Podcasts about barnum bailey circus

Ever find yourself enchanted by the sparkle of a circus? Not just the outfits (which I've always admired)—but the incredible dedication behind the scenes? Well, today's podcast is a must-listen as I delve into the fascinating world of the Circus Ring of Fame in Sarasota, Florida, with my brilliant guest, Bill Powell. Funny story: this whole conversation started because I stumbled upon an old photo of myself doing one of my first celebrity interviews—with a monkey from the Royal Hanneford Circus! (Yes, a monkey. It was as hilarious as you can imagine.) That quirky blast from the past sent me spiraling down an acrobatic rabbit hole of circus research, and, wow, did I uncover some incredible stuff! Bill, who's the Chairman and CEO of the Circus Ring of Fame Foundation and a circus industry veteran, joined me to share insights into Sarasota's vibrant circus history and the resilience of this amazing community. Sarasota, as it turns out, isn't just another sunny Florida spot—it's the Circus Capital of America, a place where legends have performed and lived since the Ringling Brothers made it their winter home. Bill's expertise runs deep. Before leading the Circus Ring of Fame Foundation, he built an impressive career at Feld Entertainment, the company behind iconic productions like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice, and Monster Jam. His background gave him a unique understanding of the art, business, and enduring legacy of the circus world. But not everything has been bright lights and applause. The Circus Ring of Fame was recently devastated by hurricanes that tore through the area, leaving their iconic home in St. Armand's Circle Park in need of major repairs. The damage was so extensive that the much-anticipated 2025 Circus Ring of Fame Global Awards Show has sadly been postponed to 2026. Bill shared how this setback has fueled the community's determination to rebuild. As he put it, “This isn't our first rodeo hurricane.” Despite the challenges, the Circus Ring of Fame under Bill's leadership is finding innovative ways to keep its magic alive. They've incorporated QR codes into their legendary plaques, so visitors can scan and dive into the incredible stories, photos, and videos of circus legends who've shaped the art form. Bill also gave me an insider's view of what makes circus performers so special. He described the circus world as a place where people dedicate their entire lives to creating “six minutes of perfection.” Think about that! From trapeze acts to being shot out of cannons, these performers are the ultimate pros, bringing joy to audiences through unmatched artistry and effort. If you're ever in Sarasota, visiting the Circus Ring of Fame should be on your list—especially once the community's hard work restores it to its former glory. In the meantime, you can support their mission and learn more about these incredible artists. Listen to the full episode of The Debbie Nigro Show and get inspired by the magic of circus legends.      

Nvidia's fourth quarter blew past expectations. The chip maker's revenue tripled from last year, hitting $22B in one quarter. Sapphire Ventures partner Cathy Gao explains how Nvidia's boom is impacting the private AI market. Another company did not fare as well in its fourth quarter: Rivian. The EV-maker is cutting 10% of its workforce. The Presidential candidate Nikki Haley is still fundraising; Puck founder Teddy Schleifer weighs in on the 2024 race, the slate of candidates, and the likelihood of a newcomer in the Democratic Party. Plus, the circus is back! Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment and owner of the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, discusses the event's return to audiences–without animals.  Cathy Gao - 4:26Teddy Schleifer - 12:06Kenneth Feld - 25:41 In this episode:Teddy Schleifer, @teddyschleiferJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Over the years, I've found that people are genuinely and deeply intrigued that I quite literally, ran away and joined the circus as a cown. Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus. I decided it would be fun to share the mindset lessons I learned during my time on "the big show." Many of these I didn't even realize I was learning.

If you want to learn what it takes to have peak performance and get an inside look at the United Center's employee wellness program, which is home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, you will love this Live Greatly episode!  Kristel Bauer was invited into the United Center to explore their employee wellness program and she sat down with Jeff Powell,  the founder of Uninteruppted Performance and the Fitness Director of the United Center.  The United Center partnered up with a dedicated team of trainers at Uninterrupted Performance to help guide employees of the United Center, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks on their personal health journeys.  Kristel and Jeff discuss healthy habits, keys to a successful fitness regimen, tips to improve employee well-being, what sets high performance athletes apart and more! Tune in now! Key Takeaways from This Episode: A look into The United Center's unique employee wellness program and partnership with Uninterrupted Performance Breathwork for managing stress and recovering from a workout Why you should be rolling out your muscles Why recovery is so important with exercise Stress management tips Soft tissue mobilization How to find a neutral position with your spine A look into mental fitness How long does it take to see benefits with fitness? What sets a high performance athlete apart The importance of creating a routine Why starting small can be helpful ABOUT THE UNITED CENTER: The United Center, home to the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls, is the largest arena in the United States. Construction was begun in April of 1992, with the ribbon cutting ceremony being held on August 18, 1994.  Since opening, the United Center has hosted over 200 events each year. Some of the events the United Center has been proud to host include the 1996 Democratic National Convention, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Paul McCartney, U2, The Who, The 3 Tenors, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice, the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Great Eight Classic, Illinois College Basketball, and Champions on Ice.  The United Center has hosted over forty million guests since its opening in 1994. ABOUT JEFF POWELL: The United Center in Chicago, IL has partnered up with a dedicated team of trainers – Uninterrupted Performance to help guide employees of the United Center, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks on their personal health journeys.  Jeff Powell is the founder of Uninterrupted Performance and the Fitness Director of the United Center.   Jeff Powell has over 18 years building programs that combine rehabilitation, corrective, performance and recovery exercises to provide the most effective results for his clients. Having studied kinesiology and worked in physical therapy offices he brings a unique approach to rehabilitation and performance training. By combining these two to build a more efficient movement capacity in his clients it helps to prevent injuries in the future while also building performance capabilities.Jeff has successfully implemented this solution into several professional sports teams. He works with athletes across the NBA, MLB, NFL, PGA and Olympians. His approach is second to none when it comes to injury rehabilitation and sports performance.   Websites: https://www.uninterruptedperformance.com/  https://www.unitedcenter.com/    Instagram: @uniterruptedperformance @unitedcenter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unitedcenter/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-p-19905a247/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/unitedcenter/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/UnitedCenter?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor  About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert, popular keynote and TEDx speaker, and the host of top-rated podcast, “Live Greatly,” a show frequently ranked in the top 1% for self-improvement. Kristel is an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant with clinical experience in Integrative Psychiatry, giving her a unique perspective into optimizing mental well-being and attaining a mindset for more happiness and success in the workplace and beyond. Kristel decided to leave clinical practice in 2019 when she founded her wellness platform “Live Greatly” to share her message around well-being and success on a larger scale.  With a mission to support companies and individuals on their journeys for more happiness, success, and well-being, Kristel taps into her unique background in healthcare, business, and media, to provide invaluable insights into high power habits, leadership development, mental well-being, peak performance, resilience, sales, success, wellness at work, and a modern approach to work/life balance. Kristel is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. A popular speaker on a variety of topics, Kristel has presented to groups at APMP, Bank of America, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. She has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine, has contributed to CEOWORLD Magazine & Real Leaders Magazine, and has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their 2 children.  She can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. You can learn more at https://www.livegreatly.co/  To Book Kristel Bauer as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.

THE RETURN OF RINGLING BROTHERS BARNUN & BAILEY CIRCUS The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which shut down in 2017 after a storied 146-year run of three-ring entertainment around the world, could be making a comeback.  Officials from Florida-based Feld Entertainment, which owns the circus operation, said during a recent panel discussion that a new version of the circus without animals is expected to make its debut in 2023. Many observers believe that animal rights protests targeting Ringling Bros. contributed to a decline in ticket sales that led the company to cease operations. It grew famous on the strength of animal trainers like Gunther Gebel-Williams, among others, working with lions and tigers. The company dropped elephants from its shows in 2016 and said at the time that ticket sales declined more than expected. For years, PETA representatives and other groups claimed the circus mistreated the elephants, tigers, lions and other animals featured in its shows. While Ringling Bros. struggled before it shut down, the Canadian company Cirque du Soleil exploded with dozens of shows around the world, all without animals. CLOSING ACT The "Greatest Show on Earth" is getting its curtain call. Feld Entertainment, owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said in a statement that the show will end is 146-year run in May. The iconic circus declined in recent years due to high operating costs and long, costly legal battles with animal rights groups, such as the one to eliminate elephant acts. Ticket sales had already fallen, but they dropped more significantly than anticipated after the elephants were retired last May, according to the statement. The company's two circus shows, Out of This World and Circus Xtreme, have 30 shows left, including appearances in Atlanta, Brooklyn and Boston. The final shows are May 7 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., and May 21 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. "This was a difficult business decision to make, but by ending the circus tours, we will be able to concentrate on the other lines of business within the Feld Entertainment portfolio," said Juliette Feld, chief operating officer. "Now that we have made this decision, as a company, and as a family, we will strive to support our circus performers and crew in making the transition to new opportunities." The company broke the news to circus employees Saturday night after shows in Orlando and Miami, The Associated Press reported. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a major critic of the circus for its treatment of animals, celebrated the announcement. THE NEW CIRCUS Reimagined Franchise, Complete with a New Look, Set to Bring Fun and Excitement to Families Around the World Global Auditions Currently Underway for All-New Live Performance of The Greatest Show On Earth®, Coming Fall 2023   PALMETTO, FL., May 18, 2022 – Feld Entertainment®, a family-owned company and worldwide leader in live entertainment experiences, announces the long-awaited return of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®. The American icon emerges as a dynamic, multi-platform entertainment franchise, providing families the opportunity to connect in fun, engaging ways. The live production of The Greatest Show On Earth® will debut fall 2023. The Ringling franchise will include a broad consumer products and licensing program featuring toys, games, packaged goods, collectibles and more. In addition, brand extensions such as theme park attractions and touring exhibitions are currently in development. To immerse fans more thoroughly into the world of Ringling, a documentary is also being produced that will take the audience backstage to meet the cast and crew and learn what it takes to be part of The Greatest Show On Earth.  “As passionate stewards of Ringling, we are committed to creating a lifestyle brand that connects with families and sparks real fun 365 days a year through live performances, digital content, consumer products, school curricula, youth circus arts programs and more,” said Kenneth Feld, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Feld Entertainment. “We are innovating all aspects of the live show and modernizing the franchise to create an engaging property that is built for today's families and will last another 150 years.” The refreshed look of Ringling, as conceptualized in a new logo, has been designed to evoke the brand's rich heritage while also creating feelings of wonder, discovery and joy. The “R” in Ringling combines the inquisitiveness of a question mark, along with the punctuated excitement of an exclamation point.  This unique design creates the Ringling interrobang, which is a perfect symbol to punctuate the “WOW” and curiosity of the brand.   “The new Ringling logo illustrates the essence of the brand combined with modern simplicity,” said Juliette Feld Grossman, Chief Operating Officer of Feld Entertainment and Producer of The Greatest Show On Earth. “The logo is designed to flex and adapt across any brand communication. The contemporary look will invite curiosity and captivate families as they discover more ways to become a part of the awe-inspiring world of Ringling.” The live production of The Greatest Show On Earth will celebrate amazing talent from around the world, displaying incredible feats that push the limits of human potential and create jaw-dropping moments. New technologies and a 360-degree experience will break down the barriers between the performers and attendees. Additionally, each show will incorporate interactive elements that engage the audience, ensuring that every performance is unique. A global search for the best acts in the world to bring the show to life is currently underway. The creative team is not only looking for exceptional talent, but also larger-than-life personalities whose stories of commitment and dedication to their craft will create powerful connections with the audience. Auditions for The Greatest Show On Earth are now taking place in countries including Ethiopia, France, Mongolia, Argentina and the United States. More than 1,000 applications and digital submissions have already been received.   

On today's episode Josh and Lyndsay drop some behind the scenes details about the re-launch of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus including the new acts, show concepts, and creative team. Later in the episode they call up Kenneth Feld, Chairman of Feld Entertainment and producer of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. They chat about the history of the Feld family's involvement with the circus, how their business has grown and been passed down through generations, and what this new season and iteration of an iconic American show will have to offer. If you like the show please share it with a friend!

Howie Responsible for First State to Ban Circuses Yesterday Nosey's Law was signed into law in New Jersey and NJ Senator Raymond Lesniak, Jr. wrote Bill Nimmo and Kizmin Reeves, of Tigers in America to say:   From: Raymond Lesniak To: William Nimmo  Sent: Friday, December 14, 2018 4:45 PM Subject: Re: NJ Nosey's Bill signed into law- RAY   You got me started on animal welfare

On this episode of the Adventures of Pipeman, Pipeman talks to Chris Kurtz from TMG and the Virtual Talking Record Label, who is here to talk about some of the cool stuff they have going on over there.Chris explains that TMG stands for The Media Twist Group, and they are one of the leading ad agencies in the music and motorsports industries. TMG has been the agency to bring the tech to the marketing section first in the music industry. Chris invites Pipeman to have a look and see why the top artists go to TMG to create their shows. Chris talks about some of the possibilities that we could potentially see in the future but insists to us that no matter what happens, it'll be coming thanks to web three. He even lists some of the practical uses we can already see thanks to web three on websites like Carvana and StockX. Chris also talks about what it's like working as a husband and wife team, saying they have often been demonized, but he says he can't imagine running the business without his wife Amy You can check out what Chris has going on at mediatwistgroup.com as well as virtualtalkingmachinecompany.com. To see something Chris has worked on you can check out Sammy Hagar's latest video on YouTube called Crazy Times.In 2006, power couple Aimee and Chris Kurtz started building their ad agency in “the backstage of the world” in Lititz, PA. It has rapidly grown into the leading ad agency in multiple industries besides entertainment, including healthcare, automotive and even restaurants. The company makes use of social media marketing to build brands. This strategy has proven instrumental in the success of many artists and companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Kurtz, a marketing genius, uses tools and techniques that he's created to push the biggest brands in the world further in their respected industries. Now he's here to share his knowledge with every business wanting to grow.TMG have worked with the powerhouse brands like Feld Entertainment who put on shows such as Disney on Ice, Barnum & Bailey Circus, Monster Jam, Supercross, and Marvel Universe Live. TMG's ad campaigns have resulted in sold out arenas across the country.Recently, the couple launched The Virtual Talking Record Label (VTMC) where they are working on several large projects to produce music videos for iconic and top grossing artists like Sammy Hagar and the Circle. They are creating music videos and capturing live performances in 3D through the art of avatar creation, so that future generations will be afforded the unique opportunity to see artists from the past perform live.The Virtual Talking Record Label made history when Sammy Hagar and the Circle flew into Lititz, PA, in April of this year (2022) to film four music videos in ONE day at the "backstage of the world," Rock Lititz, a massive campus that includes multiple facilities to help fuel the innovative and creative mind. This is something that has never been done before, especially on a shoestring budget. VTMC's mission is to create historic filmmaking in never before used spaces.On July 29, 2022, Sammy Hagar and the Circle released their single "Crazy Times" along with the video that was shot at Rock Lititz. The video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voqpGNuhdREAt a later date, Sammy Hagar and the Circle's homage to Elvis Costello's "Pump it Up" video will be released. The director at VTMC used similar angles to capture the essence of the original."This project signals the start of a new dawn for TMG in AR/VR and takes us another step closer to leaving our mark on the tech and entertainment sectors.", Aimee Lankford Kurtz, TMG Vice President. The Mediatwist Group recently partnered with tech giant, Microsoft and their AR/VR arm, Avatar Dimension. “We are thrilled to partner up with the unique marketing mind of Chris Kurtz and his MediaTwist team,” said Sovanna Mam, head of production for Avatar Dimension. “Life like 3D holograms and avatars are no longer a dream of the past, they exist today, and artists and musicians will begin entertaining in a new digital landscape. Chris is positioned to bridge the digital gap between big brands and big acts in this exciting new medium. Thrilled to have Chris as one of the tech's biggest evangelists!”Lititz, PA, the coolest small town in America, is also the home to some of the world's biggest brands in the entertainment industry such as Clair Brothers, Atomic, and TAIT.Virtual Talking Machine Company | Philanthropy In Motion | Fundraising w/ Music Legends: https://youtu.be/snpZtrU_ioMThe Mediatwist Group featured in New York Weekly:https://nyweekly.com/business/through-covid-tmg-remains-the-lead-ad-agency-in-the-industry/Client Testimonials:https://www.mediatwistgroup.com/clienttestimonials Take some zany and serious journeys with The Pipeman aka Dean K. Piper, CST on The Adventures of Pipeman also known as Pipeman Radio syndicated globally “Where Who Knows And Anything Goes”. Listen to & Watch a show dedicated to motivation, business, empowerment, inspiration, music, comedy, celebrities, shock jock radio, various topics, and entertainment. The Adventures of Pipeman is hosted by Dean K. Piper, CST aka “The Pipeman” who has been said to be hybrid of Tony Robbins, Batman, and Howard Stern. The Adventures of Pipeman has received many awards, media features, and has been ranked for multiple categories as one of the Top 6 Live Radio Shows & Podcasts in the world. Pipeman Radio also consists of multiple podcasts showing the many sides of Pipeman. These include The Adventures of Pipeman, Pipeman in the Pit, and Positively Pipeman and more. You can find all of the Pipeman Podcasts anywhere you listen to podcasts. With thousands of episodes that focus on Intertainment which combines information and entertainment there is something for everyone including over 5000 interviews with celebrities, music artists/bands, authors, speakers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and all kinds of professionals.Then there is The Pipeman Radio Tour where Pipeman travels the country and world doing press coverage for Major Business Events, Conferences, Conventions, Music Festivals, Concerts, Award Shows, and Red Carpets. One of the top publicists in music has named Pipeman the “King of All Festivals.” So join the Pipeman as he brings “The Pipeman Radio Tour” to life right before your ears and eyes.The Adventures of Pipeman Podcasts are heard on The Adventures of Pipeman Site, Pipeman Radio, Talk 4 Media, Talk 4 Podcasting, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts and over 100 other podcast outlets where you listen to Podcasts. The following are the different podcasts to check out and subscribe to:• The Adventures of Pipeman• Pipeman Radio• Pipeman in the Pit• Positively PipemanFollow @pipemanradio on all social media outletsVisit Pipeman Radio on the Web at linktr.ee/pipemanradio, theadventuresofpipeman.com, pipemanradio.com, talk4media.com, w4cy.com, talk4tv.com, talk4podcasting.comDownload The Pipeman Radio APPPhone/Text Contact – 561-506-4031Email Contact – dean@talk4media.com The Adventures of Pipeman is broadcast live daily at 8AM ET.The Adventures of Pipeman TV Show is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).The Adventures of Pipeman Radio Show is broadcast on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) and K4HD Radio (www.k4hd.com) – Hollywood Talk Radio part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). The Adventures of Pipeman Podcast is also available on www.theadventuresofpipeman.com, Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.

