Hello everyone.

I wanted to let you all know that Peter Lansing aka Paddy passed away yesterday.

He has battled health issues for several years now and fought the good fight.

I will try to let you all know of plans and services as soon as I know.

Bobby

Rest in Peace Paddy

I loved to read his messages, I will miss him!

That is sad news.

Very sad news! Thank you Bobby.

Sad indeed. His posts were always welcomed.

Wow. Too bad. I liked Paddy. He was very friendly to me and was a great customer.

Sad news - I will miss his contributions - RIP Paddy......

I am very sorry to hear that. He was quite active on the old Penguin Forums (back they had one...). Always very helpful & friendly.

Sad news indeed, Rest In Peace Paddy.

Requiescat in Pace.

Paddy was a real scrappler.
He wrote his Posts from the gut,
his gut.
His Show philosoph was the same.
He knew what he could do,..
what he couldn't,..
and stuck to the first.
I didn't always agree with what he said,
or thought....
but he always said "what he thought".
And,.. he really DID what he thought!

His greatest bit of philosophy,
and one of the best tipps, given here, was:
"You're going to suck, at first.
We all sucked, at first.
The only way to be 'a good one',
is to keep doing it."
Paddy was a good one,..
he went his way.
Respect.

And,..
George Bush Jr. liked his Show(!),..
on the the Streets!

The Sidewalks of the World are a bit emptier today.
I wish you a good journey Paddy,
may you balloons never more pop,
your tipps be all paper,
....and your Grandson win the New York Marathon one day.
gallagher

A couple of years ago, Peter posted his story on another site,.at the urgings of Jimmytalksalot.

"Jimmy PMed me and asked if I would write a quick bio for this forum. We, for me this is quick. Hope you guys (and especially the ladies ) like it.

My story. At 50 years old I was laid off with absolutely nothing to go on. No pension, no more insurance, no crap. A friend helped me start up a painting contracting business so for the next three years I painted apartments and houses to support myself until 3 hernias put me in the hospital. Thank God my (now ex) wife of the moment had insurance. When I got out and the doctor said no more carrying the 5 gal paint cans anymore I got a job as a meat clerk in Kroger’s, my wife(?) turned 50 and left me (for another woman) and I found a new girlfriend in that order. OK I'm getting to point.

At my girlfriend's insistence (read !@#$%ing) I studied clowning and attended a David Ginn, Patrick Samuel Smith seminar. I was 53 and fell in love with magic!!! Bought over $500 worth of equipment and practiced every night until I drove my girlfriend NUTS! (BTW she is now my wife and partner in this business.) Then a new restaurant opened up and I dropped in to see the General Manager.

He auditioned me on the spot and I did some impromptu sleight of hand effects with some coins he had and he hired me I had turned 54 years old.

I did this one restaurant part time for a year until Kroger laid me off too. When that happened I went up to the place and had a beer with the G.M. and told him I got laid off, he went into the office for about 10 minutes and when he returned he handed me a list and said "here is your schedule starting tomorrow night."

I suddenly had 5 restaurants where I entertained and my income was suddenly taking home more money in a week than I grossed in a month at Kroger’s.

55 years old and suddenly a new career. I am now the BIG SIX SIX yep 66 yrs old and have been doing restaurant magic and balloons full time and busking for 11 years now.

Not bad for an old guy like myself. Remember very seriously "whatever the mind of man can conceive AND BELIEVE the body of man can DO!" Never doubt yourself!

Peter
P.S. Sorry if this is too long."

(Part II)
Thanks all of you. I origially told Jimmy that I am not all that unusual and nobody would really care about my story. I'm still surprised at the comments. I will add that due to my stupidity in not taking care of myself for years, in 2004 I had a 4 way bypass and in early 2005 a defibrillator installed in my chest. I am now on dialysis 3 time a week. Yep had diabetes and ignored it. Well no more busking on the road but there is still restaurants and local busking. I make a good living still doing that and when I join my ancestors in that other world I will tell them that I had one hell of a blast while I was here. I have always told my kids you ain't going to get out of life alive so have fuyn while you can, and I have done that.

Thanks for the replies.

Peter

(part III)
Rocket, give 'em hell!!! Read Jimmy Talksalot's lecture notes, they will help a lot. Decide on your best 3 effects, develop your patter with a lot of hat lines throughout, keep it short (10 to 15 minutes) and start busking!! I'll be blunt, you are going to be really crappy at first, each and every one of us was. Don't let that bother you, keep working at it doing show after show, (I go for 4 shows an hour) and you will get better each time. Trust me you will go from $5/hr up to a lot more, soon. Now when I work the streets I set a goal of $100/day min. for week days and $500/day min on Fri & Sat. Sundays vary all over the place for me. Keep us informed of how it's going.

Peter

fini....
Peter was a real Sidewalk Shuffler.
Jimmy said it best, when he wrote,
"Peter, you're very inspiring."
He was.
He is.

Very sad news. Thank you for letting us know, Bobby

Really sorry to hear that, I had some great conversations with him. RIP Paddy.

Dartagnan

Thank you Bobby. Ruthie just informed me about his passing. I asked her to get me a mailing address for condolences to be sent. RIP Paddy. I knew you longer than anyone else on the forums and met you here in the early 90's. You were a great man and entertainer.

Awww ****.....

Rest well, Paddy. Sorry to see you go...