No really, now, really, you see what's going on here.

No really, now, really, you see what's going on here.

If you're watching this on YouTube, you don't even know what that and you just grew tissues.

If you're watching this on YouTube, you don't even know what that and you just grew tissues.

Strut the shop. Laurie start to show.

Strut the shop. Laurie start to show.

Peter and I are going to interrupt this argument to bring you another episode we really know, really, the podcast where Peter Tilden and Jason Alexander talk about things that make us go really no really? Oh good, thank you. You came right in on here now this one. When you mentioned this to me, I did a little research because this was a really not really where I said, you're punking me. So there are in our country, ladies and gentlemen, there are many, many kinds of halls of fame there for you know, the obvious ones, the baseball Hall of Fame, rock and roll hall of fame, there are these are all true. There is a towing and Recovery.

Peter and I are going to interrupt this argument to bring you another episode we really know, really, the podcast where Peter Tilden and Jason Alexander talk about things that make us go really no really? Oh good, thank you. You came right in on here now this one. When you mentioned this to me, I did a little research because this was a really not really where I said, you're punking me. So there are in our country, ladies and gentlemen, there are many, many kinds of halls of fame there for you know, the obvious ones, the baseball Hall of Fame, rock and roll hall of fame, there are these are all true. There is a towing and Recovery.

Hall of Fame. There is a.

Hall of Fame. There is a.

Kites Hall of Fame, a pinball Hall of fame, derby in there, there's lose suber.

Kites Hall of Fame, a pinball Hall of fame, derby in there, there's lose suber.

I mean, what is that?

I mean, what is that?

Yes, that's right. There's a croquet hall of fame, and insurance hall of fame, a fresh water fish hall of fame, and none of that stop me in my tracks. As when Peter Tilden said, Hey, you know what I just found out there's a mascot Hall of Fame.

Yes, that's right. There's a croquet hall of fame, and insurance hall of fame, a fresh water fish hall of fame, and none of that stop me in my tracks. As when Peter Tilden said, Hey, you know what I just found out there's a mascot Hall of Fame.

Really no, really, so this is really exciting for me. This is really exciting.

Really no, really, so this is really exciting for me. This is really exciting.

Yes, it is really exciting.

Yes, it is really exciting.

Really it is. It is. And I'll tell you why. Growing up in Philadelphia and I wasn't the biggest sports fan because I wasn't a good act. We are the same heart as I'm the sweater, and my mother would say, don't overheat. It was horrible and embarrassing that said. Anybody who lived in Philadelphia doing a certain period knows the iconic Philly fanatic. Because a matter of fact, when I walked into the building today and you mentioned the people go out of their mind. He's a rock star. He's Forbes said he's the number one, number one mascot of all time. Yeah, but Forbes isn't the number one magazine, so their opinion. That's like when in Vegas they say, voted best performance in Vegas by the hotel that the guy's performing at.

Really it is. It is. And I'll tell you why. Growing up in Philadelphia and I wasn't the biggest sports fan because I wasn't a good act. We are the same heart as I'm the sweater, and my mother would say, don't overheat. It was horrible and embarrassing that said. Anybody who lived in Philadelphia doing a certain period knows the iconic Philly fanatic. Because a matter of fact, when I walked into the building today and you mentioned the people go out of their mind. He's a rock star. He's Forbes said he's the number one, number one mascot of all time. Yeah, but Forbes isn't the number one magazine, so their opinion. That's like when in Vegas they say, voted best performance in Vegas by the hotel that the guy's performing at.

That's who voted go ahead, finish it.

That's who voted go ahead, finish it.

Stephen Hawking said that this through his voicebox said this said this man, this is the guy. David Raymond pioneered the field of sports mascots as the first person to go out on the field as a Philly fanatic. He did sixteen years. After sixteen years, he was there for Tug McGraw in the World Series. I was the fanatic changed what mascots were. We can talk later or with David. Were they the history, Well, they were actually staggered. They would just show up and kind of stands. It was kind of creepy and just out to day first that I want him to be putty.

Stephen Hawking said that this through his voicebox said this said this man, this is the guy. David Raymond pioneered the field of sports mascots as the first person to go out on the field as a Philly fanatic. He did sixteen years. After sixteen years, he was there for Tug McGraw in the World Series. I was the fanatic changed what mascots were. We can talk later or with David. Were they the history, Well, they were actually staggered. They would just show up and kind of stands. It was kind of creepy and just out to day first that I want him to be putty.

Dave Raymond, ladies the original Philly fanatic.

Dave Raymond, ladies the original Philly fanatic.

Oh my gosh, and you're in the Hall.

