Stuff You Should Know Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Jul 2, 2022
Delve into the captivating world of freak shows, where performers with unique physical traits sparked curiosity and debate. Explore P.T. Barnum's role in popularizing these spectacles, raising ethical dilemmas of exploitation versus empowerment. Discover the dark legacies of sideshows and their representation in film, particularly in Todd Browning's 'Freaks'. Reflect on the lives of extraordinary individuals like the Hilton twins and how societal values have shifted, reshaping the narratives around these historical entertainments.
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Early Freak Show Performer
- Lazarus Colloredo, a conjoined twin, toured and performed before King Charles I in the early 1640s.
- He monetized his condition, showcasing that human curiosities existed before the popularization of freak shows.
Barnum's First Hoax
- P.T. Barnum, a natural entrepreneur, bought an elderly enslaved woman, Joyce Heth.
- He falsely advertised her as George Washington's 160-year-old nurse, boosting ticket sales.
The Fiji Mermaid
- In 1842, Barnum exhibited the Fiji Mermaid, a hoax made of monkey and fish parts.
- He promoted it through pamphlets and a fake scientist, deceiving the public and press.