Fordham Conversations: Freaks, Monsters, and Disgust

 

This week on Fordham Conversations is about the monstrous, the grotesque, human oddities, and why we’re drawn to things that aren't the norm.

 

Adam Rinn grew up on Coney Island and now he teaches a sideshow class for people who want to learn to eat fire, walk on broken glass, or survive an electric shock. He talks about how someone can learn these oddities and the history of freak shows.

 

Rebecca June teaches medieval studies at Fordham University and provides insight into the role monsters play in literature and society.

 

Dean McKay, psychology professor at Fordham, does a lot of research disgust, how it affects us and its relationship to fear.