Freakery, Past & Present [CC]

[@changelingreader14]

The fun thing to recognize is that low culture, high culture, and so forth are completely rubbish separations if you place everything into a world time-line context. I mean, Shakespeare was low culture at times (heck, the amount of penis jokes and toilet humor should be taken into consideration despite the high culture placing of it nowadays).

[@disabled.autistic.lesbian]

YES THANK YOU

[@Authentistic-ism]

This explains Sideshow Bob from the Simpsons, finally

[@Authentistic-ism]

Hey it was cool to hear you share about how you use commentary videos. I do something similar! I couldn't stand reality TV until I started watching a couples and family therapist I respect give useful reactions to the drama and toxicitys those shows portray without guidance. And helps me cope with some past relationship troubles I'm still processing for myself. It made me a fan of reality TV in a way my friends do not understand but it's really enlightening lens through which to watch otherwise exploitative trash TV.

[@disabled.autistic.lesbian]

Yes! That is how I have learned how healthy relationships work lol

[@alicesenz6374]

I’m so glad you mentioned reality tv because I’ve said before to friends “love don’t judge” and similar content channels make me think of freak shows. They put 50 year age gap couples alongside videos or people with Tourette’s or trans people, and despite the title of the channel the obvious purpose for the viewer and the comment section is to judge.

[@tracirex]

glad you are being paid to educate us and lead us. thank you.

[@robot7759]

Okay, now I'm freaked out.

[@abdulazizmohammed6832]

Just found your channel. Amazing! Im a medical student and I wanna pursue disability research and advocacy for my post grad studies and your videos provide amazing insight! Thank you!!!

[@ryn2844]

What do you think of the YT channel SBSK? Would that classify as a fr3ak show? Obviously I have curiosity for people who are different to me, and I satisfy that curiosity by subscribing to KZbinrs who talk about the ways they are different. Footless Jo, Rikki Poynter etc (not you though, I'm a fellow aut!stic trans, that's why I'm here.) I've never thought of this as fr3ak-show-esque before, but well, they are monetizing their differences I guess? But they're not exaggerating their differences and making half-fake narratives out of it, they're trying to humanize, educate and advocate. So the purpose does feel different. So I don't know. Does the intention of the creator matter? What if the intention of some of the viewers is more about gawking than about learning and accepting and normalizing? Does the level of truth versus exaggerated narrative that the creator displays matter? To me SBSK feels kind of halfway between fr3ak show and emancipation. Its intent seems to be emancipation, but I don't know if that's what most of the audience is there for. I don't know, I've always felt kind of uncomfortable about it and I didn't know why or whether that was a justified and fair reaction to something that clearly has good intent.

[@disabled.autistic.lesbian]

Yeah I am really half and half on that channel. I think the intentions are great and some of the impact is really great but it's always sat a small bit strangely to me?

[@haroldgifford852]

🎭👺👹👽😱

[@oriraykai3610]

I know the reincarnation of PT Barnum. Grew up with him. One thing I'll say is that he's veeerrrrryyyy petty and vengeful.

[@larryk731]

I'm assuming you used The Elephant Man movie (1980) as part of your research. Great film but always thought the doctor was only slightly better than the freak show owner. He used John Merrick just as much but didn't abuse him.

[@oriraykai3610]

Do you know anything about the "The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations"? Specifically, did it contain an exhibit of baby incubators? Another youtube video said it did, but provided no evidence. They said that baby incubators were used as far back as 1835 and they were right (St. Petersburg foundling hospital), so I'm wondering if they were also right about the Great Exhibition of 1853. The orphantrains started up the very next year, so it kind of makes sense but I'd like to see actual proof...

[@oriraykai3610]

Pictures! We want pictures! Give us pictures! Hulk want pictures or Hulk smash!