Evil clown

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Coulrophobia
)
For the landmark outdoor sign in New Jersey, see Evil Clown of Middletown.
"Killer clown" redirects here. For the serial killer known by that nickname, see John Wayne Gacy. For the wrestler, see Los Psycho Circus. For the 1988 film, see Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

PDC 2008 party at Universal Studios

The evil clown', also known as the creepy clown, scary clown or killer clown (if their character revolves around

dark humor. The modern archetype of the evil clown was popularized by the DC Comics supervillain Joker starting in 1940, and again in 1980s by Pennywise from Stephen King's It. The character can be seen as playing on the sense of unease felt by sufferers of coulrophobia, the fear
of clowns.

Origins

Enrico Caruso as the murderous Canio in Pagliacci

The modern archetype of the evil clown has unclear origins; the stock character appeared infrequently during the 19th century, in such works as

University of Missouri-Rolla, to draw upon an earlier incident "at a masquerade ball", in the 14th century, during which "the King and his frivolous party, costumed—in highly flammable materials—as simian creatures, were ignited by a flambeau and incinerated, the King narrowly escaping in the actual case."[2] Evil clowns also occupied a small niche in drama, appearing in the 1874 work La femme de Tabarin by Catulle Mendès and in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (accused of being a plagiarism of Mendès' piece), both works featuring murderous clowns as central characters.[3][4]
American serial killer and rapist John Wayne Gacy became known as the Killer Clown when arrested in 1978, after it was discovered he had performed as Pogo the Clown at children's parties and other events; however, Gacy did not actually commit his crimes while wearing his clown costume.[5] During the 1980s, the National Lampoon published a series of mock comic books in the pages of the magazine, entitled "Evil Clown", which featured a malevolent character named Frenchy the Clown.

Evil clown themes were occasionally found in popular music. Zal Cleminson, guitarist with the English rock band The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, wore black and white clown-style makeup and colorful clothes while on stage during the band's 1970s heyday, while his "happy-sad-happy" demeanor helped give their performances an edge of menace.[6]

The evil clown archetype plays strongly off the sense of dislike it caused to inherent elements of coulrophobia; however, it has been suggested by Joseph Durwin[7] that the concept of evil clowns has an independent position in popular culture, arguing that "the concept of evil clowns and the widespread hostility it induces is a cultural phenomenon which transcends just the phobia alone". A study by the University of Sheffield concluded "that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable."[8][9] This may be because of the nature of clowns' makeup hiding their faces, making them potential threats in disguise; as a psychology professor at California State University, Northridge stated, young children are "very reactive to a familiar body type with an unfamiliar face".[10] This natural dislike of clowns makes them effective in a literary or fictional context, as the antagonistic threat perceived in clowns is desirable in a villainous character.

Researcher

Ben Radford, who published Bad Clowns[11] in 2016 and is regarded as an expert on the phenomenon,[12] writes that looking throughout history clowns are seen as tricksters, fools, and more; however, they always are in control, speak their minds, and can get away with doing so. When writing the book Bad Clowns, Radford found that professional clowns are not generally fond of the bad-clown (or evil-clown) persona. They see them as "the rotten apple in the barrel, whose ugly sight and smell casts suspicion on the rest of them," and do not wish to encourage or propagate coulrophobia. Yet, as Radford discovered, bad clowns have existed throughout history: Harlequin, the King's fool, and Mr. Punch. Radford argues that bad clowns have the "ability to change with the times" and that modern bad clowns have evolved into Internet trolls. They may not wear clown costume but, nevertheless, engage with people for their own amusement, abuse, tease and speak what they think of as the "truth" much like the court jester and "dip clowns" do using "human foibles" against their victims. Radford states that, although bad clowns permeate the media in movies, TV, music, comics, and more, the "good clowns" outnumber the bad ones. Research shows that most people do not fear clowns but actually love them and that bad clowns are "the exception, not the rule."[11]

Interpretations

"Fear of clowns" redirects here. For the 2004 film, see Fear of Clowns.
A man in evil clown costume in 2007

