Every Town - Why CLOWNS Terrify Us! The Dark Truth Behind the Makeup

Episode Date: April 25, 2025

No matter how you feel about them, there’s no denying there’s cultural distrust when it comes to clowns. The reason behind why are varied, but all lead to one conclusion….clowns are not to be trusted. 👀 Watch This Episode On Youtube: https://youtu.be/lwp140cclYE 👁 Check out our movie AN ANGRY BOY for FREE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvtlOlODQ8g&t=5238s https://tubitv.com/movies/100029672/an-angry-boy International & Other Ways To Watch: https://www.anangryboy.com/ 💀 MERCH: https://scary-mysteries.teemill.com/ 💀 Free 7 Day Trail on Exclusive Episodes, Podcasts & Perks! https://www.patreon.com/scarymysteries   🎧 Our Other Podcast Scary Mysteries: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZooEZMoZ421WdsOVJhVkT 👁 X: https://x.com/ScaryMysteries1 👁 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrew.fitzg 👁 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewfitzgerald 👁 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scarymysteriesofficial 👁 X: https://x.com/ScaryMysteries1 🗣 Business Inquiries, questions and comments hit us up at [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you love true crime, grab your favorite mug and pour yourself a dose of creepy true crime every single morning with a morning cup of murder. This short daily show is the perfect podcast to incorporate into your morning routine because in less than 15 minutes, you'll hear about a true crime that took place on a day's date in history. Each day's dark history lesson will kickstart your morning with intriguing tales of murder, abduction, serial killers, cults, and everything in between.

With over 20 million downloads, Morning Cup of Murder has something for every true crime lover. One listener describes the show as a small package with a powerful punch of crime. Another writes that the show is an absolute delight in the morning. Support yourself a piping hot cup of murder every single morning with Morning Cup of Murder. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Everytown has a dark side. That painted smile and those exaggerated features, the loud, colorful clothing, the white-gloved hands reaching toward you. If your heart skips a beat, when you spot a clown, well, you're not alone.

And we've, of course, all seen the horror movies, and Pennywise lurking in storm drains, art the clowns, blood-soaked antics, and terrifier. But the reality is that our fear for clowns wasn't manufactured in Hollywood, as many people think. And the real story is way worse. Actual people are thrown on grease paint, red noses, and rainbow wigs before committing murder. And that's scarier than anything you could ever see on the big screen. And hey guys, it's Andrew, and thanks for tuning into this week's episode of Every Town We're today. We have a very interesting episode for all you clown lovers and haters out there.

No matter how you feel about them, there's no denying there's a cultural distrust when it comes to clowns. And the reasons behind it are varied, but all lead to one conclusion. Clowns are not to be trusted. And so let's pull back the curtain on why this deep gut-level creepiness exists and find out exactly why we fear the clowns. Now before we get into the true crime side of things on this one, I want to present to you a little clown timeline so we can get a clearer picture on how exactly things went downhill.

How these entertainers went from fun-loving goofballs and turned into literal walking nightmares. It didn't happen overnight. For centuries, clowns, whether pranksters, gestures, or harlequins, were brought around just for comic relief. The medieval kings had their court gestures. Ancient China had its comedic performers

and Native American traditions featured trickster figures meant to entertain. And often, across all cultures, they wore strange clothes and makeup, hats or wigs. And this was all just to aid in the absurdity of it all. Whereas even just by looking at them, they were so out of place and strange looking that it was funny. And that was the point.

