"it" says that. Unless we actually see the books or some real numbers, it's just spin. A family of billionaires just fired 500 people, they need to blame somebody and justify it in a way besides "there's just better ways for us to spend our money." Remember when Williams closed it's pinball division despite the fact that it was profitable?

"it" also says "try to get a 4 year old to sit still for 12-minutes these days and see if they pay attention", and that's a direct quote for the Circus' owner. The circus' days were numbered because in 2017, people just don't give a shit about stuff that isn't on an ipad. The usual suspects who don't really care about the circus are gonna bitch about "liberals" because that's what they do - every chance they get.

When was the last time YOU went to the circus?

Nah. Probably would have been gone long ago if they didn't Broadway it. I've literally never heard of someone I know going to the circus in my 40+ years. Unless you count the Jim Rose circus, which I've seen multiple times and is actually fun for someone over the age of ten.

Times change, tastes change. Vaudeville died. Boxing & horse racing used to be 2 of the "big 3" sports. I'm surprised we still have pinball.

But, you know, liberals! ...people without whom there would also be no more ballet, jazz, opera, classical music, etc.

Here in Orlando, the show has its last showing.

I havent gone in about 8 years, and then, as now, there are always protesters against the animal treatment.

I respect their right to do so.

I dont respect the use of horrifying images to make their point, which I cant tell you how many young kids start
crying, or dont want to go in to see...spoiling the experience.

I have many fond memories and much time spent on the entire history of the circus, and what it brought to small towns,
and meant to soldiers, young couples to find romance, and to expose people to animals that had never been seen at the time.
No books really, and no other images. The HBO Series Carnivale, showing some of the life style.

From Madison Square Garden to a field in the middle of No where.

But mostly, its the creation of Entertainment as we know today, starting with the Circus. Blows my mind.
Even had an astute dialogue that our election was straight out of the pages of PT Barnum!

In hanging and some of the old folk watering holes in Sarasota, and by chance, I seem to have met many performers, especially
those defined as Freaks and Acrobats. I worked at the Strates Shows Traveling Fairs for a couple summers.

Even having Lunch in front of the Trapeze training grounds last week in Venice....a small outdoor field with Nets and high wires.

I dont the the circus died in the sense that cirque du soleil brings the human form of Circus into todays world.

Heres a link to enjoy the circus in a different way.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/36897

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According to defiant ownership, it wasn't actually the liberals. But it was liberals.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/ringling-bros-pushes-back-animal-rights-groups-claiming/story?id=44806898

The owners of the famed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus today pushed back against the idea that animal rights protests influenced the company's decision to end its circus performances in May of this year.

The family-run Feld Entertainment company that owns the 146-year-old circus billed as "the greatest show on Earth" said at a press conference today in Florida that animal rights groups should not claim the circus' closing as a victory.

"This is not a win for animal rights activists," Kenneth Feld, the company's CEO said. "This is not a win for anyone."

"Entertainment has changed," Feld said of the reason for the closing. "The traditional family unit is different."

Thats a painful show, even 40 years ago......3 minutes of entertainment stretched out to an hour and a half.

Spin or facts, it's up to you what you want to believe. What you can't dispute is another entity has been taken down with litigation used by fanatical zealots. Not sure how this compares to Williams, but whatever.

And I last went to a circus about a year ago when it was last in my city. So yeah, I can bitch.

Last took my kids about 14 years ago. They had a blast. So did Mrs. Bally & I.

As long as I can still buy Circus Peanuts. The healthy candy......

I am just surprised no one has blamed Trump for this! Somehow he & the Russians most be at fault!

Not trying to start something political here - but so many people just seem to want to start something to fight about these days.

Somehow the Circus has become animal abuse but I would bet overall circus animals are treated better than most family pets.

