October 23, 2005

Offense Taken

Lots of offended people in the news today.
Local artists sensitive to the suffering of those with coulrophobia are squirting seltzer water on the plans of officials in Sarasota, former home of the Ringling circus, to put up decorated fiberglass clown statues around the city:

''The clown phobia thing is huge, I had no idea. There are people who just plum hate the images of clowns,'' said Virginia Hoffman, a sculptor and chair of Sarasota's Public Art Committee. ``I'm concerned about fallout. What if there are protests by clown haters, or people who want to vandalize clown statues?''

Commenting on the conflict, Pennywise, a homicidal clown living in the storm drains of Sarasota, said he will eat the still-beating heart of every member of the anti-clown faction.

Meanwhile, in New York, FAO Schwartz's use of a pretend adoption center for babydolls has some adoption advocates squalling:

Nancy Ashe, an editor with the informational websites Adoption.com and Adopting.org, shares some of their concerns.

''Adoption is an adult experience, and this is artificially dumbing it down for children,'' she said.

She's got a point. Next thing we know they'll take motherhood, an adult experience, and dumb it down for children by introducing toy infants.

Posted by floridacracker at October 23, 2005 02:11 PM

   



Comments

I'm sorry, but the Pennywise thing gave me flopsweat... WAY TOO funny, even if I DO hate clowns! LOL!

Yes, that's a nervous laugh. Not sure if it's because I'm afraid of Pennywise or the fact that my windows are uncovered. Either/or, really...

Posted by: pam at October 23, 2005 02:15 PM

Same here. Scared of Pennywise and our aluminum shutters are stacked in the garage.

Posted by: Donnah at October 23, 2005 02:31 PM

My boards are still in the garage too. But I'm not worried because We float down here--we ALL float down here!!

Posted by: Cindy at October 23, 2005 02:41 PM

Sheesh, you just scared the hell out of me, Cindy. That made me cringe.

Posted by: Donnah at October 23, 2005 02:42 PM

The "adoption advocates" need to be slapped. What rock was this woman under during the Cabbage Patch Kid craze? I don't think toys being "adopted" are trivializing the matter. If anything it could be applauded for helping make adoption more acceptable. At least none of the kids are going out to get baby dolls just to "abort" them. Sorry an absurd argument but I think it's an absurd thing for adoptees to be offended over.

Posted by: Janette at October 23, 2005 04:34 PM

I was wondering why the article made no mention of the Cabbage Patch dolls. It's seemed an obvious cultural reference point.

Posted by: Donnah at October 23, 2005 04:39 PM

For the Super Bowl in February, Jacksonville put up fiberglas manatees dressed as celebrities - Marilyn Monroe with her dress blowing up, Elvis with a guitar, etc. Clowns could not be worse.

Posted by: Juan Paxety at October 24, 2005 06:58 AM

Yes, Juan, clowns COULD BE WORSE.

John Wayne Gacy comes to mind here...the evil clown.

Posted by: -S- at October 24, 2005 03:53 PM