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91-575: The show chronicles a freak show , called the Freak Squad, which reluctantly moonlights as a group of second-rate superheroes employed by the US government . The only season, which consisted of seven episodes, premiered on October 4, and ended on November 16, 2006. Cross and Benjamin were executive producers in addition to voicing various characters. Radical Axis handled all aspects of production, from initial audio records and character design to final delivery of

182-561: A sideshow act), as have attention-getting physical performers such as fire-eating and sword-swallowing acts. Since at latest the medieval period , deformed people have often been treated as objects of interest and entertainment, and crowds have flocked to see them exhibited. A famous early modern example was the exhibition at the court of King Charles I of Lazarus and Joannes Baptista Colloredo , two conjoined brothers born in Genoa, Italy . While Lazarus appeared to be otherwise ordinary,

273-692: A "family of midgets " which in reality was composed of two men and a borrowed baby. He operated a number of shops in London and Nottingham , and exhibited travelling shows throughout the country. Most famously, in 1884, Norman came into contact with Joseph Merrick , sometimes called "the Elephant Man", a young man from Leicester with extreme deformities. Merrick arrived in London and into Norman's care. Norman, initially shocked by Merrick's appearance and reluctant to display him, nonetheless exhibited him at his penny gaff shop at 123 Whitechapel Road , directly across

364-437: A 12- to 14-hour day. Changing attitudes about physical differences led to the decline of the freak show as a form of entertainment towards the end of the 19th century. As previously mysterious anomalies were scientifically explained as genetic mutations or diseases , freaks became the objects of sympathy rather than fear or disdain. Laws were passed restricting freak shows for these reasons. For example, Michigan law forbids

455-411: A Comedy Series. Arnett's distinctive gravelly voice has earned him voice-over work for CBS television promos, film trailers and numerous advertisements, including Lamisil medication. Perhaps most recognizable is Arnett's voice saying, "It's not more than you need, just more than you're used to" in ads for GMC trucks. He has lent his voice to a number of television shows, such as Ghost Writer in

546-607: A Spotlight selection for the Tribeca Film Festival . The documentary, directed by Morgan Spurlock , is a comedic look at male identity as it is defined through men's grooming habits featuring celebrity and expert commentary. He starred in Running Wilde which was cancelled in January 2011, due to poor ratings as well as The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret with David Cross . On March 23, 2011, Arnett appeared in

637-543: A Who! (2008), Monsters vs. Aliens (2009), Despicable Me (2010), The Lego Movie , (2014), The Nut Job (2014), Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018), Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022), and Twisted Metal (2023–). Arnett has been Primetime Emmy Award -nominated for Arrested Development , 30 Rock , and BoJack Horseman . Since 2020, he has hosted the Fox reality series Lego Masters . Arnett began co-hosting

728-678: A Who! , The Missing Link in Monsters vs. Aliens , Horst the German sous-chef in Ratatouille , and Mr. Perkins in Despicable Me . He planned to be the voice of the K.I.T.T. in Universal 's Knight Rider , a sequel to the popular 1980s television series. The production featured a Ford Mustang as K.I.T.T. Since Arnett had a previous long standing relationship with competitor automaker General Motors as

819-413: A band that performed outside. Barnum's American Museum also offered multiple attractions that not only entertained but tried to educate and uplift its working-class visitors. Barnum offered one ticket that guaranteed admission to his lectures, theatrical performances, an animal menagerie, and a glimpse at curiosities both living and dead. One of Barnum's exhibits centered around Charles Sherwood Stratton,

910-426: A band. Bands typically were made up of Black musicians, blackface minstrel bands, and troupes of dancers dressed as Hawaiians . These entertainers were used to attract crowds and provide a festive atmosphere inside the show tent. By the 1920s, the circus was declining as a major form of amusement due to competition from amusement parks, movie houses and burlesque tours, and the rise of the radio. Circuses also saw

1001-437: A big part in the decline of the freak show, the rise of disability rights was a larger cause of decline. Many now viewed freak shows as wrong and profiting from others' misfortune. Though paid well, the freaks of the 19th century did not always enjoy quality of life. Frank Lentini , the three-legged man, was quoted saying, "My limb does not bother me as much as the curious, critical gaze." The exhibition of human oddities has

