Glory Days, They'll Pass You By...

A short while back I decided that I would post some old photos , news clippings, and the like from my past. While researching through the Andy Martello archives for my recent Jesus post, I found many a rare promotional photo of yours truly. So in keeping with my promise, here are a few other pieces of ancient history.

Here is a GREAT shot of me using a classic vaudeville prop, Shaker Cups. These are similar to actual martini shakers and they are a very cool looking (and NOISY) prop. I still have this set of cups, but I haven't' performed them in years because I dented a few of the cups too severely to use them. Add that with the fact that I am also very cheap (BROKE) and haven't been able to buy new ones and you have a killer act stuck in limbo. I'll have to dig this one out as there are not a lot of guys performing these right now.

Next we have a rare "skill shot" of me juggling 5 rings. I USED to be a very good juggler and had mad skills. Some time after I started booking myself I realized that being a great juggler wasn't nearly as important as being a great performer.

Most of the types of performances I was booking required me to do at least 45 minutes. If I filled that time with many great tricks I'd get marginal response. After all, how long can you really watch some cool juggling tricks. If my audiences were filled with JUGGLERS then I was a hit. Since most of the crowds were real people with no juggling skills, I'd fall flat. So, I became funnier and better as a performer. The end result: I'm celebrating my 20th year as a professional entertainer and my act is very VERY good if you don't mind me saying so.

I've probably forgotten more tricks than I can remember, but if that means I am working steadily and other jugglers think I'm a hack, that's fine with me.

Finally, a shot taken while I was simply mugging for the camera.

All these photos were taken by a student of my dad's Chris Kraco. Chris was the first juggler I ever KNEW. Some time after I'd taught myself how to juggle, dad made a point of introducing us.

Chris was a funny guy, an excellent juggler, and quite a decent photographer. I thought it would be most appropriate to have another juggler try to capture some good promotional shots for me. I did in fact get a few useful photos out of the shoot, even though I look like the guy in the Jesus drawings.

The sad part about all this is that I didn't end up using any of these photos for press kits. Why? I didn't have the money for prints! It took all the spare cash I could scrape together to get the photos! So many of these pics never saw the light of day. I used a few for some posters and things to put up at some trade show booths and the like, but they never got to go out into the world and try to sell my act.

Today I couldn't use these photos as they are too old-school. They are too reminiscent of old vaudevillian photographs and not hip or unusual enough to capture anyone's attention. Plus I'm much older and heavier now! I am still one handsome mofo though!

Incidentally, the full article about the Jesus post will be appearing in next week's issue of The Cheers. It features other photos from thie particular shoot and is titled, "Jesus Likes My Balls!" Yep! I'm going to Hell!