The current issue of The Stranger carries an article that shakes me and my beliefs that we live in a safe, progressive society to the very core.
On March 31, three students enrolled in the advanced clown class at Denny Triangle’s Cornish College of the Arts caused a major disruption in the student body. For their final senior project, the students of the Acting Special Topics class were asked to produce a comical performance about a historical event…. [One group] chose a trickier subject: the civil rights movement…. To the dismay of many of the 50 students and faculty who attended, the three white students’ performance seemed to satirize the civil rights movement itself.I cannot believe that such a blatantly outrageous and offensive activity can be occurring within Seattle city limits. This is the community in which I am attempting to raise a child; an environment I had hoped we could live in without fear. And yet, right there in the newspaper, the frightening facts are presented in stark black-and-white: a Seattle college operates an advanced clown class!
Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns. I am outing myself today as a coulrophobic. Zombies? Bring ‘em on. Vampires? No problem. Ghosts? Don’t believe in ‘em. But clowns? Man, those things seriously freak me out.
I’m sure some Freudian head-shrinker could probably unearth the deep-seated cause, the early-childhood trauma that has allowed this irrational fear to seize me in its grip. Perhaps it was the corpulent “Happy Hank,” who haunted local events in my hometown mangling innocent balloons into hideous animal-like shapes. Or the manic Orange-Crush-soda-pushing Bozo with his Detroit-based television audience of frightened-looking boy and girl scouts? Or was it the Joker, the clown-prince of crime on “Batman” and his evil plans to, for example, turn Gotham City’s water supply into strawberry jam?
Furthermore, Wikipedia’s list of evil clowns spans nearly three screens and lists such symbols of horror as Pennywise, from Stephen King’s It and Coney Island’s Koko the Killer Klown. Oh, of course, there’s John Wayne Gacy. Any number of cultural influences could have contributed to my problem.
I can’t say, however, that I feel coulrophobia has diminished my enjoyment of life. I have the sense that I wouldn’t enjoy circuses all that much anyway, I really don’t like parades or carnivals, and I haven’t been to too many children’s birthday parties (yet). I can largely avoid clown-ridden areas without too much trouble.
But I live in dread that, one day, when I least expect it, that little car will pull up in front of my house….
Comments
You note that "I cannot believe that such a blatantly outrageous and offensive activity can be occurring within Seattle city limits." Then I suggest taking a more pro-active role in city politics and get such offensive material banned by law. In the meantime, get a gang of folks with similar views together and go visit the miscreants and let them know that such behavior won't be tolerated. If they seem to ignore you (some people think they can go around saying anything they want), bring some pitchforks, torches, tar and feathers.
Posted by: Ralph | April 16, 2006 7:04 PM
I remember a Memorial Day parade. I see a young boy and his little sister sitting on the curb in front of Dearborn City Hall clutching little American flags and watching the Shriners in their little cars driving by. Then...along he comes with his big floppy shoes and hideous make up. What does he have behind his back??? A board! He spins around right in front of the young boy and his little sister and reveals a babydoll nailed to the board and a sign that says: BABY ON BOARD!!! Little sister shuts her eyes and young boy begins to cry. Hmmm, could this be the traumatic event that triggered the fear that remains in his heart?
Posted by: Your Mother | April 16, 2006 9:16 PM