Wet and Wonderful

So far this summer, we have been lucky ... not much rain. But tonight it decided to rain on us. The first thing I did was put a plastic bag over the camera so I could keep on filming:



It's only a drizzle, and the kids don't mind getting wet ... so I continue on with my show:



We didn't do too bad considering it was raining:




I am one of the few buskers that not only tries to work the rain, I actually enjoy it. I was disappointed there wasn't more rain tonight. I figure if it is going to rain, it might as well pour.

-JoeJoe

Flea Market Shows

I have been struggling with what exactly to do at the Flea Market. For those that don't know, the North Myrtle Beach Flea Market is a dirty old flea market where I have rented a space in one of their sheds so that I can pitch magic tricks like the Svengali Deck.

Things are starting to come in focus ... I plan on a silent act done to music featuring some manipulation magic like sleight of hand with cards and coins ... maybe a dancing cane ... or a floating ball ... things like that. Dana is going through soundclick.com looking for the perfect music while I build a small stage to perform on:



More on all this in the future ... till then,

-JoeJoe

How hot is it anyway?

Recently, I saw a bit on TV where some guy (most likely hired by Al Gore) stood outside in Las Vegas with a thermometer that read 110 degrees in an attempt to scare people into believing in this whole global warming hog wash ... I think they should have come to Myrtle Beach instead, after all ... my thermometer is much more frightening at 130 degrees:

What I find most amazing about this is the fact that NOAA was reporting the temperature to be only 83 degrees! I may not be a weather expert, but I know it was a lot hotter than 83 ... as I drove to the Landing, I snapped this shot:

So it is somewhere between 83 degrees and 130 degrees ... and I'm standing in the middle of the sun with a top hat and tails coat on without a concern one about global warming. Here's a new flash for Al Gore: the earth has been warming up for several thousand years now!!! DUH!!!

Magicians often see things that other people don't notice, and they simply aren't fooling me! Until NOAA learns how to take the temperature accurately, their studies will not hold any creditable merit what-so-ever. It's all just junk science and I really hope someone enlightens the poor boy before he ends up doing some serious damage to the world's poor.

-JoeJoe

Summerfest Pictures

Saturday morning, I get up early to hit the flea market ready for work ... only, the truck wouldn't start. So instead of earning a tip on the busiest weekend of the year, I ended up walking a mile up the road to buy a new alternator in the 92 degree heat. I swear, it doesn't matter how far ahead in life I get ... I always end up walking down the road.

We did have a great night at Barefoot Landing Sunday. Lots of magic ... plan to change up the shows yet again; I have been closing with my sword and rope routine, but I don't think it makes a great closer ... and I've really been nailing the new linking ring routine, so we are going to switch the two and start closing with the rings instead.

I know everyone keeps expecting pictures and videos to get posted ... so I managed to get a few screen shots so you can get a feeling for whats going on! This year, you will notice I am wearing yellow and have added some stars to the tails. : )














-JoeJoe

Stop The Presses!

I have just sent out a press release to the local media concerning my recent appeal to the City Council concerning the business license the City has illegally forced me to obtain. It is lengthy, a two page press release with a two page copy of the actual appeal, a page of relevant case law, and one page of relevant facts in the case. You can read it for yourself by clicking here.

Should my appeal fail, I am considering Court action against the City and should that fail I will seek a new performing venue outside of North Myrtle Beach. As a free artist, I simply refuse to operate under the umbrella of a business license.

The only thing I would like to add to all of this is that it is not about the money! Barefoot Landing has offered to reemberse me the fee for the license, and if it was about the money I would simply take them up on their offer. To me it is about being free to express myself artistically without government interference. The Courts have ruled that I have the right to street perform without a business license, and it would not be prudent to surrender that right.

-JoeJoe

The Rudenss Continues ...

June is such a nice month to work; the kids are excited to be out of school, the parents are happy they get to spent some family time together, everyone is in a great mood. But unfortunately, it never lasts!

As I start doing my grind shows tonight, I was constantly heckled by some of the older kids - the ones that think they know how everything is done. The parents are starting to get sick of the kids that have been bugging them for a month now, and so they send them to me - how thoughtful! I used to be light on the kids, but now I have become much more aggressive to the delight of my audiences, telling one kid to get his own street corner got a great laugh.

As it gets dark, the rudeness continues ... one kid has now seen 5 shows and apparently his parents have no intention of coming to get him anytime soon. He was a good kid at least, quiet and polite I didn't actually mind him much. But at the same time, I just have to wonder if I would want to let my kid hang out with a strange man unsupervised for that length of time? Hmmm ... most likely, no.


At some point in the night, I began to get a headache ... packed up a little early and figured I would hope for better luck tomarrow. Till then...

-JoeJoe

How Rude!

Tonight, I arrive on my pitch to the sounds of "OH MY GOD" - "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!". No, I didn't come up with the next greatest magic illusion of the century ... apparently, these folks can't believe they would bump into someone they know while on vacation - how earth shattering is that huh?

The reunion begins right behind me just as I start my show. They are just a talking up a storm, you would have thunk they hadn't seen each other in decades ... they didn't even seem to notice a crowd of 75 people were standing right behind them cheering and applauding. Well, one guy did ... he turned briefly to give my audience a "will ya'all shut up" look. I thought they would have taken the hint, but they just kept right on ignoring me like I didn't have an amplifier turned on.

I am constantly amazed at the rudeness of people in this world ... it sometimes seems like people spend hours dreaming up new ways to tick me off. I really wish everyone in the world would take some time to make themselves aware of the environment they are in. People seem to think the world centers around themselves, and often do not take the people around them into consideration. What can you do? I like to just smile and say "have a nice day". ; )

-JoeJoe