Scary Clowns
Summary
Host David Farrier explores the cultural shift of clowns from beloved figures to sources of terror, discussing the 2016 "clown panic" and its roots in the 1980s. He interviews professional clown Guilford, who shares his perspective on the industry's decline, the impact of the 2017 *It* remake, and the enduring presence of non-scary clowns like Ronald McDonald. The episode also covers the history of scary clown tropes in film and the societal factors that fueled the modern fear of clowns.
Topics discussed
Intro: Scary clowns and Halloween in LA
Halloween decorations and neighborhood competition
Universal Studios and the Terrifier franchise
Personal horror movie journeys and Pennywise
The history and culture of the horror genre
Interview with a professional clown
The 2016 Clown Panic and media saturation
Sponsorships: Helix and Shopify
Consequences of the clown scare and news cycles
Guest's background: From diver to clown
The Ronald McDonald program and global clowns
Documentary on positive clowning vs horror
Sponsor break and non-scary American clowns
Timeline of clown scares from 1981 to 2016
Origins of clowns and the It franchise
Critique of It Chapter Two and the book
Listener feedback: Flat earthers at a planetarium
Listener feedback: The fruit fly story
Outro and social media links
Listen ad-free on Castria