“It’s raining cats and dogs,” says a hobo clown, holding an umbrella with pictures of cats and dogs dangling from the rim. A female clown carries a large clear jug. “Do you want spring water?

In August 2016, photos of a seriously unsettling clown dubbed “Gags” started making the rounds in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This one actually was a marketing stunt – just not for IT .

Because of the social media trend, clowns went from a childhood entertainment to the stuff of nightmares. McDonald's ...