Oh my gosh, and you're in the Hall.

Of Fame right, Oh, you created the Hall of Fame Jesus.

Of Fame right, Oh, you created the Hall of Fame Jesus.

Just like you said about the hotel that voted, I created the mask off and the fanatic.

Just like you said about the hotel that voted, I created the mask off and the fanatic.

I was gonna say, who was the.

I was gonna say, who was the.

First first and so way back and tell me go through the history of theague. If I'm incorrect, It used to be Jason that they would pick kids out of the stand and then it went to kids who had disabilities and they thought they were good luck. So players, players rubbed their head. It was really cool.

First first and so way back and tell me go through the history of theague. If I'm incorrect, It used to be Jason that they would pick kids out of the stand and then it went to kids who had disabilities and they thought they were good luck. So players, players rubbed their head. It was really cool.

Was the thing. I'm going to hit you?

Was the thing. I'm going to hit you?

So it grew from that. Then Max Packham was a and I remember the Mexican pack Him was a player who then became like the crown Prince of jokesters. He had his hat on sideways. He would run bases and do commune.

So it grew from that. Then Max Packham was a and I remember the Mexican pack Him was a player who then became like the crown Prince of jokesters. He had his hat on sideways. He would run bases and do commune.

And then he was the Harlem glove traulers of Bingo.

And then he was the Harlem glove traulers of Bingo.

And then I guess right before you, Dave was the San Diego Chicken.

And then I guess right before you, Dave was the San Diego Chicken.

Yes, yes, he and he was sponsored by the radio station. And he was a kid who raised his hand. He was in the Columbia School of Broadcast. In their end of the two weeks, they said, who wants to get in this chicken costume? You get paid for another two weeks. He raised his hand, said you'll fit the costume, and he went out. And over the next three or four weeks he was doing all these typical promotions for the radio, as you might know, Peter. And then they said, hey, go to San Diego Potter's game. It was an expansion franchise. Nobody but the military were going. I remember the players telling me that San Diego was a military base with a beach, and so the chicken was no one was watching the game. He'd come out, he was drinking, he was chugging beers. He was Oh my god, and he was getting away with it, and so all the players were saying, this thing is amazing. And one of our junior executives, Denny Lehman, came back from San Diego and went to Bill Giles, who was my boss's boss, and said, hey, we've got to do this. And he said do what He said, Well, we've got to create some sort of a mascot character. And it took him a little bit of time to get to convinced, but that's how it all started. And I was just an intern.

Yes, yes, he and he was sponsored by the radio station. And he was a kid who raised his hand. He was in the Columbia School of Broadcast. In their end of the two weeks, they said, who wants to get in this chicken costume? You get paid for another two weeks. He raised his hand, said you'll fit the costume, and he went out. And over the next three or four weeks he was doing all these typical promotions for the radio, as you might know, Peter. And then they said, hey, go to San Diego Potter's game. It was an expansion franchise. Nobody but the military were going. I remember the players telling me that San Diego was a military base with a beach, and so the chicken was no one was watching the game. He'd come out, he was drinking, he was chugging beers. He was Oh my god, and he was getting away with it, and so all the players were saying, this thing is amazing. And one of our junior executives, Denny Lehman, came back from San Diego and went to Bill Giles, who was my boss's boss, and said, hey, we've got to do this. And he said do what He said, Well, we've got to create some sort of a mascot character. And it took him a little bit of time to get to convinced, but that's how it all started. And I was just an intern.

Natica has been ten percent of the revenue of retail revenue ten percent of retail revenue in Philly at the ballpark. That's big, that's gigantic.

Natica has been ten percent of the revenue of retail revenue ten percent of retail revenue in Philly at the ballpark. That's big, that's gigantic.

When you said that, what do you mean, how did it generate revenue?

When you said that, what do you mean, how did it generate revenue?

Well, you there's there's merchandise, there's merchandising. Yeah, yeah, there is. There's a number of what you would call direct revenue. So it's it's merch it's increased ticket sales. But how do you value the community good and then the brand benefits. I mean, truly, you could say it's been forty five years, it's a billion dollar brand extension.

Well, you there's there's merchandise, there's merchandising. Yeah, yeah, there is. There's a number of what you would call direct revenue. So it's it's merch it's increased ticket sales. But how do you value the community good and then the brand benefits. I mean, truly, you could say it's been forty five years, it's a billion dollar brand extension.

So if you don't know, the fanatic and Fanatic was the icon of all the entire industry. But you were athletic. I remember it used to go on the dugout roof and dance and that stuff. But you also used to tease people. And I always thought, weren't you getting hit in the nuts? Aren't you getting grabbed? You must be getting killed out there. Plus you're sweating that that fit is thirty pounds? How did you not? And he would dance, he would taunt people.

