*CAUTION* you might get nightmares
There are urban legends for almost anything you can think of. Mirrors, clowns, monsters, curses, and hundreds of other things. Many of them are called urban legends instead of folklore because they have some basis on modern culture. None of them are real, but they can be influenced by real events. Killer clowns are no exception to that. These characters have long been a part of horror movies and scary stories. There's just something about them that terrifies many people. These myths probably add to that sensation as well.
What Is the Clown Killer Myth?
There are several variations, but the main story typically involves a babysitter and a clown statue. The parents leave the house for a nice dinner. The girl is instructed to watch television in the living room once the kids are asleep. Content with doing just that, she goes in, but is freaked out by a clown statue in the corner. She calls the father asking if she can watch the television in the main bedroom. The father inquires why she wants to do this and when she mentions the clown statue, he orders her out of the house. She does as told, even though she is confused. After she calls the police, the babysitter discovers that the family doesn't have a clown statue.
Is There Any Fact to This Myth?
In some way, there is a glimmer of truth in most myths. There are in fact people who break into houses and kill people. There are people who dress as clowns and commit crimes. However, it would be very unlikely for this story to occur exactly as depicted in the story. The likelihood of someone hiding in a person's house for months without leaving any trace would be almost impossible, especially during cooler weather when people stay indoors longer.
Have There Ever Been Real Killer Clowns?
There has been one official killer clown. John Gacey was a serial killer who entertained as Pogo the Clown. Gacey raped and murdered 33 young men, some of whom were only boys. The police found 27 bodies in the floor of his house. He killed from 1972 to 1978 and was himself executed in 1994. He was actually nicknamed the Killer Clown by the police and the public as they hunted for him.
What Are Other Variations?
The clown can be a statue in either a television room or a bedroom. It can also be in the child's room or crib. The legend also has variations where the killer calls the babysitter trying to get her into the child's room. These calls always originate from inside the house. In some variations, the killer gets away, but the sitter and kids
disappear. If the sitter goes to the bedroom, the children are usually already dead.
How Famous Is This Legend?
It is a very famous story. There have even been several movies made on variations of it. Some of the most popular horror movies are based on this urban legend like When a Stranger Calls or When a Stranger Calls Back. There are other movies that are less famous like Amusement, that have many of these elements. Urban legends often serve as foundations for horror movies.
The Killer Clown is a scary urban legend. It's fear factor is likely intensified by the fact that many people have clown phobias.
Hope you had a nice time
