P.T. Barnum: Exploiter or Uplifter?

[@SeabassFishbrains]

As a circus performer, I just want to say thanks for telling the story fairly accurately for once and not just vilifying him!

[@SeabassFishbrains]

Ash Kitt Me? Heck no, I have close to zero social media presence and that's the way I like it :) I have to focus on training and youtube is something I can watch while warming up the dreaded flexibility and handstand stuff I have to do every day XD

[@craigjoshuaboden1087]

What is your act

[@SeabassFishbrains]

Craig joshua Boden I specialize mainly in trampoline and Chinese hoop diving but I also train contortion and ballet complementary!

[@craigjoshuaboden1087]

@@SeabassFishbrains wow OK that takes serious skill and body control.

[@thefenrisianssweatshop]

SeabassFishbrains snap, I grew up with chipperfields circus (my mother’s partner was their organist) and naturally my young curiosity eventually got me juggling and fire performing. Alas my military service (the other side of my family’s backgrounds) killed off any career. Of late I’m picking it all back up. As a result of my retirement, The juggles kept me busy during recovery. Thus my historical interest got me into finding out more about Barnum. And circus history as a whole. An utterly fascinating subject.

[@vsssa1845]

p.t barnum is a marketing genius. he was a century ahead of his time.

[@Betrayerslayer]

I fok u

[@idkwhyihaveyt8686]

@@Betrayerslayer wut

[@projectjt3149]

Makes me think what would he do with social media and TV/live-streaming

[@kittyythecat]

I know that a lot of people are bashing on Barnum and for what he did but he did a lot more good. I watched Simon's other video of the elephant man (it's really sad, btw) and one of the facts was that he had the rest of his days in the hospital with good money in taking care of him. Plus, slavery was a thing back then. He gave Joyce the greatest times to the end and he respected a lot of African-Americans. He didn't look down on them but saw them as his friends, family. This is just me but a man that is willing to give jobs of the outcast says a lot. As Simon said, Barnum looked at them as family. If someone in history does more good than harm then that's all that matters. A lot of people in history have had faults. They did amazing things but they are human in the end.

[@terryhollands2794]

Such a nice comment.

[@BaldingClamydia]

That's all true and I agree, but we should still remember people's flaws as well, in the interest of truth and not remembering people as untouchable saints.

[@trippyman7997]

Those animal activist retards somehow believe what they see on youtube. And if they think why they attack them sometimes. There. Wild. Animals.

[@samuraijaco1]

terry hollands history is a messy thing. While we can (and maybe should) look back and criticize we most definitely should appreciate the good that those who came before us did.

[@o_foxxyfoxxy_o]

I agree with you. The physically differing people Barnum employed made more money and had better lives than they could have made at the time. Put it this way, Kim Kardashian may be famous, but even she couldn't get the president to pay for either of her honeymoons.

[@darter9000]

In an era where exploitation was the name of the game in the economy... his employees has done quite well.

[@spiritusmundi70]

As a fan of Barnum and proud member of Garden Brothers Circus... Thank you. The tradition continues and Barnum is almost something of a saint among us circus folk.

[@SeabassFishbrains]

Amen!

[@teucer915]

I'm not a circus person but I am a performance artist and I hold him in very high regard also.

[@laurakuhn8743]

spiritusmundi70 As a decendent of variety artists and a performer myself I agree with you. This was well done.

[@pansexualdickhaver6878]

@@teucer915 same! I love a good show and love marketing. I consider myself a pro stunter lol

[@angelitabecerra]

As a freshman in high school my best friend's family went to see The Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey in Charlotte, NC (we lived outside the city) and invited me along. It was an incredible experience. This was 12 years before the show was canceled. I'm happy to have had that opportunity

[@Lady-Iset]

Since you did PT Barnum you should do one of his partners The Ringling Brothers they are interesting and practically heros in my home town of Baraboo Wisconsin!

[@JonathanBaltzly]

Robert Ripley would also be good.

