Dan Meyer (performer)
Encyclopedia
Dan Meyer is an American performance artist, corporate entertainer, inspirational/motivational speaker, and professional sword swallower
best known for swallowing swords underwater in a tank of sharks and stingrays. Meyer is also internationally recognized as the world's foremost authority in the field of sword swallowing
as a published author http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/333/7582/1285?ijkey=ME07xoblLL2bTXV&keytype=ref, Ig Nobel Laureate http://improbable.com/ig/ig-pastwinners.html, and Chief Executive Director of the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI). http://www.swordswallow.org
on April 7, 1957. He first observed sword swallowers
in the mid-late 1960s with the Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus and Carson and Barnes Circus at Pullman Field in Michigan City, IN, and at the La Porte County Fair in La Porte, IN.
In late 1975, Meyer began to study juggling and clowning while attending Waldorf College
in Forest City, IA. http://www.waldorf.edu During this time, Meyer learned the art of clowning from local clowns and was heavily influenced in Christian clown ministry by the work of the Rev. Floyd Shaeffer. It was during this period that Meyer also learned fire eating from a local Iowa magician in 1976.
In 1977-78 Meyer served as a short-term Lutheran missionary to India
with the first Lutheran Youth Encounter mission team to India, “Rainbow of Promise”. http://www.trinityashaway.org/framed/famous.html In 1978, Meyer was based in Madras, Tamil Nadu
, and traveled to rural villages, hospitals, and leprosy missions throughout Tamil Nadu
, Kerala
, Andhra Pradesh
and Madhya Pradesh
India. During this time Meyer learned to read and write Tamil
, Telegu, and Malayalam. It was during his missionary period in south India that Meyer witnessed sword swallowing
and fire eating among Indian fakir
s firsthand. Sword swallowing
and fire eating are believed to have first originated in south India
around 2000 BC.
After performing juggling
and fire eating for over twenty years, Meyer became intrigued with learning the most difficult and dangerous of all the sideshow
arts: sword swallowing
. After meeting sword swallower George the Giant McArthur
in Nashville, TN in 1998 and hearing that there were "less than a dozen sword swallowers left around the world", Meyer became passionate in his quest to locate as many of the surviving sword swallowers as possible while studying the 4,000-year-old art.
Over the next three years from 1998 to 2001, Meyer researched and studied the art of sword swallowing
while networking with the remaining surviving sword swallowers around the world and compiling a collection of over 500 photos of sword swallowers. On February 12, 2001, after over three years of research, study, and daily practice with over 13,000 unsuccessful attempts, Meyer managed to successfully swallow his first sword, an 8-sided sai
, followed by a curved military saber. Over the next 5 years, Meyer taught himself to swallow solid steel swords up to 30 inches long and up to 8 swords at once while networking the remaining sword swallowers into the Sword Swallowers Association International. http://www.swordswallow.org
, Meyer can swallow swords with blade lengths ranging from 15 to 30 inches in length and up to 15 swords at once. Besides performing juggling
, stilt-walking, fire eating, and eating glass lightbulbs, Meyer’s act has included swallowing dagger
s, bayonet
s, sabers, cutlass
es, rapier
s, the serpentine Flamberge
sword, the curved Persian Shamshir
sword, 19” surgical forceps, a 20" long screwdriver, a jumbo hedge-clippers, a 40" long broadsword
, a flaming sword with the blade engulfed in flames, a multiple "sword sandwich" of up to 15 swords at once, and swallowing a sword while passing 6 juggling club
s with the sword whipped out of his throat with a whip from 8 feet away. Over the course of his career, Meyer has sustained serious injuries to his throat, esophagus and stomach requiring hospitalization, he has received 5 Guinness World Records
, the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine, he has been featured in a Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon and the 2008 Ripley's Believe It or Not
book, and been featured in hundreds of interviews on radio, TV, network documentaries, and in newspapers and magazines around the world.
In August 2002, Meyer organized the world's first annual Sword Swallowers Convention in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
. Meyer invited all known sword swallowers worldwide and assembled a total of 21 of the remaining sword swallowers from around the world. At midnight on August 30, 2002, Meyer assembled 19 of the world's top sword swallowers and set a Guinness World Record
when the combined group swallowed a total of 50 swords simultaneously before an audience of sideshow veterans, historians and fans. Among the media in attendance to document the historical feat was CNN
's Jeanne Moos who aired coverage of the convention on CNN
on September 3, 2002.
In 2003, Meyer was featured in the 2003 Travel Channel
documentary Traveling Sideshow: Shocked and Amazed by Jeff Krulik
.
On September 2005, Meyer and eight other sword swallowers broke the standing Guinness World Record
when the nine sword swallowers swallowed a record 52 swords at once. As his part of the contribution to the record, Meyer set his own personal record by swallowing 7 swords at once.
