Reader Kimberly suggested that she was not made welcome in the circus, and was treated as an outsider. She was also misunderstood by some on this blog initially. New blood, different view point/ideas not being welcome may have lead to the current state of the circus. If you are not with us, you are against us I suggest is pretty antiquated. A person I know from the Metro Toronto Zoo, Toby Styles whom I met when I trained a pig show for them, a number of years ago sent in the pictures of Gunther.
Attached some pictures I took at the Ringling show in Knoxville Tn in 1978. I was down there to see the first African elephant they had born.
You will notice the bandage on Gunther's hand it had been bitten a day or two before by a leopard while doing a commercial (I think for American Express). I spoke to him briefly, he was in a lot of pain and they cut the teeter board that night.
I believe the girl in white is Dolly Jacobs but not 100% sure.
Keep up the good work.
Toby
Toby,
Sorry. I thought she was in the first photo, under the heading. Should have looked further on.
Wade Burck
Posts
12 comments:
I would hesitate to try to make an intelligent comment regarding Kimberley's experience, not knowing what show was involved, nor exactly what transpired. I think it's true that on some shows there's an initial period of distrust when somebody new arrives who no previous connection to the business. Some of that is understandable. Many people who join the circus are broken pretty quickly by the work, or the hours, or the grind...and they leave. So maybe we don't invest a lot of effort in welcoming omebody until we know they'll be around for a while. But aloofness is one thing, and cruelty is another. It's not a crime to be a "First of May." It shouldn't be ok to intentionally mistreat a new hire just becaue they're new. As for ideas, it never hurts to listen. I have far too many ideas myself, so I figured out years ago that it was easier to write them down and send them off to Circus Report. We all like to be heard one way or another.
In defense of the shows. Once you're in, you're in. If you get through those weeks and months of cold shoulders. even if you go from show to show you won't go through it again. You've made your bones.
And it' worth it. Went to visit Mr Cainan on Kelly Miller last night. Pulling on to the lot at 9:30 at night and seeing all that lovely paint on all those show trucks -- it was just fucking beautiful. And whenever I see that I wonder, who wouldn't want to be a part of it?
Ben
Ben,
Kimberly sent a number of posts, did you see them all. I believe she was on Carson and Barnes for one. If you want to know how I was welcomed 33 years ago, remember the post on Buckles Blog Febuary 28, 2008, Ben? It was pretty accurate:
I was on Clyde Brothers circus with my mother and father when wade first applied for a job. As I was only 8 years older then him we became friends. It was my mother who explained to him what a blue blood was when he was told he couldnt be an animal trainer because he wasnt one. I was the one who told him what a shit shoveler was when he asked a young lady in the flying act to go out to eat after the show and her mother told him no , because he was a shit shoveler. The circus has never been a easy place for outsiders to be accepted.
I think it is also where the idea for this blog came about, Ben:
Bill O'Reilly/Fox News said...
...should we be looking for a picture of Ken Feld soon? I think Alana & Nicole have computers. Unless they are all being used in the production numbers.
29 February, 2008 04:32
Anonymous Ben Trumble said...
Mr Bill. I had the same thought, though it was more along the lines of, "It's almost March and in a couple weeks I've gotta go back out into the mud. If N or A starts posting to the blog I do hope somebody sends me smoke signals."
Let it never be said that the publisher of this blog isn't fair and balanced, presenting all sides of an issue.
29 February, 2008
Went to visit Mr Cainan on Kelly Miller last night. Pulling on to the lot at 9:30 at night and seeing all that lovely paint on all those show trucks -- it was just fucking beautiful. And whenever I see that I wonder, who wouldn't want to be a part of it?
I know how you feel Ben. I thought the same thing in 1984 when I drove into the Venice Winterquarters of Ringling Bros. Circus. But look at what I endured to get there, and look at the venom 33 years later.
This from one of our readers and responders Ben:
Wade,
Thanks so much for creating the No Spin Zone. I admire your ability to withstand
all of the ascerbic remarks. It is intimidating to me. Is there a way to
subscribe
to your blog? Buckles Feed Blitz fits its title! I would prefer to have your
updates.
I don't think the seats are full because of the welcomes, Ben. Be proud of our deal. In a short time, names you don't see on Buckles Blog, have felt welcome and had helpful thoughts and suggestions to our dilemma.
Be safe my friend,
Wade
I agree with Ben, once your in your in..Unless you are born in this thing we call "Circus", it's hard to understand,there is( or I must say was in my case,not knowing how it is today) a certain class system. And all outsiders were not to be trusted. And for a performer to be friendly,or God forbid to date a prop man,a butcher,or a groom( or as my dear mother called them shit shovelers), was just not done.
But never being one for rules and such,I always tried to be nice to everyone.Which in turn got me into all kinds of trouble.
