| Me diabolically engineering every detail of the new circus. [Twentieth Century Fox] |
| Ringling Bros. Presents: A Newsletter |
| The most relatable announcement of last week came from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The show shut down in 2017, but Manatee County's Feld Entertainment announced a return planned for 2023. Things are different now — sweet Mary, are they different — and the company will be excising familiar features from the big top. The new circus will not have: Elephants or any animals. Clowns. A ringmaster. The circus will have: Um. Something! Something really good! Something great, even! The new logo literally incorporates a question mark into the "R," which I find brilliant. Like, oh, you want to know? Then? Come? See? The company says, "The live production of The Greatest Show On Earth will celebrate amazing talent from around the world, displaying incredible feats that push the limits of human potential and create jaw-dropping moments!" Well, I don't know anyone who doesn't like jaw-dropping moments. And I get it. This mysterious messaging is akin to what I told my editor this week (more on this below). "Let me tell you what my column won't have! It won't have any pollywogs. Or tardigrades. Or adverbs. Check back in four hours!" The gist is, the circus was out of date, stale and mired in animal rights controversies. The vibe going forward will be more through-line narrative, less potpourri of spectacles and sideshows. There's potential here for powerful Cirque du Soleil-style performances. All the circus folks have to do is examine everyday life in the 2020s for harrowing, action-packed premises. I'll get the brainstorming started. Ringling Bros. Presents: An Average Day Consuming News Ringling Bros. Presents: Hot Takes and Cold Cancellations Ringling Bros. Presents: Is This Mole Irregular? Ringling Bros. Presents: mRNA's Brave Little Journey Ringling Bros. Presents: Eyebrows Are Sisters, Not Twins Ringling Bros. Presents: Finding Your Evacuation Zone While Sea Level Rapidly Rises Ringling Bros. Presents: Reaching the Zipper on the Back of the Dress When No One Is Home Ringling Bros. Presents: TikTok for Olds Ringling Bros. Presents: Teaching Math with An Abacus Because All the Books Are Banned Ringling Bros. Presents: Expiration Dates and Other Lies Ringling Bros. Presents: I Streamed All 12 Episodes and Am Still Empty Ringling Bros. Presents: Overstimulated, Underpaid Ringling Bros. Presents: These Sweatpants Again |
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