Video: Freak tries to swallow the iPod Shuffle

Jesus Diaz convinces sword-swallower Heather Holiday to try to down the iPod Shuffle.

1. [The Lizardman]

   Hooray Heather – even if it didn’t go down.

   If you get the chance, check her out at Sideshows by the Seashore, she’s a very talented performer.

2. [jimjambandit]

   Somehow I don’t mind that she didn’t get there, it was far too sexy for me to really care. Hooray for Heather!

3. [toxonix]

   Wowza. If she’s looking for a boyfriend at any time, I’m totally interested. I think we have something in common since I like swords.
   Whatttahottie

4. [Garr]

   Sounds like she damaged those vocal cords with some earlier ridiculous attempt with the scissors…

5. [jesusdiaz]

   She’s not a freak, Joel—no more than you or me. She’s actually a quite sweet and down-to-Earth girl with a, hmmm, special talent. Sexy too, even with the piercings and the bride of Frankenstein hairdo. She was great when I met her, and I hope to have her back for the definitive video.

   j.

6. [Anonymous]

   #4, there’s little reason for her to have damaged her vocal folds directly from the swallowing – anatomically, it wouldn’t do much. Maybe the compression of the larynx from the sword going down the oesophagus could have done something, though…

   As an almost-graduated speech-language pathologist, sword-swallowing is incredibly interesting. Sadly, there are very few scientific articles about it and its resulting injuries. I know there was a professional sword swallower who had started to collect that type of info, but I’ve forgotten his name.

7. [Anonymous]

   Aha! SLP student again. Here’s the website: http://www.swordswallow.com/medical.php

8. [Anonymous]

   I really hope you mean freak as some sort of term of endearment, since I’d have to question your sanity otherwise. She is gorgeous.

9. [Hellblazer]

   I love how the “be a White Knight for the cute girl” impulse is making people ignore that ‘a person who works in a circus sideshow’ is quite literally the dictionary definition of freak.

   Settle down, Beavis; even if she does read these comments, you still don’t have a shot with her

10. [The Lizardman]

    She is not only a freak, she is a great freak and she knows it and knows how to be proud of it. I have had the honor of working with her a few times. People like us know that being called a freak is a compliment no matter how much venomn is the person’s voice – not that there was any here to begin with, Joel’s use was perfect.

11. [dculberson]

    Yeah, freak, noun, 3.a. “a person or animal having a physical oddity and appearing in a circus sideshow” Sword swallowing being this oddity. See also geek, noun, 1. “a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake.”

    (merriam-webster.com definitions.)

    No pejorative intended.

    And she is lovely.