Original title was “Meet the Man Who Fooled the World”. Followed by "Meet the Man Who Entertained the World". and subsequently "Meet the Man Who Found a Real Mermaid".

The "mermaid ideology" is like saying it's ok to clickbait as long as the viewers still enjoy the video

"It is morally wrong to let a sucker keep his money" - P.T. Barnum

Barnum famous for saying "There's a sucker born every minute"

Man, I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who set fires to his museums to claim insurance.

You know, I kind of disagree on the idea that the "joke" he was played as young, alone, set him on the path to what he became. I would rather say that the disregard for honesty was a behavior brought down within the family culture. That is, this was probably no the only cruel joke he experienced among his family. It just was their family culture - or that is my guess.

meet the man who changes titles alot

I can't believe that drunk elephant never caused any damage. Can't think of a much more destructive force

This is so successful because it plays into the habit we have with the fascination of talking about ourselves

As clever, charming, and deceptive of a man he was he still had an enemy that plagued him through all his endeavours; fire

75, blind, paralysed, riddled with arthritis and and half dead. Damn the 20% of people lucky to even live relatively long back then must have been waiting for death. Her standard of life sounds like a 120 year old today

When you think about it, what's so different between his hoaxes and a magic show? We know what we're seeing isn't real, but we still pay for the opportunity to be entertained by it.

Hate to break it to ya, but at around 10:50 you put George Washington's year of birth as 1789, it was actually 1732. Damn, I forgot I put this here, but this sounded so snarky. Sorry if I was a bit rude!

Love how the majority of horrible things he did aren’t in the movie

You should have talked more about Jumbo. He wasn't tragically killed by a train, he went on a tirade when his handler wasn't there - the only handler who could make him feel better - and stood on the tracks, challenging the train. He toppled the train, dying in the process. This giant elephant fought a train to a draw.

42 has always amazed me at how good he is when it comes to transitions.. this man goes from the barnum effect to circuses

1:34 That's a scarily accurate description of me, you sure you're not a clairvoyant?

I feel like every video Thoughty2 puts out is going to help mankind during apocalypse. On many information.

My brain tricked me. I read the title as”Meet the man who found Real Madrid”

Jumbo was killed in my area of SW Ontario in St. Thomas, ON. There's a memorial there and giant Jumbo statue. I don't know if it's true or not, but the story told at the museum of Jumbo pulling his trainer in for a last hug as he died after getting hit by the train had me crying like a baby (I still well up thinking about it).

Thoughty 2 is the type of person that can inspire many people to grow a mustache and keep it if he had a beard he would be saying hey its the wizard here

Work ethic has been phenomenal recently. Insanely consistent uploads whilst still retaining great quality. Thank you, Thoughty2.

Thanks for doing this program Thoughty2! I work at the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, CT and have been a fan of your content for many years now. FACT is - Barnum borrowed the FeJee (Barnum's promotional spelling) from Moses Kimball at his Boston Museum - Barnum didn't invent the exhibit...he was brilliant at promotion and blazed the trail for modern advertising...so why disparage the 'original'? Barnum recounts in his autobiography, however, that the FeJee Mermaid was not his best presentation and proclaimed not to dupe the public like that ever again. As far as a 'dick move'...well, that FeJee Mermaid is plausibly one of the two that currently exist in the Kimball collection of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University. Barnum's (1810-1891) story is much more complex and complicated, and there's a lot of history missing that gives this presentation a limited perspective of 19th century social context. Barnum didn't happen in a vacuum, and he is too easily blamed for the ills of acceptable social norms of the time, and a century of mythology continues to be imposed exclusively on Barnum's shoulders. Hope you might balance and examine the history that shows Barnum as one of America's leading champions of emancipation, one of the nations leading temperance advocates, and a philanthropist who supported everything from ASPCA to the creation of the based for the Statue of Liberty. A one-sided story...not your style. Thanks, though, for recognizing Barnum as a name...'brand'...that continues to intrigue. He seems to have been right as the world continues to talk about him. Very best :) K

You're an excellent story teller. I commute 2 hours per day .. If I could listen to this channel on the car radio - it would be the highlight of my day. (No .. I'm too rural, and my shitty car doesn't play the phone, lol.)

the Mutter Museum in philadelphia is kind of a modern example of what Barnum's museum must have been like. that place is full of medical defomities, etc and was a great trip.

I love the “painting” of Hugh Jackman in the library. 😂

Every time I turn on thoughty2 to try and fall asleep, I end up staying up and binge watching the videos. 💛

Really good job! The information on this was excellent!