So if you don't know, the fanatic and Fanatic was the icon of all the entire industry. But you were athletic. I remember it used to go on the dugout roof and dance and that stuff. But you also used to tease people. And I always thought, weren't you getting hit in the nuts? Aren't you getting grabbed? You must be getting killed out there. Plus you're sweating that that fit is thirty pounds? How did you not? And he would dance, he would taunt people.

Yeah, I'm familiar with you know.

Yeah, I'm familiar with you know.

Do you know the tom know?

Do you know the tom know?

I actually I live in the real world. I'm not just a celebrity. But I don't just appear on tears however, I know, but I'm aware of the thing.

I actually I live in the real world. I'm not just a celebrity. But I don't just appear on tears however, I know, but I'm aware of the thing.

But did you ever see the Tommy Lasorta incident? I didn't you do?

But did you ever see the Tommy Lasorta incident? I didn't you do?

Know why I saw it?

Know why I saw it?

Why you sent it to me?

Why you sent it to me?

Research? Very good. I'm proud of you talk about that well. The Timylasorda story is a is a marvelous one. In nineteen seventy nine, the Fanatic got to be the mascot to represent Major League Baseball when we went to Japan with a National League All Star team and American League All Star Team, and it was six weeks of performing in front of Japanese fans. Who and Tommy Lasorda was our manager. Chuck Tanner was our bench coach from the Pirates, and I got to go over there. I'm a young kid, I'm twenty one years old, and I'm having a great time there. And I decide I get to the clubhouse early because I got to get ready. And I see all these baseballs there, so I go, I'm signing the Fanatics name on here. So I signed a Fanatics name on a baseball. Well, I don't understand what I'm doing is I'm signing in the sweet spot where the seams are. That's where the manager signs. So Tommy has seen this, and I don't know Tommy at all other than he's, you know, the manager of the Dodgers. And so they staged an intervention. They the next game. They got to the clubhouse early. They hit in the manager's locker room and their am signing baseballs and the door comes bursting over. Hees you you got right screaming at me nose nose, and I'm thinking, my god, Tommy Lasorda is going to kill me and and and all of a sudden, Chuck Tanner comes out of the room behind him and they're laughing, and then Tommy puts his arm as look, kid, I get it, but you can't sign where the manager signs. That's where I signed. So that's how our relationship started. And when he would go out on the field, I used to he was anatomically a unicorn.

Research? Very good. I'm proud of you talk about that well. The Timylasorda story is a is a marvelous one. In nineteen seventy nine, the Fanatic got to be the mascot to represent Major League Baseball when we went to Japan with a National League All Star team and American League All Star Team, and it was six weeks of performing in front of Japanese fans. Who and Tommy Lasorda was our manager. Chuck Tanner was our bench coach from the Pirates, and I got to go over there. I'm a young kid, I'm twenty one years old, and I'm having a great time there. And I decide I get to the clubhouse early because I got to get ready. And I see all these baseballs there, so I go, I'm signing the Fanatics name on here. So I signed a Fanatics name on a baseball. Well, I don't understand what I'm doing is I'm signing in the sweet spot where the seams are. That's where the manager signs. So Tommy has seen this, and I don't know Tommy at all other than he's, you know, the manager of the Dodgers. And so they staged an intervention. They the next game. They got to the clubhouse early. They hit in the manager's locker room and their am signing baseballs and the door comes bursting over. Hees you you got right screaming at me nose nose, and I'm thinking, my god, Tommy Lasorda is going to kill me and and and all of a sudden, Chuck Tanner comes out of the room behind him and they're laughing, and then Tommy puts his arm as look, kid, I get it, but you can't sign where the manager signs. That's where I signed. So that's how our relationship started. And when he would go out on the field, I used to he was anatomically a unicorn.

He had both legs. He was similar to Yeah, but he was bow leged Jason and pigeontoed at the same time.

He had both legs. He was similar to Yeah, but he was bow leged Jason and pigeontoed at the same time.

