# Birthday party. Clown. Sheer terror. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 6, 2007, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198 "2007-09-06T02:40:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/21 "2007-09-06T17:36:50Z")
Nah, clowns aren’t too scary. Neither are mall Santas. But, as a child, I knew who the real enemy was: _The Shriners!_ For some reason, I was terrified of the Shriners as a child. Who knew what dark rituals went on inside their “Shrine Temples”? What did that creepy scimitar emblem mean? Why did they wear those hats? Even their cars were wrong. I mean, just look at [them](http://www.thelope.com/images/11-19-080shriner.jpg) ! Clowns I could mostly deal with. But Shriner Clowns!? Good Christ! (For the record: as an adult, I have nothing but admiration for the Shriners. They do good work with kids, I’ve never heard anything bad about them, and the Shriners Hospital cafeteria across the street from my office makes a good grilled cheese. If there are any Shriner Dopers out there, kudos to you guys. But you freaked out a very nervous 10-year-old) ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/22 "2007-09-06T17:44:25Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] But this guy is [cuddly and adorable!](http://www.jamesryman.com/illustration/misc/gallery/Evil%20Clown%20small.jpg) [/QUOTE] Hey, your portraits are really coming along! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/23 "2007-09-06T18:05:33Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] Hey, your portraits are really coming along! [/QUOTE] 😛 I call it “Self Portrait” or “Study in Red and AAAAAAAHHHHH!” ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/24 "2007-09-06T18:13:28Z")
Could it have been this movie - [Clown at Midnight](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156413/) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/25 "2007-09-06T18:31:37Z")
[QUOTE=racer72] I took my twin grand daughters to a circus when they were 5 years old. All was fine till Samantha saw a bunch of clowns come out to entertain the audience. She got this look of terror on her face and she really wanted to go. One of the clowns came by and made Alicia a balloon animal. The clown then asked Samantha what her favorite animal was but she wouldn’t answer, she had her head buried in my jacket. I told the clown about Samantha being afraid of clowns, this clown said he had the perfect thing for her. He left and returned a few minutes later with a woman that was a makeup artist for the circus. She talked to both twins and explained to Samantha that clowns were fun and were nothing to be afraid of. She put clown faces on both of the girls then the balloon clown took them to the middle of the ring with the other clowns and introduced them as the newest members of the circus. Each of the girls was given a couple of clown props and were part of a skit. After that Samantha had a smile on her face that no one was going to ever take away from her. I found out later that she was allowed to watch a scary movie that had a clown as the bad guy and she thought they were all that way. [/QUOTE] You fool! They’ve got the clown virus, now! They’ll grow up to be evil monstrosities that live on custard and the blood of innocents. ---
**Author:** ![nofloyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nofloyd/32/2870_2.png) [@nofloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nofloyd)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/26 "2007-09-06T18:31:54Z")
A few months ago, I was at a busy gas station sitting at a pump, and a clown was in another car, just circling, circling, because there wasn’t a free pump. Man, I was getting freaked out everytime he went around. I felt like he was up to something, so I get a bit of the clown uneasiness. Dolls too. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/27 "2007-09-06T19:04:04Z")
…is it safe to come out from under the desk yet? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/28 "2007-09-06T19:14:12Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] …is it safe to come out from under the desk yet? [/QUOTE] No, it’s still there, maybe we could get someone to toss it some more children so you could make a break for it. Sorry, but I’m fresh out of children. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/29 "2007-09-06T19:26:53Z")
Are [these clowns](http://www.scaryornot.com/index.php) scary? You decide! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Socks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a8b319/32.png) [@Captain\_Socks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Socks)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/30 "2007-09-06T19:33:42Z")
