Freak Shows: Then and Now

From the mid 19th to the mid 20th century, freak shows were an extremely popular form of entertainment. By the beginning of World War II, however, the popularity of freak shows began to fade. Over the remainder of the 20th century and into the 21st, disabilities and other human characteristics considered extraordinarily outside the mainstream gradually became to be accepted. While old style freak shows have disappeared decades ago, have they really vanished from American culture? Shows like Jerry Springer, Maury, and Judge Judy could be considered the modern form of freak shows. These TV programs, viewed by millions nationwide, often feature people who are largely outside the mainstream, and willingly appear on the show, not unlike the freak shows of decades past. The people who appear on these shows are a spectacle to the audience who are watching solely for entertainment. Have freak shows truly ended? Or have they been replaced with a more modern, subtle edifice?