And the modern clown, as we know, it started taking shape in the 19th century, thanks to a man named Joseph Grimaldi. And this guy basically invented clowning as a performance art. In the early 1800s in London, he packed theaters with his white face paint, exaggerated red cheeks, and bright blue mohawk. He was so popular and funny that at one point, one in every eight people in London had seen him perform. But offstage was a whole different story, and Grimaldi's life was a complete mess. He struggled with depression and lost his wife during childbirth, and watched his son, who followed in his father's footsteps, and also became a clown, drink himself to death by 31. His physically demanding performances wrecked his body, leaving him in constant pain.

pain. He even joked, I am grim all day, but I make you laugh at night. And that whole idea, the clown who makes others laugh while secretly suffering, stuck. After his death, none other than Charles Dickens edited Grimaldi's memoirs, framing him as a tragic figure who paid for every laugh he gave. And just like that, the sad clown became part of pop culture, and the idea that something dark might be hiding beneath the makeup was born. Meanwhile, just across the border in France, another white-faced clown was making a name for himself, Jean-Gaspard Deborah, a famous mime who played Perot. And Perot is a character that is often seen as a symbol of suffering,

and the embodiment of an artist struggles with the world around them. On stage, he was adored, but onstage, not so much. In 1836, he straight-up killed a boy with his walking stick, just because the kid insulted him on the street. And so, you can kind of see where all this clown-related unease started creeping in. By the late 19th century, circuses were the hottest ticket in town, and clowns became a staple act. But to keep up with the massive crowds, their performances got bigger, louder, and way more exaggerated, giant props, wild gestures, chaotic energy.

And even then, their humor had a weirdly dark edge. In 1876, French critic Edmund de Goncourt described clowns as terrifying and full of anxiety, comparing their frantic over-the-top movements to something straight out of a lunatic asylum. And then came the 20th century, and clowns moved from the circus tent into American living rooms. And TV brought us Bozo the Clown and Ronald McDonald, turning clowns into kid-friendly icons. And this new image, bright, cheerful, harmless, became the norm, which ironically made any hint of darkness behind the makeup way more unsettling. This whole thing we're talking about actually has a name, colerophobia, aka the fear of clowns. It's not officially listed in psychology manuals, but let's be honest, that doesn't make it any less real.

And just look at a clown's face. the two wide smile frozen in place, the exaggerated eyes, something about it just feels off. And there's actually signs behind that feeling. It's called the uncanny valley effect. And it's that weird unease we get when something is almost human, but not quite right. And clowns fit the bill perfectly. Our brains recognize them as people, but their distorted features set off alarm bells as we try to figure out what their real deal is behind the mask.

Psychologist Frank McAndrew dug into this in the first major study on creepiness. It turns out what makes something creepy is an outright fear. It's actually unpredictability. And clowns? They thrive on being unpredictable. Their whole act is about surprise. Breaking social norms, pulling pranks, keeping you guessing. and as McAndrew put it,

if a person is willing to flout the conventions of society by dressing and acting as they do, or what other rules might they be willing to break? And that's what keeps us on edge. You never really know what a clown is going to do next. And then there's another layer, hidden emotions. Our brains are wired to read facial expressions, a slight smirk, a furrowed brow, a twitch of the lip,

and we pick up on these tiny clues without even thinking. They help let us know if someone is friendly or poses a threat. A clown makeup erases all of that. That big painted smile is just a mask. You have no idea what's actually going on underneath. Is the person happy, angry, or plotting something? That uncertainty creates a low-key gut-level unease. And it's exactly why so many psycho-kechie.

killers in horror movies wear masks, because it's scary. Now, some people will say, well, it's just a kid's fear, but that's not true at all. Sure, clown fear often starts young, around age two or three, right when kids are figuring out what's real and what's not. A giant exaggerated face? Well, yeah, that's a lot to process. But plenty of adults never shake that feeling. Psychologists estimate that about 2% of grown-ups have a legit, full-revelled.

blown clown phobia with countless others who just don't trust the things. And so when you add it all up, the eerie appearance, the unpredictable behavior, the masked emotions, the unsettling contrast between goofy persona and who knows what's underneath, but maybe that fear of clowns isn't so irrational after all. Especially since there are real people who decided to take advantage of it in the most horrifying ways possible. Tonight in News Extra, the man who committed what may be the crime of the century. His name is John Wayne Gacy. When people talk about calrophobia, one name always comes up.