On this episode of the Adventures of Pipeman, Pipeman talks to Chris Kurtz from TMG and the Virtual Talking Record Label, who is here to talk about some of the cool stuff they have going on over there.Chris explains that TMG stands for The Media Twist Group, and they are one of the leading ad agencies in the music and motorsports industries. TMG has been the agency to bring the tech to the marketing section first in the music industry. Chris invites Pipeman to have a look and see why the top artists go to TMG to create their shows. Chris talks about some of the possibilities that we could potentially see in the future but insists to us that no matter what happens, it'll be coming thanks to web three. He even lists some of the practical uses we can already see thanks to web three on websites like Carvana and StockX. Chris also talks about what it's like working as a husband and wife team, saying they have often been demonized, but he says he can't imagine running the business without his wife Amy You can check out what Chris has going on at mediatwistgroup.com as well as virtualtalkingmachinecompany.com. To see something Chris has worked on you can check out Sammy Hagar's latest video on YouTube called Crazy Times.In 2006, power couple Aimee and Chris Kurtz started building their ad agency in “the backstage of the world” in Lititz, PA. It has rapidly grown into the leading ad agency in multiple industries besides entertainment, including healthcare, automotive and even restaurants. The company makes use of social media marketing to build brands. This strategy has proven instrumental in the success of many artists and companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Kurtz, a marketing genius, uses tools and techniques that he's created to push the biggest brands in the world further in their respected industries. Now he's here to share his knowledge with every business wanting to grow.TMG have worked with the powerhouse brands like Feld Entertainment who put on shows such as Disney on Ice, Barnum & Bailey Circus, Monster Jam, Supercross, and Marvel Universe Live. TMG's ad campaigns have resulted in sold out arenas across the country.Recently, the couple launched The Virtual Talking Record Label (VTMC) where they are working on several large projects to produce music videos for iconic and top grossing artists like Sammy Hagar and the Circle. They are creating music videos and capturing live performances in 3D through the art of avatar creation, so that future generations will be afforded the unique opportunity to see artists from the past perform live.The Virtual Talking Record Label made history when Sammy Hagar and the Circle flew into Lititz, PA, in April of this year (2022) to film four music videos in ONE day at the "backstage of the world," Rock Lititz, a massive campus that includes multiple facilities to help fuel the innovative and creative mind. This is something that has never been done before, especially on a shoestring budget. VTMC's mission is to create historic filmmaking in never before used spaces.On July 29, 2022, Sammy Hagar and the Circle released their single "Crazy Times" along with the video that was shot at Rock Lititz. The video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voqpGNuhdREAt a later date, Sammy Hagar and the Circle's homage to Elvis Costello's "Pump it Up" video will be released. The director at VTMC used similar angles to capture the essence of the original."This project signals the start of a new dawn for TMG in AR/VR and takes us another step closer to leaving our mark on the tech and entertainment sectors.", Aimee Lankford Kurtz, TMG Vice President. The Mediatwist Group recently partnered with tech giant, Microsoft and their AR/VR arm, Avatar Dimension. “We are thrilled to partner up with the unique marketing mind of Chris Kurtz and his MediaTwist team,” said Sovanna Mam, head of production for Avatar Dimension. “Life like 3D holograms and avatars are no longer a dream of the past, they exist today, and artists and musicians will begin entertaining in a new digital landscape. Chris is positioned to bridge the digital gap between big brands and big acts in this exciting new medium. Thrilled to have Chris as one of the tech's biggest evangelists!”Lititz, PA, the coolest small town in America, is also the home to some of the world's biggest brands in the entertainment industry such as Clair Brothers, Atomic, and TAIT.Virtual Talking Machine Company | Philanthropy In Motion | Fundraising w/ Music Legends: https://youtu.be/snpZtrU_ioMThe Mediatwist Group featured in New York Weekly:https://nyweekly.com/business/through-covid-tmg-remains-the-lead-ad-agency-in-the-industry/Client Testimonials:https://www.mediatwistgroup.com/clienttestimonials Pipeman's Power of Music is a music and interview segment of The Adventures of Pipeman Radio Show (#pipemanradio) and from The King of All Festivals while on The Pipeman Radio Tour. Pipeman's Power of Music features all kinds of music and interviews with bands & music artists especially in the genres of Heavy Metal, Rock, Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Punk Rock, Goth, Industrial, Alternative, Thrash Metal & Indie Music. Pipeman's Power of Music also features press coverage of events, concerts, & music festivals. Pipeman Productions is an artist management company that sponsors the show introducing new local & national talent showcasing new artists & indie artists.Then there is The Pipeman Radio Tour where Pipeman travels the country and world doing press coverage for Major Business Events, Conferences, Conventions, Music Festivals, Concerts, Award Shows, and Red Carpets. One of the top publicists in music has named Pipeman the “King of All Festivals.” So join the Pipeman as he brings “The Pipeman Radio Tour” to life right before your ears and eyes.Pipeman's Power of Music Podcasts are heard on Pipeman Radio, Talk 4 Media, Talk 4 Podcasting, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts and over 100 other podcast outlets where you listen to Podcasts. The following are the different podcasts to check out and subscribe to:•The Adventures of Pipeman•Pipeman Radio•Pipeman in the Pit•Positively PipemanFollow @pipemanradio on all social media outletsVisit Pipeman Radio on the Web at linktr.ee/pipemanradio, theadventuresofpipeman.com, pipemanradio.com, talk4media.com, w4cy.com, talk4tv.com, talk4podcasting.comDownload The Pipeman Radio APPPhone/Text Contact – 561-506-4031Email Contact – dean@talk4media.comThe Adventures of Pipeman is broadcast live daily at 8AM ET.The Adventures of Pipeman TV Show is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).The Adventures of Pipeman Radio Show is broadcast on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) and K4HD Radio (www.k4hd.com) – Hollywood Talk Radio part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Pipeman's Power of Music are also available on Pipeman Radio (www.pipemanradio.com), Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.

On this episode of the Adventures of Pipeman, Pipeman talks to Chris Kurtz from TMG and the Virtual Talking Record Label, who is here to talk about some of the cool stuff they have going on over there.Chris explains that TMG stands for The Media Twist Group, and they are one of the leading ad agencies in the music and motorsports industries. TMG has been the agency to bring the tech to the marketing section first in the music industry. Chris invites Pipeman to have a look and see why the top artists go to TMG to create their shows. Chris talks about some of the possibilities that we could potentially see in the future but insists to us that no matter what happens, it'll be coming thanks to web three. He even lists some of the practical uses we can already see thanks to web three on websites like Carvana and StockX. Chris also talks about what it's like working as a husband and wife team, saying they have often been demonized, but he says he can't imagine running the business without his wife Amy You can check out what Chris has going on at mediatwistgroup.com as well as virtualtalkingmachinecompany.com. To see something Chris has worked on you can check out Sammy Hagar's latest video on YouTube called Crazy Times.In 2006, power couple Aimee and Chris Kurtz started building their ad agency in “the backstage of the world” in Lititz, PA. It has rapidly grown into the leading ad agency in multiple industries besides entertainment, including healthcare, automotive and even restaurants. The company makes use of social media marketing to build brands. This strategy has proven instrumental in the success of many artists and companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Kurtz, a marketing genius, uses tools and techniques that he's created to push the biggest brands in the world further in their respected industries. Now he's here to share his knowledge with every business wanting to grow.TMG have worked with the powerhouse brands like Feld Entertainment who put on shows such as Disney on Ice, Barnum & Bailey Circus, Monster Jam, Supercross, and Marvel Universe Live. TMG's ad campaigns have resulted in sold out arenas across the country.Recently, the couple launched The Virtual Talking Record Label (VTMC) where they are working on several large projects to produce music videos for iconic and top grossing artists like Sammy Hagar and the Circle. They are creating music videos and capturing live performances in 3D through the art of avatar creation, so that future generations will be afforded the unique opportunity to see artists from the past perform live.The Virtual Talking Record Label made history when Sammy Hagar and the Circle flew into Lititz, PA, in April of this year (2022) to film four music videos in ONE day at the "backstage of the world," Rock Lititz, a massive campus that includes multiple facilities to help fuel the innovative and creative mind. This is something that has never been done before, especially on a shoestring budget. VTMC's mission is to create historic filmmaking in never before used spaces.On July 29, 2022, Sammy Hagar and the Circle released their single "Crazy Times" along with the video that was shot at Rock Lititz. The video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voqpGNuhdREAt a later date, Sammy Hagar and the Circle's homage to Elvis Costello's "Pump it Up" video will be released. The director at VTMC used similar angles to capture the essence of the original."This project signals the start of a new dawn for TMG in AR/VR and takes us another step closer to leaving our mark on the tech and entertainment sectors.", Aimee Lankford Kurtz, TMG Vice President. The Mediatwist Group recently partnered with tech giant, Microsoft and their AR/VR arm, Avatar Dimension. “We are thrilled to partner up with the unique marketing mind of Chris Kurtz and his MediaTwist team,” said Sovanna Mam, head of production for Avatar Dimension. “Life like 3D holograms and avatars are no longer a dream of the past, they exist today, and artists and musicians will begin entertaining in a new digital landscape. Chris is positioned to bridge the digital gap between big brands and big acts in this exciting new medium. Thrilled to have Chris as one of the tech's biggest evangelists!”Lititz, PA, the coolest small town in America, is also the home to some of the world's biggest brands in the entertainment industry such as Clair Brothers, Atomic, and TAIT.Virtual Talking Machine Company | Philanthropy In Motion | Fundraising w/ Music Legends: https://youtu.be/snpZtrU_ioMThe Mediatwist Group featured in New York Weekly:https://nyweekly.com/business/through-covid-tmg-remains-the-lead-ad-agency-in-the-industry/Client Testimonials:https://www.mediatwistgroup.com/clienttestimonials Pipeman in the Pit is a music and interview segment of The Adventures of Pipeman Radio Show (#pipemanradio) and from The King of All Festivals while on The Pipeman Radio Tour. Pipeman in the Pit features all kinds of music and interviews with bands & music artists especially in the genres of Heavy Metal, Rock, Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Punk Rock, Goth, Industrial, Alternative, Thrash Metal & Indie Music. Pipeman in the Pit also features press coverage of events, concerts, & music festivals. Pipeman Productions is an artist management company that sponsors the show introducing new local & national talent showcasing new artists & indie artists.Then there is The Pipeman Radio Tour where Pipeman travels the country and world doing press coverage for Major Business Events, Conferences, Conventions, Music Festivals, Concerts, Award Shows, and Red Carpets. One of the top publicists in music has named Pipeman the “King of All Festivals.” So join the Pipeman as he brings “The Pipeman Radio Tour” to life right before your ears and eyes.Pipeman in the Pit Podcasts are heard on Pipeman Radio, Talk 4 Media, Talk 4 Podcasting, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts and over 100 other podcast outlets where you listen to Podcasts. The following are the different podcasts to check out and subscribe to:•The Adventures of Pipeman•Pipeman Radio•Pipeman in the Pit•Positively PipemanFollow @pipemanradio on all social media outletsVisit Pipeman Radio on the Web at linktr.ee/pipemanradio, theadventuresofpipeman.com, pipemanradio.com, talk4media.com, w4cy.com, talk4tv.com, talk4podcasting.comDownload The Pipeman Radio APPPhone/Text Contact – 561-506-4031Email Contact – dean@talk4media.comThe Adventures of Pipeman is broadcast live daily at 8AM ET.The Adventures of Pipeman TV Show is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).The Adventures of Pipeman Radio Show is broadcast on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) and K4HD Radio (www.k4hd.com) – Hollywood Talk Radio part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Pipeman in the Pit Podcasts are also available on Pipeman Radio (www.pipemanradio.com), Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.

In this week's episode, Abby regales the crew with another disaster story detailing the horrific Hartford circus fire of 1944.It was a stiflingly hot day in Hartford, Connecticut on July 6th when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to town. What started as a day of fun would come to a terrible end when the big top caught fire and killed many people still trapped inside. The following events would mark the day as one of the worst fire disasters in United States history.Credits:The Hartford Circus Fire, Tragedy Under The Big Top by Michael SkidgellWikipedia.comQRFS.comThe Hartford Courant www.circusfire1944.comHistoryofcircus.comMusic By:Brokeforfree.comMatt EdwardsEdited By:MichaelWebsite:https://anxiousandafraid.com/Support the show by purchasing our merch!https://www.teepublic.com/stores/anxious-and-afraid-the-pod?ref_id=13121You can also support the show by becoming a Patreon!Join today and get early ad-free episode releases, a shout-out on the show, and a cool sticker!https://www.patreon.com/anxiousandafraidCheck us out on Repod and join the community!https://joinrepod.com/anxiousandafraid

The fire in 1944 fire breaks out under the big top of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus, killing 167 people and injuring 68

We have complete coverage on the overnight results from key primary races in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Plus a TODAY exclusive – the historic agreement just reached to pay every U.S. national soccer player, man or woman, equally. And, an inside look at the plans to reinvent the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

In this final episode on the life of PT Barnum, more seldom heard stories about his incredible exploits – including his American Museum in New York City and his Barnum & Bailey Circus – are shared by Bethel Town Historian Pat Wild (where Barnum was born) and Danbury Museum and Historical Society Executive Director Brigid Guertin (where Barnum spent much of his early years). You'll hear about the way devastating fires impacted him time and time again, the rare story behind his major attraction Jumbo the elephant, and the touching final visit this iconic showman paid from his later hometown of Bridgeport to his native birthplace of Bethel, not long before his death.

The new book, Sharkey, tells the compelling story of an unusually gifted, trained sea lion who shared the stage with practically every important performer of the first half of the twentieth century—from Bob Hope to Ella Fitzgerald, from Broadway to Hollywood and beyond. Readers follow Sharkey and his flippered colleagues as they travel the world with stops at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, vaudeville houses, Manhattan during the Harlem Renaissance, burlesque nightclubs, movie palaces, Radio City Music Hall, and the legendary studios of early radio, movies, and television, meeting a who's who of showbiz entertainers, sports superstars, and even a US president. Sharkey is written by Gary Bohan Jr. who hails from Kingston, New York, where Sharkey was trained and is the great-grandson of Sharkey's trainer, Mark Huling.

It's November 2, 2021. Stuart Maxheimer is back with Goofy News with Stu. An otter plays a shrimp game, New Zealand school children find a penguin fossil, a volcano erupts in Spain, a mama bear teaches her cub how to ride a slide, Malaysian students turn seawater into drinking water with a water pod, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will give its elephants to White Oak Conservation Society, and SpaceX made an amazing all-civilian space mission in September with citizens,

The Bellairs went to the big top circus every year. Jo's Wisconsin roots were close to the circus. Here they interview Henry Ringling North.

The “Hartford Circus Fire,” also known as ″The Day the Clowns Cried,″ occurred on July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut. It was one of the worst fire disasters in United States history and took place during a performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus with over 6,000+ guests present. 700+ were injured and 167 people died. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/killerbabespodcast/message

