- “And now, ya bilge rats, do I hear six? Who makes it six?"
"Six it be. Six bottles of rum!"
"I'm not spongin' for rum. It be gold I'm after!” - ―Auctioneer and a drunk pirate[src]
The Auctioneer is a pirate who appeared in the Disney attraction Pirates of the Caribbean.
History
Background
The Auctioneer was a pirate of the Caribbean who served aboard a pirate-vessel known as the Wicked Wench in the early 18th century. After the Wench attacked the island of Isla Tesoro, pirates invaded the town of Puerto Dorado in-search of its legendary treasure.
The Auctioneer and his cronies set up the auction near a canteen called "La Cantina", which directly overlooked the waterfront. The auction itself took place in front of the "Mercado". During the raid, the Auctioneer took to kidnapping and robbing townsfolk to auction off their goods. All the while he found himself continuously annoyed by the mass of pirates demanding to buy his rum rather than his goods, spurned on by his henchwoman Redd.
Following the raid, it is likely that he was amongst the pirates who set up base in Isla Tesoro's Ghostly Grotto and that he suffered at the hands of their stolen treasure's curse.
Development History
In the original version of the attraction, the Auctioneer was a misogynistic human-trafficker. During the original scene, the Auctioneer presented a "winsome wench" until a group of drunken pirates chanted that they wanted the "redhead". As the Auctioneer's group of potential clients became rowdier, one of his assistants fired a warning shot to keep them at bay. When offered six bottles of rum for a bride, the Auctioneer loudly proclaimed that he would accept only gold. When the, "Red Head" began to show her leg seductively to the on-looking crowd of excited pirates, the Auctioneer demanded she covers herself up saying; "Strike your colors, you brazen wench! No need to expose your superstructure!".
This incarnation of the scene was drastically altered in 2017 due to the scene's sexism, fat-shaming, and light-hearted portrayal of human trafficking. While some accused this change of being a sanitization of history, the resending counter-argument was that Pirates of the Caribbean was already chalked to the brim with historic anachronisms and inaccuracies and human-trafficking/bride-auctions isn't even affiliated with the era of the golden age of piracy which the ride is set in. This also being to say nothing of the characterization of the scene having clearly glamorized and romanticized the horrors of slavery and sexual-assault while showing several of the brides as, "Wanting it" and having the Auctioneer shame her for her body; all not only highly fictionalized but also deeply rooted in very harmful forms of misogyny, especially considering the age-groups which the ride is directed towards.
Appearances
Pirates of the Caribbean
In the modern incarnation of the scene, the Auctioneer is selling off the stolen goods of the citizens of Puerto Dorado rather than the citizens themselves. Assisting him is the redhead, now called Redd who is acting as his enforcer. Throughout the auction, the Auctioneer attempts to auction off a coop of stolen hens to no avail as the pirates only want to buy rum. Redd constantly interrupts the Auctioneer and encourages him to sell rum as no-one cares about purchasing the hens. The Auctioneer received a new voice actor, who has yet to be identified.
Film Appearances
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
The Hai Peng sails to World's End, a massive waterfall, and ends up in Davy Jones' Locker. This was taken from the ride in which a ship from present-day goes down a waterfall, and ends up in the era of pirates. The film crew even embellished the effect by putting the various audio from the ride, specifically to make that connection. One of the audio is a line said by the Auctioneer, "Shift yer cargo, dearie, show 'em your larboard side."
Tales from the Code: Wedlocked
In Shipwreck City, the Auctioneer appeared when an auction began where he'd sell Scarlett and Giselle, two unsuspecting wenches who both believed they were to marry Jack Sparrow. As the wenches Scarlett and Giselle realized they were both deceived, the Auctioneer entered the room and began the auction to a group of pirates. Throughout the auction, Scarlett and Giselle would bicker throughout the bid, over who was worth more, eventually to a point where they start fighting. By the time the bid went up to 400, a group of pirates, led by Atencio, formed a corporation. As the bid went over 600, a pirate named Nigel bidded his goat, which caused Atencio to insert a goat in his bid. The bidding would conclude with the Marquis D'avis making the final bid with seven hundred and two goats, which the Auctioneer closed the bid.
The Auctioneer holding the Code.
As Scarlett and Giselle thought they were rich and had goats, the Auctioneer said he has the goats as he shackled the two wenches together, stating that he owned them in a fair one-hundred percentage. He also said that he traded them fair and square, quoting what was in the Pirate Code, after which Mungard reminded the group of pirates that the Code was the law. Giselle then asked the Auctioneer if he owned the stocking that she wore or a song she might sing before the wench gave Mungard a slap on the face. Filled with anger, Mungard pointed his pistol at the Auctioneer. The Auctioneer began a toss of the key to Scarlett and Giselle's shackles, with the holder whom Mungard would point his pistol at. The key would go from Nigel to Atencio and then the Marquis D'avis, who then tossed the key to the Auctioneer, who was once again threatened by Mungard.
In this confusion, Gregor accidentally fired his pistol, causing confusion in the crowd as Mungard turned around. The Auctioneer, holding the Code on him, stated that this was the doing of Jack Sparrow. Hearing the name Sparrow, Mungard turned around as his pistol fired and hit the Code. The Auctioneer, still holding the Code, fell backward to the ground. The pirates whisper among themselves about Mungard shooting the Code. Mungard then ordered the Auctioneer to be taken out of here. A group of men, including the Auctioneer's assistant, helped get the Code off of a dazed Auctioneer, who blabbered about a shipment of Peruvian llamas.
Other Appearances
Disney Crossy Road
The Auctioneer is a playable character in this game. While playing as him, the song Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me) plays in the background.
Trivia
- The Auctioneer is one of the most advanced animatronics figures in the ride, being updated whenever new advances in the technology come along.
- In Disneyland Paris, the Auctioneer is shown auctioning off a portrait of historic pirate Jean Lafitte.
- A poster from the human-trafficking incarnation of the character had a mention to all proceeds of the bride auction going to the, "PBS of A”.
- The Auctioneer's appearance is largely taken from Marc Davis' concept art of historic pirate Bartholomew Roberts. Bartholomew Roberts was originally planned to have been a larger character in the attraction and who would have also owned the Haunted Mansion, going by the pseudonym of Captain Gore.
- This figure is reused in the Haunted Mansion for one of the duelist audio-animatronics.
- According to Jeff Nathanson's 2013 script for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the Auctioneer was going to appear in the film where he would have a wench auction at Coronation Bay where he was supposed to sell Carina Smyth to another pirate who was offering twenty pieces of eight against Jack Sparrow's ten pieces. However, the script was entirely rewritten, removing the Auctioneer entirely from the film.
Gallery
External links
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