On October 14, 2005, while performing at a restaurant in Hartselle, AL, Meyer suffered his most serious injury, a near-fatal puncture wound when 5 swords punctured his lower esophagus at the entrance to his stomach, causing pleurisy
as well as fluids around the heart and lungs. Meyer was hospitalized and remained unable to eat solid food for nearly four weeks.
On November 14, 2005, Meyer filmed an episode for Food Network
's "Unwrapped: Food Magic" at the Timberloft Restaurant in Gordonsville, TN. During the taping, Meyer managed to swallow several individual swords, and finished by successfully swallowing the "sword sandwich" of five swords for the finalé of the episode.
's "You've Got Character" national contest. http://contest.usanetwork.com/portal/finalists.html
On December 23, 2006, the article Sword swallowing and its side effects, co-authored by Meyer, was published in the December 2006 British Medical Journal
. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/333/7582/1285?ijkey=ME07xoblLL2bTXV&keytype=ref
On May 18, 2007, Meyer swallowed a 22 inch long sword with 16 inch blade, followed by a 30 inch long sword with 24 inch blade while submerged 20 feet underwater in a tank of 80 sharks and stingrays at Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, SC during the Myrtle Beach Bike Week. The feat was broadcast by over 400 television stations to over 40 million viewers, was featured in a Ripley’s Believe It or Not syndicated cartoon on September 22, 2007, and in the 2009 Ripley’s Believe It or Not book.
On June 21, 2007, Meyer performed at the grand opening of the Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium Times Square, NY with Carmen Electra
, Jenny McCarthy
, Kelly Osbourne
, LizardMan
, and other Ripley's Believe It or Not performers and celebrities. Meyer swallowed a sword, removed it by flinging it into the air, caught it and used it to cut the ribbon. The event was filmed by several international TV and film crews and broadcast to over 40 million viewers around the world.
On October 4, 2007, Meyer received the 2007 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPulig6sDWM at Harvard University
for co-authoring with Dr. Brian Witcombe the research article Sword swallowing and its side effects published in the December 2006 British Medical Journal
. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/333/7582/1285?ijkey=ME07xoblLL2bTXV&keytype=ref The event was featured on NPR Radio "Science Friday", and covered in media around the world including BBC, USAToday, New York Post, The Times, The Guardian, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, AOL News, ABC News, MSN, Forbes Magazine, Scientific American, to over 180 million Russian and Eastern European viewers on NTV Russia, and others.
Newsroom, BBC World
, ITV
, the Alan Titchmarsh
Show, Newcastle Centre for Life
, and the Cheltenham Science Festival
.
On July 1, 2008, Meyer was featured as a contestant on the third week of the third season
of NBC's
reality television
show, America's Got Talent
in the Southeast regional auditions in Atlanta, GA (Episode 303). Out of over 70 contestants who performed, Meyer was one of only a few voted through to advance to the Las Vegas
, Nevada
semi-finals stage (Episode 308) which aired on August 5, 2008. Two days later, during the second Las Vegas semi-finals episode on August 7, 2008 (Episode 308A), Meyer was selected to be a "Wildcard" contestant to be voted on by viewers, with the results to be released at the live Los Angeles finals. On August 26, 2008, in the first live Los Angeles episode (Episode 309), Meyer and 8 other contestants were eliminated from America's Got Talent
when Donald Braswell II
was chosen as the "Wildcard" choice.
Meyer was featured in the 2009 Ripley’s Believe It or Not
book published August 5, 2008. To promote the book, Meyer and other Ripley's performers were featured on CityTV
"Breakfast TV" in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada.
in Montreal
, Canada
in the French-language series "La Vie Est Un Cirque". The program was broadcast on TV5
on August 16, 2009, to over 6.6 million cable and satellite subscribers in Quebec
, and to more than 180 million homes in over 200 French-speaking countries around the world.
On July 30, 2009, Meyer addressed the IAEWP World Peace Conference as a featured speaker at A&M University in Huntsville, AL presenting a speech entitled "Sword of War, Sword of Peace". At the end of his presentation, Meyer requested World Peace delegates from three different religions, cultures and continents to come together in harmony to remove a 40 inch "Sword of War" from his throat as a metaphor for creating peace through cooperation. The response from delegates and the audience was a spontaneous standing ovation.
in Rome, Italy for swallowing a 24 inch long sword with 18 inch blade while submerged underwater on the Italian TV program "Lo Show Dei Record". Meyer immediately broke that record by swallowing a longer 30 inch sword with 24 inch long blade underwater, and then broke both records by swallowing both swords together at once underwater. However, during filming of the stunts Meyer sustained a serious injury when he punctured his esophagus and was rushed by ambulance to a Rome hospital where he was hospitalized for 10 days on IV drip.
On September 23, 2010, Meyer was featured on The History Channel
Stan Lee's Superhumans
where he swallowed a 37.5 inch long sword heated to over 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.
where they raise Arabian horse
s.
, and has been featured in a Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon and the 2008 Ripley's Believe It or Not book.
