Clowns

[Fladian]

What is your opinion about them?

I, for one, am terrified of them. I don't freak out when I see one, but I will (probably) get violent when we're on a short distance. Besides that, I tend to start looking a bit pale when I see one. How, in the world, I got afraid of them, I don't know. But I do know that they are in my list of biggest fears.

For a long time I thought I was the only one afraid of them and I was embarrassed by it. Especially because they symbol happiness and joy - something I see more of the opposite of. About three months ago, a clown came to my school. I'm not sure what the guy was doing there, but he was there. When I saw him, I immediately started to look a bit pale, according to my friend, Martijn (who tends to show up once in a while in my Quote of the Days). When I pointed him in the direction, he, and another friend looked that way as well. The other friend (not Martijn) quickly looked away too. We both admitted that we are terrified of clowns.
Since that day, I have been a bit more open about it. It is no big secret that I'm afraid of clowns nor do I mind keeping it to myself. But a lot of my school-friends are apparently afraid of them, for reasons I do not even know.
"Well, me and my boyfriend are both scared of clowns. It's not too bad for me and I can watch them, as long as they don't approach me. My boyfriend is different though. When they come in range of them, he freaks out." - n/a, a friend.
"You don't understand. Clowns are scary." - a friend (wasn't this a Quote of the day?)

So, what do you think about these... uh... guys?

 

[Maximilianx]

i think clowns are slowly fading out of society, at one point they were fun and more popular to bring to childrens parties and what not, but as time has gone on, people are noticing that clowns are STUPID. they not only scare more people than they bring joy to *probably because of movies and modern society* but they just arent funny at all. Allthough for a while the cool thing was to have some airbrushed monster clown with sharp yellow teeth and a long snake tongue on your lava lamp..im pretty sure thats over too, and in a couple years clows will be vanished from society because of the fact that they wont entertain anybody, then maybe they might come back years later to scare people again.

 

[Fladian]

The problem just is, no matter how you look at it, clowns are still popular. True, not half as much as they were in the past, but it is hard to say that they are starting to cease to exist. I can recall a party of a younger nepue of mine who had a clown coming over... that was the only reason why I did not come (and I guess the fact that he's 15+ years younger than me =P that probably played a role in not coming too). Another example was the clown that visited the school I attend to several months ago - but I must admit I don't know for what exact reason he (could have been a she, come to think of it) was there for. But they are also still the symbol of happiness, joy and entertainment. That I, and those friends I mentioned, rather see them as a symbol of sorrow and sadness is personal opinion and probably all for a good reason, though I am not completely sure where my fear originally came from. One of my closest friends (who is afraid of clowns) fear comes from the successful movied book of Stephen King's It, a movie I don't really dare to watch again (and will never read the book). Her fear for clowns is far worse than mine.

Of course there are numerous bad examples too. Several years ago (and one of Dutch top comedians Peter Heerschop favorite jokes to nag on) a clown from a specific city (or town, rather, it's quite small) uh... was inproper to the law. He, uh... is a pedofile. The town came into the news again a short while ago because of other ridiculous reasons - but hilarious nonetheless.

Today I had to declare my fear for clowns to a classmate of mine when he was noting the author of the Shining and was naming other stories that were filmed.

 

[Maximilianx]

i myself have never enjoyed the presence of a clown rather than despised them, clowns are typically people who cant manage to get a job..ever, so they decide hey, somethings gotta pay for all this liquor and this cardboard box im living in, lets go to sav-on, and but white facepaint and a rainbow fro..
now youve got some sweaty stinky bum with a red nose and a rainbow afro telling your kids things and probably also a child molester, clowns of the past, might have been honest decent men, but modern day clowns are bums that are frowned upon..alchoholics and stuff..clows arent anything to me.

