History Main / RobotClown

!This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=17085069180.10224900 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.

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[[quoteright:290:[[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patchcord_adams.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:290:This robo bozo is kind of a dodo.]]
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->''"Who has ever watched a clown and thought to themselves, 'Boy, I wish that thing never got tired'?"''
-->-- '''Brian David Gilbert''', on the subject of the robotic [[VideoGame/MegaMan8 Clown Man]], ''WebVideo/{{Unraveled}}''

Clowns and robots. While they may seem vastly different at first glance, a little look at their histories reveals that they're more similar than they seem -- both started out loved by many, but as the years went by, evil portrayals of the two became more popular. Because of their similarities, many creators find it fitting to combine the two, creating a Robot Clown.

While clowns and robots as we know them were not introduced until much later, early concepts for the two date back as far as Ancient Greece, making them OlderThanFeudalism. Back then, there were "rustic fool" performers -- predecessors to clowns -- and stories about artificial life, such as the bronze man Talos. Both clowns and robots, however, ''really'' started to become popular in the 1800's, when performer Joseph Grimaldi served as the TropeCodifier for most things we associate with clowns nowadays, such as wearing facepaint and frilly clothing. Also at that time, remote-controlled machines were becoming more common.

Then, in 1921, the idea of sentient, human-like robots became well-loved thanks to the release of ''Theatre/{{RUR}}'', and continued to increase in popularity thanks to the works of sci-fi writers such as Creator/IsaacAsimov. These works fueled a fear of robots dominating humans, leading to the prominence of tropes like AIIsACrapshoot and KillerRobot. However, clowns were still well-received... until the late 1900s, when {{Monster Clown}}s became more popular, and the traditional NonIronicClown all but faded away in the eyes of the public. But it's somewhat understandable, considering that both robots and clowns have a bad tendency to fall into the UncannyValley.

For this reason, it seems logical that if you style a KillerRobot after a clown, that makes it even scarier. Even in works where most, if not all, the characters are robots, having one be a clown (or vice versa) can really help him or her stand out. And so Robot Clowns have surged in popularity, just like evil ''human'' clowns. However, not all Robot Clowns are bad. Some works use these characters the way they were meant to be portrayed -- as fun, helpful characters, devoid of malice. Whether a Robot Clown is good or bad, as long as it clearly exhibits traits of both a robot and a clown, it belongs here.

Even the qualities that clowns and robots ''don't'' share lend a hand in the effectiveness of these characters. Clowns are usually flamboyant and energetic, while robots are static and emotionless. The contrast between the two can make for an interesting character when they are combined. It's also worth noting that, like their human counterparts, Robot Clowns are mainly used InUniverse as entertainers, unlike "normal" robots, who are mainly used as servants.

SisterTrope to RobotAthlete and RobotMaid as well as a SubTrope of NinjaPirateZombieRobot. May overlap with FunnyRobot if the clown in question is made intentionally funny. See also HostileAnimatronics, if the character is evil. For more clowns with extraordinary abilities, see MagicalClown.