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1092-526: A brief period between 1994 and 1995. The two began dating in November 1994 and married a month later in December 1994. They divorced less than a month later in January 1995. Arnett began dating Amy Poehler in 2000, four years after their initial encounter in 1996 when he saw her in an Upright Citizens Brigade performance. Arnett and Poehler married on August 29, 2003, and had two sons together. Their first son

1183-467: A comeback, versus a greedy game executive played by Neil Patrick Harris . In the Fox animated comedy series Sit Down, Shut Up , he voiced Ennis Hofftard, a bodybuilder who teaches English and always attempts to chase women. The show premiered on April 19, 2009, but was eventually cancelled after several months due to poor ratings. It aired its last episode on November 21, 2009. Arnett played supporting roles in

1274-506: A condition linked to intellectual disabilities and characterized by a very small, pointed head and small overall structure, were considered or characterized as "missing links" or as atavistic specimens of an extinct race. Hypopituitary dwarfs who tend to be well proportioned were advertised as lofty. Achondroplastic dwarfs, whose head and limbs tend to be out of proportion to their trunks, were characterized as exotic mode. Those who were armless, legless, or limbless were also characterized in

1365-512: A drunk who cruelly exploited Merrick. Norman counteracted these claims in a letter in the World's Fair newspaper that year, as well as his own autobiography. Norman's opinion was that he provided Merrick (and his other exhibits) a way of making a living and remaining independent, but that on entering the London Hospital, Merrick remained a freak on display, only with no control over how or when he

1456-535: A group of Orthodox Jews and then fed to "The Jewish Messiah", a giant made up of circumcised foreskins . Her super power is "Acidic Bitch Juice", an extremely potent form of saliva capable of eating through most kinds of metal, that she can project from her mouth. She also possesses the ability to transform herself into a liquid state, which can then absorb other super-powered individuals and draw upon their abilities to shape shift . World's Tallest Nebraskan ( Brian Stack ) – An especially tall man from Nebraska. He

1547-498: A large decline in audience during the Depression , as economic hard times and union demands made the circus less and less affordable and valuable. Freak shows were viewed as a normal part of American culture in the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. The shows were viewed as a suitable amusement for the middle class and were profitable for the showmen, who exploited freak show performers' disabilities for profit. Ugly laws in

1638-462: A long history: The entertainment appeal of the traditional "freak shows" is arguably echoed in numerous programmes made for television. Extraordinary People on the British television channel Five and BodyShock show the lives of severely disabled or deformed people, and can be seen as the modern equivalent of circus freak shows. To cater to current cultural expectations of disability narratives,

1729-531: A reenactment of the third season episode "Kids Can Be Cruel" for the third edition of Live in Front of a Studio Audience . In December 2021, it was announced that Arnett had replaced Armie Hammer in reshoots, in part of the role of Alex Magnussen in Next Goal Wins due to abuse allegations made against Hammer in January 2021. The part, initially meant as a cameo, was expanded upon when Arnett joined. Will Arnett

1820-591: A schedule that included 10 to 15 shows a day, and was shuttled back and forth week after week from one museum to another. When a popular freak show performer came to a dime museum in New York, they were overworked and exploited to make the museum money. For example, when Fedor Jeftichew (known as "Jo-Jo, the Dog-Faced Boy") appeared at the Globe Museum in New York, his manager arranged to have him perform 23 shows during

1911-571: A semester but dropped out. As a teenager, he was encouraged by his mother to pursue an acting career. He auditioned for commercials in Toronto and enjoyed acting. In 1990, he moved to New York City to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute . He appeared in plays in New York, and his first acting role was in Felicity Huffman 's independent film Erie , which was filmed on

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2002-552: A shift in US-American culture that influenced people to see leisure activities as a necessary and beneficial equivalent to working, thus leading to the popularity of the freak show. The showmen and promoters exhibited all types of freaks. People who appeared non-white or who had a disability were often exhibited as unknown races and cultures. These "unknown" races and disabled whites were advertised as being undiscovered humans to attract viewers. For example, those with microcephaly ,

2093-523: A topic explored in his shows Flaked and BoJack Horseman . He managed to maintain sobriety for 15 years until a relapse during the production of Flaked . Flaked is in part inspired by Arnett's own struggles with alcoholism. He has attested that Alcoholics Anonymous has played a role in reclaiming sobriety. In April 2007, during a panel hosted by The Paley Center for Media , talk show host Conan O'Brien and his writing staff named Will Arnett as one of their three all-time favourite guests, sharing

