Are clowns really universally despised?

[atamize]

Clowns in recent media are frequently portrayed as creepy villains, despite the fact that their roots are in entertaining young children. Is fear of clowns really that widespread or is it just some overblown Internet thing? Did people have a problem with clowns in the 50s when Bozo was popular? Did Pennywise from IT cause a generational shift in the worldview of clowns?

I personally don't find anything unsettling about your standard clown. Sure, a clown can be creepy if you play creepy music in the background, but that can apply to almost anything.

So Era, are you down with the clown?

 

[Hanbei]

No, coulrophobia was really a thing after "IT" (the 1990 TV miniseries) came out.

Spoiler

Fuck them though

 

[RedSparrows]

Clowns are a lot more than white-painted, fuzzy haired It types.

A good clown is a work of art, and has a fascinating role in cultural history. So I like them.

But not the It types.

 

[Baccus]

Just like the circus, is something that made sense 1000 years ago but it's woefully out of time. And not needed. Also creepy.

 

[Notaskwid]

They're just obnoxious

 

[Tuppen]

Clowns are alright I guess. I'm pretty indifferent.

 

[Ryuhza]

I carry a certain level of respect for clowns, but I almost never enjoy them on their own terms.

 

[Strike]

I was whatever about clowns growing up. Didn't find them scary or funny or anything. I have met someone who was terrified of clowns though. Even humming a few notes of Entry of the Gladiators made her cry.

 

[Keldroc]

No, coulrophobia was really a thing after "IT" (the 1990 TV miniseries) came out.

Spoiler

Fuck them though

Click to shrink...

John Wayne Gacy, Poltergeist, and IT pretty much created the modern fear of clowns. There was nothing like that of note in psychiatry before then. People thought clowns were dumb or unfunny or annoying before that, but being afraid of clowns is a fairly recent phenomenon driven by media and one real life serial killer.

 

[Buckle]

Short answer: Clowns are awesome.

Better answer: Someone post a gif of Psycho Clown from this year's Triplemania with a flame thrower guitar.

 

[Volimar]

I don't trust any clown that wasn't the Bozo from my youth.

 

[capitalCORN]

Clowns are a lot more than white-painted, fuzzy haired It types.

A good clown is a work of art, and has a fascinating role in cultural history. So I like them.

But not the It types.

Click to shrink...

This has me lolling the most.

 

[Illusion]

I was scared of clowns when I was younger. Really clowns are simply not funny, dont have any redeeming factors, they are a art form that I never cared for besides using them for horror.

 

[RedSparrows]

This has me lolling the most.

Click to shrink...

It's true though.

 

[Poodlestrike]

I dunno, let's ask an authority.

Clowns

 

[Kinsei]

Pretty sure it's mostly an American phenomenon thanks to John Wayne Gacy.

 

[capitalCORN]

It's true though.

Click to shrink...

Not arguing veracity. Saying that the funnyman was a staple of politics is just awesome.

 

[TheCthultist]

Didn't really feel one way or the other about them as a kid, but I like them well enough now. Particularly those who are clearly dedicated to their act.

 

[Stat]

I once got into a fight with a clown when I was 16.

Not a physical fight, but like a war of underhanded tactics.

 

[DragonSJG]

I think so. Why else would the Joker be one?

 

[DragonSJG]

I once got into a fight with a clown when I was 16.

Not a physical fight, but like a war of underhanded tactics.

Click to shrink...

Do tell

 

[Deleted member 1086]

everybody loves Krusty

 

[Lotus]

They're unsettling and I want nothing to do with them.

 

[Stat]

Do tell

Click to shrink...

The place: A children's hospital.

More specifically, the staff room where the toys and movies were kept.

I went in a 16 year old boy, but left a shell shocked 16 year old man.

 

[Deleted member 274]

I hate clowns because I'm never sure which one I should be voting for

 

[Deleted member 44129]

I think it's a bit tired and cliched to do the whole "I'm scared of clowns" thing. It's almost fashionable, or sometimes people say it to sound interesting. Nobody ever mentions that they are just shit. Oh, a car where the door falls off. Whoop-di-doo. A bucket? Sure hope that's not full of....oh it was paper my sides are splitting.

 

[RedVejigante]

John Wayne Gacy, Poltergeist, and IT pretty much created the modern fear of clowns. There was nothing like that of note in psychiatry before then. People thought clowns were dumb or unfunny or annoying before that, but being afraid of clowns is a fairly recent phenomenon driven by media and one real life serial killer.

Click to shrink...

