NationStates Jolt Archive

Why are soooooooooo many people afraid of clowns? (my wife included on this one). I understand there have been some shady characters (John Wayne Gacy = Pogo the clown) that throw a bad image, but at the end of the day are you afraid of clowns?

Clowns are creepy and they're not funny.

I'm not afraid of them, but I don't find them that funny, I did when I was a kid.

Im 6-4 270 lbs. Im not afraid of guys in general let alone guys wearing makeup.

Clowns are scary. There's no specific characteristic that makes them so - everything about them is just frightening.

Im 6-4 270 lbs. Im not afraid of guys in general let alone guys wearing makeup.

-Orlando Pace
St. Louis Rams

As someone once said "There's nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight."

-Orlando Pace
St. Louis Rams

No it was me, but if he beat me to it then i guess us 6-4 270 lb guys think alike. lol

I don't find them funny rather I find them very sad, I always pity clowns, they're supposed to be funny but they're sad, which makes them even sadder.

No it was me, but if he beat me to it then i guess us 6-4 270 lb guys think alike. lol

Would you fear a 6'4", 270# clown? I would.

Clown armies are dangerous! Look at what happened in Star Wars! Or did I get the wrong word again?

Would you fear a 6'4", 270# clown? I would.

Your missing the point, clowns are generally men on the smaller scrawny side. So it strikes people that tower over a vast majority of them as a silly thing to be afraid of. Im pretty sure i could take a clown and beat another clown with him. And yes it would be funny.

I'm not scared of a guy who's paid crap to do something he proably hates as a summer job.

Clowns aren't funny and they aren't scary.

Your missing the point, clowns are generally men on the smaller scrawny side. So it strikes people that tower over a vast majority of them as a silly thing to be afraid of.

http://www.clownz.com/pa_lee.html

http://www.clownz.com/pa_jwg1.html

http://www.clownz.com/picturearc.html

Other than the Joker-who's just a classic figure-I don't find them terrifying in the least

I'm not afraid of them, but I do dislike them a lot and I think they look downright creepy, and as Dylan Moran once said "anything that can smile for seven hours and display no fatigue feels no pain, it doesn't have no hearts (sic) or blood or anything recognisably human".

As a kid I found them funny, now they are mildly amusing, but I've never been afraid of them.

Its the same thing with puppets really, people say they are afraid of them, but I think they are amazing, how the joints move and stuff.


This reminds me of a conversation I heard once.
Person #1 "Clowns and puppets are really creepy"
Person #2 "I think that people are afraid of them because they seem almost human, like how they have faces and move around".
Person #1 "Wait? Are you saying clowns aren't human?"

coulrophobia = irrational fear of clowns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_clown

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/Gravlen/NSG/Clowns.jpg

Be afraid. Be very afraid. MWA-HA-HA!!!!!



http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/1556/itdp3.png (http://imageshack.us)

"no talent ass clown"

...What does that even mean? (Does somebody have Tourette's syndrome?)

Anyone who willingly dresses like a clown is obviously disturbed in a dangerous way.

never experienced any clowns outside of movies/tv/books. so really, I don't know.

Why are soooooooooo many people afraid of clowns? (my wife included on this one). I understand there have been some shady characters (John Wayne Gacy = Pogo the clown) that throw a bad image, but at the end of the day are you afraid of clowns?

Because clown makeup was originally designed to let physical comedians express emotions without talking to a large crown of onlookers, some of whom can barely see the action.

Up close the distorted faces are unnecessary and disturbing because it's not a tool to assist in expression. It's just a distorted face.

Its like how Kabuki theatre, which is supposed to be performed on a dimly lit stage, looks silly performed on a modern brightly lit stage.

Clown armies are dangerous! Look at what happened in Star Wars! Or did I get the wrong word again?

Actually, you're probably right:

http://www.sjgames.com/munchkin/clownwars/img/cover_lg.jpg

I'm not afraid of them, but I do dislike them a lot and I think they look downright creepy, and as Dylan Moran once said "anything that can smile for seven hours and display no fatigue feels no pain, it doesn't have no hearts (sic) or blood or anything recognisably human".

Then that's just a bad clown. I don't mean an evil clown, I just mean an amateur.

