The United States is running out of Clowns.

[Dr.Critic]

[quote]The United States is running out of clowns, and according to industry insiders, it’s no laughing matter.

The Daily News reports that membership in the country’s largest clown trade organization has plummeted over the last decade amid higher standards for clowning, decreasing popularity amongst the younger generation, and an aging population of current clowns. The World Clown Association, the nation’s largest clown trade group, says membership has declined from roughly 3,500 to 2,500 since 2004 — a loss of over 28%. Glen Kohlberger, President of Clowns of America International, another large trade organization, also complained of shrinking membership, but declined to give specific figures due to privacy concerns.

Read more: Few Kids Becoming Clowns as U.S. Faces National Clown Shortage | TIME.com [url]http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/02/18/nation-facing-dangerous-clown-shortage-trade-groups-warns/#ixzz2uHnNM9qV[/url][/quote]

[url]http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/02/18/nation-facing-dangerous-clown-shortage-trade-groups-warns/[/url]

[t]http://bangordailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ted-nugent.jpg[/t]

[t]http://www.amandfmmorningside.com/glenn_beck_today_headshot.jpg[/t]

[t]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/68066000/jpg/_68066116_68066115.jpg[/t]

Pictured: Various clowns.

[avincent]

How long were you waiting to be this edgy?

[SpartanXC9]

[QUOTE=avincent;44034925]How long were you waiting to be this edgy?[/QUOTE]

I don't think you know what that word means.

[Vosk]

[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/68066000/jpg/_68066116_68066115.jpg[/img]
He would be great at kids birthday parties.

[confinedUser]

clowns are outdated come up with something else folks, in my opinion at least

[Stockers678]

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1170122820/Piers_profile_twitter.jpg[/img]

Pictured: Former US Clown

[sp]dah-dum-tsh![/sp]

[Zombini]

Good, clowns freak me the fuck out.

[HawkeyeTy]

Even in the 90's I felt we were past the need for clowns at birthday parties. Shit's not entertaining on it's own, let alone when a friend is waiting to tear into some fresh toys for them and everyone to play with.

[BloodShot12]

Clowns scare me

[ironman17]

Nowadays we have improv comedians. You don't need makeup and ostentatious late 19th/early 20th century garbs to make people laugh; what you need is a balding head/large nose and Canadian ethicity.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNMj7GDghlc[/media]
The cat!

[DaysBefore]

[QUOTE=avincent;44034925]How long were you waiting to be this edgy?[/QUOTE]
"Haha you ridiculed various wacky conservatives wow so edgy hope I don't cut myself lolololol"

[Pennywisе]

[quote]Clown and filmmaker Jeff Seal told the Gothamist that there are plenty of young clowns — they just aren’t rushing off to join unions. ”There are still a lot of younger people becoming clowns, they’re just not joining the Clowns of America International,” said Seal. “It’s more of a generational thing I think.”[/quote]That's a pretty good point, actually. Although I've heard them being mentioned occasionally, I always thought that references to clowns having their own colleges/unions were jokes.

Because... y'know. [i]Clowns[/i].

[notgeogzm]

clowns make me cringe for some reason

i'm not afraid of them just like the amount of times i've seen stories about clowns who couldn't make kids laugh :v:

[JennyC6]

I guess I'm not the only person that's grown up in the west and never seen a clown firsthand. Can't say I want to, either, not out of fear but out of sheer disinterest.

[Mingebox]

[QUOTE=avincent;44034925]How long were you waiting to be this edgy?[/QUOTE]

You must be a Nintenyearold if you think that's edgy.

[An Armed Bear]

Did they check Congress?

[Smug Bastard]

What alarms me is NWO-Illuminati-Apocalypse-FEMA-Chemtrails [I][B]Alex Fucking Jones[/B][/I] is probably the[I] most[/I] sane out of those three :suicide:

[tirpider]

I knew some kids that did an act or two on the street, but they weren't part of any official union. Kids with a talent for entertaining folks, just barely making it busking on the street. Kinda forced into an all or nothing decision, that leaves them and the rest of society at loss.

But we're an advanced culture. No room for encouraging natural talent or aptitude when there is money to be made and bills to pay. :/

[seano12]

How is Alex Jones a clown?
[IMG]http://hugequestions.com/Eric/img/Alex-Jones-clown.jpg[/IMG]

[DETrooper]

Honk that shit.

[dai]

[QUOTE=Sam Za Nemesis;44034921]Can't modern comedians that are oh-so-almighty popular be considered clowns?[/QUOTE]

there's a fine line between jester and clown

[editline]e[/editline]

actually it's probably a really fat line that's kinda squiggly but you know

[Krinkels]

When you outlaw the Insane Clown Posse, this sort of thing happens.

[FaythNihlus]

[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Prime_Minister_Tony_Abbott.jpg[/IMG]

Here you can borrow ours.

[veDemaG]

I'm sure there's probably a correlation with clown phobias rising and clowns dropping

[FunnyStarRunner]

[QUOTE=GameDev;44036019]I'm sure there's probably a correlation with clown phobias rising and clowns dropping[/QUOTE]

[URL="http://theoatmeal.com/pl/minor_differences3/clowns"]I think The Oatmeal perfectly summed this one up.[/URL]

[Dalto11]

[QUOTE=VOSK;44034985][img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/68066000/jpg/_68066116_68066115.jpg[/img]
He would be great at kids birthday parties.[/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/Z1j8AfD.png[/IMG]

I had to.

[Zet]

[QUOTE=FaythNihlus;44035986][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Prime_Minister_Tony_Abbott.jpg[/IMG]

Here you can borrow ours.[/QUOTE]
I can't tell if that's a picture of him or a picture of a cardboard cut-out of him.

[Squidman]

It's because we keep executing our clowns, no wonder the public is scared of joining us

#justiceforjohnwaynegacy

[IMG]https://thenewmt.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/gacy.jpg?w=584[/IMG]

[tirpider]

Regarding the pics folks are sharing: I think it's a bit unfair to place asshats that no one likes in the same box as folks that dedicate their careers to entertaining people.

[Pennywisе]

[QUOTE=tirpider;44036305]Regarding the pics folks are sharing: I think it's a bit unfair to place asshats that no one likes in the same box as folks that dedicate their careers to entertaining people.[/QUOTE]To be fair, if professional clowns can't take a ribbing then we're all in some [i]serious[/i] shit.