juggling

February 22, 2006 10:33 AM

Best juggling with 3 balls - Chris Bliss Make sure you turn up the sound (loud), as that is what makes this so incredible. This is my first FPP, and in a quick search did not find anything matching so ... If its been posted before my apologies.
posted by tallpaul (81 comments total)

Yea, pretty neat. I saw this linked on zefrank.com the other day.
posted by Witty at 10:37 AM on February 22, 2006

Is that the Fonz?



/ Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!
posted by LordSludge at 10:39 AM on February 22, 2006

I am glad to see that the Fonz has accomplished something in his life.
posted by alball at 10:39 AM on February 22, 2006

Wow, that's probably the most awesome thing I'm going to see all day! Good post, tallpaul.

When I was a kid, I saw a performer at the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen juggle a wine bottle, a scrunched-up piece of newspaper, and a small, gas-operated chainsaw (running, of course).
posted by 327.ca at 10:44 AM on February 22, 2006

Not sure what the music added to be honest but very skillful. Can't decide whether it would be more or less entertaining if somebody edited out the balls.
posted by biffa at 10:46 AM on February 22, 2006

That's what Chris Bliss is about to do for you and he'll do it with his hands, three juggling balls, and an imagination that speaks from his heart.

They lost me there. Good juggling, though.
posted by graventy at 10:47 AM on February 22, 2006

That was phenomenal.
posted by null terminated at 10:51 AM on February 22, 2006

Um, biffa, couldn't you tell that Bliss's routine was choreographed to the music? The music certainly added something.
posted by emelenjr at 10:52 AM on February 22, 2006

Really emjoyied that, cheers.
posted by 13twelve at 10:52 AM on February 22, 2006

emelenjr: It didn't really come together for me until the drum solo at the end.
posted by empath at 10:53 AM on February 22, 2006

That song sounded familiar. Was it by Wings?

Kidding, of course... it is one of my favorite songs, and seeing it choreographed to a juggler did not diminish its power... the song still kinda chokes me up at the end, even while watching The Fonz spaz out!
posted by newfers at 10:54 AM on February 22, 2006

I don't see how having 3 balls is much of an obstacle for learning to juggle?
posted by Pollomacho at 10:59 AM on February 22, 2006

In the end, his balls teach us to love.
posted by Peter H at 11:00 AM on February 22, 2006

I'd love to see him tackle Autechre.
posted by Peter H at 11:01 AM on February 22, 2006

Awesome juggler. Great song.
posted by TBoneMcCool at 11:01 AM on February 22, 2006

Hah! Peter H wins.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 11:02 AM on February 22, 2006

This is amazing, sincerely, but how much do you think "I can Juggle to Paul McCartney" would work in a single's ad? I mean, other than one posted at a Renaissance Festival.
posted by Peter H at 11:03 AM on February 22, 2006

ha, thanks expletive.
posted by Peter H at 11:04 AM on February 22, 2006

emelenjr: Yes I could but the juggling would still have been impressive alone and the song only irritated.
posted by biffa at 11:05 AM on February 22, 2006

Pollomacho wins.
posted by spacewaitress at 11:07 AM on February 22, 2006

biffa: really? The is what makes this different from the other jugglers. His rhythm was pretty amazing, I though, especially timing the very fast bits and the very slow bits (throwing the balls high in the air).

I know I, for one, am a better person now.
posted by ORthey at 11:10 AM on February 22, 2006

what if he had three balls and juggled them? Now that would be something to see! Or better yet if the fonz juggled his three balls...no...wait..
posted by damnitkage at 11:13 AM on February 22, 2006

Choreography is the only way to make juggling entertaining again. Brilliant.
posted by Protocols of the Elders of Awesome at 11:18 AM on February 22, 2006

*says ORthey's username out loud, smiles knowingly*

His timing wasn't absolutely perfect through the whole song, but it was damn close — and when he got off time, he knew how to correct himself so he'd get back in time. That's got to be so tough. I would think the higher throws are more difficult, because you've got to get the height just right so the ball lands in your hand in time to keep up with the rhythm for the next throw.

