I won’t say people are gullible. I put them in a situation they’ve never been in before. Their experience doesn’t help them much. How many times you go into a bar and there’s a guy with a goldfish in a bowl? Then he feeds it dead flies from a matchbox? I make them feel at ease. I watch how they drink. I take my time.
Most people are at least a little curious. This is a good thing. I can use that. It’s a very simple bet, and people don’t know that goldfish can be trained. It’s a peculiar skill, and I found this way to be compensated for the time I put into it.
Nobody has ever praised me for being conventional. I’ve never wanted to work at a bank, or to drive a truck for a living. Seems pretty boring. I like a bit more of a challenge.
Yes, people lose their money. But I’m not a con artist; I’m an entertainer. They pay the bartender for their drinks, and they pay me for a little excitement. If anybody who loses gets upset, I just give them their money back. I don’t want to cause anybody any trouble.
Monologues