Experts weigh in on the Copycat Clown Phenomenon

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Who are the real victims of the ghoulish clowns popping up across America? The professionals. Meet Sparky the Clown. He’s been in the business for 31 years and he’s dealt with just as many Octobers.

“I understand it’s Halloween, they like to have scary clowns,” Sparky (a.k.a. Brian Wishnefsky) told KTVU FOX 2 News. “It doesn’t really bother me that much. But when it becomes insane like this, it’s ridiculous.”

Business has gone way down, so no one’s laughing. Following the menacing appearances in South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and California, we’re all creeped out by the sightings, but Sparky is outraged.

“There’s bad clowns out there. There’s bad attorneys out there. There’s bad doctors out there. There’s bad teachers out there,” he explained. “Why us? You know, we’re easy pickings, but it’s not fair.”

Sparky says he thinks it’s a publicity stunt for a scary movie, or that the people behind it just want attention.

Experts say that the rash of clowns is a result of “social contagion.” It’s much easier to copy someone else’s idea than to come up with your own weird plan to terrify your community. Reports on social media also fuel the unsettling trend. While the number one costume this Halloween will probably involve a red nose, we believe the creepy clown trend will also run it’s course -- and life will go back to normal for Sparky.