Jack Lepiarz honed his skills with a whip at the circus as a child.
A local radio anchor and reporter is stepping from behind the mic and in front of the camera for an appearance on America’s Got Talent.
You may know Jack Lepiarz’s voice, but wait until you meet his whip.
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The Guinness World Record holder has been working at his whipping skill since he was a boy in the circus and now he’s showing the country what he can do.
How does one end up on national television asking Simon Cowell to hold a stick between his legs while faced with a whip? Turns out, you start young.
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"I grew up in the circus," said Jack Lepiarz. "My dad was a performer in the Big Apple circus when I was born."
The WBUR anchor and reporter ended up at Emerson College but never really left the circus life behind.
"I realized that street performing in Harvard Square was a much better way to make money instead of working at an ice cream shop."
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But not all of his performances were met with oos and ahhs.
"It must’ve been at least half a dozen times that Boston Police were like, no you can’t do that here you need to stop we’re getting phone calls nonstop phone calls about you, you need to stop,” he said.
But he never did. In fact, he honed his skills and followed his dad’s advice.
"There aren’t a lot of whip cracking acts out there so if you want to differentiate yourself for you to have a more unique skill."
He traded the streets for the socials and the producers at America’s Got Talent noticed after a Tik Tok video went viral.
"Around January America’s Got Talent reached out to me and said hey you know we’re interested in having you come on because you seem like you’re different," Lepiarz said.
He started practicing and putting together a completely new act.
"The big trick that I did on stage I have never done that before a live audience or before any kind of audience. The first time I ever done on stage and I was very nervous."
And that’s how Jack the Whipper ended up with Cowell on stage in a precarious position.
If you want to see him in person, Lepiarz performs every weekend at the King Richard's Faire Renaissance Festival in Carver, Massachusetts through the fall.
