Whatever happened to the creepy clown crisis?
Expert says creepy clowns are just a fad
By Lexi Wright, Staff Writer
Remember back in 2016 when scary clown sightings were the talk of the town? Reports about creepy clowns roaming the streets were collected in several American states and even in certain parts of Canada. But what happened to these creepy clowns and what was the “clowning around” truly all about?
Professional Calgary clown, Kirk Miles, says that the crisis was never a crisis at all and in fact, creepy clown sightings are nothing more than a ridiculous encounter.
“I think that you shouldn’t be scaring people with clown character. Clown character is supposed to be joyful and fun, not terrifying. It’s just so stupid,” said Miles.
Pennywise from 2017 It remake. Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers
In 2016 Tanja McMorris, media relation expert with the Calgary Police Service, stated the creepy clown crisis was never a concern for Calgary.
“The Calgary Police Service never received any credible information to indicate a legitimate threat to the safety of the general public in Calgary. Any reports of clown sightings are investigated on a case-by-case basis,” said McMorris.
Despite the strange phenomenon, Miles is dedicated to his profession as an entertainer and would never let the likes of scary clowns impact his livelihood.
“Why would you be angry at this? Why would you even be scared of a guy dressed in a clown mask for no reason? I guess when it comes down to it, I just don’t have any answers,” said Miles.
It’s evident that the clown crisis did have some lasting impacts. The Edmonton Clown Festival recently changed its name to avoid unnecessary clown stereotyping. The festival was changed to Play the Fool and ran from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, 2017.
Clowns have generally always had a negative connotation of being creepy, and Stephen King’s latest horror flick It certainly did no justice to happy clowns.
But despite all the negative associations with clowns, people still enjoy a good scare. Screamfest continues to draw in over 1000 attendees every year and even features a clown haunted house.
Halloween just finished though — so if you DO happen to see a creepy clown, your best bet is still to stay inside. Although the clown crisis shouldn’t be returning anytime soon, you never know when it’ll be your turn to float too.
