Veronok is everywhere.
The daredevil circus performer and “America’s Got Talent” celebrity, who was named to Time Magazine’s list of America’s Best Artists and Entertainers, produces shows as part of his family’s entertainment business. I am heading to Amsterdam and Monte Carlo, Australia.
This is a man who has walked a tightrope over New York’s Lincoln Center, walked a tightrope between two ships at sea, and performed a trapeze act under a helicopter over the Statue of Liberty. , all with their trademark hair, gravity-defying vertical hair. Plank — be careful.
But Nock, 55, will say he loves performing at the annual Florida State Fair in Tampa. Currently in progress in his home state.
This year, Vero Nok Aqua Rock will feature a world champion flyboard artist who was “the first person to do a backflip on a jet ski,” said Mr. Nok, in a show held on the amusement park’s lake. “A jet is fired at your feet above the water,” he said.
Below is a conversation with Nock about his showman roots dating back seven generations and why people love the thrill of stunts. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
So, is Bello Nok your real name?
Demetrius Alexandro Claudio Amadeus Bello Noc. I had an Italian mother and a Swiss father, and they wanted to make every uncle and aunt they could think of happy.
You travel all over the world, but where is your home and family?
Sarasota. My wife runs our business.we met at Tertiary. She often performed with me.
She said it’s like (we) have three kids and you have four. Someone has to manage this.
We produce different shows all over the world, so she runs that business and tries to lock me in.
Have your children grown?
yes. One of them (Annalise Nock) has performed with me all over the world and will be performing at the state fair. She is a daredevil.
What did they say about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers? Ginger had to do the same thing as Fred except wear high heels and turn backwards. She does everything her father does with grace and beauty.
You’re known as America’s Greatest Clown, but you’re also a daredevil.
I’ve kind of created my own genre called comic daredevils. Most daredevils didn’t laugh, and most clowns didn’t take it seriously.
It wasn’t that I suddenly thought of it one day. That’s me.Sixteen GuinnI still don’t mind people laughing at me when I read world record books.
Is there any doubt in your mind that this will be your life?
My parents never forced me to carry on the (show) tradition. They said you have to try for 30 or 40 years.
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In the world of entertainment, it’s not uncommon for your descendants to follow in your footsteps. What’s rare is that the next generation is better.
I think my daughter is probably better than me. Somersaulting on the wheel of death—she probably did four flips in one minute.
Ring of death?
Do you know the giant hamster wheel that spins at Cirque du Soleil?
What will you be doing at the State Fair this year?
The people running the fair felt there was a lack of space for performances. I said, what about there in the middle of the lake?
I’m a musician, acrobat, and daredevil, so I have a trampoline on top of a floating barge. Ride a jet ski. Ride a flyboard. I play the guitar.
I even dangled by my toes from a helicopter at the Florida State Fair. There is a record of that.
What happens after the fair? Are you on your way?
always. I live in Sarasota, and I’m lucky if I can stay there three months out of the year.
There is a palace in Sarasota called Vero Park. We called it Funny Farm. We have a 6 acre lake. We can create and practice things on the water, on land, and in the air. Basically, you can train people there.
I have something called Artillery University where I train people to shoot from artillery.
Are you in Sarasota because of your circus roots?
I’m one of those very rare people: I was born in Sarasota.
If possible, I would like to spend the rest of my life producing shows for the Florida State Fair, which will be held in February. The rest of the time I’m in Amsterdam, Australia, and Monte Carlo. I travel often. But February…is a really fun month for me.
Can I leave midway through?
You better believe it. It’s like a family reunion.
Cows are born there every day at the state fair.
Which of your stunts is your favorite?
If someone asks a band what their favorite song is, they’ll probably say: You will always be inspired to say the next thing.
I’m just as excited as the audience to see what happens.
Why do you think people like daredevil stunts?
It’s the same thing that brings people to NASCAR… you see yourself doing it and think you can do it better, or I don’t have the guts to do it, but they… Either you want to see someone do it.
For me, it’s never a question of survival. What matters is how well you land.
How did that hair come about?
When I was young, I was a competitive water skier. We all got crew cuts because they look great in and out of the water. I got a sunburn on the top of my head. After a few weeks, my hair started to grow straight. And I just started getting noticed. If you’re in entertainment, that’s not a bad thing.
I’m one of the few people in the world known for my silhouettes.
So what’s the secret to staying vertical?
If you lived a life like mine, your hair would stand on end.