 

[Fladian]

In all positive examples I gave, all were quite decent people as far as I know... or am concerned. The clown at my school was hired by the school itself (or so I heard later by coincidence; yet still not sure for what purpose, though I do note a small playground in front of the school which I don't know for what purpose it was there either. Franklin and I figured our "poor" school was just trying to get some money) probably to entertain guests... that's where my guess goes to. The clown at me nepue's party was hired at a special place, which the name just happens to slip my mind (or I'm trying to forget, as it relates to my previous study course, which I try to forget... in vain).

In other words: not all clowns are alcoholics with no further purpose in life. I recall offering my service to jump into a clown suit back in elementery school when I wasn't afraid of clowns just yet - when I think of it, there were less things I was afraid of back then than I am now =P.

 

[Maximilianx]

you can probably blame the media for that..
http://www.fotosearch.com/comp/IGS/IGS469/IS652-050.jpg
hehe

 

[Fladian]

Nonsense. You can blame the media for nearly everything what is existing, as they are willing to make a fool out of anything as long as it results in profit for them. This also involves destroying a person, an act or a job completely if it is only to gain reputation or acknowledge by the people.
Humiliating a person, organisation or something specific completely can easily be done by giving the necessary information to the media to let them start a fuss about it. I am a keep admirer of radio DJ's (one in particular) and the FM-radio channel in general and I hesitated once to destroy the good name of an organisation in order to get a good result for a few people I care for (one in particular).
Though it is true what you say. Even statics prove how easily (and quickly) the average person (70+%) is convinced on what the media reports.

*mumble*

 

[Maximilianx]

clowns werent scary to the masses until some freak who was scared of clowns decided to make a movie, that scared others, they made movies/books/etc..and its a chain, now clowns are commonly considered scary because of that.. <---thats me being tired.

 

[Kem Rixen]

I'm always very surprised that people are so terrified of clowns, and I really don't understand why, and I probably never will understand. When I was a little kid I used to love clowns, I loved the circus as well, they were probably my favorite part. For a short time around age six or so I wanted to be a clown. Today I don't really find clowns all that interesting, but they certainly don't frighten me, I suppose boring me would be closer. Though, they sometimes are very good at making balloon things, which are actually quite interesting...

 

[1ll1d4n]

Ya, I used to be damn scared of clowns when I was a kid. But speaking of clowns, yall remember in living color? With Homie the Clown? That show kicked ass. He hit the person playing the kid with the sock (they fill those socks with rice) then be like "Homie don't play that!".

 

[Maximilianx]

downtown clownie brown :nuts:

 

[Undead_Lives]

Maximilianx, that post could be considered spam. Don't keep that type of posting up.

As for clowns, I dunno, I've been one, I know EXACTLY what they're all about, but I don't know where the fear comes from. They're just people after all.

 

[Maximilianx]

yeah sorry, it was more of an add-on to illidans post because his post reminded me of some show that i was watching a long time ago that got cancelled, it was a bunch of..erm..gangsters, and they invited "downtown clownie brown" to the kids birthday party and he was this drunk/high gangster in clown clothes that kept saying the N word and crap, it was funny.

 

[Squishy-1]

i find most people who say they are afraid of clowns are lying but in thoose few cases that people are truly scared i have no clue what could have been the reason... maybe a bad birthday? even though you most likely never had a clown at ur birthday party it still is a symbol commonly associated with birthdays

 

[Fladian]

I can guarantee you that there are quite an amount of people that don't like when they say they're afraid of clowns. If they are, then a lot of my friends are all amazing good actors and I was fooling myself. I truly am terrified by those... people. One of those close friends I mentioned who freaked out actually started crying (or so I was told, as you may understand, I try to avoid clowns if possible) and another friend (not Martijn, but...) looked quite pale, like myself, which is evidence enough that they are not faking it. Nor do I see any reason why to fake it when to say you are afraid of clowns as being afraid of something never symbolized courage or something someone would want to be looked at.
Besides that, as far as I've experienced myself, the people who are afraid of them are certainly in no short amount.

even though you most likely never had a clown at ur birthday party it still is a symbol commonly associated with birthdays

I'd rather say a circus or possibly a carnaval.