[@hectorsmommy1717]

@Gabor the Blind Guy There is a close connection between Baraboo and Sarasota. Baraboo is the Ringling's home town and the original winter quarters of the circus (now the Circus World Museum and home to the largest collection of circus wagons in the world) and Sarasota is where they moved when enough railroads were built in Florida. In the late 1800's, Wisconsin was the winter home for more circuses than have ever been collected since. Most of this was because of easy access via rail to the grain fields of the Great Plains and grain depots in Minnesota. There are stories but the funniest is the hippo who escaped into the Baraboo River and managed to stay hidden for a couple of days.

[@kirkscobey3031]

There is a great 3 episode on the circus on Netflix that tells the whole story. Worth watching

[@sararoberts2973]

As a disabled person, the movie inspired me. I don’t look at it as exploitation, even though in reality, it probably was. I’m proud the movie showed the “freaks” as a family and how society treated them, as I know how it feels. And don’t act all high and mighty like PETA. Y’all went to the zoo/circus as children and loved it. The circus was meant to take you out of your every day life and give you a thrill and experience.

[@rimfire8217]

Yeah I can see where you come from.

[@chandir7752]

Credit where credit is due, his work to abolish slavery is definitely to be respected, as is how he gave people with disabilities opportunities they wouldn't have otherwise had. Also you could argue he just gave the public what they wanted, he just fed their desire to see curiosities. But a nuanced view can't disregard how he had the teeth of an 80 year old black woman pulled in order to make her look older, him owning slaves and portraying poc as primitive savages, feeding racism. Not to mention animal cruelty, his belugas were reportedly boiled alive in one of the fires and fell a few stories when the building collapsed to name just one example. All in all he remains a controversial figure for good reason.

[@pamelamays4186]

I had no idea that Tom Thumb was his cousin.

[@botanicallyaberry6406]

the real PT Barnum is an even more interesting and surprisingly kind hearted than I thought he would be!

[@jsadventures2795]

P.T. Barnum was my Grandfathers great uncle. So I'm glad you have this video

[@pamelaarescurrinaga3295]

Good one ! I loved our family's annual trip to the Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus. I had heard the P T Barnum was a decent and good man. I am happy to have this confirmation.

[@Steel_Bison]

This has to be one of the best Bios. I was enthralled listening to everything about P.T. Barnum and getting to the part about his mansion and museum burning down hurt me a little, just seeing everything he worked for go up in flames but I'm glad he was able to bounce back from that.

[@kirkscobey3031]

As a kid I was babysat by the Barnum Family in Michigan. He was supposedly a direct descendant of PT. I have always been drawn to stories of him as well as loving history. Thank you!!

[@grandmamosays3310]

When I was a young girl more than fifty years ago, my aunt took me to the Barnum and Bailey Circus. I was overwhelmed (I'd never even been to a movie before this) and it was pretty amazing...until they shot a chimpanzee out of a cannon. The sound of the cannon firing was bad enough, but I freaked out so badly about the poor chimpanzee that we had to leave the circus early. I still feel embarrassed thinking about it. I have read enough about PT Barnum to know that he wasn't being cruel to the "freaks" in his circus. This was a time when these people would have been hidden away and shunned. Their own families were often ashamed of them. With the circus they could earn a very good living, gain respect and socialize with other performers. I have no problem with PT Barnum, assuming of course that the performers had freely chosen to work for him.

[@oldenweery7510]

Simon, I've found, in my old age, that history and factual videos and movies are just as fascinating as good fiction. Thanks for this, I Subbed and Liked, and clicked the Notification Bell. Looking forward to more good stuff. (Have to add Biographics to my nightly visiting list!) Oh, and I'm so glad you included the "Egress" thing; the man was brilliant, as well as fair.

[@jacobmoreno9698]

For so long I’ve had mixed feelings and ideas on who pt was as a person. Many say he truly was a good man and other day he was a horrible person that was bad. I kinda see him as a better man then I once thought. If you look up the life of his”freaks” yes they were technically exploited but honestly because of him they lived pretty well lives and people didn’t really hate them because of him.

[@d1Netta]

I love the way Simon says "controversy." 😊

[@secretshaman189]

This is such a great channel. Kudos to all you who produce this wonderful historical KZbin!

[@uncanny6720]

Do one on Alexander the Great

[@N.E.S.T.A]

Awesome! I’m from Connecticut and this makes me proud to have been raised here. So much history, I wish we were taught this in school!

