Monster Clown: Difference between revisions

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{{quote|''"What's the matter kid, don't you like clowns? Why? Don't we make ya laugh? Aren't we fuckin' funny? You best come up with an answer, cause I'm gonna come back here and check on you and your mama, and if you ain't got a reason why you hate clowns, ''I'm gonna kill your whole fuckin' family.''"''|'''Captain Spaulding''', ''[[The Devils Rejects (Film)|The Devils Rejects]]''}}
{{quote|''"What's the matter kid, don't you like clowns? Why? Don't we make ya laugh? Aren't we fuckin' funny? You best come up with an answer, cause I'm gonna come back here and check on you and your mama, and if you ain't got a reason why you hate clowns, ''I'm gonna kill your whole fuckin' family.''"''|'''Captain Spaulding''', ''[[The Devils Rejects (Film)|The Devils Rejects]]''}}


Clowns are ''supposed'' to be funny. They're supposed to make everyone laugh, especially children. This is the entire point of their existence. Sometimes they succeed. But for some people, clowns awaken [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulrophobia some primal fear]. There are children who won't go near a clown without screaming.
Clowns are ''supposed'' to be funny. They're supposed to make everyone laugh, especially children. This is the entire point of their existence. Sometimes they succeed. But for some people, clowns awaken [[wikipedia:Coulrophobia|some primal fear]]. There are children who won't go near a clown without screaming.


Their face is... [[Uncanny Valley|fake, corpse-like,]] most often the makeup they use [[Uncanny Valley Makeup|does NOT help]], the emotions aren't real, the smile is just painted on. The outfit and big shoes are downright grotesque. There's something seriously wrong with a clown to some people, and this resonates deep within the part of us that still believes that there is a [[Things That Go Bump in The Night|monster in the closet]], that will get out if you don't keep the door closed.
Their face is... [[Uncanny Valley|fake, corpse-like,]] most often the makeup they use [[Uncanny Valley Makeup|does NOT help]], the emotions aren't real, the smile is just painted on. The outfit and big shoes are downright grotesque. There's something seriously wrong with a clown to some people, and this resonates deep within the part of us that still believes that there is a [[Things That Go Bump in The Night|monster in the closet]], that will get out if you don't keep the door closed.
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Real world clowns ''clown'': while clowning is intended to be funny, it can be received as ritualised (self) humiliation, and make modern audiences quite sick to the stomach.
Real world clowns ''clown'': while clowning is intended to be funny, it can be received as ritualised (self) humiliation, and make modern audiences quite sick to the stomach.


That [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne_Gacy John Wayne Gacy], one of the most famous serial killers in the United States, worked part-time as a clown doesn't really help their case. You don't want ''your'' kids around the [[Monster Clown]], but the character's parents seem oblivious to their kid's fears. The AP [[Critical Research Failure|once used a stock photo of Gacy for National Clown day]].
That [[wikipedia:John Wayne Gacy|John Wayne Gacy]], one of the most famous serial killers in the United States, worked part-time as a clown doesn't really help their case. You don't want ''your'' kids around the [[Monster Clown]], but the character's parents seem oblivious to their kid's fears. The AP [[Critical Research Failure|once used a stock photo of Gacy for National Clown day]].


A 2007 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7189401.stm University of Sheffield study] found that both young and older children universally fear or dislike clown images. Now a lot of hospital wings for child patients will have to be repainted.
A 2007 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7189401.stm University of Sheffield study] found that both young and older children universally fear or dislike clown images. Now a lot of hospital wings for child patients will have to be repainted.
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** His never-released film ''The Day The Clown Cried'' is about a clown whose job is to entertain children... on their way to the Nazi gas chambers.
** His never-released film ''The Day The Clown Cried'' is about a clown whose job is to entertain children... on their way to the Nazi gas chambers.
