Word up! Freak shows haven't gone anywhere. Now we just pretend they're something else, like Most Embarrassing Bodies, or Benefits Street, or BBC3.
We might be shocked by this gallery of Victorian freak show posters, but at least there's a weird sort of honesty about them; "Here are some people who look different from you, so that you can gawp at them".
Times haven't changed all that much - we've just become better at lying to ourselves... Wait. That sounded rather sincere and cynical didn't it? Maybe we've sobered up at last. Dear god... we're starting to feel things again! Quickly, mother - the gin!
We might be shocked by this gallery of Victorian freak show posters, but at least there's a weird sort of honesty about them; "Here are some people who look different from you, so that you can gawp at them".
Times haven't changed all that much - we've just become better at lying to ourselves... Wait. That sounded rather sincere and cynical didn't it? Maybe we've sobered up at last. Dear god... we're starting to feel things again! Quickly, mother - the gin!
15. GIANT CHILDREN and PRIZE BABY
Meet Anna, Herman and Lottie - fat kids from the days before screens. So, think about that, fat children, the next time you go to shove a handful of crisps in your mouths - once upon a time you'd have been able to make a decent living out of your obesity, up on stage in front of an adoring crowd, who applaud you and... oh. Ohhh...
13. THE SINGING GIRL WITH TWO HEADS
We're sceptical about this one, but you never know - maybe she really did have two heads. Unlike most girls... who have two faces!!! Amiright, sisters?!? High five!
13. MISS LUCY MOORE - THE HEAVIEST FEMALE IN THE WORLD
She honestly doesn't look that big. Is that really what passed for The Heaviest Female in the World back then? Pitiful. Not even trying. There's a bloke who works in our Chicken Cottage who's twice the size.
12. UNTHAN THE ARMLESS WONDER
Never mind about him being armless... what's with the name? Unthan?! UNTHAN??? Who's called Unthan? Un-Arm would make more sense.
11. THE AMAZING AMAZON WOMAN
"Every man's worst nightmare..." as your missus goes on an Amazon.com spending spree with your credit card. Amiright, fellers?! High five!
10. HARVEY'S MIDGES - THE SMALLEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
Princess Lottie, General Tot, Prince Midge... at a guess, we don't reckon those are their real names. We wonder if - as this poster threatens - Harvey juggles with his midges. Matron.
9. HUGE LIPTON THE LONDON COLOSSUS
As if there wasn't enough indignity involved in being big enough to crush a tram, they then tie bows around your biceps, put you in a pair of tight cycling shorts, and make you wear girl's shoes, and change your name from Hugh.
8. MISS JULIA PASTRANA - THE NONDESCRIPT
"Nondescript" really is underselling Miss Julia Pastrana, who at even the most basic level could be described as "hairy".
7. BABIL AND BIJOU
We're assuming Babil and Bijou are a couple. And yes - we're wondering about it too. Amiright, fellers?! High five!
6. "KRAO" THE "MISSING LINK"
"Krao" was discovered by that distinguished travelled Carl Bock - the inventor of bok-choi, whatever that is. Probably some sort of vegetable <SPITS>.
5. SOLOMON THE MAN MONKEY
Dressing a chimp in a top hat does not make him the missing link, nor a man monkey. Doesn't mean we wouldn't pay upwards of twenty quid to see it...
4. THE WONDERFUL ALBINO FAMILY
See... this is the thing. You didn't need to humiliate them by highlighting their albinism. You could've sufficed with "The Stupid Hair Family".
3. TATTOOED GREEK
Once upon a time it was enough to be Greek and have tattoos to be considered a freak by G.A.Farini. We wonder what he would've made of all the tattooed foreigners round our way. Amiright, racists?!? High five!
2. AUSTRALIANS
"Australians". Figures.
1. OR... WHAT IS IT?
What long sought for link between Man and the ourang-outang?! Surely that's just ginger people. Amiright, people who think it's hilarious to make fun of ginger people!???! Many high fives!
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