Wed on a tightrope, balancing over a crowd in Toulouse, France? How romantic!

Jyoti Amge (14) of Nagpur, India is the Worlds Smallest Girl according to the Indian Book of Records. She was born on December 16, 1993 and now measures just 1 ft 11 inches tall and weighs 11 lb. Jyoti is diagnosed with Achondroplasia; the most recognizable and most common form of dwarfism. Jyoti is a student at the Bhartiya Vidya Niketan Higher Primary School in Nagpur. (Fox)

To view the original article and see more photos of the world’s smallest girl, Jyoti Amge, click here.

That’s right; rise up, carnie nation!

An angry snake charmer from India named Hakkal had his “99 percent” moment when bureaucrats at the Government Land Registry Office refused to process his land-request application. So Hakkal took matters into his own hands: He dumped three sacks full of 40 venomous snakes, including cobras, into the office. The scene was captured in the video above, and shows government workers shooing away the hissing snakes with fabric as the deadly reptiles slid onto chairs and desks. And miraculously — unlike the OWS protests — no one was bitten! (Gawker)

This makes me quite happy today. Thanks for the article, Wendy.

The 51st Annual Winter Circus Mixer will be hosted at the Farm Kitchen in Baraboo, Wisconsin on Saturday, January 21. Here’s the rundown:

• 2:00 pm Bull Room opens
• 5:00 pm Circus history lecture
• 5:30 pm Social hour
• 6:30 pm Buffet dinner

All are welcome! Tickets are $25 at the door. For reservations, call 608-356-0890. Click here to view the Facebook Event.

Show Biz Books & Ephemera will be at the mixer, too. They specialize in dealing circus and show business memorabillia, including books, programs, posters, heralds and assorted items. If you want to receive their latest price list or ask them to bring a specific item to the mixer, drop them an email (showbizbooks@gmail.com).

Enjoy and stay warm!

In a few short hours, the opening show of Circus Sarasota‘s Cirque des Voix will commence and yours truly will be kicking off the festivities in a group fire act backed by the nationally renowned Key Chorale. Also on the bill are The Flying Wallendas, Dolly Jacobs and Annaliese Nock, daughter of Bello Nock. That’s a whole lot of circus legacy packed into one show and it’s an honor to perform alongside such names, under the big top, in my hometown.

Today, before lacing up the costume and slathering on the makeup, I felt the need to say thank you. I never imagined I’d someday perform under a tented show, especially one of this magnitude, and I absolutely would not be here if it weren’t for the encouragement and support from friends, family and HeyRube readers like you. On an uncharacteristically sappy note, I hope this encourages a few of you out there to pursue your wildest dreams, especially the far-fetched ones. I think today is proof that anything is attainable, if you want it badly enough. Blah, blah, blah… you’re all the best.

Happy Friday the 13th and I’ll see you on the otherside!

Sincerely,

A circus performer

PS. And now, for a little local news coverage:

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the final dress rehearsal for the Ringling Brother’s latest show, Dragons. This spectacle celebrates the Chinese Year of the Dragon and that particular rehearsal was the first time the cast had performed the show in front of a live audience. While I enthusiastically attend any and all circus events possible, I have to say that dress rehearsals are my new favorite.

During the rehearsal, there were mistakes, technical issues and straight up catastrophes. I watched one horse-back rider get trampled by her equestrian partner. I saw another trick rider nearly torn in half when his two horses decided to take off in different directions. Then, of course, there was the hilariously klutzy stagehand who got caught in a tarp as it was being briskly pulled offstage; I personally think he needs to audition for a clowning spot next season.

I do not mean to be insensitive to the performers whose acts went awry, and I sincerely hope none of them were seriously injured. The real reason I was positively enthralled by the experience is that there was no illusion of invincibility. Most circus performers execute their stunts with such precision and showmanship that at some point, spectators cease to understand how truly dangerous these acts are. But when the opening act involves a nearly fatal fall, every audience member is on the edge of their seats for the rest of the show.

In conclusion, if you ever have the opportunity to attend (or sneak into) a dress rehearsal, do it! There’s no guarantee that the show will go according to plan, even for the most seasoned of performers.

Joseph Grimaldi

And now it’s time for another installation of Circus Slang on HeyRube:

Joey:

• (noun) \ˈjō-ē\
• Another word for a clown, derived from Joseph Grimaldi, a famous 19th century clown

After witnessing the Rosaire Family’s Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary in Sarasota last week, I’ve been quite enchanted by researching circus animal acts. Now most people associate circus animals with elephants, horses, poodles and perhaps a chimpanzee, but recently I stumbled into a less expected candidate for circus acts: The American Eskimo! Check it out and enjoy:

After a leisurely afternoon of admiring ligers, petting goats and snuggling with emus at Sarasota’s Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary, my sisters and I were treated to a demonstration by the Rosaire Family and a few of their feline friends. This ninth-generation circus family has been training and rescuing exotic animals for several decades and they now reside in Sarasota, educating the public about animal welfarism. Animal welfare is often contrasted against animal rights, and here is the primary distinction between these two philosophies:

• Animal Welfare: The use of animals by humans is appropriate, given the humans involved maintain a high level of responsibility to ensure that the animals do not suffer and are treated humanely.
• Animal Rights: The use of animals by humans is not appropriate.

While I do believe that everyone has the right to subscribe to their own beliefs, I have to say that the bonds I witnessed between the Rosaire’s and their animals was beautiful and they are doing a commendable job supporting these creatures. Their wild animal preserve is a 501©(3) non-profit organization and they manage to care for a large number of exotic animals through ticket sales, donations and volunteers.

In fact, their work is so inspiring that a documentarian took note and released a full-length film featuring their legacy titled Circus Rosaire. This documentary has won several awards, including the Sarasota Film Festival, Memphis International Film Festival and the Arizona International Film Festival, to name a few. Here’s the official trailer for this flick:

If you’d like to know more about the Rosaire family, their work, or how you can get involved, click here. And if you have a soft spot for chimps, you definitely want to friend Chance Rosaire.

Here’s a freaky, feel-good story to warm the heart this holiday season:

In a reversal of fortunes, a once-unwanted cat has come to the rescue of an animal shelter in need of a new home.
However, this orange-and-white tabby named Daniel is no typical cat. He has a near-record 26 toes, a phenomenon that is helping the nonprofit Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center raise money to relocate to a new building.

Normal cats have 18 toes, but Daniel has two extra on each foot due to a genetic mutation called polydactylism.

Officials at the center found out their rent at a Milwaukee-area mall was being doubled on Jan. 1. So, the shelter sought small donations of $26 — or $1 per toe.

They’ve collected enough so far to secure the financing with about $80,000 raised since Oct. 24, but they hope to raise $120,000 by Dec. 23 so they can become even more financially stable. About $50,000 of the money raised has come from $26 donations. (USA Today)

Merry Christmas, freaky family!