Up In The Air

Morning Journal : Jun '02

by - Jeff Martin : Columbiana, OH

After balancing a bench on his chin, juggler Scot Nery storms into Antone's looking for a set of dishes.

"I'll pay for any I break," the tall, lanky, spiked-hair Nery told the waitress. He appeared almost dumbfounded until he spots four soup bowls at the buffet center and snatches them up. And starts juggling before steaming clams, and wide-staring eyes.

Nery, 23, took a break last Thursday from his national tour with country music stars Brooks & Dunn, and spent it with his family - and Antone's buffet dishes. Juggling since he turned 15, Nery is excited that a passion of his has begun to finally pay off.

"My professional life is my personal life," Nery said. "I work hard with it and try and do my best."

Nery, who has juggled as many jobs throughout his life as live cats (declawed), has performed in numerous cities throughout the nation, including New York, San Francisco, New Orleans, Boston and Seattle.

But his success has been years in the making.

"I applied to Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College right after high school, but didn't get accepted," he confessed.

Shortly after, he met a pro juggler in Nashville who pointed him on his way and, of course, taught him some tricks.

It was in 2000 when he quit regular jobs completely (a foreman at a construction site fired him, saying "You're not like us, you gotta go") and began street performing. Shortly after, he submitted a tape of his act to Brooks & Dunn.

He's been touring with them ever since ("I ride behind the tour bus in a sled").

His act has evolved throughout the years, jumping from technical juggling to simple juggling. Far from his days in high school playing banquets and birthday parties, Nery now flips pancakes to music before large crowds at amphitheaters. Another act involves duct tape. Balancing folding chairs, balls.

"My act is mostly comedy," he said after balancing a fork on his nose at the restaurant. "I've watched Bloopers and Practical Jokes for research. People love the pancake act. I don't know why, but they do."

Nery searches for a waitress to see if there are any pancakes in the kitchen. It's an Italian restaurant, after all - do they even serve pancakes? Without waiting, he disappears and walks next door to Vivian's and begins balancing wicker chairs on his chin. A large chair. Then that bench again.

He returns 20 minutes later and begins to eat his lunch, now cold.

"I'm looking to work on cruise ships next," he said.

But juggling isn't the only thing he does: he also works on his Web site, www.jugglegood.com, and hangs out with his friend, the Rubber Boy.

"He's a nice guy, very flexible. He lives in San Francisco and can fit himself into small boxes."

But for Nery, home is now in Nashville, where he looks for work opening for rock bands.

"Musicians don't feel threatened by me," he jokes, but then turns serious. Nery juggles as many facial expressions as bowling pins.

"I love what I do," he said. "I'll do it for as long as I can."