Why are Clowns Scary?

[mustang-sally 8]

Children are frightened by clown-themed decor in hospitals, a survey suggests. How did the smiley circus entertainers become a horror staple?

Anyone who has read Stephen King's It would probably never choose to decorate a children's ward with clowns.

And it probably comes as no surprise to horror fans that a University of Sheffield study of 250 children for a report on hospital design suggests the children find clown motifs "frightening and unknowable".

One might suspect that popular culture is to blame. In It, made into a television movie in 1990, Stephen King created a child-murdering monster that appeared as a demonic clown.

King's It has sparked a slew of schlocky movies over the past 20 years, known as the killer clown or evil clown genre.

Examples include Clownhouse from 1990 where three boys at home alone are menaced by escaped mental patients who have taken on the identities of clowns they have killed; Mr Jingles from 2006, where a killer clown takes its revenge; and 2004's In Fear of Clowns, in which an artist with coulrophobia is stalked by a clown resembling one of her paintings.

S.I.C.K., Killjoy and the Camp Blood Trilogy are other low-budget examples of the genre. But perhaps the highlight is 2001's Killer Klowns from Outer Space, with the tagline "In Space No One Can Eat Ice Cream".

Clowning around

British horror writer Ramsey Campbell says the recurring theme in popular culture of the scary clown goes back at least as far as silent move star Lon Chaney Sr, who identified the spooky potential when he reportedly said: "There is nothing laughable about a clown in the moonlight."

Dark clown imagery can also be seen in Jacques Tourneur's cult films Night of the Demon and Berlin Express, as well as in the form of the Joker in Batman comics and film adaptations.

"It is the fear of the mask, the fact that it doesn't change and is relentlessly comical," says Campbell, who has explored dark clown themes in his story The Other Side and in his latest novel The Grin of the Dark.

The place of the scary clown in mainstream popular culture can be seen in The Simpsons with Bart's intonation of "can't sleep, clown will eat me". And the real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who often dressed as a clown for neighbourhood parties, provides an unpleasant undertone to the motif.

Search for fear of clowns on the internet and the results include plenty of sites referring to "coulrophobia".

Prof Paul Salkovskis, clinical director of the Maudsley Hospital Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, saw a patient in Yorkshire some years ago who feared clowns as one of a range of problems.

But he believes children's fear may be less to do with clowns per se and more to do with being unsettled by something as unusual-seeming as a clown.

"People are typically frightened by things which are wrong in some way, wrong in a disturbingly unfamiliar way," Prof Salkovskis says.

"It is almost certainly not a reaction to clowns, but we are sensitive to things which are extraordinary, particularly sensitive when we are young. My three-year-old was terrified by Peter Rabbit at a B&Q. Peter Rabbit is six inches high, not seven feet high."

And obviously it doesn't take a great leap of the imagination to suppose that children in hospitals, away from home, in an unfamiliar environment and worried about their health or elements of the treatment, may be more nervous than usual.

"Being away from home or away from a carer makes children more susceptible to fears," Prof Salkovskis says.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7191721.stm

I'm not afraid of clowns but I remember taking my son to a circus when he was young. A clown said "hello" and my son burst into tears, the clown walked off muttering a string of obscenities about f*cking kids, etc...., all within earshot of a lot of families.

Childrens entertainers no wonder kids are scared of them.

[Ban Hammer 12,899]

Children are frightened by clown-themed decor in hospitals, a survey suggests. How did the smiley circus entertainers become a horror staple?

Anyone who has read Stephen King's It would probably never choose to decorate a children's ward with clowns.

And it probably comes as no surprise to horror fans that a University of Sheffield study of 250 children for a report on hospital design suggests the children find clown motifs "frightening and unknowable".

One might suspect that popular culture is to blame. In It, made into a television movie in 1990, Stephen King created a child-murdering monster that appeared as a demonic clown.

King's It has sparked a slew of schlocky movies over the past 20 years, known as the killer clown or evil clown genre.

Examples include Clownhouse from 1990 where three boys at home alone are menaced by escaped mental patients who have taken on the identities of clowns they have killed; Mr Jingles from 2006, where a killer clown takes its revenge; and 2004's In Fear of Clowns, in which an artist with coulrophobia is stalked by a clown resembling one of her paintings.