2184-510: A week, making more money than lecture-room variety performers. Freaks were seen to have profitable traits, with an opportunity to become celebrities obtaining fame and fortune. At the height of freak shows' popularity, they were one of the few jobs for dwarfs . Many scholars have argued that freak show performers were exploited by the showmen and managers for profit because of their disabilities. Many freaks were paid generously, but had to deal with museum managers who were often insensitive about

2275-553: A week. His wealth became so staggering that the New York Times wrote, "He wears very handsome diamond rings and other jewelry, valued altogether at about $ 3,000 [$ 94,699 in 2024 dollars] and usually goes armed to protect himself from persons who might attempt to rob him." Though Costentenus was fortunate, other freaks were not. Upon his death in 1891, he donated about half of his life earnings to other freaks who did not make as much money as he did. One of Barnum's most famous hoaxes

2366-499: A year. Barnum's American Museum was one of the most popular museums in New York City to exhibit freaks. In 1841 Barnum purchased The American Museum, which made freaks the major attraction, following mainstream America in the mid-19th century. Barnum was known to advertise aggressively and make up outlandish stories about his exhibits. The façade of the museum was decorated with bright banners showcasing his attractions and included

2457-612: A younger brother. His father, a graduate of Harvard University and a corporate lawyer, served as the president and CEO of Molson Breweries from 1997 to 2000. Arnett briefly attended Lakefield College School in Lakefield, Ontario , but was asked not to return after a semester for being a troublemaker. The Subway Academy II allowed him to take theatre classes at the Tarragon Theatre . He eventually graduated from Leaside High School and attended Concordia University, Montreal for

2548-593: Is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. He moved to New York City in 1990 and lived there for 20 years. In 2015, Arnett bought property in Beverly Hills and began construction on a new home, which was completed in 2017. In 2021, he sold the custom home and moved to a modern farmhouse in Benedict Canyon . Arnett has been married twice and has three children. He was married to Penelope Ann Miller for

2639-619: Is currently set to star in Is This Thing On? alongside Bradley Cooper . Arnett will write the screenplay while Cooper will direct. Cursed Friends , a Comedy Central original movie from Arnett's production company Electric Avenue, was announced in September 2022. Arnett is set to make an appearance in the film. Arnett lists Steve Martin and Chevy Chase as his two biggest comedic influences. Arnett lives in Los Angeles, California , and

2730-435: Is portrayed as the stereotypical "ignorant hick ", though he is also the most sensitive member of the Freak Squad, often going out of his way to carefully select words so as to be completely inoffensive, even in situations where upsetting someone else would neither be inappropriate nor even a reality. His super power is the ability to shrink six inches. Primi the premature baby (David Cross) – A Jewish premature baby with

2821-521: Is still comedy, and he often portrays smug antagonists. He "never considered himself a comic" and considers himself an "actor first". In 2006, Arnett starred in his first leading role in Let's Go to Prison , directed by Bob Odenkirk . It earned more than US$ 4 million at the box office and more than US$ 13 million in rentals. In Blades of Glory , Arnett and his then-wife Amy Poehler played brother/sister ice-skating pair with an incestuous relationship. The film

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2912-419: Is the ability to separate for up to 47 years at a time. The Bearded Clam ( Janeane Garofalo ) – A giant, anthropomorphic clam with a beard, resembling a morbidly obese, middle-aged woman. Raised by eco-terrorists , she possesses numerous left-wing radical political views, has an anarchist symbol in her shell, and is an adherent to radical feminism . She often puts on demonstrations and rallies, at which she

3003-424: Is usually the only participant. It has been implied that she has somewhat of a sordid sexual past, revealing that she's engaged in intercourse in such unconventional locales as the cockpit of an F-16 . At times she is displayed as a den mother of sorts to the group, counting among her talents the ability to cook three different ways on a wok . In the series finale, she was killed in a clambake by being cooked alive by

3094-583: The Erie Canal . As mentioned on the SmartLess podcast, Arnett is an avid hockey fan and workout enthusiast, known to often boast about his “Pro Dumper” and ability to bench press as much as 165 pounds. In February 1996, Arnett made his first television pilot with Kevin Pollak and Pollak's wife Lucy Webb for CBS , that was not picked up. In 1999, Arnett was in another pilot for The Mike O'Malley Show on NBC as

