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Drew Friedman
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Drew Friedman's Sideshow Freaks Hardcover – Illustrated, February 15, 2011

by Drew Friedman (Author), Penn Jillette (Foreword)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 23 ratings
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Melvin Burkhart the Anatomical Wonder; Zip the Pinhead; Chang and Eng, the original Siamese twins; Johnny Eck, the King of the Freaks; Koo Koo the Birdgirl; and 45 more fascinating sideshow freaks both famous and obscure are immortalized in Drew Friedman’s delightful portraits. Before the politically correct impulses of the 1970s squelched the grand American tradition of the sideshow — people born with abnormalities and others, like Jolly Jere the Fat Man, who created their oddity — exhibited themselves to the shock and thrill of millions in sideshows nationwide. As a youth in the late 60s and early 70s, Drew Friedman often visited Coney Island with his family, and he and his brothers always insisted on seeing the "Freak Show." Drew Friedman’s Sideshow Freaks presents 50 of his favorite historic human oddities — famous and obscure — in mesmerizing full-color portraits. As in Warts and All, Old Jewish Comedians, and More Old Jewish Comedians, Drew Friedman once again meticulously, brilliantly, and affectionately brings to life people in the show business, this time focusing on America’s oddest performers.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    112 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Blast Books
  4. Publication date
    February 15, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    8 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0922233365
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0922233366
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Drew Friedman is a guilty pleasure!" — Matt Groening

"Drew Friedman has created the greatest sideshow lineup ever. His astounding portraits of the strange, the unusual, the bizarre, and the unconventionally beautiful truly capture the spirit of these extraordinary characters. This is a must-have book for anyone who is a fan of the joyously twisted world of the sideshow." — Todd Robbins, Purveyor of Amazement, coauthor, with Teller, of Play Dead

"Any book that contains six—count 'em, six!—pinheads is my kind of book. Drew Friedman’s trademarked propensity to make 'normal' people look a tad freakish with his forensic attention to every wrinkle, wart, and nose hair is turned on its head in this impressive collection. Here, the 'freaks' look back at us as if to say, 'So who’s normal?' Friedman’s uneasy affection for the 'weirdos' among us comes through in every lovingly drawn portrait." — Bill Griffith, creator of Zippy the Pinhead

"It’s true the sideshow is never what it seems, but Drew Friedman draws it like it really feels." — James Taylor, creator and publisher of SHOCKED AND AMAZED! magazine, founder of the museum at the Palace of Wonders

About the Author

Drew Friedman is the author of more than six books, including Old Jewish Comedians, More Old Jewish Comedians, The Fun Never Stops, and Private Lives of Public Figures. He is the recipient of the 2001 Reuben Award for newspaper illustration, and his portait of President Obama graced the cover of The New Yorker for Obama’s inauguration, January 2009.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Blast Books; Illustrated edition (February 15, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 112 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0922233365
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0922233366
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
23 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Liz Belmont
5.0 out of 5 stars Get your freak on!
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2011
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Like Drew Friedman, I too experienced my first freak show at the tender age of 10. Every year the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros.circus would set up shop in the parking lot of the Commack Arena on LI and the entirety of Vets Highway would smell like elephant dung when the wind blew in from the south. In 1969, I took my well-earned dime to the freak show and bought a postcard from the smallest woman in the world. After that I was hooked. I read the National Enquirer and the Weekly World News like a fiend, always on the lookout for the latest news about Lobster Boy or hoping for a new set of siamese twins to obsess over.

When I finally saw the movie "Freaks" during a midnight showing in Syracuse (de rigueur viewing for anyone attending college in the 70s), I knew there was a reason why I loved these "freaks" so much - they were more human and real than any "normal" person I met in suburbia.

These people were who they were, with no apologies. No covering up or hiding "inperfections." They were perfect as they were, or perhaps even more perfect because of their refusal to deny who they were.

