Chuponcito

Although it’s debatable exactly when clowns transformed from balloon-animal-twisting birthday party entertainers into child-murdering deviants in pop culture (some say Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel It is to blame; others can trace scary clowns back to the 1500s), those who have been donning the face makeup and oversized shoes in recent years have had their work cut out for them to restore their playful image. One of these cheerful bozos who isn’t haunting people’s nightmares (unless you’ve really been diagnosed with coulrophobia) is Chuponcito, a high-pitched jester who’s famous on Mexican TV and played by actor Alberto Flores. Chuponcito (loosely translated as a person who sucks on a baby pacifier) has been entertaining families for decades and is currently on his 2018 U.S. tour, which, according to its marketing materials, is “not suitable for minors.” Based on videos of Chuponcito online, however, we doubt el payaso will be doing or saying anything too controversial, unless, of course, you consider dancing salsa or pulling toy fish out of your pants too risqué. Still, how much can you really trust someone who wears a red nose and neon suspenders?