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Culture & entertainment

Snake oil began with traveling medicine shows

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Before late-night infomercials, swindlers rolled into towns with guitars and magic tricks. Medicine shows provided free, top-tier entertainment solely to gather a massive crowd, after which a fast-talking 'doctor' would sell them toxic sludge masked as a cure-all tonic. They literally pioneered using captive audiences to hock worthless garbage.

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Snake oil began with traveling medicine shows
STACKY / Culture & entertainment
Topics in this factScamsmedicine showVaudeville
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