KILLER CLOWN: The Real Pennywise
A killer dressed as a clown? This can only be the warped imaginings of Stephen King surely? Or a new horror film about Killer Clowns from Outer Space? Or a Batman villain on the rampage?
The idea of a killer clown wasn’t solely the idea of Stephen King but a much darker reality. This is the true story of a children’s party clown called Pogo and a serial killer named John Wayne Gacy.
Clowns have a long history of making us laugh, dating back to Ancient Egypt and featuring in many cultural milestones – from Shakespeare to Kurosawa to Seinfeld.
But somewhere along the journey of clowns, the idea of a friendly fun clown like Ronald McDonald had become bastardised and we now view clowns with fear, repulsion and suspicion.
Pennywise, the killer clown, from Stephen King’s epic novel “It” has done well to further this new trope… The Killer Clown… but the most frightening thing about the motif is the reality.
A real-life rampaging Bozo.
This Killer Clown wasn’t from outer Space.
He wasn’t from any afterlife.
He was a self-employed contractor that lived in American suburbia.
JOHN WAYNE GACY
John’s stage name was Pogo and Pogo brought much joy to the children that lived…