Incase Thoughty2 changes the title like I'm sure he would , the original title is MEET THE MAN WHO FOOLED THE WORLD.

My sister believes in astrology. I should share this with her.

The feeling when you realize that you've been watching this moustache man since 2014

I love the fact that you speak British English but also uses American words and colloquialism to inject some humor to your stories!

Love your vids man. Keep up the good work!!!

This guy sounds like the Joker, if the Joker was born in the 1800s

Barnham never had a chance with the family he had. They scarred him.

bro literally took a page out of his book and made everyone click on the video I respect it

Please change the title to "meet the man who trolled the world" That would be pretty funny

The Feejee Mermaid. “A fool and his money are soon parted”

Thank you very much for continuing doing what you do 🙏

“Extremely niche taste”, what a great way to say it.

I remember going to the Barnum and Bailey circus when I was a kid, in the 90s.

Seeing a mermaid still isnt that much of a crazy outlandish claim. We know more about space than we do our own ocean

Good job, brother. I thoroughly enjoyed this!

Love your vids, keep up the good work m8 ;)

Well.. this comment made sense before he changed the title.. Me: sees "the man who fooled the world" and immediately has the song Man Who Sold the World stuck in my head lol

As a young lad, my favorite P.T. Barnum exhibit at his museum was the Egress. Signs throughout the building pointed "This way to the Egress!", which was of course the exit. Those who went to the Egress had to pay admission again.

Remarkable job, this is my new favorite YT channel!!

Excellent writing on this one, well done.

So wolverine was a friking conman and not a happy, singing, lovely man like depicted on the accurate Hollywood movie?

Jumbo is the mascot of Tufts University. Yes, the stuffed elephant was destroyed in a fire, but the ashes remain in the university. Barnum also donated tens of millions of dollars to the university, more or less enabling it to be a real thing. Coincidentally, a few years ago my life was saved by Tufts University Medical Center, so in a very real (albeit weird) way, I owe my life to PT Barnum.

Legend has it: That creature on his upper lip whispers mysterious information that serves as content we all love to watch him talk about.

Very entertaining and informative. Bravo, Thoughty2. 👍👋👋👋👋

Ah yes my favorite British man uploads again, ya love to see it!

Thoughty you may just be the most interesting man alive rn. Even if I’m not particularly interested in the topic your videos always keep my attention to the end.

Thank you for making an enjoyable channel to occupy my time. Keep up the awesome work :-)

Frankie boyle found a mermaid in his grandads loft 🤣🤣... that bit was hilarious

“We’ve been duped!” “DUPED!” “We’ve been bamboozled!”

Legend has it that a mermaid was found of the coast of England in the twelve century. It was kept in a pool in a castle for a few years before it escaped. A mermaid was also found on a dublin beach in the early 1900s aswell

Love 💓 from America brother!!! It's our 4th and oddly enough I had a group of people drunk watching your videos tonight 😂😂😂😂 we can never forget our roots 💯 can't wait to buy your books on Amazon been a follower for many many years now hope you're doing alright 😊

His autobiography is well-worth the read, for Barnum's own take on his shenanigans. And we ever get you over here in the States for a visit, definitely head up to Wisconsin Dells to visit the Circus World Museum, which was a highlight (along with the fudge, rock candy, and duck rides when we were growing up) for family vacations from Chicago. If you haven't seen it or aren't familiar with it, the musical BARNUM (premiered 1980) by Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart is a much more comprehensive telling of Barnum's story. Jim Dale won the Tony that year for his portrayal (Michael Crawford held the role in the West End), with Glenn Close in the role of his wife. The music is also much better than TGS's, IMHO.

In Milan, Italy, there's a collection of oddities (Wunderkammer) donated by Manfredo Settala and now exhibited at the Museum of the Castello Sforzesco, which counts a pair of sirens. Pretty much the same: mummified monkeys torso sawn to a fish tail. The interesting fact is that are datable before 1680, the year Settala died

Can you make the next video a summary on the Battle of Sargarhi?

Wow! Really good video - a story very well told.

Around two weeks ago accidentally i saw this movie with Hugh Jackman for a first time and I didn't expected it was based on a real person with such a large historical point as he usually plays in movies as Kate and Leopold.