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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'': In ''The Genius Nobita's Airship Amusement Park'', Doraemon and friends visits a futuristic amusement park only for the facilities to be taken over by the main villain, Jester and his small army of clown-bots.
* ''Manga/KarakuriCircus'': Most automata, the main antagonists of the series, are this (others are styled after other circus performers). They perform in the Midnight Circus. The reasons for this are pretty complicated, to say the least.
* ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'': The Jester Gundam is a clown-themed mech. Aside from its white face and colorful armor, its most powerful attack is "Top Mode", where it transforms into a giant spinning top to [[ConfusionFu create illusions and confuse enemies]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* The very first issue of the very first ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' series offers an extremely weird example of this trope, with [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the Hulk]] disguising himself as a robot in clown makeup.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
* The staff of Hotel Burinkin from ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheTinLabyrinth'' includes a robot clown working as a porter.
* A "Countdown Clown" Blue Meanie in ''WesternAnimation/YellowSubmarine'' is a machine with a clown's face that launches a missile attack on Pepperland when its red bulbous nose is pressed.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Mirrorman}}'' has a one-shot clown villain in an episode set in an amusement park, who turns out to be a robotic clone sent by the invaders.
* ''Franchise/{{Whoniverse}}'':
** The Psychic Circus from the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS25E4TheGreatestShowintheGalaxy The Greatest Show in the Galaxy]]" has robot clown performers.
** In the ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' episode "[[Recap/TheSarahJaneAdventuresS2E3E4TheDayOfTheClown The Day of the Clown]]", the MonsterClown Pied Piper attack Sarah Jane and co with robot mannequins dressed as clowns.
** ''Series/{{K9}}'' establishes clowns as one of the various types of robots which are commonplace in the future year of 2050.
*** In "Dream-Eaters", Darius has a nightmare of being trapped in his car with three robotic clowns and the human Mr. Floppy Fun Pants.
*** "Robot Gladiators" has Chuckles and Boris, a pair of clowns ([[PropRecycling with the same costumes from "Dream-Eaters"]]) forced to fight as gladiators who befriend K9. They return to the circus once the K9 Unit crash the business.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* One of [[Music/{{Gwar}} GWAR]]'s mortal enemies is a MonsterClown cyborg named Bozo Destructo, who teamed up with his brother Techno Destructo to try and destroy the band.
* In the video for Music/PoetsOfTheFall's [[https://youtu.be/MKk1u5RMTn4?list=PLjACqN5i5sDWIIpg-5EB4WcitMMqnXhFP "Carnival of Rust,"]] Zoltar the Fortuneteller is an automaton clown trapped in a glass case, albeit an exceptionally {{sad|Clown}}, decrepit one, with monochrome, flaking makeup and faded, tatty clothes. Playing the role of a [[CommediaDellArte Pierrot]] gone to seed, he attempts to free himself from the [[CircusOfFear Carnival]] by futilely begging for his latest customer's love via an ObsessionSong.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* In ''Franchise/MagicTheGathering's'' ''Unfinity'' set, all of the clowns in the interstellar circus-slash-amusesment-park the set takes place in are also robots (except for [[https://scryfall.com/card/unf/176/pietra-crafter-of-clowns Pietra]], who makes them). According to [[WordOfGod Mark Rosewater,]] this was a deliberate choice done to avert the MonsterClown trope--humanoid clowns are more often expected to be monstrous these days, but making them silly little robots helped keep them firmly in NonIronicClown territory.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* One of the enemies you can find in ''VideoGame/BombermanHero'''s Clown Valley is a [[KnifeThrowingAct knife-throwing]] clown on a rolling ball. As all the characters in Bomberman are [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots robots]], these enemies fit the bill, and are all the more creepy for it.
* ''VideoGame/DarkChronicle'': The RepulsiveRingmaster Flotsam rides around on a huge, clown-faced SpiderTank called Halloween. The hero, Max, can customize his MiniMecha into a robot clown. Later on, [[spoiler:Flotsam himself is [[WeCanRebuildHim given a cyborg body after his near-death]], but still retains his clownish facepaint and colorful suit.]]
* ''VideoGame/DinosaursForHire'' has a giant clown mecha as the toy factory stage's boss.
* ''VideoGame/DynamiteHeaddy'': The Puppeteer boss is a clown puppet. While all the characters are puppets, this character looks particularly robotic because he has a propeller where his waist and legs should be.
* ''Franchise/FiveNightsAtFreddys''' large cast of HostileAnimatronics includes some that resemble clowns:
** The Puppet is a mime-like animatronic who is controlled by a music box. It plays with this trope, however, because it seems very different from the other animatronics. Some speculate that it isn't a robot at all, but none know for sure what it really is.
** Toy Foxy is a LighterAndSofter (InUniverse, at least) version of recurring animatronic Foxy whose bright colors make [[AmbiguousGender him or her]] resemble a clown. It was set up as an attraction for kids to play with. However, [[KidsAreCruel the kids ultimately tore it apart]], turning it into a mechanical monstrosity known as Mangle.
** Balloon Boy is a childlike animatronic who looks like a clown due to his red nose and cheeks, big smile, and colorful clothing. He also has the ability to interfere with the protagonist's various gadgets.
** Interestingly, in ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSisterLocation'', ''all'' of the main animatronics have a clown motif, with bright color schemes and even the appearance of wearing facepaint. As if this didn't pull them far enough into the the UncannyValley, their faces are more technologically advanced than previous animatronics, with movable brows and cheeks. This leads to quite the NightmareFace when they split their faces open, revealing the robotic endoskeleton inside.
** In ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSecurityBreach'', the Daycare Attendant is dressed in jester-like clothing (pantaloons patterned in either red and gold stripes or stars, depending on which side is active) with a sun/moon-shaped head. Its Sun side adds to this with an enthusiastic, attempted-FriendToAllChildren personality. Unfortunately, it's too overbearing and creepy to appeal to its audience and serves as AccidentalNightmareFuel for its unfortunate wards, [[KidHero Gregory]] and most of the people playing the game.
* ''VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe'' has an enemy called Clown Acrobot who is implied to be a robot, not just because of his name, but also because he's an emotionless PerpetualSmiler clown with a metallic-looking face.