♪♫This is Halloween!  This is Halloween!♫♪  Supporters on our Patreon and fans in our FB group chose the topics for today's episode (plus now there's a sub-reddit):  01:35 sorting Dracula fact from fiction 07:49 how horror stars got their stars 20:01 when did clowns become scary 23:29 the history behind zombies 28:38 movie monster fast facts!  Mentioned in the show: Overly Sarcastic's Frankenstein run-down Cutting Class podcast on Christopher Lee Oh No! Lit Class on The Phantom   Who needs a costume when you could wear this?!   Read the full script. Reach out and touch Moxie on FB, Twit, the 'Gram or email. Music by Kevin MacLeod  Sponsor: City of Ghosts Brandi B. asked that we sort fact from fiction on Vlad Dracula.  Personally, I can remember a time when I didn't know that Vlad the Impaler was thought to be the inspiration from Bram Stoker's genre-launching vampire Dracula.  Hop in your magic school bus, police box, or phone booth with aerial antenna, and let's go back to 15th's century Wallachia, a region of modern day Romania that was then the southern neighbor of the province of Transylvania.  Our Vlad was Vlad III.  Vlad II, his father, was given the nickname Dracul by his fellow Crusade knights in the Order of the Dragon, who were tasked with defeating the Ottoman Empire.  Wallachia was sandwiched between the Ottomans and Christian Europe and so became the site of constant bloody conflict.  Without looking it up, I'm going to guess that they failed, since the Ottoman Empire stood until 1923.  Dracul translated to “dragon” in old Romanian, but the modern meaning is more like devil.  Add an A to the end to denote son-of and you've got yourself a Vlad Dracula.   At age 11, Vlad and his 7-year-old brother Radu went with their father on a diplomatic mission into the Ottoman Empire.  How's it go?  No too good.  The three were taken hostage.  Their captors told Vlad II that he could be released – on condition that the two sons remain.  Since it was his only option, their father agreed.  The boys would be held prisoner for 5 years.  One account holds that they were tutoried in the art of war, science and philosophy.  Other accounts says they were also subjected to torture and abuse.  When Vlad II returned home, he was overthrown in a coup and he and his eldest son were horribly murdered.   Shortly thereafter, Vlad III was released, with a taste for violence and a vendetta against the Ottomans.  To regain his family's power and make a name for himself, he threw a banquet for hundreds of members of his rival families.  On the menu was wine, meat, sweetbreads, and gruesome, vicious murder.  The guests were stabbed not quite to death, then impaled on large spikes.  This would become his signature move, leading to his moniker Vlad the Impaler, but wasn't the only arrow in his quiver.  Facing an army three times the size of his, he ordered his men to infiltrate their territory, poison wells and burn crops.  He also paid diseased men to go in and infect the enemy.  Defeated combatants were often treated to disemboweling, flaying alive, boiling, and of course impalement.  Basically, you turn your enemy into a kabob and let them die slowly and, just as important, conspicuously.  Vlad's reputation spread, leading to stories we have trouble sorting from legend, like that he once took dinner in a veritable forest of spikes.  We do know that in June of 1462, he ordered 20,000 defeated Ottomans to be impaled.  It's a scale that's hard to even imagine.   When the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II came upon the carnage, he and his men fled in fear back to Constantinople.  You'd think Vlad was on the road to victory, but shortly after, he was forced into exile and imprisoned in Hungary. [[how?]]  He took a stab, no pun intended, on regaining Wallachia 15 years later, but he and his troops were ambushed and killed.  According to a contemporary source, the Ottomans cut his corpse into pieces and marched it back to Sultan Medmed II, who ordered them displayed over the city's gates.  History does not record where the pieces ended up.   Vlad the Impaler was an undeniably brutal ruler, but he's still considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history for protecting it against the Ottomans and a national hero of Romania.  He was even praised by Pope Pius II for his military feats and for defending Christendom.  So how did get get from Vlad Dracula, the Impaler, a warrior king with a taste for torture, to, 400 years later, Dracula the undead creature of the night who must feed on the blood of living, can morph into bats or mist, and must sleep in his native earth?  Historians have speculated that Irish author Bram Stoker met with historian Hermann Bamburger, who told him about Vlad III, which ignited some spark of inspiration, but there's not actually any evidence to back this up.  Stoker was actually the first writer that we know of to have a vampire drink blood.  Vampires are actually a common folklore baddie around the world, from the obayifo in Africa which can take over people's bodies and emit phosphorus light from their armpits and anus to the manananggal of the Philippines who can detach her torso from her legs so she can fly around with her organs trailing behind her and use her snakelike tongue to steal babies from the womb.  In Western culture, though, Vlad the Impaler became the basis for everything from Bela Lugosi's Dracula to Count Chocula.  That means he's also the source of the Twilight saga, truly one of history's greatest monsters.   Ronnie asked for “how some legends got their stars.”  I wasn't sure what that meant, so I asked for clarification.  No, I didn't, I launched off immediately and at a full gallop with the first interpretation that came to mind, as I do in all aspects of my life.  So let's talk horror actors and the Hollywood walk of fame.   Even if he weren't a recognizable face, Vincent Price is probably the most recognizable voice in horror history.  For folks my age, you probably heard him for the first time on Michael Jackson's Thriller.  Folks in their 30's might have heard him first as Prof. Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective.  Price wasn't always a horror icon.  He'd done theater, radio, including Orson Wells Mercury Theater of the Air, and other genres of films, but 1953's House of Wax, which was also the first 3D movie to crack the top 10 box office gross for its year, solidified his place in horror history.  It's almost odd that Price went into acting at all.  His father was the president of the National Candy Company and his grandfather had set the family up with independent means thanks to his brand of cream of tartar.  Price and his wife Mary wrote a number of cookbooks, one of which my mother had when I was young.  You cannot fathom my confused disappointment that it was just a regular cookbook full of regular, boring, non-scary recipes.  And now, for no other reason than it makes me smile, is another amazing voice, Stephen Fry, talking about Price on QI.:  Romanian-born Bela Lugosi was a classical actor in Hungary before making the move to movies.  In fact, he was already playing Dracula on stage when the movie was being assembled.  Lugosi wanted the role so badly he agreed to do it for $500 per week, about $9K today, only one quarter that of actor David Manners who played Jonathan Harker.  It was a good investment, I'd say, since everyone knows Lugosi and this was the first time I'd ever seen David Manners' name.  Though Lugosi turned down the role of the monster in Frankenstein, he was quickly locked into horror.  He appeared in minor roles in a few good movies, like “Ninotchka” with Greta Garbo, but mostly bounced like a plinko chip from mediocre to bad movies, with ever decreasing budgets.  His drug addiction probably had a cyclical relationship with his work prospects.  He died two days into filming the absolutely dreadful “Plan 9 From Outer Space” and was replaced by a much younger and taller actor and his ex-wife's chiropractor because he fit the costume.   Peter Lorre is a name you might not recognize, but you would absolutely recognize his overall aesthetic.  It's still being referenced and parodied to this day.  See the bad guy?  Is he short, with round eyes, and a distinctive way of speaking?  What you got there is Peter Lorre.  Hungarian-born Lorre struck out at 17 to become a star.  For 10 years he played bit parts in amateur productions, but in 1931 he got his big break in the German film “M,” and Hollywood took notice.  His first English-speaking role was in the Hitchcock thriller “The Man Who Knew Too Much.”  The character spoke English, but Lorre didn't.  Just like Bela Legosi during his first turn as Dracula, Lorre had to memorize his lines phonetically.  Imagine how difficult it must be to put the right pacing and inflection into a sentence when you don't know which word means what.  He continued portraying psychopaths until John Huston cast him in a quasi-comic role in “The Maltese Falcon” with Humphrey Bogart and Sidney Greenstreet, which led to lighter roles like the one he played in Arsenic and Old Lace.  If you never seen it, make it you next choice.  It's a comedy, but you can definitely watch it with your horror movies, since it's about a pair of serial killers hiding bodies in their cellar.   Arsenic and Old Lace also features a bad guy getting plastic surgery to avoid the police, which accidentally leaves him looking like Boris Karloff and he's really touchy about it.  I don't know why.  Even though he played many monsters and villains in his career, Karloff was said to actually be a kind, soft-spoken man who was happiest with a good book or in his garden.  We hear him narrate How the Grinch Stole Christmas every year.  He doesn't sing the song, though.  That's Thurl Ravenscroft, who was also the original voice of Tony the Tiger.  The title role in Frankenstein took Karloff from bit player to household name.  Karloff said of the monster, “He was inarticulate, helpless and tragic.  I owe everything to him. He's my best friend.”  By the way, if you're one of those people who delights in going “Um, actually, Frankenstein was the name of the doctor,” can you not?  We all know that.  And since it's the last name of the man who gave him life, aka his father, it's a perfectly passable patronym to use.  Oh and by the way Mr or Ms Superior Nerd, Frankenstein wasn't a doctor, he was a college dropout.  I refer you to my much-beloved Red at Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube for a thorough explanation of the actual story.  Penny Dreadful did get pretty close in their interpretation.   Here's a name more people should know, John Carradine.  Wait, you say, the guy from Kill Bill?  No, that's his son David.  Oh, you mean the FBI guy the sister was dating on Dexter.  No, that's his other son Keith.  Revenge of the Nerds?  No, that's Robert.  The patriarch John Carradine was in over 500 movies, big names like Grapes of Wrath and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, but he also did a lot of horror, though it could be a mixed bag — everything from Dracula in House of Dracula down to Billy the Kid vs Dracula.  Not always for the love of it, either.  Sometimes a gig's just a gig.  He told one of his sons, “Just make sure that if you've got to do a role you don't like, it makes you a lot of money.”  Good advice for many areas of life.  If you've got Prime Video or Shudder, look for The Monster Club.  It's an darling, schlocky little anthology movie, which they just don't seem to make anymore, starring Carradine and Vincent Price.     Jaime Lee Curtis could have been on this list since she was in 5 of the Halloween films, but I just don't think people think “horror” when they hear her name.   There were a few names surprisingly not set in the stones.  While ‘man of a thousand faces' Lon Chaney, who played the original Phantom of the Opera and Hunchback of Notre Dame, has a star, his son, Lon Chaney Jr, who played the Wolfman, the Mummy and numerous other roles in dozens of horror movies, does.  Somehow, Christopher Lee doesn't either.  In addition to the 282 roles on his imdb page, he deserves a star just for playing Dracula 10 times and still having a career after that.  Also, he was metal as fuck, recording metal albums into his 80's and there was the time he corrected director Peter Jackson on what it's like when you stab someone, because he *knew.  My buddies over at Cutting Class diverged from their usual format to tell us all about his amazing life.   Over in the Brainiac Breakroom, (plug sub reddit, thank Zach), Alyssa asked for the history behind clowns being evil.  One day, a man dressed up as a clown and it was terrifying.  Thank you for coming to my TED talk.   No?  Okay.  Fine!  It's not like I have to research them and keep seeing pictures of clowns.  Clowns weren't really regarded as frightening, or at least a fear of clowns wasn't widely known, from the creation of what we'd recognize as a clown by Joseph Grimaldi in the 1820's until fairly recently.  David Carlyon, author, playwright and a former clown with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the 1970s, argues that coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, was born from the counter-culture 1960s and picked up steam in the 1980s.  “There is no ancient fear of clowns,” he said. “It wasn't like there was this panic rippling through Madison Square Garden as I walked up through the seats. Not at all.”  For centuries, clowns were a funny thing for kids — there was Bozo, Ronald McDonald, Red Skelton's Clem Kaddidlehopper and Emmet Kelly's sad clown– then bam!  Stephen King's hit novel “It,” the doll in “Poltergeist,” and every incarnation of The Joker.  It could be seen as a pendulum swing.  Clowns had been so far to the good side that it must have been inevitable they would swing *way the hell over to evil.   Not so fast, argues Benjamin Radford, author of the book “Bad Clowns,” who argues that evil clowns have always been among us.  “It's a mistake to ask when clowns turned bad because historically they were never really good.  Sometimes they're making you laugh. Other times, they're laughing at your expense.”  Radford traces bad clowns all the way to ancient Greece and connects them to court jesters and the Harlequin figure.  He points particularly to Punch of the Punch & Judy puppet shows that date back to the 1500s.  Punch was not only not sweet and loveable, he was violent, abusive, and even homicidal.   Maybe when isn't as important as why.  Why are some of us afraid of clowns?  Personally, I think it's their complete disregard for personal space.  Kindly keep your grease-painted face at least arm's length away.  The grease paint may be part of it.  It exaggerates the features.  The face is basically human in composition, but it's not.  It dangles us over the edge of the uncanny valley, where something makes us uncomfortable because it is *almost human.  The makeup obscures the wearer's identity, so we don't really know who we're dealing with.  Clowns also act in aberrant ways, contrary to societal norms and expectations, and that might subconsciously get our back up.  As for coulrophilia, sexual attraction to clowns…. I got nothing.  You do you.   Charlie asked for the real history behind popular horror icons, like werewolves, vampires, and zombies.  Even though the zombie craze held on longer than the 2017 obsession with bacon, most people don't know about them pre-George Romero's Night of the Living Dead.   The word “zombie” first appeared in English around 1810 in the book “History of Brazil,” this was “Zombi,” a West African deity.  The word later came to suggest a husk of a body without vital life energy, human in form but lacking the self-awareness, intelligence, and a soul.  The Atlantic slave trade caused the idea to move across the ocean, where West African religions began to mix with force Christianity.  Pop culture continually intermixes many African Diasporic traditions and portrays them exclusively as Voodoo. However, most of what is portrayed in books, movies, and television is actually hoodoo. Voodoo is a religion that has two markedly different branches: Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Vodoun. Hoodoo is neither a religion, nor a denomination of a religion—it is a form of folk magic that originated in West Africa and is mainly practiced today in the Southern United States.   Haitian zombies were said to be people brought back from the dead (and sometimes controlled) through magical means by voodoo priests called bokors or houngan. Sometimes the zombification was done as punishment (striking fear in those who believed that they could be abused even after death), but often the zombies were said to have been used as slave labor on farms and sugarcane plantations. In 1980, one mentally ill man even claimed to have been held captive as a zombie worker for two decades, though he could not lead investigators to where he had worked, and his story was never verified.   To many people, both in Haiti and elsewhere, zombies are very real and as such very frightening.  Think about it.  These people were enslaved, someone else claimed dominion over their body, but they still had their mind and their spirit.  What could be more frightening to an enslaved person than an existence where even that is taken from you?   In the 1980s when a scientist named Wade Davis claimed to have found a powder that could create zombies, thus providing a scientific basis for zombie stories, a powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin, which can be found in several animals including pufferfish.  He claimed to have infiltrated secret societies of bokors and obtained several samples of the zombie-making powder, which were later chemically analyzed.  Davis wrote a book on the topic, “The Serpent and the Rainbow,” which was later made into a really underappreciated movie.  Davis was held up as the man who had scientifically proven the existence of zombies, but skeptic pointed out that the samples of the zombie powder were inconsistent and that the amounts of neurotoxin they contained were not high enough to create zombies.  It's not the kind of thing you can play fast & loose with.  Tetrodotoxin has a very narrow band between paralytic and fatal.  Others pointed out nobody had ever found any of the alleged Haitian plantations filled with zombie laborers.  While Davis acknowledged problems with his theories, and had to lay to rest some sensational claims being attributed to him, he insisted that the Haitian belief in zombies *could be based on the rare happenstance of someone being poisoned by tetrodotoxin and later coming to in their coffin.   Bonus fact: Ever wonder where we get brain-eating zombies from?  Correlation doesn't equal causation, but the first zombie to eat brains was the zombie known as Tarman in 1984's Return of the Living Dead.  This wasn't a George Romero movie, though.  It's based on a novel called  Return of the Living Dead by John Russo, one of the writers of Night of the Living Dead.  After Russo and Romero parted company, Russo retained the rights to any titles featuring the phrase “Living Dead.”    Cindra asked for movie monster facts.  The moon is getting full, so let's hit these facts muy rapido.   1922's Nosferatu was an illegal and unauthorized adaption of Bram Stoker's Dracula.  Stoker's heirs sued over the film and a court ruling ordered that all copies be destroyed.  However, Nosferatu subsequently surfaced in other countries and came to be regarded as an influential masterpiece of cinema.   Not a single photograph of Lon Chaney as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (1925) was published in a newspaper or magazine, or seen anywhere before the film opened in theaters.  It was a complete surprise to the audience and to Chaney's costar Mary Philbin, whos shriek of fear and disgust was genuine.   In the original Dracula, Lugosi never once blinks his eyes on camera, to give his character an otherworldy vibe.  Francis Ford Coppolla did something similar by having Dracula's shadow move slightly independently, like the rules of our world don't apply to him.   Even though he starred in the film, Boris Karloff was considered such a no-name nobody that Universal didn't invite him to the premiere of 1931's Frankenstein.   Karloff's classic Mummy the next year did not speak because the actor had so many layers of cotton glued to his face that he couldn't move his mouth.   The Creature from the Black Lagoon's look was based on old seventeenth-century woodcuts of two bizarre creatures called the Sea Monk and the Sea Bishop.   To make a man invisible for 1933's The Invisible Man, director James Whale had Claude Rains dressed completely in black velvet and filmed him in front of a black velvet background.   The movie poster for The Mummy (1932) holds the record for the most money paid for a movie poster at an auction: nearly half a million dollars.   Boris Karloff's costume and makeup for 1935's Bride of Frankenstein were so heavy and hot that he lost 20 pounds during filming, mostly through sweat.  His shoes weighed 13 lb/6 kg/1 stone apiece.   The large grosses for the film House on Haunted Hill (1960) were noticed by Sir Alfred Hitchcock was inspired to make a horror movie after the seeing the box office gross for William Castle's House on Haunted Hill.   Filming the shower scene for Psycho was pretty mundane, but actress Janet Leigh was so terrified by seeing the finished product –thanks to the editing by Alma Reveill-Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann score– that she did not shower, only bathed, from the premier in 1960 to her death in 2004.  You can read more about Alma Revill in the YBOF book.   According to our friends Megan and RJ at Oh No! Lit Class podcast, the first use of Toccata Fuge in G Minor in a film was the 1962 Phantom of the Opera.  It's hard to imagine classic horror without it.   In Night of the Living Dead, the body parts the zombies ate were ham covered in chocolate sauce.  George Romero joked that they shouldn't bother putting the zombie makeup on the actors because the choco-pork made them look pale and sick with nausea anyway.   A lot of people know that Michael Myers' mask in the original Halloween was actually a William Shatner mask painted white.  They bought it because it was on clearance and the film had a small budget.  Most people don't know that Shatner later repaid the favor by dressing up as Michael Myers for Halloween.   Freddy Kruger's look was based on a scary drunk man Wes Craven saw outside his home as a child.  His glove made of leather and steak knives was actually inspired by Craven's cat.  Looks down at scratches on both arms.  Yeah, that checks out.  The idea of being killed in your sleep comes from real deaths of people who survived the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, only to die mysteriously later.   1987's The Monster Squad. With a werewolf, a mummy, Dracula, and Frankenstein's monster in the mix, the group looked suspiciously like the line-up of the 1930s and '40s Universal horror movies. To avoid confusion (i.e. lawsuits), filmmaker Fred Dekker made some subtle changes to his monsters, like removing Dracula's widow's peak, and moving Frankenstein's neck bolts up to his forehead. See? Totally different!   Yes, those were real bees in Candyman, even the ones in Candyman's mouth.  Tony Todd had a clause in his contract that he would get $1k for every bee sting he got during filming.  Even though juvenile bees with underdeveloped stingers were used, he still got $23k worth of stings.   You might think 1991's Silence of the Lambs was the first horror movie to win an Oscar, but Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde beat them to it by 60 years with Fredric March's Oscar for Best Actor.

akaRadioRed welcomes three dedicated creatives. Brad Borkan, the author of When Your Life Depends on It: Extreme Decision Making Lessons from the Antarctic and Audacious Goals, Remarkable Results: How an Explorer, an Engineer and a Statesman Shaped Our Modern World, has always been fascinated with how people and businesses can make better decisions. Rhonda Harris-Choudhry, a professional psychic/empath, spiritual counselor, author, artist, musician, metaphysician, high priestess, and healer, teaches people how to use their innate psychic and healing superpowers to manifest their dreams. Claire Ballard, marketing director at the premium dog supplement company Happy Go Healthy, and a certified hot yoga and pilates teacher, has worked for Disney On Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Monster Jam, and Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. Join akaRadioRed for Read My Lips: Seeing the World Through the Creativity Lens.

akaRadioRed welcomes three dedicated creatives. Brad Borkan, the author of When Your Life Depends on It: Extreme Decision Making Lessons from the Antarctic and Audacious Goals, Remarkable Results: How an Explorer, an Engineer and a Statesman Shaped Our Modern World, has always been fascinated with how people and businesses can make better decisions. Rhonda Harris-Choudhry, a professional psychic/empath, spiritual counselor, author, artist, musician, metaphysician, high priestess, and healer, teaches people how to use their innate psychic and healing superpowers to manifest their dreams. Claire Ballard, marketing director at the premium dog supplement company Happy Go Healthy, and a certified hot yoga and pilates teacher, has worked for Disney On Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Monster Jam, and Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. Join akaRadioRed for Read My Lips: Seeing the World Through the Creativity Lens.