Meyer has also been featured on television and cable TV programs such as ABC News
, CBS News
, NBC News
, FOX News, MSNBC, CNN Headline News
, CNN
Health, Discovery Channel, Discovery Health, Discovery Times, Discovery International, The Learning Channel, Travel Channel, Spike TV, USA Network, Food Network, CMT, MTV, ESPN, WGN, America's Got Talent
, 20/20, 48 Hours, NPR, PBS, BBC
World, CBC, CTV, ITV, NTV Russia, Alan Titchmarsh Show (UK), Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mancow Show, in Newsweek, USA Today
, New York Post
, New York Times, The Times
(London), National Geographic, Forbes, Nature Magazine, Guardian Magazine, Telegraph, British Medical Journal
, Scientific American, Science Daily, Christian Activities, and hundreds of other radio, TV, magazine and newspaper interviews around the world. Meyer has performed on national tour with Brooks and Dunn's Neon Circus, on international tour with the Celtic Christian band Ceili Rain, at Ripley’s Believe It or Not attractions, and at conventions, corporate events, colleges, universities, science and medical centers, churches, parks, festivals, and other events in 12 countries around the world.
in Forest City
, Iowa
. In 1982 Meyer received his Bachelor's degree in Music Theory and Composition, Radio Broadcasting, TV, Film from Indiana State University
in Terre Haute, Indiana
.
In 1983, Meyer won 1st Place in the Christian Artist's national songwriting competition in Estes Park, Colorado
.
From 1983 to 1985, Meyer worked as an audio engineer/recording studio engineer and record producer for the Bill Gaither Trio's Pinebrook Studios in Alexandria, Indiana
.
In 1985, Meyer was certified as an SSI Scuba
instructor. He worked as Out Island Activities Manager for Admiral Cruise Lines private out-island "Little Stirrup Cay
" (renamed "Coco Cay") in the Berry Islands
of the Bahamas from 1985 to 1987. He had previously served as manager and caretaker of the island periodically from 1979-1983.
In 1989, Meyer wrote, directed and produced the music video for the song "Merry Christmas, Doll" which was co-written with Christian artists Steven Curtis Chapman
and Brent Henderson. The music video was aired on CMT
heavily during Christmas 1989 and 1990.
In 1990, Meyer worked in the music business with STIM
in Stockholm, Sweden. During this time, he successfully climbed to the top of Mount Kebnekaise
, the highest mountain in Sweden
above the Arctic Circle
.
In 2007, Meyer received his certification as a certified hypnotist with the National Guild of Hypnotists.
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
best known for swallowing swords underwater in a tank of sharks and stingrays. Meyer is also internationally recognized as the world's foremost authority in the field of sword swallowing
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
as a published author http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/333/7582/1285?ijkey=ME07xoblLL2bTXV&keytype=ref, Ig Nobel Laureate http://improbable.com/ig/ig-pastwinners.html, and Chief Executive Director of the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI). http://www.swordswallow.org
Early life
Meyer was born in Michigan City, IndianaMichigan City, Indiana
Michigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....
on April 7, 1957. He first observed sword swallowers
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
in the mid-late 1960s with the Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus and Carson and Barnes Circus at Pullman Field in Michigan City, IN, and at the La Porte County Fair in La Porte, IN.
In late 1975, Meyer began to study juggling and clowning while attending Waldorf College
Waldorf College
Waldorf College, located in Forest City, Iowa, is a four-year liberal arts, for-profit college.Founded in 1903, the college was affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America until 2009, when, due to financial problems, the college was sold to for-profit Mayes Education, owner of...
in Forest City, IA. http://www.waldorf.edu During this time, Meyer learned the art of clowning from local clowns and was heavily influenced in Christian clown ministry by the work of the Rev. Floyd Shaeffer. It was during this period that Meyer also learned fire eating from a local Iowa magician in 1976.
In 1977-78 Meyer served as a short-term Lutheran missionary to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
with the first Lutheran Youth Encounter mission team to India, “Rainbow of Promise”. http://www.trinityashaway.org/framed/famous.html In 1978, Meyer was based in Madras, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, and traveled to rural villages, hospitals, and leprosy missions throughout Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
and Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
India. During this time Meyer learned to read and write Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Telegu, and Malayalam. It was during his missionary period in south India that Meyer witnessed sword swallowing
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
and fire eating among Indian fakir
Fakir
The fakir or faqir ; ) Derived from faqr is a Muslim Sufi ascetic in Middle East and South Asia. The Faqirs were wandering Dervishes teaching Islam and living on alms....
s firsthand. Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
and fire eating are believed to have first originated in south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
around 2000 BC.