Drew's latest book is a loving tribute to these imperfectly perfect people. His attention to the slightest detail is what I've always loved about his work. But it's also his ability to bring these people to life and the obvious love he has for his subjects that gives the book its heart. This is not a book that you will look at once and then place on the coffee table, only to move it when you dust (or in my case, IF I dust.) You'll be reaching for this book with your little flipper arms time and time again.
14 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer Kim
5.0 out of 5 stars So interesting !
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2021
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Book was in perfect condition.Nicely formatted.About 100 stories of famous 'freaks' ,each with big beautiful,colorful drawings(paintings ?) Full page size.They made lemonade out of what 'normal'folks considered lemons. They had always been stared at and most appreciated being able to make money from their differences and being celebrities. Many retired well off because of the chance to exhibit their uniqueness. Farms ,businesses,going independent finding love ,marriage.having hoards of kids.I especially liked Dolly Dimples,'the most beautiful fat lady' ,555lbs.had heart attack,scared,lost443lbs,wrote diet and health book(s?) .Made lemonade out of being fat ,made lemonade out of being thin. These people didn't hide away and cry,they made the best of their gifts(or handicaps if you look at it that way).As for me ...portion control...portion control like Dolly.
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Hillary Yonce
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic addition to the collection.
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2018
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Drew Friedman is an amazing artist, this book is perfect.
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Nuclear
5.0 out of 5 stars Drew Friedman is a genius!
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2012
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I have always loved Drew Friedman's work, and this is a presentation of illustrations with the true history of the freaks he illustrates.
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Corie
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2014
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Absolutely beautiful hardcover book! Thank you!
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David Burd
5.0 out of 5 stars A New Way To Look at Freaks
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2011
A new book from Drew Friedman is always a treat and Drew Friedman's Sideshow Freaks (name above the title, impressive!) does not disappoint. In his previous volumes of Old Jewish Comedians, Drew drew loving portraits of funny folks in his trademark warts-and-all style. In the case of sideshow freaks, everything else has been left out. This time it's just the warts.

Obviously, there's no need for caricature or exaggeration when depicting human oddities; these people are ugly enough just as they are. But that's where Friedman weaves his magic. There's no sense of that "step right up and see the Jo-Jo the dog-faced boy!" sensationalism. In fact, it's the reverse. These are exceptionally respectful portraits of unusual people, not meant to mock or degrade them. Yet, Drew doesn't put them on a pedestal either. Here they are, as they were. Interesting to look at, carefully and accurately rendered. Bizarre, yes. But still very human.

The artwork is wonderful. No surprise there. The most fascinating thing to me is the tone of the book. Here are the freaks, take 'em or leave 'em. Even the text that accompanies each painting (co-written by K. Bidus) has this matter-of-fact attitude. It lists the person's real name along with his or her stage name (tent name?) and some basic facts about place of birth and description of the particular freak's skill or deformity. It reads like a directory of dentists. "Dr. Feldstein received his degree in orthodontia in 1946 and was well known for his excellent bridgework." (This charming approach is picked up by Penn Jillette in his entertaining and funny introduction.) It's the absolute absence of shock value that makes the book so delightful and refreshing.

As usual, highly recommended.
7 people found this helpful
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Al l
1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good freak book
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2017
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Not a good freak book. It's all illustrations. If you're looking for a good freak book like Larry showed McEnroe, this isn't it.
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Daniel Bosley
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2014
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Cool book.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Perry Headford
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2019
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Everything great
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Judi Brocklehurst
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on July 29, 2014
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Drew Friedman's work is always a lot of fun, and this collection is no different.
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ricky
5.0 out of 5 stars sehr schöner bildband
Reviewed in Germany on January 19, 2013
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für fans von freak- und sideshows ein must have !
die "freaks" sind toll gemalt und beschrieben.
ein farbenprächtiges zeitloses dokument !
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Peter Kitslaar
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2015
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Very nice, new book!!
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