[NA - Ringling Brother's Circus - Rant - NA]

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Ravioli

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I'm dismayed that PETA has finally beaten down RBB&BC to the point they are giving up.

I'm 50 yrs old (not new info) and I fondly remember going to the circus with my eldest brother. I was 7 and he was 18. With that age difference there were few things that connected us. Obviously we're closer now that I'm fully cooked, but it was something cool.

Now these "People" are ripping out a part of Americana that was really wholesome and fun for the sake of protesting something.

I'm sure the "People Eating Tasty Animals" comment will find its way into the thread. Beat ya!

But really, think of the things you did when you were young, and how they've been modified. It saddens me.

Parades - Used to be a celebration of a holiday and the school bands. Now it's a protest.
Circus - Can't do that
Movies - do you let pre-teens go to the movies on their own?
Sea World - Sorry, Shamu's rights were violated
The Mall - Better chance of getting assaulted instead of an Orange Julius
The Park - not without video monitoring

Maybe there's a football game on that I can watch while I cry in my beer.

Until someone protests the drinking of beer or the violence of football.
 
Heard about that, sad news indeed. I have good memories of seeing them when they'd come to perform in town. Bello, the clown with the tall hair was always my favorite. :(
 
The only thing that comes to mind when I hear of SeaWorld, the circus, a zoo, an aquarium is animal abuse. Call me a tree hugger but I just don't enjoy these places and won't support them with my wallet.

If there was a way to enjoy these animals without captivity, I'd be all for it. It just won't happen.

As far as the others are concerned, I'd be more interested if they were more invested in entertaining as opposed to squeezing every penny out of my wallet. I'd rather spend $20 playing a poker game with friends than going out to see some garbage reproduction of a movie with an overuse of lens flare and explosions.
 
A shame, but nothing anyone can do about it. Their last performances will be in Birmingham AL so we got that going for us. And here I thought the B'ham City Council was a circus, but a real one will in town for their last shows.
 
Sad, but I don't blame them. I've been going to the circus every year for about the last 12 and have noticed a severe drop off on attendance.

The used to do 7 shows in Salt Lake, 2 on Thursday-Saturday and 1 on Sunday.

The last few years they have been down to 4 and even those weren't filled to capacity.
 
Sometimes I think we have a lot of problems in this country. Then this fake outrage stuff reassures me that we really do live charmed lives.

Makes it easier for me to return to my self absorbed elitist lifestyle.

Excuse me @mscard88, would you pass the Grey Poupon?

 
Tastes change... and everyone is always nostalgic for what they knew as a kid as they get older. So nothing ever changes...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
All out, but I have some cold leftover pizza and cold boiled peanuts , and my cold....oops better not say that! She might read this.
 
I have my PETA t-shirt: People Eating Tasty Animals...

But was the death of a circus really a direct result of PETA or just nobody going? We went a number of years ago as a nostalgia thing since it always came through Denver around my birthday, but it just wasn't that interesting.

Animal trainers are amazing folk, and the PETA whiners really paid zero attention to how much animal trailers actually care for the animals (for the most part), but at the end of the day, it had to be insanely expensive to move the animals and performers around and do the shows.

About the only two "animal" events I have time for are the annual local rodeo and once every few years, the National Western Stockshow -- with maybe a trip up to the rodeo at Cheyenne Frontier Days thrown in occasionally.

The circus was pretty low on my list of "must see" things, and zoos are even lower. Once you've seen monkeys throwing poo at humans once, that's usually enough.
 
I wasn't too interested in the circus, even as a kid. I remember going... once.

After seeing these animals in the wild, I would be even less interested. But many people don't have the chance to do this.
 
One of my fondest memories is of the 2cd grade school trip to the circus. (1966) As we were in line waiting to go in, a clown came out to entertain us, not part of the program, he just did it. For some reason he singled me out and did some magic tricks using me as his patsy. He did the quarter out of my ear, flowers out of my sleeve and made things disappear and reappear, and a few other things. I'll never forget it, and I still have the quarter.
 
I'm no fan of PETA, but I'm not sad to see the Circus go. It had its time, but that time has passed.
 
I find a good zoo like San Diego an enjoyable way to spend the day, walk, and check out the animals (usually the homo sapiens are as interesting as the other species :) ) Oddly I don't like botanical gardens, which is much the same on a nice sunny day. Go figure.

Anyway, I'm looking at schedules to see if I can make it for the last round.
 
denverpilot said:
About the only two "animal" events I have time for are the annual local rodeo and once every few years, the National Western Stockshow -- with maybe a trip up to the rodeo at Cheyenne Frontier Days thrown in occasionally.
QUOTE]

We enjoyed the NWS when we lived in the Denver area in the early 1980s. Had a great time there. Need something like that where we live now.
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Cpt_Kirk said:
The only thing that comes to mind when I hear of SeaWorld, the circus, a zoo, an aquarium is animal abuse.
Click to expand...

Apples and Oranges.... Sea World is an ocean themed amusement park, have some less than stellar practices. The Circus is/was unsustainable as a business, too many other options for entertainment out there.... Zoo and Aquariums do a great deal for animal conservation and have a true benefit.
 
I struggle with this. I took my kids to the circus a couple years back and Kept telling Eren.
You know this is a right of passage thing for kids. They go to a circus. Its a big thing for kids.
Then I see animals in cages and think they belong in their own space. I also felt like they were all on sedatives but that is conjecture. still these lions were damn near asleep.


And the kids... "Can I get my face painted? Can we buy a light sabre? and on and on" the circus was not the main focus for the kids. there were tons of flashy things being peddled up and down the isles.

