Blog Posts

Grand Opening

9/25/2012

Saturday I spent 3 hours twisting balloons at the grand opening for the Old Navy Store in Turlock. I had a wonderful time meeting all of the wonderful folks working at Old Navy and I was impressed with how friendly and helpful they were. If it wasn't for them, the day would not have gone as smoothly as it did.
I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of you. One of the primary benefits to this business of clowning is the opportunity to meet and to interact with such great people as yourselves.

An Opportunity to Share

9/17/2012

Recently, I performed at a birthday party for over 25 children ranging in ages 4 to 11 years old. During the magic show I noticed an 11 year old boy watching every move I made. I could tell that he was trying to figure out how I did my tricks. Fortunately for me he was unable to figure anything out and the show proceeded to a successful conclusion.

Following the show he came to me as I was making the balloon animals and informed me that he wanted to be a clown some day and that he had learned how to create a few balloon animals and had dabbled in magic. He asked for some balloon twisting tips which I was all too happy to offer. He also asked how I did some of my tricks but of course I had to honor the magician's code and not divulge my secrets. I did however steer him in the right direction as to where he could find quality magic props and where to go to gain a firm understanding of the basic tenets of performing magic. He was very grateful for the advice and I was thrilled to help him out as I am such a firm believer in the power that comes from learning magic. You see, I have discovered that a strong foundation in magic creates a life long skill set that is invaluable in any aspect of life.

If it were up to me, every school in the country would have magic incorporated into their curriculum.

Busy Day On Saturday

8/19/2012

Saturday the 18th was a fun day full of balloon twisting, magic and just plain old clowning around. In spite of the heat, I had a ton of fun! The laughter, the ooo's and aah's and the VERY nice people I met were well worth putting up with the heat. Life just doesn't get any better than this.

Creating Memories

7/21/2012

Recently I performed at a church function and as I was setting up for the show a young man approached me and said that he remembered me from a friend's birthday party that he attended. He said that he still remembers the "milk trick" I performed with him as the volunteer. He proceeded to tell me just how much fun that was and that he will never forget it.

It's interesting because the party he referred to was about five years ago and he still remembers that experience! This reaffirms the impact a live performer has on children whether he is performing music, dance, balloon twisting, magic or whatever. I have always maintained the belief that movies, video games, television, etc are nothing more than passive babysitters for children. Don't get me wrong these media have a place and can be entertaining but too much can be a bad thing.

Interactive, live performances done inside of a home are much more rich in their entertainment value because they contribute to the psychological growth of a child. Children LOVE to play-act. Play-acting is a necessity for children as they grow because it develops the all important imagination. Live performances provide the opportunity for children to play-act in front of their peers within a safe and controlled environment. If the performance is done correctly, the added benefit will be a fond memory that will endure a life time.

Busy Spreading Joy This Past Weekend

7/10/2012

Saturday I had the pleasure and honor of providing laughter and joy at two birthday parties and a church barbecue. All three events were a lot of fun and I was happy to be able to contribute to the fun and festivities for the children involved!

June 26th, 2012

6/26/2012

I worked my first gig at a daycare center and had a wonderful time. The children were very receptive and they all had a blast. In fact, they were so excited that they all got up and started dancing to the music that I used for my intro. That wasn't supposed to happen! It threw me off kilter for a few seconds but then I said to myself, "Oh what the heck" and started dancing with them which only energized them even more so! Following the dancing, it took me a minute or two to calm them back down so I could go into my act. It was crazy!

The hardest part was saying goodbye. They begged me to either stay or to at least come back tomorrow.

Perception is Reality

5/13/2012

Yesterday after my magic show, I had a group of girls come up and ask me to make Justin Bieber appear! Apparently they thought I had the capability of performing such a miracle. I guess that proves the old saying that Perception is Reality.

Had a Wonderful Time on Saturday

5/7/2012

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of performing for a wonderful group of 4 to 7 year-old children and we all had a blast! They were very well behaved and most anxious to get involved with the magic. The birthday boy couldn't wait to help me make candy the magical way!!
Their favorite balloons were the ladybug and the octopus.

School Show

4/30/2012

Friday, I had the pleasure of performing for 150+ kids and parents at an
Elementary School and I had the time of my life. I took a chance by
trying out some new tricks and routines and they were a huge success! I was a
little concerned about spinning a glass full of water around my head in a "home made" contraption without soaking my audience. My concerns were quickly whisked away at the conclusion of the trick with the sound of applause reverberating within my ears - whew!

Following the show, I spent the next two hours twisting
balloons for everyone and boy were my fingers tuckered out.

Why My Work Stands Out from Others Who Do What I Do

3/24/2012

The reason my work stands out from others who do what I do stems from my core belief that true entertainment should be all about the audience and NOT about me. In other
words, the audience should be the star NOT the entertainer. My shows are therefore based on a carefully laid out plan that includes:

·         Audience Participation
·         Stage Presence
·         Character Development
·         A Comprehensive Understanding of Humor
·         The Psychology of What Makes People Laugh
·         Mental Preparation
·         Confidence
·         Experience
·         Showmanship

When properly applied, these skills and principles along with my "secret ingredient" ultimately generate a powder keg that is primed and ready for explosive laughter, spontaneous fun and sheer amazement.

Contained within this powder keg is a highly INTERACTIVE environment which transforms my audience  from into active participants who contribute to the overall entertainment value of the show .This unique environment demands that I never perform DOWN to my audience requiring them to watch some sort of ego-maniac artist take the stage and make the show all about him. There is something inherently wrong on so many levels when any artist performs only what they want with the attitude of "Hey, look at me!" "Look at what I can do but you can't!"

Over the years I have discovered that interaction creates unique and hilarious improvisational opportunities that are truly entertaining and extremely memorable. Often times, I have seen children (whom the parents say are shy) jump at every opportunity to join me on stage to perform either a magic trick or a gag. The shyness quickly melts away leading to incredible ad-lib moments that are not only an entertainer's dream come true but are also wonderfully entertaining!

Someone recently asked me, " What is the most valuable lesson you have learned as an entertainer?" I simply replied by saying, " Without the audience, an entertainer is nothing."

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