YMMV / Shakes the Clown

• Audience-Alienating Premise: The movie didn't do too well in theaters, even though most people would say it isn't that bad. But it just couldn't find its niche. On one hand, it's about birthday party clowns who never take off their makeup even when not working, so despite its R-rated raunchy humor, the premise was too ridiculous for adults. On the other hand, the clowns drink heavily, sleep around (sometimes contracting STDs), snort cocaine, and commit numerous acts of violence, including hate crimes against mimes - so it was too dark for kids. The result was a film that wasn't very funny and worth seeing only for novelty value (i.e., "the Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown films").
• Awesome Music: Quite a bit, including Muddy Waters, NRBQ, and the closing theme "Clowns" by Too Much Joy (which, contrary to popular belief, was not written for the film).
• Retroactive Recognition: Tom Kenny was a few years away from appearing on Mr. Show and a few more years from becoming a prolific voice actor, most notably as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants. Also Adam Sandler had only just become a "featured player" on Saturday Night Live earlier the same year the film came out, and had definitely not become known in the mainstream by this point, having appeared in only a half dozen episodes.
• What Do You Mean, It's Not for Kids?: Was commonly rented by moms who later returned to the video store with the video and a good mad expression on. Despite the R-rating, and Julie Brown being on the cover lying on her stomach in a way that allows you to look directly down her cleavage, many thought this was kiddie fare. (You'd think the cleavage on the cover would clue them in). The Tagline "DON'T Bring The Kids!" makes this mistake entirely inexcusable.

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