3185-498: The Fox / Netflix sitcom Arrested Development (2003–2006, 2013, 2018–2019) and the titular character in the Netflix animated series BoJack Horseman (2014–2020). He has received nominations for seven Primetime Emmy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . Arnett was Emmy-nominated for his recurring role as Devon Banks in the NBC sitcom 30 Rock (2007–2013). He starred in

3276-570: The Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events . In 2016, he co-created, co-wrote and starred in the Netflix original series Flaked , which received negative reviews from critics. Arnett lent his voice to Batman in the film The Lego Movie . Arnett reprised the role in The Lego Batman Movie , a spin-off of The Lego Movie released in 2017 as well as The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part , released in 2019. He reprises

3367-410: The "exhibition [of] any deformed human being or human monstrosity, except as used for scientific purposes". At the start of the 20th century, movies and television began to satisfy audiences' thirst for entertainment. People could see similar types of acts and abnormalities from the comfort of their own homes or a nice theater, and no longer needed to pay to see freaks. Though movies and television played

3458-487: The 1870s it was common to see freak shows at most circuses, eventually making the circus a hub for the display of human oddities. Most of the museums and sideshows that had traveled with major circuses were owned during most of 1876. By 1880 human phenomena were now combined with a variety of entertainment acts from the sideshows. By 1890 tent size and the number of sideshow attractions began to increase, with most sideshows in large circuses with twelve to fifteen exhibits plus

3549-438: The 1870s, dimes grew and grew, peaking in the 1880s and 1890s, available for all from coast to coast. With more dime museums than any place in the world, New York City was the dime museum capital, with an entertainment district that included German beer gardens , theaters, vendors, photography, studios, and a variety of other amusement institutions. Freak shows were the main attraction of most dime museums during 1870–1900, with

3640-646: The 2005 Nickelodeon's series Danny Phantom , Duncan Schiesst for the Comedy Central animated program Freak Show , which was created by and stars the voice of his Arrested Development co-star David Cross . Arnett was the announcer for the faux trailer "Don't" in the 2007 film Grindhouse , and became announcer for Cartoon Network in October 2008 during its "Noods" era, replacing Greg Cipes . He has voiced characters in animated films, including Vlad in Horton Hears

3731-613: The Magician in Sesame Street , in a nod to Gob Bluth's penchant for using Europe 's " The Final Countdown " during his magic shows.) According to a 2006 interview with the Los Angeles Times , Arnett's two favourite episodes of the show were " Pier Pressure " and " Afternoon Delight ". His exposure on Arrested Development led to a number of larger roles in feature films. Though having worked in drama, his role for Arrested Development

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3822-793: The NBC sitcom Up All Night (2011–2012), the CBS sitcom The Millers (2013–2014), and the Netflix mystery series Murderville . He has also starred, co-created, executive produced the Fox sitcom Running Wilde (2010–2011), and the Netflix comedy-drama series Flaked (2016–2017). Arnett has acted in films such as Let's Go to Prison (2006), Blades of Glory (2007), Semi-Pro (2008), G-Force (2009), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014). Known for his deep baritone voice, Arnett also took roles in Danny Phantom (2004–2007), Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Ratatouille (2007), Horton Hears

3913-539: The United States, starting in the 1860s, banned those who were "diseased, maimed, mutilated, or in any way deformed" from public view—making it hard for such people to support themselves. Exhibitions, however, were specifically excepted. Although freak shows were viewed as a place for entertainment, they were also a place of employment for those who could advertise, manage, and perform in the attractions. In an era before social safety nets or worker's compensation , severely disabled people often found that exhibiting themselves

4004-458: The circus. The largest sideshow was attached to the most prestigious circus, Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey , known as the "big one". It was a symbol of the peak of the practice and its acceptance in American society. In the early 1800s, single human oddities started joining traveling circuses , but these shows were not organized into anything like typical sideshows until the midcentury. During

4095-539: The comedy podcast SmartLess (2020–) alongside Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman . Arnett was born in Toronto , Ontario , to Edith Alexandra "Alix" (née Palk) and Emerson James "Jim" Arnett, who was a corporate lawyer and brewer, among other occupations. His parents were originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba , and he has roots on both sides of his family in Manitoba going back many generations. Arnett has two older sisters and

4186-489: The commentator of the team, who is "a former player, a bit of a womanizer, and a boozer". On November 17, 2009, it was announced that Arnett would try to win over real-life wife Amy Poehler in a guest spot on Parks and Recreation . Arnett played Chris, an MRI technician and possible love interest for Poehler's Leslie Knope. Justin Theroux appeared in the same episode as yet another suitor. Arnett signed on for one episode, and

