Meerkat Prompts: Creepy Clowns
Clowns. Beacons of slapstick comedy, exaggerated falls, silly sounds, and so much more in the realm of light-hearted entertainment. Somehow, these icons of humour have become icons of horror as well, scaring millions. Why is that?
Is it something to do with the face paint? Is it something to do with disguising one’s self? The University of South Wales did a study on this very subject, concluding that the exaggerated facial features, and the suppression of emotional cues, are one reason why a lot of people don’t like clowns. The study also looks at the unpredictable nature of clowns, as they can be all over the place in terms of behaviour.
Clowns also show up as menacing creatures in films and TV shows, as well as other media. Is this contributing to the fear factor, responding to what’s already there, or is it a combination of both? Either way, their portrayal as creepy spans a great many forms. IT is one of the most obvious examples, as is The Terrifier. The Joker from the Batman franchise is often portrayed as mad and dangerous, and there are many more examples. Still, I have to return to the question: are clowns scary because of these shows, or are these shows scary because we find clowns scary? It’s quite possibly a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario.
What do you think, dear ‘kats? Clowns, creepy, or cuddly?