I am only sad to see it go because it was a part of my childhood but last time I went I left a little depressed.
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
The only thing that comes to mind when I hear of SeaWorld, the circus, a zoo, an aquarium is animal abuse. Call me a tree hugger...
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Na, let's just call you ill-informed, zoos and aquariums have done lots of good, research, and a protected place for rescued animals to heal so they could be returned to the wild.
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
The only thing that comes to mind when I hear of SeaWorld, the circus, a zoo, an aquarium is animal abuse. Call me a tree hugger but I just don't enjoy these places and won't support them with my wallet.

If there was a way to enjoy these animals without captivity, I'd be all for it. It just won't happen.

As far as the others are concerned, I'd be more interested if they were more invested in entertaining as opposed to squeezing every penny out of my wallet. I'd rather spend $20 playing a poker game with friends than going out to see some garbage reproduction of a movie with an overuse of lens flare and explosions.
Click to expand...

I assume you never lived or worked on a farm with livestock? So you probably never used one of these:
Alfa Schermer Penetrating Bolt Stunner For Livestock

Most, not all, but most, animals kept in captivity are better off than those in the wild. No poachers, they never have to worry about being some other animals next meal, they get free health care that's probably better than yours. They typically have much longer lifespans then "wild" animals.

Something to consider, the next time you are petting your dog or cat and chowing down on that steak. ;)
 
Let's talk about the non-animal part of the circus....the very talented people who have skills that don't involve animals. The jugglers, hire wire, flyers, clowns, and so on. At this point, Cirque du Soleil is about the only show left.
 
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murphey said:
Let's talk about the non-animal part of the circus....the very talented people who have skills that don't involve animals. The jugglers, hire wire, flyers, clowns, and so on. At this point, Circe du Soleil is about the only show left.
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Pretty sure Circue D'Soleil is doing just fine.
 
I think there are still regional circuses and other sideshow operations. Not many, but some. Most towns still have some sort of carnival every year, but that's a different story.

In some ways it's just another sign that life changes. Forgetting any political correctness, or animal rights angles, the circus coming to town just isn't that big a deal anymore.
 
The parental units took us kids to the circus a couple of times. I think the last time was probably around 45 years ago when I was 13. I do not recall enjoying it that much and have never had a desire to see one again as an adult. I won't miss it. I doubt if many people will.
 
As I understand it, they still have two tents with a full complement of animals and performers on tour. If it was just weakening market demand, I would think that going to one tent and a streamlined tour schedule would be the solution, not shutting down altogether.
One problem for them in recent years has been the loss of performance spaces that are both close to population and we'll connected for visitor traffic.
 
I fall in the group of no fan of PETA but kind of glad to see the circus go. If they could find a way to put on a show not using animals it would be a different story. I went once as a kid and not sure I would ever take my kids if I had any.
 
My thoughts is that part of the problem is just the change in what entertains folks now. I love the old movies that had giant sets, lots of people and plenty of real action. Now "acting" is all done on a computer and imaging in a small room. Sort of more cartoon than real action.

Music used to be big orchestra like productions, now reduced to a few people editing sounds together.

What counts for entertainment now fits in one hand. Look at kids and even adults. They walk with a smart device in their hands staring intently into it and then walk straight out in front of moving cars.....which is pretty entertaining for me to watch..
 
Shepherd said:
I assume you never lived or worked on a farm with livestock? So you probably never used one of these:
Alfa Schermer Penetrating Bolt Stunner For Livestock

Most, not all, but most, animals kept in captivity are better off than those in the wild. No poachers, they never have to worry about being some other animals next meal, they get free health care that's probably better than yours. They typically have much longer lifespans then "wild" animals.

Something to consider, the next time you are petting your dog or cat and chowing down on that steak. ;)
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But your dog and cat have been domesticated, and so was your steak, unless someone went hunting for it.

Guessing most circus and zoo animals were bred in captivity. At least I hope so. They would probably not do too well if introduced back into the wild. Leave wild animals wild. We don't need to be capturing them in order to make their perceived quality of life better.
 
Actually RB has had great legal success fighting PETA/HSUS.

I think that the decline of the circus is a direct result of the interwebs and youtube and their effect on kids. I remember going to the circus when I was in grade school in the '80's. Where else was I going to see that stuff? "I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE LION!!". Now? If they can dream about seeing it they enter a search and boom - there it is.
 
korben88 said:
What age group do you fall in?
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I am on the older end of being a millenial, but there might be more about my demographic than just my age that explains my observation.
 
Zeldman said:
One of my fondest memories is of the 2cd grade school trip to the circus. (1966) As we were in line waiting to go in, a clown came out to entertain us, not part of the program, he just did it. For some reason he singled me out and did some magic tricks using me as his patsy. He did the quarter out of my ear, flowers out of my sleeve and made things disappear and reappear, and a few other things. I'll never forget it, and I still have the quarter.
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And recurring nightmares...

Hope you had that quarter sterilized; you don't know where it's been.
 
Grum.Man said:
I fall in the group of no fan of PETA but kind of glad to see the circus go. If they could find a way to put on a show not using animals it would be a different story. I went once as a kid and not sure I would ever take my kids if I had any.
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Yeah, I kind of am surprised they didn't go more the Cirque de Soleil route. There is obviously some demand for that kind of entertainment. I never went to the circus, nor did I ever desire to. But I have seen O, and Cavalia. We got special tickets to the latter that let us go back into the stables and see the horses up close. Believe me. The owners take great care of those (very expensive) horses.
 
paflyer said:
And recurring nightmares...

Hope you had that quarter sterilized; you don't know where it's been.
Click to expand...

Haha...my son has a clown phobia from years ago. All we can figure it must have been the county fair in Okaloosa Cty in FL, where I was stationed at in the USAF. Midgets too. Can't figure it out as we were always with him and didn't allow him to wonder.
 
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