* ''VideoGame/LegoBatmanTrilogy'': In ''LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes'', one of the many things that the Joker and Lex Luthor do during their VillainTeamUp is [[spoiler:attack Gotham City]] with a giant mech designed to look like the Joker.
* ''VideoGame/MachineHunter'': The Type-3 Entertainer Robots are based on clowns. They're also the most useless robots players can capture during gameplay, inferior to Type-1 and Type-2, despite being introduced ''after''.
* Clown Man of ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'' is a clown robot who likes to play with trapezes with his extendable arms, and is the boss of a toy-themed amusement park.
* ''VideoGame/NierAutomata'' has the machine lifeforms in the Amusement Park, who are dressed as clowns and jesters.
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** The Koopa Clown Car has been Bowser's personal [[WeaponizedCar weaponized helicopter]] since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''. It has a clown face which [[ExpressiveAccessory changes its expression]] depending on its status. Several variations exist such as the [[JuniorCounterpart "Junior"]] for his son and the Koopalings and the [[HotPaintJob "Fire"]] starting in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'', but all of them bear the clown face.
** Downplayed in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'': Motley Bossblob is -- as the name says -- more of a {{Blob|Monster}} MonsterClown, however his ChromeChampion look really gives him a robotic vibe.
* Chortlebot, a boss from ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt'' is a flying robot clown head. Its GagNose turns into a spikeball, which Chortlebot launches at Wario. It has CreepyCircusMusic as its boss theme, and a distinct, high-pitched cackle.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'': The [[MonsterClown Imp jester]] Fizzarolli sells a line of [[HostileAnimatronics robotic replicas]] of himself to entertain both kids and [[SexBot adults]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfFigaroPho'' gives us the RobotDog Rivet, whose red nose and lips, along with his perky, playful behavior, make him very clownlike.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': In "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE4TheLastLaugh The Last Laugh]]", the Joker introduces a new minion called Captain Clown. Batman is visibly confused by this new minion's superhuman strength, until he breaks the minion's face, [[RoboticReveal revealing that he is actually a robot]]. This gives Batman the realization that killing the minion [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman will not]] break his strict ThouShaltNotKill rule, and so the minion meets his doom in a trash compactor. The Joker actually sounds shocked, crying out "You killed Captain Clown!", though it's impossible to tell whether he's trolling Batman, genuinely trying to be funny, or crazy enough to actually equate the (rather crude, and definitely not sapient) robot with a living person.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "[[Recap/FuturamaS3E13BendinInTheWind Bendin' in the Wind]]", an injured Bender is treated by a robot version of Film/PatchAdams in a clown outfit.
* Chuckles the Clown from ''WesternAnimation/LeagueOfSuperEvil'' is a robot created by [[MadScientist Dr. Frogg]] when he was a kid, to get back at kids who didn't invite him to their birthday parties. Chuckles appears to be a NonIronicClown at first, but when he is wound up, he reveals his cruel nature, playing painful pranks on the team.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': "The Mysterious Mr. Friend" involved the babies fighting an army of malfunctioning clown robot toys Stu invented.
* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'': The MonsterOfTheWeek in "[[Recap/WhatsNewScoobyDooS3E8ATerrifyingRoundWithAMenacingMetallicClown A Terrifying Round With a Menacing Metallic Clown]]" is, as the title indicates, a giant robotic clown. It starts out disguised as an obstacle on a mini-golf course, then comes to life to terrorize golfers. [[spoiler:It turns out to be controlled by Mayor Snipper, who specifically built it to scare people away from the golf course because he believes that golf ruined his son's life.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* "[[https://showbizpizza.fandom.com/wiki/Creepy_Clown Creepy Clown]]", an animatronic character created by Creative Engineering (the company behind ''Theatre/TheRockAfireExplosion'') to greet visitors to some convention that happened in the early 1980s. Nowadays, the animatronic is mostly known on the internet for a particular photo of it that comes across as major AccidentalNightmareFuel. The animatronic is currently being stored in Creative Engineering's basement, though his head mechanism is missing (his head is stuffed instead) so he's not even much of a robot anymore.
[[/folder]]

* In ''Franchise/MagicTheGathering's'' ''Unfinity'' block, all of the clowns in the interstellar circus-slash-amusesment-park the set takes place in are also robots. According to [[WordOfGod Mark Rosewater,]] this was a deliberate choice done to avert the MonsterClown trope--humanoid clowns are more often expected to be monstrous these days, but making them silly little robots helped keep them firmly in NonIronicClown territory.