Who knew that AMC's new reality drama "Freakshow" could be so full of heart? In this exclusive look at the upcoming series, Todd Ray, owner and operator of the Venice Beach Freakshow (located west of Los Angeles), opens up and gets philosophical about his passion for all things freaky.
Once a high-powered, Grammy Award-winning music producer, Ray chose to follow his passion and leave the life-controlling rat race of the corporate world. "I was more caught up in the wonders, and I decided that I'd rather share the wonders of the world with families, kids, adults, everybody," Ray says. So seven years ago, Ray opened the doors to his freak show, which is one of the last shows of its kind: a circus sideshow with a "strange" museum attached. As a lifelong collector of peculiarities, he had plenty of freaky items to kick off this endeavor, but that doesn't mean he ever stops looking.
When not working on location in Venice Beach as the "Barker," Ray travels the planet in search of "what others think could never really exist." Then he works to find respectful ways to bring these anomalies to the freak show in hopes of dazzling passersby and museum visitors.
[Related: AMC launching unscripted Thursday block in February, orders new series]
But this freak show is more than a collection of oddities and human attractions; it's a reflection on what it means to be normal. "This idea of normal just possesses everybody. And one day, I realized there really is no such thing as normal. If you look at this planet from outer space, there's nothing normal on it. As a matter of fact, we're all freaks. We're all unique," Ray says. This proprietor of the unusual is proud that he doesn't want to fit in among the masses, because "trying to be like everyone else is really the saddest thing we could do."
To see Ray and his family use their imagination and dedication to keep this world-famous business afloat, tune in to the premiere of "Freakshow" on Thursday, 2/14 at 9:30 PM on AMC.