By Michael Aiello. Posted May 19, 2015 at 10:58AM on “UO Close Up,” the official Universal Orlando blog:
Irreverent, sarcastic, trash-talking, sadistic, prankster, psychotic… Yeah, I missed him, too.
Is this your first introduction to Jack? Welcome! He’s your master of ceremonies, your host—and your worst nightmare. The things he has in store for Halloween Horror Nights 25 draw on our past and on terrors yet to be seen.
For fans who know his tale, you’ll notice he has escaped the shadow of Oddfellow completely. He has shed his old coat for something of his own design. His face is more weathered, more lived in.
Jack has come into his own, and he is eager to preside over the spectacle of it all—especially if that spectacle is filled with screams, blood and gore. He, most certainly, wouldn’t have it any other way.
Historically, Jack represents a key change in the story of Halloween Horror Nights. From 1991 to 1999, the event’s visual presentation—from chainsaws through pumpkins to green eyelid-pulling-demons to the Crypt Keeper’s decaying features—were just illustrations that filled the marketing materials. Halloween Horror Nights hadn’t really established a unique character that could speak for it.
That was about to change in a big way…
In early 2000, the creative minds of Entertainment’s Art and Design team developed an insane clown by the name of Jack. His look played into people’s inherent fear of clowns and would hopefully give the event the sledgehammer to the chest needed to take it to the next level.
Well, a monster was unleashed, both literally and figuratively. Unbridled, uncontrollable, freakish and violent, Jack the Clown sprang from his box and completely took over. He grabbed the event by its face and crushed it, laughing manically the entire time.
Jack made appearances all over downtown and the Orlando area, yelling and cackling and scaring everyone within his broken-fingernailed-reach. He even presented tiny, gore-covered jack-in-the-boxes to local TV stations and City Hall. Cops were called. Screams were heard.
Job well done.
Jack made an impression, no doubt. So much so that, to this day, fans stop us and exclaim passionately, “Bring Jack back!! He’s my favorite!! He is Horror Nights!”
That statement really says it all… Jack is Horror Nights.
Among all the characters that have headlined Halloween Horror Nights over the last 25 years, Jack represents the event in the purest way possible—he is the embodiment of all the tricks and the treats. And I couldn’t be more thrilled that we’re bringing him back for this year’s historic event.
Happy Halloween to us all.
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