Meredith Hale joined CareLink in August 2018 as marketing and outreach manager where she developed, coordinated, and implemented outreach activities, strategic marketing, and PR plans to raise awareness and promote the services provided by CareLink. In July 2020 Hale was promoted to Director of Development and Marketing. In addition to her marketing duties, Hale oversees all fundraising efforts for the North Little Rock nonprofit. Prior to joining CareLink, Meredith worked in the PR departments of two local agencies, the Angela Rogers Group and The Communications Group, respectively. Hale's PR and outreach experience within Central Arkansas includes developing and managing campaigns for agriculture, education, and government organizations, as well as national touring productions like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice and Cirque du Soleil. She is well-versed in writing, media relations, social and digital content creation, and management. Meredith Hale is a graduate of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Journalism. Hale is a member of the local Association of Fundraising Professionals chapter where she serves as vice-chair of the Education Committee. Hale is taking classes through the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy to earn her certification as a fundraising manger, which she plans to have by the fall of 2021. In June 2021, Hale was selected as part of Little Rock Soiree magazine's class of Women to Watch for 2021.   Find out more about Meredith and her team – https://www.carelink.org/ Reach out to Meredith – mhale@carelink.org

My guest today had his first season in Club Med Sandpiper in Summer of 1990. He had a contract as an Animator. Here's the thing though: he actually worked at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as a Clown and Acrobat for two years and when he applied to Club Med three months after leaving Ringling Bros., he didn't know Club Med even offered Circus! Everyone, please help me welcome Carlos Ragas! Originally from Rhode Island now living in California, Carlos shares many funny stories with us from his first season. From animation passages gone awry to “borrowing” the water ski boat one night, to winning a trip to Walt Disney World because he did the splits with an Italian choreographer onstage… he's got ‘em all! Carlos is currently a stuntman and actor and will be on an upcoming episode of my other podcast, Butcher Bay Rejects, and tell us how he got started in the business and the movie and TV work he has done. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts. If you want to hear Carlos talk about his life as an actor and stuntman on my other podcast, Butcher Bay Rejects, please see the link below: https://www.butcherbayrejects.com/e/bbr-ep-30-carlos-ragas-stuntmanactor/    

Johnathan Lee Iverson has the humbling title of The Last Ringmaster.  For almost twenty years, Johnathan was the ringmaster for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, also known as The Greatest Show on Earth.  He earned the title of The Last Ringmaster because he held that role when the circus gave its last performance in 2017 before shutting down.  Johnathan says that title may have an asterisk behind it now that there are rumors that the Ringling Bros. Circus may be returning someday.   When he was just eleven years old, Johnathan joined the world-renowned Boys Choir of Harlem and was introduced to the world of music.  Beyond growing as a musician, Johnathan learned many lessons during his years with the Boys Choir of Harlem.  Those lessons included learning how to accept failure, how to utilize your specific skills and tools, how to build meaningful relationships, and how to work hard for something you really want.  All of these skills are incredibly transferrable and have been vital throughout his life, including his time as a ringmaster.  Johnathan would go on to study music at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and then the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford.  Johnathan was on track to move to Europe and become an opera singer when he happened to run into the director of the Ringling Bros. Circus one day.  They were looking for a singing ringmaster, and though he was initially skeptical of the idea of making a career out of being a ringmaster, Johnathan auditioned for the role against thirty other candidates.  Upon earning the job, Johnathan became the Ringling's first ringmaster from New York, its youngest ringmaster, and its first Black American ringmaster.  Johnathan's story and talent quickly made him famous and helped Ringling Bros. Circus break records, but his gift resonated with individual members of his audiences in ways that couldn't be measured by ticket sales or attendance numbers.   Johnathan stated that the role of a performing artist shouldn't be for yourself but should instead inspire others and push the standard of your craft higher.  Johnathan shared some of the many stories about the children whose lives he touched during his time as Ringling's ringmaster.  One child who heard his words chose to become a speaker.  Another girl who had been shy before was inspired by Johnathan through a short interaction to become a performing artist.  A mother shared that her autistic son spoke his first words at the circus and now loved their yearly trips to watch the performance.  Johnathan says that he will likely never know the extent of the people that he and the rest of his circus coworkers had an effect on, but he knows that his voice, his words, and his gift continue to make a lasting impact.   For several years, Johnathan teamed up with fellow circus performer, Paulo dos Santos, to visit schools and talk about bullying.  Paulo is a little person.  Upon meeting each other, Johnathan admits he had to reassess his personal bias about Paulo.  For example, Johnathan says that Paulo can pick him up and do squats as if Johnathan weighs nothing.  In addition to being incredibly strong physically, Paulo is strong mentally and emotionally.  As Johnathan put it, most people outgrow or can change the thing that they are bullied for, but that isn't the case for Paulo.  He uses this and what he has learned over the years to inspire kids to think twice about bullying others and to help those who are currently on the receiving end of bullying to realize that they can be strong and successful like Paulo.     One thing that Johnathan loved about the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was that it showcased the talent of such a diverse group of people.  The performers came from different countries, spoke different languages, and showcased elements of their different cultures.  This broad array of people came together to celebrate their wonderful differences but also find some commonality between them.  Many people that visit the circus get to see talents and sights that they may never experience otherwise.  Some examples of this are the talented animal actors.  Johnathan said that one thing you can really see in the shows is that the different animals are all unique and have their own personalities.     Additionally, Johnathan is the ringmaster for Omnium:  A Bold New Circus, which recently launched a virtual circus experience but hopes to launch an in-person component in the future.  Omnium aims to “broaden the tent” and features “uniquely unified, multi-talented, multi-racial, and multi-abled performers” in a celebration of diversity and inclusion.  One star of this new circus is Jen Bricker-Bauer, an aerialist who was born without legs.  During the virtual show, she shares the fact that she grew up in a household where she wasn't allowed to say she can't do something because her family knew that wasn't true.  Johnathan describes her and their fellow Omnium performers as a celebration of the “depth and breadth of the human family.”  They also aim to make circus tickets available to people that may not be able to afford them or might not be able to attend the circus for other reasons. Omnium also tries to eliminate as many accessibility barriers as possible by offering integrated American sign language interpreters, audio description of the entire show, reduced sensory seating areas, and other personalized accommodations.  Johnathan hopes this celebration of commonality and ability to come together despite differences can seep into more of our society and help make the world a better place. If you'd like to learn more about Omnium:  A Bold New Circus or watch their virtual performance, visit their website.  If you'd like to connect with Johnathan, you can contact him at his website or by the handle @lastringmaster on almost all social media platforms.   This podcast wouldn't be possible without the work of our amazing team: Audio and video editing - Abigail Giganan Complete episode summary - Paige Reiter Scheduling and correspondence - Kristen Karaliunas Social media marketing - Kate Kujawa Branding and design - Fabiana Fonseca To contact AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com

Lisa Lewis began her career with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus. She earned a master’s degree in Clown/Circus History from NYU. During the same period, she co-founded the Super Scientific Circus, a STEAM-based series of 6 shows which tour the country using Circus Skills to make science fun and accessible for all learning styles. Lisa received her certification from Marquis Studios as a teaching artist for District 75 specializing in Autism and at-risk youth in NYC where she taught for four years. Lisa performed with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit and inspired by the efforts to serve new audiences, she became project coordinator for Circus of the Senses, a performance adapted for blind, visually impaired, Deaf, hard of hearing, and those who are neuro-diverse. Lisa doubled the reach of the program and seeing a need in the community, she created the Embracing Autism performances. Lisa expanded both offerings and audiences, created an inclusive training program for staff, and supported organization-wide inclusive hiring practices.Now, Lisa is the founder and mastermind behind A Bold New Circus: Omnium. A special thanks to Arrow Electronics for sponsoring this episode as part of their series highlighting people pioneering inclusive technology.Resources:Learn more about Omnium Circus: https://omniumcircus.org/Follow Omnium on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

Michael Mullen worked in the National Basketball Association for ten years, where he helped pioneer NBA franchises into the computer age. He was the first person to fully automate an NBA franchise. He was first to create a commercial basketball site on the world wide web when he designed and maintained the original site for Prodigy, and he managed an international cyberstaff of more than 200 volunteer reporters. He was recognized as the top computer analyst in professional basketball, and was acknowledged by the White House and the U.S. Senate. Mullen eventually left computers and ventured into other areas of the sporting industry. He chaired career seminars with numerous professional teams, and with multiple USA Olympic governing bodies. He also authored, "How To Get A Job In Sports (Masters Press)." He served as General Manager of historic Venice Arena (former headquarters of Ringling Brothers and Barnum&Bailey Circus in Venice, FL), where he hosted international events in Olympic-style boxing for Team USA, and nationally televised professional boxing. He consulted for the newly revised American Basketball Association, before retiring from sports in favor of a writing career and working for one of the largest book publishers in the world. For Your Listening Pleasure all the radio shows available on The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network with our compliments, visit - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv.Our radio shows archives and programming include: A Different Perspective with Kevin Randle; Alien Cosmic Expo Lecture Series; Alien Worlds Radio Show; America's Soul Doctor with Ken Unger; Back in Control Radio Show with Dr. David Hanscom, MD; Connecting with Coincidence with Dr. Bernard Beitman, MD; Dick Tracy; Dimension X; Exploring Tomorrow Radio Show; Flash Gordon; Imagine More Success Radio Show with Syndee Hendricks and Thomas Hydes; Jet Jungle Radio Show; Journey Into Space; Know the Name with Sharon Lynn Wyeth; Lux Radio Theatre - Classic Old Time Radio; Mission Evolution with Gwilda Wiyaka; Paranormal StakeOut with Larry Lawson; Ray Bradbury - Tales Of The Bizarre; Sci Fi Radio Show; Seek Reality with Roberta Grimes; Space Patrol; Stairway to Heaven with Gwilda Wiyaka; The 'X' Zone Radio Show with Rob McConnell; Two Good To Be True with Justina Marsh and Peter Marsh; and many other!That's The ‘X' Zone Broadcast Network Shows and Archives - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv

Today our guest is Matt Walker. A Santa Monica Native, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1997) Alumnus, Performer, actor, character actor, juggler, instructor, TV director, and theater company owner. We discuss the work that goes into acting, different ways to break down a script, and the aspect of being an evolving artist. Check him out on Instagram: @commedians @thetroubies Check out my Instagram accounts: @artistswithem @empersico @emicoproductions

TWITTER: @DesvariosFrikis INSTAGRAM: desvariosfrikis1 FACEBOOK: @Desvafrikispodcast El Gran Showman (título original en inglés: The Greatest Showman) es una película dirigida por Michael Gracey y protagonizada por Hugh Jackman. Basada en la historia real de fundador del circo Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, la película fue escrita por Michael Arndt, Jenny Bicks y Bill Condon. Ganó el Globo de Oro a la 'Mejor canción' por "This is me" y recibió nominaciones a Mejor actor de comedia o musical y a Mejor película de comedia o musical, así como la nominación a Mejor canción en los Oscar.

Today's guest is Sara Moore Sara Moore is an award-winning American clown.  Her new show is called "The Supers" Moore has created, directed, and performed material for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Krofft Puppets, Royal Caribbean International, Tropicana Hotels and Resorts, The New Pickle Circus, Six Flags Show Productions, and Merv Griffin's Resorts Casino and Hotels, among others. She also wrote, directed, and co-produced the independent feature film “Homo Heights” starring Quentin Crisp, which is widely considered a cult classic today. Her recent solo show, Show Ho, has earned critical and popular acclaim through several sold-out runs. ____________________________________________________________________ Music by Carly Ozard: carlyozard.com Green Room on Air Web Site: raysgreenroom.com Please take a little time and rate my podcast on Itunes - http://bit.ly/GreenRoomOnAir  

“Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.” -Salvador Dali Oh, how I love a conversation around balance… obvi, Turmeric & Tequila:) Today I welcome Shelley Goldstein to the mic and she jumps right in sharing her journey as a true creative battling the idea of perfection. Anyone that creates knows that it comes from a place within, where there is nothing to compare because there is nothing else like it. If that makes sense? However, we are all humans of today’s world, so we find things to compare, even when creatively is incomparable. Human behavior. Comparison is the thief of joy, as we know, AND it’s a constant awareness to pull back and let go of any idea of perfection, aka stop comparing. Shelley shares her experience as a true perfectionist and how it got her to the top of her game, only for her to pull back and lean into full self-acceptance. From the top of the costume industry on Broadway to digital marketing strategist mastery, the real end game was letting go of perfection so true joy could ensue and the real riches of life could fully be experienced. If you are competitive, an entrepreneur, a parent/coach, or anyone looking to start something- this cast is for you. Yes, we want to do all we can to be our best AND we need to embrace the imperfect path that gets us there. Remind me of this… :) Highlights: Questioning a better way. Perfection. Letting go. Letting go of perfection. Balance, awareness, and becoming a better you. People care less that you do, relax. The button doesn’t matter. Greatness vs. perfection. Success in failure. Listening and not listening. Mindset and flexibility. Letting it happen. Life skills through sports. Shelley Goldstein I’m Shelley, nice to meet you! I am a marketer, blogger, quintessential tourist and profoundly curious. My marketing journey was a happy accident. I was busy following my dream as a costume designer, cutting my teeth on Broadway shows like La Cage Aux Folles, 42nd Street and national tours for Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus. A well-defined identity, combined with technical chops, was the best education in becoming a marketer with an out-of-the-box perspective and start-up mindset. As a digital marketer and strategist for over 15 years, I’ve helped develop a range of brands and websites for products, services and events. I’m savvy using traditional and non-traditional marketing tactics across paid, earned and owned media, and experienced in both B2B and B2C transactions. I can also ride an elephant and craft some serious millinery. Maybe that’s reason friends and family encouraged me to write. My unique viewpoint on marketing best practices intertwined with personal discoveries and anecdotes is, as they tell me, amusing and relatable. I also use a lot of commas, suggesting a brief pause. I welcome you to read and take pause, and share your comments with me. shelley@bigideacompany.tv. @shelley.goldstein   Connect with T&T: IG: @TurmericTequila Facebook: @TurmericAndTequila Website: www.TurmericAndTequila.com   Host: Kristen Olson IG: @Madonnashero Tik Tok: @Madonnashero Email: Info@KOAlliance.com Website: www.KOAlliance.com      

The Winning Brand Podcastwith Chase HunterPodcast – Show Notes [S3 EP 132] We have already talked about the importance of having a website to exponentiate your business. In today's episode, I want to take you to the next step to take your business to the next level. We will talk about: Content strategy.Delivering a clear message to our clients is the most important part of any enterprise; it plays a fundamental role in our content strategy.The content strategy will allow us to give a clear and consistent message to the audience.Press play and listen to this incredible episode where you will learn the necessary tools to create a successful content strategy. We will teach you how to avoid overwhelming your audience with content, how to reach more public, and the tools you need to know to exponentiate your business.ABOUT RAY VAN HILSTConsultant. Tactician. Marketing Technologist. Content Marketer. And more. He is a “get things done” guy that applies strategic understanding and knows just the right tools to bring to the table.Other experience has included working with diverse for profit companies such as The Home Depot, RIDGID and Ryobi power tools and live entertainment including Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Disney On Ice.Specialties: Strategic marketing, PR and brand management. Online marketing including web development, content marketing and social media strategies. Marketing research. Collateral development and creative direction – art direction/graphic design, copy writing, video production. Public relations – press releases, pitching, and event marketing. Business and financial analysis. Strong communication skills – written, oral and presentations. CONNECT WITH •Personal Website | vanhilst.net•Yoko Website | yokoco.com•Twitter | @RvanHilst•LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanhilst/ WHAT YOU WILL HEAR •[1:03] Getting to know Ray Van Hilst.Expert in digital marketing. Ray helps organizations to leveraging their web presence to have a better impact in the world.•[2:16] What is a content strategy.When we talk about a content strategy, we mean the message we align with the content and how we share it. It is important to know that people don't care about your personal information yet; they care about their problems and how your content can help them.•[7:48] The missing step in the content strategy.The research. Many entrepreneurs decide to do their research with people close to them and even family members. Having a third party tell you what is happening is ideal! It will challenge your thinking about what is happening.•[9:14] Time to create content!It is important to know what type of content you are creating and how to create it. In this segment, learn about the two strategies you can use to create content.•[14:09] Too much content.Yes, there can be too much content. Limiting content is key, especially writing. Let's get creative to get our message across!•[23:34] Delivering quality content is key!It is not necessary to upload millions of publications a day, is the quality of the content you deliver. Delivering quality content will remain the message consistent, professional and will even make your website or social networks rise in SEO•[31:52] In the hot seat.In this segment, I decided to get in the hot seat. Ray gave me excellent advice for my group called Be Prepared. Also, I learned about the importance of keeping a theme in our content strategy. WHAT IS THE WINNING BRAND PODCASTThe Winning Brand Podcast is the show that helps you get equipped with tools and resources that lead to results so you can win in business. ABOUT THE HOST Chase Hunter is the Lead Brand and Media Content Strategist at The Winning Brand. She helps hundreds of brands to scale up and go global by building out a strategic media plan that ts a core expertise. On each episode of The Winning Brand, Chase interviews leaders and innovators as they share their tips and stories around business and success. CONNECT WITH US •Website | www.winningbrandpodcast.com•Instagram | @TheWinningBrandPodcast

Coz Green is a born entertainer. He was drafted by Barnum & Bailey Circus as a clown at age 17. He began broadcasting on major networks, and has done coaching and training as well as inspirational speaking around the world. He produces and hosts virtual events as well. He talks about the day he attempted suicide three times and found himself in a mental health facility. He now spends everyday working on making the world we live in a better place. Coz recently was the executive producer of our Night of Hope Virtual Gala. The night was a huge success and Coz became a friend for life.

