The bigger-than-life hair. The white face with big red lips and a ball for a nose. The oversized shoes. Leah Puccini, 22, of the North Side, isn't sure what it is, but there's something about clowns that puts her on edge. "They're just creepy." Puccini suffers from coulrophobia. That's the official name for her fear of clowns. An estimated 6.3 million Americans between ages 18 and 54 suffer from a phobia, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Although coulrophobia is not a commonly discussed one, there are Web sites and clothing -- with sayings like "Can't sleep, clowns will eat me" -- devoted to the fear of clowns. Pittsburgh coulrophobics will get to confront their fear starting today when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus comes to town. Every year, when LaVahn Hoh teaches his course on the history of the American circus at the University of Virginia, he has one or two students who say they don't like clowns. "I think there are a number of reasons people don't like clowns," Hoh said. "Some people find their makeup scary and frightening, and I've seen clowns that are pretty creepy looking." "It almost always goes back to an early childhood experience when a clown frightened the child," he said. Looking back at it, Puccini acknowledged her fear might have something to do with her early-childhood viewing of the horror movie, "It," which features a clown that terrorizes small children. Puccini said her little sister, who saw the movie with her, will cry to this day if she sees a clown. She's 20 years old. Scary movies can cause and perpetuate the fear of clowns, Hoh said. The movies become ingrained in people's minds, and they create an association between real clowns and those portrayed in movies. "I'm terrified of clowns," said Duquesne student Kim Kopack. This past Friday, she was attending Fright Night at Kennywood when she encountered a clown. "I cried and ran behind people." "And this is an 18-year-old girl speaking," her friend, Kathy Robinson, said. Once again, it all goes back to a childhood experience. When Kopack was 5, she attended a Halloween party with her dad. One of the people there was dressed as a clown. "He had a rubber chicken on a leash and he chased me around my dad," she said. She hasn't been able to stand the sight of clowns since. "If I saw a clown right there," she said pointing to a spot a couple of feet away from her, "I'd have to run away." Although Rik Gern, a.k.a. Bonzo Crunch, said he's seen some children who are initially frightened of him when he's performing as a clown with Ringling Bros., he knows how to calm a child down -- and so should any other performing clown. Gern said children can be frightened of anything, but it's up to a sensitive performer to show the child that clowns are funny, not scary. Most children overcome their fear and are in fact some of his biggest fans by the end of the show, Gern said. As far scaredy-cat adults, Gern doesn't take them too seriously. "It's currently fashionable for adults to talk about being afraid of clowns," he said. "It's kind of hip." Still, Gern might want to watch out for people like Kopack. "I punched a clown in the face once because it scared me," she said. "I broke his nose." Good Clowns: Bozo He's the quintessential clown performer that has inspired party clowns the world over. Tommy Known as the "Father of Krumping," Tommy the Clown became a role model for many kids and adolescents, particularly in his hometown of South Central, Los Angeles. Krusty He's an integral part of "The Simpsons" and has given many devoted fans episodes like, "Krusty Gets Busted" and "Like Father Like Clown." Clarabell Howdy Doody's red-haired friend on the NBC children's program of the '50s that spoke in "yes" and "no" horn honks. His feet are big, his tummy's stout, but we could never do without CLARA-CLARA-CLAR-A-BELL! WEARY WILLY Perhaps the most well-known hobo clown, Emmett Kelly Sr. played this underdog who refused to give up. Ronald McDonald The happy-go-lucky mascot for McDonald's, the only evil this clown can be accused of is encouraging your child to eat more fries. Bad Clowns: Pennywise Brought to life -- and into the nightmares of many a child -- in the movie version of Stephen King's "It," this clown terrorizes children to the point that one, still traumatized as an adult, commits suicide. Insane Clown Posse The name says it all. I'd be afraid to watch their videos even if it weren't for the horrendous music. Killer Klowns They're so scary, these clowns from the movie "Killer Klowns from Out of Space" can't even use the conventional spelling of the word "clown." Shakes the Clown Although in a comedy movie of the same name, this clown gives all others a bad name. He's in it only for the money, which he promptly spends on boozing it up. Homey D. CLOWN In the many "In Living Color" skits in the early '90s, Damon Wayans' inner-city clown refused to "play dat," then would smack you with his stuffed sock. Check out the upcoming movie. John Wayne Gacy The serial killer who dressed up as a clown got the chair in 1994 for killing 33 boys and men. Additional Information:

No Clowning Around

Confront your fears by attending the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, in town today to Sunday. Show Times: Today: 7:30 p.m. Thursday: 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday: 7:30 p.m. Saturday: 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Admission: $12.50 to $63. Where: Mellon Arena, Uptown. Details: (412) 642-1800 or www.mellonarena.com .

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