Creepy clown mania makes life hard for real entertainers

Working clowns’ industry is in crisis thanks to the so-called creepy clown craze, which has left legitimate entertainers short of work and in some cases afraid of leaving the house. Some clowns are terrified of going out in their white greasepaint and makeup, saying they risk arrest by police or attack by mobs who go on clown hunts. The sinister trend, which began in the US and quickly spread to Europe, sees internet pranksters wearing grotesque clown outfits terrorise passersby, then posting the footage on social media. As a result, clowns are being asked to tone down their performances or see their events cancelled altogether, with one performer in New York claiming her bookings have already dropped by 40%. The World Clown Association (WCA), which has 2 000 members in 30 countries, recommends that clowns change into their gear after arriving at a venue. Cyrus Zavieh, alias Cido the Clown, said yesterday: “It’s definitely a scary feeling leaving your house and [fearing] you are going to get jumped because you’re dressed as a clown.” The WCA said it had been inundated by phone calls from panicking performers. New York performer Wendy Pincus, alias Crazy Daisy, said she had seen a 30% to 40% decrease in a few weeks. – The Telegraph