Vent: That time I got hired to be a professional mermaid for a day and it went completely wrong

I showed up at this private pool party in Phoenix thinking I’d just float around and wave, but the pool filter broke halfway through and I got stuck in a silicone tail in 110 degree heat for 45 minutes before someone found a knife to cut me out. Has anyone else had a gig turn into a survival situation like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair_nguyen8d ago

Well damn, were you at least getting paid enough to make almost dying in a tail worth it?

logan52517d ago

Read about a fire performer whose fuel can exploded mid-show. Total third degree burns on his legs. Your pool filter story sounds awful too. People don't realize how dangerous these performing gigs can get.

ivan_murphy8016d ago

Hear me out on this though... I think people actually DO understand how dangerous fire performing is. Everyone who watches a fire spinner or breather knows deep down that stuff can go wrong. It's not like we're hiding the risks. The problem is more that most audiences just assume the performer has it all under control. They don't want to think about the bad outcomes in the moment. Your pool filter story and that fuel can explosion are both horrible examples but they're also the exception not the rule. Most of us doing this stuff are super careful and we know the odds.