It was a slap in the face to the community, especially after what its been through in the past few years, he said. In order to wow the heads of the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, Todd decides to bring the Freakshow members with him to Sin City. Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. He prefers to think of it as a celebration, rather than a funeral. The Venice Beach Freakshow is the last true Freakshow left in the world! Dragon Boat Festival 2023: Marina Del Rey. Asia attempts sword swallowing in hopes of participating in sword swallower's day. The postwar anything-goes vibe in Venice (there was briefly a section that tolerated nudity) eventually gave birth to skate and surf cultures, producing worldwide legends in those crafts, including the skater Stacy Peralta and the surfer Jeff Ho. The entire gang, including Todd, Morgue, Asia and even Creature pack up and head to the rustic site in the California hills. #marriage #married. At the same time, it added a sense of security to the neighborhood, in a weird way.. After setting up camp and pitching tents, the crew learns the ways of a wandering lifestyle from Ken "The King" Kurt "Dirti" Powell and other hobos who had formally worked at The Venice Beach Freakshow. Todd Ray, the operator of the Freakshow, has said he isn't sure where the show will land, suggesting that Las Vegas was a possibility. The story of its rise was the toast of Silicon Beach in Los Angeles. There, through purchases and leases, it set up shop. The Venice Beach Freak Show went out with a six-hour final performance on Sunday. Seeking to centralize operations, it moved most of its employees (about 2,700) to a corporate campus in Santa Monica. You can buy the property, but you cant buy Venice Beach and its spirit, he told The Argonaut. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. When Ray grew up he moved to California and became a successful music producer, but despite working with artists such as Santana and the Beastie Boys, he never forgot the human cigarette factory and his love of oddities. "The Tallest American," has moved to California and ended his relationship with his girlfriend Diane. The news came . Regardless of the politics behind the move, the Freakshow will be no more after Sunday. I asked [the landlords], Can we get to June? Then I asked, Can we get to Memorial Day?. Street performers have had a big role in shaping Venices creative ethos. Zamora the Torture King tests the skeptics; Ali and Matt consider the possibility of parenthood. People began paying handsomely for his chairs and he was able to save enough money to make the trip back to New York. 60 feet of towering steel balances gracefully. In early 2017, the company leased a 300,000-square-foot space at a business park near the Santa Monica airport and announced it would be subleasing roughly half of its space in Venice. Venice Beach a hub for graffiti artists, body builders and street performers became a popular tourist destination long before the Venice Beach Freakshow took up residence. The morning after, Kallman called Todd (about Kenny Dope's promo for Red Alert) and told him "if you know how to make this [recorded loop] into a record, you've got a job". Long line to get in, but plenty of freaks outside to satisfy one's curiosity. Activists mapped Snaps properties and said the company took up 41 addresses in total, but the company said that it held roughly 30 leases in the area. I sit in front of the mirror, I practice my tricks, I make sure its going to look good. The show even inspired an unscripted television series on AMC. (It reopened under new management in October 2018). VENICE, CA After more than a decade of thrilling visitors with acts such as the Bearded Lady, the Wolf Boy and an array of two-headed animals, the Venice Beach Freakshow will close its doors Sunday, thanks to a landlord who declined to renew the attraction's lease. You can buy the property, but you cant buy Venice Beach and its spirit,. Todd wants everyone to take on new responsibilities in order to expand. Yesterday at a media meet-and-greet, we got a chance to meet the family as well as a few cast members. . [5][6], "AMC Launches New Programming Night for Original Unscripted Series", "AMC