FREAK SHOWS: The Real People Behind the Spectacle episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 10, 2025 · 48 MIN

FREAK SHOWS: The Real People Behind the Spectacle

from History and Hearsay · host Christina

In today's episode of History and Hearsay, we are discussing the History of Circus Freak Shows! ►Sources:https://www.britannica.com/art/circus-theatrical-entertainment/20th-century-developments https://childrenstheatre.org/2024/01/17/the-early-history-of-traveling-entertainment-in-the-u-s/https://www.aaastateofplay.com/circus-history/#:~:text=Many traveling circuses in the,and the downfall of sideshowshttps://lynchburgmuseum.org/sideshowshttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Elephant-Man https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Stratton Books about the McCoy Twins: Biography History and Medical Description of the Two-Headed Girl (1869) was sold during their public appearances. Millie-Christine: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (2000)https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/discovery/history-stories/millie-and-christine-mccoy-1851-1912-african-american-conjoined-twin-performers/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/lobster-boy https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2023/12/11/millie-christine-mckoy-d-74 https://scalar.usc.edu/works/circus-route-books-project/annie-jones https://www.britannica.com/art/freak-show https://allthatsinteresting.com/annie-jones-bearded-lady https://allthatsinteresting.com/joseph-merrick https://www.k180.org/faith--film-blog/my-life-is-full-because-i-know-i-am-loved-the-elephant-man-1980 https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/julia-pastrana-a-monster-to-the-whole-world/ Additional sources linked: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnum's_American_Museum Support the show

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Oct 10, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

FREAK SHOWS: The Real People Behind the Spectacle

0:00 48:07

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of History and Hearsay?

This episode is 48 minutes long.

When was this History and Hearsay episode published?

This episode was published on October 10, 2025.

Can I download this History and Hearsay episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!