Monday, October 20, 2014

Calling All Creepy Clowns


I hate clowns.  No, wait.  I detest them.

My mother always loved surprising me on my birthday.  Whether I came home from school to a homemade boxed birthday cake (Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Party Chip Flavor is my favorite), letting me skip school to take me clothes shopping at Kmart or Merry Go Round at the mall (we were always excited to sport a new pair of Chic brand sneakers or a plaid skirt with white knee socks), or deciding to redecorate my bedroom without telling me. 

By the way, who had a Merry Go Round in their mall back in the 90s?  It was my favorite before Express became popular!

 

In most cases, her surprises were a hit.  But the one time it was a total disaster (I’m talking gut-wrenching, tears bursting, screaming like a wild banshee) was when I was two years old.  You would have thought I was possessed as my head twisted away from the surprise to retrieve out of my house and run as far away as I could from the motley themed circus which blew up inside my bedroom.

While my mother's vision looked somewhat like this...


I couldn't help but to envision this...


 
Yes, people... my mom thought it was a good idea to completely sabotage my warm and delightful place of sleep with everything having to do with clowns.  Picture this... you walk into a room after your mother tells you to keep you eyes shut.  Once you have planted yourself, front and center, and she tells you to open you eyes, Voila!  A freak show of clowns and all things having to do with the circus.  I could have swore she hired someone from Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey's circus to help her design this catastrophe. 

 
My mother managed to find clown lamps, a bed with a clown theme and big red shoes at the end of the frame, clown picture books resting on my bright red bookshelf, stuffed circus animals and clowns, and a circus banner wrapped all around my room suffocating my imagination and childlike wonder.  My bedroom was stripped the following day and a new sanctuary of bliss was created because I refused to sleep in the clown bed.
I still remember a toy clown she had bought for both of my sisters and me.  It would laugh when you pulled the little white string out of its back.  There was this one time it had laughed without any of us pulling its string.  I thought the toy was cursed so I tossed it in the endless black hole of circus décor, never to be played with again. 


How many of my readers have had one of these vintage, laughing clown dolls?  Still scares the heck out of me!
 
As the years went by, my fear of clowns became a real pain in the ass as nightmares blossomed into my burden.  And movies like It and Killer Clowns From Outer Space didn't help mend my animosity for clowns.  Stephen King's character, Pennywise, from It scarred my dreams for weeks after I watched that movie.  Balloons?  Never again.

 
And who can forget about the blood sucking clowns from outer space?  With their monstrous, crusty large lips and grotesque yellow eyes.  Sometimes I wonder about the people behind these movies!

 
Edgar Allen Poe wrote a story called Hop-Frog about a vicious court jester setting a royal court on fire in 1849.  Poe tells writes about Hop-Frog's revenge on the king for always taunting him and his dwarf girlfriend, Trippetta.  Here are a couple of my favorite lines from the story.  
 
"It was broken by just such a low, harsh, grating sound, as had before attracted the attention of the king and his councillors when the former threw the wine in the face of Trippetta. But, on the present occasion, there could be no question as to whence the sound issued. It came from the fang- like teeth of the dwarf, who ground them and gnashed them as he foamed at the mouth, and glared, with an expression of maniacal rage, into the upturned countenances of the king and his seven companions."

the story continues on and the final paragraph reads:

"The eight corpses swung in their chains, a fetid, blackened, hideous, and indistinguishable mass. The cripple hurled his torch at them, clambered leisurely to the ceiling, and disappeared through the sky-light.It is supposed that Trippetta, stationed on the roof of the saloon, had been the accomplice of her friend in his fiery revenge, and that, together, they effected their escape to their own country: for neither was seen again."
 
 
 
Currently, we have American Horror Story's Freak Show to thank for introducing us to one of the most grotesque and terrifying clowns of all time; Twisty.  If this character were to meet Stephen King's Pennywise, I think he would kick his ass.  This new character murders with no remorse and seems to bask in his ability to scare the hell out of his prisoners by performing some of the creepiest shows I have seen a clown put on.  He murders by stabbing his victims to death and then enslaves children and young woman in his dungeon he calls home; a broken down school bus.



 
Do you like clowns or do they creep you out?  What is your favorite scary clown story?
 
I'm sharing this picture of Luna because I thought it was super cool!  I didn't touch this photo up.  The green glow screaming from her eyes is unreal.  I've never seen anything like this before, have you?  Have a creatively spooky week my friends!  


