There are plenty of ways to brace yourself for bad news at work. Some bring a friend. Others call a family member. One man, however, decided that if he was going down, he was going down with a balloon animal in hand.

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Copywriter Josh Thompson found himself staring at the kind of email that instantly tightens your chest. A message from his bosses asking to “discuss some matters in regards to your role” left little room for optimism. He knew what was coming.

Working at FCB New Zealand at the time, Josh had the option—legally required in the country—to bring along a “support person” to the meeting. For most people, that would mean someone close. Someone reassuring. Someone quiet.

Josh had other ideas.

Instead of opting for a friend or relative, the part-time stand-up comedian spent NZ$200 (£100) hiring a clown named “Joe” to accompany him into what he strongly suspected would be a redundancy meeting.

“I was working – because I had a job back then – and I got an email and the email said: ‘Hi Josh we’d like to meet with you to discuss some matters in regards to your role,'” he told the BBC from Australia, where he has been “making the most of not having a job”.

From the moment the message landed, Josh had already read between the lines.

“Basically I sensed that this was going to be a redundancy … so I thought I might as well try to make the best out of this situation,” he added.

And make the best of it he did—by turning one of the most uncomfortable workplace experiences imaginable into something that bordered on performance art.

Joe the clown didn’t just sit quietly in the corner offering moral support. He got to work.

As the meeting unfolded, the clown began making balloon animals, filling the room with the unmistakable squeak and stretch of twisting plastic. It was, unsurprisingly, not the most subtle addition to a serious HR discussion.

At several points, he had to be asked to stop so people could actually hear what was being said.

“Boy, oh, boy, are they noisy,” Josh said.

Despite the surreal atmosphere, the outcome was exactly what Josh had expected. The news came, and it wasn’t good.

But even in that moment, Joe stayed in character.

“He nodded his head along when I received the bad news as if he was also receiving the bad news,” Josh said. “Professionalism at its finest, really.”

It’s a line that perfectly captures the absurdity of the situation—an emotional support clown solemnly acknowledging a redundancy announcement while surrounded by half-formed balloon creations.

Since the meeting, Josh has taken the experience in his stride, even offering some unconventional advice for others who might find themselves in a similar position.

“If you’ve got family, friends, step mums, step dads, step kids, bring them by all means,” he said. “But if there’s a clown available, especially Joe, I’d definitely recommend it.”

What could have been a purely bleak moment instead became something memorable, bizarre, and—depending on your sense of humour—oddly uplifting.

Featured image credit: World Manual (Created with AI to help illustrate this story)