Send In The Clowns To Campaign Against Lynn Swann

It appears that Lynn Swann has made a bit of a tactical error in who he messes with (via Wook):

The Republican gubernatorial candidate was making the rounds at the Allentown Fair last week when he decided to take on a clown sitting above the dunk tank.

After watching Swann toss several balls at the target and miss, the clown yelled: “I hope you do better at the polls, buddy,” according to an account in the Morning Call of Allentown.

Swann had started to walk away when he suddenly turned back, picked up more balls, and began hurling them at the target.

When he finally hit the bull’s-eye and the clown plunged into the water, Swann stuck his fists in the air, triumphant.

Typical neophyte politician. You lose the clowns, you lose the proletariat. Although I guess that’s not who Swann was expecting to vote for him, anyway.

Swann puts clown in his place [Inky, 2nd item]
The Tipping Point [Wookified]

When Funny Turns Criminal

Here’s a quiz: When is child porn possession funny? When it’s a clown charged with child pornography, that’s when!

Okay, it’s still not really funny. But, admit it, you’re stifling a laugh, even at a disgusting crime. Yes, noted Jersey shore clown Skates the Clown — who lives in Beachwood, N.J. — was arrested yesterday for possession of child pornography. He’s a married father of two, and his son was very upset with the charges, according to Action News. The newscast also said that the neighbors weren’t surprised at the charges, which seems a little odd.

He goes by the name Skates the Clown and has his own website advertising his services for kids’ birthday parties and other events. But 46-year-old Walter Homan may have trouble with his bookings after his arrest on child pornography charges.

Really? He might have trouble with his bookings? Thanks, Action News! The newscast does, however, lead us to the arrested clown’s webpage and messageboard. And guess what people are writing on that messageboard! I think Skates is going to have some trouble with his bookings.

Skates The Clown Messageboard
Skates The Clown Website
Clown Charged with Child Porn Possession [6 ABC]

Tune In Next Week For An Exposé On Mimes!

I had a little fun the other day with an NBC 10 poll asking if people were or had ever been afraid of clowns.

Turns out, it wasn’t just a poll: It was market research.

And, yesterday, NBC 10 delved in to the world of clowns and found out: Hey, some people don’t like them!

Actually, that’s not fair. The report — done, naturally, by medical reporter Cherie Bank — goes deeper than that. The article says the No. 1 reason people are afraid of clowns is the 1990 made-for-TV movie (remember them?) It. Personally, I think it’s more of a fear of Tim Curry, the actor who played Pennywise, but that’s just me.

The report then quotes a psychologist, and concludes like this:

But clown organizations know about their scary image and some individual clowns, at least, are trying to do something about it.

“I’m a mommy clown,” said Judy Tudy.

Tudy’s whole family clowns around. There is Cutie Tudy, Rudy Tudy, Eddie Spaghetti and Brian Bo-bi-an. They are all from the new age of friendly clowns.

“We as clowns have conventions all over the United States and we are working very, very hard at making the clown population better all the time. We have a clown code of ethics. We have certain ways we’re supposed to dress. Not smoke tobacco,” Rudy Tudy said.

In case you’re wondering, if you follow the link, you can still vote in that poll.

Clowns Not Funny To Some People [NBC 10]
April 26: NBC 10 Asks The Important Questions
Photo by Hugo*

NBC 10 Asks The Important Questions

I’m a little wary of a poll that doesn’t distinguish between coulrophobics and recovering coulrophobics

NBC 10
Coulrophobia [Answers.com]

In His Previous Life, Ty Pennington Was A Clown

The cover of today’s Daily News, scanned in, excerpted and enlarged to increase the scare factor:

Could you imagine wearing a mask with that expression on it for Halloween? You’d scare all the neighborhood kids into giving you their candy. Actually, that sounds like a pretty good idea.

Philadelphia Daily News

One day, I hope to be remembered as such

The college, incidentally, wasn’t Clown College.

Ann M. Stephenson, devout Catholic [BCCT]