Okay, it's late, I'm tired from wrenching out a battle scene in Mute, and I'm also a little punchy, but I couldn't help sniggering over a Yahoo headline that read
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I saw that headline, too, and while I didn't read the article, I had to raise an eyebrow--the one I saw said clowns were "universally" disliked by children, which, since I liked clowns quite a lot when I was little, is quite obviously wrong.
Again, one of the ways in which I evidently go against the grain. :P
You clown-loving rebel, you! Clown-lover! Clown-lover!
Honestly, I tend not to mind them when I actually see them live in something like Cirque du Soleil. What I really dislike are the pictures and really, any still depiction of them, such as dolls or statues (shudder).
I don't know if this holds true for other clown-phobics out there, but upon analyzing my severe dislike of "still-life" clowns, I've come to the conclusion that they look too corpse-like for me: the pasty white face, the unnatural wide grin like that of a skull, the painted patches around their eyes that look like gaping eyeholes--yep, clown faces definitely make me see dead people.
For that matter, I hate Noh masks and Kabuki makeup for the same reason, although I would really love to see kabuki live someday.
I guess it depends on the "still-life," then. ^_~ I can certainly envision a creepy-looking clown picture, but I can also envision ones that aren't creepy at all.
A few random notes: 1) I've realized I forgot to pay you on Saturday, so I'll send you a check ASAP! If you don't receive it in about a week or so, feel free to bother me about it. 2) Went to see 'Atonement' with my mom yesterday, and I really enjoyed it. Let me know what you think of it when you see it! Also, I was wrong about the changes I thought they made to it from reading the reviews--it all syncs up with the book, and all is well. Seems like the critics just latched onto a certain aspect of it more than was perhaps intended and came up with a different idea about what was going on.
My brother's godmother had, at her cottage, a painting of a clown that her daughter did hanging on the wall in one of the guest bedrooms.
For the first two years of his life my brother used to SCREAM all night whenever we went to stay there. It was only when he really managed to learn how to express himself did we find out that he HATED that clown.
He's nineteen now... and still she takes down the clown painting whenever we go over to stay... he still can't sleep with it there.
Isn't that funny? I would guess that your brother at age 0-2 wasn't channeling the clown-corpse connection that has me freaked, so it's interesting to figure out what frightened him. Maybe just the "wrongness" of a makeup-distorted human face. Some kids find it funny, and some find it terrifying.
Of course, I always love that "Deep Thought" by Jack Handey:
"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary. I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad."
When I was little, a good-hearted aunt made a patchwork picture of a clown. It was truly scary, like a clown from Nightmare Before Christmas, only less cheery and more discolorated. My mother quite liked that aunt, so she forced my brother and me to hang it on the wall of our playroom.
Whenever we were alone in our room, one of us would tip-toe to the picture and cover it with a magazine's page, a sheet, the G-Joes tent, whatever. The point was to keep the clown's button eyes off us.
Then we (accidentally) watched IT. And to this day, every time we go to the bathroom we have to part the curtains; we have the feeling that the patchwork clown will try to get us. Before It I always assumed that the Bad Ones would never be so unpolite as to attack you in the bathroom. But a clown would probably find it funny, wouldn't IT?
I never thought about the corpses association, but it's true. I was more annoyed with their noisy habits and stupid jokes. Argh.
Sorry for the late reply; it's been an intense week.
I had to laugh at your story; you and your brother were very creative! I also have to agree with you about IT, alhough I found the book much scarier than the movie (except for the really weird ending of the kids' adventure, giant celestial tortoises and all.)
Well, I'll agree with that study. I don't like clowns, they scare the pants off me.
Oh, and I remember I really, REALLY didn't like clowns ever since I watched Disney's Dumbo when I was a child, and there was a scene when the clowns were mean to the poor lil' elephant with the big ears.
Although, between clowns and the T-Rex from Jurassic Park, i was more terrified of the T-Rex.
