A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Fame and Fortune

I got a message today about a movie that’s doing the film festivals now, about Steve Haworth‘s work. Steve makes the point in this trailer that he’s Constitutionally protected from prosecution (which may be the case, especially in Arizona, but that still has to be tested in court before it’s a definitive statement), but I wanted to remind practitioners that I strongly urge the oldschool “word of mouth referral only” method of promotion.

It should be a fascinating movie and I’m looking forward to seeing it, but every time a media product comes out into the mainstream world, I worry about what type of attention it’s going to bring, especially when it’s tightly focussed on one person’s activities. That said, at some point I guess a line is crossed where you should be able to make the case that it’s been publicly done for long enough that it’s all de facto legal until specific laws are written codifying what’s what… (BMEshop see also: MODIFY, Like a Butterfly, Dances Sacred and Profane, and the Nomad Piercing DVD; BMEnews see also: a recent extreme body modification prosecution).

Comments

268 responses to “Fame and Fortune”

  1. omglolzroflmao Avatar

    I’m really not ready for another video that portrays the modified culture as a radical, deviant, pain-loving (just me personally, not speaking for everyone :)) band of rude individuals.
    I don’t want to alienate anyone who is friends with, looks up to, or was in the film “Modified”, but I was disgusted with at least 50% of the comments made. (Please do not confuse this for disgust or disapproval of those interviewed, just some of the broad comments that were meant to represent our entire community.)

    If there was a way we could get a neutral, informative, and open concensus of a larger number of people, I feel that the end result would represent us much better.

  2. omglolzroflmao Avatar

    I’m really not ready for another video that portrays the modified culture as a radical, deviant, pain-loving (just me personally, not speaking for everyone :)) band of rude individuals.
    I don’t want to alienate anyone who is friends with, looks up to, or was in the film “Modified”, but I was disgusted with at least 50% of the comments made. (Please do not confuse this for disgust or disapproval of those interviewed, just some of the broad comments that were meant to represent our entire community.)

    If there was a way we could get a neutral, informative, and open concensus of a larger number of people, I feel that the end result would represent us much better.

  3. omglolzroflmao Avatar

    Wow…I definitely called “Modify” “Modified”

    Sorry >_

  4. omglolzroflmao Avatar

    Wow…I definitely called “Modify” “Modified”

    Sorry >_

  5. omglolzroflmao Avatar

    Wow…I definitely called “Modify” “Modified”

    Sorry >_

  6. omglolzroflmao Avatar

    Wow…I definitely called “Modify” “Modified”

    Sorry >_

  7. molex Avatar
    molex

    OK, he’s probably a nice guy and very good at what he does, but that “I’m an artist, flesh is my medium” stuff really comes across as corny and pretentious. “I’ll fight them tooth and nail… I’m an artist.” It really sounds like the person he’s trying to convince is himself. It also vaguely sounds like he *wants* someone to come after him for what he’s doing, as a kind of validation that he’s “really out there” and “on the cutting edge” (so to speak). I smell the acrid stench of fame-seeker in those kinds of statements.

    Someone confident and grounded in what they do doesn’t talk like that, much less make a huge show of what they’re doing complete with oblique threats about “fighting tooth and nail”.

  8. molex Avatar
    molex

    OK, he’s probably a nice guy and very good at what he does, but that “I’m an artist, flesh is my medium” stuff really comes across as corny and pretentious. “I’ll fight them tooth and nail… I’m an artist.” It really sounds like the person he’s trying to convince is himself. It also vaguely sounds like he *wants* someone to come after him for what he’s doing, as a kind of validation that he’s “really out there” and “on the cutting edge” (so to speak). I smell the acrid stench of fame-seeker in those kinds of statements.

    Someone confident and grounded in what they do doesn’t talk like that, much less make a huge show of what they’re doing complete with oblique threats about “fighting tooth and nail”.

  9. molex Avatar
    molex

    OK, he’s probably a nice guy and very good at what he does, but that “I’m an artist, flesh is my medium” stuff really comes across as corny and pretentious. “I’ll fight them tooth and nail… I’m an artist.” It really sounds like the person he’s trying to convince is himself. It also vaguely sounds like he *wants* someone to come after him for what he’s doing, as a kind of validation that he’s “really out there” and “on the cutting edge” (so to speak). I smell the acrid stench of fame-seeker in those kinds of statements.

