Haircutting speedster Zoot zips through clips in Clearwater

Imagine you're sitting in a salon chair, waiting for a haircut.

Now imagine that a whirling dervish approaches with clippers, scissors and comb in hand and zips off your locks in less than a minute.

That dervish's name is Ivan Zoot, and he holds three Guinness Book of World Records titles for hair cutting. He was at the Sunstate Academy in Clearwater on Wednesday afternoon for a demonstration at the barber and cosmetology school.

The fast-talking and fast-cutting Zoot is known for:

• The fastest haircut on the planet: 55 seconds

• Most haircuts in one hour: 34

• And the most haircuts in 24 hours straight through: 340.

All were accomplished as part of a publicity stunt in Austin, Texas, in 2008.

He also is known for a line of hair products meant to keep that short hair in line.

His appearance at Sunstate was meant to inspire students, faculty and salon operators. Judging by a tweet from the event, his visit was a success:

"Thank you to those that made it possible for Ivan Zoot to come to Sunstate! He was amazing! KK"