Greenlights Two Unscripted Series and Renews The Pitch for Second Season", "AMC Greenlights Unscripted Series "Untitled Taxidermy Series" and "Venice Beach Freakshow", "AMC Announces Premiere Dates for 'Breaking Bad', 'Low Winter Sun', 'The Pitch' & More", 'Freakshow' Season Two & 'Small Town Security' Season Three to Premiere May 6 on AMC, "Thursday's Cable Ratings: "Swamp People" Returns on Top for History", "Thursday's Cable Ratings: History's "Swamp People," FX's "Archer" Lead Demo Race", "Thursday's Cable Ratings: "Swamp People" Tops Third Consecutive Week", "Thursday's Cable Ratings: No Stopping "Swamp People" on History", "Thursday's Cable Ratings: "Swamp People" Continues Its Reign for History", "Thursday's Cable Ratings: "Swamp People" Holds Off NCAA Onslaught", "Thursday's Cable Ratings: TBS, History Top Charts with NCAA, "Swamp People", "Thursday's Cable Ratings: Another Thursday, Another "Swamp People" Victory", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freakshow_(TV_series)&oldid=1134207971. In this episode of Canote's in CALI, the family heads out to Venice Beach, California to see all the craziness, especially the Venice Beach Freaks. Snaps cartoon ghost logo had officially arrived at the beach. Im not railing against these guys, Mr. Lopez said, referring to Snap. Location: The Jewel Box Theatre, The Erotic Heritage Museum Recently Seen He has won two Grammy Awards and a Latin Grammy Award for his work with Santana and Ozomatli and was nominated for a Grammy Award for "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That". Todd Ray, the operator of the Freakshow, has said he isn't sure where the show will land, suggesting that Las Vegas was a possibility. But Snapchat told The Argonaut that it is only interested in the top two floors, not the retail space that currently houses the Freakshow. [3] Todd then became closely affiliated with the DJ Muggs-led Soul Assassins producing for Cypress Hill and Funkdoobiest, among others. Ray helped his family build furniture out of wood, which he dubbed 'folk art' furniture, with the tree bark still attached. Ray founded the Venice Beach Freakshow in 2006. The company zeroed in on Market Street, between the beach and Pacific Avenue. Supporters of the Freakshow note that everyone in the Ocean Front Walk building that houses the attraction is being evicted -- except Snapchat. These included the world's largest collection of two-headed animals, including a two-headed chicken, a two-headed cow, and a pair of two-headed turtles, amongst others. (12") Put On Your Shit Kicke Tommy Boy Music 1993, Wopbabalubop / Where's It At (12", Promo) Wopbabalubop (Soul Ass Epic 1993, City Song (CD, Maxi) City Song (Supernatura Grand Royal 1994, Deep Shag (12") Deep Shag (Sunny Ray Mix) Grand Royal 1994, Kickin Da Flava (CD) Citysong (Supernatural EMI Music (Canada) 1994, Vibes - Strictly Hip Hop (CD) City Song (Supernatura EMI Electrola 1994, Wilma's Rainbow EP (CD, Maxi) Just Another Victim (L Interscope Records 1994, Omaha Stylee / 8:16 AM (T-Ray Mixes) (12") Capricorn Records 1995, Unreleased & Revamped EP (CD, EP) Hits From The Bong (T- Columbia 1996, Go (Music From The Motion Picture) (CD) Shooting Up In Vain (T Work 1999, Video Anthology (2xDVD) Alive (T-Ray Remix) Capitol Records 2000, Here To Stay (CD2) (CD, Maxi) Here To Stay (T Ray's Sony Music Entertainment (UK) 2002, Untouchables (CD, Album) Here To Stay (T Ray's Epic 2002, Be Yourself (CD, Maxi) Show Me How To Live (T Interscope Records 2005, These Words (Remixes) (12", Promo) These Words (T Ray Rem Epic 2005, Back To The Grill (12") Daze In A Weak (LP Ver Def Jam Recordings 1992, Judgment Night (Music From The Motion Picture) (CD) Come And Die Epic 1993, Sweet Thing (CD, Maxi) Sweet Thing (Extended Atlantic 1993, We Ain't Goin' Out Like That (12") Ruffhouse Records 1993, Wopbabalubop / Where's It At (12") Immortal Records (3) 1993, City Song (12") City Song (Supernatura Grand Royal 1994, Go (Music From The Motion Picture) (CD, Album) Shooting Up In Vain (T Higher Ground, Sony Music Soundtrax 1999, U Can't Stop Hiphop (CD, Promo) I Ain't Going Out Like Sony Music Media (Netherlands) 2002, Thicker Than Water (CD) Hobo Blues, Hobo Blues Brushfire Records 2003, This page was last edited on 20 