Anyone whose adolescence landed in the 1990s likely remembers Pennywise, the murderous, razor-toothed clown that terrorized countless sleepovers through the TV miniseries âIt.â
Based on a Stephen King novel of the same name, âItâ follows a group of kids who set out to destroy the clown-slash-shapeshifting monster after it kills one of their friends. The story became an instant Halloween classic and helped solidify âkiller clownsâ as its own category of horror.
Next week, a much-anticipated âItâ reboot starring Bill Skarsgard is expected to terrify a new generation of kids after the film hits theatres on Friday.
And that prospect has some real-life clowns downright spooked.
The World Clown Association issued a handy explainer in anticipation of the film insisting that Pennywise is a âfantasy characterâ and ânot a true clown.â They explain that true clowns are meant to bring joy.
âThe horror movie character âJasonâ wears a hockey goalie mask. But, people would be mistaken if they actually thought he was a hockey player!â the organization said
Benjamin Radford, an American folklorist and author of âBad Clowns,â said concerns within the clowning community arenât unfounded.
âThere is some legitimacy to it,â Radford told Âéśš´ŤĂ˝ Channel on Friday.
Cycle of fear
As far as headlines go, itâs been a tough season for professional clowns. Last year, numerous reports of masked clowns wielding machetes, creeping around schools and luring children into the woods surfaced across North America. Several arrests were made, including a few in Nova Scotia, but many of the incidents remain unexplained.
As those stories emerged, Radford said he was contacted by numerous worried clowns. Now that the spotlight is back on âIt,â Radford says he thinks clowns may see a brief but temporary drop in business.
âThere is a whole generation of people who were scared by Pennywise the clown from decades ago, but still today people hire clowns,â he said.
The idea of scary clowns goes through a cycle, Radford said. Even after the hype from âItâ dies down, American Horror story may stoke fresh fears in its upcoming season, which is expected to include a clown-related cult.
âI donât think thereâs going to be lasting damage to it,â Radford said. âThe idea of scary clowns comes and goes ⌠overall, people have loved clowns for centuries.â
Unmasking coulrophobia
The reason some people are scared of clowns goes beyond pop culture. Radford says he studied coulrophobia while researching his book and was surprised to find that, compared to the fear of heights or sharks, the fear of clowns is relatively rare.
The root of that fear, Radford believes, is the mask.
âIf you think about the people we see in our day to day lives, we see their expression, we hear their tone of voice⌠and when you cover that face with grease paint or a mask, you put a barrier between you and the humanity of the other person.â
The fact that professional clowns are typically found at events for children, like birthday parties and circuses, only heightens that sense of unease, Radford said.
âSo you combine the need to protect children with this idea that thereâs a masked adult that may do something bad to them,â he said.
For those who canât overcome their fear of a full-grown adult wearing face paint and oversized shoes, Radford has some sage advice.
âDonât go to the circus.â