"Worlds Smallest Woman"

I've seen several pictures of a grind show on your site called "Worlds Smallest Woman". Is this an actual "little person", dwarf, midget OR is this a side show illusion?  Jeff Ragan, Philadelphia PA

Jeff, Little people have always been a great draw for the midway.  From P.T. Barnum and all of the little people ie. Tom Thumb, Com. Nutt, etc. that worked with him, up to today's midways. 

Most all of the Worlds Smallest Woman/Man grind shows I've seen are little people that have chosen to work and make their living on the midways of today.  It's my understanding that the WSW that I posted from the 2006 Meadowland NJ was a little person from the West Indies.

                                                                                                                                  John Robinson Sideshow World

Additional Information add 7-21-2006 by Scott Bonelli

Hi John,  just wanted to add some information about the worlds smallest woman.

We had the pleasure of taking a look at her this past month in NJ. and she is indeed a small woman from the West Indies, and I have to say that the presentation was perfect.  Starting with the large painted front, down to the fine print on the sign to lure you, in I felt almost compelled to go in . 

Only after I made it up to the front to pay my $.50 did I notice that the true admission for an adult was $1, as literally pointed out to me by the guy working the front.  He said nothing, just pointed to another sign taped to the top of his desk. 

 I thought it a pretty good way to close the sale, hell I was lured in by the low price, yet it was too late to turn back once we hade made it to the door. 

On the inside we were treated to a short conversation with the attraction, she was indeed a short woman, sweating in the heat, but it was impossible to figure out how tall she was. 

This woman was not  the perfect doll shown on the sign front, she was ... well.. rather fat, and she was sitting in a chair.  Again a great way to display her, from outside the tent it would be easy to believe that a 29 inch tall woman could be standing there, on the little table, yet only after paying the buck can you see her squished into a chair. 

All in all it was worth the dollar, as I find myself compelled to stare at little people anyway, so this time it was OK to do it.  The display was perfect, well painted, and it did its job of beckoning me in off the midway to see something amazing. 

The spoken pitch was nonexistent, so that was a bit of a letdown.  It was just a short fat black woman, and I have no idea just how short she actually was.  It was great, I felt a little "taken", and in truth that is all that I expected. 

Actually I would have been pleased if I had found her to be presented as some sort of illusion, such as the girl in the fishbowl.
 
Be Well,
Scott Bonelli
www.BigHeadStudio.com