It's John Wayne Gacy. At this point, his story is practically a cliche in discussions about creepy clowns, but honestly, the impact he had on our collective psyche cannot be overstated. So a quick refresher, just in case you forgot or never knew what he did. Back in the 1970s, Gasey seemed like a model citizen in his Chicago suburb. He ran a successful contracting business and was involved in local politics. And this is the part that really sticks. He performed as Pogo the Clown at kids' hospitals and charity events,

all thanks to a local clown club called The Jolly Jokers. The clowning was relaxation for me. I enjoyed entertaining kids. like some people are you know they unwind in different ways either we're going out drinking or that I could put on clown makeup and I was relaxed

and I enjoyed doing it but behind the red nose and oversized shoes he was an absolute monster between 1972 and 78 Gacy assaulted and murdered at least 33 young men and boys bearing most of them

in the crawl space underneath his house There were half a dozen pieces of evidence that were just overwhelming, but Gacy now says that he refutes that evidence, and all he's owning up to is having some knowledge of just five of the murders and direct knowledge of even fewer than that. His double life unraveled in December of 78, when 15-year-old Robert Peast went missing, last scene talking to Gacy about a potential job.

And when police finally caught him, Gacy confessed, describing himself chillingly as, judge, jury, and executioner of many, many people. And just to make things even creepier, while awaiting trial, he started painting clowns, including self-portraits as Pogo. Even after his crimes were exposed, he clung to that clown persona,

like he enjoyed the horror it caused. When I got into clown makeup, I regressed in the childhood. It was fun being a clown because you could be yourself or just let yourself go and act a fool. You could be slapstick and funny and have a good time. That's why I always enjoyed clowning. Now, to be clear, there's no evidence that Gacy ever killed while dressed as a clown, but it didn't matter.

The image of a smiling, friendly clown hiding pure evil was enough to earn him the nickname the killer clown. The media ran with it. After Gacy, pop culture clowns took a hard turn into nightmare territory. In 1986, Stephen King introduced the world to Pennywise in It, a shapeshifting entity that literally feeds on children's fears. The poltergeist clown scene, that was 1982. Then came killer clowns from outer space in 88, and clownhouse in 89. Later the Saw franchise with its creepy clown-faced puppet.

Most recently, you have Arthur Clown in the Terrifier series, which, by the way, those movies are kind of. out of control. Definitely don't watch any of these if you're a true calrophobic. But while Gacy is the most infamous real-life killer linked to clowns, he's not the only one. And there have been others who blurred the line between circus fun and real-life terror. And their stories, they only add fuel to the fear. On a quiet Saturday morning in May of 1990 in Wellington, Florida,

a wealthy and peaceful town, 40-year-old Marlene Warren was having breakfast at home with their son Joe and a few of his friends. And Joe was recovering from a broken leg, so when they spotted a clown walking up the driveway, holding balloons and flowers, and their first thought wasn't fear, it was curiosity. And maybe it was a cheerful get-well delivery for Joe. And Marlene went to answer the door. The moment she opened it, everything changed. Marlene Warren answered the door of her home outside West Palm Beach

to find a woman dressed as a clown delivering flowers and a balloon reading, You're the greatest. Suddenly, the clown pulled out a gun and shot Marlene in the face before flee. She collapsed as the clown turned, walked calmly back to a white Chrysler-Labarin, got in and drove off. Not speeding, not running, just leaving. Marlene fought for her life in the hospital for two days before she died. As if the murder itself wasn't twisted enough, the killer had left behind a cruel detail,

the balloons. One read, You're the greatest, and another featured characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Police immediately went for Marlene's husband, Michael. And their marriage had been rocky, and Marlene had already told both her mother and son that she was afraid of him. He actually even said that if anything happens to me, Mike did it. However, Mike had an alibi, and he was on his way to a racetrack with friends at the time of the murder. That's when investigators started looking at another name, Sheila Keen.