4277-403: The curio halls. Visitors were directed from platform to platform by a lecturer, whose role was to be the master of ceremonies. During his performance, the lecturer, also known as the "Professor", held the audience's attention by describing the freaks displayed on the various stages. The lecturer needed to have both charisma and persuasiveness in addition to a loud voice. His rhetorical style usually

4368-466: The disabilities being created through makeup or effects. However, an article in The Guardian criticized the show, saying it perpetuated the term "freak" and the negative view of disability associated with it. Will Arnett William Emerson Arnett ( / ɑː r ˈ n ɛ t / ; born May 4, 1970 ) is a Canadian and American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his roles as Gob Bluth in

4459-411: The dwarf billed as " General Tom Thumb " who was then 4 years of age but was stated to be 11. Charles had stopped growing after the first 6 months of his life, at which point he was 25 inches (64 cm) tall and weighed 15 pounds (6.8 kg). With heavy coaching and natural talent, the boy was taught to imitate people from Hercules to Napoleon . By 5, he was drinking wine, and by 7 smoking cigars for

4550-547: The entertainment. However, it was common for Barnum's acts to be schemes and not altogether true. Barnum was fully aware of the improper ethics behind his business as he said, "I don't believe in duping the public, but I believe in first attracting and then pleasing them." During the 1840s Barnum began his museum, which had a constantly rotating acts schedule, which included obese people, "living skeletons" (men who appear emaciated), little people , giants , and other people deemed to be freaks. The museum drew in about 400,000 visitors

4641-409: The episode entitled " The Set Up " aired January 14, 2010. In 2010, Arnett and former Arrested Development co-star Jason Bateman created DumbDumb Productions, a production company focusing on digital content. Their first video was "Prom Date", the first in a series of "Dirty shorts" for Orbit . In March 2012, Mansome , Arnett's first executive producer credit with Bateman, was announced as

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4732-525: The eponymous character in the critically acclaimed Netflix animated sitcom BoJack Horseman , which ran from 2014 to 2020. He co-starred as Vern Fenwick in the 2014 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and its 2016 sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows . Arnett starred in the CBS sitcom The Millers , which lasted for two seasons. In 2017, Arnett was cast in the recurring role of Mr. Quagmire on

4823-495: The exotic mode as animal-people, such as "The Snake-Man", and "The Seal Man". There were four ways freak shows were produced and marketed. The first was the oral spiel or lecture. This featured a showman or professor who managed the presentation of the people or "freaks". The second was a printed advertisement, usually using long pamphlets and broadside or newspaper advertisement of the freak show. The third step included costuming, choreography , performance, and space used to display

4914-399: The exploitation for profit was seen as an accepted part of US-American culture. The attractiveness of freak shows led to the spread of the shows that were commonly seen at amusement parks , circuses , dime museums and vaudeville . The amusement park industry flourished in the United States by the expanding middle class who benefited from short work weeks and a larger income. There was also

5005-466: The films Blades of Glory , Horton Hears a Who! , On Broadway , Spring Breakdown , Monsters vs. Aliens , and the Disney American English dubbing of The Secret World of Arrietty . Arnett began a relationship with socialite and businesswoman Alessandra Brawn in 2019. They have one child together, a son, born on May 27, 2020. Arnett has struggled with alcoholism in the past,

5096-417: The films Spring Breakdown , Hot Rod , The Comebacks , and On Broadway , where he once again worked with his close friend and director Dave McLaughlin . In The Brothers Solomon , he again teamed with Odenkirk and starred with Saturday Night Live member Will Forte . He appeared in a major supporting role in the basketball comedy Semi-Pro , his second film with Ferrell. He plays Lou Redwood,

5187-741: The floor rather than a tear in their eye". Freak shows are a common subject in Southern Gothic literature, including stories such as Flannery O'Connor 's Temple Of The Holy Ghost , Eudora Welty 's Petrified Man and Keela the Outcast Indian Maiden , Truman Capote 's Tree of Night , and Carson McCullers 's The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter . The musical Side Show centers around Daisy and Violet Hilton and their lives as conjoined twins on exhibition. American Horror Story: Freak Show also focuses on freak shows. Some of its characters are played by disabled people, rather than all of

