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Celebrity Mascot Games 2013 Canceled
According to the letter they are already working with community leaders so the games can return in 2014. So there’s no need to worry as The Celebrity Mascot Games are not gone for good and the CEO of MascotInsider will send a letter to New Hope for Kids letting them know we are here to help in any way. We wanted to thank the New Hope For Kids and Central Florida Sports Commission for allowing us to join them is helping to cover the games and we look forward to bringing you the best coverage again when the games return!
Mascots Raise Money For Charity
Eighty-two mascots competed Sunday in the eighth annual Mascot Gold Cup Race at Wetherby Racecourse in Yorkshire, England. The fastest 1 minute, 15 seconds in mascot sports raised 12,000 pounds ($18,582) for the Sue Ryder Hospice and 5,000 pounds ($7,742) for other causes.
After early leader Snappy the Alligator went down in the 1-furlong race and ran into race stewards on the side of the course once back up, Rufus the Bear, who finished second in the event last year, outdistanced Peanuts the Penguin (despite Rufus having to keep a hand on his head for balance). Rufus seemed to have the race in hand, but a late rush on the outside by Flash the Starlight Hike Star left Rufus the bridesmaid once again. Stunned, the individual inside the Rufus costume pulled off the giant head to see who stole his glory. Off balance, the individual hit the turf and the Rufus head went rolling ahead for yards. Quite a scene!
While not a front-runner, Josh Hudson puts forth a noteworthy effort in the contest appropriately wearing a giant heart costume. Hudson, 17, has a rare heart condition known as transposition of the arteries and is the only person with the condition to live past age 8. He raised 106 pounds ($164) for Heart Research UK through his effort.
Wearing the giant heart had its detriments, Hudson told the Bradford Telegraph & Argus.
“It was quite tiring,” he said of the race. “It is an unsuitable costume when the wind catches it. I’d like to do something like that again, but I don’t know what’s next. It was nice to raise the money.”
Source: http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/10387539.Sue_Ryder_Mascot_Race_raises___12_000_for_Manorlands_hospice Photo By: Dave Woodhead
Canadian township not happy about bong mascot
Esquimalt, a township at the southern tip of Vancover Island in British Columbia, wants to ban the mascot of Bong Warehouse from being allowed on the streets of the area.
Officials contend the mascot, which looks far more like a stoned Smurf than a bong, does not promote a healthy living message for the “family-friendly” community. One of the township’s councillors said he has received more complaints about the mascot than he does about sewage.
Being as bongs are legal devices to sell in Canada, as well as the United States, it would seem that Esquimalt officials have a tough road ahead in their effort. In Canada, tobacco used in a pipe – like a bong – is also legal, as is medical marijuana. A business promoting a legal device would seem to have the right to advertise its product – with a mascot.
Ryan Place, owner of the business, feels he is being unfairly targeted by the township. He said the mascot has only made a handful of appearances since his store opened in December and that he has never received a direct complaint about the mascot. In fact, he said, many people want to have their photo taken with the mascot at appearances.
He doesn’t foresee any rules being enforceable to keep him from using the mascot and said there is only an objection because his mascot is for a marijuana-related business. A place noted anything involving marijuana continues to be controversial. He said he will fight any restrictions the township tries to place on the mascot’s use.
Do you agree with this? Should the town be forced to ban the mascot due to it being not family friendly? Answer below in the comments..
Original Source: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/esquimalt-wants-to-ban-bong-mascot-1.117290 Photograph that’s featured in this article by: DARREN STONE, VICTORIA TIMES COLONIST
Tampa Bay Mascot Spurs Controversy with ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Sign
The sign, which was displayed at a recent game, features a photo of the late “Crocodile Hunter” with the caption “Rays To Do List” and two items that included the name Steve Irwin and the World Series. Irwin’s name was also crossed out and a photo of the wildlife expert was shown.
Irwin, famous for his “Crocodile Hunter” television show, famously died from a bizarre sting ray attack while diving in Australia in 2006.
While the joke may have seemed funny to some, ball club officials are taking the matter seriously. According to Orlando area news sources, the a team spokesman issued the following statement:
“The Tampa Bay Rays regret that this particular sign was displayed in the ballpark, and we apologize for the lapse in judgment.”