On this weeks episode of the Live Like An #Acrobat #Podcast, host Shenea Stiletto interviews director Kip Jones about how he has continued to carry on the legacy of the first all-black #circus act to perform with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, better know as the renowned King Charles Unicycle Troupe. KCT is a group of exceptionally creative #athletes who play an unbelievable game of high-energy #basketball on #unicycles. They exhibit skills ranging from slam-dunks, dribbling-passing, jumping rope, to #acrobatics.Follow @kingcharlestroupe:https://www.instagram.com/kingcharlestroupe/?hl=enhttps://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Artist/King-Charles-Unicycle-Troupe-590532234304432/KCT Website:https://www.thekingcharlestroupe.com/Please #Subscribe! Please consider making a donation to encourage the continued growth, expansion and evolution of this podcast:Venmo:@shenea-boothNew Circuspreneur Blog!Www.Circuspreneurblog.comLive Like An Acrobat #Podcast #Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/6O0utPJ8MJfM6QmwPd4lsV?si=GHHQvY9PQ4uk3iniJYoHVQ#ITunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shenea-stiletto-live-like-an-acrobat/id1514321355Follow @sheneastiletto on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/sheneastiletto/?hl=enFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/sheneaboothTwitter: https://twitter.com/sheneastiletto?lang=enTikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/3gUVhf/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shenea-stiletto-5a9a8656#Private #Handstand training available! Explore & Sign up on the Cirqo.co platform for weekly hand balancing tutorials! https://tinyurl.com/Cirqo-SheneaStiletto

