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amazingcarrington Veteran user 307 Posts |
Hello,
Not sure if this is the right location or if this is suitable but I'm curious about fire eating. I know it's got to be dangerous. But is there a guard used to prevent burns in the mouth or what. I'm not just going to light a torch and go for "heartburn". Pardon the pun. But seriously, I welcome an understanding of the methods before I decide if this is a road I want to venture down. Thanks. Michael |
Slim Price Inner circle 1935 - 2006 1326 Posts |
Fire eating is an art. No gimmics and no gaffs... And yes we often get burned!
Slim Price
sanscan@tds.net
"I will never bitter be, as long as I can laugh at me!" "The people who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" |
MerlH Loyal user Carolina Shores, N.C. 272 Posts |
You will get burned. That is the only way to learn how long you can keep the torch on your tongue. This is dangerous. I used to do it at carnival "free shows" but one time the wind almost got me. I quit doing it. Also I can't belive it is any good for your teeth although I have no facts to prove it.
Merl Hamen Old dog-- New tricks
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RiffClown Inner circle Yorktown, Virginia (Previously Germany) 1579 Posts |
Rob "Riff, the Magical Clown" Eubank aka RiffClown
<BR>http://www.riffclown.com <BR>Magic is not the method, but the presentation. |
Slim Price Inner circle 1935 - 2006 1326 Posts |
By the time I was 22, I needed a full mouth of dentures. By the way, they get very hot!
Slim
sanscan@tds.net
"I will never bitter be, as long as I can laugh at me!" "The people who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" |
Gothkate New user Tucson, Arizona 7 Posts |
Michael,
Where are you from? There are a lot of fire community groups that are willing to teach, or at least supervise. It might be a good thing to consider. It is possible to learn alone, but I was more confident with others around. If you want any advice, I'm online as spiderling13 on yahoo. I teach fire eating on a regular basis at the University of Arizona, we have a student group that loves fire. |
Slim Price Inner circle 1935 - 2006 1326 Posts |
Beginning Sideshow Arts
I sometimes get mail asking about how to start learning sideshow arts. This is my answer, First you need to analyze your self, and your reasons. If you want to learn to impress the guys at the bar, or your frat buddies, or to get girls, forget it! By and large, the acts are dirty, invoke some pain, take years to learn properly and you will find that “normal” people will look at you as something less than normal. The acts will probably cause you medical problems later in life, or immediately. It isn’t like magic at all, the damage you do to yourself can last for years. I often think that in our current media society, people think an accident (there will be some) goes away at the end of the clip, or movie… This is not true. An accident can take weeks or months to recover from, and can even cause you permanent disfigurement… The best (only) way to learn is with a pro teacher who has lived this life. I don’t mean the kid at 7/11 who sucks fire from a Bic. I mean a working professional. Learning from a book is the worst way to get this knowledge. I think I have read most of the books on the subject, and I am often appalled by errors, missed points, plain lies and oversights, all of which can bite you! Even when you know it all, a pro can see a lot of things you will miss, and might save you a lot of damage to yourself or others. Slim’s notes are overwritten to prevent as much of this as possible, but sometimes surprising interpretations slip in. I remember writing several additions to a note to clarify putting a Band-aid over a thumbtack... Most of the people who chose to start learning sideshow acts are young, impressionable, frequently misfits, and are looking to make some kind of mark. “See what I can do!” This is understandable, but the fact is that there are a lot of better, easier, cleaner, and more profitable ways to make a living. Working at McDonald’s will earn you more, and you won’t spend most of your time looking for the next gig. Even the best performers have dry spells. Although most of the acts however, dangerous, are simple, few initiates realize the need for learning to be an entertainer. This is really what separates the tyros from the pros in every field, not just sideshow work. Theater skills are what will make the money and work for you. If you are still in school take advantage of your theatrical options, acting, stagecraft, voice, costume, scripting, learn anything and anything you can. If you are a “civilian,” do the same. It’s an investment sure to pay off… Don’t try to learn everything at once...There are dozens of nuances in any single act that can only be learned by exploration. Mastering one act and doing it well, (and adding your own persona) will always serve you better than “shotgunning” several badly done stunts. When you begin working a sideshow act, the first thing you will want to do is ‘push the envelope.” This, more than anything else will get you in trouble… Give your art a little time to nurture, until you really understand it… Above all, learn from a pro mentor. An after thought : Learn to stop calling what we do "Geek Magic." That is a term that real sideshow performers find very offensive. Geeks were the lowest form of sideshow performers, Low drunks and junkies who would eat the grossest things. Live snake heads. Live chicken heads, for example, just to get a fix... Slim Price
sanscan@tds.net
"I will never bitter be, as long as I can laugh at me!" "The people who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" |
Gothkate New user Tucson, Arizona 7 Posts |
Coming from the fire spinner side of it I guess we are more accustomed to trying things with a safety person, but not always with a 'teacher'. And true, there is a lot of terrible information. I use the more 'conservative' fuels for most of my spinning and such, but I've been quite surprised to see how rare it really is.
Rememeber, fuel can drip. That is one of my personal mistakes. |
KingStardog Inner circle 2134 Posts |
I learned from the book "Inner secrets of Fire Eating" It contains such gems as: Only experimentation will show just the right amount of cotton and fluid.
DO NOT buy a book, and certainly not a 12 page book (single sided) to learn how to do this. I still can't believe I did that. One of the more stupid moves I have ever made. Spend some money, find a professional teacher. Pay them well for their time and avoid anyone without a lifelong reputation when looking for a teacher. Its not a magic trick, its real and it can Kill You. People really do die from fire eating. One last peice of advice: use torches and skip the fireballs. Leave them to the lifelong experts. The fireball is a dare for old man Murphy and he comes around all the time where there is fire.
...think not that all wisdom is in your school. You may have studied other paths,but, it is important to remember that no matter who you are or where you come from, there is always more to learn.
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Stephon Special user Maryland, USA 911 Posts |
Quote: Gotta laugh--when I first read that I thought you were making a comment about Harry.
On 2005-07-10 15:04, KingStardog wrote:The fireball is a dare for old man Murphy and he comes around all the time where there is fire. Sorry, Harry.
~Les S. Moore, The Dapper Dipper
Swami Yomahmi and Cheeky Monkey Sideshow "Comedy is a man in trouble." ~Bill Irwin |
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