Clowning Around

Clowning Around

She said her three year old daughter was frightened to the point of hysteria when her sister appeared in costume on Halloween. Even after she removed the mask the child continued to cry and cling to her mother. The child’s aunt was one of her favorite people. They often spent the night together—sometimes more than one day at a time. In fact there were times when the child preferred her aunt to anyone else in the family. So why was the mask a problem?

            Clowns for the most part are supposed to be happy and comical. Their intended purpose is to entertain. But let’s face the facts, clowns can be scary. Most of us are not afraid when we see a clown in an expected setting such as a circus, a party, or a parade. But what if a clown showed up at your door on a dark rainy night after midnight? What would cause anxiety in you?

            The circus clown usually has a white face and neck, possibly with red ears with red and black features, usually wearing a ruffled collar and a pointed hat—maybe with BIG shoes. He or she plays the part of the ultimate authority figure setting up situations that turn out to be funny.

            The Auguste clown has pink, red or tan makeup with the mouth outlined in white. His or her costume is either too small or too large.  Bold colors, large prints and suspenders often characterize Auguste costumes. He/she plays the part of an anarchist, a joker or a fool. He takes orders from the white faced clown. Another clown called the Contra-Auguste acts as a mediator between the white faced clown and the Auguste clown.

            The Character clown may use anything from glasses, mustaches and beards to freckles, warts and big ears for a costume. Some of the character clowns are hobos, tramps and bums.

            Rodeo clowns work to distract the angry bull after the cowboy has been bucked off. I remember seeing a clown once at a rodeo who acted like a Matador. Just when we expected to see a ferocious bull come charging out of the stall, a bulldog with horns looking like a tiny bull came charging toward his victim. The element of surprise worked well and it was funny.

            However, many people find clowns disturbing rather than amusing. It is common for children to be afraid of disguised, exaggerated or costumed figures—even Santa Claus. The exaggerated features speak of deception and even as adults we can’t be sure of who is behind the mask.

            “In the Space to Care study aimed at improving hospital design for children, researchers from the University of Sheffield polled 250 children regarding their opinions on clowns; all 250 children. . . reported they found clowns frightening. . .”

            The British arts and music festival cancelled its planned clown theme in 2006 after many adult ticketholders contacted the organizers expressing a fear of clowns.

            Freud, the famous psychoanalyst, says anxiety exhibits in children when they find themselves with a stranger instead of the person to whom he/she clings.

            A mask distorts the identity of even the most familiar person. We shouldn’t be surprised when a child expresses his or her honest feelings.