Performer has strong grip on future

By Warren Black

A grown man who was bullied as a child wouldn’t normally chose to wear a red and white striped spandex leotard in public. But Mighty Mike isn’t a normal man. He’s a strong man. But not just any strong man. He’s the State Fair of Texas’ strong man! And Big Tex has got his back.

Mike was born near Toronto, Canada in 1984 to an insurance man and a stay-at-home mom. After receiving a little magic kit as a child, Mike became fascinated with magic and entertaining. Coming from an ice hockey-obsessed town, it wasn’t considered cool to be fascinated with magic. As a result, Mike was often bullied by the bigger kids in his school. He even jokes about getting bullied by a girl in his Fair act. His classmates would tell him, “Real men don’t do magic.” 

Mike’s family soon moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he learned to juggle and make balloon animals. While most 12-year-olds were mowing lawns to make extra money, Mike built up a business performing for tips in front of a little grocery store called Pete’s Fruitique. He would give out business cards for his services, which led to being hired to perform at birthday parties, libraries and other small events. By word-of-mouth, the other children in the neighborhood found out what he was up to, and the bulling got worse.

By high school, Mike’s parents had moved the family back to Toronto. He felt insecure and lost, so Mike determined to recreate himself as a cool guy. He gave up his magic and entertainment business and began working out in the gym. Then he started getting tattoos, growing his hair long and drinking alcohol with the guys. Mike left for college shortly thereafter and got a degree in political science. He then went to work in the insurance business. 

Hating the insurance industry and corporate life, at 28 years old, Mike realized his passion was entertainment. Mike met with another entertainer who told him that — because of his unique, handlebar mustache — he looked like an old-time strong man. Mike liked the idea of being a strong man.

Mike found a mentor in Dennis Rogers, a famous strongman act from Houston, Texas. He flew to Houston to study under Rogers and learn the tricks of the trade. When Mike started, he wasn’t strong and couldn’t bend a horseshoe. Today, Rogers considers Mighty Mike and his show his shining star.

Mike began an emailing campaign to re-brand himself as a strong man and to rebuild his business. He secured some new opportunities, including performing at the Toronto Busker Fest. The festival landed Mike in an article on the front page of the local newspaper. 

His boss at the insurance company saw the picture and the article. He had no idea Mike had been moonlighting as a strong man or was covered in tattoos. He wasn’t happy about either and gave Mike an ultimatum to decide between insurance and performing. The boss stated it seemed like a “pretty easy decision.” 

Mike agreed and, much to his employer’s surprise, he quit his job and decided to pursue the strong man entertainment business. He has never looked back. “I was living a double life,” Mike said. “And I realized that a man has two lives and the second one starts when you realize you only have one.” 

For six years, Mike performed in Australia and New Zealand in the winters and in Canada in the summers. In 2019, Jason Hays, vice president — brand experience, at the State Fair of Texas, reached out to Mighty Mike. He told Mike he was looking for a new kind of show for the Fair. Mike’s first shows at the State Fair of Texas were on the front sidewalk of the Colosseum alongside the kid’s tractor pull. The show was a huge success. “The show stopped being about proving that I was not a weak man scared of the bullies, and more about making my weaknesses my strength,” Mike said. Ever since then, Hays has worked with Mike to design the current stage and performance area at the Fair, which has become a model for other fairs around the country. In 2022, Mike broke two Guinness Book of World Records during the Fair: one for juggling three balls for 446 catches in one minute and the second for juggling three 10 lb. bowling balls for 23 seconds.  

After the 2021 Fair, Mike got married to the love of his life, Gloria, in New Orleans. He now enjoys married life and training his nephew to (maybe) carry on the new family franchise.

Using songs, dancing and comedy about his life to entertain audiences — all while juggling bowling balls and bending horseshoes — Mike said: “It was never about being strong. It’s about showing people that they can do anything they set their mind to and encouraging them to follow their dreams.” 

  Featured