Members self-identify in some way with The Fool, a role that dates back to medieval times when monarchs and nobles often had their own court jester as part of their household.
The Fools Guild started in 1979 at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California, where the original improvisational team met while performing as jesters, jugglers, pass-the-hat-acts, and mimes.
At the Guild Hall, the Fools events attracted other artists in Hollywood, creating focal point for the emerging "New Vaudeville" scene in Los Angeles.
The parties became increasingly ornate, with elaborate themed decor and costumes, and drew a growing roster of local performers, including members of the nearby Groundlings Theatre and The Comedy Club.
Every year is different now, but the Guild continues to publish a paper magazine called The Joker, and still crowns a new King (or Queen) of Fools every spring at the Renaissance Pleasure faire in Irwindale.