Hi Jeremy!
For Jeremy, as it is for other street performers, this is work. This is his job - his real job. And he works all day, everyday, as long as the weather allows him to. And when it doesn't, he packs up and finds a place where the weather is just a little bit kinder.
His family is supportive of his work... so much so that one of his (at the time, high school aged) daughters learned how to make balloons so that she could make some extra money street performing near him. He mused:
"With my kids' friends, I'm like the coolest dad there is. You know. All their dads have got 'real' jobs. You know? What would you want with one of those. Whereas I'm the magic guy, I'm the one on the street corner. So there's a certain – I get cool points with the kids. And the kids' friends. I don't know if they can be embarrassed by me anymore in public places. You know what it's like when you're a kid, and your parents are like, 'Oh God…' Well, you know. They've watched me do this. And if there's anything I can say that can make them embarrassed or cringe, they've heard it."
And while busking is, he says, the job that "fits" him best, it's not all fun and games. Because street performing isn't just a hobby, because it's work-
"Some days are better than others. Some days, I mean even though I love coming to work and I love what I do, some days feel more like playing and some days feel more like work. So it's like anything else, you know? It can't all be just a honeymoon. Sometimes you're just grinding stuff out. Because that's what you do."
We will be exploring this subject of street performing as work much more later on, through the lives of all the different performers out there who do make a living off of busking.
Here are Jeremy's final words to aspiring street performers:
"Don't bother."
"Do articles on street performing but don't."
With a laugh, he continued.
"No. Uh. Aspiring street performers… well, do it. I mean, you just have to try it. You have to go out and you have to get on the horse and get knocked off. You have to go into the ring and get your nose bloodied a little bit. Whatever the images, whatever metaphor you want. The only way you will learn how to do this is by doing it. And the only way to get better is by sucking at first. So do it because you love it. And don't stop. Um, you know, you gotta put your mind in a strong place. If you want to do this, you have to commit to doing it. And then it's like any other job. There's a learning curve. You don't walk into a company at an entry level position and expect to be the CEO. You have to earn your way up. And it's the same with this."
"You have to put in the time, you have to put in the effort, you have to put in the thought, you have to experiment, you have to fail, and then if you go through that process, you can be successful at the end of it."
Final Words
I first met Jeremy on March 15, the day of Chicago's Saint Patrick's Day Parade in 2014. Through him, I was able to meet a variety of other street performers, and through him, I have learnt to distinguish what matters from doesn't matter when it comes to being a magician, an entertainer, and an all-around stand up person.
So this is a heartfelt thank you for his time, his words, his mentorship, and his friendship. If you ever happen to be in Chicago and see the magician with the British flag for a vest, stop by, say hello, and watch his show.
Hope you all enjoyed this profile piece on busker Jeremy Pitt-Payne! And (until next time), we'll be back to our regularly scheduled Monday posts.
No comments:
Post a Comment