The Sad Clown Paradox Explained
“Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that he was compelled to invent laughter.” (Nietzsche, 1878). Many comedians have come forward to admit that they use humor as a way to cope with prior traumas, which influenced the beginning of a study into the psychology behind comedy. More often than not, individuals entertain people for a living whilst battling with issues regarding mental health within their personal lives, and thus beginning the rise of the Sad Clown Paradox.
After noticing this psychological phenomenon, Dr. Samuel S. Janus began his study on clowns and jesters in hopes of understanding their mental profiles on a deeper level, and the relationship they have with anxiety and depression. He also wanted to understand how this relationship is portrayed to the audience, and whether or not it affects the audience’s reaction. (Janus, 1975). This included research on different ways comedy can be categorized and the psychological impact it has on the entertainer. Research was done to examine the different aspects that may affect the choice one makes when it comes to the decision regarding a lifelong career that involves various forms of comedy. (Janus, 1975). Additionally, the study explores how all those components come together to explain why sad clowns exist in the first place.
It was found that comics frequently feel like they lack control over what goes on in their lives. “Humor, then, can be seen to be especially applicable in situations in which the individual feels himself to be powerless.” (Janus, 1975). Studies found that whenever one experiences constant fear of something — like the constant sense of having a lack of control — they would often turn to comedy. They felt like their constant anxiety was greatly relieved when they turned it into something to joke about, even if it’s self deprecation. Another trait that was proven to be shared amongst sad clowns is low self esteem. “I was always wrong. Let’s start with that. When you are always wrong, you seek an audience to disprove that theory.” (Lewis, 2017). Whilst comedy may be used as a coping method to disguise one’s suffering, it could also inspire a comic to use it as an opportunity to create relationships and seek acceptance from those around them. When a clown sees an audience laughing at what they have to say and find joy in it, it makes the comic feel like their life might not have to be as bad as it is. Humor is used as an escape from a clown’s reality, and it makes them forget who they are off stage.
Many individuals whose primary job requires some form of entertainment often suffer from a traumatic past. “Eighty percent of comedians come from a place of tragedy.” (Masada, n.d). Most comedians grew up in incredibly hectic and chaotic situations, which typically meant they didn’t get the love and attention they needed, and most of them found that turning to humor was a helpful solution. Those very individuals felt that making people laugh helped them overcome their tragic history. “A clown needn’t be the same out of the ring as he has to be when he’s in it. If you look at photographs of clowns when they’re just being ordinary men, they’ve got quite sad faces.” (Blyton, 1946). Humor is viewed by comics as a distraction for their true emotions. Although they might seem incredibly happy on stage, melancholy is the emotion they experience constantly, and comedy is a tool to hide that.
Generally speaking, Janus’s study helped psychologists understand comics on a more intimate level, and how their career might affect them in the long run. It was also found that comedians often suffer from past traumas and use humor as a distraction from their real negative emotions. They often feel like comedy allows them to gain more control over their lives and alter the way people perceive them because comics aren’t always how they seem. Although they might seem happy and cheerful in public, they are extremely miserable when they are alone.
