Here in America, we love two things: Guns and clowns. Those seem to us to be pretty universal points of adoration, yet it seems other countries aren’t quite so fond of them. When an enterprising American woman tried to combine the two at an Australian clown school, she was arrested for “illegally importing” her 24-karat gold-plated 1911, the Guardian reports.
Liliana Goodson, perhaps the coolest 30-year-old alive, flew to Australia to attend clown school back in 2023 with the $3,000 gold-plated handgun in her luggage. She even got to practice her clown school admissions portfolio with the customs agents:
When asked at the airport if she was carrying any prohibited items with her, Goodson claimed she was not, the court was told.
“What about the gun in your bag?” she was asked by a customs officer.
Goodson replied: “Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”
A review of Goodson’s phone revealed she had searched online “can I have a gun in my suitcase?” and set a calendar entry with a note reminding her to “put gun in suitcase”.
That’s the kind of comedy prowess that would’ve made Goodson a clowning star! Yet, the humorless Australian customs agents decided the gun and its ammo were “illegal,” and that Goodson had to go to “jail.” Goodson claimed she brought the gun for her own protection, which is a reasonable thought to have when traveling to Australia since every bit of wildlife there seems intent on killing you. Including the kangaroos.
Goodson was sentenced to a year in jail through a Sydney court, of which the Guardian says only four months will actually be spent in “full-time custody.” New South Wales ended its practice of periodic detention — where one goes to jail on the weekends — back in 2010, but the state still has solutions for what it calls “non-custodial” penalties. The Guardian also reported that Goodson was “forced to remove her extensive jewellery before being handcuffed,” which further cements her status as perhaps the most American woman to ever grace Australia.
No matter your concern for drop bears, maybe don’t bring a gun next time you go to Australia. No matter how cool a piece you bring, the authorities will apparently still imprison you for Fun Crimes anyway. Then again, how else are you supposed to defend yourself against rogue Teslas?