And yes Ben,even after all these years of being a townie,whenever I visit a show,I miss being "in it" for about a day. Then I remember the hard work,the moving day to day,the set up and tear down,and I wonder how anyone could love that.But you do,it has to be love,cause it sure isn't the money....LOL....Margaret
Irony is that it has the whole "exclusionary" attitude that's led to the creation of more than a few circuses. Particularly I think, animal trainers. A housepainter in Kansas who was pretty good training dogs and ponies. (Obert Miller) Or a school teacher in Wisconsin. (Wayne Franzen) Etc. And not everybody with a lineage buys the whole "born into it" thing. Certainly the guy you work for has hired according to circus lineage over the years. And Buckles deserves some credit for finding talented shit shovelers and pointing them down the path to something more.
Ben
Margaret and Ben and Wade,
Now we have 3 view point. One born in it, who left. One born in it who is still with it. And one not born in it but entered into it.
I only noted a touch of animosity from the three. I understand fully. Many with it and for it know prefer the comfort of living at HOME, where they have spent their life. It takes great courage to go away from a comfort zone. Every person, experiences fear going away to college, or getting married, going away from their HOME, where they have spent their life. I respect/suspect that we may have 3 various shades of pink glasses here, and 3 versions of the word WELCOME.
Wade
Ben,
Did Buckles find the talented shit shovelers, or did the talented shit shovelers find Buckles? Of that list of shit shovelers over the years, how many didn't have the "talent", and did something else.
the guy you work for has hired according to circus lineage over the years. Ben, the number of trainers that John Cuneo has contracted since 1974, 34 years total, and just wild animal trainers is 64 people. What number had lineage? What number were "townies?"
Wade Burck
Ben,
If you need a start on the list from 1974 to 2008:
Bill Golden-Townie
Peter Martin-Townie
Junior Ruffian-Townie
Lou Regan-Townie
Wade Burck-Townie
John Cox-Townie
Roy Wells-Townie
Horst Merkel-Townie
Jean Machon-Townie
Deiter Wichert-Townie
That's 74 to 78, let me know if you need help with the rest of the list. Because then we can discuss who contributed the most to the industry, outsiders or lineage. Dory Miller, and Wayne Fransen will be a good place to start with outsider or lineage. Let keep the finger pointing to a minimum, Jim Z proved that was unhealthy in the rodeo/circus debate on Buckles Blog. Just state facts, not opinion.
Wade
I was probably rushed, because I actually meant to compliment Mr Cuneo for hiring talent and enthusiasm rather than favoring lineage over all else.
I'm never going to spell this name right, but years ago I saw a really impressive cat act in Russia trained by a guy whom I believe was named Mikal Bogdesarov. I saw a bunch of Russian circuses over a couple weeks -- all excellent -- and what impressed me was that the performers/trainers whether from circus lineage or not all went through the circus schools and were ultimately judged on their abilities. A level playing field for everybody actually raised the bar and made for better circus.
Ben
Ben,
Talent and enthusiasm has no more to do with the hiring practices then lineage. Have you looked at the extensive list? It is 100% the deal you mentioned with regards to working men and salary. The US immigration allows vista/green cards to individuals who have "assisted" with 3 polar bears for 2 years, assisted their husband with lions, and performed with 6 tigers for 2 years, to enter our country and work with tigers for 13 years, never looked at a polar bear or lion, as an expert polar bear, lion, and tiger expert/trainer, because the talent could not be found in American!!!! Much like Barishnikova, as an example. Only a valid example. I think this is such a shadow world even the government doesn't know what we do or are.
I agree with you about the Russian circus in regards to domestic animals, they are brilliant. Until the wall came down you were chosen early on and "taught" what you would do, with out much choice. But the pride they feel in any performance is truly from the heart, incredible performers. The below quote is from a former MC judged:
Another time it was awarded to Nikolai Pavlenko, and with a lot of scandal and polemics about the small dimensions of his cages and the tigers not exactly in the full possession of their claws.
Nothing to do with the training Ben, but as I am a welfarist, the conditions were some of the world in the world, as reported in interviews by many members of the "government" circus but only after 1991 when the wall came down and the shadows went away.
Wade
Ben,
A level playing field comes with setting a standard. Much like Dianne Olds Rossi stated is done with horses. What is done and how it must be done. I questioned, what was the standard for awards at MC remember? I have attempted to get a training standard, remember? I would almost think everyone is afraid to set/suggest a standard. I set a standard for "SuperStar" status in an attempt at what a standard or rules are. Did you cast your vote yet?
Be safe,
Wade
When I groomed for Hannefords as a kid, Harry Dubsky once yelled out to me "I give you dollar to unload my props". Struppi was outraged. She said "Tell him to NO" and followed with "my grooms are more educated than most of these performers"
Struppi was a second mother to me. I loved that lady MORE than my own mother, and worked like a dog to prove it. I rode with her on jumps and she told many great stories about life in Germany and since, and only once complained about how badly I smelled LOL.
Though I was, of course a shit shoveller, and never accepted by any of the show people, Struppi always treated me with respect and appreciation for the work I did. Even though it was a lowley job, to me it was a great experience.
Ian
as a townie and at the young age of 64 i am running again from the comforts of home to join the mudshows maybe i will be rejected and have to return home as a town punk . CleanRaul
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