Tragic Clown

The Tragic Clown (also known as Sunny the Tragic Clown) was first introduced in The Sims: Livin' Large as one of the newly featured NPCs (the others being the Grim Reaper, genie, Servo and Santa Claus). He is also a premade deceased Sim featured in The Sims 3 who is buried in the Sunset Valley graveyard.

Life leading up to The Sims
In The Sims: Livin' Large, the Tragic Clown visits depressed Sims who own the Tragic Clown painting in order to cheer them up. However, the Tragic Clown doesn't help because he is also feeling miserable. Any tricks he attempts to do will fail, meaning he will make already depressed Sims even more depressed (e.g.: When he juggles, he hits himself with his bowling pins). The Tragic Clown usually wanders around the house, crying and coughing. Although Sims can interact with him, the only interaction that makes them happier is insulting him. If he is trapped in a room or by fences, the Tragic Clown will create a magical hole in the ground and jump in to emerge elsewhere on the lot. The Tragic Clown will only leave the lot under the following circumstances:


 * Set fire to the Tragic Clown painting. The Tragic Clown will also catch on fire and seemingly die.
 * Sell the Tragic Clown painting. This prevents him from returning unless another painting is purchased.
 * Hire the Clown Catchers to capture the Tragic Clown (service is available only when he is on the lot). They will also repossess the Tragic Clown painting to ensure he doesn't return.
 * When Sims in the household are in a good mood. If the Tragic Clown painting is then burned or sold, the Tragic Clown will create a magic hole and jump in to leave the lot.
 * Slapping the Tragic Clown repeatedly until he's happy.

The Tragic Clown also features in every subsequent expansion, excluding Unleashed. With House Party, the Tragic Clown will sometimes pop out of large cake instead of the entertainers. However, the audience will boo him and he will eventually flee the lot. With Hot Date, the Tragic Clown can also appear Downtown if the lot contains a Burger Clown sign. With Vacation, he will appear on a Vacation Island lot if the vacationing Sims have low moods. Vacation Director Kana will eventually shoo the Tragic Clown but he will leave earlier if moods are raised. With Superstar, the Tragic Clown may occasionally appear in Studio Town as one of the backup dancers in place of the usual performers when a famous Sim records a music video. With Makin' Magic the Tragic Clown can also occasionally appear on the autumnal lots in Magic Town. He will ride the roller coasters and talk to the clown janitor, Witty Washout.

According to the Prima Official Strategy Guide: "The Tragic Clown used to have an unmentionably close affiliation with Burger Clown Partnerships Incorporated, but that relationship was ended abruptly. The Tragic Clown has never fully recovered..."

Life leading up to The Sims 2
The Tragic Clown doesn't make an appearance in The Sims 2, but he is replaced with similar character: the Social Bunny, who has a similar objective. The Social Bunny visits Sims who have a low social need. Unlike the Tragic Clown, the Social Bunny is always successful in his mission, and just having him around raises the social need. The Social Bunny leaves when the social bar reaches the halfway point.

Life leading up to The Sims 3
Although Sunset Valley is a prequel to towns in The Sims, the Tragic Clown is already deceased and buried in the Pleasant Rest Graveyard. His tombstone (which can be found along the east side of the Pleasant Rest Graveyard) indicates that he drowned. For that reason, the color of his ghost is blue. His ghost can usually be spotted around the time when most other ghosts are already out. The fact that he drowned is very odd, as he has the Hydrophobic trait, and Sims with that trait don't typically die from drowning. This may imply an unusual cause of death, such as dying from crying, or developing this trait after his death, which is not possible through normal gameplay.

The appearance of the Tragic Clown in The Sims 3 is quite different from his appearance in The Sims. He looks more realistic, friendly, and colorful. His clothing consists of a light green shirt with a gray waistcoat and colorful pants. He also wears a black and white hat. He still has his signature clown makeup, but without the white base. The color of his hair is no longer red, but blonde. His eyes are dark blue. Although it seems that he has short hair, he actually has long hair, which is revealed when he wears sleepwear, athletic and swimwear clothes.

The Tragic Clown's traits are Easily Impressed, Bookworm, Neat, Clumsy and Hydrophobic. Strangely, he doesn't have any favorite things but his lifetime wish to become a "World-Renowned Surgeon." Judging by his traits, his personality is the exact opposite of a typical clown.

If Tragic Clown is resurrected with the Oh my Ghost! Opportunity, he will become a playable Ghost, and can have his clothing changed with a dresser; he will then appear on Create-A-Sim (only with the option to change clothing), while he is on this, he will be a normal Sim. With the World Adventures patch, his eyes will not be shown, and his hair will be a ghostly white.

Another notable feature is his status as a ghost, as Sunset Valley is a prequel to towns in The Sims. This may imply that he was already dead in the first game, which could explain his ability to come out of a painting. It is also possible that the Clown in Livin' Large is a relative (or son) of the original Tragic Clown in The Sims 3, or that he was resurrected with Ambrosia.

In Supernatural there's an elixir called the Origin of the Tragic Clown. Sims can throw this elixir at another, turning them into a temporary Tragic Clown for 2 days. They will have the appearance like the Tragic Clown, with clown face paint, top hat, and Tragic Clown's costume, but in variable design. Sims will get the "It's so Tragic" moodlet when they're around those with the elixir in effect. When using the LLAMA teleporter, there's also a chance to turn Sims into Tragic Clown for 2 days.

Appearances in other games
The Tragic Clown made an appearance as a downloadable golfer, along with other familiar characters including Bella Goth and Mortimer Goth in SimGolf.

Trivia & Easter eggs

 * Maxis included a downloadable service called the "Clown Catchers," which, when rung up, would come around and remove the Tragic Clown from the house. After they catch him, they also take the "Tragic Clown painting" to ensure he does not come back.
 * There is a clown-looking fish called "Tragic Clownfish" in The Sims 3. Catching it is a main objective of one of the fishing opportunities.
 * A photo of the Tragic Clown can be seen on the milk cartons in The Sims 3, as well as The Sims 2 when Sims prepare mac and cheese or in the grocery basket, possibly indicating that he is missing.
 * In The Sims 3 Store, in the Dawn of Sims set, there is an item called Ironic Clown by Angelo, which appears to be a picture of the Tragic Clown.
 * His face as it appears in The Sims can be seen on a box in the basket of groceries in The Sims 2.
 * In The Sims 3: Seasons, Sims can make a Tragic Clown snowman.
 * In The Sims 3 (Nintendo 3DS), there is a townie named Zane Champagne who bears a resemblance to the Tragic Clown.
 * The Tragic Clown reappears in The Sims 4 in a form of a painting marking the 16th anniversary of the series. Unfinished assets for a Tragic Clown NPC are also included, but are currently unused.

Gallery
Tragische Clown Sunny, el Payaso Trágico Tragic Clown Печальный клоун