I would sneak behind him imitating him, and then the fans would start to go oh, because the Japanese fan, it was like I was making fun of the Lord. And then Tommy would whip around and then the fanatic would just go like he was having everybody laugh. And then when he laughed and the fans laughed, and so I really believe what happened that during that tour was Tommy realized he could entertain his ballplayers. He could have a lot of fun. If he acted nasty to me, especially in Philadelphia, then he could really connect with them. And so every time he came to Philadelphia, I was always doing that, and I kept ramping it up to the point where I found I got a dummy and I dressed it up as Tommy and I stuffed a pillow underneath it. And then he would say, well, he's defaming the Dodger uniform. And it all came to a head because here he was, he and orl Herscheiser had got into a weight loss competition. Just the two of them said we're gonna lose some weight. Sure, slim Fast comes in. They sponsor it. So he comes to town this day two weeks he has a head pasta. He's his team is in the cellar, and he had told his clubhouse manner, do not bring an extra jersey mine. I'm not gonna let that, sob get my jersey again. Well, the first game I came out, found I didn't have it. I went out to the store, I bought a last I bought a jersey and had seemed to just put lastre in the back and there I come out with the Tommy doll and the first thing I see, he's looking at the clubhouse manager and I go, oh my god, he's gonna he's gonna kill him because I and then he just stormed out. He and he beat the crap out of a muppet. And so my favorite me personally, my favorite part of this was, it's a big story in the newspaper. It's a big story in the newspaper. It's all over the newspaper, and uh Stan Hakman, a Hall of Fame journalist, writes a story and he basically in the story says both of us were acting like children. So I called Stan up on the phone. I go, wait a second, I want you to tell me who was doing their job. I'm the mascot, he's the manager of the Dodgers. He comes out and kicks the crap out of a muppet. I got him to do it. I'm doing my job, and Stan hangs up on me, and I only think, here's the Hall of Same sports writer going, I'm getting called on the carpet by a mask. So it and to this day it's been memorialized in that video.

I would sneak behind him imitating him, and then the fans would start to go oh, because the Japanese fan, it was like I was making fun of the Lord. And then Tommy would whip around and then the fanatic would just go like he was having everybody laugh. And then when he laughed and the fans laughed, and so I really believe what happened that during that tour was Tommy realized he could entertain his ballplayers. He could have a lot of fun. If he acted nasty to me, especially in Philadelphia, then he could really connect with them. And so every time he came to Philadelphia, I was always doing that, and I kept ramping it up to the point where I found I got a dummy and I dressed it up as Tommy and I stuffed a pillow underneath it. And then he would say, well, he's defaming the Dodger uniform. And it all came to a head because here he was, he and orl Herscheiser had got into a weight loss competition. Just the two of them said we're gonna lose some weight. Sure, slim Fast comes in. They sponsor it. So he comes to town this day two weeks he has a head pasta. He's his team is in the cellar, and he had told his clubhouse manner, do not bring an extra jersey mine. I'm not gonna let that, sob get my jersey again. Well, the first game I came out, found I didn't have it. I went out to the store, I bought a last I bought a jersey and had seemed to just put lastre in the back and there I come out with the Tommy doll and the first thing I see, he's looking at the clubhouse manager and I go, oh my god, he's gonna he's gonna kill him because I and then he just stormed out. He and he beat the crap out of a muppet. And so my favorite me personally, my favorite part of this was, it's a big story in the newspaper. It's a big story in the newspaper. It's all over the newspaper, and uh Stan Hakman, a Hall of Fame journalist, writes a story and he basically in the story says both of us were acting like children. So I called Stan up on the phone. I go, wait a second, I want you to tell me who was doing their job. I'm the mascot, he's the manager of the Dodgers. He comes out and kicks the crap out of a muppet. I got him to do it. I'm doing my job, and Stan hangs up on me, and I only think, here's the Hall of Same sports writer going, I'm getting called on the carpet by a mask. So it and to this day it's been memorialized in that video.

What an amazing thing to make you feel better. We were the Dodger station ober at KBC and Tommy would get angry. And one of the times he got angry at me and I was reading restaurant clothing and I had mentioned that the swordas in the Marina was closed for rodent infistate. My general manager calls me and is screaming like I've never heard him scream, and I could hear Tommy screaming at him, and he says, you have to go in there and apologize tomorrow. So I go in to hear the next day and Tommy's listening and I say, you know what, I apologize. Yesterday was in the thing. But they're fine now they're open. However, I wouldn't have the pasta with Raisins. And I get a call to his credit. When I went saw him at the park the next time, he laughed his ass off. It was but he had that kind of yeah.

What an amazing thing to make you feel better. We were the Dodger station ober at KBC and Tommy would get angry. And one of the times he got angry at me and I was reading restaurant clothing and I had mentioned that the swordas in the Marina was closed for rodent infistate. My general manager calls me and is screaming like I've never heard him scream, and I could hear Tommy screaming at him, and he says, you have to go in there and apologize tomorrow. So I go in to hear the next day and Tommy's listening and I say, you know what, I apologize. Yesterday was in the thing. But they're fine now they're open. However, I wouldn't have the pasta with Raisins. And I get a call to his credit. When I went saw him at the park the next time, he laughed his ass off. It was but he had that kind of yeah.

