I think it's because they already know how vulnerable they are. They're lonely. And they long for touch. So as clowns, we take seriously what Jesus said in Matthew 25. I'll put this in my own words:
If a person is hungry, you feed them. If they're thirsty, you give them something to drink. And here I add my own words, if they're in need of a touch, you touch them. If they're in need of a smile, you give them a smile.
