Ventriloquism, the strange and unsettling art of making a dummie “talk,” was once a wildly popular form of entertainment. It’s hard to fathom why. Imagine gathering the family, hopping into a horse-drawn carriage, and heading out for a night of watching a man argue with a creepy, lifeless doll. Sounds fun, right?
These vintage dummies often looked downright terrifying with their stiff jaws, glassy eyes, and unnatural expressions. How anyone managed to sit through a performance without bolting out of the theater is a mystery. Yet, people didn’t just stay, they laughed, clapped, and shelled out hard-earned cash for the experience!
The fact that this was seen as good, wholesome fun feels baffling today. Perhaps it was the novelty of it all, or maybe audiences were just braver back then. Whatever the reason, ventriloquist dummies have gone from mainstream entertainment to nightmare fuel over the decades.
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