Excuse me if I’m really outta the loop on some essential Taiwan expat lore, but can somebody give me the skinny on that dude who dresses in costumes, sings goofy songs, and talks loudly to anyone who stares at him? His style reminds me a bit of Andy Kaufman.
He’s usually around Hsimen these days, but I’ve also seen him in the bowels of Taipei Main Station and a couple other places. He always has his guitar case open, and seems to make good money. I’ve seen a few hundred kuai in there sometimes.
ive seen him a couple of times recently in ximending, he really scares the shite out of me . something not quite right there and i cant put my finger on it.
I have to walk by him quite often and I usually do so on the other side of the street. He is bad PR for white foreigners in Taiwan, that’s for sure. Seen any Taiwanese people dressed up as clowns singing goofy songs in San Francisco , London or New York lately?
But what about the other act – the black dad and his kids? Are they violating any child labor laws? Do these people has work permits to do this? Somebody please tell on them if they don’t, especially on that loser clown.
[quote=“Flicka”]
But what about the other act – the black dad and his kids? Are they violating any child labor laws? Do these people has work permits to do this? Somebody please tell on them if they don’t, especially on that loser clown.[/quote]
Talked to that guy a bit, i see your point but he seems like a nice guy. he’s from ny, i’ll say there could be worse ways to bring up your kids than the way he is.
Is this the same guy who stands and plays near the Asia World Department store MRT exit near Taipei Train Station?
I haven’t seen the father and kids, but I have noticed a lot more street performers lately, both local and foreign. (There is a Japanese group that plays in Yung Kang b[/b] park every Saturday evening, for example). It seems to me that there used to be no street performers at all, except for the occasional handicapped person in an underpass.
Playing music in a public place, whether accepting money or not, used to be an easy way for a foreigner to get deported. Why is it different now? Not complaining. This is a great improvement over a few years ago.
I have only seen one kid dancing with his father…dad actually teaches dancing classes in Taipei at a school. I wouldn’t put them on the same level as that completely untalented moron with the guitar.
I sometimes go to Hsimen just to see if I can’t spot them or the guys who dance with them. I think having these kind of street performances suddenly pop up here is great.
Please let me know if anyone knows the legalities of busking in Taiwan
Unlike the guy you all dont like, i actually play some good songs, people like to hear…
but i dont, outta fear,
maybe with a working visa, its safer,
What do you think?
Hulianfolk: Busking is illegal in Taiwan.
Police usually look the other way when it is a handicapped person in the underpasses or overpasses near the Taipei RR station, or an old person begging, etc, but for most potential buskers, street performances are off limits and illegal. However, as more and more people are doing it, both locals and expats, why not try it? Just don’t carry too big a sign, and get ready to hightail it out of there fast if you see the fuzz coming. Mostly, they will just tell you to move on …
So I won’t get in trouble for breaking the clown’s guitar? He IS working illegally.
i am still haunted by the time i caught a couple of bars of some song involve a ‘lollypop’ , some stephen king sh1t.
what about the white guy who sings jay chao songs!! he draws a huge crowd and shit his mandarin is better than mine…hahah this is funny…finally the white ppl are being put on display!
Finally?
Finally? Aren’t they already on display on just about every bus ad, movie poster, every other TV commercial?
When talented musicians perform on the street, that’s busking, and I’m all in favour of it in appropriate places (where there’s enough open space and it doesn’t obstruct the flow of pedestrians). Likewise with other talented artists or performers, whether their milieu be portraiture, dance, mime, fire-eating, juggling, or whatever. Those people deserve to be given a licence and welcomed for brightening up the cityscape. But talentless people who strum guitars and sing tunelessly are NOT buskers – they and others of their ilk are, pure and simply, beggars. I have no sympathy at all for able-bodied people who beg. They are a public nuisance and should not be tolerated. Foreigners who beg in Taiwan should be arrested and summarily deported. There can be no justification for their behaviour, and they bring shame on all foreign residents in Taiwan. Fortunately, I have not yet encountered the guy described in this thread, but he sounds like one of the worst. I have occasionally encountered others like him, who make me squirm with embarrassment and wish to hell that some policemen would come along and quickly put an end to their disgraceful display.
I love you, Omniloquacious, whoever you are.