Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: I first met Ana at the 2009 edition of the Winnipeg C.A.M.P. program. C.A.M.P. actually runs two weeks, the first week being a trip to somewhere in Northern Manitoba and the second week taking place in Winnipeg. I only did the Winnipeg run that year and met Ana as she arrived back in Winnipeg along with the regular crew from the northern run. She quickly impressed me with her vim and vigour and by her sly technique of sneaking up at the table of Settlers of Catan Geeks and winning the game. This year at C.A.M.P. she seemed to have a terminal case of the bouncies! Every time I ran into her she seemed to be bouncing around the room and that energy was somehow enormously appealing… Good time!

STATS

Name: Ana Shepherd
Birthday: March 5, 1982.
Place of Birth: Toronto, ON, Canada.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1998
Discipline: Aerial, Pyramids/Partner Acrobatics
Websites: www.dragonflyaerialarts.com
Venues Worked: Skydome, ACC, Harbourfront Centre, Palais Royale, B.C.E. Place, Fallsview Casino, Hawaii’s S.P.A.C.E., Grand Wailea…among others.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Mmmmm…moosetracks! From Kawartha Dairy. You get it all: vanilla, chocolate peanut butter cups, caramel…what more can you ask for from ice cream?
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Hard to pick out just one favorite.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Do trees count as toys?
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • The amazing and strong women that I worked with. Cirque du Soleil also had some neat shows.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Eeek, I dunno, don’t know much about the world of animation. I really liked She-ra, the Princess of Power when I was a kid.
6. Name something that scares you. • Cotton balls. Seriously, don’t even pretend to make the noise they make when you touch them. I’m cringing just writing about it.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Server.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Skydiving.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Being asked what I do for a living by strange men – I have made up many many alternate careers for myself.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Sorry about that, but, hooray!”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“It’s not what you do but how you do it. Sorry, it’s an oldie but a goodie.“

–Ana Shepherd

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: Hmmm… Where did I meet Jeff Moche…we have to stretch all the way back to the late eighties on this one. I think it was probably at the 1988 Halifax Buskers Festival. There was so much going on that it was hard to keep track of at times… Those were the days when Halifax was really taken over by Buskers and there was magic on every street corner. Huge hats! Great Times!

That of course wasn’t the only spot I ran into Jeff. There was the time that we bumped into each other and hung out a bit at Le Festival D’été in Quebec City in 1993. And quite a few others as well. Jeff was also pretty instrumental with my thinking process when I decided to try out the cruise ship market a bit more pro-actively. He helped me understand the benefits and drawbacks to working with an agent and also gave me a bit more insight into what working on a ship was actually like. Good guy! Funny! Very New York! Awesome!

STATS

Name: Jeff Moche
Birthday: Mid-February of none of your business!  (Internet security issue, you bastard)
Place of Birth: New York, NY, USA
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1987-ish
Discipline: Besides not having discipline, comedian-magician
Websites: www.jeffmagic.com
Video Link: http://www.jeffmagic.com/video.html
Venues Worked: Began as a street performer, but soon moved up to avenues and boulevards.  Mostly now I do cruise ship and corporate work, besides of course “pimpin’ my bitches”.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • B&J’s Americone Dream.  It tastes like Steven Colbert, and I fantasize that while I’m eating it it’s languidly melting atop Jessica Alba.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Casablanca (Couldn’t admit to Russ Meyer’s Super Vixens)
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Mouse trap.  I loved the whole idea of a Rube Goldberg contraption and tried to build them at home.  Nothing ever worked though.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • I saw a few really good street performers in NY, Philly and New Orleans, and the whole genre of street performing thrilled me.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • (I’m going to answer more the question I wished you had asked…) George Castanza.
6. Name something that scares you. • The Checkerboard Guy. And not being properly prepared to do a job (I have recurrent nightmares about this).
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • I initially had thought to become a counselling psychologist and went to a very good university, graduated and worked in a brain function research study, a depression clinic and on a psych ward. But I found myself less and less interested in that, and finally had to make the choice to go on for a Ph.D or not. So in my mid-twenties I quit that career path and moved to New Orleans to perform full time.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Jumping out of an airplane.  Starting a serious different business, hopefully while continuing to perform.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Marketing myself as a product, and doing all the phone and mailing stuff involved.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “I actually quite admire that you held to your belief in my non-existence. Now here’s my angel who’ll show you to your palace, where the 72 virgins are waiting. And by the way, they’re our best quality virgins.”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

From someone who had been in the women’s dress business: “I was in the dress business for over 30 years. Dress #147 bought my house!”

-Jeff Moche

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada.

“It’s all right letting yourself go as long as you can let yourself back.”

–Mick Jagger, English rock singer (1943 – )

Addendum…

“It’s significantly harder letting yourself back than it is letting yourself go.”