The concept of the evil clown is related to the irrational fear of clowns, known as coulrophobia, a neologism coined in the context of informal "-phobia lists".[13]

The cultural critic

postmodern archetype of the evil clown in "Cotton Candy Autopsy: Deconstructing Psycho-Killer Clowns" (a chapter in his cultural critique The Pyrotechnic Insanitarium: American Culture on the Brink).[14]

Tracking the image of the demented or deviant clown across popular culture, Dery analyzes the "Pogo the Clown" persona of the serial killer John Wayne Gacy; the obscene clowns of the neo-situationist Cacophony Society; the Joker (of Batman fame); the grotesque art of R.K. Sloane; the sick-funny Bobcat Goldthwait comedy Shakes the Clown; Scooby-Doo's Ghost Clown from the episode "Bedlam in the Big Top"; Horny the Clown in the 2007 horror-comedy movie Drive-Thru, and Pennywise from Stephen King's It.

The evil from the 1986 novel by Stephen King takes sometimes the form of a clown.

Using

psychopaths at many American haunted houses
.

Wolfgang M. Zucker points out the similarities between a clown's appearance and the cultural depictions of demons and other infernal creatures, noting "[the clown's] chalk-white face in which the eyes almost disappear, while the mouth is enlarged to a ghoulish bigness, looks like the mask of death".[15]

According to psychology professor Joseph Durwin at

anti-social behavior) which can create feelings of unease.[17]

A 2022 survey of 987 adults from 64 countries found that 54% of respondents reported experiencing some degree of coulrophobia.[18]

Urban legends and incidents

The clown sightings

See also: 2016 clown sightings

The related

Satanic ritual abuse.[20] It also shows similarities to the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.[21] In most cases the reports were made by children, and no adults or police officers were able to confirm the sightings.[20]

In 2013, a character who became known as "the Northampton Clown" was repeatedly sighted standing silently around the English town. The work of three local filmmakers, Alex Powell, Elliot Simpson and Luke Ubanski, the Northampton clown was similar in appearance to Pennywise from Stephen King's It.[23] Although rumors said that the clown may have a knife, the clown himself denied these rumors through social media.[24] In March 2014, Matteo Moroni from Perugia, Italy, owner of YouTube channel DM Pranks, began dressing up as a killer clown and terrifying unsuspecting passers-by, with his videos racking up hundreds of millions of views.[25] In 2014, further complaints of evil clown pranksters were reported in France, the United States and Germany, possibly inspired by American Horror Story: Freak Show.[26]

In 2014, "the Wasco clown" attracted social media attention in California. Again this clown shared a similar resemblance to Pennywise, and it was revealed that the social media postings were part of a year-long photography project conducted by the artist's wife.[27] In Bakersfield, California "menacing" clowns were reported, some with weapons.[28] In July 2015, a "creepy" clown was seen around a local cemetery in Chicago and terrorizing anyone in the graveyard.[29]

There was another burst of such sightings in 2016, including in South Carolina and New York.[30][31]

Researcher

Ben Radford writes that there have been many surges of evil clown sightings reported, Radford says it is most likely pranksters. The urban legends and panic can cause real danger as "face-painted pranksters and innocent bystanders may be at risk" by interaction of well-intended public or police thinking a threat exists when it does not.[32]

Response to evil clowns in media

In 2014, Clowns of America International responded to the depiction of Twisty on American Horror Story, and evil clowns in media generally. President Glenn Kohlberger said, "Hollywood makes money sensationalizing the norm. They can take any situation no matter how good or pure and turn it into a nightmare. ... We do not support in any way, shape or form any medium that sensationalizes or adds to coulrophobia or 'clown fear.'"[33]

