Clowns of America International, the nation's largest clown club, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about American Horror Story: Freak Show's clown problem. And, boy, is it ever a problem. (For professional clowns.)

Is there a harder month than October to be a clown? Children run from you, adults pretend they're afraid of you to make it seem like they have a personality, American Horror Story: Freak Show creates a legitimately scary character out of your profession.

Professional clowns have had just about enough of it—specifically they've had just about enough of American Horror Story's Twisty the Clown, a clown who kills people with scissors. Not normal clown behavior, says Glenn Kohlberger, president of Clowns of America International. He spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about the mixup:

"Hollywood makes money sensationalizing the norm. They can take any situation no matter how good or pure and turn it into a nightmare."

Tom Cruise, for instance.

Kohlberger, whose clown persona is named "Clyde D. Scope," goes on to say, "We do not support in any way, shape or form any medium that sensationalizes or adds to coulrophobia or 'clown fear.'" The Hollywood Reports notes membership in Clowns of America International has decreased—perhaps due to growing coulrophobia—from 3,500 to 2,500 in the past ten years.

"Clowns to killers," says Kohlberger, in his Hollywood Reporter interview, "I choose not to play into any of it. The more attention we give it just gives it more fuel."

[image via FX]