By Jaden Lux–It only took a few weeks before the nationwide clown epidemic spread to the small campus of Morningside on Monday night.
On Monday night, a four-door car with tinted windows was driven down Peter’s Ave by a group of people dressed as clowns. This happened late at night after night class had just gotten out of the Lincoln Center.
Morningside senior Josh Doering, who witnessed the situation, recalled the event.
“A guy with a freaky clown mask was sticking his head out the window doing a little laugh [mimics laugh]. He was slowing down and driving by people as they were walking down the sidewalk. So I immediately turned and went to the library so I could get off the road,” said Doering.
Morningside Campus Security documented this event and a notice was sent to all students, faculty, and staff.
The notice read, “Tonight between 9pm and 9:30pm Campus Safety and Security received calls of a 4 door car, possibly a dark Buick, with 3 individuals in it driving around campus. One of the individuals was wearing a clown mask and trying to scare individuals on campus.”
Dave Madsen, a Communications professor for Morningside, thinks this entire phenomenon is ridiculous.
“I teach a may term here in magic and clowning and that’s because I have a background in entertaining as a magician and a clown,” said Madsen. “When I teach the class, part of what we talk about is what is appropriate. None of what you’re hearing now is appropriate for a clown.”
Madsen continued by saying, “A lot of this is just hysteria.”
A picture of his most recent May term class hangs on his wall. Confirming the difference between traditional clowns and the ones seen on campus, he said, “None of these clowns [points to picture], if you saw them walking across campus, would bother anyone,” says Madsen.
The spread of news across campus of a situation involving clowns has students and faculty talking about clowns on a regular basis. One Morningside student, Kathryn Jones, agrees with many of Madsen’s points.
“I think it’s ridiculous that people would waste their time trying to scare people like that. I have always been scared of clowns since I was a toddler, so it has been a fear my whole life,” Jones admitted.
Unfortunately, Jones’ case isn’t far off from many people’s views. These scary clowns are causing fear and hysteria in not only these events, but also a fear of clowns in general.
Madsen made it clear that there was a difference between the two types of clowns.
“To lump all clowns into this area is not a good thing. Unfortunately people are over-reacting to the point where somebody is going to get hurt. Some of the Shrine clowns on their Facebook page were having some discussion about not doing parades until this dies down,” Madsen said.
In addition, McDonald’s is limiting the appearances of Ronald until the craze dies down.
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