Be GREAT at PR and Media Spots!

When you’re booked for a multi-day or multi-week fair or festival, the organizers will often ask you to represent the event on early morning TV or in media spots.

You’ve spent years honing your craft and writing jokes, but are you prepared to be fun and engaging on live TV while delivering the right message? Ideally, that message covers key details: the dates of the event, what makes it special, and why people need to come see your show.

If you’ve seen my work, it might surprise you to learn I started as a silent clown, relying mostly on physical comedy and the occasional burst of grammelot.

Verbal comedy was never my strong suit. Thanks to the one and only Ruthie Chaddock and the Feld team, it took a specific chapter of my career to really hone those skills and build the foundation for my later patter (talking) show.

What chapter, you ask? Advance PR for Ringling Bros. through a good chunk of the aughts and beyond.

I traveled to cities ahead of the circus dates to promote the show through school programs, library visits, media spots, and anything else a publicist could dream up. And boy, did they dream up everything.

It was a massive learning experience: adapting material in hospitals, gyms, or even a Chick-fil-A. Most of it was solo work, but performing alongside fellow clown pals was an absolute joy.

And those TV spots? RBBB’s PR training turned me into a adaptable spokesperson for any brand, skills that continue to pay off at fairs and festivals today.

The takeaway? Take the gigs (without letting anyone take advantage of you or undercutting the market). Learn to talk about your show, not just perform the tricks. Get the experience! It will pay dividends down the road.