Kenny the Clown

Kenneth Kahn, a.k.a. "Kenny the Clown,” is a legend in the Bay Area; he is a popular street performer who can be seen practicing his craft around Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Kenny performs nationwide as well; he has performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, Scottsdale, Arizona, and multiple cities throughout Texas, Oregon, Alabama, Michigan, and many cities in California. Although Kenny often appears for work in different clown costumes and face makeup, he is consistently recognized as "Kenny the Clown." Kenny is an Alameda native and graduated from Encinal High School and UC Berkeley. He has dedicated his life and livelihood to the art of clowning for the past 22 years. Before becoming a clown, Kenny spent 18 years as a substitute teacher for the Alameda school district. Kenny has been interviewed on numerous local and national news media outlets, including The San Jose Mercury News, the New York Post, CNN, and ABC News. Kenny ran for mayor of Alameda in 2006 and 2010. He also ran for mayor of San Francisco in 2007.

I met Kenny through a mutual friend, and instantly found him intelligent, interesting, resilient, funny, and optimistic. I captured Kenny as both a person and a performer, conveying his unrelenting dedication to his craft, regardless of the lifestyle hardships it entails. Many Bay Area tourists and residents are familiar with Kenny's public persona as a performer; Kenny allowed me to show his public persona, as well as reveal part of the private person beneath the makeup and costumes.