For some, however, clowns are no laughing matter . This doesn’t mean simply finding clowns scaryas many people do. Instead, there is a real clown phobia—coulrophobia. When those who suffer fromit see a clown, their first reaction is to turn tailand run.
Why would anyone be so afraid of a silly clown? The makeup, or face paint, is one reason. It hides not only the clown’s true identity but their emotions as well, often twisting them behind a wide, evil smile. The makeup, with its oversized eyebrows and lips, can also confuse the brain. It makes the face look sort of human, and yet inhumanat the same time.
Then there’s the strange costume: giant shoes, ultra-baggy pants, and a colorful curly wig. All of this is enough to put some people on edge, not to mention the “evil clown” themefrom horror movies, like the famous Pennywise in Stephen King’s It. A 2016 pollfound that Americans were more scared of clowns than they were of a terrorist attack or even of death itself. However, when it comes to getting laughs, you still can’t beat a clown.
