I had a friend who was a minor celebrity in California many years ago. He said he felt like he’d reached a milestone when he was asked to play at Disneyland. After all, it was the Magic Kingdom filled with wonder and talking animals. But all the nostalgia of it faded when he drove through the back gate entrance. The workers’ gate wasn’t quite as clean and inviting as the front. Mickey Mouse and Tinkerbell weren’t waving hello at the back gate. Instead, a perturbed-looking guy in a goofy suit stood smoking a cigarette with a giant Goofy head under his arm. He pointed him to the trash cans and spat on the pavement before waving him on. The back entrance is a little more honest about the actual workings of the magical kingdom. The fluff is up front, but the back shows the real underbelly.

Recently I sent out “Clown Show Part 2” to expose those who are creating and curating the world’s narrative. As I read through it again, I realized that I mentioned so many stories in rapid-fire that the average reader might wonder about my conclusions. So here are some footnotes for you in case I ran ahead too fast.