Ringling Bros and Barnum Circus Closing

#3
#3
I'm from South West Florida and have lived in two long time hometowns of the winter headquarters of The Ringling circus. When I was younger I remember driving around town and seeing people's homes with circus practice areas, mostly trapeze nets, I've seen people with elephants they keep at the home to practice. My high school (sarasota high) has a circus and the students could take a circus class and at the end of the semester would put on a performance. The high school stopped the circus curriculum because of the potential for injuries and lawsuits. The land, which was on school property, was granted away and is now run by a public organization and students can participate in an after school program not technically affiliated with the school. The crazy dude, Nick Walenda, who you see walk across the Grand Canyon on a tight rope comes from a long line of circus performers and lives in Sarasota. The ringling school of art is located here and Used to have a clown college, where Steve-O grandfather from. Feld entertainment, who ran the circus for the last few decades, is headquartered in Ellenton Florida less than a couple miles from my parents home. It's a very unique situation and I'm sadden to see it gone. If you have a chance to come to Sarasota come see John Ringling's estate. It's a wonderful museum and has a lot of important circus history.
 
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#5
#5
Hate to hear about an American institution going by the wayside. It sounds though like it's time has passed.

It sounds like their other properties do well.
 
#7
#7
Nerd-Vol said:
Hate to hear about an American institution going by the wayside. It sounds though like it's time has passed.

It sounds like their other properties do well.
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And that's about all there is to it. I have fond memories of going to the circus as a kid, times change though, and businesses need to adapt or shut it down.
 
#9
#9
Great memories as a kid going to Civic Coliseum.
Also remember having beers with the clowns (sans make-up) at the Long Branch.
 
#10
#10
mdrew27 said:
I'm from South West Florida and have lived in two long time hometowns of the winter headquarters of The Ringling circus. When I was younger I remember driving around town and seeing people's homes with circus practice areas, mostly trapeze nets, I've seen people with elephants they keep at the home to practice. My high school (sarasota high) has a circus and the students could take a circus class and at the end of the semester would put on a performance. The high school stopped the circus curriculum because of the potential for injuries and lawsuits. The land, which was on school property, was granted away and is now run by a public organization and students can participate in an after school program not technically affiliated with the school. The crazy dude, Nick Walenda, who you see walk across the Grand Canyon on a tight rope comes from a long line of circus performers and lives in Sarasota. The ringling school of art is located here and Used to have a clown college, where Steve-O grandfather from. Feld entertainment, who ran the circus for the last few decades, is headquartered in Ellenton Florida less than a couple miles from my parents home. It's a very unique situation and I'm sadden to see it gone. If you have a chance to come to Sarasota come see John Ringling's estate. It's a wonderful museum and has a lot of important circus history.
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Nice summary! And don't forget Field Entertainment was the company that put out the Monster Jam toys with the pedophelia marks on them.

I live very near there and it is sad.
 
#12
#12
BearCat204 said:
Once the elephants went, it was only a matter of time
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The first time I ever saw an elephant live...Dad took me down to Gay St to see them march to the Coliseum

Archive photos: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus in Knoxville

636200667322004967-KCLO-Circus-06.JPG
 
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#14
#14
Have a friend who was in RBBB for years. I visited him a couple times and stayed on the train with him. It was an interesting community of people to say the least! Interesting to see how they put it on. It was a crazy amount of work.

Sad to see it go
 
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#15
#15
After seeing this circus as a kid, i wanted to runaway and join.

I saw another circus set up their tents using elephant labor, one time. That was as much fun as the circus itself.

Relics of the past now
 
#16
#16
n_huffhines said:
After seeing this circus as a kid, i wanted to runaway and join.

I saw another circus set up their tents using elephant labor, one time. That was as much fun as the circus itself.

Relics of the past now
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And should be.
 
#17
#17
Boca Vol said:
Nice summary! And don't forget Field Entertainment was the company that put out the Monster Jam toys with the pedophelia marks on them.

I live very near there and it is sad.
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The article refers to the marks as "shibboleth". An ordinary thing that only 'insiders' would know how to interpret differently than general folk. The Snopes investigation seems to indicate the Feld group had no idea the heart in a heart motif had any sinister meanings attached.... What should we think then of Zales pendant in the attached pic?

Code for Pedophiles on Toys? : snopes.com


..."Feld Inc. responded to our inquiry, confirming that the item was since pulled from their inventory. Spokesman Stephen Payne said in a statement that the company was unaware the heart symbol bore any relation to pedophile shibboleths. The tenor of the statement suggested that the maker of the toy was genuinely horrified to learn of the rumors and took immediate action upon hearing the rumors:

On Tuesday, March 8th, when the issue with the Monster Jam toy was brought to the company’s attention by a customer who purchased it at a recent Monster Jam event, we immediately pulled this item from inventory and will no longer sell it. In addition, any customers who have purchased this truck can contact our Customer Service Department for an exchange or refund."...
 

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#18
#18
Everyone's entitled to their opinion but the circus was so much more than the animals. The acts were really amazing and had no other venue. The tumblers, the acrobats, the clowns, the crazy Mexican family that did the original Globe of Death - all amazingly talented and slugging it out doing 10 or 11 shows a week for 50 weeks a year. Always moving. Most of the acts were family acts from all over the world. Three acts going on at most times and the band not only played music but also highlighted all the acts simultaneously.

End of an era.
 
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#19
#19
My dad used to love to take us to this when we were kids. I never cared for it, but it was like reliving his childhood I guess. Not surprised to see it go. Always hated the way the animals were treated
 
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#20
#20
Some of my awesome elephant skills
 

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#21
#21
Caption the pic...

Elephant: Why is there a guy in a tux with a porn stache and a sweet mullet sitting on my neck?
 
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#22
#22
Boca Vol said:
Nice summary! And don't forget Field Entertainment was the company that put out the Monster Jam toys with the pedophelia marks on them.

I live very near there and it is sad.
Click to expand...

I heard there was a pizza place that secretly supported pedophilia too.

I guess Unilever's Good Humor brand should run for the hills? :)

This is one of the best ice cream bars on the market btw...
good-humor-strawberry-shortcake-43540.jpg
 
#25
#25
I'm sure there is mistreatment of animals in the circus but I don't know that it's a net negative result. As empty as it sounds, the fact that a circus can make $ off these rare animals ensures a better level of conservation for them.
 
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