[@cronquist09]

Good stuff Simon! How about a video on Yuri Gargarin?

[@nessa5555]

Can you do a video on Lady Jane Grey (The Nine Day Queen)?

[@thefenrisianssweatshop]

Jessica Watson oh yes!

[@mjtruth1039]

P. T. Barnum: These people are basically family to me. I pay them very well and give them employment. Some guy in 2020: Barnum was a monster!

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:35 - Chapter 1 - Early life 4:35 - Chapter 2 - The first taste of show business 8:25 - Chapter 3 - The american museum 13:10 - Chapter 4 - Iranistan & the music business 15:50 - Chapter 5 - The barnum & bailey circus 17:40 - Chapter 6 - Later life & legacy

[@lcmars]

When I was little my parents bought me a set of books, kind of like an encyclopedia but each book was the biography of a person. I loved those books. This channel reminds me of them :) Do Louis Braille and Toulousse Lautrec please!

[@wyldcherrybomb]

I really appreciate the accuracy in this biography.

[@danielbigham6290]

I saw this circus in the 1970's and to the wee lad I was then, it truly was "The Greatest Show on Earth".

[@teddzagan5178]

Houdini never believed in talking to the dead either LOL. His seances were done specifically to expose those charlatans. Or perhaps I mistook your wording LoL. Great vid either way! I have really enjoyed your channel since I subscribed. Maybe do a Houdini one if you haven't already? Please keep posting!

[@hectorsmommy1717]

What Barnum "exposed" about Houdini was how he did his escapes. There was no magic involved; just skill, training, physical ability, and the occasional master key hidden somewhere on the body.

[@TheTalonsPryde]

Wait.... born 1810 and died in 1891.... he would be 80/81 not 79 as you said...

[@DrogoBaggins987]

That didn't add up for me either. According to Wikipedia Barnum died just short of 81.

[@thomasmurphy2786]

Of all the Bio pieces you;ve done this is my favorite . thank you All

[@benjeganeethebest374]

This is a more entertaining story than The Greatest Showman

[@pyromania1018]

He never said that famous "sucker" line, but he certainly lived by it, and he expressed dismay that he never thought of it.

[@ericcartman772]

You are a awesome narrator.. Love your style and the conviction of story telling 😀👍🙏

[@TheSummoner86]

That was amazing, thanks for the information. Can't wait to see your next one. I love watching these because it really let's you see pass the myth that surrounds most of the people you choose to do. And my mouth has dropped more then once when hearing what some of them really did to do the things they have.

[@soerenwizard]

What a positive story!

[@ronque23]

Simon, you’re killing it! Loved this one. Can you do Harry Houdini?

[@kylesmiles2362]

Suggestions: Otto Van Bismarck and Sun Tzu: The art of war. Manstein, Montgomery, Petain WW2 and WW1 career. Douglas McCarthy: controversial leader. You have huge opportunity in this channel, you basically struck gold.

[@speedy97979]

Absolutely love Biograics. Always the best place for infotainment and interesting person's through out history and today. The coliapy music in the background was exceptional. Really digging the new background as well.

[@tyler2827]

I went to one of the very last shows in Fort Worth, TX way back in 2017. It was called Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Circus XTREME. It was an amazing show. A shame they had to shut down, but there was a lot of controversy over the animals.

[@christelheadington1136]

Thank you for adding some of the good things about him, they are much less known.

[@randallpetroelje3913]

Amazing. Thanks again for your show. The bio was a good time- like a kid at the circus.😂👍

[@BadlndsBob]

Wow, that was so different from what I was expecting. Excellent.

[@cathal341]

What an Interesting Human Being!

[@ChristyMurphyMotivation]

OMG! I thought I recognized that voice. I used to listen to you on the Rocking Self Publishing Podcast. Congrats on your monstrous success!

