what is a geek in a carnival

In the context of a carnival sideshow, a geek was a performer who delighted audiences with disgusting feats and tricks. The geek shows were often used as openers for what are commonly known as freak shows. The billed performers act consisted of a single geek, who stood in the center ring to chase live chickens. It ended with the performer biting the chickens heads off and swallowing them. Geeks were often alcoholics or drug addicts, and paid with liquor – especially during Prohibition – or with narcotics. They were considered to be the least skilled of those in a sideshow but also potentially the most captivating because they alone among the other performers were relatable to the spectators, providing shades of empathy and horror. In modern usage, the term "geek show" is often applied to situations where an audience is drawn to a performance or show where the performance consists of a horrific act that the crowd finds distasteful but ultimately entertaining.