Episode

Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
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57:48
Published: Sat Jul 02 2022
Description

Not too long ago, people would pay money to gawk and stare at a performer with a physical disformity. They were called freak shows and they began in large part thanks to P.T. Barnum, whose circus we still enjoy today. Sounds awful, but some of these performers became rich folks as a result. Exploitive? You decide, after taking in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chapters
The hosts explore the possibility of creating new senses for humans while discussing the relationship between our brains and experiences, with an added tribute to Ronnie and Donny Galleon.
00:00 - 02:08 (02:08)
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Neuroscience
Summary

The hosts explore the possibility of creating new senses for humans while discussing the relationship between our brains and experiences, with an added tribute to Ronnie and Donny Galleon.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
The conversation revolves around the history of freak shows and how P.T.
02:08 - 04:13 (02:05)
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Freak Shows
Summary

The conversation revolves around the history of freak shows and how P.T. Barnum influenced them. The speakers discuss the derogatory terms used and their impact on society.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
The emergence of Barnum and other major figures normalized the industry of freak shows, leading to better treatment for some of the performers who were often people who had been abandoned or adopted by those who ruthlessly exploited them.
04:14 - 10:47 (06:33)
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Freak Shows
Summary

The emergence of Barnum and other major figures normalized the industry of freak shows, leading to better treatment for some of the performers who were often people who had been abandoned or adopted by those who ruthlessly exploited them.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
A man touts an 80-year-old woman as a 160-year-old former nursemaid to George Washington to draw in crowds for a freak show.
10:47 - 14:02 (03:14)
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Freak Show
Summary

A man touts an 80-year-old woman as a 160-year-old former nursemaid to George Washington to draw in crowds for a freak show. When ticket sales drop, he anonymously confesses to a Boston newspaper that the woman was a fake.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
The "Silver King" was a man of science who opened a museum in New York in the 1840s, filled with curiosities and weird things.
14:02 - 18:06 (04:04)
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PT Barnum
Summary

The "Silver King" was a man of science who opened a museum in New York in the 1840s, filled with curiosities and weird things. His first big "hoax" was resisting PT Barnum's attempts to obtain a mermaid for his own shows.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
In this podcast, the host delves into unusual questions that allow for a better understanding of our lives and realities, and explores the relationship between our brains and experiences.
18:06 - 23:40 (05:34)
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Neuroscience
Summary

In this podcast, the host delves into unusual questions that allow for a better understanding of our lives and realities, and explores the relationship between our brains and experiences.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
The hosts discuss the story of P.T.
23:40 - 28:05 (04:24)
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Entertainment
Summary

The hosts discuss the story of P.T. Barnum's discovery of Charles Stratton, also known as General Tom Thumb, a distant cousin of his who stopped growing when he was two, and how he brought him to fame as a performer.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
Barnum collaborated with Tom Thumb's father to make money out of the boy's unusual height, and despite his reputation for managing money, he fell on hard times due to bad investments.
28:05 - 31:36 (03:31)
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P.T. Barnum
Summary

Barnum collaborated with Tom Thumb's father to make money out of the boy's unusual height, and despite his reputation for managing money, he fell on hard times due to bad investments.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
Schlitzy, a star performer in freak shows during the early 20th century and in the beloved film "Freaks," was billed as a woman for most of his career due to his slightly abnormally shaped head, which was exaggerated by the haircut he was given.
31:36 - 35:31 (03:54)
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Entertainment
Summary

Schlitzy, a star performer in freak shows during the early 20th century and in the beloved film "Freaks," was billed as a woman for most of his career due to his slightly abnormally shaped head, which was exaggerated by the haircut he was given. He was paid $1 a day at first to grunt and pretend to play the violin poorly.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
The new podcast will delve into unusual questions to assist in better understanding our lives and realities.
35:31 - 40:51 (05:20)
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Neuroscience
Summary

The new podcast will delve into unusual questions to assist in better understanding our lives and realities. The podcast offers insights into the relationship between our brains and our experiences by invoking an example in Todd Browning's movie, Freaks.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
The famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng lived extraordinary lives, performing on their own and making a lot of money.
40:51 - 44:38 (03:46)
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Chang and Eng
Summary

The famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng lived extraordinary lives, performing on their own and making a lot of money. They eventually settled down, got married, and bought houses where they would alternate living every three days.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
The sideshow industry was popular as it gave people an opportunity to see the 'freaks' with their own eyes.
44:38 - 52:37 (07:59)
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Sideshow
Summary

The sideshow industry was popular as it gave people an opportunity to see the 'freaks' with their own eyes. However, sideshows vanished as they were considered to be degrading by society and performers lost their fortunes.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know
This podcast delves deep into the relationship between our brains and experiences by exploring questions such as creating new senses for humans.
52:38 - 56:25 (03:47)
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Brain Science
Summary

This podcast delves deep into the relationship between our brains and experiences by exploring questions such as creating new senses for humans. The episode also examines standard engineering hurdles and the viability of the final product.

Episode
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Podcast
Stuff You Should Know