Chapter 1
The ancient roots of sacred fools
Chapter 2
The birth of the modern clown
Chapter 3
From beloved icons to screen stars
Chapter 4
The dark side of the smile
YOUR GOAL
Master of The painted history of fools and frights
Ch 4 · The dark side of the smile
misslily Stephen King's novel It exploited a growing public unease, using an ancient shape-shifting entity that takes a clown's
misslily A man in colorful Pogo the Clown makeup stands under dramatic warm lighting.
Fun Fact
Coulrophobia study: A 2023 study by the University of South Wales found that over 53% of surveyed people reported having some degree of fear toward clowns.
Glossary
coulrophobia (noun)
An extreme or irrational fear of clowns. This psychological anxiety intensified globally following the 1986 release of Stephen King's horror novel, It.
An extreme or irrational fear of clowns. This psychological anxiety intensified globally following the 1986 release of Stephen King's horror novel, It.
Quiz
What psychological concept explains our discomfort with things that look almost human but not quite?
Quiz
What is the scientific term used to describe an intense, irrational fear of clowns?
Quiz
What was the clown alter-ego name used by the notorious criminal John Wayne Gacy?
Quiz
In which comic book did Batman's arch-nemesis, the Joker, make his very first appearance?
Quiz
What real-life incident in 2016 involved people dressing as clowns to scare communities globally?