"I'm the Santa Claus at Bloomingdale's. That's the real sideshow!"

By: Sarah L. Myers
All video and photographs by Dan Gendelman

Scott Baker, the Twisted Shockmeister, is a sideshow superstar. A classically trained actor who has appeared on Broadway, Scott is the "outside talker" at Coney Island. He has appeared in nearly every major documentary and publication on the subject of sideshows. As the talker of the sideshow, Scott's job is to pull in the crowds by offering just a hint of what they'll see behind the curtain. He performs the Human Blockhead by pushing a screwdriver into his nose, and lures the kids in with his flashy outfits and exciting monologues.

Scott has performed on dozens of television programs including "Sex and the City," "Late Night with David Letterman," "Conan O'Brien," and "Montell Williams." He is the author of a one-man show called "Chop 'Em Up and Eat 'Em: Cannibalism and the American Dream," which is being made into a film. Scott is also the subject of a documentary being made by Gary Beeber.