–David ‘checkerhead’ Aiken

Weight-wise I seem to hover between about 80 kg and 85 kg when I’m in decent shape and feeling on top of my game… From about the Fall of last year I sort of just ignored the scale for a while because I was pretty frantic work-wise and it was more important to make it through each day than it was to worry about how much weight I thought I was likely gaining… Well… After getting back from Winnipeg a couple of weeks ago I decided to step on a scale and was a bit alarmed by the number the popped up. Since I deliberately took some time off in April/May to just chill I all of a sudden don’t have an excuse to not be a bit more conscious about my physical condition. I’ve been going to the Underground Circus’s training space a few times a week, working out a bit at home and being a bit more cautious about what (and how much) I’m eating. The weights coming off slowly but surely, but it seems like so much less ‘work’ to put it on that to take it off… I know I’ll feel better for it though!

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: This is one of those weird cases of ‘we’ve never met, but we know all of the same people.’ I was originally introduced to Ivan’s work by Robin Chestnut. I kept hearing about him any time I worked on a cruise ship too. I figured since we knew all the same people I could ‘friend’ him on Facebook. Apparently this was enough to get me added to his newsletter mailing list. I’m cool with this and what it actually did was start a dialogue that eventually lead to this interview. The dude’s got a nice balance of show and business… No doubt about it!

STATS

Name: Ivan Pecel
Birthday: March 24, 1981
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1999.
Discipline: Comedy/Juggling.
Websites: www.ivanpecel.com
Video Link: www.youtube.com/ivanpecel
Venues Worked: Las Vegas Strip, Colleges, Cruise Ships, Comedy Clubs, Corporate Events.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Mint Chocolate Chip… Because I neither like mint, nor chocolate chip individually… But put them together and it becomes a mouth full of joy.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Cool Hand Luke with Paul Newman
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • He-Man action Figures… … Still is my favorite toy.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • Mark Nizer, Steve Martin.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Superman… I’m still holding on to the idea that one day I will learn how to fly.
6. Name something that scares you. • Getting old. The movie “Poltergeist 2,” Not being in control.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • I was the shirtless guy that stood in the door way of the Abercrombie and Fitch Store for a few months in college.  Degrading yet fulfilling all at the same time.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Sky-Diving.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Excessive Travel.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • What the hell are you doing here?”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“Show business is 2 words.  “Show” and “Business.”  You have to be great and work equally hard at both of them to be successful.  Doesn’t matter how great your show is if you can’t get booked.”

–Ivan Pecel

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: I first met Stacy Clark as part of the Circus And Magic Partnership back in 2005. Of that first meeting I recall being struck by the fact that this acrobat and aerialist was also super business savvy and super nice. We seemed to have a similar world view and I was aware very early on that we were destined to be great friends! I also really enjoyed her smile though in this shot she’s got her bad girl cheer leader face on… She was posing for this picture looking tough, but it’s one of the few times that I’ve seen her with out a smile on her face… Well unless she’s attached to her Blackberry… The girls got some man phone skills too! Of our first meeting Stacy recall’s these things –

And I recall noticing that a) you are tall b) you are kind  c) you scrunch up your nose when you smile. You were also good enough to rub my aching shoulders after a day of hauling kids.

Over the last few years she’s made herself an indispensable member of the C.A.M.P. family and has been a huge resource of information when ever I’ve had questions about Cirque du Soleil because her day job is being a gymnastics scout for Cirque. Cool gig! Cooler person – very glad to count her amongst my friends!

STATS

Name: Stacy Clark
Birthday: December 21, 1969
Place of Birth: Montreal, QC, Canada
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 2000.
Discipline: Aerial acrobatics.
Websites: www.highstrung.ca
Video Link: http://www.highstrung.ca/video.php?src=videos/highstrung.mp4&type=qt
Venues Worked: Many a street, pitch, parking lot, field. In theatres big and small, on TV and in film.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Häagen-Dazs butter pecan. Rich, pecan-y goodness!
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Dirty Dancing. Not even kidding.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Lemon twist. I also had a balance beam in my backyard.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? •Having started street performing SO late in life, I admired anyone who made me laugh and feel connected. I still do.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Cindy Lou Who.
6. Name something that scares you. • Not being prepared.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. I have marketed/advertised aircraft, major sports teams and Broadway-style theatre shows… I also scooped ice cream in high school.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Being rich.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Bad weather. And maybe hauling our giant road cases through mud.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Welcome to the circus! And no, you don’t need liability insurance.”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“Be yourself, be accessible to your public, and no matter what happens, just keep smilin’.“

–Stacy Clark

Where in the world am I today?: Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Prologue: I was made aware of Ulla many many years ago through her work with Chalk Circle and I have vivid memories of photographing some of the work that they had created at the 2001 Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival when I was in Edmonton for the Comedy Arts Festival in January of 2002. In 2004 we actually got to spend some time together at the Windsor Busker’s Festival and in 2006 she was a part of the PNE Street Star’s Program. Over the course of the 17 days of the Pacific National Exhibition I thoroughly enjoyed watching her images take shape and would often stop by with a cup of coffee to help make the long days at the fair that much more enjoyable. Ulla is a gifted artist and I often find it a pity that the art she creates eventually fades as a result of the elements… Perhaps this is a nice reminder that nothing in life if forever…