The spokesman also went on to explain that the sign was fan created and that the mascot, Raymond Ray, was simply holding it up for the crowd.
But the event leads many to wonder, how far is too far in the name of crowd entertainment?
What do you think? Should the team be responsible for what fan created signs come into the ballpark?
Amazing Interview with AMAZING!! Mascots, Inc.
1. How did you get your start being a professional mascot and creating mascot costumes? As a sports fan, I was always interested in mascots. I grew up in South Florida and in the late 80’s/early 90’s we had some of the best mascots (Burnie-Miami Heat, Billy-Florida Marlins, Stanley-Florida Panthers). While in high school I got an internship with the indoor soccer team. That lead to part time positions with the Arena Football and MLS team. While in college I worked as a parade performer at Walt Disney World, a seasonal “scare-actor” and costume technician at Universal Studios, served as my college mascot for a year, interned with the WNBA team as their mascot, and performed across the country as JJ Jumper, the official mascot of NCAA Basketball. While in college, in order to gain more experience, I learned how to make costumes with the help of some mascot makers and my friend’s mother who was a seamstress. To help perfect my craft I approached a couple of teams and offered a low cost costume if they paid for materials. It helped me learn how to make costumes and led to my first big sale, a $3,000 suit to the Miami SOL of the WNBA. That was a lot of money for a college kid, and I’ve been hooked ever since! 2. What are some of your favorite things to do as a mascot? There are so many things: dancing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJQwC8_DOG, celebrating a win http://i.imgur.com/060aN.jpg>, hospital visits, nailing a skit, player interaction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i60XoQfL1M0, meeting celebrities http://i.imgur.com/bc7o4.jpg and more. But I think my favorite thing is subtlety. Conveying something minute, non verbally, and making people laugh. It might be a simple turn of the head, a pause, or an on time reaction. It’s not something the whole stadium sees, but for the people who see it it’s hilarious, and adds so much depth to the character and performance. 3. You’ve been a mascot for many different sports teams. What sport is your favorite to mascot?* Baseball. In my opinion is the perfect venue for a mascot. There is plenty of down time and usually a lot of places to position yourself to be seen. I call it “a long conversation.” You can pop out, do something during the start of the game, and come back later and call back to your prior shenanigans. Do to the pace of the game, people really watch you when you’re out performing. Arena football is just crazy, unadulterated fun. It’s just a non stop show and a great venue for a mascot performer. I used to literally be on the field during play (while it was at the other end) and could run and be center field constantly. The players and refs don’t take themselves too seriously and you have a ton of fodder for humor. Having players and officials that are willing to play with you makes for a much funnier performance. I love hockey as a fan, but as a mascot I found it challenging. It’s hard to be center stage and the game is so fast you have to wait for the whistle to try and entertain, or risk annoying fans. You can read an article I wrote about performing in different venues on Gameops.com http://www.gameops.com/essay-writers/mascot-tips 4. Are there any mascots you looked up to when you began your career? The Phillie Phanatic, of course. I remember the first time I saw one of his performances. I was like “Oh, this is what a mascot can do!” He was just always on, never out of character, and almost every moment was funny. Clutch of the Houston Rockets http://www.youtube.com/user/nosuchthing was another inspiration. He was edgy, hilarious, and cute all at once as well as the ultimate businessman. Erin Blank, who was Paws of the Detroit Tigers at the time, also helped get my career going by offering a ton of advice. But I think my favorite had to be the original Burnie for the Miami Heat. He was just such a true clown, always pushing it, always making me laugh. I modeled a lot of my character attributes after him. 5. What kind of advice could you give someone who wants to become a professional mascot, but doesn’t know where to begin? Get training by attending a mascot boot camp. Keystone Mascots and Raymond Entertainment offer them as well as the United Cheerleading Association. Call local teams and see if they need a backup or mascot assistant. Some teams offer internships for mascots. Audition for your high school or college mascot. If you’re near a theme park, get work as a costumed character. Enhance your skill set by taking dancing/acting lessons. If possible, learn gymnastics. Practice tricks such