As someone who cannot juggle to save his life, I'm blown away.
posted by emelenjr at 11:23 AM on February 22, 2006

I can't help but think how may years in his parent's basement that took.
posted by hexxed at 11:24 AM on February 22, 2006

Never thought I'd be impressed by someone managing to keep up with Ringo's mad skillz.

It's totally a fake, though. The gradients are too perfect. No way this was done in MS Paint.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:24 AM on February 22, 2006

I feel like he was fast in parts, but he also recovered incredibly quickly, so it wasn't too noticeable. Other than that? Great.
posted by ChasFile at 11:24 AM on February 22, 2006

Thanks. Verily that rocketh.
posted by unSane at 11:24 AM on February 22, 2006

Side 2 of Abbey Road was the last good thing to come out of Paul McCartney. He should have quit while he was ahead.

Although, if I was in his shoes, a billion dollars might get me to change my mind too.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 11:28 AM on February 22, 2006

Very cool.
posted by justkevin at 11:30 AM on February 22, 2006

That was amazing. Can we get him to do the White Album next?
posted by gfrobe at 11:31 AM on February 22, 2006

And then there's this guy.
posted by CunningLinguist at 11:31 AM on February 22, 2006

Barry Zuckercorn's backup hobby exposed at last...
posted by jonson at 11:32 AM on February 22, 2006

biffa: Can't decide whether it would be more or less entertaining if somebody edited out the balls.

I think you've got it the other way around. What you are seeing is the edited version with the balls edited in.
posted by sour cream at 11:34 AM on February 22, 2006

eeek! a patriotic homophobe that juggles
posted by haikuku at 11:39 AM on February 22, 2006

I inwardly groaned at the grandiose language on the site too, but the man's performance almost warranted it.
posted by orange swan at 11:40 AM on February 22, 2006

Someone has to say it...

This guy really dances with balls all out. . . errr up.

Really though, I can appreciate a guy who gets into his art. I would have prefered some Queen maybe Bohemianrhapsody.
posted by cdavidc at 11:57 AM on February 22, 2006

Quite impressive. Surprised by how long that went to, I never knew juggling could be an endurance sport.
posted by Mijo Bijo at 11:57 AM on February 22, 2006

Oh... you mean testicles!!!


I get it!
posted by jpburns at 12:02 PM on February 22, 2006

Side 2 of Abbey Road

Now that's showing your age. I've only got it on vinyl too - I'll be damned if I'm gonna shell out the full whack for a CD or download when I've already paid The Beatles and George Martin their due on the original purchase. They really should allow you "upgrade" or something...
posted by NailsTheCat at 12:09 PM on February 22, 2006

Newsflash: Man reenacts WinAmp EQ for all to see.

Also:
Brain Ball #2: "The Elders tell of a young ball much like you. He bounced three metres in the air. Then he bounced 1.8 metres in the air. Then he bounced four metres in the air. Do I make myself clear?"
posted by blue_beetle at 12:14 PM on February 22, 2006

Oh man... I've never actually made an FPP, but I was thinking if I ever did one it would be about juggling. If everybody is impressed by this, then I DEFINITELY need to.

I saw this video on a juggling newsgroup the other day and was mildly impressed. His speed and timing with the music were good, and I think it was also great that he was virtually dropless in 5 minutes, all in front of a large audience. However, most of his tricks were simple and repeated often, his movements were very jerky (and ugly, IMO), and he was rooted in one spot the entire time. I suppose that's what he was going for, but... eh.

I'm all for juggling in the mainstream though. The more jugglers the better!
posted by mikeweeney at 12:14 PM on February 22, 2006

It's Raining FloHe wrote: Never thought I'd be impressed by someone managing to keep up with Ringo's mad skillz.

Credit where it's due: I think (though I'm not sure) that those are Chris Whitten's mad skillz. I was thinking Ringo too, then I heard that little solo and thought maybe not.
posted by The Bellman at 12:23 PM on February 22, 2006

Great first FPP. Instead of balls they should have been green apples.
posted by horseblind at 12:33 PM on February 22, 2006

those are Chris Whitten's mad skillz

That's the original Abbey Road recording. Ringo is credited.
posted by NailsTheCat at 12:36 PM on February 22, 2006

I'm convinced people will clap immediately after watching anything that happens during a drum solo.
posted by odinsdream at 12:37 PM on February 22, 2006

If everybody is impressed by this, then I DEFINITELY need to.

