Justice Amhurst

About me:

Well, yay. I was just put on the list for America’s coolest bartenders, awesome, makes me regret the day when I move back to New Orleans and quit bartending all together, but hey. I did the question/answer on the 5th, it was cool, and it was aired on the 6th on channel 9. Some family and friends wanted me to send them the interview notes, so I decided to post it here too for kicks and giggles… don’t know, I’m bored out of my skull.

When did you first start bartending?

-I actually started learning when I was *cough* 16 at a little bar in New Orleans. I’ve been traveling with friends since I was 15 and we landed near Bourbon St. shortly after my 16th birthday. There was an awesome bar, kind of like a hole in the wall kind of place and the bartender was freaking great. She had dreadlocks and wore a mojo bag. She is also a flame twister; she taught me how to turn a bottle of grey goose into a torch before I even mixed my first drink.

Flame Twister?

-That is what she called it, there’s a bunch of names for it. Basically, it’s someone who plays with fire behind the bar… it can turn into quite the show.

Speaking of show, you’re known for getting up on the bar and doing your “flame twisting” there, how does that work out for you?

-Works great most of the time, though I begin each and every show with a “don’t try this at home” speech… though unfortunately alcohol does tend to dull the mind and some just don’t listen. It is fun though; a couple of us will start doing tricks, juggling bottles back and forth. Eventually the music kicks in and we’re lighting shot glasses on fire and Steve is breathing fire.

Had any accidents?

-I’ve had million myself, otherwise I’d have longer hair… but nothing serious. Everyone on our staff is highly trained. We have had several accidents of customers thinking they can spit their drinks on their lighters and it will work. Not so fun, usually involves sirens and missing fingers.. ok, I lied, missing fingers had only happened once.

What do you like most about working here?

-Dude, I work in a strip club… what do you think I like about the job, most of these girls are fabulous, and I don’t mind the free show.

What do you not like about working here?

-General manners. There are some people that think they should be served before anyone else. They start snapping their fingers and yelling over the bar… meanwhile I’m at the other end getting someone’s Caribbean kiss. They end up waiting a little longer.

What do you do when you’re not lightning bars on fire?

-Hey now, I don’t light anything but alcohol and occasionally myself on fire. Um, I go to school, I’m studying the history of the Holocaust and I’m working on several books. I also spend a lot of time hanging out with my sister’s kids and working on my car.

Sounds like a nice life.

-Most of the time Well, we picked two questions out of the bag so our fans can really get to know you.

-Alrighty, fire on… no puns

First one, what is currently playing on your MP3 player?

-The one in my car, I think Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry is going. My house one has Ecstasy by Rusted Root

Who’s your perfect match?

-Really? No one, I don’t like commitment. But, if I have to answer, someone who isn’t afraid of taking risks, who has no issues about a tattoo gun and doesn’t mind flying around LA in a breaking down muscle car. They have to be intelligent though, I love writers, and they can’t mind if I take off for a couple weeks to visit a concentration camp.