Coulrophobia: Fear of Clown




Comic: Bizarro (who by the way has a new blog and an upcoming comic show at the Purple Onion in San Francisco on February 22, 2008)

Remember that ailurophobia is the irrational fear of cat? Well, coulrophobia [wiki] is the irrational fear of clowns. It comes from the Greek word kolobathristes meaning one that goes on stilts and phobos meaning fear (the Greeks didn’t have a word for clown - the closest thing was those on stilts, i.e. circus performers).

Clown phobia is quite common in small children, but in some, the fear persists well into adulthood. I’ve read that up to 1 in every 7 people have it to some degree, though the exact number is very hard to pin down.

It’s easy to make fun of clown phobia (clever pun, eh?) But it can be quite a dramatic and overpowering fear in adults. Like this lady who is scared to death of clowns:


[YouTube Link]

So why are people afraid of clowns? Most phobia started in childhood, but in some, fear of clown is sparked by reading about one (like the sadistic Pennywise the clown from Stephen King’s novel It) or watching one in horror movies, even campy ones (Killer Klowns from Outer Space, anyone?). Indeed, the theme of evil clown [wiki] is quite common in American pop culture.

Perhaps some clowns are truly evil. Like serial killer John Wayne Gacy [wiki] aka The Killer Clown. Gacy, who was convicted for the rape and murder of 33 boys and young men in the 1970s liked to dress up as "Pogo the clown" in neighborhood block parties to entertain little children. After he was caught and convicted, Gacy spent his days on death row painting - you’ve guessed it - clowns.


John Wayne Gacy’s Pogo and Clown Skull
(Photo: Serial Killer Central, who has more of these kinds of morbid art)

People are apt to overanalyze coulrophobia, though they can come up with interesting reasons. Kathryn Cillick at Phobialist came up with this explanation:

I have a theory about the reason for fearing clowns that I thought I would suggest to you. Because clowns have permanent, exaggerated expressions painted on their faces - usually of joy but not always, it renders the observer impotent in measuring facial expression as a precursor of action and for those who are vigilant about their environment, possibly because of past traumatic events, they are unable to interpret and therefore predict what this creature may do to them. This is heightened when we observe the "happy" clown performing some aggressive behavior - it becomes too much to take - creating intense confusion and fear. I don’t know if this is the reason - simply my first thoughts on a very intriguing subject.

If you’re afraid of clowns, you’re not alone: anti-clown celebrities include rapper P. Diddy, Johnny Depp, Carol Burnett and Anthony Bourdain.

Now I don’t find clowns scary. I find them creepy. How about you?


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Posted on January 13, 2008 at 8:34 pm by Alex
Category: Bizarro Comic, Medicine, Neatorama Only, Video Clips



25 Comments to "Coulrophobia: Fear of Clown"

  • Myleti
    January 13th, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    I am scared of clowns, but nearly as bad as the woman in the video. I can even tell you why I don’t like them.

    When I was four, I went to the circus and entered a drawing for a bicycle. I ended up winning the bicycle and the clowns came up the stands to get me. Well, they grabbed me by the wrist and practically dragged me down the stairs. It hurt. :(

    I didn’t even get to ride the bicycle for another six years because I was too short.

    I’m not completely terrified of them, but I’d much rather be in a room full of puppies than a room full of clowns.

    Anyway, I’m liking the articles and long posts that you guys have been posting lately. Thanks for taking the time to do it! :D

  • Karen
    January 13th, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    I’m so afraid of clowns that I’m afraid to watch the video. I knew that Johnny Depp and I were meant to be!

  • Beth
    January 13th, 2008 at 9:55 pm

    I agree that clowns are creepy. I have no basis for this. The exaggerated expressions theory was interesting, perhaps a bit far-fetched, but still intriguing.

  • Tim
    January 13th, 2008 at 9:56 pm

    I am afraid of snakes, but my encounters with them usually end up in me getting pissed off and shooting the snake or stepping on its head.

  • Louise
    January 13th, 2008 at 10:53 pm

    Pointy-smiled clowns. They are the evil ones.

    The rest are pathetic and unfunny, but not terrifying.

  • Ali S.
    January 13th, 2008 at 11:09 pm

    I think that clowns can be fun if not down right creepy because for all their smiles (painted or otherwise) and glee they turn scary at a moments notice. I guess too many horror movies and books (like IT) didn’t help. :)

  • marieissah
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:12 am

    So many kids hate clowns.. I guess it’s because of too much make-up and exaggerated lips and eyes..

  • Paavo
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:13 am

    My theory is that children are scared of distorted human faces. There’s something familiar but something is off. If the person is someone they know they are even more scared.

    as a child the most scary thing was my father when he had shaved his beard. Beardless stranger pretending to be your father is scary.

    Sent from my mobile using FeedM8

  • Happy
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:22 am

    How is the appearance of clowns supposed to induce joy, laughter, and all that other good stuff??

  • VonSkippy
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:34 am

    @Paavo
    Are you a spam whore? Or just really attached to your stupid FeedM8 crap?