I'm not nay-saying this post, because you'll always find someone that doesn't like your post, and I hate it when they're itching to make themselves heard without letting your thread find its audience, but since this thread clearly has justified itself from the feedback, and as you've issued the challenge there, mikeweeney, I'll throw in that I was almost entirely unimpressed by that guy's juggling.
posted by nthdegx at 12:39 PM on February 22, 2006

My bad, Nails. Thanks for the correction.
posted by The Bellman at 12:41 PM on February 22, 2006

I liked it, although the emotional power (such as it was) came from the song. Which is another way of saying that the guy's juggling might not have seemed so cool if it was choreographed to something by Capt & Tenielle.
posted by OmieWise at 12:51 PM on February 22, 2006

Unless, of course, he was juggling actual muskrats.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:52 PM on February 22, 2006

Yah nthdegx, I wasn't bashing the post either. It just gives me hope that if people like this, then they will be reeeally impressed by some of what's out there.
posted by mikeweeney at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2006

Oh my god, his hands are HUGE.
posted by nanojath at 1:01 PM on February 22, 2006

In the end, his balls teach us to love.

that was the funniest thing i've ever read.

thanks for the link, the drum solos were dope!
posted by freudianslipper at 1:02 PM on February 22, 2006

That was amazing. Thank you.

I'd like to see what he could do with Flight of the Bumblebee.
posted by fandango_matt at 1:10 PM on February 22, 2006

gfrobe requested Can we get him to do the White Album next?

I can imagine his interpretation of Revolution 9 would be beaning the audience members in the head with the balls till everyone ran out screaming.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 1:21 PM on February 22, 2006

I thought it was a neat act. Thumbs up. I wanted the shot to stop moving around, though, and stay wide. The whole act is in the rhythm and arc of the balls (um... heh) and I thought the editing and the closeups on him made me lose a lot of it.

As far as the goofy text on his site, yes, it overreached. But I don't mind because I have a very emotional reaction to that song, and the Beatles in general. I have to figure that's one of the reasons he chose the song, so I forgive him for that.
posted by dammitjim at 1:26 PM on February 22, 2006

Sorry to be another rainer...but man, that was a very simple, very slow 3 ball routine with almost zero difficulty. Also...that song....ugh.

That said...I love me some jugglers. Here's an entire database full of video of them. Check the guys that can do a 7 ball freefall pattern, or a 19 object passing pattern.
posted by dejah420 at 1:26 PM on February 22, 2006

Impressive.

(It's very frustrating that whoever is directing the filming of this live event doesn't realise that to give the full visual effect, the framing has to show the full flight of the balls.)
posted by Kiell at 1:43 PM on February 22, 2006

I agree with Kiell's observation.
It's like the director didn't see the show before, or what to expect. Nice juggling job, choreographed and all, but I can't but help to wonder what the exact day he wakes up to insist on never hearing it again. I love the song, but that must have taken a lot of practice, to the same song, and he's probably now listened to it more than Lennon did, I imagine.

Very impressive. Especially the size of the audience. Goddam!
posted by Busithoth at 2:00 PM on February 22, 2006

I want to see him do it to math rock.
posted by 235w103 at 3:11 PM on February 22, 2006

I think it's pretty fucking impressive. He has to time the height and style of his throws to the beat that follows it. If you think that's easy to do, without dropping, for a whole song, then why don't you do it? Haters.
posted by fungible at 3:24 PM on February 22, 2006

The juggling was my favorite part.
posted by Peter H at 4:09 PM on February 22, 2006

This was cool, but I fear we're about to see an onslaught of "interpretive juggling acts" that make mime in the 70s seem downright humane.
posted by Nelson at 4:12 PM on February 22, 2006

This video is a great example of the frustration of juggling performances. The audience seems to clap loudest at some of the easiest moves (the simple albeit clever cascade when everything cuts out but the piano) and remain silent for the harder ones (the behind-the-back multiplexing). The best example is how people love seeing the balls go high, no matter what. That doesn't mean the audience is dumb or anything, but sometimes it feels like it cheapens all the work that goes into the harder tricks.