IMO, the only good clown is Krusty. I think my slight fear of clowns comes from when I was little, when I watched a lot of TV. (And I’m an honors student, take that, leading scientists!) Well, I remember there was an animated version of _Beetlejuice_ that came on every day at noon. There was some opening sequence where he was riding in a train, I think, screaming like a madman. That scared the crap out of me. It’s still kind of with me. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/31 "2007-09-06T19:34:48Z")
It could also have been **[Clownhouse](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0094886/)**. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/32 "2007-09-06T19:39:36Z")
[QUOTE=Omegaman] No wonder that kid was crying. [/QUOTE] My thoughts exactly. It brought up memories of accidentally discovering I’d entered the “Insane Clowns Mental Institution from Outer Space” haunted house last year at Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens. :eek: :eek: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/33 "2007-09-06T19:58:19Z")
[QUOTE=nashiitashii] My thoughts exactly. It brought up memories of accidentally discovering I’d entered the “Insane Clowns Mental Institution from Outer Space” haunted house last year at Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens. :eek: :eek: :eek: [/QUOTE] (shudders) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/34 "2007-09-06T20:21:54Z")
Whenever I see pictures of [John Wayne Gacy](http://www.sequart.com/members/graphics/18/JohnWayneGacy.jpg), I know it’s right to fear clowns. Not just because he was a serial killer. But because…well…look at him! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/35 "2007-09-06T20:36:19Z")
I was oblivious of clowns when I was a kid, except when I thought they were [lame](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Uncle_Bobby_Show). Looking for that link, I thought that Bimbo the Clown was on Channel 7 from Buffalo. But then, to my embarassment and shame, I discovered that he was on The Uncle Bobby Show, produced right here on Channel 9 in Toronto. I can still remember the stunning banality of Bimbo’s theme shong. But then The Joker as depicted in the dark Batman revival comic of the late eighties started to change my mind. It was then that I realised how much twisted wrongness could be slightly hidden behind makeup. And Ronald McDonald, well, he obviously sold his soul to the corporation, so there went my perception of the goodness of clownly motives. So now, I’m …uneasy around clowns. And I haven’t seen any evil clown movies. You think I’m crazy? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/36 "2007-09-06T21:27:29Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] But then The Joker as depicted in the dark Batman revival comic of the late eighties started to change my mind. It was then that I realised how much twisted wrongness could be slightly hidden behind makeup. And Ronald McDonald, well, he obviously sold his soul to the corporation, so there went my perception of the goodness of clownly motives. [/QUOTE] C’mon, it’s obvious they’re the same person: have you ever seen them together in the same room? ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/37 "2007-09-06T21:48:22Z")
[QUOTE=Susie Derkins] I _want_ to click the link, but I’m honestly too scared. [/QUOTE] Save yourself! I don’t have any problem with clowns, but the one linked in the OP will haunt me for a while. Ay yi yi! ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/38 "2007-09-06T21:55:17Z")
[QUOTE=nofloyd] A few months ago, I was at a busy gas station sitting at a pump, and a clown was in another car, just circling, circling, because there wasn’t a free pump. Man, I was getting freaked out everytime he went around. I felt like he was up to something, so I get a bit of the clown uneasiness. [/QUOTE] Especially creepy, because you _know_ that there’s actually like 37 of them in that car. ---
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/39 "2007-09-06T22:07:35Z")
[QUOTE=nofloyd] A few months ago, I was at a busy gas station sitting at a pump, and a clown was in another car, just circling, circling, because there wasn’t a free pump. Man, I was getting freaked out everytime he went around. I felt like he was up to something, so I get a bit of the clown uneasiness. Dolls too. [/QUOTE] I think I would have had to leave. That would be very vaguely creepy! ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198/40 "2007-09-06T22:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=nofloyd] A few months ago, I was at a busy gas station sitting at a pump, and a clown was in another car, just circling, circling, because there wasn’t a free pump. Man, I was getting freaked out everytime he went around. I felt like he was up to something, so I get a bit of the clown uneasiness. Dolls too. [/QUOTE] Heck, I’d be really creeped out if I saw a _doll_ driving a car. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birthday-party-clown-sheer-terror/418198.md?page=3)