Creepy Clowns Are Making Life Hard for Ronald

Likely hoping to avoid scaring children or being shot at, Ronald McDonald will be keeping a "low profile" until this international creepy clown epidemic is sorted out, the AP reports. In a statement released Tuesday, McDonald's says it will be "thoughtful in respect to Ronald McDonald's participation in community events" due to the "current climate around clown sightings in communities." According to Time, August reports of clowns trying to lure kids into the woods in South Carolina have exploded into creepy clown sightings in more than two dozen states, plus Canada and England. So-called pranks include clowns threatening people with knives and online clown groups threatening schools on social media, the Los Angeles Times reports. It's unclear if Grimace is lying low due to another major story making headlines. (More clown stories.)