Assuming Editor-san’s line is actually relevant this time, I’m just super excited about the prospect of knowing more for different reasons.

First of all, the one who founded the Clowns was Roma, but she also said that…

…the others might not know it was her. Whether she meant Itori, Uta, Nico, Donato and Furuta or small fries who joined the gang, that’s not certain.
As a side note, the “grand party” she’s talking about might be referring to the conflict between the second OEG of the timeline and V, since we know Roma ended up being defeated by Tsuneyoshi in his youth. 

Anyway, if the others really don’t know Roma was the founder though, then it may mean that…

the reason they all ended up joining is not necessarily closely related to Roma’s own reasons for founding the gang (which mainly was fearing getting bored), which is logical if Roma actually was the youngest out of them all (not counting Furuta) and even if Itori’s description of the Clowns does encompass Roma too.

Secondly, in the new chapter, Donato said this…

… just before Itori rambled about their group while watching Yomo and Uta fight, and precisely as Kaneki was meeting with Furuta. 

In other words, it’s a perfect lineup to understand what’s exactly linking all of the remaining Clowns and why they finally decided to step forward onto the stage after (what was implied to be) so many years of staying in the background and pretending to be the audience.

In fact, we even got a little hint a while ago that the Clowns had some sort of leading figure who had a plan about Kaneki, thanks to Uta:

And while I’m aware that Uta is a real troll and taking him seriously shouldn’t happen, at the same time, it still makes sense for Uta to have been talking about Furuta in ch31.5.

After all, the Clowns are currently playing for time for Furuta, they helped him overthrow the main Washuu family, they followed his directions during the Clowns’ raid arc, etc, and besides, Roma also said this in ch135:

…which is a direct throwback to the current arc, since Furuta purposely recreated a situation (using Kaneki amongst others) that paralleled what had happened with the Nagaraj 100 years ago because he seemed to have been seeking the same results.

In other words, either the “raison d’être” of the Clowns is directly linked to Furuta’s goal of “super peace” or, more simply, Furuta offered them a way to “keep cracking jokes on stage so that they wouldn’t go crazy”, which is why they’re helping him.

Personally

I’d rather buy the latter than the former, even if we’ll see next week, because Uta expressed that he didn’t understand “his boss”

more than once…

…which would mean that he probably doesn’t understand the finality of his goal either, so whether there is “super peace” or not, Uta literally doesn’t care. 

Then again it’s logical, since we already know why Uta is in it thanks to ch116 (”I’ve always been quite the reprobate and that’s why I want to stay in the thick of it. Because it’s lonely on the edges”). That’s why he can still refer to Kaneki as a “special customer” and kinda root for him, even if he’s currently helping with Furuta’s plan, because ultimately he’s only after fun.

Same for Roma, which is another example making me think that Furuta simply gave the Clowns a reason to look forward cracking more jokes on stage to avoid going crazy because…

and mostly, we know that if “super peace” is really about Furuta turning humans into ghouls, well, Roma would also give 0 fuck about it:

I’d also say same for Nico for similar reasons as Roma:

because “a society with ghouls at the very center” (Aogiri’s goals) looks to be what Furuta is after as well (if you forget that the toxin in higher rate is also dangerous to ghouls).

For Itori and Donato, it’s slightly trickier. Donato denied being the same as Uta in ch116, because he’s not “as sentimental” as him, while also having a past that’s made of constantly being deprived of what he held dear:

…so whether he’s like the others (cracking jokes to avoid going crazy) or truly looking forward to “super peace” (like V, I guess?) is not so evident, at least to me. Whichever allows him to get “another place of tranquility”, maybe?

Finally, about Itori, she’s a complex one too, but I wouldn’t be surprised if what she said about the Clowns was literally the last shield she had to herself:

…which would mean that every joke is really nothing but a way to counter going crazy out of being tired of despairing. After all, there always seemed to be an existing contrast in her words and attitude, as if to imply that she isn’t sure where she stands:

• using Kaneki as a toy to get info vs still giving him genuine heartfelt advice; 
• calling the Clowns “the ones who’d watch this play come to an end from the box seats” vs “the ones cracking jokes on stage to avoid going crazy”;
• having a mask that’s hinting at a strong/deadly/rampaging ghoul when she was never ever seen fighting (and doesn’t even seem to enjoy it?)
• lastly, she was constantly seen drinking in TG and while it might not be alcohol but plot relevant, it could also be used as a sad imagery.

TL;DR the Clowns all have sad backstories, that’s for sure, so when it comes to how their (personal or collective) “raison d’être” aligns with Furuta’s plans, it may not be with Furuta’s goal of “super peace” directly (rather I think that’s V, except maybe for Donato, tho’ I’m not sure), but because he’s providing them with more occasions to seek what they enjoy or feel so lonely about. 

Sorry for rambling,

keep in mind that it’s just my take on it and for all I know it’s going to be wrong next week, but still

I hope it made sense. I’m just loving these chapters. xD