 
 

34 comments:

  1. LOL! Clowns are evil, and clown dolls? Well, I did a whole vlog post on my feelings about dolls. Seriously evil.

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    1. I would have loved to read your post about dolls, Crystal! Even porcelain dolls were a bit on the creepy side. Some were beautiful while others, I couldn't stand looking at, lol.

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  2. Clowns can be super creepy. My sister is afraid of them. I'm not one to be afraid of a normal looking clown, but if a clown inspired by Stephen King came at me, I would run. lol

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    1. Chrys, did you end up watching American Horror Story Coven? Because if you start watching Freak Show now, it will traumatize you! I make Felix sit next to me while I'm watching it because the clown is sooooooo scary and ugly! Worse than Stephen King's clown

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  3. I am truly a lover of all things scary—pretty much insofar as it does not include aliens or pets being killed—so creepy clowns are one of my favorite things. I feel so much though for those with clown-phobias, though. I can absolutely see how they would be too much for some people! Oh, gosh, and overhauling your room to be circus central when you were a child? What are parents thinking?! Hahaha. So well-intentioned and such a disaster!

    I'm really digging that screencap of the gross pirate clown. Makes me want to write some creepy stories in time for Halloween!

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    1. Oh boy, Kiersi, I can just imagine the stories stemming from a creepy pirate clown. You should totally write one for Halloween!
      I was scarred for a very long time after that disaster. My mom knew better than to bring any more clowns in the house! I didn't even like Ronald McDonald and who doesn't like Mickey D's?!

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  4. In college my boyfriend hated clowns, so I quite evilly bought him the scariest looking clown doll I could find and I put it on his desk facing his bed. It was the first thing he saw every night before bed and morning when he woke up. He was a good sport about it though. He left it there because I gave it to him. I feel a little guilty about it now. ;)

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    1. Lol, Kelly! He must have really loved you! I would have thanked my boyfriend and kindly given it back to him!

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  5. We had a Merry Go Round growing up!!! My husband said he used to go in and flirt with the salesgirls who worked there. They'd do ANYTHING to get a sale. I remember they way they used to follow you around the store, complimenting you and kissing up to you.

    Clowns have never creeped me out. I find them kind of funny even when they're in a horror movie. I've heard people watching American Horror Story are getting an all new kind of fear of clowns, so maybe I'll avoid this season of that show!

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  6. Merry Go Round clothes were the best! We would get so excited when our mom took us shopping there. The good old days!
    If you like clowns now, I suggest you stay away from this seasons's American Horror Story. It scares me so much I have to watch it next to my boyfriend, lol:)

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  7. OMG, "It" freaked me out to no end! So much so that for years, whenever it came on TBS, I would change the channel. Quickly! And I watched the first episode of American Horror Story and Twisty is one scary character! Side note: did you see the first episode? When he ran up to that girl, I was like, "Run, fool!" LOL! And just the other day, I drove by a spa named "Luna" and thought of your Luna. Funny how I hadn't noticed the spa's name before!

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    1. Quanie, I know! Why in the heck didn't she run?!!! If I saw that crusty clown with them big teeth, I'd be running with or without my boyfriend! I can't believe she just stood there, lol
      So cute about the spa being named Luna:) It does sound a bit New Age and Luna actually falls asleep to that genre of music while I'm typing!

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  8. I recently heard that the organization of clowns is working hard to change their image among youngsters who fear them. They'll have to do a major overhaul if any of these images are even close to how kids see them.

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  9. I know, it's really sad because clowns are meant to be funny and warm. I read an article about how professional clowns are really tired of characters like Pennywise and Twisty.
    For me, I was always afraid of them. But then again, we all have childhood fears which stem from something. I probably saw a scary clown as a toddler and that was it.

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  10. OMG, I didn't watch IT and I'm glad I didn't. I probably would have developed a bad clown nightmare habit as well. That is such a cute/scary childhood story. Your Mom probably thought your room looked amazing. American Horror story, I've been hearing so much about this season. I don't have the channel and now that I've read your description I probably couldn't handle it. Too gory. Clowns, go away. I heard the clowns are not happy with the American Horror Story show.

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    1. I'm hearing the same thing, Lisa, and to be honest, I don't blame them! He is honestly one if the scariest clowns I've seen. Pennywise from IT has nothing on this freakshow!
      My poor mom, lol. She was so proud and worked really hard. But this two year old wasn't having it!

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  11. A clown room like that would freak me out! I was never scared of clowns, but vintage dolls, yup.

