratfall is underregulated. I've been working with our regional safety board to develop a voluntary certification framework for controlled falling in entertainment contexts. If you're serious about longevity in this industry, protect your knees. They don't grow back.

Folding Penny's eccentric-loading protocol straight into the Safe Clowning Alliance framework. This is exactly the kind of field data the voluntary standard needs.