History Main / RobotClown

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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}}''

* ''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.
** The staff of Hotel Burinkin from ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheTinLabyrinth'' includes a robot clown working as a porter.

* ''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.

[[folder:Film -- Animated]] 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.

* ''VideoGame/DarkCloud2'': 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/LEGOBatman 2: DC Super Heroes'': One of the many things that ComicBook/TheJoker and ComicBook/LexLuthor do during their VillainTeamUp is [[spoiler:attack Gotham City]] with a giant mech designed to look like the Joker.

* ''VideoGame/NierAutomata'' has the machine life forms in the Amusement Park, who are dressed as clowns and jesters.

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

->''"Hey implings! It's me, the robotic Fizzarolli! Shipped from King Ozzie's factory to bring you a wonderful show celebrating Loo Loo Land, spelled with O's to avoid lawsuits! Hit it!"''
-->-- '''Robo-Fizz''', ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss''

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 1900's, 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.

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.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': In one episode, 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.
* On the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Bendin' in the Wind", an injured Bender is treated by a robot version of Film/PatchAdams in a clown outfit.

* "[[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 80s. 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.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'';
** The Psychic Circus from ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS25E4TheGreatestShowintheGalaxy The Greatest Show In The Galaxy]]'' had robot clown performers.
** ''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.
** The SpinOff ''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.

* ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys''' large cast of HostileAnimatronics includes some that resemble clowns:

Then, in 1921, the idea of sentient, human-like robots became well-loved thanks to the release of ''Theatre/RossumsUniversalRobots'', 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 1900's, 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.

* The staff of Hotel Burinkin from ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheTinLabyrinth'' includes a robot clown working as a porter.

* ''VideoGame/DinosaursForHire'' has a giant clown mecha as the circus stage's boss.

[[folder:Film]] 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.

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

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': In one episode, 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.

* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'': The MonsterOfTheWeek in "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.]]

-> ''Hey implings! It's me, the robotic Fizzarolli! Shipped from King Ozzie's factory to bring you a wonderful show celebrating Loo Loo Land, spelled with O's to avoid lawsuits! Hit it!''
-->-- '''Robo-Fizz,''' ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss''

-> ''Hey implings! It's me, the robotic Fizarolli! Shipped from King Ozzie's factory to bring you a wonderful show celebrating Loo Loo Land, spelled with O's to avoid lawsuits! Hit it!''

* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'': As an [[HostileAnimatronics animatronic]] [[RobotMe modelled after the real Fizzarolli]] who's a demonic jester, [[MonsterClown Robo Fizz]] is a robotic jester.

*** "Robot Gladiators", has Chuckles and Boris, a pair of clowns ([[PropRecycling with the same cosutmes from "Dream-Eaters"]]) forced to fight as gladiators who befriend K9. They return to the circus once the K9 Unit crash the business.

* ''Manga/KarakuriCircus'': Prety much all 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.

* ''Manga/KarakuriCircus'': Prety much all automata, the main antagonists of the series, are this (others are styled after other circus performers). The reasons for this are pretty complicated, to say the least. They perform in the Midnight Circus.

%%* ''Manga/KarakuriCircus'': Prety much all automata, the main antagonists of the series, are this (others are styled after other circus performers). The reasons for this are pretty complicated, to say the least.

Clowns and robots. While they may seem vastly different at first glance, a little look at their histories reveals that [[NotSoDifferent 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.

* ''Manga/KarakuriCircus'': Prety much all automata, the main antagonists of the series, are this (others are styled after other circus performers). The reasons for this are pretty complicated, to say te least.

** The Psychic Circus from ''The Greatest Show In The Galaxy'' had robot clown performers.
** ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' episode ''The Day Of The Clown'', the MonsterClown Pied Piper attack Sarah Jane and co with robot mannequins dressed as clowns.
** The SpinOff ''Series/K9'' establishes clowns as one of the various types of robots which are commonplace in the future year of 2050.

* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' SpinOff ''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 cosutmes from "Dream-Eaters"]]) forced to fight as gladiators who befriend K9. They return to the circus once the K9 Unit crash the business.

[[folder: Anime & Manga ]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Music ]]

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[[folder: Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'': As an [[HostileAnimatronics animatronic]] [[RobotMe modelled after the real Fizzarolli]] who's a demonic jester, [[MonsterClown Robo Fizz]] is a robotic jester.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]