5278-605: The giantess Anna Swan and Commodore Nutt , a new Tom Thumb, with whom Barnum visited President Abraham Lincoln at the White House . During the Civil War , Barnum's museum drew large audiences seeking diversion from the conflict. Barnum's most popular and highest grossing act was the Tattooed Man, George Costentenus . He claimed to be a Greek-Albanian prince raised in a Turkish harem . He had 338 tattoos covering his body. Each one

5369-613: The human oddity as the king of museum entertainment. There were four types of human abnormalities on display in dime museums: natural freaks, those born with physical or mental abnormalities, such as dwarfs and "pinheads"; self-made freaks who cultivated freakdom, for example tattooed people; novelty artists who were considered freaks for their "freakish" performances, such as snake charmers , mesmerists, hypnotists , and fire-eaters; non-Western freaks who were promoted as exotic curiosities, for example savages and cannibals , usually promoted as being from Africa. Most dime museums had no seats in

5460-443: The inexplicable ability to speak and operate a mechanical transport unit. He also inexplicably speaks in metaphors and dead tongues, which apparently only Bearded Clam can understand. He also has some sort of non-American accent, ostensibly Italian . At various points throughout the series, he has been depicted requiring the aid of some sort of incubation unit outfitted with wheels and mechanical gloves in order to be mobile. However, in

5551-464: The master. The series was released on DVD on June 12, 2012. Benny and Tuck ( David Cross and H. Jon Benjamin , respectively) – Conjoined twins , apparent leaders of the Squad. They are the only members of the squad to possess any semblance of responsibility and duty. They are also the only members of the squad to have actual names, as opposed to simply being referred to by their gimmick. Their super power

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5642-485: The museum, including an albino family, The Living Aztecs, three dwarfs, a Black mother with two albino children, The Swiss Bearded Lady , The Highland Fat Boys, and What Is It? (Henry Johnson, an intellectually disabled Black man). Barnum introduced the "man-monkey" William Henry Johnson , a microcephalic Black dwarf who spoke a mysterious language created by Barnum and was known as Zip the Pinhead . In 1862, he discovered

5733-473: The penultimate episode to The Office season 7. Arnett co-starred in the NBC television comedy series Up All Night , about a couple who struggle to balance their home lives (especially with their newborn child) and their work ones. He had been attached to play the lead role of David Miller in the 2013 comedy We're the Millers , but had to pass due to scheduling; the part went to Jason Sudeikis . He voiced

5824-575: The performers fairly handsome sums of money. Some of the acts made the equivalent of what some sports stars make today. Barnum's English counterpart was Tom Norman , a renowned Victorian showman , whose traveling exhibitions featured Eliza Jenkins, the "Skeleton Woman", a "Balloon Headed Baby" and a woman who bit off the heads of live rats —the "most gruesome" act Norman claimed to have seen. Other acts included fleas, fat ladies, giants, dwarfs and retired white seamen, painted black and speaking in an invented language, billed "savage Zulus ". He displayed

5915-416: The performers' schedules, working them long hours just to make a profit. This was particularly hard for top performers, since more frequent shows sold more tickets. Many entertainers were abused by small-time museum operators, kept to grueling schedules, and given only a small percentage of their total earnings. Individual exhibits were hired for about one to six weeks by dime museums. The average performer had

6006-558: The pilot for Arrested Development . In 2002, prior to Arrested Development , Arnett guest-starred in The Sopranos and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit . In 2003, Arnett found mainstream success in television when he played George Oscar "Gob" Bluth II in the Fox comedy series Arrested Development and in 2006 he was nominated for his first Emmy . The show was cancelled after three seasons due to low ratings, despite its critical acclaim and cult following . (He played Max

6097-416: The proceedings. Freak show culture normalized a specific way of thinking about gender, race, sexual aberrance, ethnicity, and disability. During the first decade of the 20th century, the popularity of the freak show was starting to dwindle. In their prime, freak shows had been the main attraction of the midway, but by 1940 they were starting to lose their audience, with credible people turning their backs on

6188-424: The protagonist's friend Jimmy. The show was picked up, but it was cancelled after two episodes. Arnett has referred to 2000, the year after that show was cancelled, as "the darkest year of [his] life", and he admits that he "didn't get a lot of work" and "drank those years away". In summer 2000, a friend helped pull Arnett out of his battle with alcoholism, and he began to get his career back on track. In 2001, Arnett