Depictions

See also: Category:Horror films about clowns

The Joker character in the Batman franchise was introduced in 1940 and has developed into one of the most recognizable and iconic fictional characters in popular culture, leading Wizard magazine's "100 Greatest Villains of All Time" ranking in 2006.[34] The contemporary "evil clown" archetype developed in the 1980s, notably popularized by Pennywise from Stephen King's It, and perhaps influenced by John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer dubbed the Killer Clown in 1978. Killer Klowns from Outer Space is a 1988 horror comedy dedicated to the topic.[35] Although Krusty the Clown, a cartoon character introduced 1989 in the animated sitcom The Simpsons, is a comical, non-scary clown, the character reveals darker aspects in his personality. In The Simpsons episode "Lisa's First Word" (1992), children's fear of clowns features in the form of a very young Bart being traumatized by an inexpertly built Krusty the Clown themed bed, repeatedly uttering the phrase "can't sleep, clown will eat me...." The phrase inspired an Alice Cooper song in the album Dragontown (2001)[36] and became a popular catchphrase.[37] Evil clowns are also mentioned in a popular song by P!nk.[38]

The American rap duo Insane Clown Posse have exploited this theme since 1989 and have inspired Twiztid and similar acts, many on Psychopathic Records, to do likewise. Websites dedicated to evil clowns and the fear of clowns appeared in the late 1990s.[39]

  • Scary clown in Hallween Tumble 2012
    Scary clown in Hallween Tumble 2012
  • Zombie clown at World Zombie Day, London 2011.
    Zombie clown at World Zombie Day, London 2011.
  • Creepy clown with umbrella
    Creepy clown with umbrella
  • Evil clown Santa Claus
    Evil clown Santa Claus
  • Halloween Evil Clown, 1999
    Halloween Evil Clown, 1999
  • Scary clown at New Orleans, 1999
    Scary clown at New Orleans, 1999
  • Scott Suloff as BonJo the Clown at Wizard World Philadelphia 2013
    Scott Suloff as BonJo the Clown at Wizard World Philadelphia 2013
  • Scary clown makeup
    Scary clown makeup
  • Evil clown in hallway, at 'Doc Wilkes House of Horrors' in Longview, Texas
    Evil clown in hallway, at 'Doc Wilkes House of Horrors' in Longview, Texas
  • Killer clown in New York Comic Con 2022
    Killer clown in New York Comic Con 2022
  • Evil clown in New Orleans
    Evil clown in New Orleans
  • Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
    Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
  • Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
    Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
  • Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
    Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
  • Puddles The Clown
    Puddles The Clown
  • Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
    Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
  • Evil clown in Halloween in Austin, Texas, 2016
    Evil clown in Halloween in Austin, Texas, 2016
  • Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
    Evil clown in Montreal Zombie Walk 2015
  • Evil clown in a 'freezer' scare at Doc Wilkes House of Horrors in Longview, Texas
    Evil clown in a 'freezer' scare at Doc Wilkes House of Horrors in Longview, Texas
  • Clown in window 2008
    Clown in window 2008
  • Creepo The Clown
    Creepo The Clown
  • Evil clown in Bloody Week-End 2014
    Evil clown in Bloody Week-End 2014
  • A cosplayer in Pennywise (miniseries) costume at the 2013 Wizard World Chicago
    A cosplayer in Pennywise (miniseries) costume at the 2013 Wizard World Chicago
  • A cosplayer in Pennywise costume at the Japan Expo 2019
    A cosplayer in Pennywise costume at the Japan Expo 2019
  • A man dressed as evil clown at Myth Festival, held at the Santa Alegría Sports Center
    A man dressed as evil clown at Myth Festival, held at the Santa Alegría Sports Center
  • Evil clown in 2015 Richmond Zombie Walk Time Lapse Stills
    Evil clown in 2015 Richmond Zombie Walk Time Lapse Stills

