Clowns: Scary or Funny?

What is coulrophobia? It's just a nice scientific name for clown phobia, or the intense fear of clowns. But why do so many people fear clowns?

Some people blame media for casting clowns in a horrific light. There are movies and novels that portray clowns as downright ghastly, such as Stephen King's "It."

Sometimes people just have a bad experience with clowns. Maybe a clown scared them when they were children, or maybe they were just frightened by the face makeup. You know, the big red lips, the giant red nose, the unnaturally white skin.

Another factor is that clown makeup can obscure or even conceal the real facial expressions. Not being able to see the clown's true face could inspire some instinctual distrust. Some children are afraid of costumed people in general, even if they're at Disney World.

We actually have the Simpsons to thank for this catchphrase: "Can't sleep, clown will eat me."

It happened in an episode called "Lisa's First Word," where we learn more about the Simpson family's past. When Marge becomes pregnant with Lisa, a very young Bart is forced to give up his crib for the baby. To make Bart feel better about it, Homer builds a special bed just for Bart--a clown bed that looks rather evil. It looks even more scary at night! It's not a leap for Bart to imagine that the frightening clown bed will devour him as soon as he falls asleep.

The next morning finds Bart curled up on the floor downstairs, muttering to himself over and over, "Can't sleep, clown'll eat me."