as juggling, unicycling, and stilt walking. If you can’t land a mascot position with a team, try out for their promo squad and learn how to be an out of costume entertainer. If no jobs are available, consider purchasing or making your own costume and volunteer at community events to get experience. A great way to learn is by watching other mascots. Thanks to YouTube http://www.youtube.com/amazingmascotsinc, it’s easier than ever to watch other mascots. Mimic what you see your favorite performers do and add your own personality traits to develop your character. Video tape yourself as much as possible and watch the footage. It helps you learn. I also advise new performers, in this age of litigation, to think before they act/react. A simple mistake could lead to someone getting hurt, and the performer being liable. This is why getting proper training is key. 6. How do you deal with a crowd that lacks energy? It’s rare that this happens. The only time I’ve run into crowds like this are small crowds at sponsored events, where there are only so many people to interact with. I’ll spend more one on one time with individuals that enjoy the mascot, like children, and take breaks so the mascot doesn’t get “annoying.” If it’s really slow, I’ll stand next to the road by the sponsor’s sign and wave. But I’m careful to stay far away from the road to avoid possible injury. If I’m in a crowd that’s just “not having” the mascot (usually tweens through college age) I’ll showcase my dance skills or woo them with my giveaway items. Once you get them over the “I’m too cool for a mascot” it’s be fun. 7. How do you deal with the times that YOU lack energy? Even when I’m tired, grumpy, or having a bad day, when the suit comes on I snap out of it. I’ve had days when I’m exhausted and I swear I’m going to “tone it down” and just get through the event. It never happens. I’m incapable of “phoning it in” as the crowd always gives me the energy to perform, no matter how tired I am. 8. What are some of you favorite memories of being a professional mascot? For my first regular season MLB game I got flown to Japan where the Devil Rays took on the New York Yankees for the 2004 MLB season opener. I remember standing behind home plate at the Tokyo Dome, looking up at 50,000+ fans, and just being in awe. The 2008 season was another highlight, with the Rays making the playoffs for the first time ever, and beating the Red Sox in 7 games during the ALCS. When we went to the World Series I was standing on the field, seeing the World Series logo everywhere and thinking “Is this real?” As a hockey fan I truly enjoyed the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2011 post season run where they were one game away from the Stanley cup finals. The whole run was awesome, but I really enjoyed game 4 of the Eastern Conference semi finals they swept the Capitals. The crowd was electric. 9. How does AMAZING!! Mascots, Inc. compete with other mascot costume creators? Our costumes are designed with the performer in mind and we do not stick to one “look” or production method. Our costumes truly are unique and we construct them using whatever method is best suited for the client’s needs. We strive to make each costume unique and fit within the client’s budget. Also we’re the only company whose head designer is a current mascot performer who has performed for MLB, NHL, NBA (backup), WNBA, MLS, Arena Football, Minor League Baseball, Minor League Hockey, NCAA Basketball, and Division 1 College Football and worked as a character costume technician at Universal Studios Florida. I have worn countless costumes and talked with dozens (if not 100+) performers and know the pros and cons of various costume construction techniques. We have a new production technique that takes a 2D drawing and turns it into a 3D http://i.imgur.com/Qf8Pu.jpg model that can be viewed at all angles http://i.imgur.com/SHFSB.jpg. The client can make changes to the model http://i.imgur.com/Uslmv.jpg, and them we print out a pattern, and construct the head http://i.imgur.com/P7axj.jpg. You basically get to see the head http://i.imgur.com/QLoc9.jpg before we even start making it. Plus, at AMAZING!! Mascots, Inc. we’re mascot fans http://imgur.com/a/BrlKK#0 and we truly want you to have the best looking, high performance, durable mascot you can afford. Thanks to Kelly Frank from AMAZING!! Mascots, Inc. for doing an interview with us today. To see the latest mascot news, videos, and job postings be sure to “Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amazingmascots, follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/amazingmascots, and check out our new blog at http://amazingmascots.wordpress.com/
MascotInsider Attends IAAPA 2012 Full Recap Of The Expo
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Interview with the Ringmaster of The Fur Circus
1. What are some of the difficulties and advantages of performing as a
group?