See also

References

  1. ^ Poe, Edgar Allan, "Hop-Frog" (1849)
  2. ISBN 978-0809324712
    .
  3. ^ Mendès, Catulle (1904). La femme de Tabarin: Tragi-parade. Librairie Charpentier et Fasquelle. pp. 1–34.
  4. ISBN 978-0-8108-5880-0
    .
  5. OCLC 156783287
    .
  6. ISBN 9781351266628
  7. ISSN 1538-9030
    . Article 4. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Health | Hospital clown images 'too scary'". BBC News. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  9. ^ Rohrer, Finlo (16 January 2008). "Why are clowns scary?". BBC News.
  10. ^ a b Durwin, Joseph. "Coulrophobia & The Trickster". Trinity.edu. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  11. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8263-5666-6
    .
  12. Shone, Colton. "Recent scary clown trend nothing new, expert said". KOB 4. Archived from the original
    on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  13. Online Etymology Dictionary
    .) with the caveat that it "looks suspiciously like the sort of thing idle pseudo-intellectuals invent on the Internet and which every smarty-pants takes up thereafter". The prefix coulro- is "said to be built from Greek kolon 'limb,' with some supposed sense of 'stilt-walker,' hence 'clown'" (i.e. Greek κωλοβαθριστής kolobathristes "stilt-walker"). Probably coined no earlier than the late 1980s but no later than the 1990s, the term "has been coined more on the Internet than in printed form because it does not appear in any previously published, psychiatric, unabridged, or abridged dictionary." (Robertson 2003:62) The Oxford Dictionary of English adopted the term in 2010, also deriving it from kolobatheron "stilt" (Stevenson, Angus, ed. (2010), "coulrophobia noun",     Oxford Dictionary of English (online ed.), Oxford University Press,
    ISBN 978-0-19-957112-3
    , retrieved 14 March 2011)
  14. ISBN 0-8021-3670-2
    .
  15. doi:10.1177/004057366702400306
    . Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  16. ^ Hanna, Rania (27 May 2018). "Exploring the Uncanny Valley » Brain World". Brain World. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Fear of Clowns: Yes, It's Real". npr.org. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  18. ^ Heingartner, Douglas (2 February 2023). "New Study Into Coulrophobia (the Fear Of Clowns) Suggests Its Main Causes Are Unpredictability And Media Exposure". Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  19. ^
    ISBN 9780393323580
    .
  20. ^
    ISBN 9780786486717
    .
  21. ^ a b Brunvand, Jan Harold (9 August 1991). "SOMEONE KEEPS SENDING IN THE PHANTOM CLOWNS". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  22. ^ "'Palhaço da Kombi' aterrorizou crianças e adultos nos anos 90". Portal do Holanda (in Brazilian Portuguese). 13 May 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  23. ^ Simpson, Connor (16 October 2013). "Northampton Solves the Mystery of The Creepy Clown". The Atlantic. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  24. ^ Squires, John (18 September 2013). "Real Life Evil Clown Terrorizing Town in England!". Dread Central.
  25. ^ "Why I am a 'killer clown'". BBC. 25 October 2016.
  26. ^ Howard, Michael (27 October 2014). "France Joins The Creepy Clown Hysteria". Esquire. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  27. ^ "Wasco Clown: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. 13 October 2014.
  28. ^ "Menacing clowns in Bakersfield prompt calls to police, one arrest". Los Angeles Times. 10 October 2014.
  29. ^ "SEE IT: Creepy Chicago clown scales cemetery gate, eerily waves". NY Daily News. 27 July 2015.
  30. ^ Teague, Matthew (8 October 2016). "Clown sightings: the day the craze began". The Guardian.
  31. ^ "'Creepy clown' epidemic comes to Upstate NY, several sightings reported". newyorkupstate.com. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  32. Radford, Ben
    (2017). "Return of the Phantom Clowns". Skeptical Inquirer. 41 (1). Committee for Skeptical Inquirer: 8–9.
  33. ^ Abramovitch, Sam (15 October 2014). "Professional Clown Club Attacks 'American Horror Story' Over Murderous Character". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Greatest Villains". Wizard. 1 (177). July 2006.
  35. ^ Bitel, Anton (12 October 2016). "How genre cinema fuelled our collective fear of killer clowns". Little White Lies. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  36. Atlanta Journal-Constitution
    . 15 February 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  37. ^ Rohrer, Finlo (16 January 2008). "Why are clowns scary?". BBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  38. ^ "P!nk – Funhouse".
  39. Dallas Morning News
    . Coulrophobia has spread to the Web, where sufferers can vent on sites such as ihateclowns.com and clownz.com.
