I don't like to be paranoid, but. . .

have you ever wondered why american clowns have afro hair, big noses and big lips/mouths and put on stage shows for people's amusement?

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Doesn't it remind you of minstrel actors in blackface?


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I don't look at clowns the same way anymore since I noticed this.







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^LOL @ the caption^

I don't believe in coincidence, so I'm sure there is a connection.

whoa I never even thought of that...but I'd like to not think it's pointed towards us. I wikid it and it says its suppose to be a slant of all human race.

deeply_rooted_chick wrote:whoa I never even thought of that...but I'd like to not think it's pointed towards us. I wikid it and it says its suppose to be a slant of all human race.

can you give me the wiki link? i was looking it up a while ago and i couldn't find anything about it

I've always kind of feared clowns. They have never looked funny to me, just scary. I just can't trust someone that has a painted on smile!

deeply_rooted_chick wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clown

thanks. . .i saw that article too, but i thought they were talking about older versions of clowns & in other countries, not the american party clown we see usually today. i dont really see how its making fun of any other race except for blacks, because no other race in the world has big, kinky/coily hair like ours.

I've always wondered about the hair but I didn't think about this before. I do see similarities now. Clowns have always scared me (I blame my cousins making me watch "IT" when I was little). Hmm... another reason for me not to like clowns!

Wow!!! Never really thought about that till now. Think your on to something. Let's start a MOVEMENT to get rid of these clowns. No pun intended.

it is kind of weird, but when you think about it there are some parts of other races they could be targetting:

...like a super pale face (when many of them perfer to be "sun-kissed tan"...)

...or the big nose that certain Italians are supposed to have (i never knew of this, until one of my BFFs who's Italian told me this!)

...and i've known quite a few curly redheads who were caucasians/jewish sporting the "jew fro," a couple of them are sporting it on my campus right now. GO GATORS. lol.

It could be that we're just more sensitive to it because of our race & we know the sterotypes for our cultures, more so than we're familiar with others...

clowns make me think of pedophiles. Sorry, but they do. Ain't nothing cute or funny about clowns to me. Maybe IM paranoid...

I totally understand @ BajanPrincess82. I also have a fear of clowns. Those things are so so so scary. I run away from them so fast. I also have a fear of mimes. they just move around and don't say anything.

There are physical characteristics in all races that are looked down up. Blacks aren't the only ones who have appearance issues. Like the other sister said about the Jew Fro, several races (not just Italians) have issues with their large noses. In the Latin/Hispanic culture skin color/tone is a huge issue. There are several races that have what some call kinky hair. And there is no race that doesn't have folks walking around with large lips.

With that said I do think the American clown is founded in some type of racism and stereotyping and some may have direct links to black folks. At this point I doubt that everyone who are working as a clown is doing it to be racist - some might, but not all.

I understand how folks are scared of clowns and can associate them to sex offenders.

you guys make some good points! and LOL @ cluelesscurl. I don't want to start attacking all clowns or anything, i just wish i knew the real history of them because I always think of this whenever I see them.

So they're not only making fun of black people, but blacks, italians, jews, and all races? I don't think thats any better. I think its kind of saying these characteristics (like the afro) are funny looking and shouldn't be taken seriously or something. Thats the impression I get from it.

This whole thread made me cry laughing!

I can see the correlation between clown faces & minstrel shows/blackface. it'd be Interesting to learn the real history of this whole clown thing.

@naturallyu mimes?? Haven't heard that before however, I am DEATHLY afraid of mascots. Pretty much any person in a suit that doesn't show a human face and doesn't speak. I just think their maniacs who are unpredictable. Been chased more than a couple times by several different mascots. I will NEVER go to disney land/world.

When I think of clowns, I think of John Wayne Gacy...Serial killer. What's lurking underneath all of that face paint? What are you really trying to hide?

TiffNotANY wrote:I blame my cousins making me watch "IT" when I was little). Hmm... another reason for me not to like clowns!

Ok?!? Pennywise messed me up pretty bad...didn't even want to be around Ronald McDonald. Off topic, but porcelin dolls creep me out too

@DerbyDiva Girl, you had me ROTF with your mascot comment
@cyclingchick Porcelain dolls now that is so true they kind of creep me out a bit too. When I see one I find myself staring at them for the longest time thinking they gonna end up like chucky
This is an interesting post

cyclingchick wrote:
Ok?!? Pennywise messed me up pretty bad...didn't even want to be around Ronald McDonald. Off topic, but porcelin dolls creep me out too

OMG!!! Tell me why my mom collects PORCELAIN CLOWN DOLLS!?!?!? creepiest things ever.