Inside Gloria's Mind

The Heights of Ridiculousness: vtg. German circus posters

Two circus posters advertising the charms of their sideshow giants by depicting them as 2-3 times normal size.

 

Imagine the disappointment of the poor person who saved up just to meet these miracles of nature!

 

 

 

Advertisements developed before the laws that forced them to be reasonably

Glimpses of Old Russia: circus acts and memorabilia

Pytor Kyrlov, ca. 1905-20, Russian circus strongman

 

 

Murzuk, ca. 1905-20, Russian circus wrestler

 

Pavlov, ca. 1905-20, Russian circus clown

A Man is His Joy

Women Flying into the Spotlight!

Feeling Golden All Over

 

And to think they did this without irony.  (*mind boggling*)

She Tamed Lions (for the Russian Circus)

Yes, Comrade, her claws were as sharp as his too.

Beautiful Acrobats in the Air

Little Norma Davenport

 

I want to know if she grew up to be a dominatrix. :)

 

Circus Women Had More Fun

They were sexually free at a time when most women were enslaved.

La Rose Marguerite, star of the Victorian circus

The Coochie Girls Are Working It

What Is Masochism? -- random thoughts on a Tuesday night

..and what is the difference between masochists who do it for the fame and the ones who do it for the sexual satisfaction?

 

via www.youtube.com

Jack Hall, American Escape Artist

Visions of Houdini and Blaine in this vintage post-office-worker/escape artist who made a splash in the 1960s.

 

 

 

A new underwater escape artist is emerging in the stunt world. He is Jack Hall, a Chicago mail handler, and his fans say he is a lot like the late great Houdini. With his wrists, arms, ankles and legs chained and locked and bound in cerements (sheets).

Hall, looking like a mummy, dives into a pool. After a three minute struggle in the water, he comes up free of his chains and unwrapped to his swim trunks.

Nov. 12th 1963 UPI Telephotos

via www.sideshowworld.com

 

Below, a photo I found months ago of Mr. Hall, which led me to google him and find the (above) entry on Side Show World. Apparently this was shot at the end of the stunt.  COOL!

 

Have you ever seen a purple girl?

I never saw a purple girl
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one. cf.

 

Coney Island, NY, late 1940s-early 1950s

Who Gets to Define Normality?

Was Jolly Jere Really Jolly?

Jolly Jere, professional fat-man

Madness is Open to Interpretation

Rosco, the snake eater

Humans Are Remarkably Adaptive

Have you noticed?

 

What is Beautiful? What is Strange?

 

Do you fear the things that make someone different from the ordinary?   Do differences intrigue you and draw you in?

Or do you walk through life never noticing the details that make each person completely unique from another?

Reality is a Cold Shower

Power with Grace Equals Beauty

Your Body is Your Body

It's Beautiful to Be Exceptional

It's Fun to be Strange

Life is a Picnic

Also from the 1920s, guessing a group of actors or carnival workers, clustered together for dinner al fresco.

 

Welcome to the Cabaret!

Welcome back, everyone.  Yes, I've been randomly blogging throughout my so-called hiatus, as the whim suited, and that's how it's going to keep looking around here until I finish volume 2 of The Truth About Sex.  The new volume is all about sex and OTHER people!  (The first volume was "Sex and the Self," and focused primarily on masturbation, orgasm, and the basics of sexual ethics and communication.)   I've got a solid month of hard work ahead to complete it for my self-imposed August deadline.   So you may see more thought-laden ramblings and blurts and news links fly up as I'm working book ideas through my mind.  But, of course, there will always be lovely nudes and merry sexy people to keep things festive and chill.  Kind of like an icy mojito on a hot July Day....

Hope you all had a rockin' sockin' fourth.  We blew up some fireworks and feasted on a good old-fashioned All American BBW.  I mean, BBQ.  *drum roll*

OK, then.  Starting off with some lovely people who once worked at an Old West gambling saloon, ca. 1920s.   This advertising postcard showed customers far and wide what comforts they could hope to find inside this happy little hacienda.   And after the whiskey and stage show (and it looks like there was a swimming spectacle too, where one could see the curvy girls in OMG wet bathing suits, one may safely surmise that, for a price, these cheery ladies were happy to help you get out of your dusty boots and into something wet in the boudoirs upstairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twisty Flexy Freakish Fun

I'm going long and strong today and tomorrow, as my gift to you before departing, with all kinds of jewels and gems that have been glittering unseen in my archives.    I'm taking a break for a bit but will be back later with big hairy masterly men.  WOOF!

Between Thursday and the first week of July, I'll drop in when/if I have anything special to share.   Otherwise, nah, not so much. 

Should it be an agony for you even to contemplate going without me for 3 weeks, then cheer up.  I'm a sadist!   Your pain is my pleasure!  It all works out.

Anyway, I promised you twisty flexy and the subject of sadism took me here.  Can you imagine the kind of bondage you could do with these two?

 

 

 

 

 

Ange Camilli: historic bodybuilder

 

 

"Two Fair Pugilists" - ca. 1910 female boxers!

And now, ladies and germs, let's all move to the adult area

 

coming up, "artist models," sexy pinups and gorgeous girlie magazines from the 1940-1960s.