From The YBNBY Street Performer Affairs Desk...
Whenever someone asks me why I love Manhattan as much as I do, I may begin telling this story.
Out and about on a sunny Saturday, I passed through the Times Square station to change trains. I heard something in the distance. A familiar refrain. Is that "Smooth Criminal?" Damn right it was. There was also cheering. Better investigate.
Coming around the corner in the dank subway station I froze in my tracks. Is that what I think it is? By Odin's beard ... It is. That's a midget Michael Jackson impersonator shaking his tail feather. The crowd was loving it. Little MJ grabbed his little ballsack and everything.
The song ended and then I heard something that made this even more surreal. A local mother wanted to capture the moment in pictures. She directed her son to approach the performer. The child's name was amazing. "Messiah! Go stand next to midget Michael Jackson so I can get a picture!"
That's a sentence I never thought I'd hear.
Good luck topping that weekend sight, Planet Earth.
Freaking love New York...
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Funny stuff... Messiah. Not sure thats such a great name...
Surprisingly clean looking system there. Last time I was in NY Koch was mayor and the place had a kind of Warriors vibe. Kind of cool kind of sleazy/scary. This was before the internet and to get porn you had to go to Times square. Hard to believe now...
Love your work Johnny.
I just read it out to my flatmate and she was cracking up.
Or maybe she was laughing because its now 8:30 sunday night here and it is the first thing I have said to here today.
Damn hangover.
Can you go back and get some video??
Thanks Frank. Cheers.
I don't know Cindy, maybe. It's a good idea. The iPhone doesn't shoot video yet. Perhaps I should go back with the video camera. Immortal YouTube entry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZTZpCetym0
Yep, that's him. Little stinker...
I've seen this min-MJ at street fairs, city events and in time's square. He gets around.
Somehow I don't think he's a big hit at kids b-day parties.
His name is Alex. There's info on the musicians in the NYC subway at this blog of one of them: http://www.sawlady.com/blog
Hats off to Michelle. Well done.
JW