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January 1998 Sawdust Trail
By
Kathleen Kotcher
A very peri-odd-ical recounting of some of the strangest things the sideshow world
has to offer. The Sawdust Trail is updated whenever we have something earth-shattering to announce
or whenever I need to see my name in lights. Make sure to sign up on our Shocked & Amazed/Atomic Books Mailing List for email notification of updates!
Shocked and ABLAZED
On & Off the Midway?
The Shocked and Amazed corporate offices were eviscerated by flame on December 26. The cause of the fire
is believed to be faulty wiring. No one was on the premises at the time (our founder had kindly given us the day
off) so the only casualties were stock and a number of fish we had gotten rather attached to. We have relocated
the offices and are currently trying to get the finely honed machine known as James Taylor's SHOCKED AND
AMAZED! back on track. All fans and followers of freakdom are begged for their continued support and patience.
It may take us a little bit longer to get everything back up and limping in its usual fashion.
Lost in the fire was a lot of the SHOCKED AND AMAZED! inventory--so look for modifications to
the Super Special Secret Sale List in
the upcoming weeks. Fear not, faithful friends Volume 5 (featuring Jim Rose) is still on track and slated
to go to the printers in the upcoming months. Watch this space for details.
A Special Message from Our Founder,
JAMES TAYLOR:
Our founder is back hail and hardy from a Mid-west sojourn which saw him in and around Baraboo, WI, home as all
good circus fans know of the CIRCUS WORLD MUSEUM. Home to the U.S. of A.'s first name in circus archives,
the museum showcases some sideshow items amongst its heralded circusiana. On permanent display in this site of
the Ringling Bros. original winterquarters are Snap Wyatt and Neiman Eisemann banners of human skeletons and fat
ladies, pitch cards and lists of sideshow performers, as well as a pretty outrageous hall devoted to the old time
Wild West shows. Sadly, the outdoor sideshow, which accompanies the live circus big top, was closed for the season.
McCoy's Medical Devices collection combines just the right amount of scary, sexually suggestive, peculiar and
downright stoopit quack equipment from past and (god forbid) present to make you swear off even "legitimate"
medicine. With his help and that of his able and charming assistant, our founder finally got his chance to see
an Orgone box (didn't get a rise out of him), a fluoroscope ("X-ray that foot for them new high-tops, kid?")
and a psychograph (which read, phrenologically, the bumps on our founder's head; highest scores? sexamity, veneration
and suavity, making him the sex-crazed, hero-worshipping conman we've always known him to be).
House on the Rock...well, they describe it as indescribable. For those who've never been, go immediately; for
those who have, how did you ever find you way out? Upon arriving, two hours prior to closing, our founder was warned
that it took that long (I'm not making this up) just to walk through it. Chuckling derisively at first, he fetched
up at the gift shop on the way out, as forecast, nearly two full hours later having run through the place. Attractions
typical (if you could call them that) to the house: the world's largest carousel, a three-story tall collection
of old ship models surrounding a 200' fiberglas whale in a duel to the death with a slightly smaller orange squid,
and hundreds of nekid lady manikins done up as angels. And of course the 60' wide red chandelier made of hundreds
of chandeliers. And that was just three of the house's many rooms.
In comparison, Robot World is much more sideshow, with the kids in mind. You know, promise ëem robots, give ëem
junior league Dr. Science with "robot" voice-overs and lots of assorted junk yard debris painted silver,
most of which makes even Dr. Who seem high tech. It does feature a pretty scary (and huge) Van de Graaff generator
(which you're warned by the ticket seller not to photograph because "your film will melt and your camera will
blow up... or somethin'")
Happy Birthday, Mr. Coleman
Visionary artist, Joe Coleman celebrated his past birthday in the land of pleasant living (that's Baltimore
to you and me). Joe has recently been on the road promoting his latest book, Original Sin (published
by Gates of Heck). The books explored the collected works of Joe and features
an essay by film director Jim Jarmusch. Original Sin is chock full of fantastic color plates of Joe's
obsessively exquisite paintings and features a key to understanding the madness behind the marvelousness in the
back. Attendees to the birthday bash were treated to an (a)rousing rendition of "She'll be Coming Around the
Mountain." Swordswallower Johnny Fox provided some of his peculiar brand of entertainment--it kind of gets
to you right in the guts, y'know? [Private message to Joe Coleman: Joe, you should know that the book was destroyed
but the lipstick portrait lives on (even if it is a little charred and smelly now.) Are you somehow responsible
for this?]
Cones and Rods and Sawdust Trails
Also in Baltimore was the Cones and Rods exhibition featuring the finest in art, performance,
and publishing. Put together by Todd Lesser (publisher of Monozine, which is easily the best
zine around) it featured such sawdust trail luminaries as the Bindlestiff
Family Circus and woman with a beard, Jennifer Miller.
Fresh Breath After Death
Tattoo legend Mike Wilson continues to be a presence for Madison Ave. advertisers more than a year after
his death. He is now posthumously pitching Certs (with a glistening drop of Retsyn)! Postcards are being
distributed at those free postcard stands that have a way of cropping up in coffee shops and larger chain record
stores. All of which really makes you wonder about life after deathÖ
Banners for the WKRP Crowd
For all fans of sideshow banner art in the Cincinnati area, make sure you check out the new exhibition opening
at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center. The banner show, called the Human Hammer Meets the Two Headed
Woman is currently on display. Featuring banners by "banner artist, sword swallower, and cultural
historian Johnny Meah," the show is a must see for fans of sideshow everywhere. Also featured is a
sideshow banner by SHOCKED AND AMAZED! artist in residence, Mark Frierson, of the late Coney
Island tattooed man, Mike Wilson. Hey, at least it ain't Certs.
Freakmeister James Taylor on NPR
Our founder, James Taylor, was recently interviewed on the nationally syndicated Derek McGinty show
on National Public Radio. Joined by SIDESHOW: ALIVE ON THE INSIDE producer, Lynn Doherty
and Robert Bogdan, author of Freakshow: Presenting Sideshow Oddities. The lively discussion
explored the nature of the sideshow and the freaks role in show business.
Coming Next Time on the Sawdust Trail
The SHOCKED AND AMAZED! staff takes its annual sojourn down south to visit with the fine carnival
folks in Gibsonton (a.k.a. Showtown USA), Fla. for the annual International Independent Showman's Association
Trade Fair. Lots of silly sideshow shenanigans are sure to come from the unruly hooligans at SHOCKED
AND AMAZED!
Also, an update on the publication of Volume 5 of SHOCKED AND AMAZED! featuring the unstoppable
Jim Rose of the Jim Rose Circus--you will not believe what we got him to tell us. It's sure to make you drive
a nail through your nether regions. Plus more, more, more!
 
Web Content © Copyright 1998,
Shocked & Amazed/Dolphin-Moon Press/Atomic Books
Illustrations © Copyright 1998, Mark Frierson
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