Luke Brown
Staff Writer
As President Mary-Beth Cooper’s inauguration week is upon us, the Campus Activities Board is putting on an array of events this entire week. At 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, CAB welcomed performer Nick Pike to the main stage of the Campus Union.
Pike has an impressive résumé, as he has performed at colleges, festivals and cruises for the past 10 years, and he was even a contestant on America’s Got Talent, where he made it to the Top 48 before getting eliminated.
Pike, 33-years-old, entertained more than 75 people by juggling and telling impromptu jokes. He was able to keep the entire crowd entertained for the hour that he performed by poking fun at them, doing dangerous stunts, and incorporating them into his routines.
“It was an unbelievable show,” Springfield College freshman Josh Gaines said. “Nick Pike presented one of the most remarkable events at our school since I’ve been here. The people who didn’t attend missed out.”
One person who didn’t miss out was Cooper. The president definitely enjoyed the show, and even was picked on a few times when Pike looked for victims to tell jokes about. She embraced the humor in good spirits.
“It was a huge honor to be called to perform during such a big week for your school,” Pike said after the show. “They didn’t tell me until I got here, and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, no pressure!’ Then I find out she’s the one that I’m making jokes about, and I’m thinking she’s going to boot me off the stage during my performance. Luckily, she seemed to be a great sport. I’m happy that I could be part of her inauguration week.”
Pike displayed a number of jaw-dropping tricks, including juggling with balls, clubs, an axe, a knife and a meat cleaver. He juggled five clubs at one time, and made it look routine, but expressed to the crowd that it took him nearly 20 years to accomplish this. He’s been juggling for a total of 22 years.
Toward the end of the performance, Pike got on a unicycle and had a Springfield College student throw the clubs at him. He successfully caught all three and proceeded to juggle them, while simultaneously riding the unicycle. If this wasn’t enough, Pike then went down the ramp toward the exit door, turned around, and road the unicycle through the crowd. Students were quite impressed by this incredible feat.
As the finale came, the native of southwest England dropped glass on a towel across the stage and started his last, and perhaps his best, trick of the night. He took the axe, knife and meat cleaver to set up the much-anticipated act. Just before he walked on the glass to start his juggling act, he took a bag, and put it over his head to blindfold himself. He then walked across the sharp broken glass, while juggling the three tools, blindfolded. Nick Pike truly left Springfield College students and faculty utterly stunned.
“I love performing,” Pike said. “The individuality of each show makes it the best job in the world.”