* The short Québécois film, ''[[Le Queloune]]'', rather subverts this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG8wsae-6tU. The clown in question happens to be a confused zombie in a clown costume just rising from the grave, and you can't help but root for the poor fellow when it takes him two days to get himself out of his gravesite. Then he wanders into a couple's home and scares the wife into accidentally killing herself by falling down the stairs (and when he accidentally himself falls on her corpse, his zombie cravings awaken when he tastes human flesh for the first time). After killing the husband with a shovel (and serving their flesh on a skillet for his first breakfast), he removes his old clown clothes and makeup, dresses himself up in a new pair, and walks out of the house ready to begin a new day as a flesh-eating zombie (unaware that everyone around him outside apparently has thought the same thing, what being zombies themselves and all).
* The short Québécois film, ''[[Le Queloune]]'', rather subverts this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG8wsae-6tU. The clown in question happens to be a confused zombie in a clown costume just rising from the grave, and you can't help but root for the poor fellow when it takes him two days to get himself out of his gravesite. Then he wanders into a couple's home and scares the wife into accidentally killing herself by falling down the stairs (and when he accidentally himself falls on her corpse, his zombie cravings awaken when he tastes human flesh for the first time). After killing the husband with a shovel (and serving their flesh on a skillet for his first breakfast), he removes his old clown clothes and makeup, dresses himself up in a new pair, and walks out of the house ready to begin a new day as a flesh-eating zombie (unaware that everyone around him outside apparently has thought the same thing, what being zombies themselves and all).
** People from Quebec have a fondness for the trope, it seems; not only were ''Le Queloune'' and ''Happy Meal'' (the vampire Ronald McDonald short above) made there, there's also ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MELPIUpjqmw Pogo et ses amis]'' (Pogo and friends), a stopmotion short about the [[Black Comedy|darkly funny]] day-to-day life of Pogo the clown (see the [[Real Life]] section below) and his friends [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Gein Ed], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Fish Albert] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac_Killer Mr. Z]. Even funnier/more disturbing because Ed and Albert are voiced by the same voice actors who do Ned Flanders and Mister Burns, respectively, in the Quebec-made french translation of ''[[The Simpsons (Animation)|The Simpsons]]''.
** People from Quebec have a fondness for the trope, it seems; not only were ''Le Queloune'' and ''Happy Meal'' (the vampire Ronald McDonald short above) made there, there's also ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MELPIUpjqmw Pogo et ses amis]'' (Pogo and friends), a stopmotion short about the [[Black Comedy|darkly funny]] day-to-day life of Pogo the clown (see the [[Real Life]] section below) and his friends [[wikipedia:Ed Gein|Ed]], [[wikipedia:Albert Fish|Albert]] and [[wikipedia:Zodiac Killer|Mr. Z]]. Even funnier/more disturbing because Ed and Albert are voiced by the same voice actors who do Ned Flanders and Mister Burns, respectively, in the Quebec-made french translation of ''[[The Simpsons (Animation)|The Simpsons]]''.
*** And Pogo is Homer himself.
*** And Pogo is Homer himself.
* The 2008 slasher film ''[[Amusement]]''. While not a monster clown, the clown wearing psychopath still proves that sometimes you don't have to be supernatural to be scary, especially in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0pilBYGK-0 this scene].
* The 2008 slasher film ''[[Amusement]]''. While not a monster clown, the clown wearing psychopath still proves that sometimes you don't have to be supernatural to be scary, especially in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0pilBYGK-0 this scene].
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* Deadbolt have several songs that feature not only Patches, the murderous clown, but also a clown mafia and Mike Dugan, the [[Sociopathic Hero]] who [[He Who Fights Monsters|dresses as a clown to battle them.]]
* Deadbolt have several songs that feature not only Patches, the murderous clown, but also a clown mafia and Mike Dugan, the [[Sociopathic Hero]] who [[He Who Fights Monsters|dresses as a clown to battle them.]]
