The Passing Zone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Passing Zone
Jon Wee (left) and Owen Morse in an undated publicity photo
Birth name	Jonathan Wee Owen Morse
Born	Minnesota California
Genres	Comedy juggling

The Passing Zone is a funny juggling team from America. It includes two performers, Jon Wee and Owen Morse. Jon is from Minnesota, and Owen is from California. They first met at a juggling event in northern California in 1986. Two years later, in 1988, they decided to work together.

Since then, The Passing Zone has won many awards. They have earned 18 gold medals from the International Jugglers' Association (IJA). This is a big group for jugglers. They also hold five Guinness World Records for their amazing skills.

The Passing Zone was one of the top ten acts on the first season of America's Got Talent on NBC. They were the best comedy act, but they did not win the main prize. They also came back for the 11th season of America's Got Talent. They made it to the semifinals that time.

They have performed for important people, like Prince Charles of England. This was at a special show called the Royal Variety Performance. They even performed at the White House in the United States. The Passing Zone often performs for big companies. They use their act to show how important teamwork is.

About Jon and Owen

Jonathan Wee grew up in Northfield, Minnesota. He is one of three children of David and Karen Wee. Jon started performing when he was 14 years old. He liked to juggle with other people. He used to perform with two friends. Their group was called Three of Clubs. They performed at the Minnesota Renaissance Fair.

Owen Morse is from Tustin, California. He started performing when he was in high school. He created a 15-minute show about sports, set to music. He got jobs through an agency in Hollywood. Owen performed at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach. He also worked at Disneyland while he was in college.

How They Met

A friend helped Jon and Owen meet at a jugglers' event in San Jose, California. They wrote letters to each other for a year. They met again at an IJA event in Akron, Ohio. In 1988, they decided to team up for a competition. This was the Teams Championships in Denver, Colorado. They won a silver medal just two weeks after their first show together. The next year, they won the gold medal.

Jon moved to southern California after college. He graduated from Luther College. Owen graduated a year later from University of California, Irvine. By 2006, Owen lived in Tustin with his wife and two daughters. Jon lived in Hermosa Beach with his wife, son, and daughter.

Their Amazing Career

Jon and Owen spent many years making their act better. They performed at comedy clubs, trade shows, and colleges. They were the first jugglers to pass eleven clubs between them. This was a big achievement.

They also created new and exciting routines. One is called "The Chainsaw Ballet." They juggle chainsaws to classical music. Another is "people juggling." For this, three audience members hang from special ropes. The duo juggles them safely. Overall, they have five Guinness World Records. They also have 18 gold medals from the IJA.

Famous Performances

In 1994, The Passing Zone performed for Prince Charles of England. This was at the Royal Variety Performance in London. Prince Charles said their act was "very clever." He also joked he was glad he wasn't in the front row!

Wee and Morse have performed at many sports events. They have been part of half-time shows for NBA and NCAA games. They have also been on TV shows. These include The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.

They even worked on the movie The Addams Family (1991). They were juggling stand-ins for the actors Raúl Juliá and Christopher Lloyd. They performed the "Mamushka dagger-passing scene." In 2005, they were in a comedy movie called The Aristocrats. They also appeared as juggling chefs on an episode of Hell's Kitchen.

Jon and Owen have been special guests at the White House. They also gave commentary for ESPN's coverage of juggling competitions.

Teamwork for Companies

The Passing Zone often performs for companies. They show how important teamwork is. They bring company leaders and workers onto the stage. They even use the company's products in their act. They have taught teamwork to big companies like Boeing and Hewlett-Packard. They also worked with the United States Army.

America's Got Talent Appearances

America's Got Talent, 2006

Wee (left) and Morse (right) prepare to throw sickles around David Hasselhoff (center) during the finals of America's Got Talent (season 1)

The Passing Zone first appeared on America's Got Talent in 2006. This was during the first season of the show. For their audition, Jon bounced a fake bowling ball off Owen's face. Then, Jon stood on Owen's shoulders. Owen balanced on a Rola Bola. While doing this, they juggled six flaming torches.

The judges had different opinions. David Hasselhoff did not like it at first. But Brandy and Piers Morgan wanted to see more.

For the semifinals, Jon and Owen did their "people juggling" act. The audience and David Hasselhoff loved it this time. The Passing Zone was one of ten acts in the finals. They brought David Hasselhoff onto the stage. All three wore helmets with torches. Jon and Owen juggled sickles around him. Even though they did well, they did not win the show.

America's Got Talent, 2016

The Passing Zone came back for season 11 in 2016. For their audition, they asked judge Howie Mandel to lie on the stage. Owen stood over Howie. He juggled a mouse trap, a flaming plunger, and a taser. Then Jon jumped over Owen while still juggling. The judges sent them to the next round.

In the Judges Cuts round, they did a knife-throwing act. Howie Mandel ended up in a dunk tank. This performance sent them to the live shows.

For their next act, they did "people juggling" again. This time, they juggled judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Mel B. They were eliminated the next night. However, the judges brought them back as a wild card act. They performed again in the semifinals. Their act included judge Simon Cowell and many flaming torches. They were eliminated by the audience's vote.

Film and TV Appearances