# Clown Faces Painted on Eggs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 19, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583 "2018-09-19T14:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/1 "2018-09-19T14:01:19Z")
I just want to say it makes me giggle to read the question: ‘if this is true (clowns painting their faces on eggs as trademarks) - how is it administered or enforced?’ As if they get official forms in the mail, and The Clown Unit knocks on their doors if they don’t submit in a timely fashion! First offense: a squirt of seltzer . Second offense: a pie in the face. Third offense: shot out of a cannon! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/2 "2018-09-19T14:16:56Z")
[Link to column being discussed.](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2046/are-clown-faces-registered-by-painting-them-on-eggs/) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/3 "2018-09-19T16:53:45Z")
Tis odd. The column quotes someone saying there is no legal enforcement but then a court case is cited. I think the matter just maybe might involve copyright. If you create an image (e.g., a clown face), then someone else making a copy of that image could be violating copyrights. In the US, sometimes all you can do pretty much is force someone to stop, there’s hardly any money to gain. But if you register your clown image, then you can sue for damages. Note that the registration is with the US Copyright Office. A clown egg collection won’t really help at this level. Another possibility is trademark law. This would make more sense in the context stated. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/4 "2018-09-21T23:14:07Z")
I’m surprised that on such as Pratchett-friendly board as this one that I’m the first to mention that painted eggs as a record of clown faces is a plot point in “Men at Arms.” ---
**Author:** ![pmwgreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@pmwgreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pmwgreen)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/5 "2018-09-23T05:08:46Z")
Given that clown faces are supposed to be unique, I have a bunch of questions. First, how is that handled with movies like IT? Or other evil clown movies and shows? What about a random clown in the background of a scene? Do they get a real clown if the script calls for one? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/6 "2018-09-23T05:50:44Z")
I take serious issue with, “But most people love clowns and the laughter they bring.” I think that is not true. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/7 "2018-09-24T02:00:46Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I take serious issue with, “But most people love clowns and the laughter they bring.” I think that is not true. “Who’s the funniest clown we know? Clarabell! Who’s the clown on Howdy’s show? Clarabell! And since the day that he was born, He’s honked and honked and honked his horn. Clara, Clara, Clarabell!” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/8 "2018-09-26T04:58:23Z")
Fuck Clarabell. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/9 "2018-09-27T03:29:35Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Fuck Clarabell. There, you see? You like clowns, too! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/10 "2018-09-28T12:52:01Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I take serious issue with, “But most people love clowns and the laughter they bring.” I think that is not true. **Siam Sam** is correct about this. Clown love is far from universal and I suspect most people don’t like this dated form of entertainment. I found a [2014 poll](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/poll-confirms-more-americans-hate-clowns) that indicated the dislike is about 60% now. There were also some articles with polling that found more people fear clowns then global warming. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/11 "2018-09-28T13:13:45Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **Siam Sam** is correct about this. Clown love is far from universal and I suspect most people don’t like this dated form of entertainment. > > I found a [2014 poll](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/poll-confirms-more-americans-hate-clowns) that indicated the dislike is about 60% now. There were also some articles with polling that found more people fear clowns then global warming. I expect those polls are skewed by the popular notion of clowns-as-unsettling, as well as the decreasing number of people who’ve seen clowns in their proper setting (e.g., a circus). A well performed circus clown is still the pinnacle of slapstick humor and I think most people in attendance would enjoy it, not be put off by it. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/12 "2018-09-29T03:08:40Z")
Actually, their proper place is in _commedia dell’arte_. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2018, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/13 "2018-09-29T05:46:46Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > Actually, their proper place is in _commedia dell’arte_. No, the Grand Guignol. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clown-faces-painted-on-eggs/821583/14 "2018-10-03T09:53:30Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > I’m surprised that on such as Pratchett-friendly board as this one that I’m the first to mention that painted eggs as a record of clown faces is a plot point in “Men at Arms.” It’s also used as a plot point in the C-movie (calling it a B-movie is too generous) [Stitches](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2126362/?ref=m_nv_sr_1).