And you know that it's awful for baseball that we don't have Earl Weaver, Tommy Lasorda, Billy.

And you know that it's awful for baseball that we don't have Earl Weaver, Tommy Lasorda, Billy.

Martin, the character.

Martin, the character.

You know, they're all going to to you know, statistics college. You know they're coming in there and they're just looking at spreadsheets. No one is coming out in arguing with the umpires anymore. They're gonna they can eventually get robo umps. And you know we're some of that. That was entertaining.

You know, they're all going to to you know, statistics college. You know they're coming in there and they're just looking at spreadsheets. No one is coming out in arguing with the umpires anymore. They're gonna they can eventually get robo umps. And you know we're some of that. That was entertaining.

All right, Dave, we gotta go. I gotta go back. As you said, you're a young kid, They say to you, hey, we're going to figure out how to do this. So how did they What were you doing that they picked you? And how did the character get created? The costume and your your take on it.

All right, Dave, we gotta go. I gotta go back. As you said, you're a young kid, They say to you, hey, we're going to figure out how to do this. So how did they What were you doing that they picked you? And how did the character get created? The costume and your your take on it.

Well, you know, I was growing up in Newark, Delaware. All I want to do is be my dad. My dad was a head football coach there. He's in the College Football of Fame. He knew the owners of the Phillies, the Carpenter family, said let me help you get a summer job. So seventy six I interned with Eddie Wade, who became a general manager for the Philadelphia Phillies. So I'm like, hey, this is a path for success. I don't have to move my family around. So two summers is over. I got to go back to school seventy eight to finish my coursework, and I'm thinking the Phillies are gonna figure get about me. Instead, they call me up in that spring seven eight, said hey, do you want your job here? And I go, yeah, what do you want to do is we need you to go to New York and get fitted for the costume. I went, wait, what do you mean this? And my dad said, you do whatever. They asked you to do.

Well, you know, I was growing up in Newark, Delaware. All I want to do is be my dad. My dad was a head football coach there. He's in the College Football of Fame. He knew the owners of the Phillies, the Carpenter family, said let me help you get a summer job. So seventy six I interned with Eddie Wade, who became a general manager for the Philadelphia Phillies. So I'm like, hey, this is a path for success. I don't have to move my family around. So two summers is over. I got to go back to school seventy eight to finish my coursework, and I'm thinking the Phillies are gonna figure get about me. Instead, they call me up in that spring seven eight, said hey, do you want your job here? And I go, yeah, what do you want to do is we need you to go to New York and get fitted for the costume. I went, wait, what do you mean this? And my dad said, you do whatever. They asked you to do.

So, they don't know you as any kind of an enter.

So, they don't know you as any kind of an enter.

Well, Bill Giles says in some of the interviews about this, said, well, Dave was kind of a smart ass, and I'm like, I was Tubby Raymond's son, friend of the owners. I'm not going into that office and act like a smart ass. Apparently I must have done something that. I think. He's the one that's dumb enough to say yes to creating a muppet for the Phillies, same fans that through snowballs at Tanta Claus. Santa didn't have a very good day. But that's another story. So I go yes, and I walk into Geppetto's puppet studio in the Garment Distick in New York West thirty ninth Street. Bonnie Erickson is there. I find out she's one of the one of Jim Henson's original designers. Because Bill Giles called Jim Henson said, how do we do this?

Well, Bill Giles says in some of the interviews about this, said, well, Dave was kind of a smart ass, and I'm like, I was Tubby Raymond's son, friend of the owners. I'm not going into that office and act like a smart ass. Apparently I must have done something that. I think. He's the one that's dumb enough to say yes to creating a muppet for the Phillies, same fans that through snowballs at Tanta Claus. Santa didn't have a very good day. But that's another story. So I go yes, and I walk into Geppetto's puppet studio in the Garment Distick in New York West thirty ninth Street. Bonnie Erickson is there. I find out she's one of the one of Jim Henson's original designers. Because Bill Giles called Jim Henson said, how do we do this?

Right?

Right?

