Why Are People Scared Of Clowns?

[Lombax]

Why do some people feel uneasy because of a man with a white painted face and big shoes and a red nose? Is it because of the scary clown movies that have been created?

[douglas9401]

Pennywise, much scarier than a tin flute.

[sanmac]

I can understand some children being afraid of clowns because of the gaudy painted faces and the outlandish costumes, not to mention that so many of them can fit into a small car, but for adults to be "afraid" of them is a little buffoonish.

[sanmac]

Unless, of course, if your power goes off and you open the creaking door to your basement, switch on your flash-light, tentatively creep down the steps whilst sweeping away the cobwebs, and suddenly confront the most hideous cre.................

[emmie]

big ugly bloke coming at you with possibly water or other to chuck over you, who wouldn't run a mile, i don't like them, never did.

[AZardoz]

sanmac, not everyone here is an adult.
There are other imagined terrors discussed here often, with no basis in reality, just some loud voices.
Works every time.

[andy-hughes]

sanmac - // … but for adults to be "afraid" of them is a little buffoonish. //

I suggest then that you don't suffer from any phobia yourself?

Any adult suffering from any phobia is entirely aware of the irrationality of his or her fear, but a phobia works on a sub-conscious level and appeals to the rational mind go unheeded.

I would imagine a fear of clowns may date back to a circus visit as a child, when an encounter could be frightening for a small child.

As for Mr King's wonderful creation, and the entire 'bad clown' nonsense that has piggy-backed onto it, it is his fiction, but it has had that unpleasant consequence as a result - a testament to the reach of his appeal and his skill as a writer.

I believe that any phobia sufferer deserves the respect of a little understanding, even if you are not a sufferer personally.

[andy-hughes]

Clover - // Because they’re weird and you don’t know what they’re going to next. //

There are a few people on here like that!!

[Theland]

Boo!

[fender62]

my other half will not go into the loft, alos hates pipes boilers in darkened rooms...i said it was because you watched the 1970's alien film..or maybe as a child a sibling may have locked you in an airing cupboard...pipes clowns im scared of neither, ithink a real fear would be, being made homeless in old age, and sleeping on the streets.

[Theland]

My electric bill terrifies me :-)

[sanmac]

Therefore, Theland, you must have experienced a traumatically shocking experience as a child.

[Cloverjo]

Fender, I also can’t go into any loft or basement. They freak me out. I don’t really know why except there’s a feeling I might find a dead body up (or down) there.

[Spicerack]

They can suspend you.

[sanmac]

A rather astute observation there, SR.

[Theland]

Currently, I'm OK :-)

[Mamyalynne]

­

[Mamyalynne]

It's not always clowns you need to be scared of.