00:00 Clowns and costume characters can be creepy and unnerving for some people, but there is no official phobia of clowns.

04:31 Clowns can be creepy and unnerving for some people, and a 2008 study found that most children fear or dislike clowns.

09:45 Clowns originated as satirists in India, poking fun at leaders and their stupid ideas, and spread throughout Europe when jesters were forced to hit the road after stepping over the line.

14:27 Clowning is all about exaggeration, from movements and appearance to emotions, and is meant to be understood and felt by the audience on a clown scale.

19:14 The clown originated from Comedia dell'Art and evolved from a rustic country bumpkin character to a sophisticated and hilarious figure, with the white-faced clown being the one in charge and the most hostile.

23:53 There are four main types of clowns: the white-faced clown, the Auguste clown, the tramp or hobo clown, and the character clown.

28:43 Clowning is a safety valve that allows us to live vicariously through the clown who breaks down social norms and rules, but it can also be argued that clown satire keeps the status quo in place and prevents real change from happening.

33:53 Clowning can be pursued as a career in various ways, such as hospital clowning, attending clown college, or joining circuses like Ringling Brothers or Cirque du Soleil, and it is important for clowns to find their own style and be able to be funny without relying on props.

38:23 Clowns were initially seen as exaggerated versions of human personalities, but in the early 20th century, they were expected to be happy all the time, which set them up to be creepy and unable to meet those high standards; this perception was further reinforced by the dark backstories of famous clowns like Grimaldi and Debro, and the association of clowns with John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer.

43:09 The association of clowns with John Wayne Gacy and the portrayal of scary clowns in movies and TV shows has made clowns overtly sinister, but there may be a possibility for clowns to regain some innocence and have a clown renaissance in the future.

47:46 The hosts of the podcast receive a message from a couple who used to argue about their music preferences in the car, but now bond over listening to the podcast during road trips.