Got to go to Bonnie's studio. I said, you know she she created statlerind Waldorf, the two old men that are you miss Piggy, and many others. And they measured me and I and I said, I go, what do I do this, said, we'll just go home, and they handed me the drawing that her and Bill Giles had worked together, and I went bade to be a Muppet. I couldn't believe it. This is going to be easy. And then the costume was delayed and I the first time I tried it on was that night. So you guys can all appreciate this. You're going out and opening night, the curtain opens up. You have no idea who you're playing. So I go to Bill Jihous and he said, look, you need to just go out and have fun. I'm like brilliant, a college student. All the fear had gone off me. I could run out of his office and Etaels g rated fun, g rated fun. So I had this box and that's what I did. I went out and I had, you know, Daffy Duck in my head and bog Horn Leghorn, silent comedians, Charlie Chaplin, and I love slapstick humor. I was a big fan of The Gong Show, which was just starting its first big run, and I just went out and the first twenty minutes like, yeah, this is great, and then I thought I was an athlete. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I worked my way all the way down to the It was a picnic area back then, peter were the most expensive seats in the land. Was a series of picnic tables, so Fantasy could go eat there. And I'm jumping back and forth and the picnic tables. People are laughing. I tripped and fell. They thought it was great, and then I realized, oh my gosh, I have to walk all the way back up the stands to get to my lock and go down the elevator. So when the last that was made, I jumped over the railing into the field to run to get out behind home plate, and people went, oh. The one of the umpires waved at me. I waved back at him, and people are I go, these people are not entertained. They've never They're like, they're loving every single thing that this giant, green, furry bird is doing. And I realized if I could break that wall and I could be with the player one minute and then be next to you and your kids the next, that really worked. Plus I got to get to know the players, and it went on like that in two weeks. It was a huge deal, and in six months I finally had figured out that. You know, I could watch old video and see, well that's Dave Raymond. Oh there's a little bit of the fanatic there, and then I had a personality that really took over.

Got to go to Bonnie's studio. I said, you know she she created statlerind Waldorf, the two old men that are you miss Piggy, and many others. And they measured me and I and I said, I go, what do I do this, said, we'll just go home, and they handed me the drawing that her and Bill Giles had worked together, and I went bade to be a Muppet. I couldn't believe it. This is going to be easy. And then the costume was delayed and I the first time I tried it on was that night. So you guys can all appreciate this. You're going out and opening night, the curtain opens up. You have no idea who you're playing. So I go to Bill Jihous and he said, look, you need to just go out and have fun. I'm like brilliant, a college student. All the fear had gone off me. I could run out of his office and Etaels g rated fun, g rated fun. So I had this box and that's what I did. I went out and I had, you know, Daffy Duck in my head and bog Horn Leghorn, silent comedians, Charlie Chaplin, and I love slapstick humor. I was a big fan of The Gong Show, which was just starting its first big run, and I just went out and the first twenty minutes like, yeah, this is great, and then I thought I was an athlete. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I worked my way all the way down to the It was a picnic area back then, peter were the most expensive seats in the land. Was a series of picnic tables, so Fantasy could go eat there. And I'm jumping back and forth and the picnic tables. People are laughing. I tripped and fell. They thought it was great, and then I realized, oh my gosh, I have to walk all the way back up the stands to get to my lock and go down the elevator. So when the last that was made, I jumped over the railing into the field to run to get out behind home plate, and people went, oh. The one of the umpires waved at me. I waved back at him, and people are I go, these people are not entertained. They've never They're like, they're loving every single thing that this giant, green, furry bird is doing. And I realized if I could break that wall and I could be with the player one minute and then be next to you and your kids the next, that really worked. Plus I got to get to know the players, and it went on like that in two weeks. It was a huge deal, and in six months I finally had figured out that. You know, I could watch old video and see, well that's Dave Raymond. Oh there's a little bit of the fanatic there, and then I had a personality that really took over.

But Dave, that's the amazing part to me, especially given now that I know you really had no prep. You had no time to discover the character, as we would say in my business. But what was what's astonishing to me about watching you and now, of course the videos I'm seeing is the fanatic over the years, so you gained experience and knowledge, but you as someone who was not born to performing in that way. Your knowledge of physical comedy, the way you are taking a character whose face is not animated in a way that is moving and giving the impression of expressions, and the way you would manipulate the costume to poof out the stomach or to pull you the physical work is so clean and so precise that if you're in the last row of the stadium, you know exactly the game that's at foot. It reads to the person three feet away and three hundred feet away. I don't know how you had an innate sense of that.

But Dave, that's the amazing part to me, especially given now that I know you really had no prep. You had no time to discover the character, as we would say in my business. But what was what's astonishing to me about watching you and now, of course the videos I'm seeing is the fanatic over the years, so you gained experience and knowledge, but you as someone who was not born to performing in that way. Your knowledge of physical comedy, the way you are taking a character whose face is not animated in a way that is moving and giving the impression of expressions, and the way you would manipulate the costume to poof out the stomach or to pull you the physical work is so clean and so precise that if you're in the last row of the stadium, you know exactly the game that's at foot. It reads to the person three feet away and three hundred feet away. I don't know how you had an innate sense of that.