  40. ^ Newsstand on-sale date 25 April 1940 per: "The first ad for Batman #1". DC Comics. Archived from the original on 19 October 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2006.
  41. ^ Daniel Phillips (8 December 2008). "Why So Serious?: The Many Looks of Joker". IGN.com. IGN. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  42. ^ Aayush Gupta (11 October 2015). "3 Things Which Make the Clown Prince of Crime Tremble With Fear!". Moviepilot. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  43. ^ Spencer Perry (28 April 2017). "Injustice 2 Joker Trailer Shows Off the Clown Prince of Crime". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  44. Yahoo! Movies
    . Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  45. ^ Andrew Shuster (2 April 2015). "'Poltergeist' 2015 New Trailer: Possessed Clowns Attack In Horror Movie Remake [WATCH]". Fashion & Style. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  46. ^ Sabienna Bowman (24 May 2015). "8 'Poltergeist' Scenes From the Original Film That Will Make You Wonder How It Received A PG Rating". Bustle. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  47. ISBN 0-451-16951-4
    .
  48. ^ Jonathan Barkan (29 March 2017). "Tim Curry Describes Finding the Right Look for Pennywise". Dread Central. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  49. ^ David Opie (14 March 2017). "Bill Skarsgård "Freaked Out" The Young Cast of Stephen King's 'It' — Will His Pennywise Be Scarier Than Tim Curry's?". Moviepilot. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  50. ^ Liz Calvario (29 March 2017). "'It' Teaser Trailer: Pennywise Creeps Back into Our Lives". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  51. ^ "Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)". Rotten Tomatoes. 27 May 1988. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  52. ^ John Squires (18 October 2016). "Stephen Chiodo Explains 'Killer Klowns from Outer Space' Trilogy Plans". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  53. ^ "Clownhouse (1989)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  54. ^ "Doink the Clown". WWE.com. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  55. ^ "The Top 100 Comic Book Villains". IGN.com. IGN. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  56. ^ "25 Coolest Videogame Characters". Entertainment Weekly. 5 May 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  57. ^ "HHN". Horror Night Nightmares. Archived from the original on 11 July 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  58. ^ Dewayne Bevil (19 May 2015). "Universal: Jack is back for Halloween Horror Nights". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  59. ^ John MacLauchlan (19 May 2015). ""Jack" Is Back at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights". miami.cbslocal.com. CBS Miami. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  60. ^ "BBC - Psychoville - Characters: Mr Jelly, played by Reece Shearsmith". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  61. ^ "Killjoy (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes. 4 October 2005. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  62. ^ Scott Foy (16 September 2012). "Scary or Die (2012)". Dread Central. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  63. ^ Gareth Jones (30 August 2012). "Stitches (2012)". Dread Central. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  64. ^ Jonathan Barkan (8 November 2016). "'Terrifier' Trailer Brings the Return of Art the Clown! (Exclusive)". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  65. ^ Stacy Lambe (29 October 2014). "Who Is Twisty the Clown? Get To Know the Creepiest Villain of American Horror Story: Freak Show". VH1. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  66. ^ "The Midnight Horror Show". IMDb. 25 March 2015.
  67. ^ Brian Tallerico (17 June 2016). "Clown Movie Review & Film Summary (2016)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  68. ^ Michael Gingold (16 June 2016). "Director Jon Watts: How CLOWN Went from Fake Eli Roth Trailer to Real Eli Roth Production". Blumhouse.com. Blumhouse Productions. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  69. ^ Amanda N'Duka (31 May 2017). "Tommy V Nabs Clown Epidemic Thriller 'Behind The Sightings'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  70. ^ John Squires (31 May 2017). "Scary Clown Film 'Behind The Sightings' is Ripped from the Headlines". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  71. ^ Jonathan Barkan (31 May 2017). "Clown Sightings-Based Horror Film Behind the Sightings Acquired by Tommy V Films". Dread Central. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Evil_clown&oldid=1286201475#Interpretations"