Phobia

Coulrophobia, or fear of clowns, coulro means stiltwalking.

A quick Internet search revealed 16,100 results. There are even websites dedicated to the subject, such as Ihateclowns.com, where coulrophobes gather to share their thoughts.

Clowns are common characters at Halloween events such as Universal Orlando's yearly Halloween Horror Nights, which featured a killer clown as its main icon for several years.

Clearly, the fear is real.