Sideshow performer Rush Aaron Hicks. Photo via Facebook
Black history month is over and guess what? There are people who still don’t know blackface is never okay. Last year, it was Brooklyn State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who wore an afro wig and brown makeup to a Purim party, and whose apologies showed his ignorance. Now New York’s sideshow and burlesque community is in a furor over the news that rubber skin man Rush Aaron Hicks did his act in blackface at the Lower East Side’s Palace of Variety, the Slipper Room, on Friday.
Initially, the performer tried to brush off criticism by posting that he did it “at random” and wasn’t racist because he “slept with two black girls this year,” which only made matters worse and provoked a rebuke on the blog Jezebel. Since then, all posts on his Facebook page that are critical of him, including outraged comments as well as friendly advice from members of New York’s sideshow and burlesque world, are being deleted.
Circa 1910 Poster for Minstrel and Vaudeville Comedian Nick Hufford. Al G Field Minstrels, Otis Lithograph Co. Library of Congress Collection
What’s next for this young performer? An apology followed by an assignment to read a few books on the history of blackface and minstrelsy and write a report on what he has learned would be in order. James Habacker, artistic director of the Slipper Room, told ATZ:
The Slipper Room has always been a place that has welcomed diversity. Over the years our stage has been graced by people of every ethnicity, sexual orientation, body type, and proclivity. We do not now, nor will we ever have, a policy of telling artists what they can and can’t do in their acts. Rush Hicks made a poor choice in doing blackface. His unfortunate comments after the fact have only served to make matters worse for him. We had a few bookings with him for this spring, which we have cancelled, to give him time to reflect on his actions and their consequences.
Last season, Hicks was in the cast of the Coney Island Circus Sideshow but his scheduled appearance at the organization’s Gala later this month has been cancelled. Coney Island USA artistic director Dick Zigun told ATZ in an email:
Yes I am aware of this sad controversy. Rush is not currently under contract with CIUSA. His questionable performance took place at the Slipper Room and he was in no way there on behalf of CIUSA . He was scheduled to perform with us in a few weeks and that appearance has been cancelled.
No performer has ever appeared on any CIUSA stage in blackface. Whether or not Rush ever appears with us again will depend on his apologies and actions regarding this incident. I will personally be monitoring his personal and performance statements
Circa 1899 Poster of Carroll Johnson as himself and in blackface. William H. West’s Big Minstrel Jubilee. Strobridge Litho. Co., Library of Congress Collection
The Brooklyn-based performer was born with vascular Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a condition that gives him hypermobile joints and the ability to stretch his skin in the tradition of classic sideshow acts like The Rubber Skin Man and The Elastic Man. Hicks usually appears in whiteface, as seen in photos on his Facebook page. On Friday night at the Slipper Room, after showing up without a costume and white greasepaint, he decided on the spur-of-the-moment to do his act nude and in black makeup, according to a YouTube video which is now “private.”
Despite the furor on social media, Hicks is not without supporters. One friend recommends that Hicks’ critics should “get so excited about police surveillance, NSA encroachment, violent hate crimes, genetic modification of food, pollution, pay inequality and other things that actually call for 700 comments on a Facebook page and an article in Jezebel and others.” Steve Peluso, who produces a show at Lucky 13 Saloon, thinks the controversy will be good for business. As he says on Facebook:
Congratulations Rush Aaron Hicks. You are doing exactly what any good clown should. Playing the fool to expose the foolishness of others. Plus you got LOADS of FREE advertising for yourself, The Slipper Room and every other venue and performer/producer who works with you. Including me!
Thanks for saving me the expense of a full page layout in the Voice for our shows. I’m one of the few producers who understand that in showbiz Controversy like this is simply… GOLD!
The vintage posters shown above are from the Library of Congress’s collection of more than 175 original lithographs documenting the history of 19th and early 20th century minstrel shows.
Related posts on ATZ…
November 7, 2013: Photos from the Glory Days of the Sideshow Banner
June 27, 2013: Photo Album: The Front of the Show at Meadowlands Fair
February 4, 2013: Rare & Vintage: Girl to Gorilla Sideshow Banner
November 4, 2011: Up for Auction: Ringling Bros Circus Side Show Poster
Amusing the Zillion 
Interesting indeed.
Peace, you quoted my Facebook comment.. i am neither a supporter of Aaron nor a detractor – he performed at one of my events. I am not afraid of losing money like slipper room or Coney Island so I can be honest and say that if you are offended by his act, that is your prerogative, but it raises some issues. DID YOU SEE THE ACT? Also.. In the last year, how many of these people that got mad and spent who knows how much time writing posts on Facebook have sent letters to congressman.. how many marched in the street about the education system, how many got arrested in protest of our economic system failures. I did not see the act.. i don’t know if it was offensive or not.. but artists can’t be afraid of bloggers, or the cops, or people that don’t get it. If anything, start asking about the images of black people in the media and teach people the history. I am black, and pro black and a person that does not tolerate bigotry.. but if you want to get mad. Get mad at Viacom, get mad at CBS, get mad at NBC.. get mad at all the other media outlets that push bafoonery, baboonery, coonery and negative images of black people all the time. What scares me more.. this white dude in black face at the slipper room or NSA activities, stop and frisk, the monopolization of media or the fact that a post on Facebook can lead to hateful espousal of self righteousness and judgmental assumptions. Also, my friend Ohene made a song.. it is called NEW COONS.. here is the link.. He is in Black FACE.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7aNBqmX7eA
Thanks for your comments, both here and the one from FB that I quoted. You do make a valid point that people will post hundreds of comments on a Facebook topic of interest yet not bother to write to a Congressman in such great numbers, or come out to a rally. It is frustrating for those of us who are activists and advocates for a cause.
Re the subject of my post, my opinion, which is stated at the beginning is that blackface is never okay. The only thing I have to add is I wish people would read more books about history!
I don’t like the idea of black face, but if used properly, it has a place.. i.e. Bamboozled or my friend Ohene’s NEW COONS.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7aNBqmX7eA whether the person is black or white can not be the only factor.
I write congressmen and attend rallies regularly and while I did not see the act, the history of blackface makes if offensive to black people. Do I have to live as a slave to be upset by slavery? Come on, dude. Don’t be so dismissive of an experience just because you can’t relate.
I am black, i relate and i think there are three issues..1. Was the act racist .. i don’t know. I know him and till now that is not the vibe i got. 2. Was his response poor? yes.. fucking black chicks clearly does not prove anything. 3. Does it deserve the outcry that it has gotten?.. that is a legitimate question. I am not a supporter nor a detractor but a person interested getting more understanding about race, class gender issues and the real world difficulty of Americas history
Well written, Tricia. This should be picked up for an even wider audience.