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#1 |
Refurbished Member
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Farthest point south in US
Posts: 1,606
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Legendary street performer, Robert Nelson AKA The Butterfly Man has finally died.
In the early days of San Francisco’s Pier 39, "The Butterfly Man" quickly established himself as the quintessential example of generic comedy-jugglers. This fact alone allowed him to become the subject of numerous street performance videos that never made any money for him or anyone else. For a short period in the mid-‘80’s, Robert became famous amongst a small group of itinerants and beggars who generally did some sort of commonplace display for tips. As “The Butterfly Man”, he peaked in ’86 during a Renegade midnight show in Akron, Ohio. During the ‘90’s, he received many awards that were mostly given to him out of pity. Throughout his career, Robert had the reputation of being good with hecklers. In 2004 he authored a book entitled “Read Between the Lines” that was stolen by a gay guy. Robert quit street performing in 2005, just before he became too pathetic to watch. He spent his final days in Hawaii smoking pakalolo and living off his wife’s meager flight attendant salary. In lieu of donations, the family has requested all contributions be sent to “Eli” who usually hangs out in Pahoa around sunset and always wears the same hat. FYI: Robert’s butterfly tattoos will soon be available on eBay... they will be sold separately. For details, please contact his son, Koleman, at 408 455 2471. |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 86
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I am amazed to see how little Robert's death has effected the street performer community. I know he was not that popular, and his show was pedestrian at best, but come on people show some respect. Sure he was a burn out waste of space at least three years before his so called retirement, but that's no reason not to remember that sometimes the man had some very good weed.
I send my my best wishes to his widow, and hope she feels well enough soon to don a skimpy bikini, and take some tastefull shots of her spreading Robert's ashes around his favorite place on the Island ( The 7-11 in Hilo) I like to report that Robert's death has freed up some great original material that could be spread out amoung the buskers who knew him, but that would would taint his passing with the stench of untruth, and I cared too much about the man to let that happen. In closing I would like to say "Rest in Peace funny Man", but I am forced to cut out the" funny man" part so people will know who I am talking about. Aloha Bro, Dan
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Dan Holzman |
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#3 |
Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Toronto/Hamilton
Posts: 1,396
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guys, i didn't like it when scot did it about robert, and i also don't like robert or anyone else doing it about themselves.
my heart always palpitates a little when i see a name i know in the "curtain calls" thread and i don't like joking around with it. maybe i'm just a stuffy, old, naggy sack who has no sense of humour and an enormous fear of other people's deaths, but it feels tainted with mock obituaries. even about one's self. sorry, bug man. sorry, dan.
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Well, maybe I WILL just keep telling myself that. www.rachelpeters.com Last edited by Rachel Peters; 02-13-08 at 01:32 PM. |
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#4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: keywest,fl.
Posts: 752
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I hope I didn't scare him to death in our little cat fight last week. Jeeze ,now I feel bad. Sorry Buterflyman we'll mis ya.
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jeep |
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#5 |
Refurbished Member
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Farthest point south in US
Posts: 1,606
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This ain't no joke. I am going soon, the doctors will tell me how long I have left tomorrow.
It weird to be told you are dying when you feel great. I don't look that bad at all, really. If it wasn't for the lump in my neck, I'd look like I always have, bald, big nose and all. The strange thing is, I also feel good. My writing has energized my life and I'm getting a kick and a half immortalizing some of you. I'm also getting better at it, I can tell. I sure hope I get to finish some rewrites before I get too sick because some of my early stuff sucks. I guess that's gonna happen, isn't it? Getting sick, that is. I'm not looking forward to that part. My advise would be to stay away from me when I do because I can be such an asshole even when I'm feeling good. Just remember me every time you see a poor butterfly that is pinned to a board somewhere. I kinda see that as a metaphor for my life, Gazzo being the pin. The Butterfly Man AKA Robert A. Nelson III Sept 16, 1949 - (fill in the blank Jim) August 27, 2012 (--Edited by Jim--) Last edited by Butterfly Man; 08-16-10 at 03:10 PM. Reason: Laughter, to die for. |
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#6 |
New Member
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you were one of the first people to teach me anything about performing. You were awesome.
