One of Tayside’s top professional clowns has expressed sadness at the craze that uses the persona to scare rather than entertain.
For many years, Silly McB has been making youngsters and adults laugh across Perthshire, Scotland and around the world.
The Perthshire performer – a member of Clowns International – has starred at all manner of events, including Dundee Flower and Food Festival and participants in the Etape Caledonia will no doubt remember his tiny bike.
He has therefore been left understandably dismayed by the action of “so called clowns” who have spread terror in communities across the UK and around the world.
The craze has seen individuals wearing masks and costumes take to the streets to deliberately frighten everyone from adults to vulnerable young children.
There have been sightings in Perth, Dundee and Fife, where two 12-year-old boys have been charged with menacing the public.
Silly McB said he hoped the public could see through the acts of “pranksters” and that it would not adversely affect the profession he loves.
He said: “My main aim is to spread happiness and laughter to children and adults.
“People have been jumping out and scaring people while dressed in clown costume but I hope this is seen as the actions of ‘pranksters’ and not of professional clowns.
“I would hope the public know the difference.
“The fear of clowns – or coulrophobia, as it is known – has been around for decades but has not been helped by incidents like those in the past week, which many feel are to the detriment of true professional entertainers.”
