A SAD DAY FOR CLOWNS :' (

A man claiming to be a professional clown who planned to rally outside a New York City movie theater, complaining his business suffered because of marketing around the horror clown movie "It," admitted Thursday the protest was a sham -- a publicity stunt designed to promote the very movie he said cost him cash.

John Nelson conceded on WOR-710's that he had been hired, though he wouldn't say who had paid him. Neither New Line Cinema, the studio behind the film, nor its parent company, Warner Brothers, has returned calls for comment.

Nelson had told News 4 earlier this week that his alleged business, Clowns in Town, received six cancellations in the last few weeks. He claimed the supernatural horror movie was scaring the public away from clowns.

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"Last week, my partner and I had six cancellations of birthday parties," he said Tuesday. "I have heard reports from other clowns, in New York and other cities, that they have been canceled as well."

He said billboards and TV ads promoting the movie have been showing scary clowns, and Google search of "clown" shows scary clowns, like from "It."

Full Story: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Professional-Clown-Business-Drops-Horror-Movie-It-Stephen-King-Thriller-444236693.html#ixzz4sgXT8kux