Anytime you are in a group there are challenges, be it personalities,
work ethic, ideas and so forth. The uniqueness of Fur Circus is that all of
us have a long stand working relationship as professional mascots before
creating our enFURtainment concept. Our FURternity and cross collaboration
is not something you see in a city with several professional sports
teams/mascots. We have a lot of energy, passion and respect for this
industry and because of that, a mutual respect for each other. When we get
into creative sessions and executing for clients we can get extremely
creative with some wild ideas. Our challenge is keeping up with our ideas
and making sure that they fit into what we are doing.
2. Where is your favorite place to perform?
We have performed in a lot of great venues and towns, for great
organizations. However, our favorite place to “do what we do” is in
hospitals. Bringing the suspension of reality to people during difficult
times is just something you can’t top. It’s very fulfilling and, for us, a
constant reminder that what we do can positively affect many people.
3. What kind of advice could you give someone who wants to become a
professional mascot, but doesn’t know where to begin?
There are a lot of opinions, people and camps out there that can tell you
how to be a mascot but the reality is you have to start somewhere. You
can shadow mascots. Watch guys, talk with them and have them work with
you. There are guys that have been actively performing for a long time and
are genuine when it comes to passing off a little advice. Finally, always
let your mascot head be bigger than your own. Being a professional mascot
means knowing when to be on and when to be off, too many mascots have
ruined great opportunities because they let their ego get in the way of
being a professional mascot. When we represent organizations we are held
accountable for our actions inside and outside the costume!
4. How do you guys deal with a crowd that lacks energy?
As a group, we always have back up plans.and back up plans for our back up
plans. The idea is being flexible and adapting to the situation. You have
to be able to read the crowd and adjust your performance, meet them where
they are at and bring them up. Our skits are never the same, no matter how
many times we rehearse or script them out because we adjust them to meet
the crowd where they are at.
5. Have you guys ever been injured while performing and if so what happened?
Yes, Yes, Yes. Collectively, we have had broken noses, toes, stitches,
shoulder tears, knees, backs, necks.the list goes on.
6. What is the farthest place you as a group have traveled to perform?
As a group we are very methodical about where we perform, we’re developing
something to stand the test of time and not just the now. For that reason we
have been working with organizations in the southeast, we’re based out of
Atlanta. However, our guys have gone to China, Brazil, Europe, Guam, Canada,
all over.
7. What kind of mascot experience do you guys have prior to becoming The Fur
Circus?
Our group has over 50 years of combined experience working in all levels
of professional sports. We cover MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL, WNBA, AFL, MiLB,
professional hockey and soccer. Outside of the sports realm includes NCAA,
Jimmy Buffett, UniverSoul Circus, Harlem Globetrotters, Warner
Brothers and the Olympic games.
8. How many shows do you guys do a year and what sports do you guys perform
at?
We do all sports plus a lot of festivals and events. It really just
depends on the time of the year.
9. How do you guys compete against other traveling entertainment groups like
BirdZerk and The Famous Chicken?
This business is certainly a small world and we have crossed paths with
many of the other entertainment acts out there. To be very honest we don’t
really see them as competitors as we all offer very different products. I
certainly would like to think that we have a more diversely experienced
group of enFURtainers but, again, what we are offering is very different
from what everyone else is.
10. How do you guys deal with the times that YOU physically lack energy?
When we are on the ground working with a client it does get to be a bit of a
non-stop kind of day. Staying hydrated, working together as a group and
taking care of ourselves. Taking care of the basics. The show must always go
on!
Thanks The Fur Circus for interviewing with MascotInsider today. You can visit their official website at thefurcircus.com and be sure to “Like” their official page by clicking here.
Imperor of Fun and Games: Dave Raymond Interview
1. What are some of your memories from your first game as the Phillie Phanatic?
Great fear that the same fans that booed Santa Clause and Easter Bunny would turn on me as a green furry Muppet. Actually what happened was the realization about how much fun it was and was going to be. The fans were accepting and a great bond between the Phanatic and the fans began on that night late in April 1978 that continues today almost 36 years later!
2. What kind of advice could you give someone who wants to become a professional mascot, but doesn’t know where to begin?