The title on my notifications bar is "meet the man who fooled the world" The title when I saw it on my recommended page is "meet the man who entertained the world" And the title after I clicked on it "meet the man who found a real mermaid"

If the title changes, the original one is “Meet the Man who Fooled the World”

I saw this piece in a seaside museum (Exeter perhaps?) about thirty years ago. I immediately recognised it from an article in the Fortean Times. I was 12 but I felt like an expert. As I recall, whether or not it was real just wasn't the issue. It was just great.

👍👍👍thanks for the story. I remember when the circus announced it was shutting down. I saw it once as a child.

I was delighted that you covered this! I saw the mermaid on display when I was about 8 and I was awed and convinced it was real!! It wasn't till a couple of years later that I learned it was fake. I think I was a trifle disappointed by that....lol

Just lighting a blunt when you said breath in the sandalwood incense, it was weird.

It took me about half was through the video to realize that Barnum was the first Half of Barnum and Bailey. then my brain went brrrrrrr. Ringling Brothers

11:40 - 19:05 and 22:03 the animations and sound effects of people just dropping dead is sooooo funny !

Oh no, not me i never lose control you're face to face with the man who fooled the world.

…hell, I’ve had a mermaid AND a merman in my bathtub at home for decades!…wanna see em?…$20 per view…..

Jumbo is actually the mascot of Tufts. An administrative assistant had the ashes of the hide swept up into a Peter Pan Peanut Butter Jar and they still reside in the Athletics Department. His skeleton is in the collection of the American Natural History Museum in New York although it's in storage.

When you have a channel on UKposts that presents excellent videos, with great humourous presentation, I feel you can change the title as often and as much as you wish. I've watched Thoughty2 for a long time and have always enjoyed the presentation. Do I get the feeling of some jealousy here guys? Try doing as I do and not as I say. Just sit back, press play and enjoy :-)

I just realized that he might be saying “hey, thoughty 2 here” instead of “hey, 42 here!” I have watched this channel for years!!!

"Religion was invented when the first con man met the first fool" -Mark Twain

Jumbo was actually struck and killed in my home town of St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. We have a statue and small museum dedicated to the elephant. From what I heard, they hit the train thinking the train was charging them, causing one of their tusks to go in to the skull.

*I just bought a copy of STICK A FLAG IN IT! I cant wait till it arrives!!*

When I heard that Barnum was showing off Heth as a 161 year old woman I was like "Who would believe that?" Then I heard "she was blind, no teeth, artrithis in her hands and was nearly completely paralyzed." Shit, I would have believed him.

Why do I feel like you could talk about paint drying and I would still listen

I can see into your future Thoughty2 .I see those suspenders turning into a vest and a top hat.. lol . I joke. I love your content !

So it's me again .. I remember when u first started man I'm stunned .. Could have done some work too at the time .. I chose music .. Well I got my channel now and some songs on it for the world to listen .. success .. man it comes slow but when it does come it's spectacular

shoulda been called "Meet PT Barnum, fulltime crook".

Mom: Go socialize and meet new people Thoughty2: Meet the (random person that makes history)

Love the ads before, not even halfway through, and after all your videos.

Wait RIF is back, no way loved that years ago

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, then your philosophy Horatio." Perhaps some things are faked but doesn't 100% mean that some things couldn't exist hidden away somewhere. Additionally owning land of any sort is valuable.

Truth aside, The Greatest Showman is still one of the best movie with awesome soundtrack.

Def would have visited his first museum. Thanks, enjoyed that

The Barnum effect from the title has hoodwinked me..and many...Clickbait 😂Great Documentary again

The greatest showman who ever lived.

Wow! Didn't know the movie THE GREATEST SHOWMAN was based on real life events

A Barnum & Bailey circus is the reason I'm afraid of clowns today. 😰 My mom dragged me and my younger sister to one when I was a kid (5~6 years old, I can't remember exactly when since it was ~20 years ago) and we were sat at the very front of our section of seats. A clown came up close to the section and did a fire eating/breathing trick, and it was close enough that I could feel the heat from it. I've always been a sort of nervous person, so being that close to fire unwillingly (especially as a kid) really scared me. I legitimately thought they were going to catch the tent on fire and burn it to the ground! If I remember right, we actually had to leave because I started bawling uncontrollably. Since that day, I've been terrified of clowns.

This was a really good episode

Me: clicks on man who fooled the world The title: man who entertained the world

even though we all know it couldn't have been a real Mermaid, I still wish that Real had been in quotes. Because I had the tiniest bit of hope that it was real lol. But anyway...

New title: MEET THE MAN WHO ENSLAVED ELEPHANTS

I'm a changed man, thank you Thoughty2!