Las Vegas has always been famous for turning any image into a vivid symbol. Clowns, seemingly not the most obvious heroes for a city of gambling and lights, took on a special role here. Why did they become part of Las Vegas's cultural heritage, and how did they influence the atmosphere of this unusual city? Can the clown image be considered unequivocally positive, given the ambivalent attitude toward it in modern society?
Clowns in the history of Las Vegas
The origins of clown popularity in Las Vegas go back to the traditions of the American circus, which in the twentieth century had a powerful influence on entertainment across the country. The city quickly adopted circus motifs both in architecture and advertising. Neon signs with smiling clown faces became recognizable landmarks for tourists.
According to employees of the Neon Museum of Las Vegas, it was precisely clown imagery that helped create the "fantastic" visual language that sets the city apart from other entertainment centers.
Lucky—the neon giant who greets guests on the Strip
The most famous clown in Las Vegas is Lucky, a huge neon figure at the entrance to Circus Circus, created by YESCO (Young Electric Sign Company) in 1976. His image absorbed features of classic circus mascots with elements of mid-century American graphics. Lucky rises 123 feet high and still greets hundreds of thousands of guests, inviting them into a world of entertainment and excitement.
According to YESCO's archival data, the goal was not only to attract attention but also to form an association for tourists between the casino and an atmosphere of perpetual celebration. It is no coincidence that Lucky became the subject of dozens of films and TV stories, and photos with him have become a staple of tourist photo albums for decades. Visual culture researcher Steven Fry notes in his book that Lucky is "a visual landmark symbolizing the very essence of Las Vegas" (Fry, 2019).
Joko and the vanished Boardwalk casino
The second most recognizable clown in the city is Joko, the face of the Boardwalk casino, which operated on the Strip from 1988 to 2006. Its bright sign with elements of carnival and seaside resort attracted attention against the backdrop of its luxurious neighbors. The fate of Boardwalk turned out differently than that of Circus Circus: in 2006, the building was demolished to make way for the CityCenter complex, and neon Joko disappeared from the city streets.
Specialists from the Neon Museum admit that "not all artifacts can be preserved," and Joko's image survived only on collectible tokens and souvenirs from the 1990s (according to museum materials, 2017). This story became a classic example of how even vivid city symbols can be forgotten, making way for new projects.
Today, many fans of retro style and Las Vegas history say that soon everything that made it special may soon be a thing of the past. The era of jazz, glamour, and men in tuxedos has long given way to a new time. However, Las Vegas now faces a new challenge. Of course, we are talking about the digitalization era. For the new generation, land-based casinos seem like amusement park attractions. Gambling for young adults is mostly associated with the online space.
There are more and more online casinos, so anyone who wants to play can find a project to their liking. And it is quite easy to see this variety. In preparing this article, our experts view site www.casinosbonusca.com and other thematic websites. The analysis showed that the number of online casinos with a minimum deposit is on the rise.
In any case, the atmosphere of old Las Vegas is gradually becoming history. The city, whose name is associated with excitement, is changing. And, if experts' forecasts are to be believed, many things disappear as irretrievably as Joko did. A new digitalized era is coming to take their place.
Blinco—the clown who conquered Hollywood and Las Vegas
Among the artists who contributed to the city's image, a special place is taken by Blinco—the stage name of clown and circus performer Frank Birch. His journey began with the Daily Bros. Circus troupe, where he became famous for his facial expressions and subtle humor. Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille invited Blinco to the film "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1952), which made the artist famous to a wide audience. Later, from the late 1970s, Blinco became the "clown ambassador" of Circus Circus casino.
In full makeup, he greeted visitors, posed for photos, and made balloon animals for children and adults. Visitors' recollections often describe Blinco as "a kind wizard" (according to guests' recollections, The Las Vegas Review-Journal publication, 1994). His example illustrates how circus performers became symbols not only of entertainment but also of Las Vegas hospitality.
Kronick and Dewhurst—old Cirque du Soleil clowns on the Mystère stage
In 1993, the show Mystère opened a new chapter in the history of circus art in Las Vegas. Performer Wayne Kronick created an unusual image of a clown-observer who not only entertained the audience between acts but also gave the performances emotional depth. After Kronick left, his place was taken by Brian Dewhurst, an experienced British performer who turned the clown's role into a years-long stage meditation on age, joy, and overcoming.
At 89, Dewhurst became the oldest performer in Cirque du Soleil (according to the troupe's official data, 2022), and both critics and audiences admired this fact. Kronick and Dewhurst's approach set a new standard: now, a clown on stage was expected not only to joke but also to bring depth of meaning, which set a new standard for circus Las Vegas.
Mr. Whimsy and the picturesque legacy of Silver Slipper
Not only neon signs but also painting played a role in shaping the city's clown mythology. A series of paintings by Julian Ritter, among which the portrait of Mr. Whimsy stands out, adorned the lobby of the Silver Slipper casino since 1968. Mr. Whimsy—a "hobo clown" with a sad look and recognizable facial expressions—became a kind of symbol of melancholy and theatricality that the casino owners tried to convey to guests.
The atmosphere of Silver Slipper was shaped not only by architecture but also by these paintings, which captured the imagination of visitors and attracted the interest of collectors. Howard Hughes, the famous industrialist, was so impressed by Ritter's works that he bought all 33 paintings immediately after purchasing the casino (according to Las Vegas Sun archives, 1970). Such collections emphasized Las Vegas's status as a center not only of gambling but also of art.
Why clowns evoke such different emotions and how this is reflected in Las Vegas
The image of the clown has always been multilayered. For some, it is the embodiment of joy and fun; for others, a source of anxiety (the phenomenon of fear of clowns, or coulrophobia, was described by psychologists in the mid-20th century). In the bright and noisy environment of Las Vegas, clowns became a symbol of contradictory emotions: nostalgia for childhood, anticipation of a show, and even a slight anxiety before the unknown. As cultural scholars admit (see American Journal of Popular Culture publication, 2018), the power of clown imagery is comparable to other city symbols, such as the Stratosphere Tower or the dancing fountains.
Clowns and urban identity
The contribution of clowns to the city's image is noticeable not only in architecture and advertising but also in mass culture. Images of clowns appear on souvenirs, posters, and festive banners. According to urban visual culture researcher Rebecca Sanders, clowns "became not only casino symbols but also part of the city's mythology, recognizable far beyond Las Vegas" (Sanders, 2020). In modern culture, attitudes toward them remain ambiguous, but many residents and guests of the city remember clowns with warmth and a touch of sadness.
What unites the neon giant and the street performer? Why did some clowns become legends, while others disappeared without a trace? These questions remain relevant.
The future of clown imagery in Las Vegas seems both uncertain and promising. Will they remain part of the city's atmosphere or give way to new symbols? The past clearly shows that a clown can be not only a performer but also a key to understanding the spirit of the city, which never ceases to amaze.