Clown makeup isn't supposed to be painted on as a smile. It's supposed to be painted around where the muscles connect to the cheek so that whether you frown or smile it's visible from so far away that you can see the face, but can't really see the expression. Clown makeup isn't supposed to be a mask, it's supposed to be a tool of expression.

Your missing the point, clowns are generally men on the smaller scrawny side. So it strikes people that tower over a vast majority of them as a silly thing to be afraid of. Im pretty sure i could take a clown and beat another clown with him. And yes it would be funny.

Yea, you think you're a tough guy when you give a beat down to a skinny little clown climbing into his tiny little car. Then you climb in and you realize that there's 28 of his very pissed off friends in there armed with ladders, fish, cream pies, and seltzer bottles.

Stephen King's It scared the living shit out of me.

Didn't turn me off real clowns though.

Speaking of which, this may be the source of some people's fear: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_Klowns_from_Outer_Space

"They (clowns) are tragic" said Vetinari, "and we laugh at their tragedy as we laugh at our own. The painted grin leers out at us from the darkness, mocking our insane belief in order, logic, status, the reality of reality. The mask knows that we are born on the banana skin that leads only to the open manhole cover of doom, and all we can hope for are the cheers of the crowd."

From "Making Money" by Terry Pratchett.

Clowns are an abomination unto the earth. I shall destroy them with fire and bladed salvation.

Clearly we must deal with the Clown Threat.

We must cordon off a colossal swath of circus grounds and convert it into a detention facility for Clowns, Mimes and Pierrots. We won't need many or even large cells because everyone knows clowns can squeeze 20 or so at a time into a small car, and invisible walls will serve to keep the mimes in place. The guards can be armed with rubber chickens and flag guns to keep the inmates under control. The prison caferia will under no circumstance ever serve pies on the menu. Or bananas for that matter.

And the facility can be called... Clowntanamo.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=bksiiivwTLA

Kids are afraid of clowns because most of them have exaggerated features and funny clothes and are loud and unpredictable. Adults are afraid mostly because they were afraid as kids and their parents forced clowns on them and their phobia is set in stone after that.

I won't do birthday parties for kids under 6. Preschoolers are NOT going to like a clown, no matter how much you think they will.

I found out a lot of kids under about 6 or 7 don't realize a clown is a person dressed up.........so that might also add to the fear.

Kids are afraid of clowns because most of them have exaggerated features and funny clothes and are loud and unpredictable. Adults are afraid mostly because they were afraid as kids and their parents forced clowns on them and their phobia is set in stone after that.

I won't do birthday parties for kids under 6. Preschoolers are NOT going to like a clown, no matter how much you think they will.

I found out a lot of kids under about 6 or 7 don't realize a clown is a person dressed up.........so that might also add to the fear.

:eek:
Smunkee's a clown?
*runs and hides*

:eek:
Smunkee's a clown?
*runs and hides*

Clowns are everywhere. The Resistance must begin.

Growing up, I never observed any fear of clowns. In fact, there wasn't a peep about clown phobia until highschool, when suddenly it became the coolest thing to be afraid of clowns.

Smunkee, I think what you have observed is the general fear some young kids get about anything dressed up. Ever see a kid cry on Santa's lap? The kid's not afraid of Santa, or the concept of Santa; he just got freaked out from the unexpected outfit.

Actually, for the most part, kids love clowns. They give them balloons and do silly things.

:eek:
Smunkee's a clown?
*runs and hides*
only part time, and mostly during the summer. The rest of the time I do other stuff.

Growing up, I never observed any fear of clowns. In fact, there wasn't a peep about clown phobia until highschool, when suddenly it became the coolest thing to be afraid of clowns.

Smunkee, I think what you have observed is the general fear some young kids get about anything dressed up. Ever see a kid cry on Santa's lap? The kid's not afraid of Santa, or the concept of Santa; he just got freaked out from the unexpected outfit.

Actually, for the most part, kids love clowns. They give them balloons and do silly things.

older kids like clowns, there's like an age range, under 6 they are afraid (mostly) about 6-12 they are enamored, about 13-21 they are annoyed and often like to do annoying things to clowns.

