A Clown Car of Clown Memes Filled With Self-Deprecating Humor

Clowns have completely eclipsed their purpose in recent years. While variations of clowns (or fools) have existed as far back as 2800 BC, the modern clown, with its colorful and often ridiculous-looking clothing, wasn't a thing until the 19th century. That white-face makeup that we associate with the clowns we know, love, and fear? That was the doing of Joseph Grimaldi, the actor who made the clown role a lot bigger than it used to be.

Though clowns are generally portrayed as bumbling fools, the fear of clowns (Coulrophobia) is actually one of the most common fears plaguing people today. While some people might attribute that to the 'It' movies, it's more likely that the phobia is rooted in bad experiences with clowns in childhood.

Today, identifying with clowns is a common form of self-deprecating humor. Memes featuring clowns and common, human blunders are everywhere. I mean, who doesn't feel like a clown when they quadruple text their crush at 3AM? As self-deprecation and memes have become comedic mainstays clowns have understandably become a more visible trope in the meme world. And it's a trope that we can get down with. To celebrate the legacy of clowns, both literal and metaphorical (like me), here's a clown car of clowny memes meant for when you feel like clowning around.

Posted by Ada Elder