Clowns, which are fun characters for some people, are extremely scary for some people! Despite this, they are frequently featured in birthday parties for children, literary works, stage performances or movies for nearly two centuries in different ways.
Here are 9 interesting facts you need to know about clowns
The word clown first appeared in 1560.
The origin of the word is thought to be based on the Icelandic word “klunni”, which means clumsy person. In the English texts of the 1560s, the word clown was used to mean “rude man” and “peasant”.
International Clown Week has been celebrated in the United States since 1971.
Fear of clowns has a name: Koulrophobia
According to a scientific study conducted in the United States in 2016, one in three Americans between the ages of 18-29 is at least mildly afraid of clowns!
Clowns and jesters are often confused
Both are wearing colorful clothes, both are exaggerating. However, there are very important differences between a clown and a jester. Clowns are performance artists who perform within the framework of a fiction. But jesters are considered showmen who make sarcastic and impromptu performances.
Stephen King’s fictional character Pennywise is considered the scariest clown in history
Clowns have been portrayed as scary characters in many artworks to date. However, none of them managed to scare people as much as “Pennywise”.
The first famous clown in history: Joseph Grimaldi
Known as the “father of clowns,” Grimaldi was one of the first people to stage professional clown shows. He first appeared on the stage as “Joey the Clown” in 1802.
There is an association for clowns around the world called “Clowns International”
The association was founded in 1947 by circus enthusiast Stan Bult. The aim of the association is to create a communication network between clowns in different parts of the world.
2016 was the year of the “big clown craze”
In 2016, a large number of people dressed as “terrible clowns” were appearing in daily life in different countries. This situation was caused by the promotional activities of a horror movie that was prepared to be screened in the USA. The great clown craze had reached such proportions in some countries that governments banned the sale of clown clothes.
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