Interview with Pete Talesh aka "The Natural"

We finally got the rare chance to sit down with flipping's most successful player, Pete Talesh, or as he's better known-- "The Natural".

CC: You've sort of been unofficially retired the last eight years. Why the sudden return to flipping?

PT: I don't... [really want to talk about that] ...and I'd appreciate it if you didn't print that.

CC: I see. But you are competing in this year's FLIPOFF, correct?

PT: I wanted to just come in and show all these young punks what flipping is really about you know? All these guys thinkin' flippin's all fuckin' about the coins and the money and the girls and it's not about that you know, there's a lot more. There's heart. You gotta have heart to flip coins.

CC: Do you think this year's judging will bring some of what you're saying is the "true spirit" of flipping?

PT: Why are you makin' quotes? I didn't say that. Don't print that I said that. I'm sayin' these guys like [Charlie] Chadson are in it for the fame, zip it, end of story. I've been flippin' my whole life, an I've been flippin' the past eight years too, don't print that I been just sittin' on my hands. But it ain't about the fame and it ain't about the girls... least not more'n anything else. It's about knowin' the coins an lettin' them become a rhythmic extension of yer fingertips. I can tap out a two time bum badda bum badda and my coins is flyin' at a 7/8 bum bum bum bum bada bum bum-- three out of phase, like John [Cage].

CC: So you think of coin flipping as an art form. Do you think professional coin flipping addresses this?

PT: Uh, well no it don't address it, but then again I don't expect it to. I got a lot of problems with [professional coin flipping] but it not bein' pretentious enough ain't one of 'em..

CC: Can we talk about your sunglasses?

PT: Yeah, sure. I get that a lot. I guess I wear 'em for a couple reasons, eh... Well there's the sun o'course. But they're mostly for competition settings, like to keep out distractions an stuff. All I need to see is the glint of th' coins, and that's tough to separate from the crowd without a couple dark lenses. Also it's like poker sometimes an you gotta keep what's on yer face hidden a little, even if there ain't nothin' there, y' know?