August 2022, at 15:38. Check out the Venice Beach Freak Show! Amir Edwards, known locally as Devil Man, has lived in Venice since 1997. Todd Ray was born in Lancaster, South Carolina. The Waterfront bar, which closed in December 2017, was a Venice Beach mainstay. Update April 2017: The Venice Beach Freakshow will be closing its doors May 1, as the building was purchased by Snapchat. The Waterfront bar closed and reopened under new management in 2018. But theyre killing the vibe.. For Venice at large, a tipping point came with the loss of the Venice Beach Freakshow. He confides in Todd and tells him that sometimes he feels like he is "cursed." Morgue is a regular on "Freakshow," an AMC series that depicts the day-to-day experiences of the members of the Venice Beach Freakshow, a sideshow based in Los Angeles. Venice Beach Freakshow | Los Angeles CA Apartment building was once posh playground to the Hollywood elite. The tech giant also said it is unaffiliated with Snapshot Partners, the company reportedly leasing the space. By 1996, Todd had begun to produce rock & roll. As he, Asia and Morgue discuss the expansion, Todd reveals plans to separate Asia and Morgue and have one perform in Vegas while the other stays in Venice Beach. At the event, Morgue wants to perform a new stunt involving a bed of razor blades. Werner Scharff had bought up properties including the Cadillac Hotel, art gallery L.A. Louver, and what is now the restaurant known as James Beach Cafe. Todd unites tattooed people from all over the world for a tattoo event. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Its just the way it unceremoniously went away, all of a sudden, Mr. Olson said. And while rumors swirled that the building was being emptied to make way for Snapchat, a spokesperson for the Venice-headquartered tech firm Sunday firmly denied that. SUBSCRIBE! Freakshow Season 1 (20) 2013 TV-14 AMC's Freakshow follows Todd Ray's quirky family business - the Venice Beach Freakshow. Extreme stunt artist who captured the spotlight through his role on AMC's Venice Beach Freakshow. [4] This later led to the unscripted reality television show Freakshow, which depicted the lives of Ray, his family, and the show's performers. They had a Wonderful Vegas Wedding and are so Happy Together!!! erformers, stunts, music and the wedding of Jessa the Bearded Lady. . Whatever residue Snapchat left in terms of neighborhood animosity, its kind of ironic that some people are upset that Snapchat moved to Venice, fixed things up, cleaned up things, and then left, Mr. Bill said. I don't blame them for wanting to work on the beach, but at some point its like saying, I want to live in this exotic area of the world and you go there and cut all the trees down and you kill all the wildlife., Performers at the Venice Beach Freakshow; Credit: Nanette Gonzales for L.A. Weekly. Leonardo DiCaprio, Roseanne Barr, Patricia Arquette, and even Bill Bellamy have all come through the Freakshow. The same tape I made in that shack, the same tape that I played for Craig when I met him at Big Beat. One item in particular, a milk can used by Houdini during his famous escape tricks, catches Todd's eye. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. At the Ray household, Jelly Boy the Clown, Matterz Squidling Andrew Stanton, and Kelvita the Blade stop by for dinner. The city is now the third largest tech hub on the West Coast after San Francisco and Seattle, with, according to a report by the real estate firm CBRE, nearly 140,000 people working in tech. Rays request was denied. He recalls going to a carnival sideshow as a kid in Charlotte, N.C., and watching a man who was paralyzed from the neck down perform a stunt in which he rolled a perfect cigarette using only his face. An insane photo tour of the Venice Beach Freakshow, subject of the AMC reality series 'Freakshow' . But whoever it is, he said, it will be a community that will continue to foster growth from the creatives.. Snapchat started buying buildings in the area. See production, box office & company info, American Horror Story FreakShow: Extra-Ordinary-Artists, enjoyed the strange but seems staged at times. VENICE, CA After more than a decade of thrilling visitors with acts such as the Bearded Lady, the Wolf Boy and an array of two-headed animals, the Venice Beach Freakshow will close its. If that doesnt happen, hes willing to look at other places, including Las Vegas. Community journalists in Venice faithfully covered Snaps every move. He and his friends began performing locally. The show served as a protest, a farewell and a fundraiser. He was listening to Jake Mathews, one of the new owners, explain how passionately the new Waterfront doesnt want to displace its old regulars, people like him. