History Main / NonIronicClown

* The eponymous show in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/5167664/chapters/11903690#workskin When the Circus Comes to Town]]''; a valiant attempt to rehabilitate clowns on a world where [[Creator/TerryPratchett the original author]] always portrayed being creepy and unfunny as somehow being the ''point'' of clowns.

** Its Sun form, despite being rather overbearing about it, genuinely wants to entertain Gregory and keep things in order. Its Moon form, however, [[MonsterClown not so much]]…
** Zigzagged with its true form, [[spoiler:Eclipse]]. On one hand, their personality is completely kind and gentle, without any of Sun's overbearingness. On the other hand, their state of heavy disrepair makes them look [[BodyHorror even more]] [[NightmareFace terrifying]] than before, so their new personality probably wouldn't be enough to help them appeal to kids...

* ''WesternAnimation/SevenLittleMonstes'': "All the Marbles" has the monsters encounter an amiable clown at the toy store who helpfully informs them how revolving doors work.

* Bozette Slapstick from ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'' started out as one, but her plan to [[Clownification clownify]] everyone in the world with a special makeup all because she thinks no one appreciates clowns anymore makes her more like a VillainousHarlequin. Alex, who likes clowns, sympathizes with her, but she says that's going too far.

The past 30 years or so have seen a surge in the popularity of evil, [[ComicBook/TheJoker Joker]]-style {{Monster Clown}}s who deliberately and very effectively invert everything clowns were traditionally assumed to represent -- that is, making people laugh, especially children. However, there ''was'' a time when clowns were treated in the popular media as sympathetic figures of whimsy and silly fun. They filled the same niche that animated cartoon characters later would, and were just as beloved for it. Outside of their early habitats like rodeos and circuses, [[GrandfatherClause pretty much the only clown left in the public eye who is still permitted to act at all clown-like]] is [[UsefulNotes/McDonalds Ronald McDonald]]. (And now he's been phased out of the advertising.) But in days past...

** In ''Theatre/{{Alegria}}'', a film that wraps a "real world" storyline around the plot and themes of the tour of the same title, the adult protagonist is a downhearted, street performer mime (though he speaks, and often) who is never seen out of his makeup, a lovelorn romantic who becomes a hero. The clowns of the circus he encounters are ''very strange'' but not evil at all. Even the ShowWithinAShow's MonsterClown emcee, Fleur, is depicted as [[MeanCharacterNiceActor a fundamentally good person offstage]], if an OverprotectiveDad who causes trouble trying to keep his daughter and the mime apart because he doesn't want her to be part of the cruel world beyond the circus.

* ''VideoGame/{{ARMS}}'': Lola Pop is a brightly-coloured FightingClown with a peppy, cheerful personality. According to an interview, the developers were rather surprised at the initial negative reaction from westerners from her concept art as coulrophobia is uncommon in Japan.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': One of the titular "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" is an interesting take on this trope. He's not scary in any sense of the word--but he is extremely cynical and borderline depressed, making darkly humorous comments about the group's situation and occasionally breaking down, revealing that he's just as frightened and confused as the rest of the group.
* Series/TheTwoRonnies once did a TearJerker song "People Don't Want Clowns No More" about how this trope is supposedly dying, and how clowns used to be the most beloved part of the circus. Season 10, Episode 6.

* On [[https://rednoseday.org/ Red Nose Day]], begun by the charity Comic Relief, comedians, celebrities, and other folks put on the most recognizable bit of a clown's IconicOutfit-- a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin bright red nose]]-- to raise funds to alleviate child poverty.

* ''VideoGame/{{Dropsy}}'' has a particularly sad example. The main character, Dropsy the Clown, is [[TheGrotesque bloated, ugly and monstrous-looking]], having all the visual features necessary to be a Monster Clown. But he clearly suffers from [[AmbiguousDisorder some sort of mental disability]], has an innocent and child-like demeanor, and [[AllLovingHero is always trying his hardest to make people happy]], even when everyone thinks he's a demented freak.

* ''VideoGame/TinkerQuarry'': Camime is a cheerful, fun-loving clown poodle who lives in a circus-themed room and sets up minigames and puzzles for the player. Camime is completely devoted to being kind and fun. This devotion is so strong that WordOfGod says she has no idea how dark the world she's in actually is, and "thinks she's in [[WrongGenreSavvy a more kid-friendly game]]."

This type of clown is a good guy in every sense of the word. They are devoted to clowning, and absolutely love hearing people laugh, especially children. If the clown [[MagicalClown has magic powers]], if they aren't using them to fight evil, then they will most likely be seen using magic to put on a wonderful show for their audience.

** The 2009 series [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO5pbYwsp_w "Dobus"]], is focused on a trio of clowns who live at their own themed circus caravans. The titular character is an [[{{Keet}} upbeat clown]], and his two clown friends are [[TheChick Mina]] and [[TheDitz Sollie]]. Their mentor is a Ringmaster (known as "de directeur") [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_h0v7E_wG8 who challenges the characters]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O54MoanQ7M8 on simple tasks.]]

** There's [[NamesTheSame another]] Pipo who was a famous Mexican clown.[[note]]Moreover, the actor who played him actually started out playing Bozo, until the rights to use the Bozo character expired.[[/note]]

* UsefulNotes/McDonalds jolly and loving mascot Ronald [=McDonald=]. While In recent years he's very much subject to AlternateCharacterInterpretation, especially since he's become the defacto symbol for PeaceAndLoveIncorporated, he is still widely regarded as one of the ultimate examples of this trope. It helps that most of his commercials have aged better than other ones that involve clowns [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness (his initial design notwithstanding).]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' has Rainbow the Clown, who is this except for the one time he was temporarily turned into an EnemyMime. The girls still beat him up and toss him into jail after he turns back, but in a later episode he appears at the Powerpuff Girls' birthday party, so it seems he's back into freedom and as cheery as ever.

* Bassie from the Dutch childrens series ''Series/BassieEnAdriaan''.

** ''Pinball/{{Hurricane}}'' takes this UpToEleven, with the game dominated by Non-Ironic Clowns ''everywhere.'' The only non-Non-Ironic Clown in the game is the MonsterClown face painted on the rollecoaster cars.

* ''Webcomic/CirqueRoyale''

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':

* In ''WebVideo/FriendshipIsWitchcraft'' Snowblind's ImaginaryFriend Bonko is a clown who tries to cheer her up. In the original, unabridged version of ''WebAnimation/{{Snowdrop}}'' Bonko was Snowdrop's mother Primrose.