strange_complex | Entries tagged with frasier

I think of myself as liking Sex and the City more than Frasier, and indeed the overall themes of SATC are more appealing to me. But as far as my personal laugh-o-meter is concerned, Frasier definitely wins hand down every time. Yup, SATC will raise the occasional chuckle. But Frasier has me hooting with helpless laughter practically every time I watch it.

Tonight, this magnificent series comes to an end on Ch 4 with a two-parter finale (*sob*). If you even slightly like it, don't miss this great occasion. If you've never seen it in your life, watch it tonight anyway! Older episodes are still being shown in the daytime, so you won't have to discover you like it tonight and then never get to see it again.

From the ever-helpful DigiGuide, this is what we have in store this evening (all Channel 4):

21:00 - Frasier: Analysing the Laughter (documentary about the programme)

21:45 - My Favourite Frasier (the programme's cast pick their favourite moments)

[22:00 - annoying hiatus while 'Big Brother' is shown]

22:50 - Frasier: Goodnight Seattle (part 1)

23:25 - Frasier: Goodnight Seattle (part 2)

And, rounding off the evening nicely:
23:55 to 00:30 - Sex and the City (episode 2.10)

Be there, or forever wish you had been!

It means 'fear of clowns', and my attention was drawn to it by Wednesday night's episode of Frasier: a particular corker of an episode, which had me hooting out loud with laughter.

The etymologically inclined may learn the word's derivation here, while those afflicted (and those merely after a giggle) may have recourse to this site, devoted to the curing of said phobia (for a fee, of course)[1].

Now I don't, if I'm honest, have an actual phobia of clowns (much as I'd like to!). I don't experience tremors or palpitations when I see one, and could perfectly easily walk up and shake one by the hand if I had to. But I do find them pretty grim and creepy, and prefer not to look at them if I don't have to. And my impression is that I am far from alone in this.

Face it, they are deliberately designed to look grotesque, with their over-sized feet, huge trousers and freaky make-up (especially the gigantic fixed grins). Also, they are constantly engaging in violent or aggressive acts, involving e.g. custard pies, squirting water or stage guns. Their supposed associations with 'fun' smack of trying way too hard. And of course there are also the depressingly desperate associations of Ronald McDonald in particular (Yes kids! Instead of doing anything to stimulate you mentally or help you grow into rounded people, we are going to stick you in front of a tepid burger and pallid chips, and tell you it's the most fun a body can have!).

So, given that clowns are supposedly meant to be enjoyable entertainment for kids, what I want to know is: is there anyone out there who actually likes them? I mean, does anyone experience a warm thrill of pleasure when they see a clown? Did anyone yell and scream with excitement as a child at the thought of getting to see one? Anybody?
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[1] Basically, this page is nothing more than the organisation's standard spiel for any phobia, with the word 'clowns' copied and pasted in at every point the specific fear is mentioned. Hence the appearance of phrases like: 'For anyone earning a living or at school, the financial toll of this phobia is incalculable'. Er, sure.... assuming you work or go to school in a circus...