STATS

Name: Ulla Taylor
Birthday: March 22, 1969.
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Australia.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1987.
Discipline: Pavement Art
Websites: www.ullart.com
Venues Worked: Mostly street festivals, but I also do workshops for events and schools, and corporate (advertising) work.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Vanilla, not too sweet…but on a hot summer day I’d go Lemon gelati please.. Tangy, light and not too sickly sweet.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • “Brazil”
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • I loved my cubby house, “the Teabag”, on my nanna’s property at Kinglake, and running around in the bush all weekend…
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • I always found Rolf Harris pretty interesting, with his singing and painting.. I liked the idea of the “renaissance man” who could paint and travel, and practice philosophy and science, which is why I chose an art career as I thought it was free enough to practice many things.. In regards to pavement art specifically, working with Bev and Peter from Chalk Circle gave me the courage as a young artist to practice and play on the street while earning some dosh, plus other great street artists like Kurt Wenner and my colleague Jenny McCracken… oh ok all of my colleagues at some stage or another.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • I liked Bugs Bunny, but Sylvester was my favourite and I can’t remember why.  I hated Road Runner, and I think maybe that’s because I kind of related to the poor old coyote.
6. Name something that scares you. • The thought of anything yucky happening to my gorgeous daughter.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. •Receptionist/clerk/ in my step mother’s foreign language text book company.  The best part of that job was working out the complex puzzle of a Unix-based typesetting program to produce the annual 100 page book catalogue (well before the user-friendly interfaces of mac and windows. .ft AB, .sp .5c, .in 1c, blahblah).
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Wood carving, big sculptures.. though I think my wrists and elbow are a little too worn out for chainsaws and chiselling.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Lugging a big heavy work kit, and dealing with icky stuff on the footpath.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Welcome!”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“It’s not what you do, but the way you do it” Mae West, I think, quoted by another pavement artist.”

–Ulla Taylor

Where in the world am I today?: Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Prologue: At first I really wasn’t sure what to make of Luis Brusca… We met at in Japan in 1998 and at first he seemed a bit distant. In retrospect he was probably just suffering a bit from JetLag… We were both engaged to work the Obon Holiday in Japan at the Kuashiki, Tivoli Park which is a Japanese replica of the famous Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. For about two weeks we did our own shows during the day and hooked up in the evening for a group show which also included famous juggling duo ‘Clockwork‘ and solo juggler Tony Duncan. I was much more interested in the dynamic character that Luis created than the work of any of the jugglers who were involved in the programming, and we ended up becoming great friends. I think the fondest memory I have of our time together during that contract was when Luis decided that he was going to introduce my wife Emiko and I to a hole in the wall restaurant that served great chicken wings… He had stumbled across it on his way back to the hotel one night and was convinced that these were the best chicken wings in all of Kurashiki. I’m not sure if they were or not, but his passion for discovery and exploration really struck a chord and although we haven’t crossed paths since I count him as one of my dearest friends.

STATS

Name: Luis Brusca
Birthday: May 5, 1964
Place of Birth: Arata, La Pampa, Argentina
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1986
Discipline: Comedy, Clown, Pantomime, Street Theatre
Websites: www.locobrusca.com
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOC3cdhDj50
Venues Worked: it’s a long list, jajajaj, check my web, history

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Dulce de leche con almendras– cream caramel whith almonds, mmmmmmmmmmm, that flavor, unique in argentina, moves my sences and my mouth became like the Iguazù falls, full of water.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Masacre. Come and see.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Here in my home town not so many nice toys, we play a lot in the nature.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • Django Edwards.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • The coyote.
6. Name something that scares you. • Bureaucracy.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Selling kitchenware, pans and casseroles dishes.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Fly a delta-wing or paragliding.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Making calls for find gigs.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Excuse me, I didn’t want to make so difficult for you, it was a joke, jajajajaja,……” After that I’d kill him – jajajajaja…

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“A couple of years ago, a budist master Daisaku Ikeda say for me: play for the audience as you are playing for the universe, with all your energy. “

–Luis Brusca

Where in the world am I today?: Yellowknife, NWT, Canada

Prologue: Daniel is another of the guys I met through the Winnipeg C.A.M.P. Program… When I asked Daniel about it, this is what he said –

The year was 1999. I was fourteen years old, just having started in street performing and I was doing my first year of instruction at the C.A.M.P., surrounded by amazing acts, performers and people. We met in the teachers lounge of Gordon Bell High School where the C.A.M.P. Program was being instructed – just after the little intro show all the performers do to hopefully inspire the kids to learn some of the skills. I remember you as energetic as you’ve always been introducing yourself to me, checker pants and all, and I was probably scared and/or intimidated out of my mind.

