Today’s release of the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s It isn’t just spooking kids, it’s rattling clowns as well. The grease-painted community is upset at the film’s depiction of clowns as malevolent child-eating demons, as personified by villain Pennywise.
According to VICE, a group of clowns in Canada isn’t taking the negative portrayal with a dance or a little seltzer down their pants. The Thunder Bay Clown Club of Thunder Bay, Ontario gathered outside the town’s Silver City Theater Thursday night to protest the film’s stereotypes and attack on clowns’ livelihoods.
“We feel that [It] has done great harm in the business of clowning and for clowns,” said Dianne McNicol (aka Dottie the Clown). “A number of clown clubs have actually folded due to the negativity surrounding It.”
In a post on Facebook today, the group thanked the community for a positive reception.
“What a great evening for the clown club! Thanks to the gracious folks at Silver City, we were able to meet and greet movie patrons and clown club fans at the opening of the movie It,” said the post.
In a separate post, McNicol also thanked Thunder Bay citizens for their support, calling the gathering “one of the most gratifying events of our year.”
“A HUGE thank you to the citizens of Thunder Bay who came by Silver City with their children, not to see any show, but because they heard the Thunder Bay Clown Club would be there and wanted to support us and have their children visit with friendly clowns.”
However, McNicol claimed possible discrimination by the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition (CLE) towards the members of the clown club.
“While the CLE allowed adults with It masks on the property, we good clowns were barred…liability concerns??? whaaaaat????…clown discrimination???????? exactly the point of our plight.”
As of press time, no children have been reported as being eaten following the protest.
