I am pleased with the strides our civilization has made in 2022, recognizing that progress comes in various forms. While acknowledging that certain aspects of the past were better, it’s crucial to highlight that some elements of bygone eras belong precisely where they are, in the past.
In the 19th century, “freak shows” were a popular attraction, considered a regular part of American society. These mobile circuses showcased individuals deemed “odd”, such as bearded women and Siamese twins. Mary Ann Bevan, labeled the “Ugliest Woman in the World”, emerged as one of these attractions, and her poignant life story emphasizes the need to remember and learn from such historical missteps.
While human curiosity about individuals with different ethnicities or physical abilities has existed throughout history, exploiting them for profit is ethically wrong, regardless of the time period. In the 19th century, audiences flocked to witness people with deformities in “freak shows”, an unsettling trend that persisted from the 1840s to the 1940s without widespread moral objection.
Mary Ann Bevan’s story unfolded in this challenging period. Born as Mary Ann Webster on December 20, 1874, in Plaistow, East London, she grew up in a working-class household, one of eight children. Unlike her brothers, who found employment when they reached adulthood, Mary Ann pursued education, graduating from medical school and beginning her career as a nurse in 1894.
Her life took a positive turn when she married Thomas Bevan in 1902, and together, they experienced the joys of raising four children. However, tragedy struck after 14 years of marriage when Thomas suffered a stroke and passed away. Left alone with her children, Mary Ann faced additional challenges as she grappled with a rare condition known as acromegaly, which affected her physical appearance.
Acromegaly, characterized by the overproduction of growth hormone, leads to enlarged body tissues and bones. Mary Ann exhibited symptoms around the age of 32, and with limited knowledge about the condition at the time, she struggled to find help. Unlike the typical manifestation of acromegaly after puberty, Mary Ann’s ailment affected her face, altering her features.
Despite her hardships, Mary Ann initially found solace in her family and received support from her husband. However, after Thomas’s death, the disease’s impact worsened, rendering her unemployable due to her changed appearance. Desperate to provide for her children, Mary Ann responded to a newspaper advertisement seeking the “Ugliest woman” for a circus.
Claude Bartram, an agent for Barnum and Bailey, selected Mary Ann based on her photograph and offered her a contract that included a weekly salary, travel expenses, and proceeds from picture postcard sales. Mary Ann’s journey to America in 1920 marked the beginning of her fame as “The Ugliest Woman on Earth”, with appearances at the Coney Island Circus.
Despite objections to the morality of using individuals with physical differences for entertainment, Mary Ann became a sensation, earning significant income. The financial success allowed her to provide her children with education in England, fulfilling her commitment as a devoted mother. Mary Ann’s resilience and sacrifice epitomize true beauty and maternal love.
Returning to France in 1925 for an exhibition, Mary Ann spent the remainder of her life in New York, working at the Coney Island Dreamland Show. She passed away in 1933 from natural causes at the age of 59, fulfilling her dying wish to be buried in her native country, laid to rest at South London’s Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery.
Mary Ann Bevan’s story is a testament to her unwavering determination to support her family. In a time without modern benefits, she worked tirelessly, embodying the selflessness of a mother who prioritizes her children above all. May Mary Ann rest in peace, a deserving tribute to a woman whose life exemplified sacrifice and maternal love.
90s Talk Show Host Unrecognizable Now and Furious Over Instagram’s Verification Denial
Once a popular daytime TV host in the 80s and 90s, Sally Lowenthal, also known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is now having trouble with people recognizing her.
The former talk show host recently posted on Instagram that the social media company refused to verify her account, even though she provided proof of her identity.
“So, Instagram doesn’t want to give me my blue check – no matter what proof I send them,” the 89-year-old wrote next to a huge blue checkmark. “AND there’s a fake account called ‘realsallyjr’, and that’s NOT ME! Help me let Instagram know so we can fix this.”
Raphael started hosting *The Sally Jessy Raphael Show*, later called *Sally*, in October 1983 and continued until May 2002. Her show was one of the first to involve audience participation and helped pave the way for other female hosts, including Oprah, whose show started three years later.
Over 20 seasons, Raphael interviewed many celebrities but always said Audrey Hepburn was her favorite.
“I was so awestruck, I could hardly ask a question. Everything she did, I admired. Everything she had done in her life I found to be exemplary,” she told the Daily Mail.
TV Personality Sally Jessy Raphael attending 17th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on June 28, 1990 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, New York. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Throughout her career and even after she retired, Sally Jessy Raphael has had a distinctive look that makes her easily recognizable.
When she started filming *The Sally Jessy Raphael Show*, she realized she couldn’t read the teleprompter.
She said, “When we started, I looked at the teleprompter and said, ‘I can’t read that! I’m going blind!’”
While looking for a new pair of glasses, Raphael saw an ad offering an eye test, glasses, and a Pap smear. Despite how strange the ad seemed, she decided to make an appointment.
During the appointment she was told she would need a more expensive pair of glasses, but unfortunately they only color they had was red.
“You got it,” Raphael said.
Although she didn’t anticipate the trouble she’d face from the producers of her show.
“I had to fight to have the glasses. Producers tried to change them. Those shadowy figures objected to everything.”
She has since accumulated over 200 pairs of red glasses.
As of August 2, Raphael currently has less than 650 followers on Instagram, but even though her numbers might not match those of other talk show hosts, her fans are just as loud if not louder with their support.
“The Icon, the Legend of daytime TV, Ms. Sally Jessy Raphael needs her Blue Check Mark ? “
“That’s pretty crazy that someone as famous as you are is having trouble with being recognized. I’m trying to understand what the issue is though”
“We should flood your feed with blue hearts it’s so much better than a blue checkmark”
I remember watching Sally on TV! Do you? Let us know in the comments.
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