TITLE: The Rise and Fall of the Sideshow Geek
AUTHOR: Nathan Wakefield
PUBLISHER: Outside Talker Press
ISBN: 978-1737203643
PODCAST EPISODE: Episode 165
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
These days, the word “geek” tends to evoke an image of a person passionate about a fandom. People label themselves proud geeks, often in association with different sci-fi, fantasy, or comic-based fandoms. Just a few short generations ago, as recently as the 1960s, the word brought to mind something far bloodier – and being a geek was something a person would not wish to admit. The geek was a carnival freak, often a “Wild Man “(and sometimes Woman) who would – in the words of the bally - “eat 'em alive.” These shows were horrific, existing solely to disgust, and were commonly only one step ahead of the law even before animal rights movements began to take hold. Still, these acts often brought in the most money out of all of the sideshow entertainment. What happened to geek shows, and why do we rarely speak of them now?
Nathan Wakefield, himself an accomplished performer, decided to answer this question in THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SIDESHOW GEEK: SNAKE EATERS, HUMAN OSTRICHES & OTHER EXTREME ENTERTAINMENTS (Outside Talker Press in a partnership with Shocked and Amazed! Imprints, 2023). The book is without a doubt the most exhaustive look at the history of the geek act, and other associated swallowing and regurgitation tricks, complete with the most complete histories of famous performers and other historical ephemera – along with obscure pamphlets rarely seen and photos from the author's own personal collection.
Wakefield relates the history of the sideshow geek from the the oldest story he could find of a geek-like act (performed by Dedi, a magician in Ancient Egypt), through to the modern day where shows like Fear Factor gave audiences the same thrills and disgust that was previously found in far more extreme acts. Not neglected are the Goldfish Swallowing Craze that overtook college campuses in the late 1930s, and the similarly unusual Headless Chicken boom of the 1880s.
Throughout this unusual history, Wakefield never loses sight of the core question behind it all. What was it about this act that appealed to the audience precisely – and what happened to it? While the geek act is one that likely will never exist again, it is something that once did and had great popularity for a time. Carnival acts, particularly sideshow acts, are an understudied cross-section of marginalized populations and much can be learned about this disappearing bit of history if we take the time to turn our eyes to it. Wakefield’s book proves how important it is to document more marginalized cultures before they are gone for good, as the historical fascination with geek-like acts has not at all died, populations at large have only turned elsewhere for their catharsis. Everyone loves a show, and Wakefield's book transports the reader to the front of the pit to see something that will never be seen again.
AUTHOR: Nathan Wakefield
PUBLISHER: Outside Talker Press
ISBN: 978-1737203643
PODCAST EPISODE: Episode 165
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
These days, the word “geek” tends to evoke an image of a person passionate about a fandom. People label themselves proud geeks, often in association with different sci-fi, fantasy, or comic-based fandoms. Just a few short generations ago, as recently as the 1960s, the word brought to mind something far bloodier – and being a geek was something a person would not wish to admit. The geek was a carnival freak, often a “Wild Man “(and sometimes Woman) who would – in the words of the bally - “eat 'em alive.” These shows were horrific, existing solely to disgust, and were commonly only one step ahead of the law even before animal rights movements began to take hold. Still, these acts often brought in the most money out of all of the sideshow entertainment. What happened to geek shows, and why do we rarely speak of them now?
Nathan Wakefield, himself an accomplished performer, decided to answer this question in THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SIDESHOW GEEK: SNAKE EATERS, HUMAN OSTRICHES & OTHER EXTREME ENTERTAINMENTS (Outside Talker Press in a partnership with Shocked and Amazed! Imprints, 2023). The book is without a doubt the most exhaustive look at the history of the geek act, and other associated swallowing and regurgitation tricks, complete with the most complete histories of famous performers and other historical ephemera – along with obscure pamphlets rarely seen and photos from the author's own personal collection.
Wakefield relates the history of the sideshow geek from the the oldest story he could find of a geek-like act (performed by Dedi, a magician in Ancient Egypt), through to the modern day where shows like Fear Factor gave audiences the same thrills and disgust that was previously found in far more extreme acts. Not neglected are the Goldfish Swallowing Craze that overtook college campuses in the late 1930s, and the similarly unusual Headless Chicken boom of the 1880s.
Throughout this unusual history, Wakefield never loses sight of the core question behind it all. What was it about this act that appealed to the audience precisely – and what happened to it? While the geek act is one that likely will never exist again, it is something that once did and had great popularity for a time. Carnival acts, particularly sideshow acts, are an understudied cross-section of marginalized populations and much can be learned about this disappearing bit of history if we take the time to turn our eyes to it. Wakefield’s book proves how important it is to document more marginalized cultures before they are gone for good, as the historical fascination with geek-like acts has not at all died, populations at large have only turned elsewhere for their catharsis. Everyone loves a show, and Wakefield's book transports the reader to the front of the pit to see something that will never be seen again.