* [[Poets of the Fall (Music)|Poets of the Fall]]'s ''Twilight Theater'' album cover features a rather creepy looking jester.
* [[Poets of the Fall (Music)|Poets of the Fall]]'s ''Twilight Theater'' album cover features a rather creepy looking jester.
* The cover and promotional campaign for [[David Bowie]]'s album ''Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)'', and the video for its lead-off single "Ashes to Ashes", featured Bowie as a mysterious [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierrot Pierrot]. Look at the Live Action TV folder above for what ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'' did with ''this'' one...
* The cover and promotional campaign for [[David Bowie]]'s album ''Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)'', and the video for its lead-off single "Ashes to Ashes", featured Bowie as a mysterious [[wikipedia:Pierrot|Pierrot]]. Look at the Live Action TV folder above for what ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'' did with ''this'' one...
* [[Dog Fashion Disco (Music)|Dog Fashion Disco]] has a song called "Pogo the Clown", which is about John Wayne Gacy.
* [[Dog Fashion Disco (Music)|Dog Fashion Disco]] has a song called "Pogo the Clown", which is about John Wayne Gacy.
* The video for ''Storytime'' by Nightwish has a group of these harassing a small boy.
* The video for ''Storytime'' by Nightwish has a group of these harassing a small boy.
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* Paddywack from ''[[Darkwing Duck (Animation)|Darkwing Duck]]''. Beady red eyes, long grasping limbs, fangs and a bottom of the well voice. Not to mention that he was an [[Sealed Evil in A Can|otherworldly evil entity]] that fed on fear or chaos or some other kind of metaphysical claptrap and had [[Mind Over Matter|poltergeist]] [[Invisibility|powers]] [[Demonic Possession|galore]].
* Paddywack from ''[[Darkwing Duck (Animation)|Darkwing Duck]]''. Beady red eyes, long grasping limbs, fangs and a bottom of the well voice. Not to mention that he was an [[Sealed Evil in A Can|otherworldly evil entity]] that fed on fear or chaos or some other kind of metaphysical claptrap and had [[Mind Over Matter|poltergeist]] [[Invisibility|powers]] [[Demonic Possession|galore]].
** [[Villainous Harlequin|Quackerjack]] once made a [[Monster Clown]] toy that features [[Spider Limbs]], and they ended in [[An Axe to Grind|rather large axes]] to boot. It was probably [[Nightmare Fuel|the creepiest thing]] Quackerjack ever made. The kicker? It was made by an [[Alternate Universe]] counterpart who was actually ''a good guy''.
** [[Villainous Harlequin|Quackerjack]] once made a [[Monster Clown]] toy that features [[Spider Limbs]], and they ended in [[An Axe to Grind|rather large axes]] to boot. It was probably [[Nightmare Fuel|the creepiest thing]] Quackerjack ever made. The kicker? It was made by an [[Alternate Universe]] counterpart who was actually ''a good guy''.
* In an episode of ''[[League of Super Evil]]'', the team revives Doktor Frogg's first invention, Chuckles the Robotic Clown, for his birthday. Frogg later reveals that he invented Chuckles when he was a kid to ruin all the birthday parties he was never invited to and [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TurnedAgainstTheirMasters then Frogg's own birthday came].
* In an episode of ''[[League of Super Evil]]'', the team revives Doktor Frogg's first invention, Chuckles the Robotic Clown, for his birthday. Frogg later reveals that he invented Chuckles when he was a kid to ruin all the birthday parties he was never invited to and [[Turned Against Their Masters|then Frogg's own birthday came]].
* Played with in ''[[American Dragon Jake Long (Animation)|American Dragon Jake Long]]'', wherein Spud spends half an episode paralyzed by his fear of clowns. After finally realizing that the fear is irrational, he joyfully asks a troupe of clowns to make him laugh. Cue the clowns eating some magicked cupcakes, which transform them into hideous scorpion/clown/demon monsters. [[Nightmare Fuel]] all around!
