Okay, so I auditioned and got into Universal City Walk. I was supposed to start last Friday but I got a gig that night. So this Friday's my first time. If you're in the LA area come and catch me 6 to 10 pm Fridays in Feb.

Jim

Break a leg Jimmy! You're the man!

Best,

Dan-

That's great news Jim. Do let us know how it goes.

Don

Hi Wesley

Will do, Danny and Don. Wesley and I are learning tricks all day tomorrow. Can't believe I missed a chance to see Sonny and Eric and Jimmy Talksalot working venice.

Jim

Great job JJ.
What did you do for your audition and what will you be doing at Univ. City?

The audition was at 11:30 am so there weren't enough punters for a big show. I did close up and I think the woman running the place was happy to see me grabbing a crowd from the slim pickings. I hope to be doing circle shows with my table ending with the cups.

Jim

Okay, here's my update.
I'm only working on Friday nights. Last week, my first Friday. A comedy of errors. It started with finding out that my assigned pitch was loud loud. The guys there said tell the people in the office when you sign in and, with their permission, we will turn it down for you. I told them. They said the boss will meet you at the fountains and get you a new pitch. I didn't ask for that but that was the order. I waited 20 minutes. No boss. Back to the office. She's coming down right now to meet you. Another 15 minutes. No boss. Screw it. I went to the noisy pitch. I'm unpacking and then discover that I hadn't packed my microphone and transmitter in my amp. No amp tonight. ***. I did close up shows all night but it was so loud that even that wasn't working too well. I finally got off one circle show right before 10. I made a lousy 55 bucks. Awful for 3 hours work. I do a lot better than that on 3rd street. Here's the ironic part. I misread my schedule. I wasn't supposed to be at that noisy pitch after all.

Week two. Let's see what I can do with my amp this time. I got the noisy pitch again. This time for real. I set up. See Tom Frank on the elevator just as I'm going up to sign in. I set up. The pitch is noisy but I got my amp. I get a real good crowd and about half way into the show, some exhibits there crank their sound systems to steal back the crowd that maybe I stole from them. Or they thought I did. I do one circle show and a few close up sets and pack it up and move to find another quieter spot.
I stop and talk to Tom Frank at his pitch. Tom is a real gentleman. He actually offers to split his pitch with me, which is the height of generousity. I am very flattered but I feel I still need to figure out this pitch for myself first. I finally found a spot that is relatively quiet. I work the rest of the night there until 10 pm. I have three really good circle shows. Maybe I did 5 circle shows all told there. A bunch of close up sets to rest in between. The last circle show was terrific. A really great crowd a lot of fun for me and them.
The hats however don't seem that good to me. Anyway, I had good shows so I'm satisfied. I pack up for the night, go looking for Tom but he's already gone. I saw Flattop was on the schedule. I hadn't seen him for years. I found him to say hello. Gazzo really likes Flattop a lot. Gazzo told me to listen to Flatop and he would steer me right and never give me disinformation like some guys will.
Anyway, back at the car, I notice that my tip jar is really full of cash, but it's almost all ones so I don't think I made much. I start to count the money. BAM! I find eight 20's! Eight Twenties! Where the hell did they come from? 5 fives and the rest are ones. All together: $245 and change in about 3 hours.
The weird thing is how I thought I wasn't doing very well. I didn't see those twenties at all I guess.
I'll be interested to see how week 3 goes. To be continued...

Jim

Jim what GREAT news buddy. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy, unless it were ME!

I have Vonage phone service coming Monday. I'll give you a call.

All the best...
Don

That's why I never count before I leave. It is more fun this way.

OOPS....

Hi Wesley !

Don

Hey James
Way to go. Is the butterfly man still doing his thing there, and does he still wear that cheap toupe to hide his famous tattoo?
Al Angello

Thanks, guys. Don, look forward to your call.
I wish I had been counting better because I must have a new highest paid show. My old was 40 bucks. I probably broke that personal record but I'll never know.
As I said, it will be interesting to see how it goes next week.

Al,
Butterfly has moved to Haiwaii. I don't think he's busking these days.

Jim

I just finishes reading Tom's post, showing off more of his talents (he should write a book on this stuff). Now I am here and love seeing these updates on
your days at the "City Walk". I appreciate that your sharing this here alot.

I would ask for more detail on how your working your pitch and how your making
adjustments but I think you've told us enough. Plus, Tom's words stick in my
mind where he posted, "This is where the rubber meets the road...". So I am
chalking this up that the more details that I am searching for are there.

Can't wait for your next update. Thanks.

James, great seeing you out there! Isn't this a wonderful life!

Life is good, specially while doing magic.

Thanks for the pictures, Tom! It was a lot of fun hanging out that night. What a night. More about it later, but the short take is it was COLD and slim pickings. Cold for LA that is. 32 degrees that night and windy. Kept ducking into a nearby store to warm up--especially my hands. Did my ambitious card once and the Tommy Wonder 2 second card fold turned into the Jersey Jim 4 second card fold for cold and stiff fingers.

Above pic shows me doing Dr. Daley's last trick. Glad someone is having fun. Did manage to get one cups and balls show off early that night.

Jim