Clowns do not bother me, but DD1 and DD2 HATE clowns. DH put Pennywise as his profile picture on FB and they threatened to de-friend him. You can't even say "Pennywise" to them or they freak. It's not just him either. They hate the USPS commercial with the clown at the house entrance and the family standing outside.

I like clowns, but I don't have strong feelings about them.

I dislike clowns. They seem so noisy and irritating. (I do, however, like Pierrot and Pierette).

No opinion, but your post reminded me of Modern Family and Phil's fear of clowns. What a great show!

I probably lean to the negative feeling toward clowns because I'm not that fond of silliness. Also I think the excess colorful makeup & costuming is gross. But I find mimes to be fascinating so go figure.

"They hate the USPS commercial with the clown at the house entrance and the family standing outside.".

Allison, DD & I feel the same way, we hate that commercial
. . . or, at least, we totally understand (and cringe at) that family's response to the clown. Actually, I think the commercial is probably what initiated the class discussion to begin with!
Lynn

No, have never been afraid. However, my niece is still afraid, and she is 35!

Of course, if you've ever seen KLOWN the KISS tribute band, I think they can take your fears away. We know a couple of the guys in this band. They even get Gene Simmons' approval.

Here is a link that might be useful: KLOWN ALIVE

I hate clowns...no fear involved, just intense dislike....they are never ever funny to me, just stupid and pointless. I have felt that way since childhood. I don't like slapstick humour in general except for very occasional scenes that are very well done and realistic.

I'm sorry, but I think that band would almost make me afraid. I find them very creepy.

No intense dislike of clowns, here, but they do give me the creeps. On a scale of 1 being "love them" and 10 being "horrible fear and loathing", I'd give them a 4. Interesting survey, Lynn!

I'm not a clown fan, but my DD really dislikes them. I remember taking her to a birthday party when she was about 3, and there was a clown there. I had to take her to a back bedroom until the clown left.

Several years later we were having lunch at the mall, and a clown was there, making balloon animals. My daughter ate as quickly as she could so that we could get out of there.

I like the USPS commercial because I can totally relate! That clown toy is creepy!

I don't feel strongly one way or the other,except they often smell funny, like seats in an older movie theater.

I wouldn't say I hate clowns, just find them extremely creepy. Please keep them far away from me. I feel the same way about sock monkeys and ventriloquist dummies.

I do not have any feelings one way or the other about clowns. I have never really thought about them.

I love clowns. Used to collect them until so many people started giving me the kinds of clowns that were cutesy instead of interesting. My bathroom has some wonderful drawings of clowns from 'The Pickle Family Circus'.

It depends on the clown.

Bozo from Bozo's Circus = happy memories
John Wayne Gacy dressed as a clown = nightmares

As a child, I think I liked them, but I must have seen a scary Twilight Zone or something, because I don't like them now-creepy(more in the abstract than in real life situations like the circus). Feel the same way about dolls, although I still like my Madame Alexander bride.

As a child I loved Buffalo Bob, Howdy Doody, even Flub-a- dub - but Clarabelle - nope. Creepy, still don't like clowns.

Never liked clowns, ever. They kind of scared me, I think. Now I think they are creepy and wonder why adults want to hide in costumes. I want to see who people are.

I don't like them.
They don't scare me....unless they are the killer in the scary movie.
Most of them aren't funny.
There was a clown on local t.v. when I was a child and I remember liking that show, but I don't think I specifically liked the clown, but his personality and how he related to the kids on the show was what was appealing.

Red

I don't like the kind of clowns that bop you on the head. In fact, I never liked clowns much at all. They are scary looking and unpredictable. I did like Clarabelle though.

Can't stand clowns in real life, but even worse (to me) are paintings of clowns. I just can't imagine how anyone can find them attractive. Yet clearly some people do, because there are literally millions of them when I am searching vintage art on eBay. (or maybe the reason they're all for sale is that the current owners are also skeeved out by them?)

I've never had any strong feelings about clowns one way or another, but have a friend who is deathly afraid and hates them. Never asked her where that came from.

deedee says it all. LOL

I don't have a strong feeling either way. I don't love nor hate them. I haven't been to a circus in 15 years but I enjoyed the clowns when I did go.

OK, I'm going to take pictures of my clowns tomorrow and post them here, expecting honest opinions. No sugar coating allowed.

i'm pretty neutral about clowns... i've definitely seen some who are better than others. some clowns are naturals and some seem like they try too hard-similar to the good and the bad in stand up comics.