Apparently I have that effect on people… Who knew? Since 1999 it’s been fun watching Dan’s show grow and evolve and a treat to see him win an award at the Kingston Buskers Rendezvous a couple of years ago. He’s come a long way!

STATS

Name: Daniel Craig
Birthday: May 8th, 1984.
Place of Birth: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: At 10 years old, as a walk-by devil sticker. Did my first circle show at 13, and it’s been a wonderful ride ever since.
Websites: www.thedanshow.ca
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3bmdFEBpJ4
Venues Worked: Almost every busker festival in Canada, Cirque on Ice in Singapore, Singapore Buskers Festival, touring theatre shows across over thirty five of the United States, street in Germany, the United States of America, Thailand… Um… It’s pretty awesome that I have to stop and think about this now!

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Something about the cookie dough always being a consistent viscosity, whilst the ice cream meanders about around it. It’s a testament to solidarity in an ever changing world!
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • I’m a big B-Movie fan, so I don’t often see the Hollywood blockbusters. Give me a camera that can’t record sound, and only do thirty seconds at a time! But as far as recent movies go, I have to say that “Donnie Darko” was a dark and intensely speculative thriller. One of my all time favourites.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Lego. I would build huge elaborate castles that combined all the medieval lego sets. I’d still play with it if I knew where it was.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • My first real inspirations to start performing were a street act called “The Three Canadians.” They actually invited me on stage to help introduce one of their shows and after the two seconds of what-I-knew-as fame, I was hooked to hearing an audience react. Since then, (and no, I’m not just putting this here because it’s your blog) Robin Chestnut, Flyin’ Bob, and you, The Checkerboard Guy, were the first big acts I was exposed to. Robin taught me about juggling and how to make it interesting so you’re not just a guy juggling, you’re an honest and true entertainer. Flyin’ Bob Palmer showed me there is great potential in any idea or any trick with any prop no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. The Checkerboard Guy taught me to leave the pitch or stage in a better state than I found it. These are three big things that I have never forgotten to this day. Recently I have to cite Paul and Joey of the Phantastyks for being so gracious when training with me, and most recently three amazing performers whom I met doing Cirque on Ice, Adam Kuchler (who reminds me of Flying Bob), and Anton and Vladimir Kostenko who remind me that as you get more skilled at your discipline, you should get more and more humble to boot.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • On rough days, I’m a total Charlie Brown. On good ones, I’m all about the Wolverine.
6. Name something that scares you. • Getting injured. I have delusions that I’m indestructible, yes, but I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I was held back by my own body. Aside from that: BUGS. HATE THEM!
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • I’ve only had one other job. I slung drinks as a bartender at a nice Indian restaurant. I miss the chaos of it sometimes, and then I realize I have more than enough chaos to manage day to day anyways!
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Spanish Web. It just looks like so much fun!
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • I’m sure mine is the same as many others: The promotional and managerial part. I love performing so much and thank god it’s so intoxicating because it makes doing all the busy work worth it. Also, being asked to send promo out and about and then getting no response. Even if you don’t want to book me, please be courteous enough to say so and maybe even tell me what I can do to improve my chances next time!
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “You did the best you could with all the cards you were given and you lived up to a great potential. You affected the lives of your friends, family and audiences in wonderful ways. So… Here’s a guiltless cold one at the end of the road, and c’mon in!”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“My experience does not run as deep as many of the others who have posted here, but I believe that in any business, it’s not what you do, it’s who you are. People will remember your achievements but they’ll more so remember the person who achieved them. So – be as good to everyone as you can, accept that mistakes happen and live so that you can honestly say you have no regrets.”

–Daniel Craig

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: I remember meeting Reid Belstock for the first time at the Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember which year. I knew it was some time in the late 90’s, and when I asked Reid about it he told me that it was 1999 –

“It was 1999, Dick Finkel’s last year as producer”

I wasn’t actually performing at the Festival that year but was hanging out a bunch because I had another gig in the area. I remember watching his show a few times and really enjoying it. The thing that struck me most was how physical his show was and how far he pushed his slapstick… Reid had a gift for pratfalls, but I swear he was hurting himself every time he did one…

We ended up at the a few other events together and I have a vivid memory of a team show we did under a tent at the Windsor Buskers Festival. It was pouring rain and about forty people got stranded under this tent so Reid and I went over and did a show for them. I remember passing the hat at the end and the crowd was so appreciative of us making the extra effort that each and every person tipped up and tipped very generously.

I also think I have Reid to thank for getting me hooked up with the Don Casino Agency in Miami. I knew that Reid was doing Cruise Ships and when I asked him about that market he very generously gave me all of the information I could possibly hope for and helped make the introduction to the agent… Oh… and then there’s the fact that we both ended up getting married to girls originally from Japan… Great guy! Great show! Very glad to count him amongst my friend!

