BROADCASTS.com

Jumbo, one of the largest elephants ever seen, departed London Zoo for Barnum & Bailey\u2019s Circus in New York on March 9th, 1882. Nationally beloved as the \u2018pet\u2019 to Queen Victoria\u2019s children, for 16 years he\u2019d given thousands of rides around Regent\u2019s Park, but was sold off for $10,000 once he started exhibiting trauma - and getting erections.\nP.T. Barnum then embarked upon a promotional blitz, leveraging the controversy caused by his latest acquisition, and selling Jumbo\u2019s image to numerous commercial partners. But tragedy struck in 1885 when Jumbo was involved in a railway accident in Canada.\xa0\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Jumbo became an alcoholic; indulge in the music hall singalong, \u2018Why Part with Jumbo, Pet of the Zoo?\u2019; and consider how Barnum\u2019s marketing genius continued to exploit Jumbo\u2019s legacy, despite him being responsible for the negligence that led to his untimely death\u2026\xa0\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018Tragic true story of Jumbo, the real life alcoholic circus elephant that inspired Disney's Dumbo\u2019\xa0 (Mail Online, 2019): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6864855/Tragic-true-story-Jumbo-real-life-alcoholic-circus-elephant-inspired-Disneys-Dumbo.html\n\u2022 \u2018My Poor Old Jumbo, Your Alice Weeps for You\u2019 (The New York Times, 1886): https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/insider/1886-my-poor-old-jumbo-your-alice-weeps-for-you.html?searchResultPosition=6\n\u2022 \u2018P.T. Barnum and Jumbo: The Elephant Story\u2019 (Barnum Museum, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eawirRHsrMU\nLove the show? Join\xa0\U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\xa0\U0001f334 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!\nPlus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.\nJoin now via\xa0Apple Podcasts\xa0or\xa0Patreon.\npodfollow.com/Retrospectors\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices