"It's Fun To Be Fooled"
January 9, 2007 6:21 PM Subscribe
House of Deception is dedicated to the history of the deceptive arts, including magic, carnival sideshows and pro wrestling.
oooooo CRAP amy!!!!!!!!!! Why you do this to me. Now I'll be up all night!!!!!
posted by The Deej at 6:40 PM on January 9, 2007
posted by The Deej at 6:40 PM on January 9, 2007
Oh hoo baby! Nifty.
posted by Smedleyman at 6:52 PM on January 9, 2007
posted by Smedleyman at 6:52 PM on January 9, 2007
Super-duper cool. I'm a sucker for con-artists and magic. This is going on my bookmarks.
posted by Bookhouse at 7:02 PM on January 9, 2007
posted by Bookhouse at 7:02 PM on January 9, 2007
For some reason, the tagline "It's Fun To Be Fooled" instantly entranced me. Now, I must read every page on this site.
posted by dougunderscorenelso at 9:21 PM on January 9, 2007
posted by dougunderscorenelso at 9:21 PM on January 9, 2007
Nice post, thanks! For this brilliant quote alone the site is worth a visit: "There are some frauds so well conducted that it would be stupidity not to be deceived by them."
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:30 PM on January 9, 2007
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:30 PM on January 9, 2007
I had about all I can take of carnival sideshows after I got through watching Carnivale.
posted by sparkletone at 10:46 PM on January 9, 2007
posted by sparkletone at 10:46 PM on January 9, 2007
How could they list pro wrestling as deceptive when everyone knows pro wrestling is real. Woooo!
posted by owillis at 11:21 PM on January 9, 2007
posted by owillis at 11:21 PM on January 9, 2007
I grew up in Detroit and LIVED for "Big Time Wrestling" as a kid. It was on TV several times weekly, and often was taped from the nearby Cobo Arena.
My cousins and I always suspected it was rigged, but, like believing in Santa, we would never fully give way to skepticism. The big names were Dick the Bruiser, Bobo Brazil, and the most notorious bad guy of all, The Shiek. Bobo and The Shiek traded the championship belt back and forth.
The Shiek was notorious for using foreign objects in the ring, and for not leaving the ring himself without spilling profuse amounts of blood from his own forhead. Even though I grew up and finally laid to rest any lasting belief that it was "all real," I was further disillusioned when The Shiek died. It piqued my interest, so I finally did some Googling, and discovered that The Shiek actually OWNED the whole Big Time Wrestling outfit, and called all the shots, making himself the biggest and most hated star! Here's the Wiki link for Ed Farhat, AKA The Shiek.
posted by The Deej at 12:03 AM on January 10, 2007
My cousins and I always suspected it was rigged, but, like believing in Santa, we would never fully give way to skepticism. The big names were Dick the Bruiser, Bobo Brazil, and the most notorious bad guy of all, The Shiek. Bobo and The Shiek traded the championship belt back and forth.
The Shiek was notorious for using foreign objects in the ring, and for not leaving the ring himself without spilling profuse amounts of blood from his own forhead. Even though I grew up and finally laid to rest any lasting belief that it was "all real," I was further disillusioned when The Shiek died. It piqued my interest, so I finally did some Googling, and discovered that The Shiek actually OWNED the whole Big Time Wrestling outfit, and called all the shots, making himself the biggest and most hated star! Here's the Wiki link for Ed Farhat, AKA The Shiek.
posted by The Deej at 12:03 AM on January 10, 2007
"There are some frauds so well conducted that it would be stupidity not to be deceived by them."
I liked that one too, flapjax... Also this one: "A deception that elevates us is dearer than a host of low truths"...
It's hard not to admire the cunning and clever mind of a skilled charlatan (at least the ones who use their skills for fun and entertainment)...
As for the pro wrestling... I have a cousin who got so mad at me when I made an offhand comment indicating that his favorite "sport" was staged... It was as if I had told him that the Easter Bunny wasn't real (and he was well into adulthood at the time)... I was so taken aback by his vehement and defensive response (I think he would have emulated his heroes and hit me over the head with a metal folding chair if one had been handy).
posted by amyms at 12:27 AM on January 10, 2007
I liked that one too, flapjax... Also this one: "A deception that elevates us is dearer than a host of low truths"...
It's hard not to admire the cunning and clever mind of a skilled charlatan (at least the ones who use their skills for fun and entertainment)...