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Catherine Schultis and Rick Campbell sell solar poetry on Ocean Front Walk. He eventually founded his own label under Warner Bros. Records before becoming disenchanted with the business side of the industry and calling it quits. Some of the employees are formerly unhoused. Judgment Night (Music From the Motion Picture), New Jersey Drive, Vol. CreditAdam Amengual for The New York Times. In the process, Snap was blamed for displacing a youth homeless services center and a beloved but crumbling dive called Nikkis, which closed that June. worlds largest collection of two-headed animals. Mr. Rago remembered running into Bobby Murphy, the Snap co-founder, one evening, in late 2017. Ms. Schultis said she made friends with several Snap employees when they were around, but the companys security guards were hostile to homeless people. As a teenager, in 1982, Todd fell in love with the early hip hop singles coming out of New York and began DJing and performing locally with friends. But a spokesman for Snap Inc. said the firm has no interest in the ground floor. The Freakshow travels to Gibsonton, Fla., to learn about its rich history as a carnival town and to try to revive it with a performance. Next is Al Tomaini's Giant Camp and then the Showtown Bar, where they meet living legend, Ward Hall. The time has come to meet with the Circus Circus execs. So the business is going out in style, staging a Farewell Party and Protest, featuring performances, stunts, music -- and even the wedding of Jessa the Bearded Lady. In 2017, it was announced that the Venice Beach Freakshow would be closing. Unfortunately, Ali has been experiencing hip pain and doesn't think she'll be able to do the stunt. Katy Perry and Luke Bryan Announce Summer Dates for Las Vegas Residencies Katy Luke By Dedicated to the art of hunting, with juxtapositions of contemporary art. Its not a race thing. Next is Matt Gone, a man who has tattoos covering 99% of his body, including his tongue and For the Freakshow's first nighttime show, Todd asks the performers to come up with new stunts that they normally wouldn't do during the day. We had just eight employees when we came to Venice, a company spokesman said in a statement this week. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. At its peak, Snap took up 305,000 square feet of office space in Venice, mostly on Market Street, Ocean Front Walk and Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Wedding bells are ringing when Digger, the Sadu Hobo, invites the Freakshow group to his campsite nuptials under the stars. Miss Electra Todd and the Freakshow family head to Gibsonton, Florida, a town that had once been the winter home for carnival and sideshow performers across the country. One headline in the August 2017 issue of The Beachhead asked, in all seriousness, Would violence push Snap out of Venice? Badgering Snap employees on the oceanfront walk became a pastime for the die-hards. The Gingerbread Court on Ocean Front Walk once housed the lively Seans Cafe. While many specimens were dead, there were also around ten two-headed animals living in the Freakshow. venicebeachfreakshow Follow 1,208 posts 36.3K followers 6,487 following Todd Ray Official Instagram of Todd Ray aka. Asia looks for an apartment, and Todd learns a dark secret about a performer named Lobster Boy. Mark Rago moved to Venice in 1999 and began organizing protests against Snap in 2017. He brings Zoe, a girl he met at a tattoo event, to his house and tries to impress her with his family's collection of oddities. Today, it houses a Starbucks. He has also worked with the Beastie Boys, Biz Markie, MC Serch, Double X Posse, Kool G Rap, Bo$$, Funkdoobiest, MC Thick, The Whooliganz, Artifacts, Mick