Evolution of Entertainment: From Freak Shows to Acceptance

Over the past few centuries, people’s definition of entertainment has changed and will continue to change as society definition of acceptable forms of entertainment changes. For instance, according to an article written in the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular culture, freak shows were once a common past time for many Americans and Europeans during the 16th to 20th century. However, as new forms of entertainment emerged and people’s perception of “Freak” changed, fewer and fewer people attended these shows because society began and now views people who find someone’s disability amusing as “abnormal or inappropriate”. (Thomson) However, despite the fact that freak shows are no longer accepted as they once were during the 16th to 20th century,

(Grande) During this time these events would be held at fairs, museums, theaters, circuses or any other public platforms were human oddities could be exhibited. (Thomson) According to Grande, Freak shows first began in the 16th century and peoples' perspectives on humans with physical abnormalities were changing. At the time, people began to view abnormal humans with curiosity and began to stop seeing them as cursed bodies. However, it was not until the 19th century that freak shows began to skyrocket in the entertainment industry, especially in the United States and England. (Grande) According to “Freak Shows” written by Rosemarie Garland Thomson, freaks throughout the 19th century were seen as far “more than simply disabled people”; freaks during this time were seen as celebrities by the public. As stated in the article, scientists and doctors became involved in the industry to find the origin and authenticity of the freak’s disability. Because of their involvement freak’s abnormalities began to be seen under a new light that saw their disabilities as medical problems.