[@DC-ru5xz]

Ladies and gents this is the moment you’ve waited for

[@user-hf3tc3su1b]

WOAAAAAAAH

[@Sub-km4nk]

I'm a simple man I see biographix I click

[@jamesirving484]

Need Rasputin video (that isn’t the song)

[@shannonquinn9477]

Simon did a video on Rasputin over on his other channel TopTenzNet

[@solus5635]

James Irving yeah, that would be a good one

[@johnreid2221]

I agree

[@misfitfromtoyisland.9940]

Pretty sure he already has

[@bigpoppa9344]

RARARRARARA RASPUTIN LOVER OF THE RUSSIAN QUEEN THERE WAS CAT THAT REALLY WAS GONE

[@miketurany2082]

Love the video love PT Barnum I mean what an icon I always thought that he was a bit of a scoundrel and a bit of an a hole but after watching this I just was in awe of the benevolence of his just helping everybody wow

[@darion8476]

Fantastic work!

[@philipmarlowe2415]

Good job Simon..nice to see a positive profile of PT !

[@davis0730]

So When is the Aretha Franklin vid dropping man

[@puppetmasterey]

Really though

[@Ecocristero3]

Eh

[@chrisw5953]

Lol

[@DeannaJacksonDJsDelectables]

THIS!

[@avinashjagtap3739]

Hey do a video on Jack Parsons and Allister Crowley.

[@kaeteaux]

Yes!

[@christineparis5607]

That was an insane duo!!

[@avinashjagtap3739]

@@christineparis5607 insane but very influential, they did very crazy things together.

[@nocoastds3067]

Please do a biographics on Jenny Lind. It would be Awesome.

[@Britanical1]

Cecil Rhodes please

[@poolsclosed7757]

Life of Gordon Ramsey please🙏🙏🙏

[@johnilarde8440]

Pools closed LAMB SAUCE!!!!!

[@jonathanilardi7968]

Need NERO, CALIGULA, and/or OLIVER CROMWELL

[@JonathanBaltzly]

Joseph Smith and David Koresh

[@Vospader21]

You know what, I’m gonna up and say. P.T Barnum was not as bad as everyone said he was. Any man who does right by his employees is ok in my book.

[@ronque23]

PT Barnum was an incredible man

[@tantoismailgoldstein6279]

I don't care what anyone says I've been to a few and loved every show.

[@Yourlittleoodle]

Nice new set, man. A long way from the maps and drones of before. Also, fascinating Video.

[@communistjesus]

PT Barnum was the KZbin before KZbin was KZbin.

[@ai_is_a_great_place]

But.... But... I watched The Greatest Showman! You are all wrong in his life story!!!!! Jk lol obviously - another amazing video by your team!

[@DrinkingStar]

Phineas Taylor Barnum, and elected mayor in 1875 in Bridgeport. His fingerprints are all over the city of Bridgeport Connecticut. Barnum donated 300 acres of what is now known as Seaside Park at the south end of Bridgeport. Seaside Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux who also designed Central Park in New York City. Barnum wintered his circus in Went Field. He build many homes for his staff along the area of Iranistan Avenue and Park Avenue in Bridgeport. Several of my music videos here show Seaside Park as well as the statue of P.T. Barnum.

[@mrj509]

Wow what a great man

[@sayuncleordie]

One of my heroes.

[@sapphire13579]

I went to the circus one time. I was 37. I said I would never go to another one until the elephants are no longer used in circuses. I am 61 and they are phasing out the use of elephants in them. Maybe I will be able to see another circus before I die.

[@samanjj]

janet lavergne cirque du Soleil

[@christineparis5607]

I agree with you completely.

[@awkwardlyshypotato6848]

I so agree with you.

[@CologneCarter]

The Garman Circus Roncalli is very successful for decades. They stopped showing any wild animals performing in the 1990' . These days they don't show any animals performing at all anymore and it doesn't diminish their success.

[@missyrose2154]

Oh give me a break 🙄

[@dominicodriscoll3710]

And then he was to be reincarnated in the form of Hugh Jackman to take over the world with the power of friendship! ^^

[@americanpatriot646]

The ppl that disliked the freak show because of "so called exploitation" needs to remember no one that wants to take away your income is your friend!

[@JeremiahsFiles]

Did you know that Disney teamed up with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus during the 123rd edition of the circus in 1993? This can be seen in the 1994 Mickey’s Fun Songs video “Let’s Go To The Circus.”

[@thomasb-o6j]

Did every building burn down back then smh?

