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Down to Clown Trivia Quiz

There's a lot of clowns in the world, of a lot of different varieties, but they've all got big shoes to fill. How many do you know, real or fictional?

A multiple-choice quiz by OddballJunior. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
OddballJunior

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
402,673

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
221

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. This TV clown has appeared on "The Simpsons" since the show's first season and is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. His real name is Herschel, but what do the kids call him? Hint

Sideshow Mel

Homer the Clown

JoJo the Clown

Krusty the Clown

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Question 2 of 10

2. This real-life entertainer performed as "Weary Willie," a character based on the hobos of the Great Depression, and invented the sad clown. What was his name? Hint

Oleg Popov

Pinto Colvig

Emmett Kelly

Lou Jacobs

3. The Leoncavallo opera "Pagliacci" ("Clowns") features a cast of characters who perform a comic act which is interrupted by the drama of their personal lives. Which performer-character plays Pagliaccio, the protagonist? Hint

Tonio

Beppe

Silvio

Canio

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Question 4 of 10

4. This clown character, created in 1963, is known as the face of McDonald's restaurants. Hint

Bozo the Clown

Ray Kroc

Mac Tonight

Ronald McDonald

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Question 5 of 10

5. While he did perform in Illinois under names like Pogo and Patches, this clown is better remembered for his serial murders which claimed at least 33 victims in the late 1970s. Hint

John Wayne Gacy

Elmer Henley

David Berkowitz

David Carpenter

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Question 6 of 10

6. Rodeo clown Louis Linley was better known during his life by his stage name, under which he appeared in nearly 100 films including "Blazing Saddles," "Dr. Strangelove," and "Major Dundee." What was that stage name, taken from American slang? Hint

Goodman Ace

Hollis Wood

Slim Pickens

Harry Parke

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Question 7 of 10

7. It doesn't take an expert to know that the Joker is Batman's long-standing arch-nemesis, but this question's harder than that - which of these DC characters has NOT been the Joker in an alternate continuity as of 2019? Hint

Lex Luthor

Martha Wayne

Thomas Wayne

Dick Grayson

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Question 8 of 10

8. A 1991 film starring, written by, and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait features the titular clown dealing with depression and alcoholism while being framed for murder. What name do the clown and film share? Hint

Shakes the Clown

Bobo the Clown

Dizzy the Clown

Heckle the Clown

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Question 9 of 10

9. This 2020 animated YouTube series created by Ian Worthington follows the four employees of a clown-themed food truck; coincidentally, the series shares its name with the fictional clown-themed restaurant featured in the 1988 film "Killer Klowns from Outer Space." Hint

Bigtop Burger

Sesame Seed Circus

Bozo's Burgers

Ha Ha Hamburger

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Question 10 of 10

10. In 1974, David Crombie was elected mayor of Toronto in a landslide victory with over one hundred thousand votes, with the runner up receiving only five thousand. In fourth place was Vicki Gabereau, a professional clown who campaigned in order to "educate families about the electoral process." What was her professional name? Hint

Rik of the Universe

Jan Sandwich

Pepa Plana

Rosy Sunrise

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This TV clown has appeared on "The Simpsons" since the show's first season and is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. His real name is Herschel, but what do the kids call him?

Answer: Krusty the Clown

It was planned early on that Krusty would be revealed to have been Homer Simpson all along, but creator Matt Groening abandoned the idea when it became too difficult to explain.

2. This real-life entertainer performed as "Weary Willie," a character based on the hobos of the Great Depression, and invented the sad clown. What was his name?

Answer: Emmett Kelly

Kelly's son, Emmett Kelly Jr., began portraying Weary Willie four years after his father retired.

Answer: Canio

The most famous piece of music in the show is the aria "Vesti la Giubba" ("Put On the Costume"), in which Canio tries to convince himself to perform despite having learned that his wife has fallen in love with Silvio. A 1992 episode of "Seinfeld" builds its plot around a performance of the opera.

4. This clown character, created in 1963, is known as the face of McDonald's restaurants.

Answer: Ronald McDonald

The character was first portrayed by Willard Scott, though sources differ on whether Scott had a hand in the character's creation.

5. While he did perform in Illinois under names like Pogo and Patches, this clown is better remembered for his serial murders which claimed at least 33 victims in the late 1970s.

Answer: John Wayne Gacy

Gacy was charged in 1980 with 33 murders, more than any other American before him. He was executed nearly fifteen years later.

Answer: Slim Pickens

Pickens originally took the name as a rodeo clown because his father had forbidden him from engaging in the activity; the stage name allowed him to win competitions and get away with it. He was often cast in western films largely because he could supply his own wardrobe and horses.

Answer: Thomas Wayne

Martha becomes the Joker following Bruce's murder in the "Flashpoint" storyline, Dick Grayson disguises himself as the Joker in "The Dark Knight Strikes Again," and Lex Luthor becomes the Joker when Kal-El is raised as Bruce Wayne in "Superman: Speeding Bullets." No version of Thomas Wayne has been depicted as becoming or emulating the Joker as of 2019.

Answer: Shakes the Clown

The film also features Julie Brown, Tom Kenny, and Robin Williams (under the alias Marty Fromage). It was released to mixed reception.

Answer: Bigtop Burger

As of August 2020, the series' episodes have been viewed over three million times in total. Worthington has stated that the series was inspired by a tweet from comic artist KC Green (best known for the "This Is Fine" meme) which humorously depicts Ray Kroc "discovering" a young Ronald McDonald.

Answer: Rosy Sunrise

Gabereau is best remembered in Canada for her capability as a talk show host, though her intention of making people interested in politics may not have worked out, as evidenced by the fact that in 1974, only 27% of voters in Toronto turned out.

Source: Author OddballJunior

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