Prompt Cast
The History and Controversy of Freak Shows
TLDR Freak shows, which displayed individuals with physical deformities or unique abilities, have a long history dating back to the 16th century. P.T. Barnum and other showmen created exaggerated stories about performers to attract audiences, but the rise of television and changing societal attitudes ultimately led to the decline of sideshows.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Freak shows, which involved displaying individuals with physical deformities or unique abilities as human curiosities, have a long history dating back to the 16th century.
05:16
Freak shows became popular in the late 1500s as people became curious about individuals with physical deformities, and this coincided with the spread of science throughout Europe.
10:11
P.T. Barnum purchased a blind paralyzed slave woman named Joyce Heth and created a sensational story about her, including the claim that she was 160 years old and George Washington's nurse, which led to increased ticket sales; he later wrote an anonymous letter accusing himself of fraud, claiming that she was actually a robot made of whale skin and wood, which further boosted ticket sales.
15:13
P.T. Barnum's partner, Levi Lyman, posed as an English doctor in possession of a mermaid, which helped convince everyone, including the newspapers, that it was genuine.
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Freak shows became a legitimate way to make money, with different types of shows and performances, including the 10-in-1 show where people would just walk by and look at the displayed individuals, and shows that were advertised as adults-only or for men only, often featuring strippers; one of the things displayed was a pickled punk, which was an abnormal fetus in a jar.
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Barnum and other showmen would find people with unique physical conditions and create exaggerated stories about them to attract audiences, such as with General Tom Thumb, who became the first international celebrity and made a lot of money for Barnum.
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Barnum found people with unique physical conditions, such as microcephaly, and created exaggerated stories about them to attract audiences and make money, even though some of the performers did not actually have the condition they were portrayed as having.
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The movie "Freaks" was made during a time when filmmakers had more freedom to explore controversial subjects, and it portrayed sideshow performers as the heroes of the story, giving them a chance to showcase their talents on the big screen.
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Daisy and Violet Hilton, known as Siamese twins, were performers who made a lot of money, got married, had kids, and eventually lost their fortune, but later worked with Barnum and fathered 21 children; they ended up in North Carolina under worse conditions and died there.
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The rise of television and the rights for the disabled contributed to the decline of traveling sideshows, and a national conversation sparked by a woman named Carol Browning ultimately led to the end of sideshows.
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The hosts wrap up the episode by mentioning that there will always be moral ambiguities and that if listeners want to know more about sideshows and freaks, they can search for those terms on HowStuffWorks.com.
Categories:
Society & Culture
