It's No Wonder So Many People Are Terrified Of Clowns

Though Coulrophobia — or an extreme fear of clowns — is highly-disputed in the academic realm, many people would admit that clowns totally freak them out.

With National Clown Week this week, Smithsonian writer Linda Rodriguez McRobbie wrote a fantastic piece on "The History and Pyschology of Clowns Being Scary."

Turns out, clowns have long been associated with a dark and disturbing history — murder, financial ruin, infidelity, and pedophilia have all stained the clowning profession.

The entire piece is worth reading, but here are the nine historical events that have contributed the most to a negative perception of clowns.