* Played with in ''[[American Dragon Jake Long (Animation)|American Dragon Jake Long]]'', wherein Spud spends half an episode paralyzed by his fear of clowns. After finally realizing that the fear is irrational, he joyfully asks a troupe of clowns to make him laugh. Cue the clowns eating some magicked cupcakes, which transform them into hideous scorpion/clown/demon monsters. [[Nightmare Fuel]] all around!
* Subverted in ''[[Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (TV)|Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job]]'' with "Steve Mahahanan's Child Clown Rentals", which combines natural terror of clowns with the horror/pity of '''CHILD SLAVERY'''. Child Clowns are rented out as SERVANTS rather than entertainers, and besides a disturbing advertisement in the usual Tim and Eric style, there's an overly-long, creepily realistic VHS-edited "Care for Your Child Clown" video how-to in a later episode. Details include the care, cleaning and storage of your Child Clown.
* Subverted in ''[[Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (TV)|Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job]]'' with "Steve Mahahanan's Child Clown Rentals", which combines natural terror of clowns with the horror/pity of '''CHILD SLAVERY'''. Child Clowns are rented out as SERVANTS rather than entertainers, and besides a disturbing advertisement in the usual Tim and Eric style, there's an overly-long, creepily realistic VHS-edited "Care for Your Child Clown" video how-to in a later episode. Details include the care, cleaning and storage of your Child Clown.
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* A charity in the Netherlands is the CliniClowns, people who dress up like clowns and visit children's hospitals in order to make them feel better. After doing this for years, psychological research shows that this backfires because too many children are ''afraid'' of clowns. Oops...
* A charity in the Netherlands is the CliniClowns, people who dress up like clowns and visit children's hospitals in order to make them feel better. After doing this for years, psychological research shows that this backfires because too many children are ''afraid'' of clowns. Oops...
** A [http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL1582409620080116?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews Reuters article] elaborates: "The study, reported in the Nursing Standard magazine, found ''all the 250 patients'' aged between four and 16 they quizzed disliked the use of clowns, with even the older ones finding them scary."
** A [http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL1582409620080116?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews Reuters article] elaborates: "The study, reported in the Nursing Standard magazine, found ''all the 250 patients'' aged between four and 16 they quizzed disliked the use of clowns, with even the older ones finding them scary."
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne_Gacy John Wayne Gacy] was an American serial killer who was convicted and later executed for the rape and murder of 33 boys and young men between 1972 and his arrest in 1978, 27 of whom he buried in a crawlspace under the floor of his house, while others were found in nearby rivers. He became notorious as the "Killer Clown" because of the many block parties he threw for his friends and neighbors, entertaining children in a clown suit and makeup, under the name of "Pogo the Clown". And he was genuinely [[Affably Evil]], rather than [[Evilly Affable]].
* [[wikipedia:John Wayne Gacy|John Wayne Gacy]] was an American serial killer who was convicted and later executed for the rape and murder of 33 boys and young men between 1972 and his arrest in 1978, 27 of whom he buried in a crawlspace under the floor of his house, while others were found in nearby rivers. He became notorious as the "Killer Clown" because of the many block parties he threw for his friends and neighbors, entertaining children in a clown suit and makeup, under the name of "Pogo the Clown". And he was genuinely [[Affably Evil]], rather than [[Evilly Affable]].
** To make matters worse the AP once accidentally used a stock photo of Gacy for National Clown Day.
** To make matters worse the AP once accidentally used a stock photo of Gacy for National Clown Day.
** Gacy also created disturbing paintings of clowns. He sold them while he was in prison, believing that his art would live beyond the grave. The person who bought the paintings burned them all after he died so he wouldn't be remembered.
** Gacy also created disturbing paintings of clowns. He sold them while he was in prison, believing that his art would live beyond the grave. The person who bought the paintings burned them all after he died so he wouldn't be remembered.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Monster_Clown"