Jim Rose Circus Sideshow

I first read of them in a LOOMPANICS anthology; I first saw them in 1992 on Sally Jessie Raphael- and THEN I got the video & saw them in full glory w/o actually seeing them live- sooooo to all concerned-

how were you made aware of them, what is your favorite act & the one which most disturbs you?

My fave AND also the most disturbing- Matt “the Tube” Crowley’s stomach pump/bile beer routine.

Mr Lifto, check out the photo of swing here it will bring tears to your eyes.

A good looking book about the early days is here .

They swung through my town as part of Lollapalooza about ten years ago. If Matt “the Tube” Crowley’s stomach pump/bile beer routine disturbed you, you should’ve seen Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) take a sip of the product right after. Yecch!

I only read about it afterwards; even ten years ago, I was a little too old for Lollapalooza.

I saw them when they toured with nine inch nails in '94 or '95. Currently, I miss Enigma. There’s been a show on the Travel Channel lately about the JRC&S, it’s kind of sad to watch.

I saw them ar Lollapalooza 10 years ago. My favorite part of the act? A;ll the people passing out in the audience. Extreme heat + weak stomachs + disturing acts on stage = mass fainting. You shouls have seen all the guys go down when Mr. Lifto came on. :smiley:

Remind me not to post before I have my morning caffeine. :smack:

I first heard about them from a friend who’d been to a show in the UK - sometime in the early 90s I’d guess.

Came across em again when they ‘teamed up’ with NiN for a while - and Jim Rose’s book on the early history of the Circus is WELL worth a read :slight_smile:

Favourite Act - would probably have to be the ‘screwdriver in the nose’ simply because I copied him and didn’t kill myself so now I have a party trick :slight_smile:

I’m NOT swallowing razor blades for anyone tho :slight_smile:

TTFN

JP

I saw some footage of them on public access a couple years ago, the topless women sumo wrestlers distrubed me the most since they were at least 45 years old, i think.

A friend of mine went to high school with Mr. Lifto. She’s been known to lurk here from time to time, maybe this finally get her to post.

:eek: Don’t try it at home kids! :eek:

At least not until after I get home and try it, and post thorough instructions :smiley:

He used to take people out of the audience to drink the stuff at every show, and in the three times I saw them, he never failed to get volunteers.

I actually had them perform in my theatre in '92 (?).

They were a pretty normal group of people. Is Enigma the tattoo guy? He was really cool and the body tattoo he had was one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

Wasn’t Jim Rose in the episode of The X-Files called “Humbug”?

If so, that’s where I saw him.

I thought Conundrum was cool.

Jime Rose and Enigma were in the X Files (Enigma = Conundrum :slight_smile:

Enigma is - I believe - married to the only woman on Earth (at the time she did it) in possesion of a full body themed tattoo - I think her name is Catsun?

and yes, she has plastic whiskers inserted in her face too!!!

As for the screwdriver (or any non-sharp relatively ‘clean’ implement) - you just need to kill-off your ‘sneeze’ reflex and I discovered really quickly that I don’t actually HAVE a sneeze reflex!!

I was going to move on to swallowing swords - but my gag reflex makes up for my lack of a sneeze reflex BIGTIME so I gave up before I did myself damage :slight_smile:

Sneezing with something inserted into your sinus cavity will - of course - do enormous damage - so yup, careful at home kids :slight_smile:

TTFN

JP

I hadn’t heard of them until I had a physics professor who also happened to be named Jim Rose. He had some rather strange posters and newspaper clippings taped to his office door.

I am the one who grew up with Mr. Lifto. In a very small, conservative northwest town. Back in the day he was a Young Republican, even wore shirts and ties to school. Even when we acted in school plays together, there was never a sign of what was to come. Post college, I would run into him from time to time and each time he had had something new done to himself. He was the celebrity at our 10 year high school reunion.

My favorite act has to be him. But, I must say the show isn’t what it used to be. Anyone else remember chainsaw tag in the dark?

And someone was right regarding the show on the Travel Channel; it isn’t very exciting. Pretty much a forum for Jim’s ego. And who decided that playing with a yo-yo should be part of a circus sideshow?

I haven’t watched the Travel Channel show yet but I taped three of them so far- Enigma is gone?! (btw, he was Conundrum in TXF episode).

Oh! I KNOW how bad seeing someone drink the bile beer is!!!L That’s what really brought me to the edge when I saw the video- I was having pizza & beer at the time also G

I also have Jim’s book FREAK LIKE ME’ I gotta get CIRCUS OF THE SCARS sometime