A rodeo clown is a person who dresses up and entertains the crowd during a rodeo. They often perform funny acts and tricks to make people laugh and distract from dangerous situations in the arena. Full definition
Produced by Louis CK, the show — about a sad rodeo clown — is weird, sharp, a little sad and really, really funny. (relevantmagazine.com)
They have rodeo clowns who distract the bull from stomping the fallen cowboy into a bloody pulp on the ground. (religion.blogs.cnn.com)
When I announced my candidacy I defined a good supervisor as more a [self - effacing] rodeo clown than a [self - important] matador. (hudsonvalleyone.com)