The best advice I ever received was from my boss Bill Giles on the first night I wore the costume. I was concerned because, up to that point, no one had told me what to do, or maybe even more importantly, what not to do. Bill said, “David…just have fun. If you are not having fun you will not be funny and if you are not funny this will not be successful”. So…everyone who is in this business must make sure it makes them happy and that it is fun for them to do. If not, it will not be a success no matter how talented they are. Also you have to take it seriously. Yes…it is “serious” fun! That means you have to practice and be skilled in your presentation.
3. What happened to the Mascot Hall of Fame? By that I mean it stops with the 2008 inductees why hasn’t it continued?
The Mascot Hall of Fame is alive and well. We are waiting to find the next great mascot to induct. We have to be careful with the Mascots we consider. There may even be a permanent Mascot Hall of Fame in the Chicago area soon.
4. What would you say is the most vaulable part of a mascot program for colleges and sports teams?
The organization must be willing to set it as a priority and budget for success. Remember that your mascot is a living, breathing brand extension not just a “kid in a suit”. You would skimp on the development of your logo and you shouldn’t do that on the one initiative that can go everywhere and remind your, students, fans, customers and employees that you value fun! A mascot can deliver your message with entertainment and make it more memorable than any other form of marketing or advertising.
5. Where did you get the name “Emperor of Fun and Games?”
John Brazer is the Director of Fun and Games for the Philadelphia Phillies. I love the title and decided that if I stole the idea from him I had to make it a title that trumped director so the Emperor of Fun and Games was created! John still gives me a hard time about every time I see him.
6. How did you deal with a crowd that lacked energy?
Crowds that I worked in front of never lacked energy. Fans always want to have fun. That is why they are coming to the game in the first place. They want to be distracted from their problems and struggles for a few hours. The Phanatic was the perfect distraction and I don’t ever remember a crowd that didn’t respond the Phanatic and the other characters that I had the privilege of performing.
7. How did you deal with the times that YOU lacked energy?
Now that is a whole different question! I tried to always remember how lucky I was to have the opportunity to be paid to be an idiot. It was truly the best job on the planet! The best way for me to deal with the lack of my energy was the same as the fan would. I focused on the faces of the fans and kids that were enjoying the character. That provides more energy than you can imagine. I worked through the anguish of losing my mother to cancer while I was performing as the Phanatic and I believe that it helped me recover more quickly mentally and emotionally because of the Philadelphia fans support.
8. What are some of your highlights as a mascot?
To name just few…
Working a funeral as the Phanatic and being successful
Riding in the 1980 World Series Parade as the Phanatic
The Phanatic’s infamous fight with Tommy Lasorda
Working as the Phanatic in LA in front of the Dodger fans
Working as the Phanatic in San Diego in front of the Padre fans
Catching a foul ball in costume when the Phillies were beating the Atlanta Braves during the 1993 playoffs
Rolling out our new character called Sport for Acme Mascots in 1994
9. Who influenced you to become a mascot?
No one! I was just in the right place at the right time. I was an athlete all through high school and college and if someone told me that I would end up becoming a professional mascot I would have told them they were nuts!
10. Do you remember any fans who left a big impression on you during your career?
All of the mentally and physically challenged kids. Nothing was more sobering and gave me better perspective then kids who had so much less that I did in terms of health and they were just as happy as I would ever be! That can certainly wake you up a bit.
Dave
Thanks so much to Mr. Dave Raymond for doing an interview with MascotInsider for more information about his company please visit http://raymondeg.com/.
Interview with Glenn Street Topdog of Street Characters Inc
1. What are some of your memories from your first game as Harvey the Hound?
Wow, that was a looong time ago, I don’t recall my first game. What I do recall is the Flames back then were like the Chicago Bulls when they had Michael Jordan – tickets to the game were extremely hard to get. That meant that most of the crowd were businessmen from Downtown. The average age was in the 50’s and the vast majority were college graduates – the only time you saw any kids at the game was if it was Saturday Afternoon. This highly educated, white collar crowd was exactly the kind of crowd you would expect wouldn’t work for a mascot, yet when the Flames did season Ticket Holder surveys, Harvey consistently scored as their favorite thing at a Flames Game – after the hockey of course!
2. What kind of advice could you give someone who wants to become a professional mascot, but doesn’t know where to begin?