That's so what a first of all, thank you very much. That's that's kind. But until only just a few years ago I did. I wasn't giving myself credit. Then when they were saying, hey, do you want to break I went no, no, because I didn't want anybody else get in costume, because I figured, you know, hey, we're paying this kid a lot of money to be stupid. We can get somebody stupid for last time. I'm just I'm not thinking. I just don't have any idea of what's going on. And then so my mother, when she was twenty nine, I was three years old, she went deaf. She had manar syndrome, and she went from a hearing woman to a death one. And I had a reporter well into the eighties, so two thirds of my career asked that question, Hey do you think maybe you're good at this because your mom is deaf? And I got frustrated because I thought, well, that's kind of taken advantage of my mom in some way like and I went, well now, and then I went home and talked to my mom. She goes, ouh, my gosh, of course, and that's you were three. Were not only were you communicating with me, but you realized I'd laugh and giggle when you did something, and you were doing it your whole life. So I was in the right place at the right time. And then of course I had ten thousand hours of practice when no one was looking at it, like you would go and do Broadway and they're immediately going to be critiquing what you're doing to No one knew what the hell I was doing. They thought some idiot had put this together in his garage and just showed up one night. Because the Phillies never promoted it, because they recognized that was the best way to do it. Let it go out there and see if it were and if it's bad, so sorry, we didn't mean that. And so I think that I can look back and give myself credit and to have somebody like you and Peter who are in this industry, that's all I thought, like, oh, maybe, like I would go work with the Philly Pops and I would work with the Pennsylvania Ballet, like, oh, I'm with real, real performers, talented people, you know, And meanwhile, I'm just I'm sticking my tongue out.

That's so what a first of all, thank you very much. That's that's kind. But until only just a few years ago I did. I wasn't giving myself credit. Then when they were saying, hey, do you want to break I went no, no, because I didn't want anybody else get in costume, because I figured, you know, hey, we're paying this kid a lot of money to be stupid. We can get somebody stupid for last time. I'm just I'm not thinking. I just don't have any idea of what's going on. And then so my mother, when she was twenty nine, I was three years old, she went deaf. She had manar syndrome, and she went from a hearing woman to a death one. And I had a reporter well into the eighties, so two thirds of my career asked that question, Hey do you think maybe you're good at this because your mom is deaf? And I got frustrated because I thought, well, that's kind of taken advantage of my mom in some way like and I went, well now, and then I went home and talked to my mom. She goes, ouh, my gosh, of course, and that's you were three. Were not only were you communicating with me, but you realized I'd laugh and giggle when you did something, and you were doing it your whole life. So I was in the right place at the right time. And then of course I had ten thousand hours of practice when no one was looking at it, like you would go and do Broadway and they're immediately going to be critiquing what you're doing to No one knew what the hell I was doing. They thought some idiot had put this together in his garage and just showed up one night. Because the Phillies never promoted it, because they recognized that was the best way to do it. Let it go out there and see if it were and if it's bad, so sorry, we didn't mean that. And so I think that I can look back and give myself credit and to have somebody like you and Peter who are in this industry, that's all I thought, like, oh, maybe, like I would go work with the Philly Pops and I would work with the Pennsylvania Ballet, like, oh, I'm with real, real performers, talented people, you know, And meanwhile, I'm just I'm sticking my tongue out.

Than give you the compliment, and not so much Peter. Peter isn't really that.

Than give you the compliment, and not so much Peter. Peter isn't really that.

But.

But.

You know, some part of your brain is able to see the potential for a comedic possibility instantaneously and spin on it. That's a very unique gift. I know gifted comedians who who can't do that, they don't see the potential of a moment, and they take advantage.

You know, some part of your brain is able to see the potential for a comedic possibility instantaneously and spin on it. That's a very unique gift. I know gifted comedians who who can't do that, they don't see the potential of a moment, and they take advantage.

I appreciate that I was doing whatever I felt made me happy, and I think as a result, you know, the Fanatic does some amazing things in the community that are that are making people happy when when there's no good reason for them to feel good. So and you can and he's doing that. That his ability to seamlessly connect on an emotional level with people is an amazing valuable thing for marketing, branding, but it's also a wonderful way to distract people when when they're having a difficult time. And the Fanatic, you know, for the sixteen years I was doing it, now forty five years later, going to all kinds of places you never see the hospital rooms. Yeah, and it is it is so important for us to value that. That's what I love the most about the work is that in these and there's some and it's only the organizations that treat it and do it right. It's not easy to do. But there are a number of mascots out that are doing it and that and that's truly the reason for the Mascot Hall of Fame.

