From children’s birthday parties to velvet paintings, clowns have long blurred the line between harmless fun and pure fear. With wide greasepaint grins and squeaky balloon animals, they twist childhood whimsy into something wicked. Born from buffoonery, their presence alone can stir emotions ranging from laughter to outright terror. Unlike other boogeymen, they don’t need to lurk in the shadows—they just hide behind a smile.
