June 29, 2000

coulrophobia

Is there a word for 'fear of clowns'?

Yes, there is a word for it, and if you don't suffer from it (as I don't) then you would be shocked (as I was) at the number of people who fear or hate clowns. There are entire organizations supporting these folks, so if you count yourself among that number of people who shudder every time Ronald advertises the new McSalad Shaker (and not just because you feel salad shouldn't be served looking like a beverage), take heart. Even celebrities suffer (by all reports, Johnny Depp has a touch of it).

Coulrophbia is the name for 'an unnaturally strong fear of clowns'. You may also hear it called clownophobia informally. The word comes from the Greek words kolobatheron (stilt) and phobia (fear) and was coined fairly recently, in the 1980s.

Why do we fear clowns? Well, it seems that almost everyone has a horror story from a circus or celebration (again, I somehow escaped, and had a wonderful time at my eighth birthday party, balloon animals and all). Movies, TV, and books (IT, Poltergeist, Killer Clowns from Outer Space, Seinfeld with George and Eddie, Animaniacs, etc.) haven't helped. Then there are the costumes, face paint, and the terrifying element of surprise. And, of course, a few bad apple clowns or the occasional true psycho (like John Wayne Gacy) have given all of those coulrophobics occasion to say "I told you so." Add to this the darker origin of the clown (probably a descendent of the Devil character in medieval miracle plays) and you get some serious fear.

Related phobias include: automatonophobia (fear of ventriloquist's dummies), pediophobia (fear of dolls), and pupaphobia (fear of puppets).

As for coulrophobia, I think Jack Handy's Deep Thoughts put it best on Saturday Night Live: "To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary. I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad."

A sad and scary story indeed.

Heather