Well, you can argue that the creepy/evil clown archetype stretches as far back as Pagliacci, but its true that the whole cementing of the idea of a fear of clowns being a psychological thing is a fairly recent invention, which, as far as I'm aware, is still not an officially recognized condition in the psychiatric community. Really I think the longstanding negative feelings towards clowns comes down mainly to both the unnerving juxtaposition of the innocent with the sinister, along with the fact that clown paint can be legitimately unsettling to something in our lizard brains. I mean, look at Gwynplaine from The Man Who Laughs or Cesare from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. They are only a few steps away from clown greasepaint and yet they are both creepy as fuck.

 

[Clowns]

Definitely by PoliEra.

 

[Master Of Illusion]

Clowns make great drummers.

 

[Garble Slew]

I like things that can be described as "demented" so I love clowns. The purposefully creepy ones are lame but a sincere clown reeks of madness.

 

[Amalthea]

My oldest and worst nightmare was being abducted by clowns, when I was 3. They had me tied to a chair and threatened to slit my throat if my parents didn't pay the ransom. I was so afraid and hoped my parents or cops would show up to rescue me.
I have no fucking clue how I could dream all that fucked up shit as a toddler.

 

[Oreiller]

I sort of liked them as a kid but I don't really care either way tbh. They're fine I guess.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

I always thought they were really stupid.

They're basically court jesters. Dumb, super outdated humor. Look at me making funny faces and acting like a fool. Does anyone even find them funny or amusing? That's why they exist, supposedly.

Modern day "clowns" are comedy actors and do their job about a thousand times better.

 

[julia crawford]

I don't hate them... just scared.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

 

[jph139]

The theory I've heard for "scary clowns" is that clown makeup is meant to be seen from a distance - in a circus, or on a stage. It's intentionally exaggerated and meant to communicate things from afar. Certain types of clowns have different "eye" shapes around their eyes, "mouth" shapes around their mouths, and so on - so that they can be read from a distance. Even if you're in the back row, you'll be able to tell that the sad clown is sad, you know?

The fact that clowns started showing up on television in the middle of the 20th century laid the groundwork for unsettling clowns - up close, they're uncanny. Eyes within eyes, mouths within mouths, extremely expressive.

I like clowns though. In proper context.

 

[PuppetMinion]

Saw an acrobatic clown when I was a kid. He did some real impressive stuff in his different practical jokes. Using ladders, buckets and stuff

 

[bionic77]

Clowns peaked with kids with Ronald McDonald. In the early 80s he seemed like a cool guy to me as a kid in elementary school.

It has now been decades since any kid has wanted a clown at their birthday party.

Their time has passed.

 

[Laser Man]

I never ever laughed about a clown show... the comedy of clowns is weird, it's situational fall-on your face comedy that I don't really get. I've been impressed with clowns doing both, situational comedy and a physical performance, I still don't laugh.

I don't think my view was different when I was very young and for that reason I am perplexed about stuff like hospital clowns cheering up people. I can only assume there they simply work because a hospital is a depressingly mind numbing and sterile place so every distraction is welcome?!

 

[Sanjuro]

Nope.

 

[iksenpets]

Clowns seem hated enough that I've now circled around to feeling overwhelming pity when I see a clown. They just want people to be happy, but they've done the opposite. It's tragic and I feel like my heart won't be whole again until the youth of the world come back around the clowns.

 

[TokyoJoe]

I have no issues with them, but the one in the white House is giving them a bad name.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

 

[ScoobsJoestar]

I actually really enjoy clowns, but only at like places where seeing them makes sense. Circus? Great. Birthday party for kids? Sure. Wrestlemania weeekene at the bar? I mean, okay Doink. Tennis tournament? Okay I'm unsettled.

 

[Bubukill]

My country is small, and there were two groups of very well famous clowns that appeared even on Television and had their own shows, they were very well known from anyone who lived in the 90s here.

I remember having the two groups of these famous clown for my birthday when I was a kid, so I grown up being very fond of clowns.

Right now, I do not think clowns have the same popularity than in the 80s, 90s.

 

[Pwnz]

Nope.

Click to shrink...

Do do do da do da do do doo dooooo

 

[Futureman]

Do clowns have sex?

 

[Kaswa101]

I'm neutral on clowns. Love IT though, Pennywise is both entertaining and horrifying.

 

[dark_prinny]

I like The Joker.

 

[Falchion]

I don't have a fear of them but every time I see a clown I wonder who thought an adult male with creepy face paint was a good idea for children.