Jagger, Helmet, Korn, Audioslave, (hd)pe, Snot, Ugly Americans, G. Love & Special Sauce, Dilated Peoples and Non Phixion among others. Danielle and Asia argue; Todd is given a tour of the Magic Castle; Todd considers incorporating magic into the show. Todd arranges a Strongman Competition at the Freakshow involving guests with unusual strengths. At home, Todd shows Danielle some of his new oddities, including a pig that was born with his brain outside of its head. Ray hoped to buy some time and at least operate the Freakshow through the summer. [1] Using his portion of the sponsorship money, T-Ray began building his record collection, which provided a solid foundation for his budding production skills. Today, the Waterfront is repainted and refurbished, and although comfy and clean, it feels a bit washed down. I walked down there the other night, its like Mad-Max Thunderdome, said Mr. Hawkins, the former neighborhood council member. Todd offers encouragement, explaining that the adversity Creature is facing will only make him a stronger person. Others, however, see the gentrification of Venice Beach as simply the normal flow of the property market and the Freakshow as being a part of Venice's past. For 3 bucks you can go into this "nook of curiosity" and look at what seems to be hundreds of odd little things, like two headed animals(of all types), taxidermied stuff, shrunken heads. The time has come to meet with the Circus Circus execs. A Snap spokesman responded to these and other criticisms by pointing to a list of Snaps philanthropic efforts with underserved communities in Venice, work the company has been modest about promoting in the public sphere. "To get on as a producer, to go through turmoil, through hip-hop, and get to the point where I felt that people were doing hip-hop that I couldn't respect, so I moved to the West Coast to do rock & roll shit. But none made a bigger imprint here than Snap, which championed an independent narrative by persistently fighting off acquisition attempts. [1][2] The show was given a greenlight along with Immortalized on August 16, 2012. We all want to know. If you are in California, you Must SEE The VENICE BEACH FREAKSHOW!!! It quickly became known for its unique performers, as well as its large collection of oddity specimens. Dennine DeBortoli has lived on the Westside of Los Angeles for 30 years. The thing is, this cuts across all cultures. Update: As of summer 2017, the Freakshow is closed. in Los Angeles history, right here in Venice. T-Ray was the producer of Big Beat Records' first hip-hop 12-inch, 'Supa Cat' (1991- Todd is credited on the album as 'The Mad Racket'). We have already said publicly that we intend to focus our future expansion outside of Venice.. Starring Todd Ray, Danielle Ray, Asia Ray Subtitles None available This video is currently unavailable to watch in your location As he, Asia and Morgue discuss the expansion, Todd reveals plans to separate Asia and Morgue and have one perform in Vegas while the other stays in Venice Beach. Asia takes interest in expanding her electric act. He went on to produce an entire album for Double X, with 'Not Gonna Be Able To Do It" (1992) becoming his first video. Offer subject to change without notice. They have a daughter, Asia, and a son, Phoenix. It was one of those things that you dont miss until its gone.. By then, Snap was well into its plans to leave. On Sunday, April 30, from noon until 6 p.m., Ray and his performers are hosting a farewell party they hope will also serve as a de facto protest against Venice gentrification. It was the worst winter of the 11 years weve been in business, he said. In May 2017, after an 11-year run, the Venice Beach Freakshow was forced out under pressure from its buildings new owners: A holding company called Snapshot bought the place, and then stopped communicating with the freak show, Mr. Ray said. The Venice Beach Freakshow will offer its final performances Sunday, forced to abandon its boardwalk home because its landlord declined to renew its lease, according to the founder. Thanks, Gentrification | L.A. Weekly", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Todd_Ray&oldid=1105504566, "The Show Ain't Over Till the Fat Man Swings", co-produced w/ J. Diamond