Random amusement

[giddygeek]

So I have this competence thing, and I really enjoy watching people be good at things, whatever those things happen to be.

A while back I ran across Fatboy Slim's video for That Old Pair of Jeans which features interpretive juggling by a guy named Chris Bliss. It made me smile and smile, so I went and found Chris Bliss juggling to The Beatles' Golden Slumber.

Seriously. Happy making. I LOVE these two videos.

And THEN I found out that Chris Bliss has this rival, a guy named Jason Garfield, and all the Jason Garfield fans leave critical and sometimes nasty comments on the Chris Bliss videos because Jason can do what Chris does but with FIVE BALLS and the Chris fans say well, HE'S AN ARTIST, and etc.

The fact that there are juggling fandom flame wars makes me laugh so much, I can't even tell you. As does the fact that, um, I have a favorite juggler. A favorite JUGGLER.

Yeah, I don't know either. Next up, a favorite accordian player? But all three of the videos are still totally cool, and the comments are a riot.

Comments

[elynross.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you for the Fatboy slim vid link! I posted about the Golden Slumber vid a while back, and I love watching him!

The thing the Garfield moron (and fans) don't seem to get is that 1) if you don't juggle, what Bliss does is still pretty amazing; 2) Bliss looks like he's having SO MUCH FUN; and 3) It's entertaining, it's not ABOUT how "really" hard it is. Idiot. Missing the point entirely. *g*

[elynross.livejournal.com]

and... it may be my imagination, or the fact I think he's kind of an idiot, but I don't think Garfield does as good a job as Bliss at what Bliss is doing. He has fancier throws, more balls (ha), big spins -- but he doesn't actually illustrate the music like Bliss does, which is what makes Bliss's Golden Slumbers juggling so much fun to me.

[giddygeek.livejournal.com]

I love watching Chris Bliss too. I like watching both, because Garfield makes my jaw drop, but I just enjoy watching Bliss much more. He looks like he's having so much fun, and so does the audience.

And I agree re: Garfield not going as good a job. I'm fascinated by what he's doing, but um, I fall in the 'Bliss is an artist' camp. Bliss has got rhythm and style and expression in spades as well as some pretty fancy tricks. Jason Garfield just has the tricks, and I don't care how challenging what you're doing is, if you're not feeling it, neither am I.

Oh god, now I'm all opinionated about it. Must. Step away. From internet.

...After I watch 1 more time. ;-)

[elynross.livejournal.com]

HEEEE! No, absolutely, Garfield's a hell of a juggler. But Bliss, to me, isn't just about the juggling, but the rhythm and the showmanship -- and Garfield is missing the point when he says, "He's just not that amazing at the actual juggling."
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