I
didn't develop strong opinions about clowns until I was
in college. I saw Wavy Gravy in the famous Woodstock film.
He didn't wear greasepaint, but he had a kazoo and was
harassing these poor acidheads, I'm sure doing irreparable
psychological damage. It was then at that moment when
all the memories of my early youth, when fun was thrust
in my face, came boiling to the surface.
Of everyone I've met who clowned for a living, all have
been more defensive than comic book collectors. One women
I met claimed that to know her, I had to know her clown
persona, it was a truly scary, Hitchcockian split personality
experience. Even if you don't find clowns scary, they
are at the very least insulting, and the lowest in low
brow entertainment. No one over the age of two should
find them entertaining. I saw Killer Klowns, Shakes the
Clown, and was awakened to the true nature of their ways.
Federico Fellini did a late sixties tv special for European
television, called appropriately, "Clowns," in which,
he describes a childhood experience of the clowns reminding
him of large buffoonish characters, noisy and intimidating,
not a happy memory.
I think the appropriate punishment for a clown is to flattened
by one of their props. My mom hung pictures of them in
my bedroom, she thought them to be nostalgic and enduring.
I found them mocking and insulting.
Smash them with a giant striped hammer,
-Jim
What
a relief it is to find other's with the same fear of clowns
that I have had all my life.My fear didn't start from
a movie or anything, it was just that I always thought
these things were monsters.How could people possibly laugh
at these hideous beasts? My worst clown experience came
just a few short years ago( I am now 32), I really had
no choice but to take my two young sons to Ringling Bros.
circus, even though I detested the idea of going. Everything
was ok until the part comes when the head clown went to
do his routine....The main part of his act is that he
randomly selects several people from the audience to participate
with him.As he selected many from the other side of the
arena, I felt very safe...then he turned around and headed
our way.My heart was beating rapidly as I realized that
his eyes were locked with mine.I remember thinking" 10,000
people here and he has to come for me". Mind you, there
was no way I was going anywhere with this clown...if I
had to physically defend myself, then so be it...Sweat
poured down my face as he came closer.Suddenly, I was
face to face with IT, THE POLTERGEIST DOLL, and the KILLER
CLOWNS all rolled into one.He must have seen the fear
and determination in my eyes as he selected the man sitting
directly in front of me.Needless to say, I have never
gone back again. From then on, my wife has taken the boys
to the circus instead of me.Thanks for listening...
-Roger
G. -Colonial Heights, VA
Clowns.
Evil, grinning, overly happy, disgusting, acid inspired
freaks of nature. I too grew up with the likes of Pennywise,
the Poltergeist clown and The Killer Klowns, and I believe
my adult life has suffered for their acquaintance. Recently,
I was working in the Peadiatrics Ward of our local hospital,
and low and behold, who should show up to cheer up all
the sick kids???? That's right, an entire pack of clowns!!
Needless to say, I turned as white as the bedpans and
had to leave the room, not to mention the ward as quickly
as possible. Why do they feel it is their lifes mission
to place smiles (or induce hysteria) on the faces of people
around the world.
The clown that most inspired me to see the demons behind
the paint, was Pennywise, the infamous Stephan King "IT"
clown. What an evil beast that thing was. Another one,
that I did not see mentioned in any of the other letters,
was the clown with the long arms that strangled people,
on the 80's movie, GOULIES. That one scared the bejesus
out of me when I was a kid.
-Lori
A. Ontario, Canada
How
wonderful to find all of you! I thought I had a problem
that was uncommon in this "enlightened" day, but now I
realize that I'm not alone... Misery loves company, you
understand. I have always been irrationally afraid of
clowns. I was once taken to a circus when I was a child,
and almost had to go into the ring with one. (It was some
sort of promotional thing). Needless to say, when I refused,
my mother was shocked, not understanding that I would
most likely die of fright if I had to take the hand being
held out to me. A big, red-gloved, long fingered hand...
Ah, I remember it well... Years passed and I became an
adult (supposedly much more mature and rational), when
I got a job at a computer firm. Imagine my dismay when
I found out that a co-worker moonlighted as a clown!!!!
He was the most mean-spirited, sourpuss of a man. Always
grumbling and putting people down. This just re-enforced
my theory - Clowns are here to destroy human-kind by starting
with the children. I am convinced that it's all subliminal.
They look kind (to some, excluded me!), but watch out!
Who knows what lies behind the make-up!
-Melissa
My
story is one not actually involving a physical encounter,
but an encounter that leaves a horrible image in the mind.
I was driving in the back woods of the rural mountains
of North Carolina (what I was actually doing there is
another story) alone when I came upon a sight which left
plenty to my imagination. The road was next to a stream
and I was enjoying the sights at dusk when lo and behold
on the other side of the stream stood an obscure and tattered
billboard. On the billboard written in a bizarre and sinister
font was one word: "Clowns." Next to the word was an arrow
pointing to a little dirt road probably leading to some
evil clown camp on the bank of the stream. Needless to
say, I floored it out of there never looking back, but
I can only imagine the horrors that were lurking there
streamside. What in the world was going on there and what
twisted individual painted that sign?
