Stephen Colbert said on Wednesday's Late Show that he has been avoiding a certain story for months because "it contains a disturbing level of clown." In fact, he said, "parents may want to send children out of the room, and then leave the room yourself." A nationwide epidemic of "evil clown" sightings apparently started in South Carolina, and has now spread far and wide. Adults, children, "everyone is scared of clowns," Colbert said to any viewers left in the room. "In fact, the only thing creepier than a clown is someone who laughs at clowns: 'Haha, he's dressed like he's poor. And look at his swollen feet, there's something seriously wrong with him. Haha!'"
Colbert walked his viewers through the rash of "creepy clown" appearances, real and imagined, then noted that actual professional clowns are now fearing for their safety and livelihood, thanks to these malevolent impostors. "I feel for these clowns," Colbert said, changing his tune. "They're just trying to entertain us, they shouldn't have to answer for the actions of a few insane posses." He ended the segment with a PSA about treating clowns with the dignity they deserve. Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Should you add your child to your credit card?The Explainer You can make them an authorized user on your account in order to help them build credit
-
Cracker Barrel crackup: How the culture wars are upending corporate brandingIn the Spotlight Is it 'woke' to leave nostalgia behind?
-
'It's hard to discern what it actually means'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
A long weekend in ZürichThe Week Recommends The vibrant Swiss city is far more than just a banking hub
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