    Someone confident and grounded in what they do doesn’t talk like that, much less make a huge show of what they’re doing complete with oblique threats about “fighting tooth and nail”.

  10. molex Avatar
    molex

    OK, he’s probably a nice guy and very good at what he does, but that “I’m an artist, flesh is my medium” stuff really comes across as corny and pretentious. “I’ll fight them tooth and nail… I’m an artist.” It really sounds like the person he’s trying to convince is himself. It also vaguely sounds like he *wants* someone to come after him for what he’s doing, as a kind of validation that he’s “really out there” and “on the cutting edge” (so to speak). I smell the acrid stench of fame-seeker in those kinds of statements.

    Someone confident and grounded in what they do doesn’t talk like that, much less make a huge show of what they’re doing complete with oblique threats about “fighting tooth and nail”.

  11. CutThroat Avatar

    A good informative piece covers a lot of issues. Some of the more important issues attached to extreme body modification include the legal repercussions, and what the practitioner would do about it.

    I think it’s extremely interesting viewing to see/hear what someone in Steve’s position feels and says about said issue.
    And who could blame him for wanting to fight it? Doi. Just because Steve’s not playing gimp to Uncle Sam the bear, doesn’t mean he’s pretentious or daring the government to come after him.

    As for him being corny…
    Wellll, he just is sometimes.

    …and once again, it’s a case of the trailer trying to suck is in. Which it has succeeded at marvelously.

  12. CutThroat Avatar

    A good informative piece covers a lot of issues. Some of the more important issues attached to extreme body modification include the legal repercussions, and what the practitioner would do about it.

    I think it’s extremely interesting viewing to see/hear what someone in Steve’s position feels and says about said issue.
    And who could blame him for wanting to fight it? Doi. Just because Steve’s not playing gimp to Uncle Sam the bear, doesn’t mean he’s pretentious or daring the government to come after him.

    As for him being corny…
    Wellll, he just is sometimes.

    …and once again, it’s a case of the trailer trying to suck is in. Which it has succeeded at marvelously.

  13. CutThroat Avatar

    A good informative piece covers a lot of issues. Some of the more important issues attached to extreme body modification include the legal repercussions, and what the practitioner would do about it.

    I think it’s extremely interesting viewing to see/hear what someone in Steve’s position feels and says about said issue.
    And who could blame him for wanting to fight it? Doi. Just because Steve’s not playing gimp to Uncle Sam the bear, doesn’t mean he’s pretentious or daring the government to come after him.

    As for him being corny…
    Wellll, he just is sometimes.

    …and once again, it’s a case of the trailer trying to suck is in. Which it has succeeded at marvelously.

  14. CutThroat Avatar

    A good informative piece covers a lot of issues. Some of the more important issues attached to extreme body modification include the legal repercussions, and what the practitioner would do about it.

    I think it’s extremely interesting viewing to see/hear what someone in Steve’s position feels and says about said issue.
    And who could blame him for wanting to fight it? Doi. Just because Steve’s not playing gimp to Uncle Sam the bear, doesn’t mean he’s pretentious or daring the government to come after him.

    As for him being corny…
    Wellll, he just is sometimes.

    …and once again, it’s a case of the trailer trying to suck is in. Which it has succeeded at marvelously.

  15. Larry Avatar

    Well, the movie has been playing around the world on select television networks willing to show it (but not in the U.S.), and it’s finally available on DVD.

    I’m the filmmaker, and if you ever get a chance to see it, I’d love to know what you think about it.

  16. Larry Avatar

    Well, the movie has been playing around the world on select television networks willing to show it (but not in the U.S.), and it’s finally available on DVD.

    I’m the filmmaker, and if you ever get a chance to see it, I’d love to know what you think about it.

  17. Larry Avatar

    Well, the movie has been playing around the world on select television networks willing to show it (but not in the U.S.), and it’s finally available on DVD.

    I’m the filmmaker, and if you ever get a chance to see it, I’d love to know what you think about it.

  18. Larry Avatar

    Well, the movie has been playing around the world on select television networks willing to show it (but not in the U.S.), and it’s finally available on DVD.

    I’m the filmmaker, and if you ever get a chance to see it, I’d love to know what you think about it.

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