Argumentative Essay On Freaks

Freaky Freak Shows
The “Freak show” was a gathering of people who were considered by society to be “different” is some aspect which gained popularity in mid to late 1800’s. Whether it was because of a deformity, missing and/or additional limbs, or simply the color of their skin, people of the middle class loved to see “freaks”. However, as science and medical understanding began to increase in early to mid-1900’s it became inappropriate to display “freaks” as an attraction, and the freak show began to dwindle rapidly (1). Despite the fall of the freak show, the concepts of “freaks” as attractions has not completely left modern society, a view which can be seen when looking at media, more specifically reality television shows and the networks
During the height of its popularity, “freaks” as performers were objectified, marginalized, and juxtaposed with each other, highlighting their “weirdness” and letting the audience view them as inhuman, developing a sort of “us” and “them” frame of mind (2). While shows like “Extreme Cheapskates” may not specifically seek to form this mind set they use language which helps to emphasize the difference between the viewer and person on television. Several examples of this can be seen the first episode of the second season of “Extreme Cheapskates” entitled Rick- Karissa Torski (4). In the opening narration, as they introduce the various stories, they call these people “obsessive penny pinchers” and “fanatically fragile.” The show even starts with a warning that these people should not be imitated. These things combined all point to these people not being “normal” or “different” in some way, even from those who may normally try and save money. The viewer can easily compare themselves (or those they know) to those seen on the program, allowing them to compare “normal” people to the odd people seen on
While there may not be a sense of cultural superiority specifically in these programs, their main goal is the same. These programs can present the audience with situations that may make them feel superior in some way. Several examples of this can be seen the first episode of the second season of “Extreme Cheapskates” entitled Rick- Karissa Torski (4). The third segment of this episode deals with a mother planning her daughter’s first wedding. The wedding is held in a gym and the bridal dress bought in a thrift store, the mother also refuses to buy a wedding cake, instead using a display cake from a bakery and having the bride’s sister bake a small one-layer cake instead. The comment section of the video is filled with people who criticize the mother for her actions. Robert Thompson, a professor at Syracuse University explains in an interview with TODAY that, "These shows are really designed in many ways for us to feel superior as we make fun of the people on them, but I'm not sure these people should be disallowed from doing it..."