Never minded clowns that I can remember, lol. I guess tha would put me at indifferent. However, DD had a very strong fear of them as a child. Nooo she did not enjoy the circus (something I always disliked, but for a different reason), and she didn't at all enjoy the rodeo clowns even tho they didn't approach her.

When approached by a clown as a child, DD would nearly climb my leg or that of the nearest standing adult relative. She wasn't waiting for me to pick her up, that couldn't happen fast enough. Also, I don't remember DD being invited to any birthday parties as a child featuring a clown, per se. Many different forms of birthday entertainment, but never a clown.

IDK, from reading the responses, it seems that somthing's up with the clowns in my DD's generation.

It's not a strong dislike but I lean more towards dislike. I guess I've led a mostly clown-free existence so I haven't developed a strong feeling one way or another. I've never been to a circus or a party that had a clown. I've only seen clowns on tv and I just don't get them.

What cyn147 and deedee99 said. I didn't mind them as a young kid (loved Bozo) but now they remind me of Gacy and feel sinister. And I remember a Twilight Zone episode featuring a carnival fortune teller machine that creeped me out, so I put that in the same category, along with dolls and nutcrackers.

I'm neutral to negative about clowns. I find them garish. Most don't seem that funny, but I haven't gone out of my way in search of quality clown performances.

I don't care for them, and the USPS commercial is a tad frightening!

Your daughter had probably already seen this, but I KNEW there had to be a word for 'fear of clowns', and there is - Coulrophobia.

Here is a quote from the Wikipedia link I have placed below - "A study conducted by the University of Sheffield found that the children did not like clown decor in the hospital or doctors' office settings. The survey was about children's opinions on decor for an upcoming hospital redesign. Dr Penny Curtis, a researcher, stated "As adults we make assumptions about what works for children. We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable."

Here is a link that might be useful: Link with mention of studies on clown in Wikipedia

No opinion one way or the other even though I had a bad incident involving tequila and a blow-up clown.

My DW, DD, and myself are neutral about clowns.

Kinda depends on how "funny/cute" they look I think. But that's such an individual thing....

Faron

Strongly dislike; I have always felt that they exude an air of menace or threat. No particular memory associated with them--just a gut reaction.

I'm neutral about clowns. I did, however;love Clarabelle
on the Howdy Dowdy Show!

I have never liked them.

Thank you all so much for participating in DD's survey.

I still remember the first time I checked out the group of lake cottages my family and I were going to rent for our week-long reunions. One cottage was decorated totally with clown art. IMO, it was a nightmare! My one sis and her family, who aren't clown-haters take that cottage every year. Many of the rest of us dislike even being in there!

Another sis (I have 4), who also takes after our mom, inherited our grandparent's large, old Murano glass clown. She keeps it on her guest room dresser . . . until we come to visit. I won't sleep with that in our room and put it face down under her bed, far away from me while we're there.

My3dogs: what a great piece of info. DD says "thank you!!!" for that.

Kelly: ROFLMAO . . . I'm afraid to ask about that one!

Lynn

Do you need any more responses?

When I was a very young I thought they were mildly entertaining. As I got a little older I found them to be a bit creepy. It was probably about the same time I realized the circus was kind of creepy too.

Then I read "It" by Stephen King. Pennywise the sewer dwelling, child killing clown basically ruined clowns for me.

Not a fan. I think it's the giant red nose that bugs me. As a kid I watched a show called Hobo Kelly, and she had a clownish face, but no big nose. Maybe it's the whole silent thing, some clowns don't talk, so that may be it. I also deplore mimes.

Don't get me started on ventriloquist dummies...shudder.

Yes, thanks for the added responses! I'm recording them all, minus names, for DD to take to school. This has been fascinating to read.
Lynn

Add me to the dislike group. I agree with the comments about them being pointless and stupid. Never understood the appeal.

Hate them, always have. I don't like anything I can't see the face though. Like people dressed as disney characters or cartoon characters, Easter bunny, etc. I know I remember my mom telling me that when I was pretty young I asked her about the tooth fairy and made her swear to tell me the truth. She told me it wasnt real and supposedly I said "good, that means the easter bunny and santa aren't real either and I don't like the idea of them flitting about my house" I hope my kids believe and are not as strange as I was. :)

Ugh. I flunked at getting the pics of my clowns here. I actually took them but didn't have time to upload them. Sorry.

Road trip to get my MIL today.