Back to Show
Monstrum
Creepy Clowns: The Horror Behind the Laughter
Season 5
Episode 14
When did clowns—the characters who filled our childhoods with juggling and balloons—become so creepy? For centuries, clowns have worn two faces: as irreverent entertainers, and tricksters who could break social norms. So when stories of scary clowns pop up all over popular culture, it's a sign that we're wondering who clowns really are behind the costume. Do they want to make us laugh? Or scream?
Support Provided By

10:20
What makes a monster?

10:27
How did Van Helsing go from academic in Dracula to action hero icon?

14:27
Was the 1952 Flatwoods Monster sighting an alien, a Cold War experiment, or mass hysteria?

10:33
Let’s talk about the eerie and unsettling legend of changelings.

7:11
Rooted in Greek culture, the Christmas monster Kallikantzaros is a goblin-like creature.

8:15
You think you know Gremlins—but their story is far deeper than just the 1984 movie.

32:44
Let’s talk slasher films–their origins, their lasting impact, and why we love them so much!

12:47
Is the Manticore a man-eating monster from Persian myth or simply a misidentified tiger?

12:13
Jiangshi, is a variation on the vampire that you won’t soon forget!

8:44
Translation has shaped the lore of Grendel's Mother as a fearsome yet misunderstood figure.

10:29
La Lechuza: The Shape-Shifting Witch-Owl

10:09
King Kong and how his long-lived story has changed to reflect our society’s complex social issues.