Murdered circus clowns. Funny? Or just slapstick?

[shereads]

I'm sure these clowns have grieving families, and that their deaths are in no way amusing; tragic, in fact. So why can't I stop giggling? Is it my natural dislike of clowns? Is that I can't help wondering if the gunman was planning to hijack their tiny car? Or is it really, inexplicably funny, like the Austin Powers movies, and grown men named Scooter?

Would the clowns have had a chance to escape if not for their huge, floppy shoes? Will the tragedy lead to an investigation of clown shoes - maybe an expose of the entire clown industry - and the formation of an international Clown Workplace Safety Authority?

Who else has fantasized about eliminating some clowns? No one?

<ulp>

Me neither.

Gunman kills 2 clowns in Colombian circus

POSTED: 2:30 p.m. EST, February 21, 2007

• Unidentified gunman shoots two clowns before audience at Circo del Sol de Cali
• One clown was killed instantly, and the second died the next day
• Police probe motive behind killings in small Colombian town near Venezuela


BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) -- Two clowns were shot and killed by an unidentified gunman during their performance at a traveling circus in the eastern Colombian town of Cucuta, police said Wednesday.

The gunman burst into the Circo del Sol de Cali on Monday night and shot the clowns in front of an audience of 20 to 50 people, local police chief Jose Humberto Henao told Reuters.

One of the clowns was killed instantly, and the second died the next day in hospital.

"The killings had nothing to do with the show the victims were performing at the time of the incident," Henao said in a telephone interview. "We are investigating the motive."

With an entrance fee of under 50 cents, Circo del Sol de Cali attracts mostly poor Colombians. It pitched its tents in Cucuta, near the border with Venezuela, earlier this month.

"The clowns came out to give their show, and then this guy came out shooting them," one audience member told local television. "It was terrible."

A friend of mine suggests that the clowns might have been murdered because they were mistaken for mimes.

 

[mckai777]

Or is it really, inexplicably funny, like the Austin Powers movies, and grown men named Scooter?

Yes.

 

[The_Fool]

Sorry Sher, but I just can't find anything amusing here...

 

[wordofvirtue]

Clowns have scared me ever since childhood. I guess I don't wish them dead, though. Hmmmm .....

 

[starrkers]

I see nothing amusing here at all.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

I just find it sad...nothing even remotely humorous comes to mind...

 

[shereads]

Yes.

Looks like it's just you and me, you sicko.

 

[mckai777]

Looks like it's just you and me, you sicko.

I was just laughing about the "grown men named Scooter" thing. You're on your own, honey.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

should have made it an anonymous poll?

clowns generally creep me out, but circe de soleil is different... they're just amazing performers...

and I knew a grown man named Scooter... he was a sweetie... can't always judge a book by the cover I guess...

 

[cantdog]

Evil clowns

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I thought this was about political assasinations. Damn.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

She, there is a story her someplace - CLOWN WARS. Incidious clowns plotting against society to take over the world or something. Or it could just be a drug killing.

 

[cumallday]

If I were to shoot down a circus act it would have to be the lion tamer. I hate to see pussy whipped. Oh, and I'd probably squeeze a round or twelve into any grown man in the audience who insists on being called Scooter too.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Oh, and I'd probably squeeze a round or twelve into any grown man in the audience who insists on being called Scooter too.

Which reminds me of David Letterman's line: "The inmates at Levenworth are getting a new scooter to ride. He's on trial now."

 

[Grushenka]

Of course the reality (poverty stricken people at a circus, presumably with many children in attendance) is not funny, but Shereads created humor and made me grin (through her expression and wit).

"Evil clowns need love too" from Cantdog's contribution was also funny.

Clowns, I never got them. Gr.

 

[gauchecritic]

It's all in the pronounciation. The gunman was obviously a bladerunner.

 

[Grushenka]

The gunman was obviously a bladerunner.

Ho ho ho.

 

[Tom Collins]

She, you comments were very funny, almost had me in stitches, but as much as I hate clowns (they are evil and definitely hiding something behind all that make-up) the story itself wasn't ammusing. Well, most of it wasn't, this one bit caught my eye...

The gunman burst into the Circo del Sol de Cali on Monday night and shot the clowns in front of an audience of 20 to 50 people, local police chief Jose Humberto Henao told Reuters.

The way I see it, the shooter's never going to be caught since the guy who's looking for him isn't even capable of determining how many people were a witness to the crime. I mean, I could see a spread more like 45-50 people, but 20-50? The guy's obviously a fuckwit.

 

[Huckleman2000]

This thread reminds me of the infamous "Chuckles the Clown" episode of The Mary Tyler Moore show.

This line in the news report made me laugh:

"The killings had nothing to do with the show the victims were performing at the time of the incident"

As if the first thing that would spring to mind would be, "Sheesh, how bad was the show?"

Actually, that WAS the first thing that sprang to my mind.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Of course the reality (poverty stricken people at a circus, presumably with many children in attendance) is not funny, but Shereads created humor and made me grin (through her expression and wit).

"Evil clowns need love too" from Cantdog's contribution was also funny.

Clowns, I never got them. Gr.

Sorry, I just don't see the humor in any of it...someone has lost a son, a husband, maybe a father and the best some can do here is crack lame jokes and deride their profession...it's really quite pathetic...

 

[Grushenka]

I have not a clue why this interests me, but I googled for more info. The BBC news site stated that last year a prominent circus clown was also shot dead by an unknown assailant in the same town! I hope the Latin American clowns society has an efficient listserv.

 

[Tom Collins]

I have not a clue why this interests me, but I googled for more info. The BBC news site stated that last year a prominent circus clown was also shot dead by an unknown assailant in the same town! I hope the Latin American clowns society has an efficient listserv.

Sounds to me like someone either has a serious childhood trama involving clowns, or their trying to elimiate the compatition. Then again, this being Latin America, it's possible that someone got a message from God on a tortillia and thinks that clowns are Satan's minions.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Sorry, I just don't see the humor in any of it...someone has lost a son, a husband, maybe a father and the best some can do here is crack lame jokes and deride their profession...it's really quite pathetic...

Clearly, you don't understand humor.

One can laugh at absurd circumstances while still feeling empathy for the individuals.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Clearly, you don't understand humor.

One can laugh at absurd circumstances while still feeling empathy for the individuals.

Yes, I understand humor. I find nothing humorous about two individuals being shot for no apparent reason.

Is it because they were clowns? Would you have found it as humorous if it had been two lesbians shot for no reason?

 

[Grushenka]

One can laugh at absurd circumstances while still feeling empathy for the individuals.

This is true, it's at the root of most humor. A joke is often at someone's expense.

As for laughing at death, I can't think of a more fitting subject.

What is that humorous award given out each year for persons who do amazingly stupid things that often cause their death? I think clowns getting shot down is at that level (however tasteless some might judge it).

drksideofthemoon: I get your point. I get the laugh too. Shoot me.