    //sent from my custom wired Abacus using the Intertube thingy.

  • flammableskirt
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:58 am

    My friend Nikki who works as a care clown in South Africa with children in hospital (and the Red Cross Burns unit in particular) found that the less make-up you wear the better. The kids need to be able to see your expression. They’re already in a scary awful situation suffering terrible burns or living with tuberculosis or HIV or serious injury and the last thing they need is some freak caked in so much facepaint as to appear inhuman.

  • Zakk Underhill
    January 14th, 2008 at 1:49 am

    Definitely the distorted features, among many things. Kids are taught not to talk to strangers, but these people get in your face and make you talk to them and they use creepy voices and they give you candy. I’m not personally afraid of them, I just don’t like them. My Fiancee will cry if they come near her, though.

  • just a guy
    January 14th, 2008 at 2:57 am

    I also think it has to do with people’s innate caution to insanity. Something about an always-happy creature with exaddurated expressions sets of our “Uh uh, this thing is crazy” sensor. I think it all ties into a feeling of “something’s not *right*”, which other people go into, above.

    For a similar reason, I find evil dolls/puppets creppy. Its the ‘not-quite-human-but-acting-similar’ factor. Animated humanoid-shaped objects or any kind are creepy! (whether a fictional ‘evil puppet’ or a real animatronic person). :’(

  • headsign
    January 14th, 2008 at 3:17 am

    I’ve always hated clowns. Anytime I saw a clown, I always suspected a pervert or weirdo with a distorted life behind the mask. It’s not funny, just groce. Why can’t we settle this stupid custom. Why do poor people like her have to go through these painful confrontations when what they resent is just the extreme of a natural and sane reaction? Stop the madness!

  • Toyouke
    January 14th, 2008 at 9:06 am

    Woo! Killer Klowns from Outer Space! I can’t believe other people have actually seen and remember that movie. So terrible.

  • Jody
    January 14th, 2008 at 10:40 am

    Oooh, had to chime in. I’m squicked out by anything that has a distorted resemblence to a human- clowns, dolls, mannequins, some claymation, etc.
    Creepy!

  • Courageous Grace
    January 14th, 2008 at 11:16 am

    *raises hand* I’m scared of clowns too! When I was a toddler, my mother took me to the circus. She tried to introduce me to a clown and I started screaming and crying because it freaked me out or something…been afraid of them ever since. No reason why, I just don’t like them.

    Oddly enough, my favorite horror book/movie is Stephen King’s It. I include the book not only because it’s more frightening but so y’all know it isn’t just Tim Curry that scares me ;)

  • Q
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:23 pm

    Clowns are EVIL!!!

  • z
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    has anyone seen that weird video called Clowny Clown Clown made by Crispin Glover? Very Strange.

  • Bat Guano
    January 14th, 2008 at 12:36 pm

    Creepy. But I’d rather be in a room full of clowns than a room full of spiders.

    Went through a very intense haunted house a few years ago. Near the end was a “circus” where clowns with fangs came out of the corners. A 20-something woman in the group had a meltdown. Before you go into a haunt called “Phobia House,” be aware that one of your phobias might be included. Luckily for me, the tarantula in the glass case was too cold and was hiding.

  • lisa
    January 14th, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    as someone who actually does have coulrophobia (meaning that I will scream, cry, panic, and actually break out in hives when I see a clown in person), i can tell you that we are not crazy people. I don’t know why i have it, i just know that I have to avoid circuses, parades, and festivals. life would be better without them.

  • Jennifer
    January 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    The biggest reason the fear develops in childhood is that at a young age (and even into the teens) kids are not often able to read facial expressions correctly. The painted facial expression is heavily exaggerated and kids who may not be able to interrupt normal expressions could be frightened by such a display.

    The woman on the video is pretty brave, she’s facing her fear and seeking help to overcome it. Good for her!

  • amanderpanderer
    January 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pm

    I have a tendency to pass out, or at the very least go weak and hysterical, in the presence of a clown (oh, how I wish I were kidding). And like Lisa, you learn to just avoid what I consider locations of clown likeliness: carnivals, parades, circuses. I’m not frightened of a single other thing, and I realize, when not confronted by a clown, that coulerophobia is ridiculous…but when confronted with a clown my body and mind disobey and the crippling fear takes over.

    Incidentally, the photos of clowns in this posting (which I very quickly scrolled past while looking away) were a bit of a, um…well, I made a little scream noise and had to take some deep breaths, and I’m at work. I won’t write, “Please don’t do that,” because it’s my problem to work out, but you should warn a sister before you go throwing especially scary clown images all willy nilly.

    I hate my stupid phobia.

  • Lasse
    January 15th, 2008 at 3:49 am

    What would happen if a coulrophobic would be dressed in a clown costume?

  • Alex
    January 16th, 2008 at 3:18 am

    @amanderpandere: it’s difficult to write a post about clown (phobia) without pictures of clowns! Glad you’re still okay after reading this article. ;)

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