Arts: What?s a Clown Question, Bro? A Guide.

Now playing: Slate V, a video-only site from the world's leading online magazine. Visit Slate V at www.slatev.com.
Brow Beat What's a Clown Question, Bro? A Guide. By Katy Waldman Posted Wednesday, Jun 13, 2012, at 09:36 PM ET While there is no such thing as a stupid question, there is such a thing as a clown question, bro, at least if you ask Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper. After he smashed his seventh homerun of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays, Harper, 19, was asked by a Canadian reporter whether he intended to celebrate with a beer (Ontario's drinking age is 19). Nats PR officials saw where this was going and tried to shut the cheeky correspondent down, but not before Harper chimed in with the eminently meme-worthy contention, "That's a clown question, bro," delighting two nations and launching a thousand #thatsaclownquestionbro tweets.   Perhaps, like pornography, you simply know a clown question when you see it. But to help our readers and journalistic peers steer clear of embarrassment (or at least being pelted with red, squeaky noses), we've compiled this trusty guide to the genre. 1. A clown question is irrelevant. Clown questions get on people's nerves because they raise topics that no one cares about. In the flushed aftermath of a brilliant home run, Bryce Harper will be most interesting when analyzing the game, offering a window into his mindset on the field, or speculating about the Nats' chances for the rest of the season. On the other hand, Harper is not a noted oenophile, so his selection of festive palate-rinsers after a day of athletic exertion is unlikely to inspire or enthrall. Example: Asking a judicial nominee at a hearing, "Do ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Dispatch From Syria: The Fledgling Protest Movement Hasn't Been Deterred by the Recent Violence Do Kids Really Need Standardized Tests for Art, Music, and PE? It's Getting a Little Easier To Be Gay in the Mormon Church	Advertisement
Manage your newsletters subscription: Unsubscribe | Forward to a Friend | Advertising Information
Ideas on how to make something better? Send an e-mail to slatenewsletter@nl.slate.com. Copyright 2011 The Slate Group | Privacy Policy The Slate Group | c/o E-mail Customer Care | 1350 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 410 | Washington, D.C. 20036