That being said, this was a pretty sweet performance! He did a great job visually showing the beat. Also, looking like the Fonz basically helps any act.
posted by themadjuggler at 4:46 PM on February 22, 2006

Awesome.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:53 PM on February 22, 2006

It's like air drums, but with juggling.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:03 PM on February 22, 2006

I kept imagining this as a milkdrop visualization. Seems like it'd be possible.
posted by Four Flavors at 5:15 PM on February 22, 2006

he should act more excited, and make his act seem less mechanical
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 5:33 PM on February 22, 2006

Meanwhile, Henry James quietly sobs in the corner.

(Yes, I am twelve.)
posted by Opposite George at 6:06 PM on February 22, 2006

I would much watching a guy matching his skill against the emotional intensity of a multi-tempoed music piece than a guy juggling a chainsaw, a stuffed rabbit and a ping pong ball any day. The first performance involves the audience to a far greater degree, the second is merely a spectacle and showcase of a guy's talent. Watching a skilled diver is fun for the first few dives too but after you're convinced he is a genius, you start to lose interest.
posted by DirtyCreature at 7:16 PM on February 22, 2006

Speaking of the Fonz, one of his lines from Arrested Development is appropriate:

"You're lookin' at balls."
posted by Clamwacker at 7:38 PM on February 22, 2006

Best first fpp.

EVAR.
posted by Doohickie at 7:43 PM on February 22, 2006

Speaking as someone who has to hide her juggling ability from her friends and lovers -- that was cool as hell!!
posted by Kloryne at 7:44 PM on February 22, 2006

Oh, I saw him do this in 1999, at the Balls Midnight Cabaret, in Minneapolis. He also did a spoken word thing called "I Was the World's Most Famous Juggler and Other Dirty Laundry" which recounted his life's story, which was generally pretty funny and entertaining, even including the serious and personal bits (for instance: his brother had AIDS and eventually chose doctor-assisted suicide).
posted by aubilenon at 8:59 PM on February 22, 2006

Not to take anything away from his juggling skills but the best thing about this video was all the weird faces he made.
posted by JakeEXTREME at 9:23 PM on February 22, 2006

for anyone who is all *whatever* at this video - just try to emulate 10 seconds of his routine. sheesh. we are so hard to please now eh?

great first post, tall paul, welcome.
posted by triv at 12:22 AM on February 23, 2006

tallpaul member since: August 7, 2002

It was worth waiting for. That was really enjoyable, thanks.

And whoever mentioned the chainsaw juggle in Copenhagen - there was a Canadian guy who used to do that on the streets and on tv here in Sydney who did a bowling ball, chainsaw and an apple (which he ate) ..... all while riding a monocycle. But he had no Beatles backing.
posted by peacay at 1:06 AM on February 23, 2006

triv, the problem isn't that his juggling wasn't good enough. The problem is that there are people on this list that can juggle. I can juggle as well as he can, but I would never try performing... I'm not good enough.

Having attended more than a few juggling conventions, and both the public and not-so-public shows during them, I can say with some limited authority that his act was unimpressive to anyone who can do more than a simple 3-ball cascade. The most impressive thing about it was juggling for 5 minutes without dropping, not the simple tricks or choreography. And whoever mentioned that the choreography isn't trivial, well, it *is* almost trivial. Juggle to music sometime, and you'll see how easy it is. Juggling is all about timing, having a beat to juggle to makes it easier, not harder.

A juggler's hardest audience will always be other jugglers. People who can't juggle think that keeping 3 balls aloft in a simple, non-changing, pattern is pretty impressive.
posted by Snowflake at 7:56 AM on February 23, 2006

Good stuff!
posted by elderling at 9:54 AM on February 23, 2006

My new juggling hero.
posted by Redruin at 12:57 PM on February 23, 2006

Jason Garfield's response is worth a watch, too. He comes across as a bit of a dick in the text (and in person, if my memory of him from school is accurate), but he's one of the best technical jugglers I've ever seen. Like Snowflake, I can juggle 3 balls about as well as Bliss does in that video, and anything I can't do at the moment, I could probably pick up in a day or so. Garfield's video, though, is full of stuff that impresses me.
posted by hades at 11:24 AM on March 14, 2006