Unusual As Usual

Unusual As Usual
Unusual As Usual

The podcast that explores the strange and the bizarre. From 'Anatomical Oddities' such as "Grady Styles The Lobster Boy" who was born with claws instead of hands and 'Modified Marvels' such as "Rick Genest The Zombie Boy" who tattooed his entire body to resemble a rotting corpse - to 'Peculiar People' such as "Mac Norton L’homme Aquarium" who swallowed live fish and frogs before regurgitating them unharmed, and even 'Abnormal Animals' such as "Oliver The Humanzee" whom scientists believe could have been the missing link in evolution. Welcome to Unusual As Usual

  1. The Hard Hitting Story of Melvin Burkhart

    25-08-2021

    The Hard Hitting Story of Melvin Burkhart

    Melvin Burkhart was born on 16th February 1907 in Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of 20, he joined a small circus and worked as 'The Anatomical Wonder'. He would inflate one lung at a time, elongate his neck to an incredible degree and could contort his facial muscles in such a way that on one half he was smiling, whilst simultaneously on the other half he was frowning.   However, had ambitions to become a prize fighter, so he became a boxer. Not a very good boxer but a boxer none the less.He had 6 fights in the ring, and lost every single one of them. With a record 6 losses and 0 wins as you can imagine he spent quite a lot of his time sitting in hospital waiting rooms. It was at one of these frequent visits to the hospital that he had his eureka moment.   Each time he visited hospital the doctor seemed to remove more and more damaged cartilage from his repeatedly broken nose. He figured the less cartilage in his nasal cavity the more room there will be for an inanimate object - such as ...a 6 inch nail. He got home later that night found a hammer, dug out a nail and the rest as they say is history. When Robert Ripley saw Burkhart's new act he dubbed him a "Human Blockhead” and the name has stuck ever since.  Burkhart retired in 1989 but continued to perform for tourists and journalists right up until his death in 2001 at the age of 94.  ✅ Let's connect:  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unusualweekly​ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unusualweekly​ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/unusualweekly​ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/unusualasusual​ Fact Analysis: Although careful research is implemented to assure accurate and correct information, sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction (or ‘humbug', as P.T. Barnum would say). If you find any information in this podcast inaccurate, please do let me know via social media.

    7 min
  2. The Fiji Mermaid

    20-08-2021

    The Fiji Mermaid

    The Fiji Mermaid was supposedly caught off the coast of the Fiji Islands in the South Pacific. It was often described as hideous and ugly. It was a stuffed specimen, dried or mummified, Its skin was black and Simi translucent. It was around 3 feet long and was posed in an awkward stance. Its mouth was open, its tail turned over, and its arms thrown in the air, giving it the appearance of having died in great agony.   The Fiji Mermaid was instrumental in Barnum's success. Not only was it hugely popular, but it set the foundation for many of his later tactics for generating interest in his curiosities. So, what exactly is it?  Well, a CT scan of the mermaid on display at Harvard University's Peabody Museum reveals it is made up of wire armature, paper mâché, bone fragments and fish scales.    You can find out more about where I bought my Fiji Mermaid from by visiting 'All Steamed Up' here; https://www.facebook.com/ianjarrellartist  ✅ Let's connect:  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unusualweekly​ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unusualweekly​ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/unusualweekly​ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/unusualasusual​ Fact Analysis: Although careful research is implemented to assure accurate and correct information, sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction (or ‘humbug', as P.T. Barnum would say). If you find any information in this podcast inaccurate, please do let me know via social media.

    8 min
  3. The Gluttony of Harold Huge

    18-08-2021

    The Gluttony of Harold Huge

    Bruce Snowdon was born on 19th February 1946 in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. At 19 years old, Snowdon weighed nearly 250lbs and by age 23, 350lbs.    He had piled on a lot of weight and by the time he was 25 he was a bloated behemoth tipping the scales at a whopping 450lbs. He contacted Ward Hall who ran the World of Wonders sideshow and the rest as they say, is history.  Ward would introduce him by saying; "He’s so big it takes four girls to hug him and a box car to lug him. When he dances you’ll swear he must be full of jelly, cause jam don’t shake like that. Ladies! He is single and lookin’ for a wife - he’s so fat, he’ll provide you with a lot of shade in the summer time, he’ll keep you nice and warm in the winter time and give you lots of lovin’ all the time!”    Ward also gave him his first stage name "Harold Huge” although he also performed under the moniker ' Howard Huge’ and ‘Big Bruno’. In 2002 he retired from show business all together and on 9th November 2009, Harold Huge’s gluttonous lifestyle came to an end, and he passed away at a nursing home in Saint Petersburg, Florida, aged 64.  ✅ Let's connect:  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unusualweekly​ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unusualweekly​ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/unusualweekly​ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/unusualasusual​ Fact Analysis: Although careful research is implemented to assure accurate and correct information, sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction (or ‘humbug', as P.T. Barnum would say). If you find any information in this podcast inaccurate, please do let me know via social media.

    8 min
  4. Oliver The Humanzee

    06-08-2021

    Oliver The Humanzee

    Oliver was a chimpanzee born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1957.    He was acquired by animal trainers Frank and Janet Berger in 1960 and they observed some physical and behavioural evidence which led them to believe Oliver was perhaps a human-chimp hybrid. A ‘Humanzee' if you will.    When news broke of his discovery officials from a Japanese Television Network, approached him with an offer: they would fund scientific studies to be carried out in Japan, including genetic testing in exchange for the rights to reveal the results live on their national TV show. After his trip to Japan and TV appearance Oliver was sold to the Buckshire Corporation, a Pennsylvania laboratory leasing that leases out animals for scientific and cosmetic testing where his home became a tiny cramped cage.    In 1996, Primarily Primates, an animal sanctuary, petitioned to allow Oliver and 13 other chimpanzees to be transferred to them for retirement and after 9 long years in a tiny cage, Oliver ended up at a spacious, open-air habitat at Primarily Primates, Texas. Oliver died in his sleep on 2nd June 2012 at least 55 years old.  ✅ Let's connect:  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unusualweekly​ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unusualweekly​ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/unusualweekly​ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/unusualasusual​ Fact Analysis: Although careful research is implemented to assure accurate and correct information, sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction (or ‘humbug', as P.T. Barnum would say). If you find any information in this podcast inaccurate, please do let me know via social media.

    8 min

Info

The podcast that explores the strange and the bizarre. From 'Anatomical Oddities' such as "Grady Styles The Lobster Boy" who was born with claws instead of hands and 'Modified Marvels' such as "Rick Genest The Zombie Boy" who tattooed his entire body to resemble a rotting corpse - to 'Peculiar People' such as "Mac Norton L’homme Aquarium" who swallowed live fish and frogs before regurgitating them unharmed, and even 'Abnormal Animals' such as "Oliver The Humanzee" whom scientists believe could have been the missing link in evolution. Welcome to Unusual As Usual

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