Lizardman Q & A Round II The soul, which to a reptile had been changed,   Along the valley hissing takes to flight,   And after him the other speaking sputters.

People seemed to enjoy the first Q & A — or at the very least they were inspired to come up with questions of their own. I got more than five times as many questions when I asked for submissions this time around. I went through and answered every one of them and then selected the ones I liked best at the moment — that moment being sometime late Sunday night wanting to finish up and watch Adult Swim on Cartoon Network (Aqua Teen Hunger Force!). If you asked a question and it isn’t here, don’t fear. I have it, and my response, saved for future use.

Let the games begin!

wldfire_1: What future modifications other than finishing the tattooing do you have planned in your transformation?

Finishing the tattooing is currently my main priority and other than that, some additional stretching of my piercings is the only definite plan left to be completed at this point. That said, I have a number of things under consideration and being researched, and I am always looking for future possibilities as they become available.

glider: When you sent me this email over four years ago (on the 11th of March, 1998), did you have any idea of the sheer immensity of what you’d help start?

I didn’t have clue it would go as far as it has gone and continues to go. I was still very much joking about armies of forked tongued people then while happily getting to show others a way towards enacting their desires.

Clearly you are a role model for children, being bright and articulate, as well as unique, engaging, and funny to them. Children tend to want to emulate their idols; having pursued a university education yourself, is this something you would recommend? Has being “the academic freak” been helpful?

The last thing I want to be is anyone’s idol. Influence is acceptable but idol is too much. Being ‘the academic freak’ has had some advantages. Primarily it provides me with a ‘degree’ (pun intended) of credibility in the eyes of many people who might otherwise simply dismiss me as a nut, loser, or whatever. It also makes for a nice media hook.

My own feelings towards academia or more specifically the educational system in the US are fairly mixed. I think it suffers from a lot of fundamental problems and that in many cases people are better off getting away from it as much as possible. I come from a family of educators and while I respect their efforts they often seem like Sisyphus.

If someone were to ask me if they should go to college or beyond I would have to say that it depends very heavily on what they really want to do and how much of a burden it will be — student loans should not be taken lightly. On the other hand, if you get a free ride (I got a full academic scholarship for my BA; my decision to take loans for graduate school was a mistake), take it and enjoy the experience.

Why haven’t you worked more aggressively to complete the tattooing on your face? I think if it was me, I’d have completed my face before anything else since that’s what the public sees.

Oddly enough it’s the “being seen” aspect that has slowed it down at times. Knowing that I would be in public would often tend to motivate me to not work on my face so as not to be putting a healing tattoo on display and be unshaven due to the healing process. I have tried to have the work done in a pattern in public areas in order to be a bit less piecemeal in appearance. Also, for awhile I was thinking of not tattooing my scalp and going with dyed hair but ultimately I did and that created a whole new area that needed to be done.

What made you decide on the bluish green, versus a bright yellow-green like the background of your IAM page?

Thanks to my tattooing I have become acutely aware of color perception variances and the impact of lighting — especially in photography. I chose a darker green because I liked the shade. It often appears a bit bluish in photos. One of the more common comments I get when people see me in person is that I am greener than they expected.

nootrope: Don’t you wish you were a blue lizard, man?

Nope.

Cork: Do you ever hope to authenticate your appearance by going into further details with the scales, making them more realistic, and less of just a simple representation?

Potentially, but I will be happy to get just the basic two tone coverage completed and then work from there.

juniper: What types of foods spark nostalgia for you? Songs? Images? Smells?

I am not a particularly nostalgic person but I know that part of my fondness for soft pretzels comes from pleasant childhood associations — the same for gummi bears and James Bond movies.

Chan: Which modification has been your favorite/most successful, aesthetically and spiritually?

Spiritually? Someone didn’t read my last column. As for the rest? Tongue splitting.

