Posted on July 5, 2021
This is an update of my post published on July 5, 2010:
Born on this day in 1810, Phineas Taylor Barnum grew up to be what some call a great showman—and what others call a shameless huckster.
He opened a circus he billed as “the Greatest Show on Earth,” and he presented what was then called a "freak show," exhibiting such “curiosities” as little people (folks with dwarfism), conjoined twins, albinos, giants, and other non-freaks who happened to have unusual conditions.
He opened a circus he billed as “the Greatest Show on Earth,” and he presented what was then called a "freak show," exhibiting such “curiosities” as little people (folks with dwarfism), conjoined twins, albinos, giants, and other non-freaks who happened to have unusual conditions.
Barnum included in his show exhibits like "the Feejee Mermaid," which was supposed to be the mummified body of a mermaid, but was really the torso and head of a baby monkey attached to a large fish tail, and covered with paper maché.
Barnum used “hype” to entertain people – and, with fakes such as the “Feejee Mermaid,” one would say to fool people—but he was honest that his performances were "humbug" (lies or trickery). He was not fond of people using humbug and claiming that it was real, true, and honest!
Barnum felt so strongly about this, he used his knowledge of trickery to debunk people who ripped others off. Mediums claimed to speak to the dead, but, Barnum said, exploited grieving people who would pay almost any amount of money to speak with their loved ones again. Barnum helped to reveal the tricks used...And he even served as an expert witness on "humbuggery" (!) in a trial of William Mumler, who claimed he could take photos of "spirits" - aka dead people. Apparently he proved to all that Mumler was a fraud when he showed a photo of himself with Lincoln - a photo a photographer made without reference to spirits!
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| (Above) Mumler took a photo of Mary Todd Lincoln, and it convinced her that her dearly departed husband Abe Lincoln was still watching over her. At the trial, P.T. Barnum presented this photo of himself with Lincoln supposedly watching over HIM! |
Apparently Mumler was acquitted because Barnum's proof didn't rise to legal-level proof that Mumler's spirit photos were fraudulent - but Mumler's spirit-photo business and his reputation never recovered.
P.T. Barnum Said...
“There's a sucker born every minute.”
And:
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