I see some of these for sale from time to time. Is there anyone currently exihibiting these types of gaffs? How does it go over? I am asking because its an area I know absoluely nothing about.

I have strong opinions. Not to do so will increase the customers that will come in your show. Why just get those who like to be grossed out and turn away all others?
Common sense. These are mostly abortion babies if real and just a weak show if bouncers. You will not get Women, Families and many Men to come in. You will get the young punks. Whoopie. Go for the big crowd unless you are not doing it for money. Get a show you can be proud of and 'they' can have fun at.

I have a lot to say on this subject but will refrain here on the Café. There are those who still show them and that is a decision they made, that it's ok to do so.
I just think there is far more success in the show by not having them around...no heat either. Those who show them are not bad showmen, they just have a different opinion than I do. I showed them once upon a time for a short while and learned.

You can PM me or eMail me if you like.

Doug

Doug is right. I own a bunch of these as a collector and rarely get the chance to show them. I have shown them at underground clubs and have got a great reaction.....women get sick.....but it won't make you a living. Your money should be spent in wiser areas if you want to have a real show. If you are doing sicker/bizarre shows for an adult audience they can add some atmosphere!!!

SOrry to sound noobish, but when it come to these I am. So what exactly are these? Are they similar to the mermaids and other creatures you make Doug? Or am I "looking" at this wrong?

Just curious.

Thanks.

Bouncers are babies with deformities made out of rubber. Punks are real specimens. They are both displayed in jars usually as examples of "The Horrors Of Drug Abuse".

They can be quite a disturbing display, espacially if you do not know they are replicas, not the real thing. When I went to see Ward Hall's show, I did pay the extra buck to go into the back room to see the bouncers. I went back just for the history aspect of it, to see in person what the whole hype was about rubber babies in jars. I left my kids in the main tent with Sylver.
The girl working the back had good patter, the bouncers were decent enough, and I was back there with about 5 other people. Two of my fellow audience members seemed visibly upset.
Almost 30 people, including my own kids did not go back to see them.

Now...If the exibit had been say...Mummified Chupacabra or a Strange Creature of Unknown Origin, I would have brought my kids and Sylver back, and they would have gotten an extra $3 from us for 2 minutes of work. Chances are a lot more of their audience would have gone in as well.

Another thought- You said "I see some of these for sale from time to time. Is there anyone currently exihibiting these types of gaffs? How does it go over? I am asking because its an area I know absoluely nothing about."

You see these for sale from time to time.

So do I.

On E-bay.

So does everyone else.

It is really hard to pitch something like that.

"Step right up ladies and gentlemen, you've seen it on E-bay, read that they're fake and probably know how to make the "embalming fluid" they're kept in!! (Thanks to Lipton, our number one sponser) Now see them up close and personal! Hey...where are you going...."

I would still go to see them, the bouncers anyways (Not an actual punk show), but that is just me. I would not show them myself.
Gwyd

Well no, I hadn't considered actualy doing it. It is something I was wondering about, as far as if those types of shows still existed, and if bricks rained down on the tents and trailers when they showed up. I just didn't know if anyone still did these types of shows.