Defunctland: The History of Coney Island
In this fiery episode of Defunctland, Kevin tells five stories from New York’s infamous playground of pleasure, Coney Island.
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@Morpheusintheblue
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
She sold it to WHOM?
@artfullyautistic9738
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Imagine putting on a wet bathing suit that 20 other people put on with out being washed
@TheJadeamaranth
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
God i hate hearing about all the animals 😔
@snowshinobi
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
2:07 "Put simply, plants calm people down" this made me laugh and also think of the robust office plants in the cafeteria which I do pet every time I walk through there. They do meaningfully contribute to my sense of peace.
@Desert-Father
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Robert Moses and Fred Trump two villans of NYC history.
@Jumboobs
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
i was genuinely so mad hearing about topsy until i realized everyone involved had horrible asbestos ensued deaths years ago and i feel much better now
@Zorfius410
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
That parachute jump attraction is wild lol😂🎉
@Oglerk
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
human zoos.
@MataNuiXIII
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Of course a Trump is the reason that Coney Island has some damage to it. 🙄
@FinkDaMushyCat
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
The baby incubators ended up saving countless lives of premature babies. Where the view fee was used around the clock care from nurses
@JohnBJr
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
A moment of silence for Captain Jack Bonavita – and the polar bear.
@krispyq8103
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
What was done to that elephant was just criminal…apparently not back then, but still! How can u say that was “humane?!”
@heli0dove
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
HOW DO YOU HANG AN ELEPHANT???? ITS. AN ELEPHANT
@MichaelEarnedIt-19
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
“Excluding Jews.” Yeah that really grinded my gears “partially” because Christianity is stemmed from Jewish religion and I have a rule you attack Jews you attack me as well. Why?? Because Christ was Jewish that is why I’ll always defend the Jewish people or will look out for that community you exclude Jewish people I’m…excuse me? Also I love it how you state “it horribly back fired.” As it should….
@abridge2
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
"Commissioner of common lands John McCain. No relation." ok i'm with you so far
"McCain was a corrupt politician" are you sure there's no relation
@briith777
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
I just wanna know how that guy got close enough to a polar bear for it to attack him. Was he in Antarctica??
@cumfartimus
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Oh, I was here for the lafayette and American debate.
@ashapiro87
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
This episode literally gets crazier by the second.
@JahnMors
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
A trip to the moon sounds way cooler than any ride ive ever been on in modern times.
@algator55
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Sounds like an island of psychopaths
@dogvoter9973
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
I know it’s crazy to have an attraction out of premature babies but this was the ONLY PLACE willing to running the machines needed to keep these babies alive. The inventor begged to give the machine away to hospitals but they all refused due to the costs. Dreamland was the only place that was willing to fund the machines via ticket sales. They even paid for round the clock care. Hundreds of babies were saved via this attraction.
@sonwig5186
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Early roller coasters are so interesting to me.
@immersivewerks
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Wow, historic Luna Park looked better than any theme park today, besides Tokyo Disney Sea maybe.
@BlueFireSapphire
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Are we skipping over "human zoos" 😭 WHAT
@00Noir
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
What if we kissed in the giant elephant brothel 😳😳😳
@Desertedhail
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
23:35 I’m sorry they gave a statue of an American Indian holding a scalp to an elementary school?
@jeebus2313
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
As an animal lover the story of Topsy has me conflicted, because on one hand I should be mortified, but on the other it's so comically over the top that it kind of circles back around to being hilarious, in an extremely morbid way.
@Jokoko2828
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Honestly the horse-riding slide sounds really fun.
@applemask
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
They don't sleep anymore on the beach
@blistertooth
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
24:40 – This sounds barbaric now because obviously we would never put preemies on display for a profit. That’s obscene. But the Infantorium at Dreamland was actually why we have incubators as standard practice in NICUs now. Neonatology and NICUs didn’t exist then, and late Victorian era/Edwardian era hospitals refused to treat premature babies. Which obviously led to a high mortality rate and meant that a premature birth essentially guaranteed a premature passing, too. The cost of admission to the Infantorium would directly go to maintaining their treatment and care, which Martin Couney provided at no cost to the parents despite not at all being a doctor. His initiative had an 85% success rate and is believed to have saved thousands of babies, including his own daughter when she was born premature.
@quinntresin7117
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
For anyone interested in the elephant brothel, its little sister (same builder) still stands as Lucy the Elephant in Margate. Was even an Airbnb for a time.
@mirrorimagery
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
this video is five years old atp but i love kevin's channel-wide bit of using the phrase "local perverts". it's infected my vocabulary. it makes me chuckle every time
@MrJerrycampbell
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
You create awesome content! Much enjoyed. Thanks!
@brendenhinson8719
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
That poor godamn elephant. Guilty of being an elephant
@brendenhinson8719
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
How I got to your channel is such a weird rabbit hole but you are a fantastic creator . I among others appreciate Al the work you put into these! I hope it pays pretty good lord knows this wasn’t easy to make I’m sure
@isabeld.paredes4923
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
This is the first time I watch any of your videos. Great production. I loved your transitions in the style of a shadow play. Looking forward to watching the rest of the videos! Keep it up!
@scale-feathers
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
JUSTICE FOR TOPSY!!!!
@Th3yLiv3
March 3, 2026 at 6:51 pm
13:30 JOHN MCKANE LOL
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