STATS

Name: Reid Belstock
Birthday: October
Place of Birth: Denver, Colorado, USA.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: Elitch Gardens/age 16/Denver Colorado.
Discipline: Juggling/Physical Comedy
Websites: www.reidbelstock.com
www.smirkshow.com
Video Link: http://juggling.tv/video/2742/reid-belstock-juggler-physical-comedian
Venues Worked: Theaters/Cruise Ships/Theme Parks/Hotel Reviews/Cabaret Night Clubs

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Bubble Gum.  Great Flavor, and lot’s of fun food I can play with.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Star Wars.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • I had these small bears that were designed as hair braids, but they were very small and I kept them in my pocket and took them everywhere.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • Mark Nizer, David Deeble, Peter Davison and The Gizmo Guys.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Philip J Fry.
6. Name something that scares you. • Giant Spiders.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • I spent some time dealing Blackjack. Really liked too.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • College.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Booking my own work.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Here we go again.“

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“Luck is a mix of opportunity, and the ability to use it to your best advantage”.

–Reid Belstock

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: I first met Anders at the Provincial Exhibition in Brandon, MB back in 2000 I believe it was I drove out to Manitoba in my freshly painted 1968 Checker Cab (Taxi Yellow with Purple Hot Rod Flames) and did a few gigs in Manitoba including the Provincial Exhibition, The Red River Exhibition and Canada Day at the Forks. Here’s what Anders remembers from our meeting…

I knew who you were through Robin Chestnut and I believe the first time I saw you perform was at the Winnipeg fringe.  I remember seeing your Scooter finale and I was blown away with the response. In Brandon, I saw a rare opportunity to hang out with a true professional. I worshipped your performing prowess.  I thought I would just see how long I could hang out with you and see what nuggets of wisdom I could glean.

Gee… He makes it sound like I actually knew what I was doing when we met – HA! Anyway, thanks in large part to the C.A.M.P. program that’s put on in association with the Winnipeg International Children’s Festival I’ve had the chance to hang out a lot with Anders and have enjoyed the friendship and watching his show evolve over the years. Good guy!

STATS

Name: Anders Boulanger
Birthday: May 24, 1977.
Place of Birth: Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: Started in Magic in 1982, First Paid Gig 1989 for a $5 fee. Full time professional since 1999.
Discipline: Comedy Magic
Websites: www.andersmagic.com www.TheInfotainer.ca
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/andersboulanger
Venues Worked: Everything from Dairy Queens and Machine Sheds to Luxury Resorts and Convention Centres.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Chocolate.  More exciting than vanilla and yet not too exotic so it’s readily available.  Unlike Dr. Pepper in restaurants grrrrr!
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Princess Bride.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Fisher-Price Magic Set of course!
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • Dean Gunnarson, Brian Glow, Paul Daniels.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • I’ve been told I look like Fry from Futurama, but I have always liked Robin Hood (the fox) in the old Disney version.
6. Name something that scares you. • Boo!
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Provincial Park Hiking Guide.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • I always wanted to drink a Zima.  I have never seen them in Canada.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • I love travelling and yet I hate being away from home since the birth of my daughter.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Wasssszz Uppppppp? “ It would be reassuring to me that God wasn’t too serious.

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“After the show, no matter how much you charge, if you do a good show and the client is happy, you are worth every penny they paid you.  The trick is to convince them you are worth that amount before the show.“

–Anders Boulanger

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: James called me out of the blue asking if we could get together in about 2006 I think it was. We hooked up at a Tim Horton’s near where I live and discussed performing. I think the basic question that came out of that initial conversation was – how do I become a successful performer. My answer? Just keep doing it. Do it a lot! Do it every chance you get. Apparently he listened because I kept hearing about him on gigs here and there but it wasn’t until the Nanjing Clown Carnival in 2008 that we really spent any time hanging out… Had a hoot performing with him in China, then got to hang out with him again in Miami in December this past year. He had a gig in Miami for about a month and I came through on a couple of Cruise Ship gigs. Gave us the chance to hang out and have him tell me about his passion for powered para-gliding. He keeps threatening to get me up flying at some point and I sure do hope that it works out that I get the chance to play because it looks like a hoot!

STATS

Name: James Johnson (was Jamie Biggar)
Birthday: April 14, 1975
Place of Birth: Richmond, BC, Canada
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1999 as “Baxter” the clown
Discipline: Variety Comedy and climbing inside a giant balloon.
Website: www.biggerballoon.com
Video Link: http://www.biggerballoon.com/video.php
Venues Worked: Most fairs across Canada, some state fairs and special events in China, Saudia Arabia and Fiji.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Soy Chocolate Chip mint-perfect combination of cold chocolate chunks to chew on and an awakening minty flavor that has a good after taste. Almost good enough for a meal!
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Dumb and Dumber with Jim Carey.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • G.I. Joe F16 tomcat fighter plane.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • David Aiken – first street performer I ever saw perform.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • The Ice man surfer guy.
6. Name something that scares you. • Drowning.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • BASE Jumping.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Loosing my voice.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Why the heck are you here so early?”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“The audience is everything. If there is no one who wants to watch your show then the whole purpose of performing is pointless. I am grateful that people actually want to take the time out of their lives so that I can share my idea of entertainment with them. To me this is an honour so I like to perform my very best every time.”

