Joe Abel stumbled into a career as a living statue after causing a stir at public events with his outrageous antics. A couple years ago, he attended a Halloween block party in a trench coat, shorts, a shirt that said “Happy Halloweenie,” and a certain—ahem—prosthetic, and became the life of the party. Then, on New Year’s Eve, he posed as a statue of a dapper gentleman in a tux and tophat, a routine that also struck gold. His success inspired him to quit his day job in 2023 and start Stand Still Entertainment.

Today, Abel’s costume repertoire ranges from “Macho Man” Randy Savage to a robot so convincing someone believed Abel was remote-controlled. The 59-year-old is able to remain completely still for up to 20 minutes, and likens the experience to meditation. “Focus on a line in the road or a sign, and everything else disappears,” he says. While passersby react with everything from delight
to terror, and a brave few try to get him to break his pose, he always stays in character.

Abel is a regular at downtown Sarasota events and baseball spring training games, where he wears a custom gold spray-painted uniform and yellow contact lenses. In addition to the tips he earns, people’s reactions make his unusual career rewarding. “There’s no better feeling than putting a smile on a face,” he says.