Comments on: I hope he invoked his right to remain silent, because I don’t see any crime here…

By: Bob in Nashville

Bob in Nashville — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:20:56 +0000

Since everyone has the right to remain silent, then do mimes have the right to remain motionless?

By: Paperboy

Paperboy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:40:44 +0000

So there’s “Clownophobia”, right?

By: Molly J

Molly J — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:16:32 +0000

I’m not afraid of clowns, but I understand where people would be. The ones that I find creepiest are the ones that are not intentionally trying to be so.

Google “antique clown bank” and tell me clowns are never creepy.

By: Pinny

Pinny — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:40:16 +0000

Re: Mark M (#19)

Or even earlier, this:
http://www.stephenking.com/library/novel/it.html

By: Mark in Boston

Mark in Boston — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:07:08 +0000

Forget about silent pantomime. In Great Britain they have something which is much more fun. It’s anything BUT silent — imagine Gilbert & Sullivan, Monty Python and the Goon Show all rolled together. Now imagine the audience is primarily children, the story is a fairy tale and the risque jokes are coming three-a-minute and sailing right over the kids’ heads. And Ian McKellen in drag. It’s Christmas Pantomime, or Panto for short. Search for it on YouTube.

By: sjelly

sjelly — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:02:25 +0000

Thank you, Dan V, for your sensible remark. As an adult who is still afraid of clowns (not doing it because it a “trope”, actually shaking when one gets near me), let me tell you it was no joke having some white-faced garishly made-up stranger getting in my face even after I started screaming. I frigging hate clowns.

By: Dan V

Dan V — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:38:00 +0000

Having worked as a clown at numerous parades, I think “afraid” may not be exactly the right word. Small children often can be freaked out by clown makeup, especially if one gets too close. Instead of the clown walking up to a child, it’s better get down at their level and let them approach (or not). Irrational fears often result from traumatic childhood experiences, so I try not to be the freaky in-your-face clown.

By: Elyrest

Elyrest — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:07:38 +0000

I don’t know where/when the hatred of mimes started as I remember Marcel Marceau being a beloved character. I saw him in the early/mid 70’s and don’t remember experiencing anything negative about mimes at that time. Then in 1982 Dustin Hoffman pushed over a mime in Tootsie followed a couple of years later by Diane Chambers, in Cheers, being mocked for taking mime classes. Somewhere in those 10 years something changed, but I don’t know why.

By: Mark M

Mark M — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:57:35 +0000

The whole “fear of clowns” thing might have started with this:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095444/

By: Paperboy

Paperboy — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:39:31 +0000

The “hate mimes” thing is a trope, just like “fear of clowns”. It’s just kinda fun to join in the running gag. I mean, I can see being indifferent, but HATING mime? That’s funny.