Creepy Clown Nation: From Laughing to Screaming | Weekend Read

Each weekend, Patch shares stories sparking conversations beyond one town:

From Laughing to Screaming: The History of Clowns and Terror

Clowns are currently viewed with fear and even as potential menaces to the public, but throughout their expansive history they've played varied roles as advisers to royalty, major celebrities and children's entertainers.

Not too long ago, jugglers, balloon twisters and rubber-nose-wearing caricatures were a popular delight. Clarabell and Bozo the Clown were family-friendly characters who helped usher television to the masses. Clowns, in some form, have been around for thousands of years, some gaining legitimate fame as artists for crowd-pleasing comedic styles.

Fitting then, perhaps, that the current clown craze was first met with laughter but has devolved into substantial threats that have forced law enforcement to devote huge chunks of time to responding to troubling incidents real and perceived. >>> Read more.

Clown Reports in Maryland:

• 4 Boys Charged for 'Creepy Clown' Threats on Social Media in Montgomery Co.
• No Kids to Be Charged for Made-Up Reports of Creepy Clowns

Real Clown Entertainers Losing Business Due To 'Creepy Clown' Incidents

Some clown performers are receiving threatening phone calls and are losing business in light of the numerous "scary clown" incidents that have been reported in recent weeks.

Patti Gonsky, who performs as “Sprinkles the Clown,” receives up to 17 threatening and prank calls a day from Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida, just to name a few places. She has been performing for 30 years.

“They’re getting bolder and tell me that if I come near their home, they’ll kill me,” Gonsky said. “You can hear kids giggling in the background. I tell them that the calls are being traced and they immediately hang up.” >>> Read more.

Image via Alyssa Miller via Flickr