The King and I

Made it to Graceland. Home of the king.




I have never been a big Elvis fan but Heather is. It was a slow day and we had the house to ourselves.



The home was much smaller than what you would imagine, almost quaint compared to modern rock star "cribs".



The house was a time capsule of kitch. I wouldn't mind a TV room like this.


Well that's me sitting on top of Elvis' corpse. I feel a bit guilty that I made it to his grave before Houdini.

My Smallest Fan

She comes to the sideshow every year. Her mother told me she picked up the drill and started quoting my act. "I'm at work!" is what she was joking in this photo.



I look forward to seeing her again next summer.

Let Them Eat Cake

So set your Tivo friends and fam. It's that time again to catch yours truly on the boob tube. A few months ago a reality show came through the sideshow. They brought us a themed cake with all the performers banners on it. I never know how much or how little they will use of our footage but its worth checking out.

So check out the show. Its called Cake Boss and on TLC. The air date is Nov. 30th 9pm EST.

...like I need a hole in my head.

My little sis came through for me again. She put my new logo on my favorite press photo.



I has this x-ray done a few years ago. At the time that 60p nail was a real pain to get in. I could feel the pressure in my teeth. I am now able to do that nail with much more ease. The prints should be available soon!

Changing Your Putter

We have been meeting some great people on the road. Some have had some feedback on our show. I recieved this cryptic note last night.



Let me translate.

Changing Your Patter
How about : This
Isn't rated so you
Don't any adults to late
To find one.
You of faint of heart
You don't have one anyway
So go vote Babist.
These women love
Just not you
These are girls you can
Cut up couse then you
Couldn't take them hom
To meat the folks
Fuck 'em if they a joke
Joke 'em if they can't take a Fuck.

I think that I may just use this for Heathers intro tomorrow as a bit of dada poetry.

Dollywood

I remember the first time I ever heard about Dollywood. I found t
he idea of a Dolly Parton amusement park, well amusing.





It ended up being a blast. After five days of sprinting from show to show we needed a break.





The roller coasters were great. Here we are on the Thunder Head. Wooded coasters are always a thrill. They make you feel like you are going to die at any moment. Good times.







The museum was a time capsule. Walking through the past of a entertainment legend is such fun. If you ever make it out there I recommend taking a few burlesque performers with you.

A Cure For All Your Woes

We are on our way to West Virginia today. I had a bit of time to put my Moustache Wax together.



I hand make it at home on my stove. It smells sweet from all the beeswax in it. Kathleen put the logo together for me. It is good to have creative sisters.


The wax is already selling well. Soon my influance will be everywhere!

On the Road

Well it only took thirty years but I finaly made it out on the road. I will be spending the next two months traveling up and down the coast with the Pretty Things Peepshow!



We did our first show last night in Cleveland and now are on the road to Indianapolis. We have thirty six dates in all so if you or anyone you know are on the east coast you owe it to yourself to see this amazing sideshow and burlesque review!

You can find our tour dates and a whole lot more at prettythingsproductions.com

The Great Apple Hunt

Family Kocktail

The Coney Island Sideshow season has come to a close. This year we added a new member to the cast. Krissy Kocktail. Today I was sent this video that gives a great behind the scenes feel of the sideshow and Krissy.

Two Weeks

Well friends the summer season is coming to an end and there is only two more weeks to see the Coney Island Circus sideshow. We put together one hell of a cast this year and who knows what the future will bring. So come on down to the corner of W.12th and Surf Ave. this Saturday or Sunday for some sideshow fun.

more info on the sideshow

Photo by Chris Zedano

Staple Street Project

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

Today I am recovering from the Beard and Moustache Competition I hosted last night. I will be posting photos of them soon. But here is a heads up for the next event that I am excited about.

Just look at that lineup! If that isn't worth a trip Coney Island I don't know what is.