After performing juggling
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
and fire eating for over twenty years, Meyer became intrigued with learning the most difficult and dangerous of all the sideshow
Sideshow
In America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair or other such attraction.- Types of attractions :There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions:...
arts: sword swallowing
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
. After meeting sword swallower George the Giant McArthur
George McArthur
George "The Giant" McArthur is an American actor, and variety artist known for his height.McArthur was born in Bakersfield, California; the youngest of five children born to Marilyn Baird and Howard McArthur...
in Nashville, TN in 1998 and hearing that there were "less than a dozen sword swallowers left around the world", Meyer became passionate in his quest to locate as many of the surviving sword swallowers as possible while studying the 4,000-year-old art.
Over the next three years from 1998 to 2001, Meyer researched and studied the art of sword swallowing
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
while networking with the remaining surviving sword swallowers around the world and compiling a collection of over 500 photos of sword swallowers. On February 12, 2001, after over three years of research, study, and daily practice with over 13,000 unsuccessful attempts, Meyer managed to successfully swallow his first sword, an 8-sided sai
Sai (weapon)
The sai is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon. The basic form of the weapon is that of a pointed, dagger-shaped metal truncheon, with two curved prongs called yoku projecting from the handle...
, followed by a curved military saber. Over the next 5 years, Meyer taught himself to swallow solid steel swords up to 30 inches long and up to 8 swords at once while networking the remaining sword swallowers into the Sword Swallowers Association International. http://www.swordswallow.org
Performance career
As a sword swallowerSword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
, Meyer can swallow swords with blade lengths ranging from 15 to 30 inches in length and up to 15 swords at once. Besides performing juggling
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
, stilt-walking, fire eating, and eating glass lightbulbs, Meyer’s act has included swallowing dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
s, bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
s, sabers, cutlass
Cutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket shaped guard...
es, rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
s, the serpentine Flamberge
Flamberge
A flame-bladed sword or wave-bladed sword has a characteristically undulating style of blade. The wave in the blade is often considered to contribute a flame-like quality to the appearance of a sword...
sword, the curved Persian Shamshir
Shamshir
A Shamshir also Shamsheer and Chimchir, is a type of sabre with a curve that is considered radical for a sword: 5 to 15 degrees from tip to tip. The name is derived from Persian شمشیر shamshīr, which means "sword"...
sword, 19” surgical forceps, a 20" long screwdriver, a jumbo hedge-clippers, a 40" long broadsword
Broadsword
Broadsword may refer to:*Broadsword , a military sword used by heavy cavalry during the 17th to early 19th centuriesIn more modern times, it has also been used to refer to:...
, a flaming sword with the blade engulfed in flames, a multiple "sword sandwich" of up to 15 swords at once, and swallowing a sword while passing 6 juggling club
Juggling club
Juggling clubs, or simply clubs are a prop used by jugglers, as are other props such as balls or rings. A typical club is in the range of long, weighs between , is slim at the "handle" end, and has its center of balance nearer the wider "body" end...
s with the sword whipped out of his throat with a whip from 8 feet away. Over the course of his career, Meyer has sustained serious injuries to his throat, esophagus and stomach requiring hospitalization, he has received 5 Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine, he has been featured in a Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon and the 2008 Ripley's Believe It or Not
Ripley's Believe It or Not Annual
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Annual is a hardback reference book of unusual stories and images. The books consist of hundreds of snippets and longer in-depth articles, illustrated with glossy photographs. Seven books have been produced since 2005 and they are published worldwide by Ripley Publishing...
book, and been featured in hundreds of interviews on radio, TV, network documentaries, and in newspapers and magazines around the world.
2002
In the second half of 2002, Meyer toured the United States opening for the Country band Brooks and Dunn on their national Neon Circus tour.In August 2002, Meyer organized the world's first annual Sword Swallowers Convention in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. Meyer invited all known sword swallowers worldwide and assembled a total of 21 of the remaining sword swallowers from around the world. At midnight on August 30, 2002, Meyer assembled 19 of the world's top sword swallowers and set a Guinness World Record
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
when the combined group swallowed a total of 50 swords simultaneously before an audience of sideshow veterans, historians and fans. Among the media in attendance to document the historical feat was CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Jeanne Moos who aired coverage of the convention on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
on September 3, 2002.
2003
In 2003, Meyer again toured selected dates with the Country band Brooks and Dunn with their second Neon Circus tour.In 2003, Meyer was featured in the 2003 Travel Channel
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
documentary Traveling Sideshow: Shocked and Amazed by Jeff Krulik
Jeff Krulik
Jeff Krulik is a director of independent films and a former Discovery Channel producer.Krulik's work frequently explores the fringes of popular culture from an enthusiastic and appreciative point of view....
.
2005
In 2005, Meyer performed on international tour with the Celtic Christian pop band Ceili Rain in Ireland as both pennywhistle player and sword swallower.On September 2005, Meyer and eight other sword swallowers broke the standing Guinness World Record
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
when the nine sword swallowers swallowed a record 52 swords at once. As his part of the contribution to the record, Meyer set his own personal record by swallowing 7 swords at once.
