China: "Kingdom of Dwarves" Theme Park Showcases Little People

GlobalPost:

KUNMING, China -- The casting call went out across China earlier this year, in newspapers and online: Entertainers needed for a new theme park, no special skills required.

Applicants should be 18-40 years old, from any part of the country. The only stipulation? To work at the Kingdom of Dwarves performers must be shorter than 4' 3".

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Comments

[Rand]

03:04 PM on 10/19/2009

In the early 20th Century there was a similar attraction at NYC's Coney Island

When political correctness caused "freak shows" to close in the 1930s thousands of those who were "born different" found themselves out of a job (Many made a considerable amount of money: "General Tom Thumb" was able to purchase a mansion in CT) and with no one to care for them (Many "born freaks" [As opposed to "made freaks": Tattooed men and such] have severe health problems and need care)

While some who ran these shows treated their stars poorly, most - recognizing that a well-treated star would better interact with the audience - pampered their performers: The above-mentioned Tom Thumb was made a full-partner of P.T. Barnum

[blastocyst]

06:29 PM on 10/17/2009

Somewhere Dr. Seuss's having a good chuckle.
Next up: 'Yertle the Turtle-Land'.

[rbtboss]

05:37 PM on 10/17/2009

What is the entertaining part? The people have some tricks? The place looks dreary, boring and cheap. I'm afraid one of those mud villas is going to collapse on someone. This won't last, but the investors couldn't have put much into it, anyway. Cheap labor and mud.

[blastocyst]

05:59 PM on 10/17/2009

In other words the garden-spot for the fascinated peasantry of non-pc China. How inscrutable.

[davidwayneosedach]

03:40 PM on 10/17/2009

I am sure they will reeceive more than enough applications!

[Gjon]

03:16 PM on 10/17/2009

Is it wrong to laugh when i see this? I now know the first place I want to visit if i go to China.

[bobo5]

02:12 PM on 10/17/2009

Didn't Australia ban dwarf tossing?

[smittie]

02:10 PM on 10/17/2009

All they want is a job.I'm happy for them and would love to visit.

[KIVPossum]

01:57 PM on 10/17/2009

The important question is: will they have a dwarf tossing arena?

[blastocyst]

01:21 PM on 10/17/2009

The eclectic 'circus' which is humanity.
I'm lobbying for 'Tall Town' here in the U.S.

[UncleJimbo]

11:09 AM on 10/17/2009

At least these people have jobs! In the U.S. they would be Laid-Off and have no Health Care!

[Albert Amato]

08:42 AM on 10/17/2009

Love China and it's people......no political correctness like in the US.

[netzwerg]

10:27 PM on 10/16/2009

Great! I live in China now and need to go there! Sounds fun!

[brady61995]

09:29 PM on 10/16/2009

the gap has slowed down and they done need them no make nikes. they rounded up and exploited the little people of china for human zoo. china has no soul at all.

[DAE]

09:53 PM on 10/16/2009

We did this with the munchkins in the 1930s and no one took offense. And they're still very popular.

[brady61995]

11:44 PM on 10/16/2009

yeah i think we stuck them all in the wizard of oz. either way its a bad idea to exploit anyone that is different then whats considered normal.

[MicheleCA]

08:41 PM on 10/17/2009

How do you know how it made them feel?

[Freenation]

09:14 PM on 10/16/2009

"mini me" can call it home now...

[Ratfink1]

07:57 PM on 10/16/2009

How come this hasn't caught on over here?