In the past year, I've had a couple of radio, newspaper and school newspapers ask me some pretty good questions about being in that mascot suit. I've narrowed them down to the top 10. Hopefully, my buddy will add a comment and answer the same questions. It should make for some interesting reading.
AN INTERVIEW WITH A MASCOT:
STEAMER, ALTOONA CURVE
10. IS IT HOT IN THAT SUIT AND HOW DO YOU KEEP COOL?
THOSE ARE THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. HOT? IMAGINE WEARING A WOOL SUIT WITH A TOSSEL CAP, SCARF AND MITTENS, AND THEN SITTING IN A SAUNA. AND, THE KEY TO KEEPING COOL IS DRINK LOTS OF WATER, AND I HANG OUT IN THE HUGE WALK-IN FREEZERS.
9. DO YOU REALLY LOSE WEIGHT?
I PERSONALLY DO NOT, BECAUSE I EAT BALLPARK FOOD ALL SUMMER LONG AND IT KINDA BALANCES ME OUT. BUT I DO SWEAT A LOT.
8. WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A MASCOT?
I ALWAYS HAD AN AMBITION TO BE THE PITTSBURGH PARROT, AND REALIZED I HAD TO PLAY THE MINORS FIRST. BUT, I’VE LOVED PUPPETS AND MASCOTS EVER SINCE I WAS A KID AND NEVER MISSED AN EPISODE OF THE MUPPET SHOW.
7. DOES IT PAY WELL AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
ALTHOUGH I USED TO WORK FULL TIME HOURS, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART TIME WORK FOR ME. SOME MASCOT GIGS PAY VERY WELL. THE PHILLY PHANATIC, WHO STARTED IT ALL, IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID MASCOTS IN THE BUSINESS. PAY? WELL, REMEMBER, I DO WORK FOR A GROUP CALLED THE ‘PIRATES’.
THE BENEFITS ARE THE FRIENDSHIP AND RESPECT ONE GETS FROM THE FANS, ESPECIALLY THE LITTLE LEAGUERS.
6. ANY SKITS OR PRANKS THAT WERE MEMORABLE?
WE DID A PRANK/SKIT YEARS AGO, WHERE I WAS THE ‘PLANT’. DRESSED AS AN OLD MAN WITH A WALKER PLANTED IN THE CROWD. WE DID A YMCA DANCE NUMBER, WHERE BILL, THE ORIGINAL STEAMER, TRIPS THE OLD MAN AND HE FALLS FLAT ON HIS FACE WITH HIS WALKER DROPPING OUT FROM UNDER HIM, ONLY TO BOUNCE UP AND DANCE THE REST OF THE SONG WITH THE TROUPE. WE HAD DOCTORS, SECURITY, USHERS AND EMTS WHO BELIEVED IT WAS REAL. WE GOT HATE MAIL, WHICH WAS HILARIOUS. YOU SHOULD’VE SEEN IT. IT WAS REMARKABLE.
THE OTHER ‘DARE’ THAT MADE IT TO THE BIG TIME CABLE SPORTS SHOWS, WAS THE DAY I CLIMBED THE 80 FOOT LIGHT TOWER IN THE COSTUME, BUT COULDN’T GET DOWN IN IT. SO, I HAD TO STRIP, AND COME DOWN IN MY TEE SHIRT AND SWIM TRUNKS. OH, WHAT A SIGHT.
5. NAME SOMETHING YOUR CHARACTER DOES THAT IS UNIQUE.
STEAMER RIDES THE ROLLER COASTER JUST BEYOND THE OUTFIELD AT LAKEMONT PARK. WHEN IT’S MASCOT MANIA, WE TRY TO FILL EACH SEAT IN THE COASTER WITH A DIFFERENT MASCOT. I HEAR THERE ARE PHOTOS OUT THERE, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A COPY.
4. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MASCOT?
WAY TOO LONG. ABOUT 10 YEARS. I STILL TELL PEOPLE, “I’M JUST FILLING IN UNTIL BILL’S KNEE HEALS UP”, AND THAT WAS 2001. IN THE BEGINNING, I WAS AN ASSISTANT AND A ‘PLANT, BUT THEN BY THE 3RD SEASON FULL THROTTLE. THIS IS A GOOD YEAR TO LET THE YOUNGER GUYS FILL IN THE CLOWN SHOES.
3. WHAT OTHER MASCOT GIGS HAVE YOU DONE?
I AM ONE OF SANTA’S HELPERS AT CHRISTMAS TIME, AND THE SHRINERS HAVE ASKED ME A DOZEN TIMES TO BE A CLOWN AND RUN WITH THE CIRCUS. SHOULDN’T BE HARD, MY LIFE’S A FREAK SHOW. HOWEVER, I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT THE OTHER MASCOTS IN OUR DEPT. HAVE BEEN MASCOTS FOR PROFESSIONAL AND COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY TEAMS
2. DO YOU NEED TO BE IN GOOD PHYSICAL SHAPE TO BE A MASCOT?
IT DEPENDS ON THE MASCOT CHARACTER THE ACTOR IS PERFORMING. STEAMER, IS THE ‘FAT GUY IN LITTLE COAT’, AND IS THE COMIC RELIEF. SO, NO, I AM NOT PHYSICALL FIT, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PHYSICALLY PFFT! THOUGH WE DO RUN MORE THAN THE PLAYERS, MY SIDEKICK DIESEL DAWG HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MORE ATHLETIC TYPE. HE’S A PUP, AND HE CHASES CARS, SO HE’S IN BETTER SHAPE THAN ME. I JUST GO OUT AND RIDE AROUND ON MY ATV AND THE ROLLER COASTER, AND HAVE A BLAST. THE OLDER I GET, I REALIZE THAT STRETCHING BEFORE THE GAME IS A GOOD THING TO DO.
1.WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE IN THE COSTUME?
THAT’S A TOUGH ONE. THERE ARE SO MANY STUNTS I DO. I PERSONALLY LIKE DOING THE NEARBY ANTICS WHERE I HAVE A CAPTURED CROWD. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I PLAY THE STANDS AND THE BLEACHERS, I PLAY FOR A MUCH SMALLER FAN BASE, RATHER THAN WHEN I AM ONTOP OF THE DUGOUT AND PROJECTED ON THE BIG SCREEN, AND NOT EVERYONE CAN SEE WHAT I AM DOING. I RELY ON GOOD OLD FASHIONED PANTOMIMING AND THE 3 STOOGES PHYSICAL COMEDY FOR VISUAL EFFECTS. EVEN THOUGH, STEAMER DOESN’T TALK…MUCH, WHEN I SEE A BUNCH OF FOLKS I KNOW, I GET UP CLOSE AND TALK WITH THEM, AND THEY TELL ME IT’S REALLY FUNNY TO HEAR. I HAVE CREATED STEAM SOUNDS AND WHISTLES TOO, BECAUSE I AM A CHOO CHOO.