–James Johnson

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: Flash back… Flash waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back to the spring of 1990. I had just completed a two month contract at the Hana Haku Flower Expo in Osaka, Japan and my re-entry into performing in North America took the form of a contract at the Winnipeg International Children’s Festival. This is where I first met Robin Chestnut who describes his memory of the event like this –

“My first recollections were meeting you at the 1990 Winnipeg International Children’s Festival when I’d first partnered up with Tawny Ross, some may know him as Aytahn now. I remember the checkered outfit, that you had a lot of energy and you juggled 7 balls. And you were kind enough to come yak with us young punks in the workshop area. But it wasn’t until later on at the CAMP program that we started to get to know each other better.”

When we first met Robin was just getting started as a juggler, but I’ve been nothing but impressed by not only how hard he’s worked to become and excellent technical juggler, but also how his show and performance character has evolved over the years… It’s also a hoot going out to his place in Teulon, Manitoba to ride horses… Good guy! Good fun!

STATS

Name: Robin Chestnut
Birthday: April 27, 1974
Place of Birth: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: Started performing at age 12 doing local gigs, competitions, and didn’t go to work full time until near the end of university in 1997 and officially started the business Jan. 1st, 1998. B.A. English, Psychology.
Disciplin: Comedy Juggling
Website: www.robnut.com
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88XVhPU66Kk
Venues Worked: Highlights include Premiere Cruiselines, Saudi Arabia, China, Fairs and Festivals in Canada, some Street Festivals, but mainly corporate and school gigs. A highlight has also been doing the world famous CAMP program here in Manitoba. I’d love to see Australia/New Zealand at some point.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Vanilla is the short answer. There’s a part of me that wants you (the reader) to think I’m something exotic, mysterious, special like Tiger-Tiger, but I’m Vanilla. Of course I include the potential for all flavours, but in most situations, and most of the time I’m plain ole’ Vanilla. And more and more, I want to be just plain old Vanilla.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Usual Suspects, Shawshank Redemption, V for Vendetta. Good Will Hunting is up there too.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Lego, hours and hours of Lego.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • The 1986 IJA competition VHS tape. I’d watch it daily for hours. It included Dan Bennett, Larry Merlo, Dan Menendez, Jerome Ellis, Benji Hill, Scott Burton, Anthony Gatto, and possibly one more that escapes me. I also liked The Passing Zone and Raspini Brothers from that tape. Later I’d spend varying amounts of time with all of them save Jerome Ellis. When I was 17 I got to be in the editing room for the making of Anthony’s video, To Be the Best. Benji Hill was my coach, and I worked on the cruise ships with him. We haven’t spoken since ’94.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Probably the main character in Antz, what was his name? (His name was ‘Z’ and he was voiced by Woody Allen)
6. Name something that scares you. • Bungee Jumping and not reaching my potential, whatever that is.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Turkey Poult Delivery Driver.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • SCUBA Diving, and Bee Keeping, the latter will likely happen this year, I’ve done ‘SCBA Walking, and even ‘SCBA cut-a-hole-in-the-roof-of-that-burning-building‘ with our fire dept here in Teulon, but would love to add the underwater part. I hear one of the best places in the world is off the west coast of Vancouver Island, lots of ship wrecks to explore.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Being away from the farm, my wife, my community, and trading time/skill for money, and the promoting, I could improve my promoting/marketing skills.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • I’d like to look him in the eye in a long extended expressionless stare, then at the exact same moment we’d both wink, his left eye, my right. Then a grin would creep across our face, and we go have a yak about the whole thing, a debrief if you will.

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“It’s about the people. When I look back what I remember most are the relationships with all great folks I’ve met along the way.“

–Robin Chestnut

Where in the world am I today?: New Delhi, India.

Prologue: I recall meeting Karen at a juggling convention in Amherst, MA back in the late 80s. At the time I seemed to be getting to quite a number of the regional and national IJA conventions and recall seeing Karen at many of them. We didn’t really hang out until we were both performing at the Calgary Stampede in 1999. Karen was working on a lovely stage off to one side of the park, trees, grass, pleasant. I, on the other hand, was brought in to play near the Midway with the asphalt, confusion and noise… I managed to carve out a little nook for myself to make the gig work-able and as we shared a greenroom/dressing room space I bumped into Karen a lot over the days we were both at the Fair. Made a point of going to see her show a few times and also enjoyed a very civilized dinner with her off site one night which was very pleasant. In a nutshell, Karen is a savvy business woman with a show that’s tailor-fit to the Fair and Festival market especially those with a Western component!