6279-523: The public's amusement. During 1844–45, Barnum toured with Tom Thumb in Europe and met Queen Victoria , who was amused and saddened by the little man, and the event was a publicity coup. Barnum paid Stratton handsomely – about $ 150.00 a week. When Stratton retired, he lived in the most esteemed neighborhood of New York, owned a yacht, and dressed in the nicest clothing he could buy. In 1860, The American Museum had listed and archived thirteen human curiosities in

6370-542: The road from the London Hospital . Because of its proximity to the hospital, the shop received medical students and doctors as visitors. One of these was a young surgeon named Frederick Treves , who arranged to have Merrick brought to the hospital to be examined. The exhibition of the Elephant Man was reasonably successful, particularly with the added income from a printed pamphlet about Merrick's life and condition. At this time, however, public opinion about freak shows

6461-490: The role in an episode of the franchise's spinoff animated series Unikitty! titled "BatKitty", which aired days before the release of the film. He is the spokesman of a series of Hulu advertisements and his role in television spots deliberately recalls Devon Banks as a power-hungry manipulator. In July 2020, Arnett, along with Bateman and Sean Hayes , created a comedy and talk podcast called SmartLess . In 2021, Arnett played The Facts of Life ' s Dink Lockwood in

6552-585: The season finale, he left the unit and performed acrobatic stunts on his own. His super power is pinpoint vomiting, the ability to vomit at will and direct its flow at any individual he chooses. Log Cabin Republican ( Jon Glaser ) – A gay Republican . Usually dressed in a business suit; at times deals with others on behalf of the group. On October 31, 2006, the character the Log Cabin Republican appeared on an episode of The Colbert Report , in which he

6643-851: The second episode. Danny the Plumber Guy (Cross) – A parody of Larry the Cable Guy . His catchphrase is "Git to gittn'," a parody of Larry's "Git r done." Creator David Cross is known for being critical of Daniel Whitney's character and routine. Freak show A freak show is an exhibition of biological rarities, referred to in popular culture as " freaks of nature". Typical features would be physically unusual humans , such as those uncommonly large or small, those with intersex variations , those with extraordinary diseases and conditions, and others with performances expected to be shocking to viewers. Heavily tattooed or pierced people have sometimes been seen in freak shows (more common in modern times as

6734-542: The show, designed to emphasize the things that were considered abnormal about each performer. The final stage was a collectable drawing or photograph that portrayed the group of freaks on stage for viewers to take home. The collectable printed souvenirs were accompanied by recordings of the showman's pitch, the lecturer's yarn, and the professor's exaggerated accounts of what was witnessed at the show. Exhibits were authenticated by doctors who used medical terms that many could not comprehend but which added an air of authenticity to

6825-428: The show. In the 19th century, science supported and legitimized the growth of freak shows, but by the 20th century, the medicalization of human abnormalities contributed to the end of the exhibits' mystery and appeal. P. T. Barnum was considered the father of modern-day advertising, and one of the most famous showmen and managers of the freak show industry. In the United States he was a major figure in popularizing

6916-417: The subjects are usually portrayed as heroic and attention is given to their family and friends and the way they help them overcome their disabilities. In The Guardian , Chris Shaw, however, comments that "one man's freak show is another man's portrayal of heroic triumph over medical adversity" and carries on with "call me prejudiced but I suspect your typical twentysomething watched this show with their jaw on

7007-578: The underdeveloped body of his brother dangled from his chest. When Lazarus was not exhibiting himself, he covered his brother with his cloak to avoid unnecessary attention. As well as exhibitions, freak shows were popular in the taverns and fairgrounds, where the freaks were often combined with talent displays. For example, in the 18th century, Matthias Buchinger , born without arms or lower legs, entertained crowds with astonishing displays of magic and musical ability, both in England and later, Ireland . It

7098-520: The voice for GMC Trucks commercials, GM asked Arnett to pull out of the project. Arnett opted to withdraw from the project and he was replaced by Val Kilmer . Arnett made a commercial cameo for the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 . In 2009, he voiced the title character in Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard , a video game developed by Vicious Cycle Software and starred as an out of work former video game protagonist hoping to make

7189-453: The world's largest general purpose retailer, trying to purchase Mr. and Mrs. Hartsdale's Freak Show. Frank Meinkowitz ( Todd Barry ) – The creator of the Freak Squad who gives them their missions. World's Smallest Something ( Kristen Schaal ) – One of the Hartsdale's freaks. It is so small that no one knows its true gender or species. The World's Tallest Nebraskan accidentally stepped on it in