Sheila worked for Michael, repossessing cars for his used car dealership, bargain motors. But according to co-workers, Sheila wasn't just an employee. She and Michael were involved, and she loved him. a jealous mistress who wanted Michael Warren for herself. Then they found the evidence. Two nights before the murder, a woman matching Sheila's description, bought a clown costume, wig and makeup from a local costume shop.

A supermarket employee later identified Sheila as looking a lot like the woman who had purchased the exact flowers and balloons found in the crime scene. And then it was the getaway car. The white, Chrysler-Levarez. Barron was eventually found, and inside investigators discovered orange synthetic fibers, consistent with a clown wig.

They also found strands of brown human hair. When they searched Sheila's home, and they found more orange fibers in her closet. It seemed obvious, but this was 1990. DNA testing wasn't where it needed to be, and so prosecutors hesitated. Without the gun, without the clown costume, and with varying witness, destroyed, and with varying witness, descriptions. Joe, for example, initially thinking the clown was a tall man, there just wasn't enough for an arrest. While the case stalled, Michael actually got himself caught up in something else, a huge fraud scandal. Investigators uncovered a mess of racketeering, insurance fraud,

and odometer tampering at his business. He was convicted on 43 counts and he went to prison, but for fraud, not for his wife's murder. and Sheila, and she vanished. A year's past, no rest, no closure. Joe, haunted by his mother's murder, struggle with alcoholism and drug addiction. Then, 27 years later, everything changed. In 2017, cold case investigators used advanced DNA testing

to reanalyze the hair from the getaway car. This time, the results were clear. The DNA met Sheila Keen. After Michael had gotten out of prison, and he and Sheila had reunited, and in 2002 they got married. They've been living under the radar in Tennessee, running a restaurant called the Purple Cow. That's where a police found her. And Sheila had changed her appearance, gone blonde, and everyone in the community knew her as Debbie.

But the past has a way of catching up with bad people. And this time, the case wasn't going cold again. In September 2017, authorities arrested Sheila, Keene Warren, charging her with first-degree murder while dressed as a clown. Now the case is finally over. Keene, now Keene Warren, has just pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. In a more recent case, on a late night in May of 2018 in Holly Hill, Florida, Little Caesar's employee, Herberto Feliciano, was wrapping up his shift just about to head home. But as he was about to step out the back door, he was ambushed. A man in a grotesque clown mask came out of nowhere,

swinging a wooden post with so much force that it broke over the man's back. Before he could recover, the attacker went in with a pair of scissors, aiming to stab him. Policiano had no choice but to fight back. He pulled out his legally concealed firearm and fired several shots, bringing the attack to an abrupt end. When police arrived, they found the masked man lying in the parking lot, scissors nearby, a clown mask still on his face.

He was identified as 53-year-old Jesse Coggins from North Carolina. Medics rushed him to the hospital, but it was too late. He didn't make it. Security footage later showed Coggins lurking outside the store before the attack. The cameras inside even captured the initial assault, though not the shooting itself. Many way police later ruled it as self-defense, but this case illustrates just how deeply unsettling clowns have become in the public psyche. And that mask was a psychological weapon. The attacker chose it for the fear factor,

knowing it would add a layer of horror to the assault. That's why calrophobia isn't just about creepy circus performers or Hollywood horror movies. When people start using clown disguises to commit violent crimes, The line between irrational fear and real danger starts to blur. One of the biggest clown-related freakouts that reached the masses, which you might remember, happened in 2016, when the so-called creepy clown crisis took over America. Then it spread to parts of Europe, Australia, and Canada. That all started in August down in Greenville, South Carolina. In people, kids and adults, started reporting clowns lurking in the woods near an apartment.