ServMe: Is there a certain lizard characteristic that you have decided not to pursue due to the danger involved, or because you wouldn’t like the outcome? In other words, will you try to reflect a lizard as much as possible, or only use those parts that are of interest to you?

I am only dealing with what interests me. It is a reptilian motif but obviously stylized a great deal.

Mars: Having walked around with you in London, it appears to me that people seem more accepting and less fearful of you than some one with maybe only 25% tattoo coverage and a few facial piercings. Why do you think that is?

It’s all in the presentation. Today it is a bit easier to attribute it to things like recognition but things today aren’t much different than before I became the media whore I am now. I have always said that the key is how you present yourself. Nine times out of ten when people treat you like a jerk it is not because you have modifications, it is because you are acting like jerk — walking around with some chip on your shoulder and not giving them the chance to be decent to you.

Another theory I have is that it is easier for people to look at my project as just that — a project. It has an obvious theme and that reflects a certain amount of consideration. Even though this is the case for many other people, it is not as obvious to the casual observer and so instead of thinking ‘creative person with an overall goal’ they think ‘punk’ or ‘thug’ who doesn’t give a damn.

Goblin: Say you’re given the opportunity to be a guest speaker at an elementary school. Can you sum up what your presentation would cover?

I should probably mention that my Mom is an elementary school teacher and I have friends with kids in this age group, so it isn’t horribly uncommon for me to visit an elementary school. To answer your question, there are lots of subjects I could address, but given free range to choose for myself I would very likely do something along the lines of appreciating differences. I used to teach swimming for three year olds and up, and kid’s classes at my old dojo. I really enjoy working with kids under the right circumstances and have received a good deal of praise for my work.

shawn.spc: I really enjoyed you on X-files. So, here’s my question &mdas Next time you come to Philly, I want you to get naked and run through Chinatown on a rampage, Godzilla style. Will you do it?

This is why I love Shawn — he’s a bastard (I wasn’t on the X-files).

I’ll do it if you run in front of me naked screaming ‘here lizard’ like that Taco Bell dog. Oh yeah, you pay the legal costs too.

saram: What words of advice would you have for someone interested in attempting a full-body transformation through body modification?

Get the rest of your life together first because the transformation will consume you otherwise. Plan, consider, revise, repeat. Find support before you begin. Think twice. Have a life besides the transformation project, in as much as it can take over your life at times the project itself is not a life or a solution.

jasonthe29th: How do you think you would feel mentally if you did not have the modifications you have today and how would your everyday life be different.

I think I would be able to find other ways to channel my ideas and drives since my modifications are not compulsive behaviors themselves but rather expressions of myself… Much like a painter who could no longer paint might turn to sculpting or composing. It is one thing to deny a particular method and another to deny the motivation. Probably the most significant change for me in daily life would be the lack of head turning, staring, and so on. Then again, I might get that anyway for doing something else that was bizarre!

Athena: What is the biggest way your philosophical background affects your outlook on life, both as a modified man and as “just Erik”?

I take philosophy very literally — love of wisdom. Wisdom for me is the practical interpretation and application of knowledge and experience. The experience of life, while an end in and of itself to me, can be further enhanced through the practice of philosophy.

volatile: When will you be done? How will you know?

I don’t know when, but when I am, I will know. I suspect it will be much like knowing when to walk away from a painting or a drawing.

Sparkle And Fade: What did you dress up as for Halloween as a child?

Something different every year. The one that stands out in my memory right now is Q-bert (with a big homemade paper-mache head).

Vanilla: If you weren’t “The Lizardman” what do you believe you would be doing right now (employment and career wise)?

I would probably still be trying to make it as an artist or performer of some sort even without the transformation. If that wasn’t making it, I would likely have gone back to night shifts at a warehouse — that gave me time and resources to do whatever I wanted.

bullgod2481: If you could, would you take anything back/change anything/done anything different?

Nothing significant.

wave: Read any good books lately? What’s on your want-to-read list?

