A poll by researchers looking at what decor to put in hospital children’s wards found that youngsters do not like clowns on the walls and even older ones think they are scary.”We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable,” said Penny Curtis, senior researcher at the University of Sheffield which questioned 250 children aged between four and 16. (read more)
Finally, it took a “senior researcher” to confirm that I am not the only one afraid of clowns. Their white faces with a painted on smile is spooky! I am glad it was not a “junior researcher” who conducted the poll. A “senior researcher” definitely makes this a scientific study, and I can now be exonerated.
My children were afraid of clowns.
Haven’t you seen movies and shows where the criminal, usually a murderer, disguises as a clown to commit his crime? James Bond movies come to mind.
So I suppose clowns got a bad reputation from depictions like that. I wonder if real life criminals try that disguise too. The crime has to be committed in a setting where you would normally find a clown. So you would have to make sure your victim is hanging around a circus or a children’s party. The victim in movies always conveniently goes to one of those venues.
Several years ago, I hired a Christian clown for entertainment at our church’s Halloween alternative event for children. She was not scary although the little kids did chose to sit in the back. Yeah, she was probably still pretty scary. Maybe this year, we will opt for a different type of entertainer.
Sorry clowns, the survey of 250 children made the headlines and proved that you are scary. I suggest you come up with a new user-friendly version of a clown.