22 Weird Facts About The History Of Clowns

Did you know Egypt invented the clown? Did you know a clown once controlled China? It's National Clown Week. Make sure you know your enemy.

1. Egypt Created Clowns

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They were first introduced in the Fifth Dynasty (about 2500 B.C.) and were thought to be pygmies.

2. Clowns Once Controlled China

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Want to know why the wall isn't painted? In 300 B.C. Emperor Qin Shih Huang had his heart set on painting the Great Wall an eggshell white.

His Jester, Yu Sze, was the only person at court able to convince the Emperor to leave it the color it is, saving thousands of forced laborers' lives.

3. Native Americans Had Clowns

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They still do. The clowns set bad examples during rituals to help teach good behaviors.

4. Richard Nixon Loved Clowns

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So much so that he signed the bill for a National Clown Week in 1971. It is from August 1-7 and it happens EVERY YEAR.

5. Clowns have their own set of laws

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Several versions exist and are called The Clown’s Code, A Clown’s Code of Ethics, or The Clown’s Commandments with 8-10 rules to follow. Not sure which one this guy broke.

6. Mimes Were Originally Murderers

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In 1836, Jean-Gaspard Deburau, the first modern mime, killed a boy with a blow from his walking stick after the youth shouted insults at him on the street.

7. Custom-Fitting Floppy Shoes

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According to failed clown, Mark J. Drozdowski, this is an actual work-study job offered at his clown college.

8. Coulrophobia - is the extreme fear of clowns

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It's believed that the word comes from the Greek kolon, roughly translating to "stilt-walker."

9. Charles Dickens Created the "Scary Clown"

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Dickens edited and made famous the memoirs of the tragic, Joseph Grimaldi, lauded as first recognizable ancestor of the modern clown

Grimaldi described himself as, “I am GRIM ALL DAY, but I make you laugh at night.”

10. "Uncle Sam" Is A Clown

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The portrait of "Uncle Sam" is modeled after a 19th century clown, named Dan Rice.

11. Clowns Can Switch Sexes

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Well, clown FISH can. They begin life as males; if the dominant female of the group dies then one of the males will develop into a female.

12. Rodeo Clowning is the 8th Most Dangerous Job in America

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Rodeo clowns are responsible for protecting riders in bullfights. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Rodeo Clowning is ranked #8 in the most dangerous jobs in America (as part of the farmers, ranchers and agricultural managers group).

13. "Joey" Is a Popular Clown Name

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In fact, clown duos perform in what's referred to as a Joey & Auguste framework, or Manipulator/Victim.

14. Clowns like to read Car and Driver Magazine

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It helps them find the best clown cars on the market.

15. A Group of Clowns is Called a "Clown Alley"

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16. Serial Killer, John Wayne Gacy, Was a Registered Clown

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He went by the name of "Pogo" and began painting pictures of clowns after being imprisoned and sentenced to death for committing over 30 grisly murders.

17. The Color Blue Is Bad Luck

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Clowns have a superstition that painting your face blue will bring you bad luck. But the color's unpopularity may actually be due to blue being an expensive dye to make and obtain.

18. Clowns Have Invaded Hospitals

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Patch Adams is an American physician who is also a clown and uses humor in his practice.

19. Clowns Wear Yaks on Their Heads (not cats)

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Wigs for the famous "Bozo the Clown" were manufactured by Hollywood firm, Emil Corsillo Inc. from yak hair.

20. Clowns Love Hamburgers

And changing their yak hairstyles. Ronald McDonald, McDonald's official "Chief Happiness Officer," has been with the brand since about 1963.

21. PETA Hates Clowns

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So much so that they created the game, Circus Elephants' Revenge. It asks players to kill clowns and other circus staff to help free the elephants.

22. Clowns Have Escaped and Formed A Rebel Clown Army

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They describe themselves as clowns who have "escaped the chains of the circus."

Great. And now they are an a-r-m-y, people! We're all doomed!