On October 14, 2005, while performing at a restaurant in Hartselle, AL, Meyer suffered his most serious injury, a near-fatal puncture wound when 5 swords punctured his lower esophagus at the entrance to his stomach, causing pleurisy
Pleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....
as well as fluids around the heart and lungs. Meyer was hospitalized and remained unable to eat solid food for nearly four weeks.
On November 14, 2005, Meyer filmed an episode for Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
's "Unwrapped: Food Magic" at the Timberloft Restaurant in Gordonsville, TN. During the taping, Meyer managed to swallow several individual swords, and finished by successfully swallowing the "sword sandwich" of five swords for the finalé of the episode.
2006
On June 18, 2006, Meyer won 2nd Place in USA NetworkUSA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
's "You've Got Character" national contest. http://contest.usanetwork.com/portal/finalists.html
On December 23, 2006, the article Sword swallowing and its side effects, co-authored by Meyer, was published in the December 2006 British Medical Journal
British Medical Journal
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/333/7582/1285?ijkey=ME07xoblLL2bTXV&keytype=ref
2007
On May 3, 2007, Meyer quit his job selling cars to pursue sword swallowing full time.On May 18, 2007, Meyer swallowed a 22 inch long sword with 16 inch blade, followed by a 30 inch long sword with 24 inch blade while submerged 20 feet underwater in a tank of 80 sharks and stingrays at Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, SC during the Myrtle Beach Bike Week. The feat was broadcast by over 400 television stations to over 40 million viewers, was featured in a Ripley’s Believe It or Not syndicated cartoon on September 22, 2007, and in the 2009 Ripley’s Believe It or Not book.
On June 21, 2007, Meyer performed at the grand opening of the Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium Times Square, NY with Carmen Electra
Carmen Electra
Tara Leigh Patrick , professionally known as Carmen Electra, is an American glamour model, actress, television personality, singer, and dancer...
, Jenny McCarthy
Jenny McCarthy
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress, author, activist, and game show host. She began her career in 1993 as a nude model for Playboy magazine and was later named their Playmate of the Year. McCarthy then parlayed her Playboy fame into a successful television and...
, Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne...
, LizardMan
Lizardman
Lizardman, Lizard Men or Lizard People can refer to:* A reptilian humanoid** * Lizard Man , a character in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe...
, and other Ripley's Believe It or Not performers and celebrities. Meyer swallowed a sword, removed it by flinging it into the air, caught it and used it to cut the ribbon. The event was filmed by several international TV and film crews and broadcast to over 40 million viewers around the world.
On October 4, 2007, Meyer received the 2007 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPulig6sDWM at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
for co-authoring with Dr. Brian Witcombe the research article Sword swallowing and its side effects published in the December 2006 British Medical Journal
British Medical Journal
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/333/7582/1285?ijkey=ME07xoblLL2bTXV&keytype=ref The event was featured on NPR Radio "Science Friday", and covered in media around the world including BBC, USAToday, New York Post, The Times, The Guardian, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, AOL News, ABC News, MSN, Forbes Magazine, Scientific American, to over 180 million Russian and Eastern European viewers on NTV Russia, and others.
2008
In March and June 2008, Meyer and Witcombe presented lectures and presentations on sword swallowing on two Ig Nobel Tours of the UK at Oxford University, Imperial College, The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Newsroom, BBC World
BBC World
BBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, the Alan Titchmarsh
Alan Titchmarsh
Alan Fred Titchmarsh, MBE DL is an English gardener, broadcaster and novelist. After working as a professional gardener and a garden journalist, he established himself as a media personality through appearances on gardening programmes...
Show, Newcastle Centre for Life
Centre for Life
The Centre for Life is a science centre located in the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is an educational charity which aims to promote greater interest and engagement in science as well as supporting scientific research...
, and the Cheltenham Science Festival
Cheltenham Festivals
]Cheltenham Festivals is a registered charity that organises four festivals every year in the spa town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: the Jazz, Science, Music and Literature. In addition to this it promotes the use of several venues for private and commercial use ]Cheltenham Festivals is a...
.
On July 1, 2008, Meyer was featured as a contestant on the third week of the third season
America's Got Talent (season 3)
The third season of America's Got Talent, an American television reality show talent competition, premiered on MediaCorp Channel 5 on September 3, 2008. Opera singer Neal E. Boyd was named the winner on January 28, 2009....
of NBC's
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show, America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
in the Southeast regional auditions in Atlanta, GA (Episode 303). Out of over 70 contestants who performed, Meyer was one of only a few voted through to advance to the Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
semi-finals stage (Episode 308) which aired on August 5, 2008. Two days later, during the second Las Vegas semi-finals episode on August 7, 2008 (Episode 308A), Meyer was selected to be a "Wildcard" contestant to be voted on by viewers, with the results to be released at the live Los Angeles finals. On August 26, 2008, in the first live Los Angeles episode (Episode 309), Meyer and 8 other contestants were eliminated from America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
when Donald Braswell II
Donald Braswell II
Donald Braswell II is an American actor, classical crossover tenor and composer. Braswell was on a fast track to become an internationally acclaimed opera singer when he suffered a car accident in 1995 that made him unable to speak for almost two years...
was chosen as the "Wildcard" choice.