Season 4 Ep. 14Circus freaks/side shows "When you're born, you get a ticket to the freak show. When you're born in America, you get a front row seat." -- George Carlin    The “freak show,” or “sideshow,” rose to prominence in 16th century England. For centuries, cultures around the world had interpreted severe physical deformities as bad omens or evidence that evil spirits were present; by the late 1500s, these stigmas had translated into public curiosity.                   Businessmen scouted people with abnormalities, swooped them up, and shuttled them throughout Europe, charging small fees for viewings. One of the earliest recorded “freaks” of this era was Lazarus Colloredo, an “otherwise strapping” Italian whose brother, Joannes, protruded, upside down, from his chest. The conjoined twins “both fascinated and horrified the general public,” and the duo even made an appearance before King Charles I in the early 1640s. Castigated from society, people like Lazarus  capitalized on their unique conditions to make a little cash -- even if it meant being made into a public spectacle. Whether it was a person with dwarfism acting as a jester or clown for an individual monarch, or a person with a unique physical impairment displaying her body for the eyes of a curious and gawking public, freaking—exploiting the perceived peculiarities of your own body for an audience—was a means of support for some disabled people who might otherwise have died or struggled to survive. But until the 19th century, freak shows catered to relatively small crowds and didn’t yield particularly healthy profits for showmen or performers. It was in the mid nineteenth and early 20th centuries that freak shows had become a viable commercial enterprise in England and the U.S. alike. America and England both had men who would come into prominence by employing (or exploiting depending on whom you talk too)these types of folks for profit purposes. In England it was a man named Tom Norman. TOM NORMANTom Norman was born on 7 May 1860 in Dallington, Sussex and was the eldest of 17 children. His real name was Noakes and his father Thomas was a butcher who resided at the Manor House in Dallington. According to his autobiography he left home at the age of fourteen to seek fame and fortune on the road and before long he had found employment as a butcher’s assistant in London. Tom first became involved in showbusiness a year later when he went into partnership with a showman who had a penny gaff shop in Islington, exhibiting Mlle Electra(not a typo). However, as is often the case with Tom Norman, the facts are difficult to piece together from the legend and the first record we have for a showman called Norman from this time can be traced to the Agricultural Hall in Islington, the venue for The World’s Fair. Some of the showmen on view that day included the famous Tommy Dodd and his wife, "The smallest people in the world;" and a giant boy aged seventeen. Other showmen presenting attractions were Williams's Ghost Show; Chittock and Testo's dog and monkey circus and Mander’s Huge Collection of Wild Beasts. However, both The Era newspaper report and the handbill for the event note the presence of Norman's performing fishes, which reputedly could not only talk but also play the pianoforte; and Norman’s French Artillery Giant Horse. In his autobiography which was incomplete before his death in 1930, Norman states that he was fifteen when he first appeared at the World’s Fair. Therefore, the Norman mentioned could either have been a showman whose name Tom Noakes went on to use, or he was actually 13 years old when he first left home.By the 1870s the young aspiring showman had been involved in a number of careers including exhibiting Eliza Jenkins, the Skeleton Woman, a popular novelty show at the time, the Balloon Headed Baby and a whole range of freak show attractions as he stated in his autobiography:“But you could indeed exhibit anything in those days. Yes anything from a needle to an anchor, a flea to an elephant, a bloater you could exhibit as a whale. It was not the show, it was the tale that you told.”Perhaps one of the more gruesome shows he was involved with, was 'the woman who bit live rat heads off. 'In his autobiography Tom Norman describes the act a the most gruesome he had ever seen:“Dick Bakers wife, who used to be with me and gave I think now, the most repulsive performance, that I have ever had or seen, during the whole of my long career. it consisted of Mrs Baker, putting her naked hand into a cage, fetch out a live rat and proceed to bite its head off.”The effect on the audience was such wrote Tom that:“More than once, have I seen a member of either sex of the audience, fall forward in a faint during this extraordinary performance.”Tom Norman’s ability to tell the tale was the scene of one of his greatest compliments when in 1882 he was performing at the Royal Agricultural Hall. Unaware that the great showman P. T. Barnum(well get to him don't worry) was in the audience, Tom informed the crowd that none other than the greatest showman on earth had booked the show for its entire run. Upon meeting Tom Norman, Barnum pointed to the large silver Albert chain which he wore and said 'Silver King eh'. Despite being found out, Tom Norman took this as a compliment and from then on he became known as The Silver King.Throughout the 1880s his fame as a showman grew and by 1883 he had thirteen penny gaff shops throughout London including locations such as Whitechapel, Hammersmith, Croydon and Edgeware Road. He still continued to travel with his shows and Norman’s Grand Panorama was a highlight of the Christmas Fair for the 1883/84 season in Islington. It was at this time that Norman came into contact with Joseph Merrick through a showman called George Hitchcock who proposed that Norman took over the London management of the Elephant Man. This episode in Norman’s life is shrouded in controversy as Sir Frederick Treeves, the surgeon who reputedly rescued Joseph Merrick or John as he calls him, blackened the character of Norman in his autobiography published in 1923. There are differing accounts of the way Merrick was treated by Norman. Treeves maintains that he was treated poorly by Norman and simply exploited. There are others who claim that Norman treated Merrick extremely well and that Merrick was never healthier or happier than with Norman. The Elephant Man was managed by Tom for only a few months and after the London shop was closed by the police, Joseph Merrick was taken back by the consortium of Leicester businessmen and placed in the hands of Sam Roper, a travelling showman.Tom Norman’s career continued after the Elephant Man and over the next ten year he became involved with managing a troupe of midgets, exhibiting the famous Man in a Trance show at Nottingham Goose Fair, Mary Anne Bevan the World’s Ugliest Woman, John Chambers the Armless Carpenter and Leonine the Lion Faced Lady. In January 1893, the following advertisement appeared in The Era newspaper and seems to imply that Tom was thinking of leaving England for the Worlds’ Fair which was being held in Chicago. The advertisement appeared for the following weeks and although no details are available as to their final outcome they do give us a glimpse into the type of shows Tom Norman was exhibiting at the time. “Wanted, to Sell, 10ft Living Carriage, Light, One-horse Load, already Fitted for Road, £25, worth £35; also Novelty Booth, good as new, Size, 9ft by18ft, with Novelty and Four New Brass Lamps, with Filler and Oil Drum, by Mellor and Sons, £4; also Piano Organ, nearly New, scarcely soiled, TenTunes, by Capra, suit Waxworks or any Shop Exhibition, £7, worth £18; also Two Fat Paintings, Best on the Road, by Leach, Size 9ft by 10ft, ditto One, same size of Skeleton Girl, all good as new; also Two others of Fats, size 6ft by Thornhill, with large Case to carry the lot, £5, cost £20; also 9ft Square Booth for Performing Fleas, with Two Grand Oil Paintings for same, price £1; also Aerial Suspension for Child 15s; also the Largest Silver Albert in England, made expressly for me, £3, cost £6. The whole of the above to be sold together or separate. Can be seen any time. Reason, I am leaving for Chicago. Apply any Morning before 12.0 to TOM NORMAN, Silver King, Pearce's Temperance Hotel, Elephant and Castle, SE”.In 1896 Tom met and married Amy Rayner at the Royal Agricultural Hall and their marriage lasted until his death in 1930. At that time Tom was travelling his famous Midget show and the Ghost show he had bought from John Parker. Their first son Tom was born in 1899 and was soon followed by Hilda, Ralph, Jimmy, Nelly, Arthur, Amy, Jack, Daisy and George.Soon after the birth of his first son, Tom became an auctioneer and the first show he sold belonged to Fred and George Ginnett. His career as an auctioneer prospered and some of the most famous shows he sold included Lord George Sanger and Frank Bostock's.He advertised in both The Era and The Showman newspapers as the recognised Showman’s Auctioneer and Valuer throughout 1901 and early clients in 1902 included W. T. Kirkland who had concessions at Southport, Morecambe and New Brighton. He instituted the annual Showman and Travellers’ Auction Sales in London, Manchester and Liverpool from 1903 onwards and negotiated sales for showman such as Walter Payne, Edwin Lawrence and many others. His most famous sale to date place in 1905 when he organised the disposal of Lord George Sanger’s Zoo at Margate. This was followed by what Tom Norman described as the crowning point in my life as regards the auctioneering business, when he was called upon by Sanger to auction the whole of his travelling circus effects. The following tribute published in 1901 demonstrates the esteem in which he was held by the fairground fraternity:'Mr Norman believes in catering for modern tastes - brilliancy; brightness, cleanliness and order are Tom’s strong points'Tom Norman continued to travel with his shows and maintained his penny gaff shops in London while basing the auctioneering side of the business at his family home the Manor House Dallington. Although Tom did not reveal in his autobiography the reasons for changing his name, he obviously maintained links with his place of birth in order to base this part of his business activities there.In the period leading up the First World War, Tom was now the father of ten children, nine surviving and his sons Tom, Ralph, Jimmy, Arthur and George had inherited their father’s showmanship. Ralph Van became known as Hal Denver and travelled throughout Europe and America as a wild west performer, George and Arthur found fame as clowns in many of the world’s greatest circuses and Tom and Jim Norman remained on the fairground.By 1915 the family were firmly based in Croydon and Tom was starting to dispose of some of his business concerns when his eldest son Tom Jnr enlisted. The shops for sale included Tom Norman's New Exhibition with waxworks and novelty museum and the Croydon Central Auction Rooms. Tom slowly retired from the fairground business and although he maintained his auctioneering concerns, he mainly concentrated on buying and selling caravans and dealing in horses for circuses and pantomimes. After the end of the first World War, Tom became restless again and appeared at the Olympia Circus in 1919 with Phoebe the Strange Girl and exhibited at Birmingham and Dreamland, Margate in 1921. Tom also returned to the venue where he had first started, The Royal Agricultural Hall and worked there throughout the 1920s although he was living in semi-retirement at the family base in Beddington Lane, Croydon.Tom Norman left behind a comfortable professional birthright to become one of the leading travelling showmen of his day. The benevolence he showed to his fellow showmen, his association with the newly formed Van Dwelling’s Association and his role in the United Kingdom Temperance Association demonstrate the injustice done to his reputation by inaccurate accounts of The Elephant Man. He died in Croydon on 24 August 1930, while according to his son George Van Norman, making plans to travel to a large auction show around the country.The following tribute was published in the World’s Fair.'There are very few showmen who have not met the famous showman’s auctioneer, “The Silver King”, He has been a conspicuous and charismatic figure in our business for the past half a century and has conducted more showman’ sales than any other auctioneer in the country... During his fifty years with us, he has endeared himself to all section from the humblest to the highest. He was a charming personality with a commanding appearance that left a lifetime impression upon anyone that he met. All his life he has been a showman and as such he died.'So that's England's great showman, the man who really helped bring freak shows to prominence ther. But as i mentioned earlier, the U.S. had one as well. He was brought up earlier and I'm sure you all know who it is.. Good old Phineas Taylor Barnum, better known as P.T. Now, now i'm sure most of you know at least a little about him, or have at some point as a kid been to a circus with his name somewhere in the title. Some of you younger listeners may have missed out on the joys of the circus. Were gonna take a loom at his life and how he rose to prominence.P.T. BARNUMBarnum was born in Bethel, Connecticut, the son of innkeeper, tailor, and store-keeper Philo Barnum (1778–1826) and his second wife Irene Taylor. His maternal grandfather Phineas Taylor was a Whig, legislator, landowner, justice of the peace, and lottery schemer who had a great influence on him.Barnum was 15 years old when his father died, and the support of his mother and his five sisters and brothers fell largely upon his shoulders. After holding a variety of jobs, he became publisher of a Danbury, Connecticut, weekly newspaper, Herald of Freedom. Arrested three times for libel, he enjoyed his first taste of notoriety.In 1829, at age 19, Barnum married a 21-year-old Bethel woman, Charity Hallett, who was to bear him four daughters. In 1834 he moved to New York City, where he found his vocation as a showman. He began his career as a showman in 1835 when he was 25 with the purchase and exhibition of a blind and almost completely paralyzed slave woman named Joice Heth, whom an acquaintance was trumpeting around Philadelphia as George Washington's former nurse and 161 years old. Slavery was already outlawed in New York, but he exploited a loophole which allowed him to lease her for a year for $1,000, borrowing $500 to complete the sale. Heth died in February 1836, at no more than 80 years old. Barnum had worked her for 10 to 12 hours a day, and he hosted a live autopsy of her body in a New York saloon where spectators paid 50 cents to see the dead woman cut up, as he revealed that she was likely half her purported age. It was very common for Barnum's acts to be schemes and not altogether true. Barnum was fully aware of the improper ethics behind his business as he said, "I don't believe in duping the public, but I believe in first attracting and then pleasing them." During the 1840s Barnum began his museum, which had a constantly rotating acts schedule, which included The Fat Lady, midgets, giants, and other people deemed to be freaks. The museum drew in about 400,000 visitors a year.THE AMERICAN MUSEUM During the 1840s Barnum began his museum, which had a constantly rotating acts schedule, which included The Fat Lady, midgets, giants, and other people deemed to be freaks. The museum drew in about 400,000 visitors a year.[14]P.T. Barnum's American Museum was one of the most popular museums in New York City to exhibit freaks. In 1841 Barnum purchased The American Museum, which made freaks the major attraction, following mainstream America in the mid-19th century. Barnum was known to advertise aggressively and make up outlandish stories about his exhibits. The façade of the museum was decorated with bright banners showcasing his attractions and included a band that performed outside. Barnum's American Museum also offered multiple attractions that not only entertained but tried to educate and uplift its working-class visitors. Barnum offered one ticket that guaranteed admission to his lectures, theatrical performances, an animal menagerie, and a glimpse at curiosities both living and dead.One of Barnum's exhibits centered around Charles Sherwood Stratton, the dwarf billed as "General Tom Thumb" who was then 4 years of age but was stated to be 11. Charles had stopped growing after the first 6 months of his life, at which point he was 25 inches (64 cm) tall and weighed 15 pounds (6.8 kg). With heavy coaching and natural talent, the boy was taught to imitate people from Hercules to Napoleon. By 5, he was drinking wine, and by 7 smoking cigars for the public's amusement. During 1844–45, Barnum toured with Tom Thumb in Europe and met Queen Victoria, who was amused and saddened by the little man, and the event was a publicity coup. Barnum paid Stratton handsomely - about $150.00 a week. When Stratton retired, he lived in the most esteemed neighborhood of New York, he owned a yacht, and dressed in the nicest clothing he could buy.In 1860, The American Museum had listed and archived thirteen human curiosities in the museum, including an albino family, The Living Aztecs, three dwarfs, a black mother with two albino children, The Swiss Bearded Lady, The Highland Fat Boys, and What Is It? (Henry Johnson, a mentally disabled black man). Barnum introduced the "man-monkey" William Henry Johnson, a microcephalic black dwarf who spoke a mysterious language created by Barnum and was known as Zip the Pinhead . In 1862, he discovered the giantess Anna Swan and Commodore Nutt, a new Tom Thumb, with whom Barnum visited President Abraham Lincoln at the White House. During the Civil War, Barnum's museum drew large audiences seeking diversion from the conflict.Barnum's most popular and highest grossing act was the Tattooed Man, George Contentenus. He claimed to be a Greek-Albanian prince raised in a Turkish harem. He had 338 tattoos covering his body. Each one was ornate and told a story. His story was that he was on a military expedition but was captured by native people, who gave him the choice of either being chopped up into little pieces or receive full body tattoos. This process supposedly took three months and Contentenus was the only hostage who survived. He produced a 23-page book, which detailed every aspect of his experience and drew a large crowd. When Contentenus partnered with Barnum, he began to earn more than $1,000 a week($31,000 in 2020). His wealth became so staggering that the New York Times wrote, "He wears very handsome diamond rings and other jewelry, valued altogether at about $3,000 [roughly $93,000 in 2020 dollars] and usually goes armed to protect himself from persons who might attempt to rob him." Though Contentenus was very fortunate, other freaks were not. Upon his death in 1891, he donated about half of his life earnings to other freaks who Barnum retired in 1865 when his museum burnt to the ground. Though Barnum was and still is criticized for exploitation, he paid the performers fairly handsome sums of money. Some of the acts made the equivalent of what some sports stars make today. Between 1842, when he took over the American Museum, and 1868, when he gave it up after fires twice had all but destroyed it, Barnum’s gaudy showmanship enticed 82 million visitors—among them Henry and William James, Charles Dickens, and Edward VII, then prince of Wales—into his halls and to his other enterprises.  Barnum did not enter the circus business until he was 60 years old. He established "P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome" in Delavan, Wisconsin, in 1870 with William Cameron Coup; it was a traveling circus, menagerie, and museum of "freaks". It went through various names: "P. T. Barnum's Travelling World's Fair, Great Roman Hippodrome and Greatest Show on Earth", and "P. T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth, And The Great London Circus, Sanger's Royal British Menagerie and The Grand International Allied Shows United" after an 1881 merger with James Bailey and James L. Hutchinson, soon shortened to "Barnum & Bailey's". This entertainment phenomenon was the first circus to display three rings.[25] The show's first primary attraction was Jumbo, an African elephant that Barnum purchased in 1882 from the London Zoo. The Barnum and Bailey Circus still contained acts similar to his Traveling Menagerie, including acrobats, freak shows, and General Tom Thumb. Barnum persisted in growing the circus in spite of more fires, train disasters, and other setbacks, and he was aided by circus professionals who ran the daily operations. He and Bailey split up in 1885, but they came back together in 1888 with the "Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show On Earth", later "Barnum & Bailey Circus" which toured the world.Barnum was one of the first circus owners to move his circus by train, on the suggestion of Bailey and other business partners, and probably the first to own his own train. Given the lack of paved highways in America at that time, this turned out to be a shrewd decision that vastly expanded Barnum's geographical reach. In this new industry, Barnum leaned more on the advice of his partners, most of whom were young enough to be his sons.Barnum became known as the "Shakespeare of Advertising" due to his innovative and impressive ideas.     Barnum went on to write his autobiography and do something interesting, more interested in publicity than profits, he made his biography public domain. This meant that anyone who wanted to publish his biography could do so without having to secure rights for it. In his 81st year, Barnum fell gravely ill. At his request, a New York newspaper published his obituary in advance so that he might enjoy it. Two weeks later, after inquiring about the box office receipts of the circus, Barnum died in his Connecticut mansion. The Times of London echoed the world press in its final tribute: “He created the métier of showman on a grandiose scale.…He early realized that essential feature of a modern democracy, its readiness to be led to what will amuse and instruct it.…His name is a proverb already, and a proverb it will continueThose are the stories, for the most part of two of the major players in the freakshow game. There were more, and maybe we will revisit the rest of the stories and the other folks involved at a later date but for now we are going to move on to what you all want…some of the coolest  freaks there were!!!LAZARUS COLLOREDOWe mentioned this fellow a bit earlier and it was time to bring him back. Born in 1617 in Genoa, Italy, Colloredo would exhibit himself all across Europe during his lifetime. Colloredo is among the earliest—and most extraordinary—recorded cases of parasitic twins. We found this description of Lazarus by Danish anatomist Thomas Bartholinus, as detailed in the 19th-century book, Kirby’s Wonderful and Eccentric Museum: “I saw, saith Bartholinus, Lazarus Colloredo, the Genoese, first at Copenhagen, after at Basil, when he was twenty-eight years of age, but in both places with amazement. This Lazarus had a little brother growing out at his breast, who was in that posture born with him. If I mistake not, the bone, called xyphoideus, in both of them grew together; his left foot along hung downwards; he had two arms but only three fingers upon each hand: some appearance there was of the secret parts: he moved his hands ears and lips, and had a little beating in the breast. This little brother voids no excrements but by the mouth, nose, and ears, and is nourished by that which the greater takes: he has distinct animal and vital parts from the greater, since he sleeps, sweats, and moves when the other wakes, rests and sweats not. Both received their names at the font; the greater that of Lazarus, and the other that of Johannes Baptista. The natural bowels, as the liver, spleen, &c. are the same in both. Johannes Baptista hath his eyes for the most part shut: his breath small, so that holding a feather at his mouth it scarcely moves, but holding the hand there we find a small and warm breath. His mouth is usually open, and wet with spittle; his head is bigger than that of Lazarus, but deformed; his hair hanging down while his face is in an upright posture. Both have beards; that of Baptista is neglected, but that of Lazarus very neat. Lazarus is of a just stature, a decent body, courteous deportment, and gallantly attired: he covers the body of his brother with his cloak, nor would you think a monster lay within at your first discourse with him. He seemed always of a constant mind, unless that now and then he was solicitous as to his end, for he feared the death of his brother, presaging that when it came to pass, he should also expire with the stench and putrefaction of his body; and therefore he took greater care of his brother than himself.”Well then! That sounds like a fucking insane thing to see!!TARRAREThe walking manifestation of one of the seven deadly sins prowled the cobbled streets of 18th-century Paris, seeking only to indulge his endless hunger. Earlier in life, his dietary needs started out robustly, but were otherwise innocuous. However, things would soon take a sinister turn so far as this overzealous diner was concerned. According to contemporary accounts and existent medical records, his quenchless appetite continued growing to the point that his legendarily gluttonous gorging caused this ravenous Frenchman to ingest live animals and maraud morgues for sustenance. He was once even suspected of kidnapping and devouring a toddler.The crack team at Ripleys.com was able to speak with a doctor who specializes in science-based nutrition in search of a possible diagnosis, but first, let’s chew the fat on the life of this legendary cannibal and his strange circumstances of existence. Be warned, this is not for the weak of heart—but if you think you can stomach it, then strap in! PARIS, CIRCA 1788With a large, lip-less mouth stretched wide beyond human regularity and filled with stained teeth, he ate corks, stones, entire baskets of apples—one at a time in quick succession—and live animals (his favorite was snake) for the morbid amusement of repulsed onlookers that were challenged to satiate his seemingly interminable appetite.Like most modern competitive binge-eaters, Tarrare was diminutive in stature, weighing no more than one hundred pounds—prior to eating, at least. Despite all of his daily intake, he never seemed to keep any of the weight on. When empty, his stomach was loosely distended to the point that he could wrap it around his waist as if it were a belt made of his own, still-attached flesh. When full, it was inflated like a balloon—not unlike a pregnant woman in her final trimester. His hair was fair and soft, while his cheeks, when not engaged at capacity—allegedly able to hold so much as a dozen eggs—were wrinkled and hung slack to create premature jowls.Prior to life as a successful street performer, the individual is known only by his stage name, Tarrare, lived in destitution as part of a traveling caravan of criminal misfits. Born in the rural countryside surrounding the epicenter of the booming silk-weaving trade in Lyon, France in approximately 1772, his rapacious appetite was readily apparent from an early age. As the legend goes, a young Tarrare was capable of eating his own bodyweight in cow meat within a 24-hour period. Sadly, this boundless craving forced him out of his family’s home as a teenager, as they could no longer afford to feed him.After several years of touring the country as a vagabond begging for food, for a time Tarrare became the opener for a snake-oil peddling mountebank before taking off to Paris to perform as a solo act. With success came risk. Tarrare once collapsed mid-performance with what was later discovered to be an intestinal obstruction, requiring his audience to carry him to the nearby Hôtel-Dieu hospital. After being treated with laxatives, a grateful Tarrare offered to demonstrate his talents by eating the surgeon’s pocket watch. The surgeon agreed, but only under the condition that he be allowed to cut Tarrare open to retrieve it. Wisely, Tarrare declined.It was during the French War of the First Coalition when respected military surgeon Dr. Pierre-François Percy first made the acquaintance of the inexplicable Tarrare, now a soldier for the French Revolutionary Army. Barely twenty years old, this peculiar patient proved to be quite extraordinary. Unable to subsist off of military rations alone, Tarrare began doing odd jobs around the base for other soldiers in exchange for their rations and, when that proved to be insufficient, foraged for food scraps in dunghills. Despite all of his scrounging, Tarrare succumbed to exhaustion and was admitted to a military hospital under the care of Dr. Percy.There, even being granted quadruple rations failed to satiate his hunger. Tarrare began to eat out of the garbage, steal the food of other patients, and even chow down on the hospital’s bandage supply. Psychological testing found Tarrare to be apathetic, but otherwise sane.Percy’s report described Tarrare as having bloodshot eyes and constantly being overheated and sweating, with a body odor so rancid that he could be smelled from twenty feet away—and that’s by 18th-century French military surgeon standards. Woof. The smell only got worse after eating. Percy described it as being so bad he literally had visible stink lines.After eating, Tarrare would succumb to the itis and pass out. Percy observed this after preparing a meal made for fifteen to test Tarrare’s limits, which he predictably porked down. Percy continued this experiment by feeding Tarrare live animals: a cat—which he drank the blood of and after consuming, like an owl, he only regurgitated its fur—lizards, snakes, puppies, and an entire eel.Months of experimentation passed before the military discovered a way to put Tarrare’s unique ability to use: Tarrare was commissioned as a spy for the French Army of the Rhine. His first mission was to secretly courier a document across enemy lines in a place that it could not easily be detected if caught: his digestive tract. After being paid with a wheelbarrow full of thirty pounds of raw bull viscera—which he ate immediately upon presentation directly in front of what we can only imagine to be the incredibly revolted generals and other commanding officers—Tarrare swallowed a wooden box containing a document that could pass through his system completely in-tact and be delivered to a high-ranking prisoner of war in Prussia. As one might expect, an individual who smells like a foot and compulsively eats from the garbage would likely attract attention—not exactly the ideal, hallmark makings of a spy.Compound this with the fact that Tarrare did not speak any German and he was quickly caught, beaten, imprisoned, and forced to undergo the psychological torment of a mock execution before being returned to France.Again under the care of Dr. Percy, the trauma Tarrare endured left him incapable of continuing his military service and desperate to find a cure for his condition. Laudanum opiates, wine vinegar, tobacco pills, and a diet of soft-boiled eggs were all employed, but Tarrare was still forced to walk the streets fighting stray dogs for discarded slaughterhouse cuisine, drink the blood of patients who were being treated with bloodletting, and was even caught consuming cadavers from the hospital morgue multiple times. Eventually, a toddler went missing from the hospital and Tarrare, the suspected culprit, was chased from the premises before disappearing into the city.Dr. Percy is contacted by a physician of Versailles hospital at the behest of a patient on their deathbed. Sure enough, it was Tarrare, now brought to death’s door by what he professed to be a golden fork he had swallowed two years previously and was now lodged inside of him. It had been four years since Percy had last seen Tarrare, who hoped he could save his life by removing the fork. Unfortunately for Tarrare, it was not a fork that was killing him, but end-stage tuberculosis. Within a month, he passed.A curious colleague intended to inspect Tarrare’s corpse. However, fellow surgeons refused to partake and it quickly became a race against the clock as the body began to rot rapidly. Findings from the autopsy revealed that Tarrare possessed a shockingly-wide esophagus which allowed spectators to look directly from his open mouth into his stomach, which was unfathomably large and lined with ulcers. His body was full of pus, his liver and gallbladder abnormally large, and the fork was never recovered. So, what was the cause of Tarrare’s insatiable hunger? In short, we don’t know for sure. When contemporary medical procedures of the time included drinking raw mercury to clear out head demons (probably), should it come as a surprise that Tarrare received no suitable diagnosis or treatment in his own lifetime?However, some interesting theories have been suggested over the years. Ripleys.com was able to speak to Dr. Don Moore, a chiropractor certified in science-based nutrition and owner and operator of Synergy Pro Wellness, to get his take on things.Now, granted, there is a possibility that Dr. Percy’s personal documentation in the years following Tarrare’s death were exaggerated or falsified, but they were considered credible enough at the time of their publication to be featured in reputable medical texts such as The Study of Medicine, Popular Physiology, and London Medical and Physical Journal. Plus, Dr. Percy is considered the father of military surgeons, was Chief Surgeon to the French Army, a university professor, inventor of important battlefield medical implements, and is considered an all-around highly reputable guy. So, given we accept the above tale as an accurate representation of Tarrare’s symptoms, what does Dr. Moore have to say about it?“It can be broken down by category: He didn’t suffer from psychosis, so he was completely aware and cognitive. But that doesn’t rule out hyperactivity of hormones and dysfunction of components of the brain. His sensor that would let him know he was full was damaged. If he underwent a brain study, he would have probably been identified as having had an enlarged hypothalamus.” The hypothalamus regulates the body’s temperature and is responsible for causing the sensation of hunger. Given Tarrare was constantly overheated and in dire search of food, it’s a perfect fit. Dr. Moore also suspects a possible case of pica, which causes the eating of non-edible objects.As for why Tarrare never weighed more than one hundred pounds, Dr. Moore adroitly theorizes, based on his habitually eating raw meat: “He most likely had a parasite as well. The fact that he was of normal size means something else is being nourished, and the fact that he was constantly hungry leans towards him feeding a secondary organism. A parasite like a hookworm or roundworm, perhaps.”  FANNIE MILLSThis next one...i had to put in for obvious reasons! As far as freak shows go, Fanny Mills was one of the most unusual performers to ever step foot inside the sideshow tent. Known as the “Ohio BigFoot Girl,” Fanny seemed normal in every respect…except for her massive feet. Fanny was born in Sussex, England in 1860, and then immigrated with her family to Sandusky, Ohio. The condition that brought her notoriety was Milroy Disease, a rare disorder that causes lymphedema, in which the lower legs and feet swell with lymph fluid. Neither of Fanny’s sisters were born with the disease.Fanny was a petite woman who only weighed 115 pounds. Her feet, however, were 19 inches long and 7 inches wide. She wore a size 30 shoe made of three goatskins.Fanny started touring the country in 1885 as “that girl from Ohio” with the “biggest feet on Earth.” She traveled with a nurse named Mary Brown, who helped her get around. Her promoters advertised her to unwed men as “a boon for poor bachelors,” offering $5,000 and a well-stocked farm to any respectable man who would marry her.“Don’t permit two big feet to stand between you and wedlock tinged with fortune,” the ad read. Fanny eventually married William Brown, Mary’s brother, in 1886.She retired from show business in 1891 because of an illness, and died later that yearGRADY STILES JR.This guy is another famous guy. But you may not know his whole, incredibly crazy story! He’s the mutha fuckin lobster boy!!! The Stiles family was suffering from a peculiar physical condition known as Ectrodactyly, which is a rare congenital deformity that makes the hand look like lobster claws as the middle fingers are either missing or seemingly fused to the thumb or pinky finger.The family has been afflicted for over a century with ectrodactyly, a condition commonly known as the Lobster claw. It is an uncommon inherent distortion of the hand where the center digit is missing and the hand is parted where the metacarpal of the finger ought to be.This split regularly gives the hands the presence of lobster hooks in spite of the fact that cases run in seriousness. Frequently this condition happens in both the hands and the feet and, while it is an acquired condition, it can skirt an age. While the term ectrodactyly sounds medicinally clean when contrasted with ‘Lobster Claw Syndrome’.While many have viewed Ectrodactyly as a handicap, for the Stiles family it came with an opportunity. The physical condition stayed within the family and any newcomer to the family came out with unusual hands and feet.But one member from the family, Grady stiles Jr., would give the Stiles’ family a different reputation when he became a serial abuser and murderer.The home of Gardy Stiles, or popularly known as the lobster boy was an unpleasant place to be. During the carnival season in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Grady was one of the many sideshow performers who people came to gawk at some time in wonder and sometimes out of rudeness.Grady never concerned himself too much with the opinions of onlookers, he was only there to put on a show, his audience was impressed or not. Grady was born with a severe deformity that gave him the name, The Lobster Boy.GRADY STILES JR. A.K.A THE LOBSTER BOY (CREDIT: YOUTUBE)Lobster Boy was born in Pittsburgh in 1937, at that point his father was already part of the “freak show” circuit, adding his kids with the peculiar physical condition to the act.Because of the deformity Grady couldn’t walk and was confined to a wheelchair, his legs were almost flipper-like and unable to bear weight this resulted in him using his upper body to maneuver around usually in a wheelchair.All of the locomotion provided by his arms turned Grady into a rather strong man despite his downfalls but he didn’t only utilize his to make his life easier for himself but also to make other’s life harder.For most of his life, Gary primarily used a wheelchair — but also learned to use his power to use his upper body to pull himself across the floor with impressive strength.As Grady grew up he would become immensely strong, something which will cost his family later in life.At age 19 Mary ran off to join the carnival, escaping her old life, oddly enough she felt she belonged best there. Despite the fact that she was surrounded by people with shocking abilities and deformities but for her this was normal.Mary Theresa wasn’t there for the same reasons the performers were but the carnival always needed staff to keep the shows running. It was here that she met Grady Stiles.Mary Theresa didn’t see the monster in Grady as others had, she quickly fell in love with Grady and the two were married within no time. Together they had two children and, like his father before him, introduced the children with ectrodactyly to the family business.Grady added his children into his sideshow with him traveling as an act known as the Lobster Family, of the many issues that were in the family, money wasn’t one of them. The family would make $50,000-$80,000 per season and Grady was considered the major star of the show.There were no gimmicks with the lobster family no tricks or illusions, What the crowd saw is what the crowd got.Once the winter set in the show’s closed down and many of their performers including the Stiles family resided in Florida until the new season came around.Despite the pleasant weather and more free time, Grady still didn’t hesitate to inflict physical and emotional pain on his family.If Many only would have known when she was younger what she knew after marrying Grady perhaps it would have made a difference.Mary recollected that Grady was the best anybody could be, a genuinely honorable man however as soon he poured the liquor in his body, something in his brain changed and he would abandon a nobleman to a harsh spouse and father. He turned into a much more alarming man, a genuine beast, more noteworthy than the one others considered him to be. He was a real nightmare come to life.Marry was impacted in ways that she would never forget. She remembered that her husband was a great guy when he woke up in the morning by 8:00 am and started drinking by 10 and would be miserable for the rest of the day.In 1973, Grady-Mary’s marriage hit its first end when Mary decided that she couldn’t take the abuse any longer after Grday launched himself at her, took her to the floor, ripped her pantyhose, reached his clawed hand and ripped out the intrauterine device, a device used to prevent pregnancy, and used her hands to choke her – something they were seemingly designed to do well.Mary was so disgusted, horrified, and emotionally wounded that she wisely left him.The worst was yet to come after Mary was gone, Grady started drinking even more and when her teenage daughter, Donna fell in love with a young man that he didn’t approve of, he didn’t take the decision very well.Donna and Jack Lane were in loved and wanted to marry but Grady forbade the marriage threatening to kill Jack numerous times. Donna was unhappy with her drunk and abusive father and wanted an escape.Donna told Grady that if he didn’t approve the underage marriage, she would live with Jack anyway. This further enraged Grady who prided himself in the way he dominated his family and controlled them.Grady was home when Jack came home to see him on the night before Jack and Donna were to be married, thinking that maybe Grady has changed his mind and is now happy with our marriage.Instead of agreeing, Stiles picked up his shotgun and murdered his daughter’s fiance in cold blood. HE sat there while his daughter came and said ‘I told you I would kill him.’Grady went to trial where the defense attempted to get the jury to pity Grady and his condition. The defense played heavily into the fact that Grady had an unfortunate life driven to drinking and violence by the incessant struggles he faced.Grady even managed to shed some tears in the courtroom, his daughter Donna took the stand and told him that “she would see him at his grave.”The jury took three hours in deciding that Grady was guilty of third-degree-murder, Grady received a sentence of 15 years but not in prison but 15 years of probation.The state believed that their prison system even in their handicap accessible facilities weren’t equipped to handle the specific need for Grady Stiles: no prison could deal with his handicap and to restrict him to jail would be merciless and irregular discipline. He additionally, at this point, had procured liver cirrhosis from drinking and had emphysema from long stretches of cigarette smoking.So Grady got to serve his sentence from home where he continued to drink heavily and beat his children.For reasons that no one — either in the Stiles family or outside of it — has been able to understand, his first wife agreed to remarry him in 1989.Mary who left Grady earlier came back in his life again in 1989 and surprisingly enough forgave the monster for all his wrongdoings.As earlier Grady was decent for a while but after some time the monster in him came back to haunt the lives of Mary and her children. The violence surged back to the surface as did copious amounts of sexual assault.A couple of years after she remarried Stiles, she paid her 17-year-old neighbor, Chris Wyant, $1,500 to murder him. Mary Teresa’s child from another marriage, Glenn, helped her imagine the thought and complete the arrangement.One night, Wyant took a .32 Colt Automatic he had a companion buy for him. He went into Stiles’ trailer, Grady was watching television in his underwear, Wyant put 2 round in the back of his head at the point-clear range, killing him instantly.Freedom But with A CostPolice arrested Mary, her son Harry and the killer Wyant. The jury convicted Wyant of second-degree murder and sentenced him to 27 years in prison.Not one of them denied that they had intended to kill Grady Stiles. During the trial, his wife spoke at length of his abusive history. “My husband was going to kill my family,” she told the court, “I believe that from the bottom of my heart.”Unfortunately for Mary’s child Glenn, self-defense isn’t applicable when hiring a hitman and Glenn was convicted of first-degree murder and was given life-sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years.At least one of their children, Cathy, testified against him as well.Mary was also charged with first-degree murder and her conviction was reduced to manslaughter and she was sentenced to 12 years behind bars.She unsuccessfully appealed her conviction and began to serve her sentence in February of 1997. She had tried to get Glenn to take a plea bargain but he refused. The court sentenced him to life in prison.Just as a significant portion of his living family was being tried for his murder, Grady Stiles’ body was put to rest. Or unrest, as it were: Lobster Boy was so disliked, not just in his family but within the community, that the funeral home could not find anyone willing to be pallbearers.That's a story that most people don't know about the Lobster Boy!!ELLA HARPERMost sources indicate that Ella Harper was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee around 1870 – although there are some conflicting reports. It has also been revealed that Ella had a twin brother, who died quite early. What is not argued, however, is the fact that Ella was born with an unusual orthopedic condition resulting in knees that bent backwards.  The nature of this unusual affliction is exceedingly rare and relatively unknown, however most modern medical types would classify her condition and a very advanced form of congenital genu recurvatum – also known as ‘back knee deformity’. Her unusually bent knees, coupled with her preference of walking on all fours resulted in her moniker of ‘The Camel Girl’.In 1886, Ella was the star of W. H. Harris’s Nickel Plate Circus, often appearing accompanied by a camel when presented to audiences and she was a feature in the newspapers of every town the circus visited. Those newspapers touted Ella as ‘the most wonderful freak of nature since the creation of the world’ and that her ‘counterpart never did exist’.The back of Ella’s 1886 pitch card is far more modest in its information: I am called the camel girl because my knees turn backward. I can walk best on my hands and feet as you see me in the picture. I have traveled considerably in the show business for the past four years and now, this is 1886 and I intend to quit the show business and go to school and fit myself for another occupation. It appears that Ella did indeed move on to other ventures, and her $200 a week salary likely opened many doors for her. For quite some time no further information was available on Ella following 1886, but recently a genealogist managed to not only trace Ella’s family tree, but also provide some information regarding her life after sideshow.On 28 June 1905 Ella Harper married a man named Robert L. Savely. Savely was a school teacher and later a bookkeeper for a photo supplies company.  A 1910 Census shows Ella and her husband living in Nashville, Tennessee with Ella’s mother and it also revealed that Ella and her husband had adopted a 3 month old child, but that the child passed away only 18 days later.We also now know that Ella died of colon cancer on 19 December 1921 in Nashville, Tennessee and that she was buried at Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville. A simple gravestone marks her plot, but she is surrounded by family.LEONARD TRASK THE WONDERFUL INVALIDSome human marvels are made, not born. Often their manufacture is accidental and painful, such is the case of Leonard Trask. Born on June 30, 1805 in Hartford, Maine Trask suffered a major neck injury in his 20’s when he was thrown from his horse. The story was that a pig ran under the hooves of his horse and, after being thrown from the back of his steed, Trask spent several days crawling back home. Despite the serious injury, Trask continued to work as a farm hand until his spine began to bow.Soon, Trask’s chin was pressed into his chest permanently, and subsequent injuries only exasperated his misery. In 1840 he took a nasty fall and in 1853 he was thrown from his wagon and broke 4 ribs and his collarbone. On May 24, 1858 Trask was involved in a high-speed coach accident, in which he and several passengers where thrown to the ground. In the accident, Trask struck his head and opened ‘a gash in his head five inches long’. The injury was severe, and he was not expected to survive, but he did and was even more disabled and miserable as a result of the injury.Through much of his adult life, his wife took care of him, and despite his physical limitations he fathered seven children with her. Unable to work, Trask was eventually able to spin his status as a medical curiosity into small career as a human oddity attraction to the general public. As “The Wonderful Invalid”, Trask was able to capture a small measure of fame. His 1860 self-published story A Brief Historical Sketch of the Life and Sufferings of Leonard Trask, the Wonderful Invalid, which included accounts of his activities like ‘Mr. Trask at the Circus’ and ‘Mr.Trask Going to Drink’ that were both amusing and sad.At the time of his death on April 13, 1861 Trask’s condition was still not officially diagnosed despite seeing more than 22 doctors during his lifetime. Today Trask would be diagnosed with Ankylosing spondylitis, a condition that affect less than 0.2% of the general populationJOSEPHINE MYRTLE COARBINFor all intents and purposes, Josephine Myrtle Corbin was a normal girl. Her birth was not marked by anything out of the ordinary, and her mother claimed to have had a typical labor and delivery, apart from the baby being momentarily in the breech position.The doctors who examined the baby after birth reported her to be strong and healthy, adding that she was growing at a good rate. A year later she was found to be nursing “healthily” and “thriving well.”Overall, Myrtle Corbin was a perfectly healthy, active, and thriving baby girl. All in spite of having four legs.Perfectly Ordinary (Almost)After being born with four legs, two normal sized ones on either side of a pair of diminutive ones, the doctor who delivered Myrtle Corbin felt it necessary to point out the factors they felt could have resulted in her deformity. First, the baby’s parents, the doctors said, were about 10 years apart in age. William H. Corbin was 25, and his wife Nancy was 34. Second, the doctors noted that the couple bore a striking resemblance to each other. Both of them were redheads, with blue eyes and very fair complexions. They actually looked so similar that the doctors felt it necessary to explicitly point out that the two were not “blood kin” in their medical reports.Despite the two factors the doctors listed, it seemed that the young girl was simply an oddity – her parents had had seven other children, all of whom were perfectly ordinary.Later, it would be determined that she was born with dipygus and her condition was likely the result of her body’s axis splitting as it developed. As a result, she was born with two pelvises side by side.With each pelvis, she had two sets of legs, one normal sized, and one small. The two small legs were side by side, flanked on either side by two normal legs, though one with a clubbed foot.According to medical journals written by the physicians that studied Myrtle Corbin throughout her life, she was able to move her smaller inner legs, though they weren’t strong enough for her to be able to walk on. Which, of course, didn’t really matter, as they were not long enough to touch the ground.In 1881 at age 13, Myrtle Corbin joined the sideshow circuit under the moniker “The Four-Legged Girl From Texas.” After showing her to curious neighbors and charging them a dime each, her father realized her potential for publicity and for cash. He had promotional pamphlets made up and began placing ads in newspapers for people to come see her.The promotional pamphlets described her as a girl with “as gentle of disposition as the summer sunshine and as happy as the day is long.” And, indeed, that appeared to be true.Throughout her time as a sideshow attraction, she became wildly popular. Eventually, rather than bringing the curious onlookers to her she began traveling. By visiting small towns and cities and performing for the public, she ended up earning up to $450 a week.Eventually, famed showman P.T. Barnum heard about her and hired her for his show.For four years, she continued to work for Barnum and even inspired several other showmen to produce fake four-legged humans for their own shows when they couldn’t get her. At 18 years old, Myrtle Corbin retired from the sideshow business. She’d met a doctor named Clinton Bicknell and fallen in love. At 19, the two were married.About a year later in the spring of 1887, Myrtle Corbin discovered she was pregnant. She’d gone to a doctor in Blountsville, Ala., complaining of pain in her left side, fever, headache, and a decreased appetite. Despite her unique anatomy (she had two sets of internal and external reproductive anatomies), doctors did not believe there was a reason she couldn’t carry to term. Though she became gravely ill during the first three months of her pregnancy, resulting in her doctor performing an abortion, she ended up giving birth to four more healthy children in her life.After performing in the sideshow and giving birth to her children, Myrtle Corbin’s life was rather normal. Though her case continued to pop up in medical journals around the country, she maintained a quiet existence in her Texas home with her husband and children.Eventually in 1928, she died as the result of a streptococcal skin infection. Though antibiotics make the condition easily treatable today, in the 1920s there was no such treatment available.SEALOStanislaus Berent  was an American freak who performed at many freak shows, including the World Circus Sideshow in 1941 under the stage name of Sealo the Seal Boy (often stylized to just Sealo). He was known for his seal-like arms, which were caused by a congenital medical condition known as phocomelia. In 2001, Mat Fraser's play inspired by Sealo called Sealboy: Freak debuted. Berent was born November 24, 1901 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He was brought up as a Polish Catholic and suffered from an extremely rare congenital disorder known as phocomelia, which caused his "seal arms".  He had no arms; his hands grew from his shoulders. Sealo started off his career as a newspaper seller, then was discovered by freak scouters.He  was a regular feature at Coney Island's freak show from circa 1920 to 1970[4] and was exaggerated as a human with a seal body on some promotional sideshow posters. Despite his genetic disability, Sealo was still able to carry out feats like sawing a crate in half and shaving with a straight razor on his own, as well as moulding animal figurines out of clay. His partner on-stage was Toby, a chimpanzee. Sealo had trouble getting up and down the performance stage due to his weak legs. He would spend the time in which he was not performing on stage selling pitch cards. After performing, he preferred resting at hotels to sleeping at the fairground. He performed at the World Circus Sideshow in 1941. He also toured around the world and performed at many other freak shows.Sealo's freak show career lasted for thirty-five years; he retired in 1976 and moved to Showmen's Retirement Village in Gibsonton, Florida. He returned to his hometown of Pittsburgh afterwards when his health started to decline.  He spent his final days at a Catholic hospital and died in 1980.GEORGE AND WILLIE MUSEThe Muse brothers had an incredible career. The story of the two black albino brothers from Roanoke, Virginia is unique even in the bizarre world of freaks and sideshows. They were initially exploited and then later hailed for their unintentional role in civil rights.Born in the 1890’s the pair were scouted by sideshow agents and kidnapped in 1899 by bounty hunters working in the employ of an unknown sideshow promoter. Black albinos, being extremely rare, would have been an extremely lucrative attraction. They were falsely told that their mother was dead, and that they would never be returning home.The brothers began to tour. To accentuate their already unusual appearance, their handler had the brothers grow out their hair into long white dreadlocks. In 1922 showman Al G. Barnes began showcasing the brothers in his circus as White Ecuadorian cannibals Eko and Iko. When that gimmick failed to attract crowds the brothers were rechristened the ‘Sheep-Headed Men’ and later, in 1923, the ‘Ambassadors from Mars’.As the ‘Men from Mars’ the two traveled extensively with the Barnes circus. Unfortunately, while they were being fed, housed and trained in playing the mandolin, they were not being paid.In the mid 1920’s the Muse brothers toured with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. In 1927, while visiting their hometown, their mother finally tracked them down. She fought to free her sons, some 20 years after their disappearance. She threatened to sue and the Muse brothers were freed.The brothers filed a lawsuit for the wages they earned but were never paid. They initially demanded a lump-sum payment of 100,000. However, as time passed the Muse brothers missed the crowds, the attention and the opportunities sideshow provided. Their lawyer got them a smaller lump-sum payment and a substantial contract with a flat monthly wage. The pair returned to show business in 1928.During their first season back they played Madison Square Garden and drew over 10,000 spectators during each of their performances. They made spectacular money as their new contract allowed them to sell their own merchandise and keep all the profits for themselves. In the 1930’s they toured Europe, Asia and Australia. They performed for royals and dignitaries including the Queen of England. In 1937 they returned to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for several years and finally ended their career in 1961 with the Clyde Beatty Circus.The brothers returned to their hometown and lived together in a house they originally purchased for their mother. Neither brother married, though they were well known for their many extravagant courtships.George Muse died in 1971 and many expected Willie to quickly follow his brother. Those people were wrong as Willie continued to play his mandolin and enjoy the company friends and family until his death on Good Friday of 2001.He was 108 years old.These are just a few of the many many many circus freaks throughout history. We purposefully did not cover guys like The Elephant Man and other more popular ones as we wanted to bring you some interesting ones you may not know about, except maybe the lobster boy but that shit is crazy! There are some more interesting stories and Coney Island deserves its own discussion...can you say….BONUS episode!!!              

