Americans fear clowns more than death itself

A serious fear of clowns is sweeping the nation.
(Image credit: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)

Are the creepy clown stories pouring in from across the nation keeping you up at night? Then count yourself among the 42 percent of Americans who report having coulrophobia — that is, a fear of clowns.

Americans are actually more afraid of clowns than even death itself, a Vox/Morning Consult poll revealed Friday. Clowns were also recorded as being more terrifying than climate change, needles, or terrorist attacks. Even ghosts have nothing on clowns, and ghosts can move through walls and can't be killed, so that's saying something.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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.

Sign up
Explore More
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.