I’m much less of a bookworm than I used to be — much of what I read now is reference or of a much shorter form (magazine articles, online essays, and so on). The books on my ‘to get to’ list are mainly instructional. The last thing I read (re-read actually) for pure pleasure was Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.

lacerazor: What’s your middle name?

Michael.

quinnnchick: Will the Chicago Cubs win the World Series in our lifetime?

I wouldn’t mind seeing baseball abolished, thus negating this question. I don’t like the game.

anokfreak: What are your feelings towards, or opinions about people with very little modifications? For example the average person on the street with an eyebrow, or navel?

I wrote a whole column about them last month. You can’t really judge someone by the amount or type of modification they choose — develop hunches maybe, at best. It takes far more information and interaction for me to hold any real convictions or opinions about them.

Goat: If you were a rich man, would you biddy biddy biddy biddy biddy biddy biddy bum?

Probably not — but then again, maybe once just to see.

RenoSucks: This has nothing to do with the green, the tongue, or anything else really. I’d just like to know if you’re content with your life…maybe even happy?

I’d say I’m happy. And, quite frankly, that is what matters.

Meghan: When did you stop wearing underwear on a regular basis?

Between 1992 and 1993.

Nullius: Have you read the part in Dante’s Inferno (Canto XXV) where people are turned into reptiles and vice versa? When I read it I thought of you.

I’ve read it but more or less forgotten about that part. Just goes to show how classic I am. Heh.

Tammy: How do you feel when you see yourself on television? Do you even bother to watch the shows when they come on?

I generally watch to see how the finished product came out — you really can’t tell at all during the filming. I am hypercritical of myself in such situations and often more pre-occupied with how ‘useful’ I think the piece was than thinking about being on TV as something cool. Any nitwit can get on TV (most do — just watch your local news, RealTV, whatever) but to have it actually mean something in terms of being entertaining or informative is a challenge.

glider (again… heh): Along those lines, how do you feel being presented alongside furries? And how do furries respond to you?

I have no problem being presented alongside them. I just don’t want myself or them misrepresented for our respective ideas and beliefs. Most furries I have met have been very enthusiastic about my work and incredibly nice.

moof: Do you still want to finish your PhD at some point?

Not really. I don’t need or particularly desire someone else to ‘certify’ my work in that way. I’d take an honorary degree (I’ll take pretty much anything free) or I’d at least seriously consider finishing if they waived the costs.

Flat Stanley: Why is your girlfriend so damn cute?

‘Cause I know how to pick’em!

Char the magicalest gnome: Why is my cat looking at me like I’m food?

You are food.

Fidget: At what age do you think it’s appropriate to let kids start major body modifications; the ones that are not easily reversible like standard lobe piercings?

The real answer is that it varies from individual to individual. The socially practical answer is to set an arbitrary age which will be good enough for most. In order to avoid unnecessary hassles, I suggest people wait till at least eighteen but I have met a lot of people who weren’t close to ready in my opinion at thirty and some that were ahead of the game at fourteen.

Anomis: How do you feel about binary gender identification? Do you feel people can be both, none or a third gender?

To me gender is simply a matter of classification for convenience based on genetic make up — XX verus XY (versus XYY, etc). Anything beyond that is relative BS (that’s bullshit, not Bachelor of Science). The identification you are describing, I think, is not identifying with gender but with ascribed gender roles and possibly genital structure. To that I say — act as you want and change around your genitals as much as you like, and science will allow for. People can be whatever they want since it’s people that make up these things in the first place. To indelicately rip off Zen Buddism,

Q: Who makes the grass green?

A: You do.

robert: What inspired you to become what you are today?

Everything I have experienced up to this point. Seriously, I think looking for causation and singular causation in particular is very often a fruitless and often harmful process.

sheduma: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

A woodchuck would chuck all the wood that woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. I love that rhyme.

Also, how can I get my puppy to stop farting at night?

