I’m not scared of clowns, but I was a pretty shy kid growing up and certainly would have been put out by having to deal with one up close. Not because of the appearance – that wouldn’t have bothered me once I was old enough to understand it was a costume. The problem with clowns is that, in general, they don’t speak. As a kid it’s hard to know how you’re supposed to interact with a normal adult whom you’re meeting for the first time, much less one who only communicates in bizarre exaggerated gestures. I found mascots at sporting events intimidating for the same reason.
On the other hand, I had fun getting my photo taken with some of characters when I went to Disney World last year. One nice thing about being an adult is clowns and giant cartoon mice and such generally don’t approach you, but let you decide whether to talk to them. I guess the smarter clowns do this anyway, but of course sometimes the poor kid’s parents aren’t so smart.
As everyone has said, it’s a lot to do with their appearance. To me, it’s also that they go after people and pester them. Woe betide you if you catch one’s attention, for you will be harassed until the horrid creature tires of its human plaything!
Also, no clown thread would be complete without mention of *that scene * in Poltergeist. The little kid is lying in bed, trying to go to sleep. A clown doll is on a chair. The kid glances away, glances back…the chair is empty. Things go from bad to worse in a hurry after that.
“Scared” is probably the wrong word for most of us in this thread. In my post, I discussed my “dislike” of clowns. That many of us find the whole clown concept creepy as shit doesn’t need to imply some sort of phobia. Unless you’re referring to the type of emotion defined by homophobia. Come to think of it, why should clowns have special rights? If they want to parade around in tiny cars and carry seltzer bottles, fine by me. Just don’t force that lifestyle choice of yours on me, alright!? If God had wanted clowns, He would’ve created Adam and Bippy, not Adam and Eve. Clown marriage is an assault on the family, plain and simple. You want to be a clown? Fine. But don’t expect me to approve of your clown lifestyle or ignore your obvious clown agenda.
Sounds like one of the volunteers over at the Science Center. I told my coworkers she looks like she’s been embalmed. My dad has clients that look more life-like.
I think it probably has to do with the painted face. A face that doesn’t appear to give off the usual visual signals that convey various emotions creeps many people out; and clowns just have that goofy smile painted on. In the same way the face paint prevents them from expressing emotion facially.
I actually liked clowns when I was little.
Until I was an adult, I thought the only person afraid of clowns was my older brother. We were once sitting in the front row at the circus. There was a clown who came around to all the kids, who would squeeze his nose, and it would light up. My brother (the older, sports-obsessed straight one) screamed and ran away. I (the little sissy) not only loved squeezing the clown’s nose, but begged my parents to buy me a nose just like it.
AAAH! Flashback to my father taking us to the circus when we were small. We were way up in the stands and I was still afraid that the tiger would burst out of its cage and come eat me. I had to give my father my vanilla cup of ice cream because I lost my appetite and my stomach hurt from fear.
Anyhoo, clowns? I hate the grotesquery of their look and the silliness of how they act. I don’t understand why people thinking clowning is a nice thing to do in front of kids.
I agree with unfunny bit. And before I read this thread I didn’t even know that some people are afraid of clowns. I thought Kramer, on Seinfeld being afraid of clowns was only half-funny because it was such an outlandish idea.
I’ve learned something. Some people are serious about fear of clowns.
DON’T CLICK THIS LINK!!! It’s the clip **Ranchoth **is talking about, but the Clown doesn’t actually say “I…am a Clown.” in it. He says, “I don’t always look like a clown, you know. I have an everyday face, too. My nose goes in this box. My hair rests on this stand.” and he keeps going, taking off one piece of regalia at a time. When he “takes off” his makeup, they show a reversed film of him putting it on, so all the grease looks like it’s going back into the sticks and tubes.
He looks kinda like Dustin Hoffman’s brother or something.
I guess it was an attempt to de-mystify the clown and make him not so scary that unfortunately backfired. That’s okay, it never, ever occurred to me that I should be scared of going down the bathtub drain until Mr. Rogers sang about how I wouldn’t.
I was neither afriad of clowns, creeped out by them, or avidly fond of them as a child. However, I did think that there was something very ugly and “off” about their makeup. So I did recognize that “perversion of the mundane,” but it never especially bothered me.
I never went to the circus as a child. I always felt deprived. I went at 17 and was not impressed. I was worried about the animals the whole time. I think I only ever saw clowns on TV so I never got the full scary effect of clowns in person. I was never afraid of clowns so I guess that’s was I was drawn to be one. See I liked the idea of being an entertainer but I was shy so I liked the anonymity of hiding behind makeup and fake hair and not talking. I think this may be the appeal of clowning for other people. Most of the clowns I knew were the kind that knew to approach children slowly and at there level and would not pester kids if they were scared or latch on to other people just to annoy them.
I was afraid of Santa Claus though. I was fine with him sneaking into my house on Christmas eve and leaving me presents as long as I you don’t make me sit on the guy’s lap and tell him what presents I want. Big scary guy in red with his face hidden behind a big fluffy white beard and he’s talking to me! shudder I preferred my Santas to be anonymous.
You want to know what freaks out clowns?
Mimes.
You’d think clowns and mimes are similar and should get along, wouldn’t you? Well, you’d be wrong! Mimes are freaky.
Whynot—thanks for that link. I think you helped put some old ghosts to rest.
(Unless…there was ANOTHER clown clip that I’m remembering. Naah, couldn’t be…couldn’t be…)
Oddly enough, did this one remind anyone else of the guy tearing off his face scene from Poltergeist? Maybe it was the blood-like red makeup smearing across his teeth…
Clowns are a carryover from the middle ages when there was great demand for “freaks” in royal courts. There were men, whom I believe were referred to as “Campuchicos” (or something similar) who would kidnap children and disfigure them through a series of horrible tortures (including carving permanent smiles onto their faces) to sell to royal courts. This practice was the inspiration for “The Man In The Iron Mask” and was mentioned in Les Miserables as well.
I know that my post isn’t my cite, but I’m digging. I’ll post when I can find something solid.
I think you mean “The Man Who Laughs”. You’re wrong about clowns being a carry over from medieval freak show. Bosda has proven clowns predate the camprochicos (spelling varies wildly).
The clown in the middle ages could be found not just as jester at court, but as king of misrule. Acting troops performed the classic plays- Passion, Morality, and Mystery. The Devil was a clown in whiteface. On certain holidays, the clown became the king of misrule and stepped outside accepted social norms to do and say things that were offensive and forbidden.
Then we come to the Comedia Del Arte and Scaramouch. First a figure in rags. Then a costume with stylized rags sewn to it. Then those rags become the familiar diamond pattern associated with harlequins to this day.
Yeah, you’re right. I was working off of pure memory regarding something I read maybe ten years ago, and that’s why I was digging so hard. Thanks for the correction.