Remember That Time Clowns Terrorized the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The beloved holiday tradition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade turned creepy in 2017 when a number of clowns and clown floats terrified fearful viewers tuning in for a bit of Thanksgiving Day fun. The clowns, who appeared both on the ground and on a massive float, were a bit too much for some viewers, especially since the IT reboot had just premiered over the summer. Others simply said the float triggered their deep-seated fear of the circus performers.

Fear of clowns is not uncommon, as the Chapman University Survey on American Fears notes that clowns are one of the top five most common fears among American adults. Keep scrolling to see some of the hilarious and fearful reactions from viewers on Twitter (now called X) as the clowns appeared on their TVs back in 2017.