Evan Mew/Daily Journal Magician Greg Frisbee and his volunteer assistant Jackie Lin from Alameda perform a balancing act at the San Mateo County Fair.

In an unpredictable world, the shy kid becomes the class clown.

And this world is far from predictable.

Entertainer Greg Frisbee of San Francisco was the quiet one in the corner who found a different use for dangerous pyrotechnics and straight jackets: Humor.

Frisbee’s performances at this week’s San Mateo County Fair gathered gasps and afforded “ahs” from fascinated fair-goers seeking and finding a good time.

The fire-eating, knife-juggling routine of Frisbee’s 35-minute act combines disbelief and relief to make for a seat-gripping, neck-straining show of delight.

Frisbee admitted he was a relatively shy kid growing up. It was the discovery of magic that brought him out of his shell.

“I’m still a little bit quiet offstage,” he said.

Like Frisbee himself, even reserved youngsters enjoy themselves in the spotlight of his comedy act.

Frisbee’s favorite part of the act is pulling a kid from the audience to do the ball-spinning routine on stage.

“I try to pick the smallest kid I can who can still do the trick,” said Frisbee, who ends up making 3- and 4-year-olds the stars of the show.

The chosen assistant finds himself or herself spinning three large balls simultaneously — one on the head and two on the hands — without any effort at all. “They start out nervous, come up on stage, and then I allow them to pull off this amazing trick for everybody. It’s all about the kid at that point,” said Frisbee. “And that kid, he’s on cloud nine.”

Though Frisbee has attempted many a perilous trick, he has never had an accident while performing. His idea to combine two typical props by juggling knives with his hands on fire came from a simple inspiration. “I thought, why not combine the two?” Frisbee remembered. “Nobody had done this before — for various reasons, I’m sure.”

Frisbee’s other tricks include juggling, escaping from a straight jackets while hanging upside down and arranging dates between audience members.

“I’m a relatively silly person,” said Frisbee. “So it just seemed the natural way for me to go do a silly comedy show.”

Frisbee’s 12-year career as a comedian and entertainer has brought him around the world. While performing in other countries, Frisbee alters his show so that though words are more scarce, laughs are none two few.

His knack for a laugh started out in the streets of Boston. “It was there that I got hooked,” said Frisbee of his days as a street performer in his mid-20s.

Entertaining permitted Frisbee to relinquish his bashful self while in front of a large crowd. “It allowed be to be more free with myself,” he said.

Today, Frisbee describes himself as a “silly, happy, outgoing” person. His act may procure fugitive bursts of laughter, but Frisbee’s audience response is seriously genuine. According to Frisbee’s experience this week at the fair, “Every show has been really well received.”

The San Mateo County Fair runs through Sunday, Aug. 17. For more information visit www.sanmateocountyfair.com.