Profiles

Scary Guy is a former tattoo artist from Minneapolis. He changed his name by the US equivalent of deed poll, when a rival tattooist called him a scary guy in a piece of advertising.

It was the start of an epiphany which lead him to give up his day job and start touring the US and Europe trying to get youngsters to change the way they think about their lives:

"One day I woke up and said 'Hey'. The way I had been living for 43 years just wasn't making it for me and for other people around me.

"I really called myself a good guy for many years, whereas the truth was I was living this lie. I was putting people down, manipulating, controlling them with my words.

"And then I woke up to the idea that this wasn't really all that pleasant. It wasn't good stuff - I was really a negative person.

"I was really good at humour and making you laugh, even if I was putting you down at a party. I would use sarcasm and make it sound palatable even if I was making fun of your hair or glasses and everybody laughed.

"You could probably still be my friend, but deep down you'd be thinking that humour at your expense wasn't right. I had to figure out who I was going to be - am I going to continue to live a lie, run my mouth, mask myself as something good for people.

"It's not easy when you haven't got a role model. Look at TV today - kids don't have clear defined models of what's right and wrong.

"If you constantly see people being beat-up, humiliated and shamed on television or in films and kids emulate this stuff. If they're not getting the positive messages at home, they have no clue how to behave or how to interact with each other.

"I get that a lot - 'there's no respect'. I work with government agencies, police authorities and religions and schools is a part of what I do and I really enjoy it."

So Scary Guy gave up work and spends all his time spreading his message. At Orwell High he was focusing on anti-bullying, respecting each other and being nicer/positive to each other which includes lots of hugs.

At one point Scary Guy asks the youngsters if they thought they would see world peace in their lifetimes: "The only world I have control over is my world and that's what I'm trying to get across.

"If you can create your own world peace then we might have world peace elsewhere and I think the kids got that today."

Back to school

Orwell High's headteacher Peter Tomkins has repeatedly invited Scary Guy in to give talks to all year groups: "The way that students internalise it and change their behaviours means they're turned into positive people.

"We're trying to make sure our students leave as positive and productive people - they realise they're in control of what they do and they don't have to take on the names that other people call them.

"I don't think you can go into any school and say there isn't a bullying problem. But it does have an impact.

"Certainly when issues arise you can ask students what did Scary Guy say about that? It makes them reflect on what they're doing and re-evaluate it and behave differently.

"Bullying goes on an we haven't eradicated it, but I would say most students feel safe here, secure here and feel respected by everyone else in the school."

Beating the bullies

Daniel Jacobs first encountered Scary Guy three years ago and now he's moved on to Felixstowe Sixth Form: "Before, I admit I was running my mouth at some people if they irritated me.

"I was bullied in primary school for several years. I wouldn't say I was a major bully as a result, but I was calling people names. Since Scary Guy came over here I was inspired.

Daniel Jacobs with Scary Guy

"I've been running an anti-bullying campaign. We're running a drop-in centre where students come in and we'll try and solve it for them and push them in the right direction.

"Since then I've been using MSN and my email address has been passed around the world.

"The overall attitude Scary Guy gave the school means there were more hugs happening in the corridors rather than people pushing each other about and I think it's amazing."

Further afield

The Scary Guy has also been teaching in Germany and Sweden as well as the US, but will he be going into countries like Iraq or Afghanistan?

"I don't know at the moment whether the Middle East would be beneficial for me or them. There may be a spark that people think I can turn on, but the truth of the matter is that I'm an American and I'm heavily tattooed.

"I'm a sore thumb here and in America, but I'm not at risk for my life or being abducted. I don't mind being a sore thumb but I'm not going to martyr myself for what I do.

"If I get invited to the Middle East and it's safe for me, then I'll go. But for the moment I'm going to carry on working the programme here."