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Persistence Opens Up Ocean City for Buskers

Ocean City, Md., is finally open for public street busking! But it took four years of work and determination by juggler / unicyclist / clown Paul Belanger. When he first approached the city of Ocean City about public busking four years ago, the city refused him in no uncertain terms. "Basically I was told it was not allowed and if I was to busk on public property they would lock me up without hesitation," Belanger said. But he was determined to turn the tide, and spent two months visiting businesses to ask them to allow his shows on their private property. He approached the job as a business person - dressing neatly, presenting a portfolio with pictures, references and letters of recommendation. He stressed that his shows were family entertainment with no blue humor, and would be a positive reflection on their business. He was offering entertainment at no cost to the business, but only for the privilege of passing his hat.

Still, no business wanted the potential trouble of being the first in town to accept him. He finally got a warm reception at an amusement park and began doing ten shows a day for seven days a week there. They gave him only space to store and lock equipment ovemight, and let him pass the hat after each show. The first year he performed there the park was free, but an admission charge was levied the next year.

Since patrons had to pay to get in, they were not so eager to put money in Belanger's hat, so he made a sign to reinforce his hat lines and remind the crowd he wasn't being paid by the park. With the ice broken, he made arrangements in succeeding years to busk on private property at restaurants, clubs and a marina. And four years of determination finally paid off. With help on street performing legal issues from Robert Goldstein and representation from the American Civil Liberties Union, the city of Ocean City relented this year without a court fight and is allowing public busking.

Belanger's advice to others trying to sway the authorities on this issue? "Be professional in your approach and persistent, and every tourist area in the world will soon be open to busking!" he said. By the way, he also invites entertainers to join him in Ocean City this summer for its first year of public busking. You can contact: Paul Belanger; Annapolis, MD.

Gnadt Gets Exposed In Swimsuit Issue of SI

Sports Illustrated, the foremost sports magazine in America, rarely pays attention to jugglers. So it came as a surprise to many jugglers to find that the Feb. 12 issue, the largest selling of the year because of its swimsuit feature, devoted 10 pages to Bill Gnadt of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Gnadt, dubbed as "The Utah Chain Saw Juggler" in the article's title, received the extensive coverage because writer Douglas Looney found him to be a fascinating character. But certainly not because of his success as a professional juggler. Looney writes in the article, "Seldom has anyone worked so hard for so little reward."

He was pictured on the article's first page juggling two ungimmicked chain saws fitted with handles, and says that's all he does. "They asked me to do three, but I don't think anyone can do three. No one would be stupid enough to hold two chainsaws in one hand. Those things weigh ten pounds each."

Gnadt's personal history and the oddity of the things he juggles was what attracted the magazine's attention. Gnadt juggles all sorts of hardware besides chainsaws - including pitchforks, , axes, bow saws, hedge trimmers, baseball bats, sledge hammers and thatching rakes. Though he rarely performs now outside of his immediate area, the 62-year-old Gnadt has a long juggling history. "I was in a dressing room once juggling with Bob Ripa, Serge Flash, and Lotte and Francis Brunn," said Gnadt. "Bobby May was one of my really great friends. As far as I can remember I was the first US juggler to do nine rings, and Bobby May did nine balls. We shared that for a long time."