JUGGLES.

How was everyone St Patty's? Love the holiday, not just because I'm 90% Irish, but it's actually a holiday where you see a lot of solidarity and unity. You see everyone, Irish, Non Irish, Rich, Poor, it doesn't matter on St Patty's it's a time to toast, share stories and listen to great music. That said, I didn't even get out and about this year. So hopefully everyone had an extra green beer for me. I heard DROPKICK MURPHYS were played non stop at all of my haunts...so at least the great music was there.


So, I was reading about ER the other day, where everyone discussed different moments when ER was on. I have one, but it has nothing to do with being on that show. It happened while that show was on TV.

It was early on in my career, and I hadn't booked a major national commercial yet, so I got a call from my agent at the time in NEW YORK CITY saying "Major national commercial, but you need to be great juggler, can you juggle?" in a split second I said "yes yes yes, JUGGLES is my middle name" so the NY agent hung up, but something tells me they said "Okay, TIMOTHY JUGGLE CARR, go get 'em". So i hung up the phone and thought "wow, I need to learn to juggle by 9am tomorrow morning". I went out and got 3 hockey balls and just tried to figure it out. It was 10pm at night, I know because ER was on TV and here I was, just trying to figure out how the heck to juggle. It wasn't going so well. Around midnight, I sort of figured out the rhythm. Piece of cake.

The next day in NYC, I walk into the lobby of the ad agency. before I even got on the elevator, I see all kind of people who were also hoping to get this national commercial. But they were good. REALLY good.They were juggling bowling bins, knives, all kinds of stuff and doing all kinds of tricks. Meanwhile I looked at the 3 orange street hockey balls and thought "oh boy, here we go"

I get to the screen test, and let me tell you, these jugglers were GOOD. I mean bouncing stuff off the walls, juggling behind their backs, with one hand, I mean, just really great stuff. It was really impressive, and I enjoyed the show, until I realized I was seconds away from having to show MY skills. I'd been juggling for approximately 8 hours at that point.

My turn. I walk in, and the client is there, this was a major pizza chain, so the person getting this commercial was going to have to be VERY impressive. I was up to the task. I grabbed the 3 orange hockey balls and said "I'm ready, let's have some fun" then I realized, not only did I have to juggle, I had to say the scripted lines for the commercial too! Time to step up and dig deep.

The screen test began, I said the first word and began juggling, or so I attempted, 3 hockey balls flew at the casting director, the client, the camera guy, they all ducked and dodged. Screen test over. I should have just left. But instead, I wanted to get the street hockey balls back. So I awkwardly climbed over the people I'd just pelted with these balls, picked them all up and said "Thanks, see you for the callbacks". That callback never happened.
Though I'm not sure the NYC agent ever heard this story, for all they knew I went in there and dazzled them with my outstanding juggling skills. Afterall, JUGGLES is my middle name.

Funny ending to that story. The commercial never made it to TV. I hope I didn't ruin it for everyone. or maybe the knife juggling guy juggled as badly as I did?
By the way, I'm on TWITTER now. It's addictive. Come find me there, we'll shoot the breeze.
http://twitter.com/Tim_Carr

take care and be good.
TIM JUGGLES CARR