The clown world is bigger than the actor's world. Not in opportunities but in what's available around him. An actor has a very defined space. A clown can move anywhere, comment on anything.
A clown may be on stage doing a routine, being part of a play even, working behind the 4th wall but if someone sneezes; he'll look out and say "bless you", and return to his routine. Actor's call it breaking the 4th wall. Clowns call it "clowning".
Clowns are historically very political. So, when a clown comments it's a comment on society. It's pretty interesting in a theatre full of 200 people, the societal norm is to ignore the sneeze. Actors on stage ignore the sneeze, the audience ignores it, even the person that sneezes tries to cover it and is likely embarrassed.
Yet the clown comments on it. What does the comment mean? "Are you ok?" , "Eww, you're spreading germs.", "I hope you covered your mouth.", "That's disgusting", "Why did you come out tonight if you're sick?" "That messed up my routine".
Or maybe it's all of those things.
The clown role of breaking the 4th wall will always get a laugh. It's a break from what society allows, it's quite shocking taken against our expectations. It's a comment on how we are followers and mostly proper in our lives. We buy a ticket, go to the theatre, sit down when the lights flash, turn off our cell phones, give dirty looks to the people arriving late. We are great at being in a herd, we follow unnamed rules. We don't think about this, we do these things without comment.
A clown also follows the rules, starts on time, is dressed a certain way; then will horribly break those rules. He will walk on theatre chairs, make noise as the show is starting, make fun of fellow actors on stage, make a comment on someone sneezing.
A clown can get away with it. An actor can't.
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