Are class clowns better at public speaking?

1) – you don’t need the apostrophe in ‘clown’s’. It’s a plural.

2) No – class clowns are often good at zingers or quips or in-the-moment sort of quick remarks. You know, the sort of smartass remarks that gets them into trouble.

Public speaking is most often reading from a script, or at least from an outline and talking points, meaning that you lay out your subject, give evidence to support what you’re saying, and then need to wind up with a persuasive repetition of your point.

Totally different skills.

Most “class clowns” are not better at public speaking because they end up demonstrating that they don’t know the subject or cannot speak extemporaneously with enough depth to make a decent argument.

More relaxed and comfortable on stage at an early age ,thus candidates for comdey,TV Host, anything in front on a camera.
Many become:
Comedians,
Political leaders,
TV Hosts,
Teachers.
Coaches, any leadership role,
since they had built up courage early in life to stand out from the crowd.
There are different types of class clowns though those which help alleviate stress through humor and those that ‘mock” or are negative in behavior that cause arguments.

Humor is used to alleviate tension,uplift a group or downplay a near fight etc

I believe in one sense most are. By this I mean so many class clowns wind up doing standup comedy—public speaking indeed. Did you ever notice how often even the most formal and elevated public speech will begin with a joke?

That’s more to seem human to the audience – to break formal barriers. I’m not sure that class clownishness plays a role.

That’s Public Speaking 101 – see number 15

I was a class clown.
Once, a teacher was droning on, and the class was all about to nod out. I embarrassed the heck out of him when I gasped loudly, and with all eyes on me, I looked inside the top of my blouse. I then clasped it to me and said, “oh good, they’re still there.” Everyone giggled, but not because of what I did. They laughed because the teacher turned beet red, including his neck.
I once did an assigned demonstration on the topic of how to properly eat a goldfish.
It was during a time when swallowing live goldfish was seeing a revival on college campuses. My goldfish was a carrot carved so that at a distance, it passed. It floated the right way in a bowl I bought just for that day. It was cut very thin where the tail started, so it would appear to wiggle vigorously when I held it up. The demonstration involved holding it above my mouth as I tipped back my head. I explained that most people swallow them whole, but, I then dropped it in my mouth, and chewed. There had been ice in the bowl just before class, so it crunched loudly as I explained that I like chewing the bones. All had been cleared with my teacher first.
The class was mortified, screaming at the teacher to call the police, or animal control.

I started my public speaking more than a decade earlier. I was two and a half when I memorized an amusing poem I recited in front of my church congregation. As I started, a child was wriggling. His mom shushed him. For me! Grown ups were being quiet to hear me! That was it. I loved being in front of an audience.
I am quite eloquent and I am a good public speaker.
Perhaps I am an exception, but I don’t think so.

EDIT: conversation is a different matter. Oh, I do go on! :-D

@Patty_Melt Hilarious – the goldfish story.

Not in my experience. Mostly the class clowns weren’t as smart and were generally the jocks or stoners.
The actual good speakers were good students, as they wanted to learn, which in turn gives you more confidence, I think. Those kids ended up on Student Council or other leadership positions.

In Biden’s case, no…definitely not!

Yes, class clowns are relaxed in front of groups.
Class mimes: not so much.

It’s definitely true when it comes to Boris Johnson

I don’t think they are any better at public speaking than anyone else. In fact, I don’t think there is any sort of correlation.