Halloween is fast approaching and Dani is getting excited already. He calls it his favourite fiesta. What he really loves about it is dressing up as a vampire, mummy or zombie. This year he is planning a mixed bag costume. It involves a vampires cape, skeleton suit and a frightening mask of some deranged clown.

What is it with clowns and Halloween?

Send in the clowns
Dani asked a very good question the other day. We were out walking to the shops. Looking for Halloween costumes actually.
“Dad, why are there more scary clowns in films than funny ones?” he said.

It was a good question. And the answer was certainly not immediately obvious. In fact it still isn’t. He came up with the question because this past week saw the premieres of two big movies. One called “It (Chapter 2)” and the other is “Joker”. On almost every main road junction there are posters advertising one or both of these films. Every now and again he would ask about the two clown characters on those posters.

One (It 2) is definitely of the horror/terror genre. The other is a DC Comics character. But we are not talking about Cesar Romero in the 1960s Batman TV series here – my particular favourite by the way.

While Cesar Romero’s Joker was obviously a nut job, that TV series was pure comic book this latest Joker movie is definitely a darker, deeper look at the DC comic villain. I had to tell Dani right away that he will not be watching either movie any time soon. When his old dad goes to see it is another story.

But back to the question.
I could not really answer it. Why are there more scary clowns than funny clowns in the movies? In general even? I made up some pathetic answer. Basically because I do not know the real answer – if there even is one. Clown costumes have come to be associated with Halloween more than making people laugh. 

Does anyone know the answer?

Meanwhile…

Here is that mask….

yeah. Not exactly nice or funny is it? Well, he certainly thinks so. He just thinks this mask is funny. This year we have planned to be over at his nana’s house for Halloween. Dani can have a fright night party with some of his cousins. More on that to come….