The DU Lounge

some_of_us_are_sane

(2,591 posts) Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:42 AM Oct 16

Anyone here afraid of CLOWNS?

Other than the clown in Stephen King's "It"- (like that BIG CLOWN in the middle there) - I've never understood the huge number of folks afraid of them.

Do you suffer from this phobia? Why?....... Do you know?

22 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Anyone here afraid of CLOWNS? (Original Post) some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 OP

Just MIMES! hlthe2b Oct 16 #1

Poor mimes! some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #3

Not afraid of them, a little creeped out, with some of them, but in human ways, not supernatural Walleye Oct 16 #2

I understand that some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #4

When I first started working for the paper, I got a really good shot of two clowns backstage with very serious expressio Walleye Oct 16 #7

They are wonderful to study some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #10

Only clowns, like Pennywise, that are intended to be scary. Aristus Oct 16 #5

ABSOLUTLEY. GACY brought down all clowns! some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #12

I've never been afraid of clowns. markodochartaigh Oct 16 #6

Yep. The only thing we have to fear is stupidity itself. Apologies to FDR Walleye Oct 16 #8

Ditto! some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #16

Yep! some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #13

Clowns creep me out. I do not like. debm55 Oct 16 #9

You're in a BIG CLUB, debm55. some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #14

I'm not afraid of them but I don't like them much. Ocelot II Oct 16 #11

Maybe that's part of what people fear.... some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #15

Just the orange ones. 2MuchNoise Oct 16 #17

Wink! some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #18

Just punch those orange ones Blue Owl Oct 16 #19

ROFL! some_of_us_are_sane Oct 16 #20

Not afraid of them. Just never saw the appeal. Borogove Oct 17 #21

That's fine, Borogove some_of_us_are_sane Oct 17 #22

hlthe2b

(112,193 posts)

1. Just MIMES!

Reply to some_of_us_are_sane (Original post)

Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:44 AM

Oct 16

(Kidding... I used to like the Barnum & Baily clowns--the horror movie types, not so much).

some_of_us_are_sane

(2,591 posts)

3. Poor mimes!

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #1)

Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:48 AM

Oct 16

They just can't speak up for thenselves.

Walleye

(43,256 posts)

2. Not afraid of them, a little creeped out, with some of them, but in human ways, not supernatural

Reply to some_of_us_are_sane (Original post)

Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:44 AM

Oct 16

some_of_us_are_sane

(2,591 posts)

4. I understand that

Reply to Walleye (Reply #2)

Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:49 AM

Oct 16

and never thought of that before. What are they HIDING under all that makeup?

Interesting!

Walleye

(43,256 posts)

7. When I first started working for the paper, I got a really good shot of two clowns backstage with very serious expressio

Reply to some_of_us_are_sane (Reply #4)

Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:54 AM

Oct 16

Expressions and a dog all dressed up with a little hat. It’s still one of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken because of the way they were looking right at me I have thought different about them since then

some_of_us_are_sane

(2,591 posts)

10. They are wonderful to study

Reply to Walleye (Reply #7)

Thu Oct 16, 2025, 12:03 PM

Oct 16

The creativity and variety are mind-boggling. (Glad you got your shot of them.)

Aristus

(71,316 posts)

5. Only clowns, like Pennywise, that are intended to be scary.

Reply to some_of_us_are_sane (Original post)

Thu Oct 16, 2025, 11:52 AM

Oct 16

That's different.

When I was a kid, I loved clowns. I loved that they could be silly, and funny, and do pratfalls, and make people laugh. I loved the colorful makeup and creative outfits. This was before John Wayne Gacy. I felt safe around clowns, because they were viewed as safe and kind, and caring of children. I guess Gacy fucked all that up.