Death of a clown: Why America’s red-nosed ones disappear

[cronus]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/weird ... 35575.html

Death of a clown: Why America’s red-nosed ones are disappearing

Daub a greasepaint tear on your cheek, for this is no chuckling matter: America may soon be bereft of clowns. That’s the claim being made by the country’s shrinking clown-based trade organisations in a report by the New York Daily News, which warns of an imminent national clown shortage brought on by a decline of interest in clowning, and the advanced age of its existing practitioners.

Glen Kohlberger, the president of Clowns of America International, told the New York Daily News that his organisation’s membership had dropped like a perfectly executed pratfall since the middle of the last decade. “What’s happening is attrition,” Mr Kohlberger said. “The older clowns are passing away.” Meanwhile, he explained, younger potential clowns are being put off taking it up professionally. “They go on to high school and college and clowning isn’t cool anymore,” he said. “Clowning is put on the back burner until their late 40s and early 50s.”

(continued)

[MrJonno]

Were clowns ever cool?

[cronus]

Were clowns ever cool?

In America they are likely to shoot clowns. Wrong skin color.

[JimC]

Who now will traumatise generations of fearful young children? Someone must think of the kiddies!

[mistermack]

Who now will traumatise generations of fearful young children? Someone must think of the kiddies!

Sorry, is this the Michael Jackson thread? I think I must have mis-clicked.

[laklak]

[piscator]

I hear finding quality bespoke clown shoes is no small feat.