Butt plug? Or maybe a change in diet.

Pabloferreira: So far I’ve only heard about full body transformations similar to yours in the US. I know that there are some individuals who do take their body modifications pretty far in other regions but so far nothing like you or the Enigma. Do you know if there are similar individuals outside North America?

There are people outside of North America doing extreme modifications and extensive transformations. I think the main reason you may not being seeing them is that the US is pretty much the media spotlight of the world. We, collectively, send out our stories all over the world but intake very few others and even then we re-package them as our own. It is just far easier to get high level (world wide) coverage in the States.

eliz: What are your favorite season, favorite food, favorite TV show, favorite movie, and favorite book?

Depends on geography but most places it will be fall, pizza, The Simpsons, it varies with mood, and The Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson.

rwwarren_01: Who is your favorite musician, band, or musical group?

It’s dependent on mood, but I can almost always listen to anything by Rob Zombie, Tori Amos, Depeche Mode, Ministry, or Bach — and The Overture of 1812.

Erik Sprague because the world NEEDS freaks… Former doctoral candidate and philosophy degree holder Erik Sprague, the Lizardman (iam), is known around the world for his amazing transformation from man to lizard as well as his modern sideshow performance art. Need I say more? Copyright © 2003 BMEzine.com LLC. Requests to republish must be confirmed in writing. For bibliographical purposes this article was first published August 26th, 2003 by BMEzine.com LLC in Tweed, Ontario, Canada.

Lizardman Q & A PART ONE

Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.

– Sir Cecil Beaton

I get asked a lot of questions — in interviews, walking down the street, online, and so on. It is pretty much a near constant fact of daily life for me that someone will be asking me about something. And while a great deal of the questions are predictable and repetitive, I do catch my fair share from ‘somewhere out in left field.’

Earlier this month I decided to really open the floodgates as part of a new regular monthly feature for Through the Modified Looking Glass and asked IAM members to send me absolutely any question to which they would like to know my response. Hopefully you will find it as entertaining to read as it was for me to write. And now, the premiere edition of Lizardman Q & A!

deadinblood: They say there are two things humans know are going to happen to them in life; one being puberty, the other death [Editor’s note: I thought that was “death and taxes”?]. Most people are afraid of death — even to talk about it. Are you afraid of death?

I don’t think puberty is as certain as death — many die long before reaching it. And while it may not be as conscious a fear, I think people experience a great deal of fear and anxiety when approaching and experiencing puberty. As for the certainty of death, I know and have read a lot of immortalist literature and while I personally feel that there is a large amount of “pipe dreaming” in their thinking I do find many of their ideas to be inspiring — the most basic of which is that we should not simply accept death as inevitable. I do think though that it is very likely that I will die and that doesn’t scare me. I imagine that my death will be my final experience and thus I only hope I can make it magnificent.

stretched_thomas: What are your views on the “fat people disorder”? Why are we fat?

I think different fat people are fat for different reasons — but I think a great deal more of it can be traced to will (or lack thereof) than most would want to accept or find ‘politically correct’. For those having a hard time translating that: I think a lot of fat people are fat because they eat too damn much ‘bad’ food and exercise too damn little. I will accept alternate explanations on a case-by-case basis only when accompanied by a doctor’s note — which should detail not only your condition but also why you are so particularly bad at controlling it.

TheDiabolicSon: A friend of mine says robots going to replace human teachers in schools in the future. What do you think of that?

I think that in terms of effectiveness robots will not be able to do the work that humans can. In my experience good teaching includes a very connective, emotive, and, well, ‘human’ quality — but that doesn’t mean that this approach will not be tried. If such robots become cost effective (and possible) then expect them to be the norm — not unlike the babysitters that masquerade as teachers in many of our schools currently. I would personally never allow anyone I cared about to be solely machine educated.

CrazedInk: Has being part of acts such as the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow helped people watching your acts view the modified in better terms or has it been negative — that is, thinking that we’re all weird and freaks and belong in sideshows?

