Tony - If I ever do a snot show you'll be the first to know! I don't adopt a whacky persona so I don't think I'd get away with it. I could imagine it working if I had a disgusting vent character, but only if I acted offended at his antics and reprimanded him for behaving in such a way. I suppose that's why Mr Punch gets away with his murderous antics - because it's made clear to the children that he is in the wrong.

Kimmo. I must confess you do in many ways sound much more civilized than Snotty Potty the Pirate!

You#re right Kimmo. Punch is wrong and the children tell him so. That's why he's so valuable. But you know this.

A violent Punch is a bad show just as violent clowns would be bad. It should be knockabout and fummy and if it isn't it doesn't work. The proof of my show is in the audience size at the end. It isn't smaller than the start, but bigger. Much bigger. And I have to do that four times a day.

As for all this messy stuff, it's never been my cup of tea. We do what we're comfortable with. And what are customers are comfortable with. After all, they put the bread on our tables.

I thought Goerge put it neatly earlier today when he said

"Children often go through a phase where they talk about poo and wee. Parents are usually trying to get them out of this phase so are not going to thank you for turning up and showing them that it is acceptable."

Well - Potty IS a pirate! They aren't supposed to be civilised! Isn't that the point and the very thing that makes his antics funny?

Pirates are meant to be wicked and michevious, a bit like Mr. Punch, infact. But Snotty? I think not. Two pirate movies spring to mind, "Hook" and "Pirates of the Carribean". I do not recall seeing any snot/poo humor in there. Please correct me if I am wrong, Kimmo. I wish you would not keep defending Potty, just as I as starting to think more highly of your good self.

Aaaaaar! It's true, Kimmo, you can't judge this book by it's cover. My style of show demands icky and yucky things, it's fast paced, silly, and full of all strange things piratical. That you guys don't see that involving snot in a Potty routine seems perfectly acceptable to pretty much everyone, makes me wonder who your clients can be. As I've said before (in not so many words), the way I use this prop is appropriate to my character, and it doesn't cause offense. There IS a line I wouldn't cross, and so far, no one has ever told me otherwise.
So I prefer to accept the reactions of the folks who see my show, than your over-reaction to routines you haven't seen.
Yesterday a group of 5 year-old girls watched my show, and thoroughly enjoyed watching Squawk eat my snot plant. Before I left Mum said: "Thank you, that was fantastic...I'm sure we'll be having you back next year....."
That for me, is the judge and jury.

There is no snot humour in Hook because of the terrible incident when Dustin Hoffman picked his nose with the wrong hand.

George