This is a three Episode series on the succession of ownership of the Texas Renaissance Fair, produced by Josh and Benny Safdie's Elara Pictures. Episode 1 dropped last night. The current owner/king, George Coulam, is looking to sell the fair because he is getting up there in age, his health is declining, and he is looking to focus on finding a companion.

IMO, this is GOLD. Episode 1 was hilarious. The characters are insane. And it's just shot and presented really well. As a kid our family would go to the Ren Fair and now I'm taking my kids every so often, so it also has that local appeal.

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When the ailing king of America's largest renaissance festival declares his retirement, an epic power struggle ensues between an actor, a former elephant trainer, and a kettle-corn kingpin to claim his throne.

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Had no idea this was on HBO. As an avid dork and festival attendee - looking forward to it. Thanks Teddy

Was waiting for this thread to show up. I'm definitely looking forward to watching this.

Well, if the series is anything like this guys website:

https://www.georgeccoulam.com/

Im in

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George Coulam is a healthy 6'2",173 lbs., 86-year-old sexually active Caucasian male entrepreneur. His home and 200 acre estate gardens are located 7 miles north of Magnolia in the small town of Todd Mission, TX where he serves as Mayor. George earned his master's degree in art from the University of California at North Ridge.

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It has never occurred to me to put sexually active in my bio

Best potential I've seen since Tiger King.

Wonder how much it will cover the orgy fest that happens every night after.

Lol, go on...

I watched some of the first episode. The owner is very weird, so I'll probably just keep watching for that alone. He mentions his sexual activity multiple times, but I don't think they mentioned an orgy (but I didn't finish the entire episode yet).

I can't tell if he's trying to sell it or if he's just going to announce that someone else will take over. If he's selling it, it doesn't seem like he's considering selling it to a third-party but rather individuals who are already involved with the fair. If that's the case, how would they have enough money to buy it?

And his net worth was listed as 100 million+ on one of the dating websites. I know the fair likely rakes in money each year for a 2 month stretch, but how is that possible?

mavsfan4ever said:

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Lol, go on...

I watched some of the first episode. The owner is very weird, so I'll probably just keep watching for that alone. He mentions his sexual activity multiple times, but I don't think they mentioned an orgy (but I didn't finish the entire episode yet).

I can't tell if he's trying to sell it or if he's just going to announce that someone else will take over. If he's selling it, it doesn't seem like he's considering selling it to a third-party but rather individuals who are already involved with the fair. If that's the case, how would they have enough money to buy it?

And his net worth was listed as 100 million+ on one of the dating websites. I know the fair likely rakes in money each year for a 2 month stretch, but how is that possible?

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Something tells me this guy isn't exactly honest in his dating profiles.



https://www.houstonpress.com/news/coulam-looking-for-an-assistant-to-navigate-his-dating-profile-13770867

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In one of the creepier jobs postings on Indeed, Texas Renaissance Festival founder "King George" Coulam, 85, is looking to hire a data entry assistant. The data an applicant would be entering would include looking for dates for him.

"Seeking individual to assist retired gentleman manage his online dating profiles," it reads. "Position is located near Magnolia TX."

The job pays $16/hour, and would require a presence at Coulam's mansion, Stargate. Remote work is not allowed.

That last stipulation should give anyone applying for the job pause. Coulam has a very long history of creepy behavior centered around the Texas Renaissance Festival. Two years ago, the Houston Press spoke to a former employee who says Coulam ordered her to place ads in local papers looking for women to marry. The ads promised a $10,000 wedding gift and an allowance of $35,000 annually to live with Coulam.

"I don't know why this fell to me," she said at the time. "Maybe because I was the new guy. I had to contact a doctor and a village elder [in Thailand] to translate for her family. The financial arrangement had already been made; it was around $35,000. He traveled to Thailand a lot and knew about kathoey (Thai trans women). I had to express to the doctor that it was important that this was not a surgically created vagina."

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I don't know how much the owner is involved in the orgy fest, but I wouldn't doubt he partakes.

I'm not super informed or anything, I just know several people who have been workers there for decades and the main reason is for the after parties in the workers campground. All kinds of unattractive to attractive action going on in tents taking place between all types of gender combinations. They have drag show parties, dance parties, all kinds of parties filled with booze and drugs. Imagine LARPers all on E and f'ing each other. Like a Studio 54 that includes weirdos and ugly people.

I haven't been but have heard similar stories. Naked jenga orgys etc

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IMO, this is GOLD. Episode 1 was hilarious. The characters are insane. And it's just shot and presented really well. As a kid our family would go to the Ren Fair and now I'm taking my kids every so often, so it also has that local appeal.

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I kind of felt the opposite. What little I know about the King George guy and how he runs things there is completely nuts. I feel like they are actually playing it down for some reason. From what I've heard, he's far crazier than how he's being portrayed (although the show clearly shows his eccentric nature).

The others all seem relatively normal. Just folks with different personalities trying to do their jobs and take over the business as the owner steps down.

Oh, and by the way, Louis Migliaccio (the King of Kettle-corn) is an Aggie, class of '97.

I suddenly want to buy renfest

et98 said:

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IMO, this is GOLD. Episode 1 was hilarious. The characters are insane. And it's just shot and presented really well. As a kid our family would go to the Ren Fair and now I'm taking my kids every so often, so it also has that local appeal.

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I kind of felt the opposite. What little I know about the King George guy and how he runs things there is completely nuts. I feel like they are actually playing it down for some reason. From what I've heard, he's far crazier than how he's being portrayed (although the show clearly shows his eccentric nature).

