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Last week, I was given the unique opportunity to attend Sideshow School in the one and only Coney Island, USA! With an excellent and experienced staff of professional carnies, I learned the basics of some of the craziest sideshow acts through a series of riveting lectures and, of course, hands-on (or feet-on as you’ll see!) practice.

From snapping a mousetrap on my tongue and becoming a human blockhead to eating fire and walking on glass, I learned how to perform all these stunts and then some! What shocked me most about the experience is that all these acts are REAL. That’s right. There is NO trick! No secret. Just a 6 inch steel nail and the task to get it into your nose. Here I am eating fire. I still can’t believe I can do this now. When you grow up with a head of giant curls maintained by flammable hair products, you sort of develop a healthy fear of fire…

Coney Island possesses an infectious culture all its own with a rich and colorful history in boardwalk culture. It’s prompted me to look at the Wildwood Boardwalk culture in a new way. What if our boardwalk incorporated the arts the way Coney Island does? How can we bring a little sideshow to the Jersey Shore? While I’m not necessarily ready to adopt a giant python and start charming her on the Wildwood boards, I am definitely a huge advocate of bringing performance arts like sideshow to our beloved Boardwalk and putting a uniquely Wildwood twist on the culture.

Check out some of my new stunts while I update my resume!