We May Be Facing a National Clown Shortage

Thinking of a career change? Maybe it's time to look into clown college. Seriously.

We could be facing an actual shortage of clowns in the near future.

membership at the country’s largest organization of clowns has been on a steady and rapid decline over that past decade or so. They say that membership at the World Clown Association has dropped from about 3,500 to 2,500 since 2004.

What happens is they go on to high school and college and clowning isn’t cool anymore...Clowning is then put on the back burner until their late 40s and early 50s.

Yes kids, clowning was once 'cool'. (Try telling that to the 20-30% of the population that are scared to death of them. See: Coulrophobia.)

Apparently many of the clowns are dying of old age, there is far less interest from younger folks who want to become clowns, and there are much higher standards for anyone who wants to start clowning.

It takes a lot of work to become a clown, at least to become a good one. If the idea of donning a red squeaky nose and pants ten-sizes too big intrigues you, maybe this is the kick-in the clown pants you need to try it out.

For the rest of us, maybe it will just make us appreciate the good clowns we still see around a little bit more.

[New York Daily News]

NEXT: See a Creepy Clown Terrorize a Town on Friday the 13th

Filed Under: clowns