As for the pro wrestling... I have a cousin who got so mad at me when I made an offhand comment indicating that his favorite "sport" was staged... It was as if I had told him that the Easter Bunny wasn't real (and he was well into adulthood at the time)... I was so taken aback by his vehement and defensive response (I think he would have emulated his heroes and hit me over the head with a metal folding chair if one had been handy).
posted by amyms at 12:27 AM on January 10, 2007
Short and sweet: wrestling is for mentally disabled people. If you enjoy it, check your IQ.
posted by autodidact at 7:54 AM on January 10, 2007
posted by autodidact at 7:54 AM on January 10, 2007
... oh and children too, so check your age first.
posted by autodidact at 7:54 AM on January 10, 2007
posted by autodidact at 7:54 AM on January 10, 2007
I'm getting sick and tired of people saying 'rasslin' is fake!
I'm a fixin' to go upside their heads with a chair!
posted by nofundy at 9:00 AM on January 10, 2007
I'm a fixin' to go upside their heads with a chair!
posted by nofundy at 9:00 AM on January 10, 2007
[This is neat!]
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:24 AM on January 10, 2007
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:24 AM on January 10, 2007
Short and sweet: wrestling is for mentally disabled people. If you enjoy it, check your IQ.
posted by autodidact at 7:54 AM
This is, indeed, the problem with self-education. Everything the autodidact studies reinforces his own prejudice.
posted by roll truck roll at 9:36 AM on January 10, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by autodidact at 7:54 AM
This is, indeed, the problem with self-education. Everything the autodidact studies reinforces his own prejudice.
posted by roll truck roll at 9:36 AM on January 10, 2007 [1 favorite]
A deception that elevates us is dearer than a host of low truths
Paging Mr Dawkins.
posted by Sparx at 2:27 PM on January 10, 2007
Paging Mr Dawkins.
posted by Sparx at 2:27 PM on January 10, 2007
Suggested names, schticks and trash-talk for professional wrestlers:
Lord Fawkesly-Wibbling, the Peer of Punishment:
"Indeed, sir, I do believe, it fills me with such regret as I shall hope you never know, I shall indeed, upon the morrow in which we so quarrelsomely trod 'pon the hallowed Squared Circle, that I shall be the sorrow-filled Hamlet. And you, of course, must needs play Yorick."
The Apathy Kid:
"What? Yeah, okay, dude, whatever."
Limerick-Spoutin' Jimmy:
"There was a young wrestler named Wibbling
Who so much loved trash-talk and quibbling
But once in the ring
He could not do a thing
And he exited bloody and dribbling."
Aloysius Banjo-Picker:
"What? Oh, yeah, that. It's just a name, man. I got it from my dad, who got it from his dad, who got it from his dad, who came from a long line of musical instrument purchasing agents."
posted by arto at 7:00 PM on January 10, 2007
Lord Fawkesly-Wibbling, the Peer of Punishment:
"Indeed, sir, I do believe, it fills me with such regret as I shall hope you never know, I shall indeed, upon the morrow in which we so quarrelsomely trod 'pon the hallowed Squared Circle, that I shall be the sorrow-filled Hamlet. And you, of course, must needs play Yorick."
The Apathy Kid:
"What? Yeah, okay, dude, whatever."
Limerick-Spoutin' Jimmy:
"There was a young wrestler named Wibbling
Who so much loved trash-talk and quibbling
But once in the ring
He could not do a thing
And he exited bloody and dribbling."
Aloysius Banjo-Picker:
"What? Oh, yeah, that. It's just a name, man. I got it from my dad, who got it from his dad, who got it from his dad, who came from a long line of musical instrument purchasing agents."
posted by arto at 7:00 PM on January 10, 2007
Short and sweet: wrestling is for mentally disabled people. If you enjoy it, check your IQ.
... oh and children too, so check your age first.
I'm 30 and the last time my IQ was tested it was > 160. I try to attend at least one professional wrestling show a week (many of these I am paid to attend in some capacity). Perhaps there's something amiss in your theory?
posted by jtron at 12:16 PM on January 11, 2007
... oh and children too, so check your age first.
I'm 30 and the last time my IQ was tested it was > 160. I try to attend at least one professional wrestling show a week (many of these I am paid to attend in some capacity). Perhaps there's something amiss in your theory?
posted by jtron at 12:16 PM on January 11, 2007
Also: great link. Between working in wrestling and reading everything carny-related I can get my hands on, I have come to realize just how much of society is a work perpetrated on us marks.
Deej: current rasslin star Sabu is the Shiek's nephew, and is heavily influenced by his persona.
posted by jtron at 12:21 PM on January 11, 2007
Deej: current rasslin star Sabu is the Shiek's nephew, and is heavily influenced by his persona.
posted by jtron at 12:21 PM on January 11, 2007
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