Bottom line is if it isn't on a computer or a tablet kids just don't care anymore. We have traveled all over the country and it is truly sad to see some of the great old roadside stuff gone forever. Life has become more about walking over someone to get ahead than about enjoying the "simple things". I am glad I am in my 60's and will be dead before things get much worse.

RIP Ringling Brothers Circus - some of us will miss you!

I like how you attribute the success of the arts to a political viewpoint. Pretty funny.

I have mixed feelings about this. I've always enjoyed the circus and believe there is value in seeing animals up close, interacting with them, etc. Considering PETA also wants zoos closed, the opportunities may continue to shrink back to a time when we all thought lions and tigers and bears were all terribly ferocious beasts and needed to be hunted and killed. Times are changing though, usually for the better.

Let's try to drop the politics from this one. I think most folks here in this pinball forum understand nostalgia - suspect that's why a good portion of us got into this hobby. The announced closing of the 'Greatest Show on Earth' is just another sign to me that I'm getting old. Another reminder that things I used to enjoy have faded, and are no longer appreciated by those much younger. It's like reading through the 'What were your favorite childhood toys' thread. It's both happy (such fond memories) and sad, because those times are gone forever and kids these days won't ever appreciate the cool toys we had back then. I feel the same about the Circus - something I enjoyed as a kid, but that I know mine will never appreciate in the same way. I get it, times change....but jeez....getting old sux sometimes.

Man you people can argue over everything. Fuck politics.

It's a good old American tradition that will be missed. Not sure how I feel about the animal parts of it, but I'm sure either way things would have been okay.

Let's just appreciate that it could last that long, really what else does? Not cars, certainly not people...

- The circus
- Betty White
- The everlasting wait for pictures when buying a pin from Carlisle, PA

But in all seriousness, it will be missed. Do they close immediately or is there a final year of shows?

Web surfing, cellphones, social media, home video game consoles, and 200 channels of cable TV killed the circus. Who has time/ patience for live entertainment? Sad.

Plus I can watch NatGeo to see animals suffer 10 times worse in the wild (at the hands of poachers and other animals) than anything PETA can accuse the zoos and circuses of perpetrating.

They haven't played in my area in over a decade. Closest was Chicago, which was too far for me.

LTG : (

Many restrictions in travel on public streets started in the 70's, I think. So they stayed closer to Train.

In Orlando, we would watch the Circus procession from the train to the Performance grounds.
It was impressive, the scale of transport.

Another joy was the train that runs to Sarasota for the Winter, and out again in Spring.
I cross the tracks twice on the way to work. Gotta be the longest train Ive ever seen, and the
animal cars are open to air in, I guess for the animals health, and performers, clowns in makeup, would hang out the windows, or on other flat/open cars. Sometimes Id be stuck for over 10 minutes, but enjoyed every second!

To add to our old age and toys, anyone get these as a kid?
They were flashlights we would swing around at the Circus. Madison Square Garden 1966.

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They want to close zoos, end fishing, and cease everyone from eating meat. Not what I would call better times...

well at least the eating meat part.

Had that exact circus light from my first circus. Shrine Circus at the now defunct Michigan State Fairgrounds. A year or two later, the light was a replica of a Saturday Night Special....

This circus was just in town a few months ago. I was out driving one morning and saw the circus train stopped just outside of downtown Indy. I thought about taking a picture of it since it's kinda cool when the circus is in town, but didn't. Probably should've since it was the last time they'll be in Indy.

I picked up this local Circus poster from 1937 last Summer. Apparently the Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey Circus was combined, and used to be at least one part Wild West Show.

TimMcCoy.jpg

Right...shocked they actually lasted this long. Some things from the old days need to stay in the old days...progress, it's always moving forward

If they had to move Disney World around the country via train and semis, you better believe that shit would get more expensive real quick too.

Wow, I haven't had a circus peanut in probably 30 years or more. when I was a kid my dad would get a bag now and then.

