After 20 years, Shaun Sperling is getting his 15 minutes of fame—plus some.
Sperling is the now-grown-up dancing sensation who, on March 14, 1992, strutted into the party for his bar mitzvah and went vogue. He showcased Madonna in front of family and friends—and now in front of the world.
The video was posted on Perez Hilton's website this week after a friend of Sperling's told him that, on a whim, he was going to email the video to Hilton.
It's blown up worldwide ever since—with about 800,000 views on Youtube in less than a week.
Sperling even was in New York City Aug. 18, for a live appearance on The Today Show. He appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live Aug. 20.
"I've thought about posting it [online] for a long time, but just never did it," said Sperling, now 33 and living in Chicago. "It never was my goal to be a viral sensation, but there was a little part in me that wondered if people would really dig it.
"But I never thought in my wildest dreams that this would happen."
Sperling has been talking regularly with producers from multiple, high-profile TV shows, each wanting a moment of action of the dancing sensation-turned-attorney.
"The outpouring of love and support, and the number of people who are truly touched by the video … it's amazing," Sperling said. "I just thought it was crazy and silly and wild. But I've had so many people reach out and say how they wish they had the same confidence that I did at [age] 13. It's also been amazing how so many people have commented about how my family and friends [who were there] were loving and supportive. That's overwhelming to me."
Sperling had his bar mitzvah at the Hyatt Hotel in Deerfield, with a Madonna theme, and he even sported a white dress shirt with an image of the singer on the back.
He only wishes he still had the shirt today, but the search is on at his parent's suburban home, to see if it's still around.
"In my personal life, now that I'm established in my career, I can explore these more creative outlets; that's what really brought it out," said Sperling, who also dabbles as a writer and storyteller and has been working on a one-man show entitled "Madonna and Me," which he debuted in mid-August at The Upstairs Gallery in Andersonville.
Sperling released the bar-mitzvah video to coincide with his production.
"My real love in life is reaching out to people and public speaking; I love having that forum [now]. I would love to work this [video into a] part of my life's career," Sperling said. "People are coming out of the woodwork [to reach and support him], and I think it's nice, very genuine."
Sperling spent months practicing the dance after school with his sister, and now admits he likely practiced the dance more than his Torah portion that he read during the bar mitzvah.
To view Sperling's bar mitzvah dance from 1992, visit www.youtube.com/watch.
