Unsatisfied by the music industry, Grammy winner Todd Ray started his family’s business: a freakshow, located in Venice Beach, open to all ages. He, his wife Danielle, and their son Phoenix run the show, while his daughter Asia is one of the performers.
Fire eating, sword swallowing, death-defying acts and some of the most unique people on the planet are just everyday staples of the family business. The oddities of sideshow are so engraved in the Rays’ lives that their suburban house looks like a freakshow itself. As pets, they own the largest collection of two-headed animals.
What Ray refers to as his “freakshow family’’ is made up of Creature, the African-American with the most body modifications, George Bell, the tallest American, bearded lady Jessa, shock artist Morgue, and Amazing Ali and her husband Wee Matt, the littlest couple in Los Angeles.
While some of the freakshow performers are naturally odd, the most mind blowing acts are those that are created. Creature pierced and tattooed his entire body by himself. Morgue started to put razors in his mouth at the age of 12, which eventually led up to him swallowing multiple swords at a time and putting a meat hook through his nose.
Twenty-one-year-old Asia is the most diverse act. At 13, she began to learn contortion. Now she eats fire, conducts electricity through her body, and continues contortion with her Rubber Girl act. What makes her so interesting is that that she looks like the typical girl, wearing dresses and has her hair perfectly done as she puts swords down her throat.
This family’s business is nothing short of weird, sometimes bordering on creepy, but you can’t take your eyes off them. Whatever they are up to, you’ll always want to see what happens next.