S.I.C.K., Killjoy and the Camp Blood Trilogy are other low-budget examples of the genre. But perhaps the highlight is 2001's Killer Klowns from Outer Space, with the tagline "In Space No One Can Eat Ice Cream".

Clowning around

British horror writer Ramsey Campbell says the recurring theme in popular culture of the scary clown goes back at least as far as silent move star Lon Chaney Sr, who identified the spooky potential when he reportedly said: "There is nothing laughable about a clown in the moonlight."

Dark clown imagery can also be seen in Jacques Tourneur's cult films Night of the Demon and Berlin Express, as well as in the form of the Joker in Batman comics and film adaptations.

"It is the fear of the mask, the fact that it doesn't change and is relentlessly comical," says Campbell, who has explored dark clown themes in his story The Other Side and in his latest novel The Grin of the Dark.

The place of the scary clown in mainstream popular culture can be seen in The Simpsons with Bart's intonation of "can't sleep, clown will eat me". And the real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who often dressed as a clown for neighbourhood parties, provides an unpleasant undertone to the motif.

Search for fear of clowns on the internet and the results include plenty of sites referring to "coulrophobia".

Prof Paul Salkovskis, clinical director of the Maudsley Hospital Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, saw a patient in Yorkshire some years ago who feared clowns as one of a range of problems.

But he believes children's fear may be less to do with clowns per se and more to do with being unsettled by something as unusual-seeming as a clown.

"People are typically frightened by things which are wrong in some way, wrong in a disturbingly unfamiliar way," Prof Salkovskis says.

"It is almost certainly not a reaction to clowns, but we are sensitive to things which are extraordinary, particularly sensitive when we are young. My three-year-old was terrified by Peter Rabbit at a B&Q. Peter Rabbit is six inches high, not seven feet high."

And obviously it doesn't take a great leap of the imagination to suppose that children in hospitals, away from home, in an unfamiliar environment and worried about their health or elements of the treatment, may be more nervous than usual.

"Being away from home or away from a carer makes children more susceptible to fears," Prof Salkovskis says.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7191721.stm

I'm not afraid of clowns but I remember taking my son to a circus when he was young. A clown said "hello" and my son burst into tears, the clown walked off muttering a string of obscenities about f*cking kids, etc...., all within earshot of a lot of families.

Childrens entertainers no wonder kids are scared of them.

maybe the kids have heard of this guy.....

link

[Jenn! 918]

To me, clowns aren’t funny. In fact, they’re kinda scary. I’ve wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my dad.

- Jack Handy

[Amby 490]

I'm not scaredof clowns but I have a friend who is terrified

[Nessa 23]

that's crazy talk. must be an american thing to be scared of clowns.

[pedroh 21]

that's crazy talk. must be an american thing to be scared of clowns.

lol

[sarah and hicham 3]

To me, clowns aren’t funny. In fact, they’re kinda scary. I’ve wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my dad.

- Jack Handy

Ahhh! I was going to post that! Love it.

[Sister Fracas 5]

nope, not scared, but I never found them particularly funny either.

Oh, and since the survey was done in Britain, it must be a British thang too...

[Aymerlu 3]

I freaking HATE clowns! They scare the hell outta me! I think it all started when I watch that Steven King movie, IT

[almaty 19]

never a clown fan either..thought they looked alien ( waiitng for a illegal comment or two)

[Nizzy 1]

Anyone heard of the movie "It"? Also, when I was growing up there was a rumor about a man dressing up as a clown to lure kids. I am still scared of any grown person with heavy make up on...

Edited January 16, 2008 by Nizzy

[almaty 19]

john wayne gacy

[Ban Hammer 12,899]

I am still scared of any grown person with heavy make up on...

good point

[Nessa 23]

I freaking HATE clowns! They scare the hell outta me! I think it all started when I watch that Steven King movie, IT

I used to love that movie when I was a kid.

[Ban Hammer 12,899]

john wayne gacy

covered in post 2 of this thread.