STATS

Name: Karen Quest
Birthday: January 8.
Place of Birth: St. Louis, MO.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: First professional juggling job:  1977 Magic Mountain Theme Park, Los Angeles. Prior to that, dabbled in amateur clowning and juggling. Cowgirl Tricks show created in 1997.
Discipline: Circus and Variety Arts, Comedy.
Website: http://www.cowgirltricks.com
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSHilbB7z54
Venues Worked: Festivals, State and County Fairs, Corporate and Private Events, Schools, Theme Parks, Stage, Television, Film.

Hot 10 Questions:

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“The three most important words in Show Biz:  Know Your Audience.“

–Karen Quest

Where in the world am I today?: Hong Kong and Mumbai, India.

Prologue: Back at the beginning of 1990 I spent three months traveling from city to city, from festival to festival in Australia and met some great performers and did some fantastic shows! Rex Boyd was one of them. We met at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and along the way I got Rex a list of events in Canada that would be worth visiting… In the months that followed I ran into him again at some of the events that I had suggested… I specifically remember him arriving in Ottawa along with Drue Franklin and Angus McDonald for Canada Day then zipping off to Chicago for the 4th of July then showing up with Nick Nicholas at the Kingston Buskers Rendez-vous and sort of crashing the event…  They were so well received in Kingston that the Festival bent the rules and ended up including them in the line-up which was pretty cool and pretty fun! The camaraderie we shared on the pitch and over shared meals was always a treat… I remember one group show in particular back when we first met when a group of the performers who were in Adelaide for the Fringe Festival decided on a whim to head out to Gleneig Beach in Adelaide and threw together a team show as the sun set into the ocean… It was magical! As Rex commented when I reminded him of that show and the great meal that followed –

Those team shows and group meals are by far my favourite part of being a street performer. I wish they could happen more often.

Rex has also been really supportive of various side projects I’ve tackled and ordered trading cards for a number of years as well as participating in Episode #25 of the One Minute With Dave video Podcast I did during 2006… Great guy, always game for a challenge and fun to watch in performance!

STATS

Name: Rex Boyd
Birthday: 1966.
Place of Birth: Texas.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1982, comedy club open-mike nights; 1983, Kansas City Renaissance Festival
Discipline: Comedy, Juggling, Dance, Mime.
Website: http://www.rexboyd.co.uk
Video Links: http://www.rexboyd.co.uk/rex_boyd_2009/Site/Noisiest_Mime.html
http://www.rexboyd.co.uk/rex_boyd_2009/Site/Robin_Hood_Show.html
Venues Worked: Comedy clubs in US and UK, street/fringe/arts festivals in US, UK, Canada, Europe, Australia, NZ and all various kinds of other related things.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fish. Why? Fish flavored ice cream!? UGH! No way! But chocolate fish flavored ice cream? Now that’s more like it! And you have all the fun of hunting down those little critters and eating them whole like you are a giant.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Groundhog Day because I first saw it in Hawaii after flying there from NZ which meant that after crossing the international date-line, I too was forced to repeat the same day..
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Probably my Hot Wheels race track but I’d like to put in a nod for the yo-yo. Although I was never really very good at yo-yo, I had one given to me by a professional performer who used me as a volunteer when I was about 7 or 8 in a tiny show he did in my local 7-11 convenience store to promote yo-yo’s. As I remember he balanced a coin on my ear and then knocked it off with his yo-yo. He then gave me the yo-yo. This certainly would have been the first time I ever saw a variety/street show in person. It was also a time when I was a big fan of the Smother’s Brothers from television and of course Tommy Smother’s yo-yo man routine.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • My mom used to let me stay up late occasionally to watch Johnny Carson and Saturday Night Live with her. This introduced me to Steve Martin, George Carlin, Richard Pryor and all the original SNL cast. At the age of 17 when I was working at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival my much more practical inspiration came from the seasoned stage acts performing there such as the superb jugglers Bryan Wendling, Scott Burton, and Phil Lindsay with Sideshow and the anarchic mime of Danny Lord. A few years later when I hit the road full-time and made my first trip to Covent Garden I can remember watching Nick Nicholas doing an awesome show on probably my first day there. I can remember thinking to myself that even though I was a much better juggler than Nick, I was determined to try to figure out  how to work a crowd as well as he could.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Charlie Brown when I’m feeling down and Snoopy when I’m feeling like “Joe Cool.”
6. Name something that scares you. • The thought of the yo-yo guy in my 7-11 hitting me in the face with his yo-yo when I was 7 and thus putting me off performers forever.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Sales assistant in a sporting goods store. “Would you like to try on the Nike in a size 9 sir?”
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • I’ve been doing modern-jive partner dancing for the past couple of years. Now I really fancy having a go at Argentinean Tango.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Having to pester people to book me for gigs that I don’t really want to do in order for me to make a living. When the gig actually comes around I more often than not actually enjoy doing the show, it’s just the pestering people to get booked that I don’t like.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Welcome Rex, I understand that you really enjoy hanging out with street performers at a big festival watching shows and doing shows and partying with your friends, so I’ve arranged to have a big street festival here in heaven whenever you wish.”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“There’s no one right way to go about forging a career in show business. You’ve just got to do what feels right for you and to show a determination and persistence that comes from the fact that you intend to be the best that you possibly can for the simple reason that this is what you want to do more than any thing else.“

