Once upon a time, when America was straight-laced and serious, a goofy clown wearing an outlandish outfit was perceived as amusing.
But now, we have people who look and dress and act like a freak-show act walking around in public, and ordinary people are threatened with sanctions and shaming if we don't treat them as if they are perfectly normal.
In that context, a clown costume isn't that amusing anymore.
didn’t the Juggalos ruin it for regular clowns?