The Circus Ain't Coming To Town

[toobfreak]

The last piece of the world I grew up in just died.

I imagine that it takes a special kind of person to be a clown, or anything else in a Circus. But if that is what floats your boat, then I imagine it might have been a lot of fun being out on the road and free like that, performing entertaining. Where will these people go? Like so many things, rules and regulations and other things have driven the cost out of business. Why go to the circus for thrills now when you can see stuff on TV? Or on your smartphone. They make stuff up with computers now that is better than anything possible real.
As the circuses die, the railroads themselves are struggling. Movie houses are struggling. Long gone are the drive-ins. Cheap gasoline, 20¢ hamburgers, and cars covered in chrome with no seat belts or airbags are only a memory. And when you went into the hospital years ago, they treated you with real concern, urgency and respect rather than suspicion as a potential terrorist.

 

[brian64]

This song is based on a true story about a circus that burned down, and expresses many of the above sentiments. "Don't forget what Circus day means to a small town".
Smackin' The Clowns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jad6CNa1dkU

 

[ophiuchus]

Another train I missed.
I never got to see the RBB&B Circus. I don't think my folks were circus fans; we saw and did plenty of other stuff. It was never on the top of the list, but I always thought this show was something that would always be around. I guess it's something I missed out on.

 

[mackeson]

Sad that future generations won't be able to see it. I always found most of the circus a bit boring personally, but now I wish I had taken my kids at least to see it once.

 

[davet]

Please indulge me, one more circus memory.

This reminded me of working the graveyard shift at a service station in the early eighties. It was about five in the morning, sun just coming up and the circus pulled in wanting water for the animals. It was kind of weird, no traffic or anyone around to speak of just me, the drivers and a bunch of exotic animals I had never been that close to. Got everyone watered and filled their tanks and they were off. Thanks for reminding me of this, a fond memory that I haven't thought of in years.

 

[woodsroad]

Please indulge me, one more circus memory.

That should be the titled of a novel. Beautiful, mso.....
I followed several small circus' around southern New Jersey in the late 80's. Sad little bits of a bygone ere that should have died decades earlier but held on by sheer inertia and and the fact that they didn't know what else to do. I'll have to pull out my photos. The death of the circus is merely a symptom of a deeper illness. The coming of a time of little joy, when we can not be surprised, there are no mysteries and yet we know nothing.

 

[Perique]

I am also torn on this subject. When thinking through the subject matter, I am compelled to examine the entirety of the worldview and political philosophy that informs passionate opponents of the circus, and cast my lot with their foes.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I think this is very sad. Granted I've only been to Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey circus once in my life. I always wanted to go the circus, so when I finally did, it was magical. It was Gunther Gebel Williams' (the animal trainer)farewell tour, and what a magnificent show it was! I'll never forget it! I was hoping to have the chance to go the next time they came to town and those hopes are now dashed.

 

[toobfreak]

The problem with the world is exactly that people no longer have time for a circus. Life has become too complex. Going back to a simpler slower time where families went to see the circus for a day of good, clean wholesome fun would do a lot of people good IMO.

 

[toobfreak]

The circus ain't dead yet! I looked into the matter and yes, what is killing the circus really was PETA a year ago forcing them to stop using their star attraction the elephants. Not to give closer attention or scrutiny to the elephants to ensure better care, etc., PETA knew that by forcing elephants out of their act their real aim was to kill the circus altogether, put them out of business. But the circus still goes on till May playing all over and there are lots of tickets still available.
Last time I went to an amusement park more than a decade ago, it cost me $50. You can get good seats at the circus for starting at about $25.00! What you pay for half a pound of tobacco or a good meal out. Show your support, go while you still can. I know I am.
-[6065677381]-S-[Ringling+Brothers+Circus+Schedule+-+e]&xts=564378&gclid=COHhzduCx9ECFQLt6QodEbMHYw&gclsrc=ds]Ringling Brothers

 

[tbradsim1]

Dad took me to the Ringling Bros Circus when I was 5, 69 years ago, still remember the sights, sounds, smells. Fast forward to 5 yrs ago took the 2 Grandkids, the people there for the majority looked like they were from Mexici, buying expensive toys when it looked like their money could have been better spent elsewhere, acts were not that great, Elephants pranced in line then gone, a Ghost Ship of what I saw as a child. I knew then the Death Knell was in the making. :crying:

 

[jpmcwjr]

Not, not dead, but the execution date has been set. - May, I believe.

 

[zack24]

We live in Sarasota and run into the Wallendas a couple of times a year at parties- great people. Nick has already done a good job of shifting his wirewalking to things outside the circus, but there will be hundreds of people whose families have been in the circus for generations really affected by this...

 

[toobfreak]

but there will be hundreds of people whose families have been in the circus for generations really affected by this..

Maybe PETA can hire them and give them jobs.

 

[jvnshr]

Declining attendance combined with high operating costs, along with changing public tastes and prolonged battles with animal rights groups all contributed to its demise.

Cool, now we can all watch Miley Cyrus while taking duck face selfies.

 

[pagan]

Another piece of Americana just died

 

[bigpond]

Another piece of Americana just died

Not picking on you, but when was the last time you bought a ticket?
We took our 4&6 year olds last season for the final performance of the Elephants. It was abysmal. The scale was drastically reduced from years past in both vision, execution and talent. It's not what it once was and they really were just going through the motions. You'll get a better "circus" experience by any number of specialized traveling performers the onus is on you to find them though.

 

[mso489]

For those interested in a swan song performance, the big show has a series of performances scheduled through late spring. I presume they have a web site with a list of venues and dates. I think they will do six or seven performances per stop, and I think these will be indoor venues, since that's what they do. This is not the end of circuses per se, but the traveling shows will be smaller and probably fewer as time goes on.

 

[toobfreak]

From what I now understand, it wasn't just PETA. The Humane Society was in on it as well. The Circus fought it in court and WON. But the activist groups still kept at it because they were not after humane conditions for the animals as much as just to close the circus. It was never a question of IMPROVING or monitoring conditions for the animals.
Then it became something of a political football and cities got involved. Many major city venues stopped inviting or allowing the circus to appear. Then they finally did stop showing the elephants. So this has been going on for a long time of attrition and for those who say their last visit wasn't like the old days, this is perhaps why. It is just politically unacceptable now to house and train animals, no matter what. So don't blame the circus. If they come near you and you have the chance, I'd still go, especially if it is for not too much money, just to see it one last time to support this special breed of entertainers. If you have kids, it may be their last shot at seeing this kind of live show.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

My dad used to force us to go to the circus. I cannot imagine a worse experience. Clowns give me anxiety (they are not funny), there is never any rhyme or reason to what is going on at the circus, and all of the employees looked like they just escaped prison.

And, like folks that go to NASCAR to watch the wrecks, the only good thing about there even being animals there was that there was always the off chance that we might get to see a trainer get killed, or mauled, or stomped. Maybe, back before everyone was a car ride away from a zoo, circuses got to bring animals to the public to see that they might not ever see.
I am no PETA person, but what sort of antiquated simple mind gets entertained by watching an elephant stand up, sit down, and walk in a circle. Or, a woman stand up on a horse? Phhht... It must be the same type of people who find hours of enjoyment flipping a $2 snow globe over and over.