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So many people showed up at the 999 Eyes Freakshow on Monday at Holzinger Lodge that the Austin, Texas, troupe performed a second show, ensuring no one would go home without seeing Lobster Girl, the Human Tripod and Elephant Man.
More than 200 attended the shows, which were a fundraiser for Winona’s Down and Dirty Bike Club. The crowd included people of all ages, with many families attending the first show.
Many who didn’t want to wait for the later show stood on tip toes to get a glimpse through a window. It was so packed that Winona puppeteer Robert “Dr. Bob” Armstrong had to join the window peepers — even though he performed as the opener.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Armstrong said.
Mixed with the lodge’s usual decor of deer heads and stuffed pheasants, posters of famous freaks such as Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy adorned the walls. 999 Eyes have reclaimed the word “freak,” defining it as a human oddity who has chosen to share, celebrate and exploit his own genetic anomaly through performance. The audience was invited — even encouraged — to stare.
“This is nature’s art in its finest form,” 999 Eyes founder Samantha X said. “It’s a celebration of genetic diversity.”
Peg-O the Leg-O, also known as the modern day elephant man, talked about having neurofibromatosis, a condition that has left his body covered with painful bumps. Even though it’s genetic, many people have feared he’s contagious. For 40 years, he was afraid to take off his shirt in public.
“This has given me the courage and faith in myself to love and respect my body and show it off in public,” he said before taking his shirt off for the applauding crowd.
Jackie of All Trades, also known as the Human Tripod, regaled the crowd with handstands, cartwheels and karate chops, all despite being born with one leg. Lobster Girl tied knots, using her lobster-like right hand that is missing its three middle fingers. Lil’ Miss Firefly, a.k.a. the 27-Inch Woman, walked across glass. Sword swallower Tommy Gozleone showed that non-freaks can also be entertaining.
After the show, the freaks mingled with audience members, including 82-year-old Henry “Hank” Hayden, who drove from Westby, Wis., to check out the show. Hayden remembers the freak shows of his youth, which featured performers like the Alligator Woman.
“Her nose was always smaller in person than in the posters,” Hayden said.
But Hayden was impressed with all the performers at Winona’s show. And the performers were impressed with Hayden. Many autographed posters for him and asked about the freak shows of the past.
“I think everyone should see this,” Hayden said. “It’s culture. It’s humanity.”
Thirteen-year-old Dylan Leifeld of Winona loved the show and its message.
“They show that people aren’t bad if they’re different,” Dylan said. “Different is good.”
Bob Leifeld, Dylan’s dad, didn’t realize how talented the freaks would be.
“It’s kind of hard to describe,” Leifeld said. “They put on a good show.”
Käri Knutson is a reporter for the Winona Daily News.