[@jameswheat4225]

The ultimate businessman and pioneer American! 👏

[@funkk]

Wow! This is one of my fav videos! really inspiring :)

[@kentajin7860]

I wish I had this kind of curiosity like him!

[@lleo8477]

Ultimate Hustler and Hero.

[@jacobmeyer998]

After Watching this and The Greatest Showman, I would love a video on Jenny Lind. I assume the movie wasnt very accurate

[@mjtruth1039]

It wasn’t accurate. By all accounts, Jenny Lind left because Barnum was promoting her too much.

[@sailorbychoice1]

17:00 The purpose and use of the 3 Rings; it enabled them to have a continuous show without waiting for acts to set up and break down between... This meant the show can be going on in Ring 1 while Ring 2 is setting up to go on next while those in Ring 3 break down their props/sets as they had just completed their set. Then Ring 2 would be on while Ring 3 set up to be next and Ring 1 broke down it's sets/props, etc... Rarely, except for the finale, did you have something happening in all 3 Rings simultaneously. Audiences of the era were used to slower paces, waiting between live acts, as vaudeville and "more legitimate" theater were burdened by the need to have set/personnel changes. Having 3 Rings was almost a non-stop sensory overload to those whose ideas of electric light or a non-animal propelled cart were still a novelty.

[@GM-wq6kq]

So... PT Barnum didn't work as a tailor with his father and got slapped by Charity's father in his early life? 🙄

[@TheHoagie13]

Hahaha!!! I knew you'd do this one! I myself was born in *Waterbury Connecticut; my two elder brothers were born in...you guessed it: Bridgeport* BOTH in New Haven County!

[@cypheruz9036]

make a video about Herman Goring and how he destroyed the Luftwaffe

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

Hell, advertisers still use his tricks into duping the public. Learn what Barnum taught everyone that heard of him 'Don't be a sucker!'

[@dchristensen777]

Gabaldon single-handedly captured more than ten times the number of prisoners taken by legendary Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Alvin C. York, in World War I. Despite this recommendation, Gabaldon was awarded a Silver Star Medal. Please do a boigraphics of him

[@sharonlock6452]

Really enjoyed this one

[@musiclover01ization]

Barnum was an interesting guy.

[@113dmg9]

I looked up Ivy Island in Bethel, Connecticut, and it seems like it is now called Poison Ivy Island.

[@jessicamarie5781]

My family is from Bethel CT moved to Newtown I'm the 80's. And oddly enough we had family who.worked for the circus during the depression to make ends meet. It worked my great great grand parents became wealthy. I'll have to look into.this more now. I can't stand the circus though the treatment of.the animals and ppl I can't handle. My mom took me to one thinking it would be fun but I cried so much we left. I've never gone back again.

[@jerryjones9683]

Barnum grandfather was not poor he was actually a legislator member of the Whig party, land owner, and lottery schemer. I don’t know where this notion of him being poor is from, he comes from people of position as did his wife. P T Barnum was a slave owner. There seems to be an effort to white wash history. They say he’s Protestant but if u dig through his lineage this is not entirely true

[@SueCarey9]

Good video. Can you do Ringling Brothers?

[@zstpp]

Do a video on Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was the first socialist prime minister of Pakistan. An Oxford graduate who was hung to death by a dictator. But his legacy still lives.

[@TheBorderRyker]

Nicely done Sir. 👏🏻

[@terryhollands2794]

You changed my opinion of P.T.Barnum.

[@Murkoph]

Wonderful!

[@salomaoemarisa]

Excelente video! Não consegui encontrar em português BR, e encontrei vocês, já me inscrevi no Canal, , parabéns!

[@ShMDavies]

Please do Charles Lindbergh!

[@PS-eu5gf]

S.M. Davies no

[@drewmckinney7843]

lol I've been running a traveling circus for years

[@Bigmi1ke]

Very good video, but what about ARTILLERY ONLY?!?!?

[@spiritusmundi70]

The circus life is the life for me.

[@pikeman80]

Exploiter par excellence. A classic example of what an obsession with money will do to a person. Jumbo has a statue beside the tracks in St. Thomas where he was hit by a train when out for his morning walk.

[@bgthereformer]

Can you do Stefan Karl Steffanson? He passed away yesterday.

[@nihadsalayev7939]

Fransisco Franco