Ahhhh. Circus peanuts. My guiltiest of guilty sugary pleasures. Nobody in the house likes them. Hell, I don't know that I've ever met anyone who likes them besides me!

I was at RB circus more recently than Jim Rose, which was awesome. Bile beer so gross...

Language, son! Now let the adults continue their bickering as they don't have as much time left on this planet as you.

The wife and I just attended a performance a few days ago in Miami. The show was very entertaining and theatrical, but the lack of show animals really hurt the feel of the show as elephants have been an important staple in the circus business for a long time. Truly sad to see American history go to the wayside of our culture and heritage. I guess times change.

I saw Ringling Brothers with my family two years ago at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

It wasn't a very good show.

It was made up of some acrobatic clowns, dancing dogs and a petting zoo-like area in the back for the children to see some of the animals up close. There were no elephants, lions or tigers.

Been wondering that about you for some time now.

Circus peanuts are the healthy candy because they taste so disgusting that you'll never eat them!!

I think we can all "Reach across the aisle" here and agree that PETA is terrible.

Why do I seem to attract so many circus clowns?

Errr....

It is funny that so many people have the knee-jerk reactions "LIBERALS!"

PETA aren't liberals. They are extremists, and "one issue voters" if you will. Animal rights extremists would vote for anybody who made "animal rights" their top priority - it's really all they care about so it's unfair to insist they are liberals or that this is an exclusively liberal point of view.

The circus and Seaworld aren't failing because of "liberals," they are failing because of a general and gradual change in the attitude of ticket buyers. You don't have to be liberal to dislike the exploitation of animals, and sure enough, plenty of "conservatives" aren't going to Seaworld anymore.

I hear what you're saying, its like lumping conservatives in with white nationalists or something. But just like there aren't too many liberals in the KKK I doubt you'll find too many conservatives in PETA. Theres no need here for everyone to get all super defensive when your political party gets called out. That said, blaming the circus closing on "liberals" is pretty dumb. Then again, I think people who are too caught up in defending their political party or pointing the finger at the other party (it goes both ways people) are pretty silly. Thats probably one of the main reasons political discussion isn't allowed here.

Meanwhile the powerhouse that is Cirque du Soleil is going strong. I think it's proven their can be top-notch circus entertainment minus the animals. When it comes down to it, B&B was dated and way overpriced.

I know it doesn't tour, but if you are ever in Vegas, O at the Bellagio is probably my favorite.

The currently touring Kurios show is excellent as well! O is my favorite Cirque show I've seen, with Kurios being my favorite of the traveling shows.

but its not a "real" circus. its an acrobat show, which traditionally is a part of a circus.

Uh....ok.

Yup. If you want to watch acrobats, go to a Cirque show. If you want to watch caged apex predators do tricks for your amusement, seek professional help?

Bring on the thumbs, I can take it.

What if I just want the apex animals to fight to the death? Like thunder dome?

If you consider roosters apex animals I can point you in the right direction.

Well, chickens are basically miniature velociraptors with feathers.

I'm getting bored with roosters and dogs, etc., looking to go big time. With the circus closing down, I hear that you can get some really good deals on apex predators for the fighting pits.

... and miniature brains!

It is funny that pretty much everybody hates PETA yet...agrees with them.

I mean, PETA are insufferable, but it's indisputable that they have been extremely effective in some areas. Yeah, most people will still eat a steak and order meatballs for dessert, but the ranks of those same folks who won't buy a ticket to Seaworld or wear a fur coat are growing every day.

Went to the Ringling Brothers here a couple years ago. They had a young elephant in a small pen near the picnic benches. It was already insane, pacing the same track over and over. Heard they got hit with fines and gave them up shortly after.

I know the Madison zoo had to get rid of theirs too because they couldn't take care of them properly (after decades of having them!). Went to a sanctuary, and the first chance it got it grabbed and killed a worker.

so it killed someone at the "so much better" sanctuary, but not at the "evil" circus. Seems a bit backward to me.