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