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| Sideshow entertainer freaks out crowd |
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| Written by John Saiz | Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 02 July 2008 | |
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At a glance To see George “the Giant” McArthur’s full performance schedule: www.georgethe giant.com
 The 7-foot-3 performer, who boasts that he’s the world’s tallest sword-swallower, offers the first sip in his “silly straw” act to Cari Woodward, 11. McArthur performed the same stunt on an episode of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” that aired Tuesday. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator On Monday, McArthur, aka George the Giant, brought his one-man sideshow to the Patterson Branch Library as part of the library’s teen program. An audience of about 20 got to see him slam a rabbit trap on his hand, press his face against broken glass and eat live worms. “This program is rated PG-13,” McArthur said. “Some of the things I do are a bit more extreme than, say, a puppet show.” Nonetheless, most of the attendees were younger than 13 and still had a good time. Squirms accompanied their laughter, as George the Giant’s pain became the audience’s entertainment. “He was great,” said Fernando Ramirez, 13, who attended Monday’s show. He briefly fled the room when McArthur was just about to swallow a sword. “I got a little freaked out,” Ramirez said. “I just need to gather my thoughts.”  At 7-foot-3, George “the Giant” McArthur bills himself as the world’s tallest sword swallower, a trick he performed Monday at the Patterson Branch Library. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator Many of McArthur’s stunts were uncomfortable, if not downright painful, for the performer. After he failed to drive a nail through a wooden board with the palm of his hand, a quiver in his voice made it obvious he suffered for his art. With little delay, though, the wounded “giant” tried the stunt again and succeeded in driving the nail through the board. “What I do is real. What I do is dangerous. What I do is real dangerous,” McArthur said. “If you attempt anything you see me do, you can and will get hurt.” 
McArthur started in circus sideshows 16½ years ago after a traumatic experience that involved his brother: An unknown man entered his brother’s room, tied him up and set him on fire. After that, both McArthur and his brother were deathly afraid of fire.Until, that is, the performer faced his fear head-on. “I had a fear of heights, so I learned to bungee jump,” McArthur said. “I had a fear of fire, so I learned fire swallowing.” Although fire wasn’t included in Monday’s show — his venue was a library full of flammable books — McArthur created plenty of heat with numerous stunts in sideshow tradition, including eating live creatures.  His audience reacts to McArthur’s graphic, and often painful, sideshow act. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator For those who missed the show, George the Giant will tour nearby libraries the rest of the week. The sideshow tradition started at circuses and carnivals. A side tent next to the main tent would house the sideshow, McArthur said. “Kids from 2 to 102 saw the show,” he said. However, the venues that gave sideshow performance its name have almost all vanished. Now, McArthur said, he makes his name through consistent professionalism when he takes his act on the road. If you suspect you’ve seen him before, perhaps it’s because he was featured Tuesday on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” His act left rock star Ozzy Osbourne’s wife, Sharon Osbourne, one of the judges, lost for words. “(Osbourne) couldn’t even look at me,” McArthur said. To reach John Saiz at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 
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