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    1. Vintage dolls do creep me out a bit. It's funny because I have my grandmothers old vintage dolls in my kitchen. They are a boy and girl who match the cookie jar she gave me. They freak the heck out of my boyfriend so whenever he turns them away from facing us, I turn them back around. I think they look harmless but he says they are too creepy. I guess it's because my grandmother gave them to me I don't get spooked.

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  12. I was never enamored with clowns. After watching Stephen King's It, I was definitely scared of them. Last week when I tuned into American Horror Show I turned it off after watching that creepy clown do his thing....

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  13. I don't blame you! I love love love Jessics Lange, Angela Basset and Kathy Bates which is why I watch it. The clown has GOT TO GO though, lol.

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  14. Ok, those clown pictures are really, really, REALLY frightening. I'm going to have clown nightmares now, and I don't think I was afraid of them before this, LOL! To be fair, I've never really liked them that much. Too many movies, books, and TV shows with creepy clowns in my brain, I think. You poor thing - and your poor mom!! What a total birthday bust!

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  15. Sorry, Liz! I know they are quite disturbing but this is the reason why I am not a big fan of them. I wish I was but to be honest, they just freak me out. I'm not sure where my fear started but it might have something to do with my birthday bust!

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  16. Oh, no! I can't believe your mom made you a circus bedroom full of clowns when you were afraid of them. You poor thing! I remember those clown movies, but I hadn't read the Poe work before. Thanks! Wishing you no clowns, and pet Luna for me - what a cutie!

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    1. I don't think my mom REALLY knew how much I hated them, lol. But she definitely got the hint after that incident!
      I will pet Luna for you:) I've been away all week for work and can't wait to see her again!

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  17. OMGoodness Gina! I could not stop laughing! The description of that bedroom was hysterical. I thought that I was doing such a grand jesture & making a childhood dream come true. If I only knew! I do remember this so well & you brought it back so vividly. As the Professor in "Little Woman" said to Joe, "You should be writing about your life & the world as you have experienced it." I say the same to you. You have the gift of story telling!!!!!!! Love You!!!!

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    1. Awe, thanks mom. I always appreciate your kind words and support for my writing=)
      And we all know how that grand gesture turned out! I still fear clowns, lol

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  18. I definitely remember those mall merry-go-rounds.

    Clowns can definitely be creepy. My cousin has a real fear of them.

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    1. Merry Go Rounds were super cool back then. I was actually reminiscing about those stores and walking around the malls with our beepers instead of being glued to our iphones. The good old days.

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  19. I didn't have a clown anything as a child, but I find them terrifying based on toys and movies I've seen.

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    1. After I was given the one toy mentioned above, I NEVER asked for another clown toy again. Once that thing laughed on its own I threw it away. It was the one thing I kept after my mom scarred me with the clown décor but once it freaked me out, gone!

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  20. I know how terrifying clowns can be but I've got to admit, I'm quite fascinated by carnivals. Read a book about Mabel Stark (one of the first females who tamed tigers with the Ringling Brothers) and Something Wicked This Way Comes, and I'm just hooked. The clown pictures you have here ARE scary. Otherwise, clowns just usually strike me as sad. It's a tough job!

    As for cats' glowing eyes, mine had those, too. I used to call her 'Green Marble Eyes' sometimes.

    Hey, love the new look of the blog. It's refreshing (as in, it makes one want to draw a long, deep breath).



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    1. Awe, thank you so much, Claudine. "It's refreshing (as in, it makes one want to draw a long, deep breath. I love this=)
      I do love carnivals. I love everything about them; the rides, the food, the games and the memories of my childhood and teen years with boyfriends. As for the clowns, I usually keep a distance. I always had a fear of who was behind the makeup but I guess it's a silly fear. I do feel sad for everything they suffer through, especially how the media and movies portray them. Poor souls.
      Luna is so cute. I haven't had a cat since I was 10 years old but she stole my heart when I rescued her. And those eyes! I think black cats are the coolest=)

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  21. I love your picture of Luna - she looks so funny and cute. I'm a big kitty fan!

    As for clowns, I've never been scared of them per se, but they certainly are creepy! And your childhood bedroom sounds like something right out of a nightmare. I don't blame you for feeling traumatised! Your poor mum, trying to do the right thing and getting it so very wrong. :P

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  22. She sure did! We laugh about it now though and her taste in decor has gotten so much better and less creepy over the years:)

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