I had a 40 year old guy heckle me once while I was making balloon animals. Adults are more annoying than screaming kids and smart ass teenagers. I finally asked him "do I follow you around and criticize you at work?" and he said "no" and I said "well, maybe I should" then I followed him around the fair for about 30 minutes, kids and their parents followed me.

"BE CAREFUL MR. MAN! DON'T TRIP! WALK LIGHTLY!"
"ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO EAT THAT WHOLE TURKEY LEG?"
"WHERE'D YOU GET YOUR PANTS? THEY'RE FUNNY! I WANT SOME!"

it was cathartic.

older kids like clowns, there's like an age range, under 6 they are afraid (mostly) about 6-12 they are enamored, about 13-21 they are annoyed and often like to do annoying things to clowns.

I had a 40 year old guy heckle me once while I was making balloon animals. Adults are more annoying than screaming kids and smart ass teenagers. I finally asked him "do I follow you around and criticize you at work?" and he said "no" and I said "well, maybe I should" then I followed him around the fair for about 30 minutes, kids and their parents followed me.

"BE CAREFUL MR. MAN! DON'T TRIP! WALK LIGHTLY!"
"ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO EAT THAT WHOLE TURKEY LEG?"
"WHERE'D YOU GET YOUR PANTS? THEY'RE FUNNY! I WANT SOME!"

it was cathartic.

LOL

Without clowns, we wouldn't have pictures like this.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b383/DrkHelmet/clown_funeral.jpg

Clown Funerals - they're tragically hilarious.

Not anymore, but when I was little.

I saw "It" when I was seven or eight and I became terrified of clowns. I think that movie was the first time that I ever saw a young kid be killed on television. Not long after that, I was traumatized by my Uncle when I was visiting my grandparents. He knew how much that movie scared me and he put on a clown mask and tapped on the guest room window at 1am to wake me up. I woke up and and didn't see anything, then he slowly put his head out and grinned and I truly almost died of fright.

I don't know what the big deal is. All the clowns I've ever seen were funny and tried hard to get people to smile.

The only clowns I'm afraid of are the ones we elect to Congress.

With apologies to any professional clowns out there. Congress isn't supposed to be funny. And they would be if they weren't making the laws that govern us all.

But I digress.

I've met some very nice professional clowns, and they are some very patient, tolerant, intelligent, funny people. The fact that the clown image has been used to frighten children for the shock value is a bit appalling, which I think was the point. The downside is that the fallout from a cheap thrill of using the loveable, huggable clown as a villain has sullied their image somewhat.

Luckily, I grew up before it was cool to be afraid of clowns. Yes, I joke about it, "Can't sleep, clown will eat me." But that's just more sick humor on my part.

I especially appreciate the Shriner clowns, who go and perform for sick and terminal kids at the hospitals. They are usually older grandpas who just want to make people feel better. I also learned that they have a whole set of techniques for alleviating the fears of children.

It's sad that Clowns get a bad rap. Basically, a clown is a physical comedian.

And me, I love good comedy. I'm a big Buster Keaton fan, Peter Sellers, Farley, Farrell, Belushi, Aykroyd, Knotts, Conway, Burnett, Chase, Korman.

Of course, none of these guys were actually CLOWNS, although Keaton played a clown a couple of times in his silent films.

I'm just sayin', as I get older, and I actually get to know the people behind the makeup, I think they get a really bad rap for the benefit and the good they do, and they put up with a lot of crap because unscrupulous people have banked on the happy rep of the clown in order to make cheap horror flicks.

And that makes Pagliacci cry.

So hug a clown. Tell 'em you appreciate their stuff. And laugh, once in a while.

It's good for you.

And just for the record, there aren't too many people on this Earth I'm afraid of. My uncle is at the top of that very short list. He is not a clown. He is literally a hateful human being who became a soldier and ran out of wars.

HE scares me. HE killed people for a living for three and a half decades.

In comparison, clowns are kinda like weak tea in the scary department, ya know what I mean?

I love clowns. Wish I could meet a slightly chubby, female one; I'd date her.

GP

I love clowns. Wish I could meet a slightly chubby, female one; I'd date her.

GP meet Smunkee
Smunkee meet GP

My work here is done.

This is a good scare tactics clown prank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TxtXPtfq_k

Without clowns, we wouldn't have pictures like this.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b383/DrkHelmet/clown_funeral.jpg

Clown Funerals - they're tragically hilarious.

