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"The Greatest Show on Earth" no more
01-15-2017, 07:01 AM
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#1
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Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 40,518
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"The Greatest Show on Earth" no more
Ringling Brothers announcement Ringling Bros. circus to close after 146 years | Miami Herald
Quote:
After 146 years, the curtain is coming down on "The Greatest Show on Earth." The owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus told The Associated Press that the show will close forever in May.
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We took the grandkids to see this show a year ago, which turned out to be the final tour with elephants. We went again this past summer, after the show I told DD we would not return. Even though the announcement by CEO Kenneth Feld ( here) highlights the absence of elephants as a primary reason, it does not figure at all in our decision. Much more significant was the 1) $27 surcharge on top of each $40 ticket, 2) the show was not nearly as good as the previous year, and 3) the circus clowns, which constituted around 1/4 of the total performance, were not at all entertaining.
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01-15-2017, 07:21 AM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,148
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Not unlike Sea World. First world folks aren't as accepting of animal cruelty, perceived or real anymore. Kids today can see elephants and orcas on their smartphones anytime they want. Times change.
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Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
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01-15-2017, 08:41 AM
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#3
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Saint Paul
Posts: 87
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I'm saddened by this news as I am a big fan of circus arts and am now part-time working within a circus environment. Many of my coaches came from a Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey background and have gone on to teach others these arts or establish their own aerial arts studios. There is a rich tradition of circus among the humans involved. I'm sorry the organization has not been able to evolve beyond the focus on animal acts to incorporating more aspects of human acts either aerial, balance or gymnastic based. I think that the availability of circus training to the general population (instead of inherited access through a family) has certainly spread and brought in lots of very skilled and imaginative performers. There certainly are new traveling circuses and home based performances but the grand history of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey circus will be lost.
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01-15-2017, 08:48 AM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
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Does this mean the bearded lady can finally get rid of that facial hair?
Clowns are now "scary" to a lot of people. The Cirque people have cornered the market for acrobatic shows. Take away the animals (and besides the questions about abuse, the costs of hauling them around from city to city, maintenance, liability and insurance, etc. must be pretty high) and nothing left to make the old time circus a draw.
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“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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01-15-2017, 08:57 AM
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#5
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,301
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paracelsus
I'm saddened by this news as I am a big fan of circus arts and am now part-time working within a circus environment. Many of my coaches came from a Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey background and have gone on to teach others these arts or establish their own aerial arts studios. There is a rich tradition of circus among the humans involved. I'm sorry the organization has not been able to evolve beyond the focus on animal acts to incorporating more aspects of human acts either aerial, balance or gymnastic based. I think that the availability of circus training to the general population (instead of inherited access through a family) has certainly spread and brought in lots of very skilled and imaginative performers. There certainly are new traveling circuses and home based performances but the grand history of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey circus will be lost.
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Hasn't most of the aerial, balance, strength, gymnastic stuff simply been taken to a new and higher level by the likes of cirque de soleil? So, like most things, circus is just getting more specialized and generalists like RB/B&B get squeezed out
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01-15-2017, 09:18 AM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 6,255
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And this coming just three days after this announcement. How disappointed she must be.
In a first, woman gets top spot under Ringling Brothers big top - CBS News
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01-15-2017, 09:26 AM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ATL --> Flyover Country
Posts: 6,649
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Quote:
Originally Posted by euro
Hasn't most of the aerial, balance, strength, gymnastic stuff simply been taken to a new and higher level by the likes of cirque de soleil? So, like most things, circus is just getting more specialized and generalists like RB/B&B get squeezed out
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And they have done so with a good bit on controversy as well. We have a family friend whose daughter was a performer with them for about 2 years. She was severely injured and she has been battling them in the courts since. It's really a very sad story and hers are one of many similar stories.
Back to the Ringling Bros, I was surprised to read that they still travel by train. That is kind of cool. I was also surprised that the company also owns "Monster Jam" and "Disney on Ice" among a couple other lesser known shows.
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01-15-2017, 09:43 AM
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#8
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: West of the Mississippi
Posts: 17,134
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Very sad. I went to the circus a few times taking the kids and they thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Comparison is the thief of joy
The worst decisions are usually made in times of anger and impatience.
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01-15-2017, 09:49 AM
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#9
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 17,194
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack
Not unlike Sea World. First world folks aren't as accepting of animal cruelty, perceived or real anymore. Kids today can see elephants and orcas on their smartphones anytime they want. Times change.
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The smart phone is not the same as seeing live... take a trip to the Grand Canyon and no picture can match it...
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01-15-2017, 09:50 AM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,000
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Wow. What will kids run away to join now?
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Numbers is hard
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01-15-2017, 10:10 AM
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#11
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Rural VT
Posts: 307
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo
Wow. What will kids run away to join now?
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Kids, hell, what about us seniors?
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01-15-2017, 11:28 AM
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#12
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,332
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From a sentimental perspective this is sad.
OTOH, there's something that always grated me about going to the B&B Circus where the founder's most famous line was "there's a sucker born every minute".
Maybe nowadays there's only a sucker born ever few hours.
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Living well is the best revenge!
Retired @ 52 in 2005
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01-15-2017, 12:03 PM
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#13
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,960
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo
Wow. What will kids run away to join now?
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I ran away and joined the Air Force in 1975.
Daredevil stunts.
Death defying feats
Elephant turds galore
A regular freak show
Yes, I'd say it was just like the circus
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01-15-2017, 12:04 PM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,320
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Times change. In some ways hard to believe that they survived this long.
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01-15-2017, 12:32 PM
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#15
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,468
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelB
1) $27 surcharge on top of each $40 ticket,
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OK, that's enough to keep me from ever wanting to go to the circus again, so now I won't miss it. I'll always remember the thrill of going to the circus in my childhood, but wow - - $67? That is just lunacy and a complete turn-off.
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Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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01-15-2017, 01:15 PM
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#16
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,148
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Proud
The smart phone is not the same as seeing live... take a trip to the Grand Canyon and no picture can match it...
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Obviously. But getting to instantly see the world for free from your couch is more than good enough for many people versus the considerable time, money and effort to go to the Grand Canyon.
Just as buying something online unseen is not the same as going to a store and seeing and touching the item first hand - but people are choosing the former more and more each day.
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No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
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01-15-2017, 01:42 PM
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#17
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
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My late husband loved the circus so we went at least once a year and sometimes we were invited to parties to meet the various performers . He was also a circus model builder and built a complete circus .with side show and rides .After He died I donated it to a circus museum except for a few pieces that the fat lady wanted (true story ).
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01-15-2017, 02:03 PM
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#18
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: the prairies
Posts: 5,021
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo
Wow. What will kids run away to join now?
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They don't run away anymore...it's much easier to live rent free in their parent's basement.
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01-15-2017, 02:29 PM
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#19
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo
Wow. What will kids run away to join now?
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I don't know. My buddies ex-wife did the circus thing. He was lucky.
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01-15-2017, 04:17 PM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Independence
Posts: 7,271
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RonBoyd
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Ya know - sometimes I think women get a raw deal. First female ringmaster, aaaannd we're closed. Kinda like Mary Barra being named GM CEO just in time for the big ignition switch scandal and the opportunity to let the senators take pot shots at her.
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