It's Easier To Get Forgiveness, Than It Is To Get Permission.

-dealing with the authorities.

Much of the time a busker goes out and just goes to work.

That's because the American narrative, tells us we have the legal right to be a Busker.

But in the real world, you will find that there are people who don't want this to be true.

So on the street don't ask if you can work.

The answer will almost always be no.

Just go to work.

The best way to sell yourself is to do a show, that’s why they call it a show, if they like you, they won't give you any trouble.

Trying to explain what you do as a street entertainer is an intangible product, and any salesman worth his salt will tell you that's a hard sell.

If the person you ask has never seen a street performer before or only experienced a bad one, they will assume the worst.

They will only be thinking about all the things that can go wrong.

After all, our job is in fact, to congest the highway.

Shops, cops, and vendors, usually don’t want us there congesting the sidewalk and sucking up all the attention of potential customers or disrupting there system of doing things.

Long story short, no one wants you there, got it?

Don't ask.

When you do your first show, think of it as an audition, be on your best behavior.

When they see you making people happy, they will change their mind, unless they're stupid, then they'll yell at you, in which case you still made money.

Money you may not have made if you asked.

Another good tip, don't start a show when the authorities are around, that's like asking.

When the authorities do shut you down, put your gullible face on and say, "Oh, I’m sorry officer I didn't know."

Chances are, they will probably forgive you.

It's easier to get forgiveness, than it is to get permission.

I learned this little adage years ago from a good friend, Master Magician, and Busker Nick Sharpe and it has served me well.

My strategy is to find a place where I wont be causing big problems, somewhere out of the way, where they don’t care.

Like where there are no shops, buskers, or vendors.

Of course, if I go too far out of the way I wont have any walkers to work for, so I just feel it out.

Most buskers are bolder than me, and just start working the very best spots, this might be more your style. After all what do you have to lose? They might ask you to leave anyway.

But trying to sell the idea of working there for tips has bad odds, believe me I’ve tried.

Of course the exception to the rule is private property.

If you're thinking about working on private property, remember, you do not have the same rights as you do on public streets.

You need their permission.

The first thing I would do before talking to management there, is to ask a busker already working on the private property how it works there. He may be able to get you in there.

If you can win over the property management this will increase your odds of being a resident busker on the property. Believe me that is a sweet deal that you want.

One more thing, do not argue with Cops on the street, no good has ever come of it.

If a cop tells you to move on, start looking for another place.

Remember they can take anyone to jail they want too, and they especially like to take those who talk about their “Civil Rights!”

You should make it clear to the cop that you want to cooperate, this goes a long way with them.

Remember, “Rights” Bad, “Cooperate” Good.

Try and understand the cop is not the bad guy, the City Counsel is!

The City Councils are the ones who like to make regulations that violate the U.S. Constitution, not the cops.

The Cities often make laws like this that violate the constitution, because they know it takes years and big big money to fight them in court, and buskers don't have that kind of time or money.

The cop doesn't make the rules he just enforces them.

He is under pressure from the city to do this.

Sometimes he has the ability to look the other way and allow you to work, but he is not going to want to stick his neck out for someone who has just cussed him out and called him bad names.

The cop is the guy that may have to save your life out there if something goes wrong, you may need him to like you.

Many times I've seen cops come to the rescue and save buskers from being attacked or robbed, something to think about.

The Right To Work The Streets.

I would rather spend my time doing magic, than spending time in court for my rights.

I have always gotten special privileges from cities and cops, because of my attitude. They like that I know the game and I am willing to cooperate.

If you want to conquer an enemy, make them your friends, and this will create an army, to defeat the next adversary who wants to knock you down.

If the cops, shops, and other buskers like you, they will come in mass to your aid when you most need them.

Remember, Magicians are experts in magic, not law. That's what lawyers are for, they manipulate law, we manipulate circumstances.

With all this said, sometimes you will run into cities who will not cooperate with you. When this happens you can create a coalition and fight them legally and you will always eventually win, because the law ultimately is on our side.

But be warned, it will be at least a two year fight, involving a couple of hundred thousand dollars.

Do you have Two Years and $200,000 ?

Can you create a coalition to help you with this?

Sometimes you can get a local lawyer who won't charge you unless he wins the case, but they usually don't win, because they won't take it to the supreme court like the ACLU does.

The ACLU used to help buskers, but have found better political clients that better serve their political and financial aspirations. Just take a look at their website or worse yet, try and contact them for help and see what that gets you.

So the hard truth here is, that you may be all alone.

But if you're like me, you'll just move on to another town, the world is a big place.

These are only my opinions, obviously I am not a lawyer and I am not advising you at all legally, I am just an old busker who has watched these things unfold over and over again and observed a pattern.

My advice, know your place in society and use humility, it’s a powerful force.

I think you may be surprised how afraid authority is, of the humble.

Your Pal Jimmy.

If you've liked this and would like to help us out here, you can leave a tip here.