The Clown Response

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Steffen

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2015
2,233
12,800
So uhh, clowns got feelings too.

Just out of curiosity, is there anyone on the Forum who is, or knows a member of, this profession? I'm wondering what the reaction to the whole coulrophobia thing is, especially in light of the random sightings that took place last year (my personal take on that is it was some sort of viral marketing that went really bad, because if it genuinely was the work of pranksters, those morons deserve to get their tails kicked).

Just to give a little context to my question: I live in the Caribbean and while we do have clowns at parties and similar events, this whole picking-on-clowns thing isn't a big deal over here. If anything, Stephen King's book actually made clowns more popular rather than less. Just wondering what the general feeling is out there, and whether people's perception of the scary-clown stereotype has been influenced in any way by pop culture phenomenon like King's work.


https://melmagazine.com/professional-clowns-are-all-kinds-of-pissed-about-the-it-remake-d1c6a034fef9
 

fushingfeef

Finally Uber!
Aug 14, 2009
10,194
21,965
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
I don't know any pro clowns. I do know that media tends to focus on how any "new" thing has a negative impact on an existing establishment. Makes sense because most people like to complain about changes, and the media caters to that and reinforces it.

But really, the notion of a scary clown isn't anything really new anyway. The reason many people find scary clowns to be scary is that so many people found conventional clowns scary to begin with. Anyone covering their face usually makes us uncomfortable because humans use facial expressions as an important form of communication.

I don't doubt that some conventional clowns are negatively impacted by this stuff, but I'm guessing that some of the more business savvy clowns are going to re-invent themselves and move forward. Look how Cirque de Soleil reinvented the tired old tropes of the three ring circus.
 

Tery

Say hello to my fishy buddy
Moderator
Apr 12, 2006
15,304
44,712
Bremerton, Washington, United States
Just out of curiosity, is there anyone on the Forum who is, or knows a member of, this profession?

My mother worked as a clown for several years when I was a child. She is registered in the Clown "union," her name (Perky) and make-up being "copyrighted." She was on TV in Las Vegas, acting as a hostess for charity events. She hung up her costume and put away her make-up when she went to work when I entered 7th grade (1970).

She became a clown because she and her sisters had worked with Chucko the Clown in the SoCa area when they were in their late teens. They would help him with his act, hand out prizes and such. Chucko was a pretty big deal in SoCa for a few years. Charles M. Runyon retired to Oregon and passed away in 2008.

Here's a pic of Chucko:

Chucko.jpg


My Mom's suit was very similar only in blue.
 

Blake

Deleted User
Feb 18, 2013
4,191
17,479
I liked Terry's post and Steffen's. I think that people sometimes are a bit too touchy. It's just a movie. The Circus business is dying out because younger people have more things to do like play with their playstations all day. There's groups who think that having animals in Circus conditions is cruel. I don't like clowns much but I've been to the circus last year. I don't think you could be a clown as a full-time job, more like making a bit extra money at parties and stuff, except if your the full-time clown at a travelling circus. The trailer for the It movie looks good.
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
195,472
79
Just north of Duma Key
My mother worked as a clown for several years when I was a child. She is registered in the Clown "union," her name (Perky) and make-up being "copyrighted." She was on TV in Las Vegas, acting as a hostess for charity events. She hung up her costume and put away her make-up when she went to work when I entered 7th grade (1970).

She became a clown because she and her sisters had worked with Chucko the Clown in the SoCa area when they were in their late teens. They would help him with his act, hand out prizes and such. Chucko was a pretty big deal in SoCa for a few years. Charles M. Runyon retired to Oregon and passed away in 2008.

Here's a pic of Chucko:

Chucko.jpg


My Mom's suit was very similar only in blue.
Thank you for sharing. I alway enjoyed clowns as a child. Good memories there.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Clowns protesting this new movie get an "Oh just shut up" from me. The book is decades old, and there's already been a well-known (if pretty bad) movie based on the book. Marketing.

On the question of clowns: I never have liked them, but I used to dress up as a clown for base events when my dad was in charge. Go figure, right? lol
 

swiftdog2.0

I tell you one and one makes three...
Mar 16, 2010
7,095
35,344
Macroverse
So uhh, clowns got feelings too.

Just out of curiosity, is there anyone on the Forum who is, or knows a member of, this profession? I'm wondering what the reaction to the whole coulrophobia thing is, especially in light of the random sightings that took place last year (my personal take on that is it was some sort of viral marketing that went really bad, because if it genuinely was the work of pranksters, those morons deserve to get their tails kicked).

Just to give a little context to my question: I live in the Caribbean and while we do have clowns at parties and similar events, this whole picking-on-clowns thing isn't a big deal over here. If anything, Stephen King's book actually made clowns more popular rather than less. Just wondering what the general feeling is out there, and whether people's perception of the scary-clown stereotype has been influenced in any way by pop culture phenomenon like King's work.


https://melmagazine.com/professional-clowns-are-all-kinds-of-pissed-about-the-it-remake-d1c6a034fef9

Who cares what a bunch of clowns think?! They're clowns!

:)

(I'm kidding of course)
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
My mother worked as a clown for several years when I was a child. She is registered in the Clown "union," her name (Perky) and make-up being "copyrighted." She was on TV in Las Vegas, acting as a hostess for charity events. She hung up her costume and put away her make-up when she went to work when I entered 7th grade (1970).

She became a clown because she and her sisters had worked with Chucko the Clown in the SoCa area when they were in their late teens. They would help him with his act, hand out prizes and such. Chucko was a pretty big deal in SoCa for a few years. Charles M. Runyon retired to Oregon and passed away in 2008.

Here's a pic of Chucko:

Chucko.jpg


My Mom's suit was very similar only in blue.
....great reminisce Tery, and I'm envious......