Life on the Road - Literally

Marlo and I have been keeping a secret from all but a select few. For the rest of you, here it is: we're now full-time RVers. Crazy, right? Maybe not so much...

Guinness World Record 60th Anniversary Broadcast - a.k.a. My Ticket to the Middle Kingdom

Creating opportunities doesn't have to be rocket science...but being focused in your efforts can lead to success far faster than just finding things to keep yourself "busy". My wife suggested going for a Guinness World Record. It's a huge brand with universal recognition, and if nothing else it'd be a great addition to the ol' resume. You can read about the actual attempt here.

How My Guinness World Record Got Me on a Game Show

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a contestant on a game show? What would it be like once you were under those bright lights? Would seemingly simple questions become harder to figure out than a college-level calculus equation? And most importantly... are the host's teeth really that white in person?

Amping Up Your Festival's Entertainment

No matter where you are in the country, there is a season (or seasons) of festivals. Music festivals, Oktoberfests, State Fairs ...the list goes on and on. Most of the time, the entertainment that you find on the stages of these events are exclusively musical acts. While there are certainly merits that go along with this strategy (a convivial atmosphere being foremost), it is often beneficial to provide another offering...a palate cleanser, if you will.

Marketing For Providers of Entertainment

You are, naturally, the person most familiar with your product. You know all of the ways it can benefit a potential client.
It doesn't matter how great that product is, though, if nobody knows about it. As P.T. Barnum said, "Without promotion, something terrible happens... nothing!"

A Different Way to View Your Entertainment Budget

You're planning a big awards dinner banquet. You've secured the caterer with the fabulous 5-course meal, a sizzling-hot band, and the best photographers money can buy - it's shaping up to be a terrific event.

Why Entertainers and Event Planners Need Contracts

When it comes to event planning, there can be a million and one contracts to get signed  before the big day (depending upon the size of your bash) - catering, venue rental, a/v equipment...did you get one from your headline entertainer?

Connecting With Your Fellow Man

Look Outside the Bubble

As individuals, we get so wrapped up in our own life. Bills to pay, children to feed. Sometimes you forget that there is more to life than your own personal agenda.

Networking is an essential skill in any profession, and it's a skill that isn't too hard to master. A willingness to take interest in others is the most important requirement.

Cruise to Bermuda (That Wasn't)...the Remainder

So, we all woke up the next day to ever-strengthening winds, and sheets of rain that obscured the shoreline just a quarter-mile away. You'd think that everyone would be in a foul mood. Personally, it felt like a typical late-autumn day in Ohio to me...in other words - miserable weather that makes you happy just to be able to stay warm and dry inside.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

I didn’t start out providing corporate entertainment to Fortune 500 companies. No one ever does. There were a lot of steps between my first performance at the Cochocton County Fair and the clients I work for today. But with each performance came invaluable knowledge that helped with every step that followed.

Learn to Communicate With Your Audience

Every time you step in front of an audience, it’s an opportunity to learn about people.  You can have anywhere between 2 and 2,000 in a crowd – that’s a lot of chances to learn about how people think, react, and INTERACT with one another! I consider the theater to be the world’s most exciting social laboratory, with a chance to change the variables each time…sometimes adding an extra moment’s pause after a joke, or getting two audience members to work together onstage…in order to reach my goal of maximizing everyone’s enjoyment of the show.

Different Strokes

There’s a reason the phrase “Know Your Audience” exists…because if you have that knowledge, you can “plug in” to the necessary wavelength instantaneously. If you are doing a show for a State Fair, the demographic you design a show for can be quite different than one for a cancer fundraiser. Deciding on what kind of messaging and style will be easy if you know what the tastes and attitudes of those in the audience are. The only way to know the differences, though, is through experience. Speaking of which…

Party On!

Whether it be a corporate event, or just a holiday gathering at your house, if there’s a party, get in there! No, I’m not suggesting you pull a “Wedding Crashers”  (though I am guilty of doing that once), but I am saying that you should put yourself in front of all kinds of crowds. It’s the quickest, most rewarding, and FUN way to shake things up. As an entertainer/speaker/presenter, you get to do what you love to do, so SHARE IT! It’s the greatest gift you can give to the world, while satisfying your own passion at the same time.

How to Plan the Best Holiday or Christmas Party Ever

When it comes to Christmas parties, it's never too early to start planning.

So, it's September, and you've just put away your camping gear for another year. Walking through your local shopping center, you hear the first Christmas carol of 2012 over the PA system. What? Isn't it waaaaaaay too early to be thinking of the Holidays? Not really, no...especially if you are going to be (or already have been) tapped to plan a celebration this year.

Why Entertainers Should Get Return On Their Investment

Performers have a passion...a passion for their art. PROFESSIONAL performers need to get paid for their art and the time they've invested in order to acquire their level of expertise. Sure, both put in a ton of time to learn their craft, but if one expects more than just self-satisfaction for their efforts, there are things that need to be done to get there.

The Professional Mindset and Success That Follows

Being a Professional...  What is a "professional"? Often, the term is thought of as just "someone who gets paid for what he does". But I see it as being a bit deeper than that.

Being a professional is a state of mind.

Tips on Preparing for an Effective Training Session

Have you heard ads for those "5 minute workouts", where you'll look like you spent HOURS in the gym, without actually having to make that kind of time investment? Sure you have. Do you believe them? Of course not! You know that in order accomplish anything of value, it takes actual effort - there's no shortcut. But, you CAN make the most of the time you do spend conditioning your body, learning the perfect golf swing, or even writing your first screenplay! Here are the steps that I've found to help keep me focused and productive from beginning to end.

Bridging the Gap

I've had a couple of conversations recently with fellow professional performers that might interest the aspiring performer greatly. The subject was showmanship. When it's not there, it shows.

When you are practicing, there's no pressure to perform. You can spend entire days immersed in your art. Trust me, I know the feeling, and it's terrific! It's great that when you get into your groove, everything else melts away - it's just you and your passion. But, if you have an audience to entertain, you need to "open the bay doors", and let them in to your fortress of fun.

The Next Generation

Last week I was privileged to witness a show I'm glad that I could see first-hand. Well, actually, it was more than one show.

First, Cameron (my oldest nephew) performed in his first-ever talent show.

I remember the first talent show that I performed in, and it made me a nervous wreck! Cameron, I'm happy to say, didn't seem to have that problem. He did drop once, but kept going and didn't let it affect the rest of his performance. That kind of maturity really impressed me, and the rest of the family there to cheer him on. Equally impressive is the skill level of this kid. He's only really been practicing for the last year or so, and already he's juggling four balls, and doing tricks with 3 clubs/balls. He is sponging it up at a rate that is really kind of mind-blowing. Way to go, Cameron!

Ciao, Italia!

What a week! I just got back from an engagement in Italy. Talk about exciting - on top of getting to see all the sights of Rome, I had the chance to perform for a large audience that was a mix of Italian/English speakers, which is always tricky.