before those organizing decades the airwaves were fairs and carnivals that were home to liars and everyone knew it but wanted it - not confessors , like now , folks who drop their drawers before any camera and expose want they think are their lives or souls - not confessors , liars , showmen , each with his lie , his own outlandish world bumping the gaudy farcical sphere of someone else - the wolf-boy the faith healer the pygmy shaman the snake oil mystic hindu the anatomically-gifted farm girl the albino spelunker the cheesy british comedian with his parrot who wo n't talk on live radio , the bubble dancer the `` mister , i seen jesus '' transient the refugee the shadow .