Jesters of some sort have been around since ancient Egypt and China. Our modern clown was invented around 1800 and ever since they have been getting steadily creepier.
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# Stuff You Should Know: Clowns
Ever wonder why clowns creep so many people out, or how these colorful characters became a worldwide phenomenon? This episode dives deep into the surprising history of clowning, tracing it from ancient Egypt and ceremonial rituals all the way to Joseph Grimaldi's invention of the modern clown in 1803. The guys explore the different types of clowns, the actual skills required to become a professional clown, and why we've gone from finding clowns hilarious to finding them downright terrifying—including how one infamous serial killer in clown makeup basically ruined things for everyone.
American Horror Story
2011
★ 8.1
"That new one on American Horror Story. Twisty. Yeah. Have you seen that one? — Josh referenced the character Twisty the clown from American Horror Story as an extremely scary clown character."
— Josh
"I don't watch anything but Conan. Yeah. I don't even watch Conan, really. — Josh mentioned Conan as a late-night talk show he watches, and thanked writers who work for the show."
— Josh
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
1988
PG-13
1h 26m
★ 6.6
"From that point on, it was like clowns are now overtly sinister. Yeah. And in movies, killer clowns from outer space or it. — Josh mentioned the film as an example of how clowns became portrayed as sinister in movies after John Wayne Gacy."
— Josh
Star Wars: Starfighter
2027
"And in movies, killer clowns from outer space or it. Well, yeah, Stephen King's it. Pennywise the clown. — Josh referenced Stephen King's 'It' featuring Pennywise the clown as an example of a legendary scary clown in media."
— Josh
"Surely your children are aware of your Brahmin heritage. And Bart goes, so long as there's no follow up questions? — Chuck referenced a Simpsons joke about Brahmin heritage when discussing Indian gestures and social classes."
— Chuck
The Three Stooges
1934
★ 8.0
"Going back to the three Stooges, they actually get across the hierarchy of clowns pretty clearly. — Josh used the Three Stooges as an example to illustrate the hierarchy and roles of different types of clowns."
— Josh
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