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b'There were no orcas or rollercoasters, but there were \\u2018seamaids\\u2019 serving tropical drinks when Sea World San Diego first welcomed guests on 22nd March, 1964.\\xa0\\nOriginally conceived as a themed restaurant with a marine show inside, the founders had pivoted to build a seaquarium instead, drawing thousands of eager visitors, including, bizarrely, Senator Barry Goldwater.\\nIt wasn\'t until the acquisition of the famous killer whale, Shamu, that SeaWorld\'s identity truly solidified, but the park\'s success sparked ethical debates about the treatment of animals, from \\u2018Free Willy\\u2019 to \\u2018Blackfish\\u2019.\\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly weigh up the park\\u2019s achievements in sealife conservation with the cruelty of keeping orcas in captivity; explain why the city of San Diego was so keen to back this innovative new attraction; and reveal how the Shamu phenomenon can trace its origins to one man\\u2019s dream of riding a whale like a waterski\\u2026\\xa0\\xa0\\nFurther Reading:\\n\\u2022 \\u2018The Fantastical Vision for the Original SeaWorld\\u2019 (The Atlantic, 2014): https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/03/the-fantastical-vision-for-the-original-seaworld/284561/\\n\\u2022 \\u2018Obituary: Milton Shedd, 79, Co-Founder of SeaWorld\\u2019 (The New York Times, 2002): https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/28/business/milton-shedd-79-co-founder-of-seaworld.html?searchResultPosition=24\\n\\u2022 \\u2018The Complete "One Ocean" Shamu Show at SeaWorld\\u2019 (Money Saving Videos, 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as93_fvdYyk\\nWe\'ll be back on Monday - unless you join \\U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\\U0001f334, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!\\nPlus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.\\nJoin now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!\\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.\\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.\\n\\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices'