Step right up, folks—today’s Shortcide takes you on a journey through the wonderfully weird (and slightly horrifying) world of historic freak shows! 🎪 We dig into the strange afterlife of Elmer McCurdy, the outlaw who somehow spent more time touring as a mummy than he ever did causing trouble alive. Then, we honor the story of Julia Pastrana, the incredible performer who deserved so much more than the circus life she was given. Expect a mix of history, absurdity, and the occasional “Wait…WHAT?!” moment as we unravel the bizarre ways society used to treat the extraordinary.

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Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen. 

​WILDCIDE Podcast and any content posted is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions

References:

Lovejoy, B. (2014, November 26). Julia Pastrana: A “Monster to the Whole World”. The Public Domain Review. https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/julia-pastrana-a-monster-to-the-whole-world/

Powell, J. M. (2023, September 6). Holy cow! History: The strange afterlife of Elmer McCurdy. NH Journal. https://nhjournal.com/holy-cow-history-the-strange-afterlife-of-elmer-mccurdy/

Stelloh, T. (2013, December 13). Behold! The heartbreaking, hair-raising tale of freak show star Julia Pastrana, Mexico’s monkey woman. BuzzFeed News. https://www.buzzfeed.com/timstelloh/behold-the-heartbreaking-hair-raising-tale-of-julia-pastrana

Thomas, H. (2018, July 24). Elmer McCurdy: Traveling Corpse. Headlines & Heroes. Library of Congress Blogs. https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2018/07/elmer-mccurdy-traveling-corpse/

Wilson, C. (2013, February 11). Julia Pastrana, who died in 1860, to be buried in Mexico. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/arts/design/julia-pastrana-who-died-in-1860-to-be-buried-in-mexico.html