Side Show

Awesome Lizzie Borden figurine

I spent the weekend detoxing from the intense pressure of turning in my chapter. Saturday was filled with silly computer things (I learned about the amazingness of free pattern, action, and brush downloads for Adobe Photoshop! They are cool and FREE. My favorite). I also watched a series of History Channel, Travel Channel and Discovery Channel shows on all things weird. There was the show about creepiest tourist places (#1, Lizzie Borden murder house-now a B&B), a Salem Witch Trials show, a show about side shows during the 19th century, and a show about San Francisco hauntings. M. hates these shows because he hates re-enactments, but I find them highly entertaining. And because I know how hard it is to put together a visual representation of historical events. It takes all my effort to put together a good powerpoint, I can't imagine having to do a documentary.
The 19th century side show program was my favorite. It showcased your freaks, your magicians, and your spiritualists. Ways in which the "giants" and little people were photographed so as to exaggerate their stature. Tattooed ladies were a big draw during an era when you really didn't see a lot of the female body. Oh, and it was hosted by David Carradine for no reason whatsoever. That was the freakiest part, I think.
The show about ghosts in San Francisco was a let down. I watch a lot of these silly haunting shows, mostly because I am fascinated by the possibility of life after death, but also because I had a bad experience once and want to know what other people have dealt with. Well, one thing you don't see a lot of - any of - on these shows or in the stories passed down through urban legends is gay ghosts. What's up with that? I mean, many hauntings involve tragic sudden deaths, deaths by suicide. It is given as the rationale for haunting - a spirit that doesn't realize they are dead or does not want to "move on." I can't help but think of the tragedy and suicide that must have riddled the GLBT communities in centuries past. I said this aloud, after the SF episode ended, and M. argued that it might be a little difficult to tell your ghost was gay. True. But I think at least one drag queen is out there haunting somebody. Come on! That is a fierce haunting right there.

If I was organizing the afterlife (which I would totally try to do), I would start a petition to have drag queens and queers of all kinds haunt hate mongers. I think it would be fun. Like Divine could totally haunt Pat Robertson.

This could stretch into other hate monger areas as well. Think of the beauty and the irony of the KKK being haunted? Now this puts more fear into the world, it's true, but after a while, hate wouldn't be so popular what with the ghostly deterrent.

So basically, I turned my brain off this weekend. My new show (True Blood) starts tonight. Turn on HBO. Watch it. Give feedback. I can't wait!