If you can believe it I get lots of email from people who have never been in a costume who ask how they can become a major league mascot, as if all they had to do was put on a costume! I explain they need to get some experience. Start by volunteering for a local charity, find out if you can assist the mascot at a minor league team. From there you will get to know the Team as well as other mascots in the area, continue to get as much experience as possible, remember, at this point it has to be about getting experience and not getting paid. As you get more and more experience and start to move up the ladder other organizations will start to hear about you and other mascots will tell you about job openings. Most importantly, make sure you get a video of your best stuff to make an audition video.
Being a mascot these days is pretty much like being a player, you start off because you love it, then you may play for your school, then a Minor League, Team or Teams, then hopefully you’ll get your big break and make it to the Majors.
3. What started Harvey the Hound’s feud with TSN broadcaster Gary Green?
That was a long standing feud with several Chapters. The event that got it all going was at a game at Halloween. It was a very one sided game, Calgary was up several goals at the end of the first period. At the start of the Intermission Gary had the unfortunate task of recapping a stinker of a game. He was standing in the corner with the rink behind him trying to find something interesting to say. Harvey was standing behind Gary listens intently, Harvey then started the motion that he was shovelling something (presumably manure), then made the motion that something really smelled. The crowd was loving it and even though Harvey was behind him, Gary could see what was going on through his monitor. On TV you could see him looking off to the side of the monitor and being somewhat distracted as he watched the antics behind him.
He finally said “I can’t take this anymore, this dog is driving me crazy”, he dropped the mike, grabbed Harvey around the throat and started banging the Hound’s head against the glass. The crowd loved it!
TSN had a game the next night in Vancouver, apparently as Gary walked through the Vancouver Airport people were stopping him and asking “What did you do to that poor dog last night?” From there the battle was on.
My favorite Story was when TSN was in Calgary on Trade Day. Harvey was walking around with a telephone in one hand, and a sign in the other that reads “Telephone Call for Gary Green”. Harvey then got down in front of a camera and held up another sign “You’ve been traded…” then flipped the sign over where the backside said “To the Home Shopping Network!”
It was classic.
4. Was there another mascot you learned from?
No, when Harvey was started he was the first mascot in the NHL and one of the first in Pro Sports. We were pioneers so to speak as there were only a handful of mascots.
When I train people today, though I do tell them a great way to learn is to watch other mascots. You will pick up new moves and variations of what you’re doing now. There’s more than one way to show you’re in love with a girl, or angry for example.
5. Where did you get the name “Top Dog?”
When I started Street Characters I wanted to have a title that better reflected who were are, and more fun. The president sounded just too formal. People seem to really love it as well.
6. How did you deal with a crowd that lacked energy?
I’m going to answer this question a little differently.
People often ask me what the biggest mistake is that’s made with a mascot. You’ll be surprised, but my answer is always, “They use them too much”.
Like any team, the Flames didn’t play their best every night. In those instances where they stunk it didn’t matter what Harvey did, it would just aggravate the fans more because they weren’t in the mood. If you try to force yourself on them you end up just aggravating them.
During those times we would take a long break in our dressing room. Hopefully something positive would happen and you could build on that when you came back out. Usually, Harvey’s absence was also noticeable, so they were much more responsive when he returned.
You want to make sure you don’t overstay your welcome, and if the crowd isn’t happy to see you, get the hell out of there.
7. How did you deal with the times that YOU lacked energy?
One word, “Bananas.”
8. What did you do during off-season?
Harvey was kept busy all season, in the off season the Flames would travel to the small towns and the players would challenge the locals to a softball game. Harvey was there for both comic relief, pitched a few games, and even saved a home run by catching the ball in his dog bowl!
From a personal standpoint, we live on the edge of the mountains, it seems like you’re always doing something outdoors.
9. What was your favorite thing to do as a mascot?
Harvey’s signature move was walking along the top of the glass, his feet would slip, and he would end up straddling the glass. You could hear every Male in the building going “Ohhh”.
One year, we delivered “Kingston” a new character to the LA Kings. I was asked if I would wear the costume for the unveiling at a game. During my briefing a section was pointed out to me and I was told “Don’t go near there, they’re crazy, they’ll tear you apart!” When they introduced me I looked at my boss, then pointed to the section I was told to stay away from, then looked back at him to see him saying “NO, NO, NO”, I gave him a little wave and headed directly into the middle of that section. Fortunately, it had a narrow metal railing and I did my full thing. From that point on I had them eating out of my hands. They could see I was literally busting my you know what for them.