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say, what a lot of fish there are! |
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#8 |
Senior Member
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Time to add that date, Jim.
He was probably the happiest and saddest person I've ever met. I'm glad he died after he perfected life. I blame Gazzo |
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#9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: keywest,fl.
Posts: 752
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R.I.P. Butterflyman Godspeed to your next adventure.
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jeep |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 86
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In 2008 Robert had posted that he had passed on, and it was easy for me to roast him because he was still around to read what I had written. We both enjoyed our mock battles here on performers.net because we knew that behind the jests and jabs was a mutual friendship and admiration.
This post is not quite so easy for me to write now that he is really gone, I will have to leave the jokes and insults behind and write what I honestly felt about him. I first met Robert and saw him perform when I was 16, and very quickly along with Micheal Davis and Kris Kremo he became one of my juggling heros. Robert was a fearless force of nature on the streets, a story teller of the first order, and a juggler who's memory will live on as long as there are props to catch and hats to pass. RIP Butterfly Man
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Dan Holzman |
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#11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: zagreb
Posts: 916
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He was an inspiration to me when I was just a teenager starting out, one of the few street performers at that time that was actually encouraging.
I hope he went in his sleep like he wanted. A true legend. |
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#12 |
Handonmy Member
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Watching Robert perform during his season at the MD Renaissance Festival taught me more about comedy, bravery, artistic grace, and variety entertainment than I have learned from any other performer.
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![]() Swami Yomahmi ~The Original Sideshow Geek~ |
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#13 |
Unused member
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Milford, OH, U.S.A.
Posts: 288
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I went back and looked at his video on his site. I am a battle hardened Marine, but I'll admit I broke down and cried like a child. His ending poem always meant so much to me.
It matters not The job you’ve got as long as you do it well Now things well made By plans well laid The test of time will tell But you can not count Or know the amount of the value of a man By the show displayed Or the beauty made By the touch of the juggler's hand
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Non Impediti Ratione Cogitationis Unencumbered by the Thought Process. |
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#14 |
SideShow Performer
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Augusta, ME. US
Posts: 50
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That really is sad news
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"An artest makes the difficult look easy. A showman makes the easy look specteacular" |
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#15 |
Member
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Dammit, Robert.
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#16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 333
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A ruff man with a heart of gold; he taught many, many of us.
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David Walbridge www.bigfunshow.com www.procomedywriting.com |
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#17 |
Mr. Josh Weiner
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Well, RIP Mr. Robert Nelson.
Thanks for writing me for a while as street performer and organizer post 9/11. You kept me hopeful and many heads were down. Sincerely, Josh Weiner from NYC.
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Josh Weiner Juggling & Related Circus Arts 2005 Busker's Hall of Fame The South Street Seaport NYC 1992-2008 MUNY 2005-present Columbia University TC, Mathematics M.A. 2012 CCNY Mathematics B.A. 2007 CCNY Jewish Studies B.A. 2007 Just say no to drugs Last edited by jugglerjosh; 08-29-12 at 05:11 PM. |
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#18 |
Mr. Josh Weiner
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Thanks for posting.
Also on STRIDER Juggling Video.
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Josh Weiner Juggling & Related Circus Arts 2005 Busker's Hall of Fame The South Street Seaport NYC 1992-2008 MUNY 2005-present Columbia University TC, Mathematics M.A. 2012 CCNY Mathematics B.A. 2007 CCNY Jewish Studies B.A. 2007 Just say no to drugs Last edited by jugglerjosh; 08-29-12 at 05:09 PM. Reason: clarify |
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#19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: West Jordan, Utah
Posts: 124
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The funniest show I ever saw was a late night renegade show at an IJA fest. I'm not going to try to describe it because I wont be able to do it justice. He was the emcee and was the reason it was so good. In a room full of professional performers he was the guy everyone wanted to watch.
His posts on this site were hilarious. I'm going to miss reading them. He was brilliant and one of my favorite performers. I'm really sad he's gone |
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#20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: www.nicknickolas.com
Posts: 528
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