I saw a bizarre story on the Sunshine Coast News site that caught my attention. It was about our northern neighbours, Noosa, banning inflatable clowns advertising the Moscow Circus for the recent school holidays period.
When council was questioned about it, it said the blow-up clowns didn’t pass its sign policy, which I sort of get.
But then I read that the circus folk claimed all the inflatable Bozos were on private property with the owner’s permission.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, as it is Noosa and they constantly remind us how different they are from their poorer southern neighbours.
Take, for example, the recent Super Cirque at Dalton Drive in Maroochydore – signs everywhere, both inflatable and static.
No one seemed to care or be distracted, which is one of the reasons the Noosa clowns had the wind taken out of their sails.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
Most letters to the editor accused the council of being the fun police.
But the council did have one supporter: a letter writer from South Australia who pointed out that, while she understood why kids love clowns, they can have a serious impact on people with coulrophobia – the fear of clowns.
Turns out, this is an actual thing, and not just a hilarious Seinfeld episode (if you want a laugh, check out season four, episode nine).
This phobia can cause elevated heart rate, panic, fear and anxiety. Just seeing a clown – even an inflatable one – can trigger a reaction.
Dr Google tells me it is linked to a clown’s unreadable expression, strange behaviours, unpredictability and the fact they can cause unwanted excitement from a silly act.
I think Noosa might be on to something, as much as I hate to admit it.
If they have banned clown signs because they upset people – not only those with phobias but also motorists who could be distracted by these gaudy individuals inflated with hot air that can be unpredictable and guilty of causing erratic silliness – it goes without saying that in Noosa, moving forward, there should be no billboards, signs, trailers or blown-up, hot-air-filled politicians.
As far as I am concerned, if we have to sacrifice a few blow-up clowns to never again see a picture of a politician, I say ta-ta, Bozo, under the bus you go.
Ashley Robinson is Mets Caloundra CEO, chairman of Thunder Netball and a lifetime Sunshine Coast resident.
