A recent article by CNN documents 15 of the world’s weirdest museums and, not surprisingly, there’s quite a bit of interesting material for sideshow lovers. Consider the excerpts below your official CliffsNotes: Kunstkamera Russia’s first museum might seem an odd selection for a “weird museum,” but even a casual glance at Peter the Great’s cabinet [...]
Released in 1946, Children of Paradise is a classic French film that takes place in the seedy underground of the old theatre and street performance circles of Paris. It is a saga (running nearly 3 hours) that involves timeless elements of love and betrayal, all told through beautiful cinematography, with a healthy abundance of vintage circus [...]
It’s not often that I get downright giddy over the artistry and character of contemporary films, but French Director and Writer Jean-Pierre Jeunet elicited just that with his newest film, Micmacs. Jeunet is most well-known for his work on the indie classic, Amélie, but another one of his flicks, Delicatessen, also gained considerable (and well deserved) notoriety too. [...]
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
For lovers of comedy, clowning and vaudeville-style entertainment, the name Harpo Marx needs no introduction. Aside from being a skilled musician and pantomime, Harpo was a virtuoso when it came to comedic prop handling. His son, Bill Marx, has created a site (titled Harpo’s Place) to document facts, stories and insights into this legendary man, [...]
Warning coulrophobes: There’s a new clown-centric movie on the scene and it promises to heighten your discomfort with clowns if you’re already so inclined. I present to you, the trailer for The Last Circus: Here’s the official plot synopsis: 1937, Spain is in the midst of the brutal Spanish Civil War. A “Happy” circus [...]
From 1968 to 1997, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College educated hundreds of entertainers, eager to hone their clowning chops. Throughout the course of its lifetime, this school was located in Venice, Florida, Baraboo, WI and finally Sarasota, FL. If you were lucky enough to be admitted to this college, (“It was [...]
Calling all coulrophobes: Today’s post is a purely gratuitous look at animatronic clowns. I’ve scoured the internet for videos featuring said props, and these are listed below for your viewing pleasure. How, you may ask, did I stumble onto this topic? Don’t ask such questions; just enjoy and if you’re so inclined, vote on your [...]
The circus legacy has left an indelible mark on the city of Sarasota, Florida. Sadly, however, many are unaware of the town’s back-story and even circus nerds, such as myself, can live there for years without ever fully understanding the depth of impact the circus tradition has had on that town. Doing its part to [...]
I’m often troubled by the bastardization of words such as clown, sideshow and circus in contemporary vernacular. A clown commonly refers to any ineffective dolt. A sideshow is simply a distraction from a serious issue, often in the political arena. A media circus is an overblown paparazzi orgy. As a die-hard enthusiast for true circus [...]