Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com

Published - Friday, June 13, 2008

World’s last authentic freak show coming to Winona

By Käri Knutson | Winona Daily News

They call her the human tripod. She stands 3 feet 9 inches tall and was born with one leg, which is missing a femur bone. She has only four toes. Two fingers on her left hand were webbed at birth and separated surgically when she was 2 years old.

Despite her unusual appearance, 22-year-old Jackie of All Trades (her stage name) seems to have fewer hang-ups about her body than most young women.

“It can be seen as a bad thing or a good thing,” Jackie said. “I’ve always seen it as a good thing.”

Jackie is a member of the 999 Eyes Freak Show, a troupe of performers from Austin, Texas, who pride themselves on being the world’s last and only authentic human freak show. The group performs at 8 p.m. Monday at Holzinger Lodge as a benefit for the Down and Dirty Bike Club.

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. Touring members include Lobster Girl, Elephant Man, Flipper Boy and many others. It’s a vaudevillian-style carnival extravaganza emphasizing the notion that abnormality is something to be celebrated, not abominated. The performance is family-friendly and has no profanity.

Jackie says she never asked why she was born the way she was.

“Nothing was different in my mind about me,” she said. “I’ve always been this way.”

Jackie’s family moved often. She learned to adapt to new places and make new friends.

“People didn’t really tease me that much,” she said. “Not any more than other people.”

She used to wear prosthetics. They just made her feel uncomfortable, like she was hiding who she really is.

People often look at her sympathetically, asking if she needs help getting up the stairs.

She doesn’t need the help.

On stage, she wows with cartwheels, acrobatics, songs and can karate chop flaming boards. Her various talents have earned her the moniker Jackie of All Trades.

“I’m comfortable and I can be myself,” she said. “I think it’s kind of like a gift.”

Lowrent the Clown is also a member of the troupe’s sideshow. But he isn’t part of the freak show because he wasn’t born as a human oddity.

“I’m just a white guy who puts on makeup,” Lowrent said.

Fellow sideshow performers include a sword swallower, fire eater and worm eater.

“My whole world is bizarre,” Lowrent said. “Normal for me is hanging out with these amazing people. We’re like a family.”

Freak Momma, a.k.a. Samantha X, started 999 Eyes three years ago. Her freak fascination peaked while teaching anatomy and physiology in healing arts schools. She used photos of freaks to teach the endocrine system. She researched past freak shows and gathered material together for a traveling museum.

“I never expected to do a freak show,” Samantha said.

But then she met Lobster Girl. And the 27” Woman. And Elephant Man. She put 999 Eyes together, expecting to get picketed and harassed. Instead, National Geographic featured the group in its show “Taboo.” They started performing for weddings and bah mitzvahs, frat parties and festivals.

“We have no demographic,” Samantha said. “Everyone loves freaks.”

She hopes the show changes people’s perceptions while it entertains.

“I think it’s absolutely fascinating all the different ways people come out genetically,” Samantha said. “A freak is somebody blessed with nature’s art.”

If you go

WHAT: 999 Eyes Freak Show

WHEN: 8 p.m. Monday

WHERE: Holzinger Lodge, 651 W. Lake Blvd.

COST: $11 donation

requested; proceeds benefit the Down and Dirty Bike Club

WEB SITE: www.999eyes.com.

Contact Käri Knutson at kknutson@winonadailynews.com or (507) 453-3523.