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Tom Frank V.I.P. industrial Strength Magic 493 Posts |
Here's the bottom line, my income has slowly but steadily been decreasing since the beginning of the year. Saturday I decided to try out Hollywood and Highland in the afternoon before working at the CityWalk that evening. All looked good, not to hot in the direct sunlight where I would be performing. Moderate traffic gelling up. I started to set my stuff up when a nearby balloon twister told me that the kiosk I was about to set up in front of, would have problem with my sound system. I thanked him and set up on the other side of him. After I set up, I was approached by a woman who was dressed like Marilyn Monroe (one of the many costumed characters on Hollywood Blvd. hustling tips for photo's with them). She started in on me with a medium nag, telling me that she was here first. Nag, nag,nag. . . I calmly explained to her that had she asked me before I set all my stuff up, there wouldn't have been an issue. Trying to be sensitive to her concerns, I told her that I didn't gather large crowds and that I did quick shows. I added, that if in 15 minutes, she had a problem with what I was doing, she could tell me and I would move. I told her that was the best I could do.
I worked for an hour an a half for meager results, a couple of deck sales and maybe ten or 15 bucks. . . ugly really, for a Saturday afternoon. Anyway, here comes Marilyn Monroe with her panties all twisted in a knot. She starts right in on me asking me angrily why I didn't leave after 15 minutes like I said I would. I tried to remind her what I HAD said, that if she had an issue with me, that she needed to communicate that to me and and I would leave. Even at that point (as I was ready to split anyway), I looked her right in the eyes and told her that she would never have a problem with me, and that if she still wanted me to leave I would. This seemed to make her more angry and she went of on some verbal rant about how she was a Christian and that she knew what I was. I thought she meant that I was Jewish. With an ugly face (clearly past her prime as a Marilyn Monroe), she rambled loudly about how I was going to hell for doing magic, bla, bla, bla). I turned on my mic and started to make fun of her. it was starting to draw a crowd. I told her that the only thing that she had in common with Marilyn Monroe, was that they were both crazy. Rather than leave at this point, I dug in my heals and worked another 40 minutes to the same mediocre results. OK big deal, it can happen to anybody. I went home for a couple hours to chill before hitting the CityWalk. An hour into my lackluster Saturday night, I'm hassled by a couple of drunks to the point of retiring for the rest of the evening. Security dealt with the jerks promptly and professionally, but my mood was ****ed! It's hard enough to do what I do, given the economy and the ever rapidly, shrinking attention span. But to have to deal with **** wads in my face. . . that part I can do with out. But. . . today is another beautiful day, I have nothing in my heart but love and all I want to do is make people happy. Getting ready to go to work now. Low (but realistic) expectations. |
Eddie Torres Special user New York City 692 Posts |
The economy's been hurting me quite a bit as well these last few months, people just aren't tipping no matter how on fire you are. On those really bad days there's a technique I use and almost always make at least a Benjamin. It's not my technique at all, but I'll PM you and let you know, I'm sure you may at least know of it already.
Eddie
Eddie Ivan Torres
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gallagher Inner circle 1168 Posts |
Do you know how diamonds get polished? Very, very slowly. With a polishing cream that looks something like,.. well,... Marilyn Monroe's make-up. It's not really `agressive', but `it scratchs',.. it wears. Diamonds, with the most clarity, color, and sparkle; are often done by hand. Takes time. Takes effort. Lots of folks ask, "What's the bother?" I guess the answer lies in simply what one is after. What one can `see'. Diamond Polishers often talk about `feeling' the sparkle. `Feeling' the colour. With closed eyes, some guys say, they can `feel' the value.
Sitting in Café's on rainy days, after reading the old newspapers; conversations usually start up with `the locals'. It's amazing, by what these `everyday folks' get into. Not my "how-much-I-made-stories",.. but my "Marilyn-Monroe-Stories". I realized, a while back, we often don't realize our 'wealth',... our experiences. Our `polishings'. Visiting a friend in the Hospital, sharing `road stories'; one of the two other sick folks, laying in the room, sat up and said, "I'd trade it all in, what I've stacked up in the banks,.. to fight with some *** for her corner, turn a show, spend a third of the earnings for beer,... then look for a place to roll out my feather bag and sleep." ...the guy probably got better, went home,.. and continued living just as he always did!,.. but what the hey,.. our stories DID make him sit up and listen! Try to keep seeing,.. feeling,.. the magic of the streets. The ONE truth/magic of the them is: You never know what's around the next corner! ,.. now if that ain't reason enough,... gallagher |
JohntheMagician Regular user Mechanicsburg, PA 157 Posts |
Amen Gallagher Amen.
I haven't be doing Street Performing very long but I spent a lot of my early years roaming with a Carnival. Man do I have some funny and interesting stories from when I was a kid. As one peoson said "We as people, as individuals, are defined by our experiences, take those away and we are nothing." So keep the stories cooming and I'll share a quick one of my own. Do you all remember the giant slide ride that you use a burlap sack to slide down? Well do you know that every so ofter the slide is lubricated with silicone to keep it slippy. So add this up. A late night, a freshly libed slide, a little rain, and to top it off using heavy duty trash bags as our runner. Needless to say not only did it go fast but I shot of the one dip like a ramp and cracked 3 ribs in the process. Ahhh to be 12 again.
“The hard must become habit. The habit must become easy. The easy must become beautiful.” ~ Doug Henning
<BR>____________________________________________ <BR>WWW.ILLUSIONDELUSION.COM |
gallagher Inner circle 1168 Posts |
Hey John, nice hearing from you. In all reality, I think most of us guys here,.. have the hearts of twelve year olds,.. the brains of three year olds,.. and the bodies,.... well, simply `olds'! Ahh,... Donuts and Giant Slides!, tell me; does live get any better then that!?!
take care of all those folks in Pa., in need of Magic!, ,... and of yourself, gallagher |
Brent McLeod Inner circle 1792 Posts |
Tom-
Your way too good to worry about a floozy impersonator!!! It does bum you out though!!!-All been in that movie at some stage The economy here is the same-Pitching decks etc is earning more than Busking!! Go figure!! |
David Todd Inner circle 2328 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-09-24 04:15, Tom Frank wrote: Only in Hollywood would some allegedly "Christian" woman tarted-up to look like Marilyn Monroe (and probably standing over street grates to get her skirts to billow up , flashing her panties for photo-ops with tourists) have the gall to lecture you on your goin'-straight-to-hell "immorality" for performing magic . What a place . Sometimes I miss it , but I also don't miss it in many ways. |
gfdiamond Regular user sweden 198 Posts |
Hi tom,
tell marilyn next time to take a few pills and a quiet drink and have a good lie down... regards, geoff.
Check me out on Google. Geoff Diamond Magician.
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