We shine the light on CAC Co-Founder and Vice President Dolly Jacobs. Dolly was born into circus royalty – her father was Lou Jacobs, the legendary clown for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus® and her mother was a model in New York, who quickly transformed her career to become a circus artist as well. She is the first circus artist to ever receive the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship and is known world-wide as the “Queen of the Air.”

Possibly one of the first world famous entertainers, Charles Stratton was a little person who was discovered by Phineas T. Barnum (of Barnum & Bailey Circus). Standing at about 26 inches tall, Charles joined Phineas Barnum to tour the world and put on performances to entertain the masses as well as many country's leaders. Come dive into this episode with People Time podcast as we go over all the details of the most famous people in the 1800's!     #PeopleTime #podcast #Biographies #History #TomThumb #CharlesStratton #PhineasBarnum 

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are belting out some majestic tunes as we kick off an entire month of movie musicals! Oh, what a beautiful day. We’re starting things off with the Michael Gracey film that’s all about chasing your dreams, The Greatest Showman. You may know Mr. Phineas Taylor Barnum from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from when just about all of us were kids, but did you know the story about how he became the man we know him as today? Well, according to this film, he went through quite the rollercoaster ride to become a venerated performing star. Okay, but spoiler warning, this one is a dramatization of events that happened over a hundred years ago, so you’ll have to forgive it for taking some artistic liberties with the story it tells. That’s just how show biz goes. P.T. Barnum knew it and now you know it. Does that mean this film isn’t a rousing celebration of artistic drive, amazing showmanship, and the similarities and differences in us all? Heck no! It’s all of those things and more. Plus, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more engaging film with such catchy songs. Seriously, we still can’t get them out of our heads. We were also fascinated by the personal arcs all the characters went through in this film. It wasn’t just Barnum that became someone greater than he was. We see the wonderful people in his show learn their true worth. We see his business partner realize that love is more important than social prejudices. We see separate people become a family of like-minded, loving performers. Steven was a huge fan of the sound design that was featured in the film. It was very competently made, but when it’s a musical we’re talking about, the sound design tends to play second fiddle to the songs. They were stellar. They felt modern, but not in a way that was out of place or inappropriate for the movie. It all just sounded so great. Part of what makes this movie special is the combination of wonderful music and eye-catching visuals, which Sean was a big fan of. It’s amazing to us that a first time director could craft such a confident, great looking film. From moment one, it displays bold, soaring camera work and glossy lighting. This is a film that not only sounds amazing, but also looks amazing. Stay tuned for next month’s musical! It’s going to be an older one and just as fun. (Recorded on June 25, 2020) Links to Stuff We Mentioned: The Greatest Showman - IMDb The Greatest Showman trailer - YouTube P.T. Barnum - Wikipedia The real history of Phineas T. Barnum is as we suspected—he was a raging asshole that did truly awful things. It’s worth knowing about who this man was in real life, but prepare yourself for disappointment. Hakuna Matata | The Lion King - YouTube Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - IMDb When we say that everyone should watch Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, we mean that everyone should watch the show. Yes, you too. It’s the best. Jenny Lind - Wikipedia Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus - Wikipedia John Q | More Movies Please! - Apple Podcasts It’s a Wonderful Life - IMDb A Christmas Story - IMDb Singin’ in the Rain - IMDb La La Land - IMDb Zendaya - IMDb Spider-Man: Homecoming - IMDb Los Angeles Center Studios Shake It Up - IMDb The Lighthouse | More Movies Please! - Apple Podcasts Robert Pattinson - IMDb Twilight - IMDb Zac Efron - IMDb High School Musical - IMDb The Greatest Showman Wishing Machine - Instructables Learn how to make your own version of the wishing machine that Barnum made for his family! Rebecca Ferguson - IMDb Seamus McGarvey - IMDb Follow Us: Give us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Our Libsyn site! Our Instagram profile! Our Twitter profile!

Miguel Trejo Vargas is a fifth-generation circus performer. He has been a flying trapeze artist since he was 7 years old. Most recently, he worked as a performer in Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba and then became an artist coach with La Nouba and other Cirque du Soleil shows. Soon he will be joining The CAC as the Sailor Circus Head Coach. Karen Bell is the CAC Outreach Education Manager and a Teaching Artist. She started her career as a clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and is the only female clown in the history of the show to have had a solo ring gag. Now she uses her talents to teach children science, physics and language arts in local elementary and middle schools.