Don't get too close to the flowers or they'll soak you.

GP meet Smunkee
Smunkee meet GP

My work here is done.

http://www.customizeyourmsn.com/clown/clow1.gif

After watching 'It' when I was a wee lass, I was more afraid of bathrooms than I was of clowns. Though I don't find physical humor to be all that humorous most of the time, which I think rules out most clown acts.

Eh. But thank you, Gabriel-san, for your post. ^^ Very insightful. I suppose clowns are people, too. :D

http://www.customizeyourmsn.com/clown/clow1.gif

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Dziekuje.gif

After watching 'It' when I was a wee lass, I was more afraid of bathrooms than I was of clowns. Though I don't find physical humor to be all that humorous most of the time, which I think rules out most clown acts.

Eh. But thank you, Gabriel-san, for your post. ^^ Very insightful. I suppose clowns are people, too. :D
it depends on the kind of clown. I work alone so there isn't much slapstick available (unless I'm helping out a friend)

I mostly make smart ass comments and twist balloons and tell jokes that children find hilarious.

Clowns are creepy and they're not funny.
so, so true.........

The only clown that scares me senseless is Pennywise the Clown, from ¨It¨.

:(

http://www.boomspeed.com/looonatic/evilclowns.jpg

It's the same phenomena that happens when people wear very realistic, but just slightly off, masks (I'm trying to think of the name of that abominable movie a few years back when the Wayans brothers were undercover as a pair of white women, a lot of people were really creeped out by the way they looked). We're trained to look at faces and recognize similarities and differences, and slight discrepancies, either underplaying or overplaying the slight reactions we expect to see, tend to really weird people out.

Clowns are just one more manifestation of this phenomena. You can see early examples of this phenomena in silent films like The Man Who Laughs (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040118/REVIEWS08/40802005/1023)

Sometimes when I have some time to kill before a birthday party and I'm in full costume already(which is rare, I find it easier on the kids to see me before my make up) I like spendimg it at the mall, acting creepy and sometimes following people for a short while and act nonchalant when they turn around. SOmetimes I crouch behind a potted plant or bench so passersby will wonder who I'm hiding from.

I never get bored. :)

I'll bet your charisma has made you a natural sprinter, LG.

I'll bet your charisma has made you a natural sprinter, LG.

Once you get used to them, the big shoes really improve your traction of soft ground. *nod*

Once you get used to them, the big shoes really improve your traction of soft ground. *nod*

Next time, Lunatic Goofballs. Next time.

/Dr. Claw

:(

http://www.boomspeed.com/looonatic/evilclowns.jpg

Yes, yes, we all know how you romanced your parole officer LG. She'll still taze you if don't put down that poo cannon right now.

Not afraid. I just think clowns are creeps. I like rodeo clowns and that's about it. The only thing that sucks worse than a clown is a mime.

A while ago, I read about a survey people did that shows nobody likes clowns, not even little kids.

A while ago, I read about a survey people did that shows nobody likes clowns, not even little kids.

:eek:

:(

I understand Puff Diddy is afraid of clowns - that can only be a good thing. If clowns got together they could defeat him.

Creepy. Not scary, but creepy.

I understand Puff Diddy is afraid of clowns - that can only be a good thing. If clowns got together they could defeat him.

He's fairly low on our list of threats. *nod*

He's fairly low on our list of threats. *nod*

But think of how much money he would pay so that there wasn't always a clown wherever he went.

the don't look like us. in everyones dimly forgotten ancient cellular history, shape changers were a way of scaring people into behaiving themselves. which, somewhere along the way, they began trying to make a little less painful with a bit of self depreciating humor.

so really, the first 'clowns' were the 'cops' of ancient societies.

what is the point of clown make up? what does it do? it creates an appearance of otherness, of the straingeness of the unknown. which is thus understandably terrifying to the very young. precisely as it was once, in ancient times intended to.

of course to adults, its also a way of laughing at their own fears of the unknown too. and then some children learn to love being frightened. though it is possibly from clowns, and their place in modern society that they learn this, though also perhapse, even more so, from the kind of parenting they are most likely to receive in today's societies.

=^^=
.../\...

http://www.boomspeed.com/looonatic/Misc-EvilClowns.jpg