Up Next
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?
Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
22:23
Mothman: America's Notorious Winged Monster
9:51
Iceland’s murderous monster feline, the Yule Cat
22:24
Mothman: America's Notorious Winged Monster
9:15
One of the Phillipine’s most dangerous and bizarre aswangs.
6:25
They cause havoc in the lives of all those unfortunate enough to encounter them.
11:00
The cyclops has appeared in stories across the globe for thousands of years.
6:40
You might not think a crying, screaming ghost is a good thing, but you’d be wrong.
8:25
Explore the symbolic interpretations of the windigo.
7:55
Martians! How Aliens Invaded Earth
6:16
Golem: The Mysterious Clay Monster of Jewish Lore
5:34
The legend of La Llorona, the “weeping woman,” has terrified generations.
6:26
How Chimaera Mythology Became Reality