Angelsstandcorrected

There are many kinds of freak, the Oxford English Dictionary defines one as : a monstrosity, an abnormally developed person or thing. That’s a wide definition, from Einstein through Alexander Pope and Ron Jeremy to Toulouse Lautrec. From the Circus/Sideshow perspective a ‘Freak’ is a performer who was born with a congenital deformity and they are the royalty of the Sideshow, then there are ‘made freaks‘ these are people who indulge in changing their bodies (Larry the leopard man, Eek the Geek) usually through tattoos, body implants and modifications until they are no longer ‘normal’ and of course there’s the 60′s – 70′s ‘freak’ a hippie or stoner (the fabulous furry freak brothers) who hang out, smoke weed and trip out (still plenty of them on the west coast). Freak carries, in some peoples minds, a pejorative meaning it means something bad. But is it? To be out of the mainstream isn’t necessarily a bad thing and meanings change over time. At one point in history having a black skin made you a freak and we think of that as ridiculous now. These performers are trying to bring an awareness of their ‘normality’ to peoples attention through entertainment (it is, after all a ‘show’) and that’s a valid and worthwhile, if sometimes, challenging thing to watch. They deserve support not denigration for what they are doing. This film documents this and as a result is funny, entertaining and sometimes difficult, it makes you feel uncomfortable on occasion and encourages you to examine your preconceptions about disability and that’s the point. These characters are young and put themselves in your face – mostly people get it – but some figures in the media establishment can’t take it. Do the ‘freaks’ have to be quiet little cripples and conform to stereotypical ideas of disabilty to be accepted. It would appear they do, that’s prejudice and prejudice always has a victim…