-Brad
I
live in Sydney, Australia, and there's this clown in Manly
(a seaside suburb, popular on weekends). Ooooh, he's a
horrible looking prick. He's got these big hairy animal
feet on and a big red nose on his hundred year old head,
and these big, baggy pants that look like they were made
by hand, in the dark. That's the worst thing about him...
he's so shabby, he's not a even a professional looking
freak, he just rolls out every weekend to live out his
evil, slavering fantasies surrounded by children (who
I must say have the good sense to stay about a hundred
metres from the lecherous old bastard.)
-Pete
I
grew up in Boston in the 80's and i've got to say, that
was a heinous place to be if you don't like clowns. During
that time, there were several strange and scary men driving
unmarked black vans around Boston neighborhoods. I remember
standing on the corner by my house with a group of other
little 4-7 year olds and the clown stopped his van and
came out. He had lollipops in one hand and he leaned over
and reached out his other hand and said, "Come 'ere."
We were all pretty chill, 'til my older sister shouted,
"WAIT! The Clown!!" and that clicked hard and we all booked
into the house, insisting that our mom lock every door
and window. Simultaneous to my sister's scream was the
sound of the cop sirens and that ugly man with that heinous
multicolored wig booked too. He/They were very active
in my town. I remember also being evacuated from the playground
on 2 different occasion b/c the cops were again on the
chase. I also have a friend who lives behind a school
and said that, as a kid, she saw him running around the
schoolyard with a large knife. Anyway, our parents completely
deny that this weirdo ever existed. We know he did, tho'.
Even my child's creativity could not account for that
crazy sense of fashion he had. Clowns are yucky :(
-MG
When
I was 8, my mom took me to the circus. all through the
show, I knew the clowns were eventually going to come
up, and I dreaded it. y back started to sweat just thinking
about it. Well, they came out, and I swear, all through
the show, this one clown kept looking at me. He even pointed
once. He looked just like Pennywise. The suit with the
little puffballs, the lips...AAAUUUGGGHHH! Anyway, I had
to go to the bathroom, so my mom walked me to the door,
and reluctantly , I went in. I was in the stall when I
heard the door to the bathroom open, then shut. I heard
footsteps, HUGE footsteps on the floor. i slowly looked
under the door. That's when I say the two big red feet.
I screamed. I screamed loud. My mom ran in and got me,
and on the way out, I looked back, and the bastard smiled.
No, he grinned, a horrible, evil grin. And then he waved
his slow "I almost had you" wave.
-Ryan
Yes
!!! Clowns are definitely one of the most scary things
on earth. I couldn't even bring myself to read through
all the stories you have posted. My first experience with
a clown was in a book store when i was about 7. I was
happily reading Tintin when i hear the news that there
is a clown lurking in the store - going around shaking
people's hands. I really got scared when I caught a glimpse
of this 'monster'. Weird red curly hair with white make
up and... you know... Urggggg...spent the rest of my time
trying to run away from the clown!! And the next few weeks
fearing that there was a clown waiting for me downstairs.
I noticed that in some of your postings, people get this
fear after watching a movie. But i think clowns are by
nature very scary things. No associations needed. The
size of the nose, the makeup, the lips, the hair, the
smile - grief...To a kid - it is what a monster looks
like.
Just
my opinion
-Ann Keong
How
wonderful to find people with the proper mindset about
clowns. Ever since I was 5 and had my first clown experience,
have I known their true intentions. From the moment I
saw them enter the center ring at Madison Square Garden(Barnum&Bailey's
circus), I knew their was something suspicious about them.
No sooner had the show ended and my mother and I began
exiting the arena, hand in hand into the empty hallway,
that I saw him. There he stood watching, waiting for me.
The tallest, ugliest, demon clown ever. He approached
me with a vile grimace on his face and took my hand. I
started screaming at the top of my lungs, which startled
my mother, who picked me up and began too walk briskly
away from the clown. As she carried me away, I could see
him over her shoulder, he waved goodbye in a slow, deliberate,
ominous motion. He knew that I could see his past his
facade and into his true (EVIL) nature. Ever since then
I have been wary of all clowns. Toys and human alike,
just like the ones in the "Killer Klowns", "Poltergeist"
and "It" stories(I would also like to mention one other
movie that I have viewed on cable numerous times but the
name eludes me. It's about three escaped lunatics that
dress up as clowns and terrorize a house in the woods
occupied by three young boys while their parents are out
for the night). Anyways, I have always said that if I
ever find myself walking in the woods, in the middle of
the night, and a ax-wielding maniac begins to stalk me
I could handle it, but if it were an evil clown baring
gifts, I would probably die of fear on the spot. Keep
up the good work, I love this page.
-Gerry