Washington & Stewart Harris, Back To The Grill (12") Back To The Grill (Remix) Def Jam Recordings 1992, Losin' Myself (12") Losin' Myself (T-Ray's Atlantic 1992, Our House (12", Promo) Turnstyle Records 1992, Sexual (CD, Maxi) Sexual (Safe Sex Mix), Big Beat 1992, From The Brick Jungle (12") Bitch Control (Da Fell Big Beat 1993, I Ain't Goin' Out Like That (12") Hits From The Bong Ruffhouse Records 1993, Judgment Night (Music From The Motion Picture) (12") Just Another Victim (T Epic 1993, Just Another Victim (CD, Promo) Epic 1993, Swim (CD, Single, Ltd) Swim (T. Ray H2O Mix) Columbia 1993, The Program (12") The Program (Soul Assa Mercury 1993, We Ain't Goin' Out Like That (12") Hits From The Bong (T- Ruffhouse Records 1993, Who's The Man? In order to up their game, Asia begins to work on a stunt involving a ladder of machetes and Morgue crafts a device to enhance his water regurgitation act. "The idea that we have to fit into other people's boxes is really the trap that keeps us all so unhappy. Complaints about parking and traffic followed. But, as we're finishing the record he tells me this fucking story of how he was inspired by this fucking tape that he got from down South, and that tape was my fucking tape. At first, nothing changed, but we were coming to the end of a five-year lease and the landlord told us they werent renewing.. But first, Phoenix needs to find a date! For now, Market Street is a ghost town, Mr. Rago said approvingly. Freakshow 2014 TV-14 Reality Being a freak is a family affair for Todd Ray, who owns and operates the world-famous Venice Beach Freakshow with his wife and two children. At one such show, Ray met the human cigarette factory, a man who rolled and smoked cigarettes without the use of his deformed hands and legs. But the freak show itself seemed to embody all that was still wacky and unusual about the neighborhood. No one really understood what it was for, or what the tech was about, but they would always just throw parties, Mr. Olson said. The time has come to meet with the Circus Circus execs. Parts of that will not change. But so much of it is beginning to morph into something else, and we dont know what thats going to look like in the end.. People are coming here still for the freak show and I have to break hearts and say, Sorry, the freak show is closed, said Catherine Schultis, a self-described homeless person who, along with her partner Rick Campbell, sells solar poetry burned into fragments of wood on the oceanfront walk. Their DJ just happened to be Cut Chemist, who I knew nothing about. Protesters were animated, to put it mildly. [Elemental Magazine, Issue #62]. On Facebook, Ray promises that the final show, which hes calling a Farewell Party and Protest, will include performers, stunts, music and the wedding of Jessa the Bearded Lady. A Grammy-winning producer he earned the award in 2000 for his work on the Santana album Supernatural he says he spent decades in the music industry working with everyone from Mick Jagger and Jack Johnson to Nas and Beastie Boys. Something about this brand felt different, said Bobby Olson, 39, a lawyer and nine-year resident of Venice. To create the razor bed, Todd, Morgue, and Asia visit Rick Lazzarini, a special effects artist. Despite this, evidence shows that Snapchat did associate with Snapshot Partners in acquiring the building, which led to the Freakshow being a part of protests like #EvictSnapchat, fighting the gentrification of Venice Beach. Homeless encampments have sprouted on the sidewalk. His 1993 remix of House of Pain/Helmet collaboration (Judgement Night soundtrack) led to his producing of the entire Helmet album, which led to more rock gigs, including 311, Kon, Snot, Hed PE, John Spencer Blues Explosion and White Zombie. CONGRATULATIONS to Jessa, our Beautiful Bearded Lady, and her husband Paul. morgue and miss sunshine were impressive. While sword swallowing truly is an impressive skill, there are few jobs out there that look for that on a resume. