Where to go from here?
As I see how this art has developed over fifty years I think it is doing well. The new generation is breathing life into this art. We have come a long way from the old curtain act and artist are finding new ways to work in full view and I know that is not always easy.
In this climate today it would be very hard to set up a bridge jump as a lone artist trying to promote it. If you have a big film deal it might be easier. When I jumped off a bridge in Colebrook New Hampshire years ago I simply asked the Chief of Police if I could and he said yes.
By comparison when Boston SAM tried to get permission to put a plaque on a bridge in Boston mentioning that Harry Houdini once jumped the bridge they were put through the ringer. Finally the only way to get it done was they had to agree not to mention the jump. They could only say he did a stunt there. The reasoning is they did not want to encourage anyone to jump there and kill themselves. We are moving away from personal responsibility into any era that everything is the fault of others and not the person responsible.
I thought I would call Boston City Hall and ask if I could be put in a cement block and thrown of the bridge just to see what reply I got. Today we have to learn how to bring the bridge jump to the stage (figuratively) speaking. By that I mean construct acts with that excitement. My daughter put me on my space and they made her take the Doors of Death photo off the front page because it was dangerous but let her keep the Water Torture Cell there. So this generations has even more obstacles than I did coming up and good luck to you.
Recently I was asking a few people how all this instant access to instant knowledge would affect the world. Then I saw a post on the magic Café by Jay Leslie which gave me a view. Apparently after Jay did a straightjacket someone asked if they could try it and jay placed the person in the jacket. This persons friends went on line and found instructions and was telling the person in the jacket how to do it. Instant knowledge is both good and bad and I still don’t know the full extent of how it will impact the artist. If a young kid goes on line to learn how to get out of a straightjacket to perform there is no harm done.
On the other hand if a beginner goes on line to find instructions on getting out from a burning rope it could be a disaster. If people use this information to trap an artist it can be a problem. Even if we are in a modern age I still believe in old fashion theatrical methods to get publicity and for the right person I have one. Years ago an artist wrote a piece for masters asking what is it that wrestlers have that artist don’t. Wrestlers are publicity magnets. So trying to work with a wrestler on a stunt makes sense. You both have something in common, you both need publicity.
Some times good publicity is based on some simple twist that the press picks up on. Many wrestlers don’t mind playing the role of a bad guy. So the wrestler could play the role of someone who really wants to chain you up and throw you into a swimming pool. It may get a bit over the top but remember Hollywood and many stars have made millions on over the top stuff. My old agent Abe Ford use to book all the wrestling in Boston Ma and he would stay up nights thinking up ways to work the publicity.
The wrestler could play it up in the press. He or she could say, “I am going to retire that artist when I put my chains on him. I am so sure I am brining an ambulance and a life guard.” They you can reply, “Those chains will never hold me.” Ham it up.
The twist comes with a surprise element. After you’re chained, without warning or mention of any kind the wrestler picks you up over their head makes one full turn for all to see and then throws you in the pool.
This is a natural press piece and you never know how far a story in the news paper will go. You might even get someone in the wrestling world interested in you and they have some of the best publicity promoters in the world.
Remember this about unusual ideas. Magicians have spent thousands of dollars for water cells just to get a little national publicity.
N. Bigelow