The others all seem relatively normal. Just folks with different personalities trying to do their jobs and take over the business as the owner steps down.

Oh, and by the way, Louis Migliaccio (the King of Kettle-corn) is an Aggie, class of '97.

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I guess it's all relative. An employee specifically hired to handle your 15 dating profiles because he doesn't know how to use a computer, praying to Jesus, Buddah, and Mother Nature, and naming your kitschy gold decorated house Stargate Manor, seem pretty insane to me. The "others" include a Fairy Godmother that looks like she is easily in her 80's wearing fairy wings and lighting up a joint, a redbull chugging (4 big cans chugged in what looks like 30 minutes) kettle corn king, and a GM that makes his wife say "I serve King George."

Need to restart the Max sub.

On Facebook there's a lady that my wife grew up with in High School. This lady and her husband are huge into the ren fests judging by her posts. They get decked out in all the garb multiple times a year for different ren fest style festivals.

They also post pictures from their vacation to a Hedonism resort/party whatever it is in Jamaica.

Over the years as I've watched their random photos, more and more I'd come to the conclusion that a large % of the regulars who go all out dressing up for these things must be swingers.

The description of this documentary solidifies my theory.

mavsfan4ever said:

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Lol, go on...

I watched some of the first episode. The owner is very weird, so I'll probably just keep watching for that alone. He mentions his sexual activity multiple times, but I don't think they mentioned an orgy (but I didn't finish the entire episode yet).

I can't tell if he's trying to sell it or if he's just going to announce that someone else will take over. If he's selling it, it doesn't seem like he's considering selling it to a third-party but rather individuals who are already involved with the fair. If that's the case, how would they have enough money to buy it?

And his net worth was listed as 100 million+ on one of the dating websites. I know the fair likely rakes in money each year for a 2 month stretch, but how is that possible?

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I'm sure his networth is mainly tied up in the festival itself and the land that the festival grounds sit on. I'm sure he makes a decent profit to have been doing this for over 50 years, but I doubt he has much liquid assets beyond what profit he gets at the end of each season.

Richard Linklater needs to make this into a feature film.

Watched the first episode last night and enjoyed it.

I have always thought that a Ren fest would be a great setting for a Christopher Guest mockumentary.

Went to it a the very first year when I was like seven or eight, and have been back a couple of times in the decades since. I never really got into it, but I knew a couple SCA types who were really into it. Went every year and camped out for almost the whole month.

George is freaking nuts

They all are

Is this real life?

wouldn't it be more surprising if they were all com0letely normal? like if you didn't know their jobs they could be your run of the mill accountant or something?

Around 2018 I was asked to come out to George's complex to consider proposing for traffic control planning consulting services. Upon arrival, I was toured around the residential property by George himself, and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Craziest human being I have ever encountered.

I liked how the sugar daddy dating profile said he was worth $100mil+ but when they were setting up a date it was at the Olive Garden. Seems on brand for this guy.

Did you ever go to Naughtyham? I noticed that was a campground among the others listed.

Anagrammatic Nudist said:

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I was toured around the residential property by George himself, and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Craziest human being I have ever encountered.

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username checks out

This show is weird. I'm not referring to the people (who are definitely weird), but I'm more referring to how it is shot. I would like it much better if it was a true documentary. But they have set it up where most scenes are clearly acted/recreated by the actual subjects themselves. Why do that? It makes everything seem so fake and theatrical, when this is supposed to be a documentary (or at least I thought it was). Is this a documentary or fiction.

The last 10-15 minutes in particular were cringey in how fake/recreated they were, when the general manager and his wife are in Germany and the girl is eavesdropping on the conversation of the popcorn guy regarding buying the fair, etc. I hated that part because it's clearly staged, and more importantly, it makes the whole show seem scripted.

I'm sure the directors/writers will say they did that on purpose because it is an analogy to how the fair is fake, etc. But that was an awful decision.

elfurioso92 said:

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I liked how the sugar daddy dating profile said he was worth $100mil+ but when they were setting up a date it was at the Olive Garden. Seems on brand for this guy.

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Olive Garden is fancy for Grimes County

mavsfan4ever said:

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I would like it much better if it was a true documentary. But they have set it up where most scenes are clearly acted/recreated by the actual subjects themselves. Why do that? It makes everything seem so fake and theatrical, when this is supposed to be a documentary (or at least I thought it was). Is this a documentary or fiction.

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This is my biggest complaint. That last bit with the actor/GM in a weird fugue state kinda ruined it for me.

That was kind of weird and I thought about it too. It was almost taking the documentary format and turning it into more of a ...i dont know how to articulate it, cinematic, view?

I don't know if I've ever seen a dramatization in a documentary that involved one of the actual subjects of the documentary.

I've been hearing this referred to as a docu-fantasy. There is clearly some reenacting going on, but that doesn't bother me. Regarding the way it is shot, I love it. It adds a dimension to match the crazies at the heart of it. If you've seen The Curse, you'll recognize the Safdie brothers touch on the cinematography.

Sad note, it looks like Ded Bob really did pass away a few years ago.

Roll the Bones said:

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Watched the first episode last night and enjoyed it.

I have always thought that a Ren fest would be a great setting for a Christopher Guest mockumentary.

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That would be so awesome!!!!!!
I love this idea!

Parker Posey in fairy wings complaining about the mud in the parking lot.

Absolute blast to go to the one in Plantersville back in the early 90s when it was still relatively unknown. I assume this is about that one.

I don't remember why or how but my first wife and I were invited to the after party one year while we were out there. It was closing time and we almost went but then decided to head back home. Probably a smart move.

Louie the Kettle Korn guy is class of 97