Comments on: Coulrophobia: Fear of Clown

By: lindsey

lindsey — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:44:07 +0000

i honestly feel her pain. i have a really bad headache from clenching my teeth and i was near tears....i'm alot like her, i can't even be around clowns they freak me out way to much. but me i would have run out of the room crying...i avoid parades rodeos, carnivals, and anything i know where a clown will be. i can't even watch movies with clowns in them without freaking out and having nightmares for weeks... and ive always been like this, when i was little my parents had to force me awake one night cause i was screaming bloody murder and yelling clown(litterally like i was being killed)..but i could not remember the dream..

By: lashaya miller

lashaya miller — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:46:36 +0000

i personally love clowns but i have friends that are completely scared of clowns. and this really helped in speech class i did a speech on clowns thank you!!!

By: abc

abc — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:28:50 +0000

i am not scared of clowns actully i am not scared of anything to be honest.

snakes x
spiders x
clowns x
dogs x

absolutly nothing xxx cheres

By: Northernstar06

Northernstar06 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:11:37 +0000

I am 25 yrs old and scared to death of clowns.. ALL clowns.. i had to cover the pictures and not watch the video.. a few yrs ago i had told my husband (at the time)that i was afraid of clowns.. he didn't believe me and when we were in the Halloween store at that time there was a little boy trying on a costume;i was down another isle and he called me over to him and when i got there he moved out of the way and there was the little boy in a clown costume.. I ran out of the store crying! My bf and i were talking about clowns and i told him i was afraid of them and he laughed until i told him how serious i was... then he apologized...

By: Clarice

Clarice — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:24:57 +0000

Well i am really uneasy around clowns. When i see the happy clown i often think of crazy people who smile all the time and do lots of irrational things, plus if a clown kills me, no one would think of them because they are so "happy" all the time, and then the sad clowns are even worse, they look as though life is going so crappy for them that they will kill you and themself for some satisfaction. It's something about them clowns that makes me wonder who was the first person that decided to put oh 50 tons of makeup, have a distorted and permanent smile, frown or sad face and that makes people happy.

It's weird to me...........

By: ihavethefearaswell

ihavethefearaswell — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:21:52 +0000

I am deeply terrifies of those sick too happy freaks of nature, I can't even stand to look at a cartoon drawing of one, they keep smilong no matter what you do to them, they deserve to die! its insane how my fear affects my life

By: ihavethefearaswell

ihavethefearaswell — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:21:44 +0000

By: shea

shea — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:07:04 +0000

Clowns are not natural. That is why I HATE them to death. They are unhuman, and are too crazy to be human. If you ever run into one shoot it. Clowns are its not humans. ITS people get it right geeze!!!! Kill he clowns!!!!!! make them go away!!!! please.

By: Ron Way

Ron Way — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:47:52 +0000

My phobia began in the infant school playground when a boy came up to me and removed the Guy Fawkes mask that he was wearing right in my face. Immediately I last the power of speech and many years of speech therapy restored it but, 50+ years later I still have a slight speech impediment.

I could never go to the circus and even when my parents tried to introduce me in private to the man, who I knew, behind the Santa Claus costume at a church Christmas fayre, I still bolted from the hall when he arrived 10 minutes later; and I knew who was behind the whiskers.

Many years later a similar thing happened to my son in a local store. I told the child off which started a spat with his mother who couldn't or wouldn't see the postential harm. Fortunately the effect on my son was transitory.

It might seem like harmless fun to many but I would caution anyone because of the potential harm. Also, street robbers use masks to hid their identity and that can exacerbate the problem for coulophobics. But I doubt if crimminals could care less.

By: Alice

Alice — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:23:24 +0000

I can explain my fear of clowns quite easily.
i saw a clown when i was like 4 years old it didnt freak me out that much but then like a couple months later i woke up to find my big sister watching IT pennywise and the clown i saw were practically identical. As i got older people were like why dont you just metally kill them everytime you see one? Yeahh no matter you do to a clown they just keep on SMILING!! that freaks me out more than killer clowns

By: Nimaj Nebeel

Nimaj Nebeel — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:22:29 +0000

My brother's coulrophobia stemmed from a nightmare scene in the movie "The Brave Little Toaster" in which a clown threatens the toaster with a water hose and forks and such. Even Ronald McDonald gave (gives) him the willies, although he has partly overcome the phobia.

By: liphttam1

liphttam1 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:24:55 +0000

This os how I feel. Imagine a guy with a plastic bag over his head wearing strange clothing. He gets out of a small car. He procides to make strange gestures to small children grabbing there arms shacking hands. well spraying people with soda.

By: HotForWords

HotForWords — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:25:22 +0000

I just did a video on this subject:

http://www.hotforwords.com/2008/07/19/coulrophobia/

Marina
Your trusty philologist

By: mistresszhivago

mistresszhivago — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:57:40 +0000

I'm creeped out by photos and thinking about clowns - I'm extremely uneasy with them within eye sight and 100+ yards away - I'm heading for the exit if they are within 100 yards or closer. I don't have the displeasure of coming in contact with them, as I hate the circus (animal exploitation and all that) so I don't see them in person. I don't think clowns are evil - they are just regular people trying to entertain. I can respect that. The common theory about the inability to judge expression is my reason. I watched Bozo on TV and was OK with him, he was pretty straight forward, always smiling within the painted smile and moved pretty slowly/consistently. But clown in real life move around quickly are always popping in here and there, trying to physically touch you to draw you in and they are not always smiling, but that big painted on smiles seems like a trick. On a pure instinctive level, it's alarming! I really don't know what I'll do if one gets too close to me without me knowing and starts all that grabbing/goosing crap - he/she might be going down. But I can usually move out of the area, not make eye contact and clear out. Nobody knows and I want to keep it that way. I hope I'm never forced into an up-close encounter with a clown. BUT!!!! I have to confess that I do LOVE seeing a group of clowns doing the whole pile out of the tiny car thing and clown around with each other on the brightly colored costumes/wigs, etc. BUT!!!! They are faaaaar away, waaaay down there somewhere and I can't see their faces. Again, I appreciate what they are trying to bring to the world, but they creep me the #$%@! out...

By: Jen070807

Jen070807 — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:49:24 +0000

I am 31 years old, and am horrified of clowns. Like Karen mentioned earlier, I was afraid to watch the video too. I have been afraid of clowns as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of fear of clowns was Poltergeist, when the clown grabbed the little boy under the bed, but my mom said she thinks it was before then, at a festival, when I was in a stroller. Happy clowns scare me, Bozo, could NOT watch that when I was little, still can't. I will have nightmares. If I see one on TV, I have to turn my head. I went to a rodeo when I was younger, and the clowns were shooting the guns, maybe that is another reason. I don't know.

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:18:35 +0000

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

By: Lasse

Lasse — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:49:11 +0000

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

By: amanderpanderer

amanderpanderer — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:46:25 +0000

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.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:45:55 +0000

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!

By: lisa

lisa — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:08:01 +0000

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.

By: Bat Guano

Bat Guano — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:36:21 +0000

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.

By: z

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:25:12 +0000

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

By: Q

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:23:13 +0000

Clowns are EVIL!!!

By: Courageous Grace

Courageous Grace — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:16:23 +0000

*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

By: Jody

Jody — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:40:25 +0000

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!

By: Toyouke

Toyouke — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:06:27 +0000

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

By: headsign

headsign — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:17:30 +0000

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!

By: just a guy

just a guy — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:57:51 +0000

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). :'(

By: Zakk Underhill

Zakk Underhill — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 06:49:31 +0000

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.

By: flammableskirt

flammableskirt — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:58:17 +0000

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.