David Arquette Says This Special Talent Helped Prepare Him To Become A Clown

Known for his goofy personality, David Arquette landed his big breakthrough in the iconic slasher film "Scream." He went on to star as Dewey Riley in the franchise, which included four films between 1996 and 2011, per IMDb. Embracing the timeless appeal of the horror film with the signature black-and-white Ghostface mask, Arquette reprised the role for a fifth time for the 2022 reboot, "Scream." The long-running franchise also featured Arquette's former wife, actor Courteney Cox. "It's been 25 years of our lives," Arquette told The New York Times about the films. "We've grown up together. We have a child together. It's a cathartic experience to just be able to act opposite Courteney," he explained about reuniting on-screen with his ex-wife. .

In his personal life, the actor has worn a less scary kind of mask — clown makeup. (Though, some might argue clowns are much scarier.) "We first have to help rehabilitate the image of a clown," Arquette explained to The New York Times. No joke — Arquette posted a photo of himself on Instagram dressed as Bozo the Clown with the tag #letyourclownout. In fact, Arquette posted several photos wearing a clown nose. One picture showed Arquette in a yellow clown jacket and hat alongside his "clown brother." Another showed the actor reading a book titled "The Invisible Clown." Arquette captioned the photo, "Learning from the master." Luckily, Arquette already came equipped with an impressive skill on his way to becoming a clown.

"I love clowns," David Arquette said on "Live with Kelly and Ryan." More than just having his entire family wear clown noses for his 50th birthday (except his wife, who refused), Arquette revealed, "I'm studying to be a clown." With the idea that laughter's the best medicine in mind, Arquette has dressed up as a clown, visiting hospitals and bringing smiles to people experiencing tough times. Arquette said it takes a lot of training to become a clown. Fortunately, he already learned a special talent during his childhood that helped him prepare for this moment. 

"My father taught me this nose flute and this is what I can do as my clown thing," Arquette revealed. The actor proceeded to pull out a blue device from his pocket and pressed it on his nose and mouth. Arquette played the instrument, which produced a silly whistle noise to the delight of the talk show hosts. "That's a little clown trick," he playfully said.

Arquette noted that Bozo the Clown has always been his source of inspiration. "Bozo is my hero," Arquette told The New York Times. Showing his devotion, the actor spray painted a 6-foot tall version of Bozo on a wall in Brooklyn. Arquette purchased the rights to the character with plans of bringing the clown back to children's television and to end the negative stigma attached to the painted goofballs. "I want to help bring back kind clowns, and change the discourse. You know, help people understand that being silly is cool," he said.