On today's episode Josh and Lyndsay discuss Cirque Du Soleil's official bankruptcy, the extended Broadway shutdown, and an artistic controversy surrounding a recent BLM themed dance video. Later in the episode they call up the extraordinarily talented Johnathan Lee Iverson. Johnathan was the ringmaster of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus for 18 years prior to its closure. They discuss his musical upbringing, his time with the circus, and the current conversations being had in our community around inclusion and diversity. If you enjoy the episode please share it with a friend!  

On today's episode Josh and Lyndsay discuss Cirque Du Soleil's official bankruptcy, the extended Broadway shutdown, and an artistic controversy surrounding a recent BLM themed dance video. Later in the episode they call up the extraordinarily talented Johnathan Lee Iverson. Johnathan was the ringmaster of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus for 18 years prior to it's closure. They discuss his musical upbringing, his time with the circus, and the current conversations being had in our community around inclusion and diversity.

Florida would become the final home for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. John Ringling would be the final surviving brother of the five who built the circus. He would build his mansion in Sarasota and call it Ca'd'Zan. John would also build a museum for his art collection. This whole complex would eventually house the Circus Museum as well. Several buildings here and other locations connected to the Ringlings are rumored to be haunted. Join us on our final episode of the Haunted Circus Mini-Series as we talk about the Ringlings in Florida. Check out the website: http://historygoesbump.com Show notes can be found here: https://historygoesbump.blogspot.com/2020/04/haunted-circus-mini-series-ep-4.html Become an Executive Producer: http://patreon.com/historygoesbump The following music is from https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/: "Vanishing" by Kevin MacLeod (Moment in Oddity) "In Your Arms" by Kevin MacLeod (This Month in History) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) All other music licensing: PODCASTMUSIC.COM License Synchronization, Mechanical, Master Use and Performance Direct License for a Single Podcast Series under current monthly subscription. Mechanical Turk by 5 Alarm Music Evil Monkey by 5 Alarm Music on Circus Freaks and Gothic Shrieks Album Circus Tentative by Stock Music

In this episode, which is part 1 of a 2-part series, Monica sits down with trumpeter Bill Dowling and talks about what life was like on tour as the lead trumpet player with the Ringling Bros’ and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Bill shares how he got the gig, the extreme requirements for that particular position, the rehearsal process, how the show gets created from the musician point of view, and living on the train. They dig into the mental, physical and stylistic challenges of playing in that unique setting, how the shows are constantly changing with hundreds of different cues.  Join us next week for Part 2 where we will continue our conversation with Bill Dowling about his path as a musician. _____________ To support our mission, please join our Patreon page - Patreon.com/BraveMusician. _____________ See the show notes at BraveMusician.com/podcast.

  Today's guest is Sara Moore Sara Moore is an award-winning American clown.  Her new show is called "The Supers" Moore has created, directed, and performed material for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Krofft Puppets, Royal Caribbean International, Tropicana Hotels and Resorts, The New Pickle Circus, Six Flags Show Productions, and Merv Griffin's Resorts Casino and Hotels, among others. She also wrote, directed, and co-produced the independent feature film “Homo Heights” starring Quentin Crisp, which is widely considered a cult classic today. Her recent solo show, Show Ho, has earned critical and popular acclaim through several sold-out runs. ____ Tickets for "The Supers": http://www.zspace.org/supers THE SUPERS - A Science-Fiction Magical Realism Human Cartoon Opera - written by & starring Sara Moore will be performed Feb. 19 - 29, 2020- Limited Engagement – 10 Performances Only! _____ Music by Carly Ozard: carlyozard.com Green Room on Air Web Site: raysgreenroom.com Please take a little time and rate my podcast on Itunes - http://bit.ly/GreenRoomOnAir  

This Is Me A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry UMC January 12, 2020, the Baptism of the Lord. Text: Matthew 3:13-17   In many churches, parents who bring a baby for baptism are asked, “What name has been given this child?”  It is a question that isn’t officially included in our United Methodist ritual and I must say that I miss it. Names are powerful markers of identity. The “given” name from a parent or parents is one special piece…and the “family name”—or surname—is another significant piece.   Sometimes the names we are given get overridden by affectionate nicknames—I have a dear friend whose name is Lillian but is known by those who know her well as Fuzzy. Performers and writers may have pen or stage names which provide a whole separate identity from their day to day life. Immigrants at some times in history have chosen to adjust their names in order to fit in. Some folks have had their names taken from them in acts of violence. For transgender or non-binary siblings, the name given at birth often doesn’t fit and so a new name is taken.   Names are important and powerful and, when we claim them as our own, can be gifts of connection and identity. It is deeply affirming to have someone call you by name. But there’s a kind of “name-calling” that is the direct opposite of affirmation. Bullying, calling people names, labeling, stereotyping…all of these are damaging, disconnecting, and dehumanizing.   And we are in a moment in history in which the changes, tensions, and prejudice in our world are spinning people up into rage and fear and an incapacity to perceive the dignity and worth of every human life. The technologies available to us make it terribly easy to say terrible things about people and call people names that are shameful and shaming with absolutely no accountability or interconnection. Of course—out of some perverse sense of normality or self-righteousness—there are always persons who don’t mind being cruel right to someone’s face. From playgrounds to pulpits, from lunchrooms to bedrooms, from board tables to kitchen tables, people get called stupid, animals, abomination, disappointing, worthless, ugly, and every other kind of horrible, hurtful thing.   I don’t wish to suggest there is any easy excuse for such name-calling or try to make this phenomenon more simple than it is. But I do believe that at the core of human hatred, prejudice, and cruelty is fear. Fear of being overlooked, of being insignificant, of being hurt (again), weak, devalued, unwanted, unloved. In order to try to get or keep something that provides a sense of identity, safety, and worth, a person can do incredibly awful things. In order to make themselves feel like they are “up” some will put others “down.” Many of you will have heard the saying that hurt people hurt people. Sometimes wounded people do their personal work so that their wounds stop fueling harm to others. Sometimes they don’t.   Regardless, for all the vast diversity that exists in the human family, I think a thing we all share is the ridiculously powerful and insidious temptation to allow fear to disconnect us from our true selves and from other people.   Our text from Matthew is the beginning of the story of Jesus’ adult, public life, a life that shares and confronts all our human fears with courage and love. “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.” According to cousin John’s understanding, Jesus has gotten confused somewhere along the way into the wilderness. John’s out there unabashedly preaching Jesus as the awaited power player who will size folks up and sort them out and be the SuperBaptizer with Spirit and fire. The plan—and what John signaled to his considerable following—is that he (John) will be the one to humble himself and be baptized by the long-expected one, Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t swoop in with pyrotechnics or power plays. Jesus upends John’s expectation saying, basically, “You’re right that I’ve come ‘to fulfill all righteousness’—to show and restore right relationship—and the way that begins is for me, Jesus, to be baptized by you, John.” And with that, Jesus steps into the waters that had touched countless human bodies, wades into the flow of all that humanity, all the debris that comes out in the wash, all the beauty and mess of our common, human life.   Jesus first public act is to humble himself, to disappoint expectations, and to align himself with the likes of you and me. I assume he did this because it seemed like the right thing to do. And, according to the story, it seems God agreed. // I imagine John asking just before he dunks his cousin, “What name has been given this child?” And at the moment Jesus emerges from the water, the answer comes, “This is my Son, the Beloved.” Here, Jesus is given his true family name: Beloved.  It is an affirmation and confirmation of who Jesus is, of his identity and connection not just to God but to the whole human family. Sometimes people have joked that we think of “Christ” as Jesus’ last name. But Christ is his job title (“anointed one,” savior). I would argue that Jesus’ family name is “Beloved.” And because he is a Beloved and knows that is his name, Jesus is able to be brave, to stand up to all the temptations and challenges to come, and to continue to be himself. Jesus knows where he comes from, who he comes from, and who has his back.   And the onslaught against Jesus Beloved begins immediately as he is led into the wilderness and tempted by the devilish voice to fill his belly, to fill his coffers, to fill his ego—to recant his baptism and put himself ahead of others, to serve himself rather than serve others, to trust the fearful promises of idols for his security and value rather than clinging to the love of God. Jesus lives the rest of his short life constantly under attack. He is praised when he goes to his home church—until he reveals who he really is; then his people kick him out and try to kill him. He is distanced from his family, called all sorts of names (including Satan himself), cheered and jeered by the public, rejected by many he came to serve, and betrayed and denied by his closest friends. Ultimately Jesus was arrested on false charges, publicly humiliated, became a scapegoat for the mob’s own fears, and was killed. When he returned from the dead, he greeted those who had hurt and disappointed him with peace and with open arms that revealed the wounds of his life not as symbols of shame but of triumph. He met and welcomed people in all their skepticism and fear in all the places we still get locked up and isolated and called us to step out into a life of freedom, and courage and love modeled on his own.   Just as at his Baptism, throughout his public life Jesus was told to be other than he was, was told to run away, to hide, to pipe down, to keep his hands off, to be a different kind of leader, a different kind of savior. But he just kept presenting himself in love and humility and vulnerability and courage saying, in essence, I know who I am, who I’m meant to be. This is me… Jesus joins us here today as we gather again at the Baptismal waters and says, “Your life is a life I share. And because of that, my life is a life you can share. And you don’t need to be afraid. You don’t need to be anyone other than who you are. No matter what people call you, say or do to you, you are a member of my family. We emerge from the same waters, are held in the same love, are fueled by the same grace and Spirit. You are a Beloved! This is your family name! This gives you all you need to be brave, to stand up to all the temptations and challenges to come, and to continue to be yourself. Remember where you come from, who you come from, and who has your back.” //   Many of you will know the story told in the 2017 movie musical, The Greatest Showman. It is a fanciful re-telling of the story of J.T. Barnum’s creation of “The Barnum & Bailey Circus.” One of the attractions Barnum brought to the public were performers described by some as “human oddities”—persons who didn’t fit in to polite society, like the so-called “Bearded Lady” and “General Tom Thumb.” In the film we see folks who had been cast off, ridiculed, and excluded from public life form community and claim their lives and their gifts without shame. The anthem and rallying cry in the film begins with the bearded lady, Lettie Lutz, singing these words:   I am not a stranger to the dark Hide away, they say ‘Cause we don't want your broken parts I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars Run away, they say No one'll love you as you are[i]   Just the other day, I was reminded that such words are not only spoken by those who have been most hurt and ostracized.  My heart ached to read that my amazing, accomplished 24 year old niece struggles with feelings of shame and that if things don’t go well it’s her fault and that she is “bad.”  And then I remembered that is the deep human fear—that we’re not right, that we’re not OK, that we’re messing up, that no one will love us as we are. It’s in all of us and is amplified and exploited in anyone who is the slightest bit vulnerable or outside the “norm.” Jesus’ life and example gives us encouragement that we are called to be exactly who we are and that we need not fear. And the song from The Greatest Showman provides new words to claim our strength as God’s children, bearing the name “Beloved.” // I won't let them break me down to dust I know that there’s a place for us For we are glorious   When the sharpest words wanna cut me down I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out I am brave, I am bruised I am who I’m meant to be, this is me [ii]   Today, the waters of holy Baptism flow to drown out any voice that wants to cut you down or make you forget who you are. You are a Beloved! That is your family name. It is our human family name. And we are glorious!     [i] Justin Paul / Benj Pasek, lyrics. “This Is Me,” https://www.google.com/search?q=this+is+me+lyrics&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS849US849&oq=this+is+me+lyrics&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.2138j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 [ii] Ibid.

We shine the light on CAC Co-Founder and Vice President Dolly Jacobs. Dolly was born into circus royalty – her father was Lou Jacobs, the legendary clown for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus® and her mother was a model in New York, who quickly transformed her career to become a circus artist as well. She is the first circus artist to ever receive the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship and is known world-wide as the “Queen of the Air.”

Chuck Sidlow is a professional comic, comedian, clown, entertainer, producer, director, announcer, master of ceremonies and consultant. Originally from Philadelphia, Chuck Sidlow began developing his distinctive talents at Atlantic City's famous Steel Pier. Sidlow further honed his skills as a student at Clown College, where he was among the select few to receive a performance contract with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He ultimately earned the responsibility for supervising the entire roster of clowns when he became “The Youngest Boss Clown” in the history of The Greatest Show on Earth. His affiliation with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey as a performer, manager, ambassador and teacher at the Clown College took him around the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Japan. In 2018, Chuck was inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame on St. Armand’s Circle in Sarasota. His book, “Chucko, the All-American Clown,” was published in March of 2019. JONES.SHOW is a weekly podcast featuring host Randall Kenneth Jones (author, speaker, and creative consultant) and announcer Susan C. Bennett (the original voice of Siri). Chuck Sidlow’s Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chuck.sidlow Web: http://www.worldofchucko.com/ Jones.Show’s Social Media Join us in the Jones.Show Lounge on Facebook Twitter (Randy): https://twitter.com/randallkjones Instagram (Randy): https://www.instagram.com/randallkennethjones/ Facebook (Randy): https://www.facebook.com/mindzoo/ LinkedIn (Randy): https://www.linkedin.com/in/randallkennethjones/ Web: RandallKennethJones.com Twitter (Susan): https://twitter.com/SiriouslySusan Instagram (Susan): https://www.instagram.com/siriouslysusan/ Facebook (Susan): https://www.facebook.com/siriouslysusan/ LinkedIn (Susan): https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-bennett-8607312/ Web: SusanCBennett.com www.Jones.Show

Zumock sits down with comedian Allegra Barnett to talk about starting stand up comedy in NYC around 9/11, her journey to Clown College, becoming a clown, and working with the now defunct Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Classic episode! SHARE IT and BLAST IT! THAT'S A WRAP! *Follow and Subscribe* (Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/chadzumock (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/AdventuresInA... (Twitter) https://twitter.com/chadzumock (SnapChat) chadzumock https://www.chadzumock.com Want to donate to my podcast? paypal.me/zumock (ALL PROCEEDS GO BACK INTO THE PODCAST!)*Pick-up Chad Zumock's newest stand-up comedy album "A WHITE GUY NAMED CHAD" on iTunes, Amazon.com, Tidal, Spotify and at chadzumock.comfor only $7.99... ALL PROCEEDS GO BACK INTO THE PODCAST! Click on the Amazon banner at chadzumock.com (At the bottom when shopping) Live in the Ohio area and you need insurance? Do not hesitate and contact Kevin Surnear to be your agent over at State Farm. He'll take a horrible situation and make it easy and painless so you can live your life. Call him directly 330-877-2323 or go to his website https://www.kevinsurnear.com -Tell him the Z-Man sent you! Do you love hot sauce like I do? A small family business (husband & wife & now child) make hot sauce with locally grown peppers & other unique ingredients like Local Apple Cider, Maple Syrup, Garlic, Onions & even local Vinegar. They don't use any schwag ingredients, chemicals, extracts or fillers. Just full of locally grown peppers. They're flavorful & hot and not just hot for the sake of being hot.Check out all their flavors and their back story. The Habanero is Savory & Hot, The Mango Madness, Taco Fiesta Habanero & Cherry Bomb Peppers and every month they come out with a Seasonal Hot Sauce featuring the best Vermont has to offer. Right now our Flavor of the Month is called BUZZGo to www.SilkCityHotSauce.com & enter Promo Code ZUMOCK at checkout & receive 10% OFF your order. SOME OF THE BEST HOT SAUCE YOU WILL EVER HAVE! SHARE THIS PODCAST WITH ONE FRIEND OR TWENTY EIGHT! This is a movement and it starts with you! If this podcast is apart of your weekly routine, please share with people that might like it. Let's continue to grow this podcast grass roots style! Put it on your facebook page, tweet it, and email it! #SitDownZumock all your tweets and Instagram photos.

This week the spotlight shines on CAC Education Manager and Teaching Artist Karen Bell. Karen started her career as a clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and is the only female clown in the history of the show to have had a solo ring gag. Now she uses her talents to teach children science, physics and language arts in local elementary and middle schools.

A brand new sub-podcast comes to Siblings and Fandoms. Listen in awe as Noah dazzles and amazes, hoodwinks and confounds, talks and talks and talks. Wait, what?  The story of P.T. Barnum was told, sort-of faithfully in the 2017 movie the Greatest Showman, however there were a few key differences. Noah goes through the film and compares the events pictured to real life.  Sources:  Kellem, Betsy Golden. “The Greatest Showman: The True Story of P.T. Barnum and Jenny Lind.” Vanity Fair, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2017, www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/12/greatest-showman-hugh-jackman-p-t-barnum-jenny-lind.  Kolbert, Elizabeth. “What P. T. Barnum Understood About America.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2019, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/08/05/what-p-t-barnum-understood-about-america.  Mansky, Jackie. “P.T. Barnum Isn't the Hero the ‘Greatest Showman’ Wants You to Think.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 22 Dec. 2017, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-pt-barnum-greatest-humbug-them-all-180967634/.   “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Aug. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringling_Bros._and_Barnum_&_Bailey_Circus#Predecessor_circuses.   “Who Was P. T. Barnum? Everything You Need to Know.” P. T. Barnum Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline, www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/phineas-taylor-barnum-2499.php#childhood-&-early-life.  Sibling’s Ramble is a Siblings and Fandoms production.  You can get in contact with us at siblingsandfandoms@gmail.com or anchor.fm/siblings-and-fandoms. Special  thanks to Council of Geeks on YouTube for sparking my interest in this film.  Siblings and Fandoms uses Audacity to edit and Anchor to distribute.  Please like and review and subscribe and whatever else there is to do.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/siblingsandfandoms/message

This year marks the end to the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus and, with it, the end of the traditional American circus. Once at the core of the American circus was the performing elephant. Today we understand that such captivity is no place for an endangered beast but, for much of this country's history, circus elephants were one of the centerpieces of live entertainment.  This is the tale of the first two elephants to ever arrive in the United States. The first came by ship in 1796, an Indian elephant whose unusual appearance in the cattle pens at a popular local tavern would inspire one farmer to seek another one out for himself. Her name was Old Bet, a young African elephant at the heart of all American circus mythology. She appeared in traveling menageries, equestrian circuses and even theatrical productions, long before humans really understood the nature of these sophisticated animals. Find out how her strange, eventful and tragic life helped inspire the invention of American spectacle and how her memory lives on today in one town in Upstate New York.