Brad Byers

Born and raised in Moscow, Idaho, Brad Byers joined a traveling circus as a juggler, shortly after graduating from high school. Two years later, he left the circus to focus on television and other international venues. In Brad's constant quest to improve his act, he considered sword swallowing at the age of 21. Brad had never even seen a sword swallower, but borrowed a friend's college anatomy book for research. After careful study, Brad began measuring swords at the local Army Navy store. Upon finding a sword he believed to be the proper length, Brad asked the clerk if he could give it a try. With only the clerk in the Army Navy store in attendance, and never having watched anyone swallow a sword, Brad swallowed his first sword. Brad still remembers the rush from the sensation of that first time he felt the cold steel in his esophagus. In front of a stunned clerk, Brad pulled out that sword, and said "I'll take it!"

Brad’s self-taught repertoire of 20 acts began at age 15 with juggling and chin balancing. He became a yo-yo Grand Master in early adulthood. However, it was his sword swallowing skills that landed him his first national television appearance on That's Incredible in the early 80's. X-rays have been taken that prove the act is not an illusion! Genuine daredevil acts became a trademark for Byers. Power drilling a bit or hammering a nail into his face, inserting a hook through his nose and swinging an anchor, lying on a bed of nails, walking on broken glass, and spinning large items on the tip of his finger have since been added. Brad actually choreographed and trained actor Johnny Depp for his spinning routine in the motion picture Benny and Joon.

Taped performances of Brad Byers are currently shown in Ripley's Believe it or Not museums around the world.

He has appeared in 5 episodes of the Fox TV show Guinness World Records Prime Time and was featured on Late Night with David Letterman. Brad is so versatile that he appeared on the Peruvian TV show Que Noche every night for a week and performed a different act each night! Brad's work has taken him to over 20 countries for countless television shows and other venues. Due to his worldwide reputation, the country of Grenada has even pictured him swallowing swords on their official postage stamp.

From the circus to hit TV shows NBC’s America's Got Talent and the History Channel's Stan Lee's Superhuman, Brad Byers has done it all. For the premier episode of NBC’s America's Got Talent Season 4. Brad Inserted an 18 inch hook into his nose, through his nasal passage, and out his mouth. He then swings a wicked anchor, attached to that same hook! The show's judges commented, "Wildly entertaining!" and "Enjoyed every second of it!"

BrBrad Byers has definitely gone from a small town boy to an international performer. Brad can swallow a curved sword, wavy bladed sword, bayonette, keyhole saw, and common wire coat hanger, as well as multiple swords at one time. He holds several Guinness World Records, including swallowing 10 swords (one sword at a time up to a record of 10) then, twisting those swords 180 degrees in his throat! To top it all off, he is the only performer in the in the world to finish this feat by taking a bow before removing those ten swords. It has been stated by some of his peers, that Brad is, "The BEST Living Sword Swallower today."