Comments on: FeeJee Mermaids & Other Gaffs

By: Tengu

Tengu — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 16:44:53 +0000

I’ve got the jackalope postcard, of course, and a “big jack” one.

And when I saw the stuffed head of one, the owner was surprised that I knew what it was.

She said most people thought it was an odd antelope, more the pity.

By: Doug Higley

Doug Higley — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:04:50 +0000

Peter, on a personal level, I happen to agree…if there was a ‘mission’…however my stated policies are for the ‘whole’ not my personal beliefs. What I teach the ’showmen’ is not a way to make a statement but an honest dollar…and to avoid the confrontational and frankly people wanting their money back. We’re not out to ‘mock’ anything with the little show I designed, just have fun and pay the space rent. I had one of those old fashioned upbringings I guess where I was taught you didn’t have to lie. Ever. What people choose to believe is not necessarily the truth, nor is truth necessarily what they believe. It’s just a show without a political agenda…a live cartoon if you will…yes a prank of sorts but a gentle one. I knew Andy Kaufman, at least over the phone and one of his favorite places was the old Times Square Hubert’s dime museum, mine too, a place packed with Freaks and Gaffs. So that was a good anology Peter. Personally, I don’t mind a good hoax and have done it and will do it as long as I live…but in advising others on how to get into the business of entertainment with a sideshow type exhibit I have to take a higher ground. In the same way some of us Magicians do a little misdirection to fool the eye or the senses…not to adjust a persons believes but to purely entertain, wrinkle a brow and crack a smile. I also look at these little shows as a replacement for the long gone Kiddie Matinee and I feel a twinge of responsibility to get the kids imaginations sparked but not bare faced lie to them. Most of us that do these shows (yes most) were that little kid that sees a FeeGee Mermaid and talks about it for weeks and investigates and learns and eventualy figures it out and tries to make his own. The seeds of a ’showman/woman’ not an activist or a crook. I, (like PT Barnum and many others) are the biggest so called ’suckers’ of them all when it comes to this stuff…we love the gaffs…in idea and execution of showing them. IF we could afford to make a Movie instead, we probably would. Thanks for your excellent ‘take’ Peter.

Doug

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:34:07 +0000

Ben, that’s a low blow.

The Minnesota Iceman may be a “gaffe” to you, but I do not consider the evidence compelling that the Minnesota Iceman is indeed a gaff – except for the replacement model!

By: Benjamin Radford

Benjamin Radford — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:13:04 +0000

… and don’t forget the gaffe that fooled Sanderson and Heuvelmans: the Minnesota Iceman!

By: peterbernard

peterbernard — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 18:20:51 +0000

People are hypnotized all day long, things like this are there to either de-hypnotize you or take advantage of your hypnosis. In John Keel’s books, he urges us to remain agnostic otherwise the belief itself can drive us insane. Belief is the enemy, not “hoaxers.” The PT Barnums of the world serve a valuable purpose. Andy Kaufman never used the question mark, you know, and he was the greatest of pranksters, he took it beyond hoaxing– his entire career was a commercial for agnosticism. Hoaxers aren’t mocking scientific studies, they are mocking dogma and belief, which exists on all sides everywhere and is a great enemy of humankind.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:12:52 +0000

I rmember being a kid and really thinking the jackalope was a real creature! My father even made a whole detailed history and biology of it and I was enthralled by it. Of course I know they don’t exist now, but I think it was actually one of the first things that got me interested in animals and subsequently led me to study biology and zoology. For kids, I think if these things instill a sense of wonder and lead to interests later in life, and that is a great thing. For adults, they are good entertainment!

By: DeBo

DeBo — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 06:13:57 +0000

Living 5 minutes away from the Barnum and Bailey museum, I appreciate all these things. I just want someone to produce something real! =)

By: Lee Pierce

Lee Pierce — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 03:11:39 +0000

I have always enjoyed Gaffs when presented the right way. Fun stuff

By: Remus

Remus — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 03:03:59 +0000

As I mentioned in a similar post, I am guilty of making and selling a number of “Jenny Hannivers” during the years of 1976-1980. Living in a seaside resort town, I sold them to tourists. My goal was to make money. Period.

But it was fun too! My tale was that a “fisherman” had caught the Thing. (Never told them what It was nor did I mention that I was the fisherman!)

That was the whole story. I left the details to the buyer’s (rube’s?) imagination.

The point here is well made. But I also would contend that the more detailed the lie, the harder it is to pull off.