apartment complex. Some even claiming the clowns were trying to lure children away. And from there, just snowball. And suddenly clown sightings were popping up all over the country, with reports of eerie figures standing near wooded areas, peering into apartment windows or just generally creeping people out. Then, things went up a notch. And social media accounts with clown profile pictures started sending threats to schools, but some of them actually even going into lockdown. Police departments were flooded with calls, and some people were arrested for making false reports, while others got in trouble for dressing up as clowns just to scare their neighbors. In one case, things got really out of hand, and people actually fired guns into the woods,

convinced they were hunting down a lurking clown. And so what was this all about, really? Folkloreist Benjamin Radford broke it down into two categories. stalker clowns and phantom clowns. The stalker clowns are real people who dress up as clowns to mess with others, sometimes as a prank and sometimes with more malicious intent. These kinds of stories spread like wildfire, especially on social media because nothing grabbed your attention

like a video of a creepy clown just standing somewhere they definitely shouldn't be. And the appeal? Well, it's a low risk, high-reward stunt. Most of the time, just dressing as a clown isn't illegal, but it's guaranteed to freak people out. Phantom clowns, on the other hand, are a different beast. And these are the ones that people think they see. Reports of clowns trying to lure kids away,

but with no real evidence to back that up. This kind of story has been circulating since the 1980s, right around the time those horror movies made their way into the culture. I personally remember at my elementary school, kids talking about a clown that they had seen on the other side of the fence that divided the school's property from the woods. I never saw it myself, probably because it didn't exist, but every time I walked by, I most certainly looked for him. Interestingly, despite decades of reports, there's actually never been a confirmed case of a clown actually abducting a child. It's more an urban legend than reality, fueled by paranoia, fear, and some good storytelling.

What made the 2016 clown panic different, though, was how fast it spread. A single sighting in one town could instantly trigger a wave of reports elsewhere. One creepy clown post could go viral overnight, inspiring pranksters and panic calls across the country. And beneath all of it, there was something deeper at play. And these kinds of phantom clown scares tend to pop up during times of social anxiety. In the 1980s, the hysteria around evil clowns happened during the height of the satanic panic. In 2016, America was going through its own period of tension, and somehow, clowns became the face of that unease. By November, the panic had mostly fizzled out.

Law enforcement started cracking down on false reports. The media stopped feeding into the hysteria, and even Halloween, when you'd expect things to ramp up, turned out to be quieter than anticipated. When people started realizing that scaring others well dressed as a clown might not be worth the risk. And no one actually died because of the 2016 clown panic, but it proves something. Fear spreads fast, especially when it plays into something

we already find unsettling. The idea of sinister clowns was so deeply ingrained in pop culture that the moment a few stories surfaced, they set off a nationwide chain reaction. It wasn't just about creepy clowns. It was about how quickly paranoia can take over when the conditions are just right. And the funny thing is, real clowns are rarely the problem. In fact, studies have shown that clown therapy can actually help kids in hospitals,

calming their nerves before surgery and even helping children with respiratory illnesses recover faster. However, despite all the good they do, clowns generally have a piece of. problem, thanks to everything we've talked about today. Even people in the industry know it's an uphill battle. David Kaiser, a former clown and talent director for Ringling Brothers, admitted that every time a scary clown story goes viral, it makes things harder for actual clowns, just trying to spread joy. To him, good clowning isn't about hiding behind a mask. It's about connection, about letting that goofy, warm-hearted character shine through. And he believes that if a clown feels genuine, people can overcome their fears.

But no matter what, clowns in creepiness will always go hand in hand together for many people. There's just something about them that messes with our brains. There's nothing we can do about that. Whether it's the exaggerated expressions that make it impossible to tell what they're really thinking, the way we naturally get uneasy when something almost looks human, but not quite, or for the simple fact that we've been taught to be suspicious of people who hide behind a smile. A clown cannot be trusted. While most of them you come across are just trying to entertain or make you laugh,

history is proven that every once in a while, you come across a clown that kills. So that's going to do it for this week's episode of Everytown. I hope you all enjoyed it. If you enjoy this type of work, we do, and you want more. Check out some of the links down in the description. We have a huge library of videos and podcasts to go through exclusive content, a feature film to watch, new merch, and more. I appreciate you very much for tuning in. Remember to come on back next week for another episode of every town filled with scary, strange, and mysterious stories.

Because you never know. Maybe your town will be next.