What’s wrong with the sideshow world? It is caring and supportive of its members and very fun and entertaining. As far as whether or not such shows contribute or detract from the general public’s respect for the modified… the answer is that it depends on the show and the viewer. A good performance demands and earns respect. I have known many people to have their first experiences of the modified be through such shows and those experiences were very positive when the show they saw was a good one. Of course, there are those who just always seems to react badly and I don’t think you can blame the shows — these are people that would have hated mods whether they saw them at a rock show or in an art gallery or anywhere else.

rat_xxx: Do people ever pull away their children when you go to the supermarket?

Very rarely. More often I get children who react in a positive and curious manner to my appearance who are then shuffled off by their parents out of embarrassment. Too bad really, since I will gladly play and talk with an inquisitive kid rather than have their parents stifle them like that.

Majik: I would like to know The Lizardman’s views on marijuana.

The history of legislation as relates to this plant is rife with politics that defy common sense — particularly in the use of hemp fiber and its many industrial applications (as pro-legalization people are often prone to point out, many of the founding fathers farmed hemp as a cash crop) that have no connection whatsoever with marijuana as a drug. As a drug I think it is no better or worse than any other and what comes of its use is far more a function of the user than the substance.

If you’re looking for an admission — yes, I have inhaled many times and enjoyed it. Overall, I can take it or leave it and current prevailing laws in the U.S. make it easier to leave it and avoid unnecessary hassles.

wldfire_1: If you ever have children do you worry what they will think? Or if it will make it hard for them to grow up with a father who looks like you?

I don’t plan on having any children but looking at it hypothetically I think that having me as a father, in terms of my appearance, would likely provide for both additional difficulties and privileges. It certainly wouldn’t deter me. I have other reasons for not wanting to be a parent.

Goat: What crazy stuff did you do when you were in college?

Why just while I was in college? Anyway, it’s more than I could possibly account for in anything less than a book — and that’s just the stuff I remember. Also, I’d have to check the statute of limitations on some things to make sure I wasn’t endangering myself.

Meghan: Over the course of our almost four years together, how much money have you spent on Cinnabons for me?

More than I should have, but I love you anyway.

Counterpunch: Do you feel the end of this planet is near? And when you first started modifying your body did you know that you would go as far as you have, and at what point did you decide to become the Lizardman? Have you ever got into a physical fight because of your appearance?

To answer your questions in order, no, but human life on this planet is always on the brink of ending in many possible ways.

I designed my transformation extensively before beginning it and before that I knew that if I were to undertake these sorts of modifications I would want nothing less than a full body concept. The idea and appearance of “Lizardman” really started to come together from ’93 to ’95 but I didn’t take that name per se until the end of 1998.

I have never fought anyone due to my appearance but I have defended myself — mostly in a pre-emptive fashion by ‘letting people know’ that they didn’t really want to fight with me. [Editor’s note: The Lizardman is an experienced martial arts expert in shito-ryu and shotokan-ryu karate, and definitely not someone you’d want to mess with!]

Numzy: Why a lizard? Why not a different animal?

I like lizards aesthetically and it was an obvious thematic amalgamation of all my procedures.

FREE: Boxers or briefs?

I am not a slave to underwear.

glider: As someone who’s now moving from personal friend of many people here (i.e. “on the same level”) to genuine “celebrity status”, how does that change your perception of the people you deal with every day, as well as your IAM page and personal blog in general?

I genuinely don’t think of myself as a celebrity. However, there are times when having that self-image is actually beneficial but I have to consciously work to maintain and project it.

I don’t think my perception of those I deal with every day has significantly changed — it is more a matter of an increased wariness towards new people. There is often a slight uneasiness about them attempting to use you or only wanting to attempt to profit from an association with you. But, I suspect that these sorts of people often greatly overestimate my value in this respect.