Meyer was featured in the 2009 Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Ripley's Believe It or Not Annual
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Annual is a hardback reference book of unusual stories and images. The books consist of hundreds of snippets and longer in-depth articles, illustrated with glossy photographs. Seven books have been produced since 2005 and they are published worldwide by Ripley Publishing...
book published August 5, 2008. To promote the book, Meyer and other Ripley's performers were featured on CityTV
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
"Breakfast TV" in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada.
2009
On July 22, 2009, Meyer appeared with Cirque ÉloizeCirque Éloize
Cirque Éloize is a Quebec-based nouveau cirque troupe. It was founded in 1993 by Jeannot Painchaud, Daniel Cyr and Julie Hamelin. Having created seven original productions so far, it has presented more than 3000 performances in more than 375 cities and 30 countries...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the French-language series "La Vie Est Un Cirque". The program was broadcast on TV5
TV5MONDE
TV5MONDE is a global television network, broadcasting several channels of French language programming. It is an approved participant member of the European Broadcasting Union.-History:...
on August 16, 2009, to over 6.6 million cable and satellite subscribers in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and to more than 180 million homes in over 200 French-speaking countries around the world.
On July 30, 2009, Meyer addressed the IAEWP World Peace Conference as a featured speaker at A&M University in Huntsville, AL presenting a speech entitled "Sword of War, Sword of Peace". At the end of his presentation, Meyer requested World Peace delegates from three different religions, cultures and continents to come together in harmony to remove a 40 inch "Sword of War" from his throat as a metaphor for creating peace through cooperation. The response from delegates and the audience was a spontaneous standing ovation.
2010
On March 24, 2010, Meyer was awarded a Guinness World RecordGuinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
in Rome, Italy for swallowing a 24 inch long sword with 18 inch blade while submerged underwater on the Italian TV program "Lo Show Dei Record". Meyer immediately broke that record by swallowing a longer 30 inch sword with 24 inch long blade underwater, and then broke both records by swallowing both swords together at once underwater. However, during filming of the stunts Meyer sustained a serious injury when he punctured his esophagus and was rushed by ambulance to a Rome hospital where he was hospitalized for 10 days on IV drip.
On September 23, 2010, Meyer was featured on The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
Stan Lee's Superhumans
Stan Lee's Superhumans
Stan Lee's Superhumans is a documentary television series that debuted August 5, 2010 on History. It is hosted by comic book superhero creator Stan Lee and follows contortionist Daniel Browning Smith, "the most flexible man in the world", as he searches the globe for real-life superhumans – people...
where he swallowed a 37.5 inch long sword heated to over 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Personal life
Meyer and his wife Lisa reside in Hartselle, AlabamaHartselle, Alabama
Hartselle is the second largest city in Morgan County, Alabama, United States, about south of Decatur, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, and the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2006 census estimates, the population of the city is 13,479. Hartselle was...
where they raise Arabian horse
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
s.
Appearances on Cable TV/Documentaries
- Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
"Stomachs of Steel" (2004) - Travel ChannelTravel ChannelThe Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
"Traveling Sideshow: Shocked and Amazed" by Jeff KrulikJeff KrulikJeff Krulik is a director of independent films and a former Discovery Channel producer.Krulik's work frequently explores the fringes of popular culture from an enthusiastic and appreciative point of view....
(2003) - Discovery Times Channel
- Discovery Health ChannelDiscovery Health ChannelDiscovery Health Channel is a website owned by Discovery Communications, created for people interested in health and wellness. Until December 31, 2010, it was a U.S. cable television specialty channel dedicated to television programming that highlights various aspects of health and wellness...
"You Swallowed What?" (December 4, 2004) - Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
International "I Survived Impaling" (2005) - Food NetworkFood NetworkFood Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
"Unwrapped: Food Magic" (2006) - Documentary ChannelDocumentary ChannelDocumentary is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation , the National Film Board of Canada and four other independent producers...
(2006) - The Learning Channel "99 Most Bizarre - Self-Inflicted Injuries" (June 2006)
- The History ChannelThe History ChannelHistory, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
Stan Lee's SuperhumansStan Lee's SuperhumansStan Lee's Superhumans is a documentary television series that debuted August 5, 2010 on History. It is hosted by comic book superhero creator Stan Lee and follows contortionist Daniel Browning Smith, "the most flexible man in the world", as he searches the globe for real-life superhumans – people...
"Man of Steel" episode 7 (September 23, 2010)
Television Appearances
- CNN Live TodayCNN Live TodayCNN Live Today is an American television news program on CNN. It aired weekdays from 10:00 a.m. ET to 12:00 p.m., and also during Your World Today from 12:20 p.m. ET to 12:32 p.m. It was last anchored by Daryn Kagan...
