Evil clown

Lore & Background

The modern archetype of the evil clown has unclear origins; the stock character appeared infrequently during the 19th century, in such works as Edgar Allan Poe's "Hop-Frog", which is believed by Jack Morgan to draw upon an earlier incident at a masquerade ball in the 14th century. Evil clowns also occupied a small niche in drama, appearing in the 1874 work La femme de Tabarin by Catulle Mendès and in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, both featuring murderous clowns as central characters. American serial killer and rapist John Wayne Gacy became known as the Killer Clown when arrested in 1978, after it was discovered he had performed as Pogo the Clown at children's parties; however, Gacy did not actually commit his crimes while wearing his clown costume. During the 1980s, National Lampoon published a series of mock comic books entitled "Evil Clown", featuring a malevolent character named Frenchy the Clown.

The evil clown archetype plays strongly off the sense of dislike caused by inherent elements of coulrophobia; however, Joseph Durwin has suggested that the concept has an independent position in popular culture. A study by the University of Sheffield concluded that clowns are universally disliked by children, some finding them quite frightening and unknowable. This may be because of the nature of clowns' makeup hiding their faces, making them potential threats in disguise. Researcher Ben Radford writes that bad clowns have existed throughout history: Harlequin, the King's fool, and Mr. Punch. Radford argues that bad clowns have the ability to change with the times and that modern bad clowns have evolved into Internet trolls. Radford states that, although bad clowns permeate the media, good clowns outnumber the bad ones, and bad clowns are the exception, not the rule.

The related urban legend of evil clown sightings in real life is known as "phantom clowns". First reported in 1981 in Brookline, Massachusetts, children said that men dressed as clowns had attempted to lure them into a van. The panic spread throughout the US and resurfaced in various locations including Phoenix, Arizona (1985); West Orange, New Jersey (1991); Brazil (1990); Honduras (1995); and Chicago, Illinois (2008). In 2013, the "Northampton Clown" was repeatedly sighted standing silently around the English town, the work of three local filmmakers. In 2014, further complaints of evil clown pranksters were reported in France, the United States and Germany.

Reader's Guide

The evil clown's significance lies in its inversion of a traditionally comic figure into a source of horror, drawing on the natural unease many feel toward clowns. The archetype has been shaped by key cultural works: the Joker from DC Comics (1940) and Pennywise from Stephen King's It (1980s) are credited with popularizing the modern version. The real-life case of John Wayne Gacy, who performed as Pogo the Clown before his arrest in 1978, added a disturbing real-world dimension. Researcher Ben Radford, author of Bad Clowns (2016), notes that bad clowns have existed throughout history in forms such as Harlequin, the King's fool, and Mr. Punch, and that they have evolved into modern Internet trolls. The cultural critic Mark Dery has theorized the postmodern archetype of the evil clown in his work, asserting it is an icon of our times. The phenomenon has also manifested in real-world urban legends, such as the "phantom clown" sightings that began in 1981 and recurred in various locations, often reported by children. A 2022 survey of 987 adults from 64 countries found that 54% of respondents reported some degree of coulrophobia. The evil clown remains a potent figure in popular culture, used effectively as a villain because of the inherent threat perceived in a familiar body type with an unfamiliar face.