But nothing scares me more than porcelain dolls. Especially porcelain dolls possessed by the soul of a dead killer. <.<
By the way..a new chapter! YES! totally made my night when I read it. *sighs in happiness* nothing cheers me up better than a good story. Kudos!
SPOILER ALERT FOR HIDDEN PATHS: I KNEW Tamahome was still alive. I just knew it!
Thanks for stopping by--and for reading Hidden Paths!
I'm completely in agreement about porcelain dolls (especially the glass-eyed ones), although my early exposure to them in old horror shows like "Night Gallery" dealt with the dolls themselves being evil, no soul of dead killer required. :P
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Again, one of the ways in which I evidently go against the grain. :P
Reply
Honestly, I tend not to mind them when I actually see them live in something like Cirque du Soleil. What I really dislike are the pictures and really, any still depiction of them, such as dolls or statues (shudder).
I don't know if this holds true for other clown-phobics out there, but upon analyzing my severe dislike of "still-life" clowns, I've come to the conclusion that they look too corpse-like for me: the pasty white face, the unnatural wide grin like that of a skull, the painted patches around their eyes that look like gaping eyeholes--yep, clown faces definitely make me see dead people.
For that matter, I hate Noh masks and Kabuki makeup for the same reason, although I would really love to see kabuki live someday.
I am a mass of contradictions. Woe.
Reply
A few random notes:
1) I've realized I forgot to pay you on Saturday, so I'll send you a check ASAP! If you don't receive it in about a week or so, feel free to bother me about it.
2) Went to see 'Atonement' with my mom yesterday, and I really enjoyed it. Let me know what you think of it when you see it! Also, I was wrong about the changes I thought they made to it from reading the reviews--it all syncs up with the book, and all is well. Seems like the critics just latched onto a certain aspect of it more than was perhaps intended and came up with a different idea about what was going on.
Reply
For the first two years of his life my brother used to SCREAM all night whenever we went to stay there. It was only when he really managed to learn how to express himself did we find out that he HATED that clown.
He's nineteen now... and still she takes down the clown painting whenever we go over to stay... he still can't sleep with it there.
Freaky ass clowns.
Reply
Of course, I always love that "Deep Thought" by Jack Handey:
"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary. I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad."
Reply
Whenever we were alone in our room, one of us would tip-toe to the picture and cover it with a magazine's page, a sheet, the G-Joes tent, whatever. The point was to keep the clown's button eyes off us.
Then we (accidentally) watched IT. And to this day, every time we go to the bathroom we have to part the curtains; we have the feeling that the patchwork clown will try to get us. Before It I always assumed that the Bad Ones would never be so unpolite as to attack you in the bathroom. But a clown would probably find it funny, wouldn't IT?
I never thought about the corpses association, but it's true. I was more annoyed with their noisy habits and stupid jokes. Argh.
Reply
I had to laugh at your story; you and your brother were very creative! I also have to agree with you about IT, alhough I found the book much scarier than the movie (except for the really weird ending of the kids' adventure, giant celestial tortoises and all.)
Thanks for dropping by!
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Oh, and I remember I really, REALLY didn't like clowns ever since I watched Disney's Dumbo when I was a child, and there was a scene when the clowns were mean to the poor lil' elephant with the big ears.
Although, between clowns and the T-Rex from Jurassic Park, i was more terrified of the T-Rex.
But nothing scares me more than porcelain dolls. Especially porcelain dolls possessed by the soul of a dead killer. <.<
By the way..a new chapter! YES! totally made my night when I read it. *sighs in happiness* nothing cheers me up better than a good story. Kudos!
SPOILER ALERT FOR HIDDEN PATHS: I KNEW Tamahome was still alive. I just knew it!
Take care Roku! =D
Reply
I'm completely in agreement about porcelain dolls (especially the glass-eyed ones), although my early exposure to them in old horror shows like "Night Gallery" dealt with the dolls themselves being evil, no soul of dead killer required. :P
Have a great week! We have lots of snow here. :P
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