Word: barnumism
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...city defenders. The rabble rousing on the celebrity cocktail circuit has brought thousands of protest letters from around the world pouring into the B.I.E.'s Paris office. In Venice the city council remains categorically opposed, as do 63 organizations ranging from police to town planners. "Mounting a spectacular Barnum & Bailey circus is no way to solve real problems of sanitation, transport and tourism," says Alvise Zorzi, author of seven books on Venice and leader of the "No Expo" groups...
...houselights dim in the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, the ! ringmaster's voice rattles the rafters: "Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! Producer Kenneth Feld proudly presents the 119th edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Greatest Show on Earth! Take one! We're rolling! Lights! Camera! Action!" But wait -- what kind of show is this? Flickering lights in Ring 2 reveal a scene right out of a silent film. Two Keystone Kop cars have collided, while clowns dressed as cops and criminals strike up a dance...
...their best eight. Feld's formula includes a dash of gimmickry to pack 'em in. In 1985 it was the "Living Unicorn," a goat whose horns had been surgically fused. The stunt drew criticism from animal-rights activists but boosted ticket sales by more than 20%. Says Feld: "P.T. Barnum would have been proud...
...fresh in an age when young people have a high and still rising threshold for amazement. His search for new talent and incredible feats is never-ending, but that's the way he likes it. Says Feld: "Nobody in the world has a job like this." Spoken like P.T. Barnum...
This Bronx-reared Barnum has magazines in his blood. In the 1960s and '70s, working as a cover designer with the late editor Harold Hayes, Lois turned Esquire's cover into a gallery that registered every shock of those seismic years. As an adman, he taught America's children the insistent demand "I want my Maypo." In the early 1980s he recycled the line to meet their grownup tastes: "I want my MTV." And he's the man who told people, "When you got it, flaunt it" (for Braniff airlines, remember?), a pretty good description of his advertising ethos...