As for my public postings, I’ll admit to having edited myself a bit in entries in the past, but experience is showing me now that I tend to get a better response when I don’t tread so lightly.

obmf: What is the meaning of life? Also, all things equal (cost, upkeep, feeding, and so on), would you rather have a helper monkey, or a helper robot?

I am not at all convinced that life has a meaning and that the question isn’t simply an artifact of the defects of language. Meaning to me is primarily representative of part of the process by which we use symbols of various sorts to represent, and not a property of things. Also, searching for a meaning to life seems to very heavily imply that life is a more like a noun than a verb and my position would be the latter rather than the former.

As to your second question, I have to go with the robot — mainly for customization of appearance and design. If I so desired I could make it a robot monkey.

twitichingfetus: What is your stance on abortion?

I feel no more need or right to tell a woman what to do with her reproductive processes than I think anyone else should about how I cut my hair. Despite romanticized notions and expressions of couples being pregnant and the like, it is ultimately only that individual carrying the fetus that has any real claim to a decision regarding the pregnancy and then only that particular pregnancy. I certainly recognize that others will make claims beyond the individual based on moral and societal prerogatives but I find that I will almost universally deny the premises of those claims when presented.

And there you have it. If you have a question you would like to see me answer, watch my IAM page for the next time I request them. If I didn’t answer your question this time, feel free to re-send it then as well — it might have simply been a space or timing issue that kept it out. And finally, if I did answer your question but you didn’t like the answer — you can ask it again… I have been known to change my mind occasionally.

Erik Sprague because the world NEEDS freaks… Former doctoral candidate and philosophy degree holder Erik Sprague, the Lizardman (iam), is known around the world for his amazing transformation from man to lizard as well as his modern sideshow performance art. Need I say more? Copyright © 2003 BMEzine.com LLC. Requests to republish must be confirmed in writing. For bibliographical purposes this article was first published July 23rd, 2003 by BMEzine.com LLC in Tweed, Ontario, Canada.

2003: The Lizardman’s Year in Review If you believe the past can’t be changed, you haven’t read a celebrity’s autobiography. – Sam Ewing

Hey! Here comes the bandwagon — let’s jump on and do a year in review piece!

Actually I hopped on two years ago when I started doing these for my site: www.thelizardman.com. But now that I am primarily writing for BME, why not share the love?

It’s a well documented fact that I am not a fan of the New Year revelry, resolutions, or other calendar related phenomena but I do think there is value in a regular accounting of the past; taking stock as it were.
Also, it provides a good chance for historical summary and reference. As my art professors used to say, ‘Document! Document! Document!’ So, here it is for the events of 2003 — one more document.

January

The year began with an unusual busy streak for me. The holidays and then the remainder of winter don’t often result in many events that clamor for freaks. But come New Year I was on the cover of XBM and traveling a good part of the month. Before hitting the road I attended the Austin Tattoo Revival and finally met Larry the Leopard (who would take part in my Emos show and later put on a wrestling match with me).

My first event for the year was AM-JAM. It was here that I met Spider Webb and got my X tattoo. After AM-JAM I returned to Austin to perform at Emos along with TSD and USS Friendship. From there it was on to the Super Bowl of Ink in Ohio. I wrapped up the month with an appearance at the Palace of Variety in Times Square, NYC.

This was also the month when I wrote what became my BME guest column, About Records, that laid the foundation for my regular column Through the Modified Looking Glass.

February

This month began with some very good news as I was able to announce that I would be the MC for the 2003 Jagermeister Music Tour. From there it only got better as I went to the UK with Shannon, Marty, and Jill to spend a week with Patrick Bartholomew filming for the BME Movie.

This was also the month that I appeared on the local FOX affiliate for a piece on tongue splitting. That small piece foreshadowed what would become the 2003 media frenzy on ‘the tongue splitting fad’ and resulting legislation attempts across the country.