I’ve been happily married for 20 years now, no kids though, can’t figure out why!
10. Do you remember any fans who left a big impression on you during your career?
Not any specifics, the great thing about Hockey is that you’re in the crowd pretty much for the entire game. I would say that most Hockey mascots are really good at interacting with the crowd from the entire building down to one individual fan.
The best ones are the ones that play along because the spontaneous bits are usually the funniest. We never tried to embarrass anyone, we always made sure the victim was having as much fun as everyone else.
I remember one time Harvey seeing a fan with the opposing team’s jersey on. Harvey stopped and pointed him out to the crowd. Then motioned to the fan to come down and fight him. The fan was laughing and finally stood up and came down the stairs. Turns out this guy was huge and towered over Harvey. The look on Harvey’s face was “Oh crap”.
The fan picked up Harvey and threw him over his shoulders and proceeded to carry Harvey back up the stairs. Harvey looked down, and there, in this guy’s back pocket was his wallet! Harvey casually reached down, plucked the wallet out of his pocket and then hid it in the costume.
The fan puts Harvey down and then shook his hand as though it was all in good fun – no hard feelings. The fan sat down and Harvey ran down the stairs in front of the section, and pulled out the wallet. The fan was busy high fiving his buddies about how he showed the Hound while Harvey was in front of everyone going through the wallet. Finally, someone said to the guy “Hey, where’s your wallet?” The guy checks his back pocket and then sees Harvey. He comes down and snatches his wallet while Harvey is looking through it.
Harvey’s look is “Hey, what just happened?”
The fan returned to his seat with smiles all around (including his own).
The highlight of my career was when I ran the mascot program for the Calgary Stampede. During the Medal Ceremonies of the ’88 Olympics I was on stage with a band as the warm up act. The band would have the crowd participating in every song and it was great being in control of 60,000 fans from around the World every night during the Olympics.
Thank you to Top Dog for joining us for an interview at MascotInsider for more information about Street Characters Inc you may click here. And you can “Like” them on Facebook by clicking here!
A mascot interview with Rocky The Bull from USF
Question 1: When it’s game day do you also get the players excited before the game? Yes! For every home football game, I lead the team out onto the field! I run out of the tunnel with the players, carrying a huge USF flag from one end zone to the other. Then, I jump into the student section, where all of the students crowd surf me to get ready for the game. But, I must say that the most awesome time I had pumped up one of our teams before a game was during the Softball World Series in Oklahoma City this past year. Before we played Oklahoma in the first game, Coach Ken Erickson told the team that he had a very special guest for them. Then, he called me into the locker room before the girls took the field and I went bonkers. The team and I were so excited to be in the World Series!
Question 2: What is your favorite thing to do as a mascot? Little kids and our students are most dear to my heart! So taking pictures and signing autographs for them is the best!
Question 3: How awesome is it to be in the Celebrity Mascot Games? It is my favorite event every year! I circle my calendar for the Mascot Games because I know that is where the biggest and best mascots are every single summer. I love competing with them to see who the real champion of the mascot world is!
Question 4: Is there another mascots you learn from? All of the teams in the Tampa Bay area are very close with one another. Thunderbug, Raymond, and Captain Fear are some of my best friends. So naturally, I have learned a lot from them since we are at a lot of the same events every year.
Question 5: Do you do anything during off-season? There is NO off-season when you’re a mascot! The summer is one of the busiest times for me. I have freshmen orientations, photo and commercial shoots, the Mascot Games, and community appearances throughout the summer. We pride ourselves at USF as being one of the top community-engaged research universities in the nation.
Question 6: What is your favorite sport? No doubt about it….football!!! We love our USF Bulls football team and are extremely excited about the upcoming year. Big East basketball is my second favorite, especially with the new Sun Dome arena opening up this year! Everyone needs to find some time to come to Tampa and check it out!
Special thanks to Justin Jolley and his great crew at MascotInsider. Love the work you guys do!
In Bull Pride,
Rocky the Bull
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