Comedy Juggler Sydney | World Juggling Day on Weekend Sunrise
Comedy Juggler Sydney | World Juggling Day on Weekend Sunrise
Comedy Juggler Sydney Takes World Juggling Day to Weekend Sunrise
There’s nothing quite like a pre-dawn alarm to get the adrenaline going — but when Weekend Sunrise invites a comedy juggler in Sydney on to celebrate World Juggling Day, you set the alarm and you don’t hit snooze. I headed into the Channel 7 studio while most of Sydney was still fast asleep, ready for a morning of laughs, chaos, and (naturally) a lot of juggling. It’s not the first time a camera’s been pointed at me — you can check out some of my other TV appearances and commercials here.
An Early Start, a Lot of Energy
Getting into the studio before sunrise felt fitting for a segment celebrating juggling — early starts and a bit of madness are basically my job description. Between the coffee, the mic checks, and a quick warm-up in the green room, the buzz in the building was infectious well before the cameras started rolling.
My Roadie for the Morning
I didn’t do this one solo. My partner, Kylie Simpson — a fellow circus performer, and the other half of our show Chaos Meets Circus — came along as my roadie and support for the day. Having someone who gets the rhythm of live TV, the nerves, the last-minute prop checks, made the whole morning run so much smoother. It’s always more fun with her there.
Once we were live with hosts Monique Wright and David Woiwod, things got properly unpredictable. Viewers had sent in challenges beforehand, and I had no idea what I was in for — over the course of the segment I ended up juggling tennis racquets, soccer balls, witches’ hats, a pogo stick, and even a knife. It was equal parts nerve-wracking and hilarious, exactly the kind of chaos I love bringing to a stage — or in this case, a breakfast TV studio.
We also got to chat about how it all started for me: running away to join the circus at 11 years old, and how juggling has been my whole world for the past 26 years. Sharing that story on live television, in front of an audience of millions, was such a special moment — not too different from when I was featured in Escape Magazine sharing part of my journey. Getting the art of juggling out there in front of that many people on the very day designed to celebrate it is exactly the kind of full-circle moment you dream about as a performer.
A huge thank you to the whole Weekend Sunrise team for having me on and for helping celebrate a day dedicated to the incredible art of juggling.
World Juggling Day, Every Year
World Juggling Day has been celebrated annually since the mid-1990s, honouring the artistry, discipline, and sheer fun of juggling around the world. Mornings like this one on Weekend Sunrise are exactly what keep that tradition alive — putting the craft in front of a whole new audience and reminding everyone that juggling is entertainment at its best.
Want to see more, or fancy learning some skills yourself? As Sydney’s own comedy juggler, I’m always up for the next challenge — head over to jamesbustar.com — I’ve also got free juggling tutorials up, and if you’re after something more hands-on, check out my corporate juggling workshops.