Thursday, September 17th
Freudian Slips
Sideshows by the Seashore - 1208 Surf Avenue, Coney Island USA!
9pm show, $15

Presented in conjunction with The Coney Island Museum's current exhibit by Zoe Beloff, "Dreamland: The Coney Island Amateur Psychoanalytic Society and Its Circle, 1926-1972." A most experimental of formats explores a conversation between a doctor and his patient with all of their neuroses, irrational fears, obsessive loves and odd habits on full display for your viewing pleasure and psychoanalytic appetites. Starring Bastard Keith, Donny Vomit, Little Brooklyn, Madame Rosebud, RunAround Sue and Legs Malone.

Everyone takes a beating sometimes.

I have history of minor injury at the sideshow. I have cut off the tip of my tongue. Broken out my front two teeth. Once I ended up at the Coney Island Hospital with thirteen stitches inside my mouth. Been lucky recently but did end up with a nice little bump last week.

I have been doing a straitjacket escape this year. I get strung up by the ceiling and swung around. Heather will give me a little kick to start me off. Last Friday it was a great kick and I swung eye first into the microphone stand on the other side of the stage. The loud thunk gor a great groan and laughter from the audience.

Being upside down and restrained I thought that I had broke the orbit of my eye. I escaped a bit faster than usual so I could check out the damage.

It may not look like much but that marble size lump hurt like the dickens. When I woke up the next morning it had spread into a black eye.

It kept getting darker for the next couple of days. It was fun to look scrappy for that week.

Bonus Pic

Lizard Man and Black Scorpion. Keeping it real.

Wet Plates

I have done a few photo shoots during my time in NYC. None of them has had me as excited as the one that I was involved in last week. Bill Steber came through the sideshow and now we have these.

This is Wet Plate Photography. Taken with vintage cameras you have to hold still for up to 40 seconds. This is one of the reasons that in old photos people don't smile that much.

A little look at the equipment. Note the plate at the base of the tripod. That holds the metal plate that the photo is shot and developed on.

The photos are upside-down and backwards, Gives great effects. These photographers will be back in Coney in a few months. I want to get together a large group of performers to get photos taken.

This one is my favorite. Legs Malone and I. I am sweet on that girl.

The Lighter Side of Life

At the sideshow I steal peoples lighters. I do this a lot. During the show I have them throw one up to me and I just never return it. Doing the show eight to ten times a day I have started quite a collection.

Some people get very bent out of shape about a 50 cent lighter but I did keep some great ones. The Obama is my favorite.

By the end of the year I should have well over a hundred. What should I do with them all?

BONUS PIC TIME

Heather Holliday. Cream Cheese Bagel Party

Freak night out

On July 20th I performed at the Slipper room for Nic Sin's birthday party bash.

(photo by Tim Sutton)

This is Nic. That is the straitjacket that I had made for him on his birthday last year. I can't wait for the next chance to hang him from something. The show was filled with great burlesque and many friends came out.

I had the chance to do some fire eating in the show. The ceiling was made of tin tiles. The fire created a great ring that only the front row and I were able to enjoy.

All the freaks came out in support of Nic. In this photo Black Scorpion,

Mat "Sealboy" Fraiser, Nic Sin, Me! and Tim "Torture King" Cridland.

Had some other great burlesque adventures this week, should have more soon.

Circus Posters

The other day the boss, Dick Z. was going through some of his old posters.

These are just a few. I love the look.

I wish that I could get a hand on these. They would be a great gift for my nephew.

arff.

New Hat Day!

I went to a costume rental shop that was going out of business. The warehouse was pretty picked through by the time that I got there but did manage to find some neat headgear.

Bellhop Donny.

I am going to use this as the center piece for a new circus act that I am working on.

Old Time Catcher Donny.

And then there is this thing. I have no clue, I just knew that I needed it.

BONUS PIC

Getting Ready for the 'pockyclypse Mad Max Style.

I could use that catchers mask here.

Check out Black Scorpion in the back holding the beasts at bay.

Dart Days

Chris has been teaching me how to play darts. In one of our first games with each other I managed to pull off some crazy Robin Hood shot.

Split a dart down the center! Score that 20!

New Banner Day.

May brought in new banner day. I think we have a great line this year.

Chris and I managed to score a scaffold to get the job done right.

Chris and Scott Baker could be related.

Marie Roberts popped out of her studio to take a look at her work.

Twelve new banners in all. Quite a unique collection.