–Rex Boyd

Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: I met Mark Hawkins on a flight down to Nassau back at the end of 2006… At first I couldn’t remember exactly when it was, but then I pieced it together because I had just finished mailing out a Christmas Card that included a paper model of my S-Cargo and Mark offered to take a picture of it in front of Disney World in Florida… I sat down on the little puddle jumper that took us from Miami to Nassau and he struck up a conversation immediately… As he says –

“We were sitting in the back of an American Eagle Flight. I talked to you first – you just LOOKED like an entertainer.  We all seem to have a sort of look. Funny that. I don’t remember what I asked you, but it led to some sort of conversation that I also don’t remember. It must have been a good talk, though, because we’re still talking.”

A year or two after we first met he sent me an email interview for a book he was working on. I took the time to actually think about my responses and he seemed quite impressed with the content of the responses… Though we’ve never seen each other perform we just connected and were able to speak the same language based on our mutual knowledge and understanding of what it is that makes a show work. Oh, and he’s a cheeky bugger as I’m sure you’ll gather from his responses to the questions below.

STATS

Name: Mark Hawkins.
Birthday: None of your business.
Place of Birth: Hospital.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: I had an improv group in college that turned into a sketch group
and I got interested in doing standup around that time.  I suppose “working in the industry” happened somewhere about that time when I went to the local comedy club to see what THAT was like.  I liked it – and stayed. But I guess the comedy club counts as “working in the industry.” Unless the college show counts. But I don’t think it does. I put together the show myself. It was just a bunch of college kids at a sub shop.  But it was pretty good – for college kids at a sub shop.
Discipline: No. I don’t have that.
Website: No. I don’t have that either.
Video Link: I REALLY don’t have that. I don’t even like that.
Venues Worked: Wouldn’t even know where to start. I started with comedy clubs and supplemented my income writing for comics. I branched out into corporate gigs when I found out you could do that and then spent a little time working colleges. I briefly did a corporate show with another guy and then went back to clubs. I became a seizure patient, which seriously limited my work options, so I ended up working casinos (which allowed me to live in the casino for months on end).  A few years later I found cruise ships (where I can live and who fly me wherever I need to go) and have been there ever since.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Jungle Sherbet from Baskin Robbins.  It had little chunks of Jungle in it.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • “Yank My Doodle It’s A Dandy.” Awesome characters, awesome story.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • I was a big fan of the Pet Rock. You could do almost anything with it.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • All of them. Seriously. I could not get enough. I used to go to garage sales and buy any and every comedy album I could get. I loved them all. There is no question the biggest names stand out: Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Bill Cosby, and George Carlin. But I believe they stand out because I learned so much later and I appreciate what they did and their contributions to the industry. When I was young, I laughed at much lesser known comedians just as much. I loved old radio shows, I loved Dr. Demento on Sunday nights, and I loved just hearing jokes from my friends. Who were my inspirations? Everybody. Laughing was my inspiration.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Funny. You love the “just keep swimming” thing from Nemo so you want to see if everyone has something like that. …Um…I like the animated fish at the beginning of “Monty Python’s Meaning of Life.” They just swim around in circles and keep saying “good morning” to the same people. I feel like I swim around in circles and say the same stuff all the time. Doesn’t matter that I do new jokes all the time – it FEELS like I am doing the same thing all the time.
6. Name something that scares you. • A 1040 Long Form.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Oh, I’ve done other stuff. Last job was making pizza. It sucked.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Resting on my laurels. That would be great. I would love to jump right to being a “has-been.” It would be great to do exactly what I do now, but be paid a crap-load for it because I was once “Johnny, the next-door neighbour on ‘He’s Our Superintendant!’”
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • The audience. Sure, it’s great when they are nice. But you can’t count on that. And when they suck – and they hate the same joke that killed just an hour earlier, they make it a point of letting you know. They stick around for the whole show, wait in line to talk to you, shake your hand to look you in the eye and say, “You really suck, mister.” That’s my least favorite thing about being a performer. THAT audience.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Mark Hawkins. You’re early.  You’ll have to go back to earth and come back in about twenty years.”

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“When hitting your favorite Taco Bell Drive-Thru and ordering a Meximelt, always make sure you eat it on the way home. The cheese congeals quickly.”

–Mark Hawkins