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rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
Those of you who have listened to my podcast BALLYCAST may recall a few segments in which I've tried to create the audio-only equivalent of a curiosity sideshow - go into the tent (in this case, listen to the audio) and you'll see (hear) something genuinely fascinating that you never saw or heard before. My past curiosities have been mild: recorded music well over a century old, never heard before.
I have an opportunity to do it again, but this "audio sideshow" would be a horror exhibit - they still exhibit grisly curiosities (just picture waking up next to a Zibit) and still exhibit (ostensibly) actual morbid items like Bonnie & Clyde's Death Car and even live performances involving actual bloodletting, undeniably real. If TV is guilty of taking the wind out of the live sideshow's sails, by showing things in your living room every day that you used to have to wait for the sideshow to be able to see, "History Channel" cable tv shows do not hesitate to show Nazi death camp horrors, including corpses - also undeniably real. But given the "audio sideshow" idea, is there a line I shouldn't cross? How real do I dare to get, in offering listeners a chance to "go behind that curtain" and see the audio equivalent of real pickled punks? In the days of the traveling sideshow, did the audience (all of them, some of them, or almost none of them) really believe they were going to see the live "pitiful victim of drug abuse" bite the head off a chicken? If Jim Rose and his successors really do gavage for fun and profit in front of an audience, is there a limit? Is there a recording I would be desperately wrong to play? Any discussion would be welcome. If you want to PM me, I'll tell you what recording I'm losing sleep about (is it too good to miss, or too vile to consider?). Any discussion would be welcome, |
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Todd Robbins V.I.P. New York 2922 Posts |
Do what you want and need to do, make it as clear as possible to the world what it is before they encounter it and then sleep well knowing you have done what you want and need to do.
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Utah_Showman Veteran user Heart of Utah 350 Posts |
I'm not sure there is anything that you could share that most folks would find offensive. As I have see almost anything you can think of on TV or in the movies.
I sometimes struggle with some of the stuff folks email me. But it's all history and with a caution/disclaimer then folks can choose what they would like to see or hear. John Sideshow World |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
That's what a 'Blow-Off' is for!
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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thegreatnippulini Inner circle of Hell because I've made 2582 Posts |
Tell them it's that audio ghost phenomenon.... I forget what it's called. There was a crappy movie about it a few years ago with whats-his-name that played a bad Batman a while back.
The Great Nippulini: body piercer, Guinness World Record holder, blacksmith and man with The World's Strongest Nipples! Does the WORLD care? We shall see...
http://www.greatnippulini.com |
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
You need to tell the story, so tell it.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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gsidhe Inner circle Michigan 1725 Posts |
Do it, put on a serious disclaimer and let folks decide for themselves. You are preserving history and history is frequently uglier than most would like to admit. Some folks can look it in the eye unflinching, while others need to wear rose colored glasses. Just because something might upset some does not mean it shouldn't be recorded.
As long as there is a strong disclaimer, I don't see an issue. Gwyd |
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Michael K Loyal user Hazleton, PA 249 Posts |
I am strong agreement that stories need to be told and that some parts of history are more horrifying than most care to know. I would put a audio disclaimer. NPR did a "great" job of that last week when saying that next story was very graphic. Then in the next breath, with no pause whatsoever, said it was about a woman who was beheaded in Buffalo and her husband was charged with the crime.
So you may want to put the piece at the end of the show with the disclaimer in the beginning and before the piece. Hope this helps. Let us know how your thoughts develop. Michael |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
For those not with it...The Blow Off is the extension to the regular 10 in 1 show where an additional monetary amount is asked for. There is a sales pitch which involves the Disclaimer and AGE restrictions etc...of course actually an enticement that you are about to see something 'forbidden' and not for everybody.
Ross' question fits the Blow Off scenerio to a T.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
All right ... I hope you can sleep at night afterward. Maybe I should charge for this ... "only $1".
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
That's the normal price...for the next three minutes, everybody goes at the child's price...
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
There is no childs price for the blow off. Ladies and Gentlemen of proper age only please.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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Freak Prodigy Inner circle NYC & LA 1805 Posts |
1 dollar, 1 dollar, 1 dollar, I don't wanna holler it's only a dollar!
Blog:
http://www.bloudermilk.blogspot.com _________________________________________ E-mail: BrettELoudermilk@gmail.com |
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 2653 Posts |
Look up the disclaimer for Frankenstein or the old tactic of handing out barf bags before a splatter movie.
You can both warn people that it could be disturbing to hippies, and increase curiosity. The way I see it, if you aren't breaking any laws or doing anything inhumane like live animal sacrifice, there is no taboo. With "Death Cars" or murder weapons, the deed is done, you are just showing a relic of the horrors of man. It's almost a public service really. Man, I wish they'd have turned H.H. Holmes' mansion into a museum instead of tearing it down.
"The fool is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
~Will Rogers |
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
Proper age? Since when were you ever proper, Doug?
BTW, anybody who hasn't ordered Doug's latest book, is missing a treat!
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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Cholly, by golly! Loyal user 251 Posts |
Horror audio?
The sound of real people being tortured and/or killed? I would definitely take the History Channel (semi-academic) approach with that type of stuff. |
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dio da goat New user Boston 35 Posts |
Feeding off of the History Channel comment, what is the point of these recordings? Are you following with the Jack*** (the show, not meaning you personally) approach of just trying to shock and traumatize? Is this meant as an educational enlightening experience? Or do you just want to desensitize the masses?
All have an approach, and you can even use a combination. Not all sideshow acts horrified. The disclaimer is a good idea like many have pointed out, but it doesn't neccessarily have to go at the beginning. You could give them a bit of a warmup with some that are entertaining/educating but not downright traumatizing, and then give them the warning after that. "Not for the faint of heart, but you've come this far, are you ready to go beyond the limits of human tolerance? Then prepare yourself for something truly shocking!" I strongly agree with Todd Robbins; do what you NEED to do. Just make sure you know what you're trying to accomplish. To me |
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 2653 Posts |
Not everything has to have a deeper meaning. Sometimes carnage is just fun and interesting and doesn't need to be explained.
Anyone who's ever spent time on Rotten.com understands that.
"The fool is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
~Will Rogers |
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dio da goat New user Boston 35 Posts |
If "carnage is fun" is the reason for doing it, then that is the deeper meaning. But because he's concerned about "losing sleep" I don't think this is his point.
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 2653 Posts |
I think a deeper meaning to "carnage is fun" would be the Freud's theory of the death instinct. But that's digression.
"The fool is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
~Will Rogers |
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