March

Shortly after returning from the UK, I hit the road on the Jagermeister Music Tour.

April

Most of this month was spent on the road with Jagermeister. However, once the tour wrapped up, I dragged myself back to Austin for my pro-wrestling debut versus Larry the Leopard with special guest referee Joe Lifto (still waiting for an airdate). And, a small personal triumph, Lizardman merchandise went online.

May

This was the month of my life that was nearly stolen by one dumb legislator in Illinois. Most of my time and effort, and that of many other people familiar here on BME, was taken up by addressing, interviewing, and de-bunking for stories on tongue splitting. Personally, I had the pleasure (?) of debating the Illinois tongue splitting ban author (David Miller) on a couple of occasions. The man makes Diamond Joe Quimby (from The Simpsons) look like an upstanding, well-informed public servant.

May also saw the debut of my regular BME column — addressing, of course, tongue splitting legislation.

When not pre-occupied by tongue splitting I developed a new act: The Blockhead Blowgun. A historical first, I managed to accurately shoot darts out of my nose.

June

Highs and Lows.

I celebrated my 31^st birthday this month. For the third consecutive year I appeared for Sobe at the KROQ Weenie Roast in LA and made my live Canadian debut at a press conference for Klondike Days in Edmonton.

Dervish passed away.

This was also the month that I made my IAM page my primary online journal. And perhaps in a reactionary move from the previous month’s activities or the Texas legislature introduction of tongue splitting specific codes; I used a scalpel to cut my tongue split a bit deeper.

July

What a wonderful month.

We got a new addition: Ginsu. I spent over a week in Puerto Rico, followed by a week in Edmonton. I finally got my feet tattooed.

August

I was honored this month — twice.

First, I got to take part in the Mayhem 8 man mobile crane suspension. Suspension is a lot more engineering than many people realize; it is understandably easy to focus on the physical when you see hooks through skin. This creation was a triumph and I was lucky enough to get to go along on the ride.

Second, I once again attended and got to be a featured a performer at the 2nd Annual Sideshow Gathering. This event is amazing not only for who is there and the content of their shows, but simply for existing. Franco and his crew work tirelessly to make it happen and bring everyone in. I received a standing ovation that still chokes me up a bit when I think about it.

September

Went to Cleveland for the Gravity Games to make an appearance for Sobe. Otherwise it was a slow month.

October

For the third year running I returned to Orlando to be part of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. On the way from Austin to Orlando, I stopped off in New Orleans to meet Harry Anderson and check out his new store space; Sideshow.

November

The Universal Studios gig lasted into the first week of November and was shortly followed by the 2nd Annual Pen-NY Body Arts Festival.

After 7 weeks on the road I returned to Austin. But, one week after getting home I was off again. Meghan and I went to Vegas on a week’s vacation and while we were there we got married! And, when we got back we got ourselves a wedding present: Houdini.

December

I’m still working on figuring out why Xmas doesn’t equal sideshow in more people’s minds (a fat man and elves — sounds like freaks to me) but it was nice to relax more or less with my new wife. I did spend a good chunk of time this month working sorting out copyright settlements and chasing down people who were inappropriately using my image. My parents visited Texas for the first time and came to see us and the ferrets for Xmas. A pleasant end to a very pleasant year.

2004 plans?

Well, I have big hopes and plans for myself and my show for the coming year. As for this column, there are a number of interviews coming and I am currently researching and working on some historical and opinion pieces regarding the connection between history of body modification and the sideshow. As long you are reading, I will be rambling…

Erik Sprague

because the world NEEDS freaks…

Former doctoral candidate and philosophy degree holder Erik Sprague, the Lizardman (iam), is known around the world for his amazing transformation from man to lizard as well as his modern sideshow performance art. Need I say more?

Copyright © 2003 BMEzine.com LLC. Requests to republish must be confirmed in writing. For bibliographical purposes this article was first published January 1st, 2003 by BMEzine.com LLC in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.