Talk of the Town: No clowning around!

Hit the road, Bozo!

It’s official. Children are not particularly fond of clowns.

A recent study that quizzed 250 children in a pediatric hospital ward found that all 250 of them were afraid of the various clown imagery that decorated the wing.

Penny Curtis, a professor who worked on the study, is quoted as saying “We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable.”

Researchers have finally hit on the essential truth previously known to horror film makers: Clowns are not necessarily funny.

Britain’s University of Sheffield wanted to find a way to improve the children’s wards of hospitals. They conducted a survey of 250 kids. Every single young patient disapproved of using clowns to cheer them up. The big painted smile didn’t persuade them, and even some of the older kids found them scary.

I knew I was terrified of clowns after viewing “It,” a film based on a scary novel under the same name written by Stephen King and featuring, Pennywise, one of the most frightening and evil clown creatures ever.

Some people find clowns disturbing rather than amusing. It is not uncommon for children to be afraid of disguised, exaggerated, or costumed figures — even Santa Claus. Clown costumes tend to exaggerate the facial features and some body parts, such as hands and feet.

The irrational fear of clowns is known as coulrophobia. Some have suggested that a fear of clowns may stem from early childhood experience, when infants begin to process and make sense of facial features. The significant aberrations in a clown’s face may frighten a child so much that they carry this phobia throughout their adult life.

It can also be said one’s response to a clown might depend on where it’s seen.

At a circus or a party, a clown is normal and may easily be funny. The same clown knocking on one’s front door at sunset is more likely to generate fear or distress than laughter or amusement. This effect is summed up in a quote often attributed to actor Lon Chaney, Sr.: “There is nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight.”

There’s something new in town! The Shoestring Players, a newly formed community theater group, is holding its first organizational meeting Monday, Jan. 21, at 4 p.m. at the Community Performing Arts Center, 1250 W. Continental Road, in the art room. Anyone interested in the theater is welcome to attend and become a part of the group.

The Shoestring Players will debut in April with a rollicking production of the classic farce, “The Impostures of Scapin” by Moliere, at the Performing Arts Center. Open auditions will be held and community members of all ages are urged to audition.

In addition to actors, the group will be looking for people interested in the crucial backstage and business aspects of play production.

The Monday meeting will include introductions, discussion of current and future plans, ratification of a constitution, and election of officers.

Got some time on your hands? Need to satisfy your inner dramatic self? Join Shoestring Players on Monday and get in on the ground floor of an exciting new community endeavor. For more information call Susan Voorhees, 625-7242.

Sharon Stednitz, a longtime employee (eight years) and office manager of Hickey Automotive in Green Valley is trying to help her grandson Eric Horton, 14, who was seriously injured in October while riding his bike near his home in Mesa, after being struck by a drunk driver with previous DUIs. Eric is the son of Sharon’s daughter, Amber Gonzalez.

So severe were Eric’s injuries, he almost lost his foot and as a result was airlifted to a hospital where he remained in intensive care for five days and has undergone surgery with ongoing treatment ahead.

As Sharon, a grandmother of eight grandchildren says, her daughter’s family is now faced with mounting medical bills, including the airlift transportation cost and a week of intensive care hospital bills.

Eric, a high school sophomore, will be in a cast for at least eight months and will then need a minimum of four months physical therapy.

“The sad thing is, Eric loves sports. The doctor’s aren’t sure if he will walk with a limp or not, because the growth plate in his right leg was broken,” Sharon said. “He is such a sweet grandson. He is loving and very respectful to his parents and me.”

Eric is back in school, but he has help with getting to classes. He has passion to play his trumpet and enjoys reading.

So concerned are Ron and Kim Hickey, owners of Hickey Automotive, they are raffling off a 32-inch-wide screen high definition television set/DVD combo valued at nearly $1,000 to help with Eric’s medical bills.

The set, which also has audio CD and MP3 playback, is on display at Hickey Automotive, 250 W. Calle de las Tiendas, Green Valley.

Raffle tickets are $10 each and are on sale at Hickey Automotive. The drawing is scheduled for Feb. 1, at 4 p.m.

For further information, please contact Kim Hickey at 520-248-9010 or Sharon Stednitz at 648-0180.

A Wells Fargo bank account has also been opened for donations earmarked for Eric’s medical bills under the name of Amber Gonzalez. Please contact Sharon at 648-0180 for those details as well or e-mail her at sharon@hickeyautomotive.com.

Well done to the to the Green Valley Swimnastics group at La Campanas in Green Valley for all the support they’ve given resident Don Braley.

Braley, 71, who was in poor health, overweight and very unhappy about his life in general, has made a remarkable recovery and he credits the swimming and water aerobics for giving him a new lease on life.

He tries to get in the pool at least three or four times a week and feels the activity, as well as the camaraderie with his fellow swimmers has made all the difference in his health and his well-being.

The water aerobics group even got together this past New Year’s Day at the Las Campanas pool to kick off 2008 with a healthy start.

Joining him in the water exercise group are Fred and Marion Wolfe, Mary Kay Smith, Dave and Nancy Reitan, Christy Jenkins, Jane Woodling, Joan Hartwett, Mearlyn Tucker, Marcia Shaffer, Joe and Carol Faust, Toni Baumer, Kathy Dionne, Jean Bownian, Glenda Landgraver, Glenn Hutchinson and Corinne King.

Don, a former UPS driver and pastor of the Church of God in Christ in Memphis, Tenn., also had support from his good friend Eric Olson in California, a frequent visitor to Green Valley.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740