"Open Up and Say AHHH!" (September 3, 2002) - WKRN-TV2 (Nashville, TN) (September 2002)
- Armed Forces Network TV Commercial "Circus Couple" (September 2002)
- WSMV-TV4 (Nashville, TN) (August 2003)
- CNN Health "Life Beyond Limits" with Sanjay Gupta (June 2004)
- WGN-TV Chicago, IL "Morning Show" (November 27, 2005)
- WAFF-TV Huntsville, AL (May 15, 2006)
- NTV Russia "Glovniy Geroy" (December 2007)
- ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
UK "Alan Titchmarsh Show" London, UK (March 11, 2008) - BBC WorldBBC WorldBBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
London, UK (March 13, 2008) - WBRC-TV Fox News Birmingham, AL (May 27, 2008)
- Today Show New York, NY (June 24, 2008)
- Jimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
(June 27, 2008) - Today Show New York, NY (July 1, 2008)
- America's Got TalentAmerica's Got TalentAmerica's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
(third season, episode 3)America's Got Talent (season 3)The third season of America's Got Talent, an American television reality show talent competition, premiered on MediaCorp Channel 5 on September 3, 2008. Opera singer Neal E. Boyd was named the winner on January 28, 2009....
(July 1, 2008) - Breakfast TV CityTVCitytvCitytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(August 5, 2008) - Guinness World RecordGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
"Lo Show Dei Record" Rome, Italy (March 24, 2010) - The History ChannelThe History ChannelHistory, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
Stan Lee's SuperhumansStan Lee's SuperhumansStan Lee's Superhumans is a documentary television series that debuted August 5, 2010 on History. It is hosted by comic book superhero creator Stan Lee and follows contortionist Daniel Browning Smith, "the most flexible man in the world", as he searches the globe for real-life superhumans – people...
Man of Steel episode 7, Hartselle, AL (September 23, 2010)
America's Got Talent
| Week | Performance | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Audition | Swallowed a medium sword, a long sword, 7 swords at once, and threw a sword into the floor. | Advanced |
| Vegas Verdicts | Swallowed a flaming sword, a curved sword, and juggled 6 clubs while a sword was whipped from his mouth with a whip. | Wild Card |
| Wild Card | Appeared in the first episode of the live Los Angeles finals with 7 other Wild Card acts to learn the outcome of the national voting. | Eliminated |
Appearances in Print Media
- Amusement Business Magazine "Hard To Swallow" (October 2005)
- Road King Magazine "Hard To Swallow" (November 2005)
- Women and Horses Magazine, "Back Page Man" (January 2006)
- Really Magazine "Controlled Gag Reflex" (December 21, 2006)
- British Medical JournalBritish Medical JournalBMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
"Sword Swallowing and its Side Effects" (December 23, 2006) - ABC NewsABC NewsABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
"Sword Swallowing Risks Hard to Stomach" (December 22, 2006) - New York Times "For The Record: A Surprisingly Safe Job" (December 26, 2006)
- Science DailyScience DailyScience Daily is a news website for topical science articles. It features articles on a wide variety of science topics including: astronomy, exoplanets, computer science, nanotechnology, medicine, psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, geology, climate, space, physics, mathematics,...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061222092934.htm (December 27, 2006) - NRC HandelsbladNRC HandelsbladNRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
"Degenslikken: kans op bloeding" (December 28, 2006) - The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
(London) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2522840,00.html (December 29, 2006) - USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/02/edgy_science_sw.html (February 16, 2007) - Scientific AmericanScientific AmericanScientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=C6FF9E7B-E7F2-99DF-38A81E45F56F0B4E&colID=15 (February 18, 2007) - Christian Activities "Hard Act to Swallow" (May 26, 2007)
- Christian Activities "International Sword Swallowers Appreciation Day - Interview with Christian Sword Swallower Dan Meyer " (February 24, 2009)
- The Lutheran "Sword Swallower Puts God in his Act" (September 2010)
Appearanecs in Books
- "Sablar Också" Swedish book on swords (Stockholm, 2004)
- "A Chorus of Voices" Book of poems featuring Meyer's poem "The Sword I Call My Pride" (2004)
- "Ripley's Believe It or Not Book" Ripley Entertainment Publishing, page 99 (August 2008)
- "Believe The Unbelievable" Book on unbelievable oddities (2008)
Movie and Film Appearances
- "American Carny, True Tales from the Circus Sideshow" a Quattica Pictures film produced by Nick Basile (Summer 2005)
- "Circus Couple" Armed Forces Network commercial (September 2005)
Other Appearances
Meyer currently holds 5 Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, and has been featured in a Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon and the 2008 Ripley's Believe It or Not book.
