The Resume

(November 24, 1901-circa 1980)
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Birth name was Stanislaus Berent
Due to the congenital condition phocomelia, his hands grew from his shoulders
Appeared with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, Clyde Beatty Circus, Cole Brothers Circus, World Circus Sideshow, Coney Island Dreamland and other sideshows
Act consisted of showing how he did everyday activities, like shaving with a straight razor or using a saw
Not to be confused with Cee-Lo

Why he might be annoying:

Sideshow posters often falsely depicted him with a seal's body.
He smoked cigars.
He was fond of using his 'little handsies' to flip off the gate attendants as left the carnival at night.
Some sources claim he died in 1984.

Why he might not be annoying:

He was selling newspapers when he was discovered by a sideshow scout.
Fellow sideshow performers said he had an easy-going, good natured disposition.
Along with fire-eating dwarf Pete Terhune, he successfully challenged a Florida law banning exhibitions of the handicapped (1972).
Mat Fraser, an actor with phocomelia who created a one-man show about him, said 'I can see the attraction of joining a freak show. Sealo managed to support his family of four and was earning the equivalent of five grand a week. I know disabled people today that would much rather do that than draw dole.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 48]
• I am of Polish Extraction
• I Died in 1980 (Ranked: 78)
• Known By a Single Name
• Look at Me, I've Been Caught Smoking
• Male Cigar Smokers
• Newspaper Delivery Boys
• Profiles 34501-34750 (Ranked: 34654)
• Side Show Freaks

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 21 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 24 Votes: 54.17% Annoying