The Black Scorpion holding his hand. Photo by Karen Shepard.
When someone needs help, it’s only natural to offer a hand. But what about buying one instead?
It’s how one performer, called Black Scorpion, is hoping to raise funds for his upcoming medical and dental bills. A rare condition called Ectrodactyly, more casually known as Lobster Claw Syndrome, has given him unique challenges to deal with. It’s also given him a curious set of hands to cast and sell.
For the past ten years Black Scorpion has turned his distinct hands and feet into a sideshow act as a way to both entertain and educate. He’s performed at Coney Island in New York, across the country with the 999 Eyes Freakshow, and is currently at the Museum of the Weird in Austin, Texas.
“The act I am currently performing is my story of trying to change preconceived negatives into rainbow bright positives through humor, a magic act I invented (known as ‘Hammer Hands’) and a glass walking act that shows that my feet also have Ectrodactyly,” Black Scorpion told Weird Historian.
“Hammer Hands” introduces audiences to his condition in a way that promises to shock and amaze. With gloved hands, he smashes a hammer on what appears to be his fingers. When he removes the gloves and reveals his Ectrodactyly, it looks as if the hammer’s split his hand.
Once the people have caught their breath, he begins discussing his rare condition and explains that many doctors haven’t even heard of it. “In fact, sometimes I even have to spell it for them E-C-T-R-O-D-A-C-T-Y-L-Y!” he tells them. “It’s the same thing Yoda had.”
To make people feel about his condition, he call his hands “super happy fun hands.”
Black Scorpion chose his stage name as a way to avoid being known as another “Lobster Boy” and because Texas isn’t exactly known for having lobsters. “But we do have scorpions,” he noted.
The Black Scorpion Ectrodactyly casts. Photo courtesy of Black Scorpion.
Outside of sideshows, he has worked in local television production for decades. But as Ectrodactyly has deteriorated his health, his hours on the job have had to be reduced.
“Being born different in such a way that causes one to need a plethora of medical care from birth really puts you in a for a lifetime of financial hardship on top of physical pain,” he explained, “… but America … yay!”
In addition to his claw-like hands and feet, the genetic mutations affect his body in many other ways, from his hearing and fragile keratin to his weakening teeth which require constant care and have necessitated numerous implants.
This struggle, along with his artistic and humorous abilities to solve problems, led to the idea of making claw casts to raise the money he knows he’ll need for medical emergencies.
“Basically, I have to think of inventive ways to be gifted currency,” Black Scorpion said.
An initial set was designed using expensive materials and costing too pretty a penny. That made for slow sales. But after a set of claw casts from Grady Stiles III (son of the infamous Lobster Boy) sold for a high price at the recent auction for Johnny Fox’s Freakatorium collection, a new plan was formed. Fellow sideshow performer, Brett Loudermilk, suggested trying a less expensive method and a lower price point.
“I love the business and I love helping out with ideas and other creative endeavors,” Loudermilk said. “So I saw an opportunity when the Grady claw went to auction and fetched such a high price tag.”
The claws are cast in Hydrostone, painted, and finished with a Type B Silver metal coating.
While the hands will help raise money, Black Scorpion hopes to capitalize further on his anomaly with roles on television and in film. He’s spent years training in theater and has auditioned for many shows, including Season 4 of American Horror Story: Freakshow.
“Evan Peters consulted with me on his character development of ‘Jimmy Darling’ whose hands are based on mine except for being syndactyly—because they had to create the special effects for a five-fingered hand,” he said.
In the meantime, you can lend a hand help by owning your own set of Black Scorpion’s. He’s offering them for $150 a pair through his Venmo, @BlackScorpion.
