Jail threat looms

Infamous hand doc's new young women photography "hobby" is probed, crazy spending detailed

It's been quite the week for Dr. Michael Brown, who landed himself in a Harris Country jail on Monday for contempt after missing a recent court date in his ongoing divorce proceedings from estranged wife Rachel Brown.

Since Tuesday, the good doctor has been in family court, trying to explain a spending spree that violates a court order limiting personal purchases until the divorce is finalized.

"Lavish" doesn't come close to describing the Brown Hand Center founder's years of spending, which includes three mansions in Miami, two million-dollar yachts and $221,815 in charges at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Brown could face six months in jail for his actions. Texas district judge Sheri Dean will give her final ruling Friday morning.

Lawyers for Rachel Brown detailed nearly 100 alleged "business purchases" the doctor made in 2011 on a company credit card issued to former Brown Hand Center exec Manny Guyot. Here's a random sampling of expenditures:

$111,000 at Cartier, New York City
$79,500 at a store called VCH (which sounds like it might be dirty)
$22,000 at Hermes, Houston
$50,000 for jewelry in Bal Harbour, Fla.

While Brown admitted that some of the items were for himself, he said most were gifts for Bridget MacTavish — his then-girlfriend who later sued him for giving her herpes. Luckily, the doc came armed with excuses for the credit card bills.

"It is an act necessary and consistent with my past conduct as CEO for these very successful businesses," he told Rachel Brown's attorney Robert Hoffman from the witness stand.

"[The purchases help] me to have some health for my mind, my body and my spirit . . . and to love and be loved. All these things help me to function better as a CEO. That's all I was doing."

"It helps me to have some health for my mind, my body and my spirit . . . and to love and be loved. All these things help me to function better as a CEO. That's all I was doing."

He then went on to explain that MacTavish made a number of purchases on the corporate card without his permission, racking up several hundred thousand dollars in charges. But Brown said MacTavish's alleged spending, which he never reported, had a positive outcome.

"The benefit," he noted, "was that I became more acutely aware of how I can be fleeced by women." (Stay classy, doc.)

The doctor seemed more comfortable explaining away the Miami mansions, which he said were simply smart investment decisions.

The million-dollar yachts, on the other hand, were harder to present as business expenses — especially considering that the boats are used for the doctor's new venture into photography. Attorney Robert Hoffman asked for details, which made for one of the week's best in-court conversations:

Hoffman: You're involved in a photography business? A business in which you photograph young women?

Brown: I wouldn't characterize it that way . . . It's just a startup. [Photography's] something I've been interested in all my life. It was my desire to turn a leisure-time hobby into a money-making enterprise.

Hoffman: And this hobby involves photographing young girls?

Brown: I wouldn't characterize it that way at all. I think my forte is landscape photography.

Hoffman: But I'm talking about photography of young women, which you have done on these two yachts. Correct?

Brown: With one exception, those pictures aren't part of the business. Most of those weren't professional. They were candids.

Come back to CultureMap for Judge Dean's final verdict.

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don't get burned

Talented performers fire up new store and training facility in Houston

Supplies for fire performances to open in Houston in 2025.

Photo by Matt Hellman

Kira Bailey performs with fire fingers.

Have you ever wanted to juggle, swallow, or dance with fire? Houston will soon be home for a place that sells the gear and offers lessons in that art.

Chris and Kira Bailey of the Solar Rain Performance Troupe have been firebending for audiences for more than a decade, as well as running their own online store for tools of the trade, TheOddPropShop. In 2025, they plan to open a combination storefront and workshop for Houstonians to enter and practice the fiery arts.

"Having a physical location allows us to connect with our customers on a more personal level that can’t be replicated online — which is especially important for building props that performers must trust with their lives," the Baileys wrote in an email. "Because of that, we’re building this workshop to become a space to create and test products, and invite our customers in when they want custom-made props. We go through a long trial-and-error with each of our new ideas, often using affordable items from Temu to build our prototypes, and then improve our designs until they’re ready to sell."

The space will be located in Kemah and is scheduled to open in the second half of the year. It will be a combination storefront, living space, and workshop area that will serve aspiring fire performers in a variety of ways. The Baileys will sell their signature fire bubblers, fire jump ropes, and sun wheels that are perfect for both professionals and hobbyists.

The brick-and-mortar OddPropShop will serve as a hub for greater Houston's performance community. Interested first timers will be able to take classes, while established performers can try out new routines and equipment. According to the couple, Houston is home to a significant community of fire artists.

"We wanted to be in a city that not only has a great arts scene and supportive creative community, but is also in a location where we could quickly and easily get the materials we needed to build our props," the Baileys wrote. "Houston was the only place that checked all those boxes. We were also personally drawn to Houston because many of our friends and fellow performers live in the city. In many ways, Houston already felt like home."

In addition to the tools of the fire trade, TheOddPropShop will sell costumes and accessories such as leather and stone jewelry. These small pieces of flair help add to the pagan ambience of the overall fire package.

performing-arts shopping fire performers