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers. This is the peoples beach, so thats always made it a little weird, even to people who live in L.A., Ms. Solomon said on a recent day. I watched the whole show and i enjoyed it seeing something different in a modern day freak show but at times it felt very staged and at times over reacted if you're looking for something new to watch that makes you was wow like Owen Wilson then i would recommend this show but beware some parts do feel stage but do love they way they follow the employees lives as apart of freaks some embrace it some are depressed some just see it as a normal job that pays bills so its not all about looking and judging about peoples disability's it can be inspiring in parts of the show. Its not as simple as a lot of people want to make it, said Will Hawkins, a founder of the nonprofit group Chamber of Hope, which hasnt received donations from Snap. Morgue attempts a bed of box cutters stunt; George searches for love. While Ray is hopeful that the Venice Beach Freakshow will continue on in a new location, he acknowledges that finding affordable retail space in Venice will be extremely difficult. An unusual library of dead things at the Rhode Island School of Design. There will be appearances by fire eaters, the smallest man in America, the wolf boy and even a marriage ceremony for Jessa the Bearded Lady on the freak shows steps. Jesse the Half Man and Jim the Armless Wonder show off their abilities; Todd must make a difficult decision. Today, For Lease signs dangle from the rooflines. Wake up to the day's most important news. Before that, it was once a trailblazing restaurant known as 72 Market Street. I run into a group called Ozomatli who I wanted to do 'Incredible Bongo Beats' with. Its been an ongoing thing for the past eight months, Ray told HuffPost. The tour will be conducted by Max Maven, an acclaimed magician and mentalist who Morgue considers to be one of the best in the business. [5] This was after eight months of dispute with the building's new owners, Snapshot Partners, rumored to be associated with the Snapchat brand as part of the company's buy-up of Venice Beach property. an op-ed in The Los Angeles Times lamenting the loss. Whats next? Swatch Watch sponsored them, flying them to Breckenridge, Colorado, for one of the first ever snowboarding events, where Converse Sneakers reps provided additional sponsorship. Mr. Bill said Nikkis and its midnight to 2 a.m. clientele had outlived its lease and its welcome. When she arrives, she explains that her large chest is due to gigantomastia, a condition that causes her breasts to grow uncontrollably. After more than a decade of entertaining crowds with two-headed turtles, five-legged dogs, a bearded lady and a cast of circus performers that inspired an AMC reality series, the Venice Beach Freakshow is being forced out of its namesake location on the boardwalk. The security guards are gone. Along the way, Google, BuzzFeed, Vice and other tech and media companies planted flags in Venice. [3][4] It was announced in April 2013 that the series had been renewed for a second season, which premiered on May 6, 2014. This is a classic example of where art, freedom, culture and creativity meets greed, arrogance and just pure deceitfulness, says Ray, who believeSnapchat is disguising itself under a different name in an attempt to avoid bad publicity. On Ocean Front Walk, just south of Brooks Ave. I understand the need for security, but it was not the gestalt of the area, if you know what I mean.. This week, the Freakshow is holding an exciting suspension event. A club in nearby Charlotte, North Carolina, was having a talent contest which Todd won several weeks in a row, which qualified him for the finals. Update: As of summer 2017, the Freakshow is closed. He made a name for himself on the Venice Boardwalk in California, where he became known for performing dangerous stunts including sword swallowing and regurgitation. it is only interested in the top two floors. Since then, Ray says, hes been paying rent to Snapshot Partners LLC, an investment group that, according to a report last year in the L.A. Business Journal, was hired by Snapchat to acquire the leasehold interest in the building. You can also meet Rocky the five-legged dog and Freddie the five . To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Part of HuffPost News. 2nd Annual Dragon Boat Festival Returns To Marina Del Rey, Trash Interceptor Collected About 11 Tons Of Trash In Recent Storms.