Meyer has also been featured on television and cable TV programs such as ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
, NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
, FOX News, MSNBC, CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News
HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
Health, Discovery Channel, Discovery Health, Discovery Times, Discovery International, The Learning Channel, Travel Channel, Spike TV, USA Network, Food Network, CMT, MTV, ESPN, WGN, America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
, 20/20, 48 Hours, NPR, PBS, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
World, CBC, CTV, ITV, NTV Russia, Alan Titchmarsh Show (UK), Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mancow Show, in Newsweek, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, New York Times, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
(London), National Geographic, Forbes, Nature Magazine, Guardian Magazine, Telegraph, British Medical Journal
British Medical Journal
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
, Scientific American, Science Daily, Christian Activities, and hundreds of other radio, TV, magazine and newspaper interviews around the world. Meyer has performed on national tour with Brooks and Dunn's Neon Circus, on international tour with the Celtic Christian band Ceili Rain, at Ripley’s Believe It or Not attractions, and at conventions, corporate events, colleges, universities, science and medical centers, churches, parks, festivals, and other events in 12 countries around the world.
Awards and recognitions
- Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
(2002) - Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
(2005) - Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
(2007) - Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
(2010) - USA Network 2nd Place Winner You've Got Character! national contest (2006) http://contest.usanetwork.com/portal/finalists.html
- Ripley's Believe It or Not Underwater Sword Swallowing in Shark Tank, Ripley's Aquarium, Myrtle Beach, SC (May 18, 2007)
- Ripley's Believe It or Not Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not syndicated cartoon for Underwater Sword Swallowing in Shark Tank (September 22, 2007)
- Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Cambridge, MA (October 4, 2007) - America's Got TalentAmerica's Got TalentAmerica's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
(third season, episodes 303, 308, 309, 310)America's Got Talent (season 3)The third season of America's Got Talent, an American television reality show talent competition, premiered on MediaCorp Channel 5 on September 3, 2008. Opera singer Neal E. Boyd was named the winner on January 28, 2009....
(July 1-August 26, 2008) - Ripley's Believe It or Not Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not book for Underwater Sword Swallowing in Shark Tank (August 5, 2008, page 99)
- List of Famous Lutherans http://www.trinityashaway.org/framed/famous.html
Accomplishments
Meyer is an accomplished pop and jazz musician, and award-winning published songwriter. In 1977, Meyer received his Associates Degree in Music from Waldorf CollegeWaldorf College
Waldorf College, located in Forest City, Iowa, is a four-year liberal arts, for-profit college.Founded in 1903, the college was affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America until 2009, when, due to financial problems, the college was sold to for-profit Mayes Education, owner of...
in Forest City
Forest City
-Places names:Canada*Forest City, New BrunswickUnited States*Forest City, Florida*Forest City, Illinois*Forest City, Indiana*Forest City, Iowa** Forest City meteorite of 1890, which fell in Iowa, *Forest City, Maine...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. In 1982 Meyer received his Bachelor's degree in Music Theory and Composition, Radio Broadcasting, TV, Film from Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
in Terre Haute, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
In 1983, Meyer won 1st Place in the Christian Artist's national songwriting competition in Estes Park, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
From 1983 to 1985, Meyer worked as an audio engineer/recording studio engineer and record producer for the Bill Gaither Trio's Pinebrook Studios in Alexandria, Indiana
Alexandria, Indiana
Alexandria is a city in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is about northeast of Indianapolis. It is part of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
In 1985, Meyer was certified as an SSI Scuba
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
instructor. He worked as Out Island Activities Manager for Admiral Cruise Lines private out-island "Little Stirrup Cay
Little Stirrup Cay
Little Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, is one of the Berry Islands, a collection of cays and small islands and is located approximately 55 miles north of Nassau. The island is less than a mile wide from east to west and less than a 200 yards from north to south...
" (renamed "Coco Cay") in the Berry Islands
Berry Islands
The Berry Islands are a chain of islands and a district of the Bahamas, covering about thirty square miles of the north western part of the Out Islands...
of the Bahamas from 1985 to 1987. He had previously served as manager and caretaker of the island periodically from 1979-1983.
In 1989, Meyer wrote, directed and produced the music video for the song "Merry Christmas, Doll" which was co-written with Christian artists Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
and Brent Henderson. The music video was aired on CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
heavily during Christmas 1989 and 1990.
In 1990, Meyer worked in the music business with STIM
STIM
STIM, Svenska Tonsättares Internationella Musikbyrå, is the collecting society for songwriters, composers and music publishers of Sweden. Its role is to act as an agent for its members in order to collect license fees whenever their musical works are performed in public, broadcast or transmitted,...
in Stockholm, Sweden. During this time, he successfully climbed to the top of Mount Kebnekaise
Kebnekaise
Kebnekaise is the highest mountain in Sweden and Sápmi. The Kebnekaise massif, which is part of the Scandinavian Mountains, has two peaks, of which the southern, glaciated one is highest at above sea level at the latest time of measurement. The north top is free of ice...
, the highest mountain in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
above the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
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In 2007, Meyer received his certification as a certified hypnotist with the National Guild of Hypnotists.