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Started By
Message
PT Barnum was a riot
Posted on 7/10/20 at 12:58 am
Posted on 7/10/20 at 12:58 am
I am listening to a biography of this irrepressible rapscallion, and I have to say that he is second only to Trump in terms of chutzpah and showmanship.
Listen to this story of his first public hustle...
Joice Heth (c. 1756 – February 19, 1836)[1] was an African-American slave who was exhibited by P.T. Barnum with the false claim that she was the 161-year-old nursing mammy of George Washington. Her exhibition under these claims, and her public autopsy, gained considerable notoriety.
Joice Heth died in New York City on February 19, 1836, aged around 79. To gratify public interest, Barnum set up a public autopsy. Barnum engaged the service of a surgeon, Dr. David L. Rogers, who performed the autopsy on February 25, 1836, in front of fifteen hundred spectators in New York's City Saloon, with Barnum charging fifty cents admission.When Rogers declared the age claim a fraud, Barnum insisted that the autopsy victim was another person, and that Heth was alive, on a tour to Europe. Years later, Barnum finally admitted the hoax.
Listen to this story of his first public hustle...
Joice Heth (c. 1756 – February 19, 1836)[1] was an African-American slave who was exhibited by P.T. Barnum with the false claim that she was the 161-year-old nursing mammy of George Washington. Her exhibition under these claims, and her public autopsy, gained considerable notoriety.
Joice Heth died in New York City on February 19, 1836, aged around 79. To gratify public interest, Barnum set up a public autopsy. Barnum engaged the service of a surgeon, Dr. David L. Rogers, who performed the autopsy on February 25, 1836, in front of fifteen hundred spectators in New York's City Saloon, with Barnum charging fifty cents admission.When Rogers declared the age claim a fraud, Barnum insisted that the autopsy victim was another person, and that Heth was alive, on a tour to Europe. Years later, Barnum finally admitted the hoax.
This post was edited on 7/10/20 at 1:00 am
5
Posted on 7/10/20 at 1:03 am to SirWinston
quote:
I have to say that he is second only to Trump in terms of chutzpah and showmanship.
Can you explain what you mean by this?
Posted on 7/10/20 at 1:06 am to SirWinston
Man was a con with low morals in a society that was particularly gullible to claims made in print. Revolutionary I tell you.
This post was edited on 7/10/20 at 1:07 am
Posted on 7/10/20 at 1:08 am to Tunasntigers92
Well Trump is definitely a huckster in some ways - especially how he rants about clean coal and windmills killing birds. Like he takes some shades of truth and crafts this story that is hilarious and endearing and also pisses off sanctimonious leftists all in one. Barnum was of that persuasion as well but only gained wealth. Trump has used his schtick and his talents to become one of the most powerful men in the world
Posted on 7/10/20 at 1:10 am to SirWinston
I find you're comparison deeply intriguing
Posted on 7/10/20 at 1:26 am to SirWinston
I kinda wish Barnum would get a proper film treatment of his life beyond the sanitized fluff in The Greatest Showman.
Regardless of what you think of his character, his career, alongside that of General Tom Thumb, is really fascinating stuff. The fame they achieved, and the impact on American culture in their day and age was truly remarkable.
Regardless of what you think of his character, his career, alongside that of General Tom Thumb, is really fascinating stuff. The fame they achieved, and the impact on American culture in their day and age was truly remarkable.
Posted on 7/10/20 at 3:23 am to SirWinston
"No man ever went broke overestimating the ignorance of the American public."- P. T. Barnum.
Posted on 7/10/20 at 5:18 am to TexasTiger89
That should be Al Sharpton’s motto
Posted on 7/10/20 at 6:00 am to SirWinston
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