7280-496: Was No. 1 at the U.S. box office during its first two weeks, and grossed approximately US$ 118 million domestically during its theatrical run. and US$ 36 million on home video. He guest-starred in King of the Hill and 30 Rock ; in the latter, he played the recurring role of Devon Banks, Jack Donaghy 's archnemesis, for which he was nominated for four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actor in

7371-399: Was a shift in popularity of the dime museum and it began its downward turn. Audiences could now choose from a wide variety of popular entertainments. Circuses, street fairs, world's fairs, carnivals , and urban amusement parks, all of which exhibited freaks, began to take business away from the dime museums. In the circus world, freak shows, also called sideshows , were an essential part of

7462-498: Was born on October 25, 2008, and their second son was born in August 2010. Arnett and Poehler separated amicably in September 2012. In April 2014, Arnett filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in July 2016. During their relationship, the two appeared together in four episodes of Arrested Development , one episode of Parks and Recreation , and

7553-497: Was cast in the CBS television pilot, Loomis as the slacker brother of a local news reporter ( Cheri Oteri ), that was not picked up. In 2002, Arnett was cast in a fourth television pilot which was for the CBS sitcom Still Standing , which was picked up and ran for several seasons, but his character was cut from the series after the pilot. Arnett became so frustrated, after his fourth failed pilot, that he "swore off pilots" altogether, until his agent persuaded him to audition for

7644-411: Was early in his career. He hired a blind and paralyzed former slave for $ 1,000. He claimed this woman was 160 years old, but she was actually only 80. This lie helped Barnum make a weekly profit of nearly $ 1,000. This hoax was one of the first, but one of the more convincing. Barnum retired in 1865 when his museum burnt to the ground. Though Barnum was and still is criticized for exploitation, he paid

7735-505: Was in the 19th century, both in the United States and Europe , where freak shows finally reached maturity as successful commercially run enterprises. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, freak shows were at their height of popularity; the period 1840s through to the 1940s saw the organized for-profit exhibition of people with physical, mental , or behavioral rarities. Although not all abnormalities were real, some being alleged,

7826-429: Was interviewed by the host. His super power is the ability to transform into " Burly Bear ", who can run up to 60 mph, climb trees, and decapitate victims with one swipe of his immaculately manicured hands. Bob and Helen Hartsdale (Cross and Benjamin respectively) – The kind, older couple who own a freakshow and the Squad. They are often shown as senile people. Duncan Schiesst ( Will Arnett ) – Works for Freak-Mart.

7917-479: Was ornate and told a story. His story was that he was on a military expedition but was captured by native people, who gave him the choice of either being chopped up into little pieces or receive full body tattoos. This process supposedly took three months and Costentenus was the only hostage who survived. He produced a 23-page book, which detailed every aspect of his experience and drew a large crowd. When Costentenus partnered with Barnum, he began to earn more than $ 1,000

8008-411: Was starting to change and the display of human novelties was beginning to be viewed as distasteful. After only a few weeks with Norman, the Elephant Man exhibition was shut down by the police, and Norman and Merrick parted ways. Treves later arranged for Merrick to live at the London Hospital until his death in 1890. In Treves' 1923 memoir, The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences made Norman infamous as

8099-402: Was styled after the traditional distorted spiel of carnival barkers, filled with classical and biblical suggestions. Dime museum freak shows also provided audiences with medical testimonials provided by "doctors", psychologists and other behavioral "experts" who were there to help the audience understand a particular problem and to validate a show's subject. At the end of the 19th century, there

8190-490: Was their only opportunity to make a living. In the 19th century performing in an organized freak show was perceived as a "viable" way to earn a living, as opposed to begging. Many freak show performers were lucky and gifted enough to earn a livelihood and have a good life through exhibitions, some becoming celebrities, commanding high salaries and earning far more than acrobats, novelty performers, and actors. The salaries of dime museum freaks usually varied from 25 to 500 dollars

8281-469: Was viewed. A different way to display a freak show was in a dime museum . In a dime museum, freak show performers were exhibited as an educational display of people with different disabilities. For a cheap admission viewers were awed with its dioramas , panoramas , georamas, cosmoramas , paintings, relics, freaks, stuffed animals, menageries, waxworks, and theatrical performances. No other type of entertainment appealed to such diverse audiences before. In

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