Horror Movie Studio: Staten Island Clown Was 'Just A Joke'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The creepy clown that has been spotted on Staten Island in recent days was indeed the work of a local horror movie production company, the studio confirmed Friday.
On social media posts Friday, Fuzz on the Lens Productions confirmed that it was behind the scary clown. Photos have surfaced on Twitter and Instagram in the past week showing the bald clown, wearing a yellow uniform with green and purple sleeves, and a white collar.
The clown is seen carrying two balloons -- one green, the other yellow. The character resembled Pennywise the Dancing Clown from the 1990 horror miniseries "It," based on King's novel of the same name.
On Friday, the production company tweeted a photo showing five men with the clown in a mockup of a police lineup. The men all held signs that together read, "Fuzz on the Lens Productions."
Well...you got us. We'll admit it. Retweet if you like the #SIClown and favorite if you'd rather not see him anymore. pic.twitter.com/W3beCt3DwE
— Fuzz on the Lens (@FuzzOnTheLens) March 28, 2014
The company also issued a Facebook post saying it hoped everyone understood the clown was just a joke all the time.
"We hope you enjoyed the circus and were at least at some point during the past two weeks entertained by the #SIClown," Fuzz on the Lens Productions said in the Facebook post. "Whether you think the clown is hysterical, petrifying or anything in between we'd love to hear about it."
Fuzz on the Lens continued, "Last but not least we appreciate all the support from everyone, who understood that the clown was just a joke, meant to give people something to talk about other than all the negative news in the world today."
The initial photos of the clown all showed him in dark, menacing poses – claiming he had been sighted near the Grasmere and Richmond Valley stations on the Staten Island Railroad. Comedian Vic Dibitetto also released a video showing himself driving in a car past the clown in broad daylight.
Afterward, the #SIClown hashtag went viral, and has been subject parody Twitter accounts and an assortment of tweets that seem to express everything from genuine fear to mockery.
But the Staten Island Advance reported that initially, the only people who posted images of the clown – Vincent Innocente, Robert Privitera and Michael Leavy – are all Facebook friends with one another and are all linked with Staten Island-based Fuzz on the Lens Productions. Comedian Dibitetto is also linked to the company, the newspaper reported.
The newspaper quoted Leavy as essentially admitting to using the clown as a publicity stunt, saying the group was trying to "get as many people associated with Fuzz on the Lens as possible."
After the story hit the headlines, photos surfaced showing the clown out in public and posing for selfies with people.
Fuzz on the Lens has since posted an assortment of videos featuring the clown – showing him onstage taking a bow at the Monsignor Farrell High School performance of "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying," and a dramatized clip showing a group of men attacking the clown with sticks.
Tweets on Friday also showed the clown made an appearance at a local radio station, and at the Staten Island Mall in Springville.
The clown was not connected to a promotion for any specific movie, Fuzz on the Lens told NJ.com.
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