I appreciate that I was doing whatever I felt made me happy, and I think as a result, you know, the Fanatic does some amazing things in the community that are that are making people happy when when there's no good reason for them to feel good. So and you can and he's doing that. That his ability to seamlessly connect on an emotional level with people is an amazing valuable thing for marketing, branding, but it's also a wonderful way to distract people when when they're having a difficult time. And the Fanatic, you know, for the sixteen years I was doing it, now forty five years later, going to all kinds of places you never see the hospital rooms. Yeah, and it is it is so important for us to value that. That's what I love the most about the work is that in these and there's some and it's only the organizations that treat it and do it right. It's not easy to do. But there are a number of mascots out that are doing it and that and that's truly the reason for the Mascot Hall of Fame.

So let's talk about the Hall of Fame. So you ended up leaving the real roles Fanatic and then working with other teams to come up with their mascots. You also, the controversial one was Gritty for the fly for the Philadelphia Flyers, And we were talking about before you got here. Why was that? What that? That thing took off like immediate, Yeah, but not in the.

So let's talk about the Hall of Fame. So you ended up leaving the real roles Fanatic and then working with other teams to come up with their mascots. You also, the controversial one was Gritty for the fly for the Philadelphia Flyers, And we were talking about before you got here. Why was that? What that? That thing took off like immediate, Yeah, but not in the.

Grid not in the grid way.

Grid not in the grid way.

Yeah, but it was.

Yeah, but it was.

It was forty eight hours.

It was forty eight hours.

Uh So.

Uh So.

Anyway, so this process that they followed is what I engaged to help my clients. So you got it. You have to commit to it. You have to believe it both mentally and financially. Get to commit this is a big project we're gonna do. Then you have to sit down and tell your story because you know, I just want you have to follow this process and you have to follow it religiously your way, because I, even though I understood the Flyers and I know Philadelphia, I couldn't do what they needed to do. So I'm watching after they tell the story of a troll that lived underneath all iterations of the stadium. He was he was a died in the Wolf fan and he was tired of all the changes in the stadium. Let's stop doing this, let's just get to hockey. And they caught him defacing some of the new stuff because he was he was putting graffiti up, but it was almost like an old flyer sticker. That was the story. So they find him, Oh my gosh, he looks like our players. You know, he's he's he's unkept, he's got hair coming out of all kinds of or if it's on their face, he's not hasn't shaved, he smells bad. This is our guy. And then when they start doing the drawing, I brought in a designer. They said, can we bring in another design I said, yeah, this is about doing what you want. And then I'm looking at one of the designs. I say, that's great. They take it and make it even look scarier. And they told me their whole focus was to build new fans out of young people. And I went to the boss and I sit Sean Tildre. I go, I get it, but you know this looks like something you know. Stephen King would like, it's it's gonna eat kids, it's not going And he said, you told us we're gonna I said, okay, you're right, okay, and so I was a little concerned. Then I went to the rollout in front of three hundred elementary school kids. Not one of them jumped up and ran in terror. I've never seen a rollout where at least one kid runs over to his first grade teacher and goes, no, nothing. They're all just watching this. Their mouths are open. He's blowing steam out of his hockey helmet, and I'm like, okay, and then and then all then I told them expect all negativity. It's all gonna be negative. It might be six months. You stick to your guns and show them that you believe it. He's member of your yours, he's one of your family. You're not getting rid of him. It will work well. In the second day he opened up, there's a picture of him skating like I'm here and that's just getting hammered all the people. Ironically, the trolls are are trolling him. And finally the Pittsburgh Penguins feed says okay, l L very dismissive tweet. So Gritty goes sleep with one eye open tonight bird and that and meet, Yeah, he's our ugly, he's not your ugly. You leave him alone. And then the Philly fans rallied around him, and then he got brought on all late night TV. I mean, John Oliver said profanely on his show, Oh my gosh, Gritty, he just said, lol, and you went right to f and murder. So now you know it's it's good content for late night. And he and they had a media tracking service and within this is no, this is a media tracking service, so for eyeballs, not actual revenue. But he had driven in earned media over eight billion dollars of that tracking mechanism over eight weeks, eight billion dollars of media attention. And I go and I don't know, I'm.

Anyway, so this process that they followed is what I engaged to help my clients. So you got it. You have to commit to it. You have to believe it both mentally and financially. Get to commit this is a big project we're gonna do. Then you have to sit down and tell your story because you know, I just want you have to follow this process and you have to follow it religiously your way, because I, even though I understood the Flyers and I know Philadelphia, I couldn't do what they needed to do. So I'm watching after they tell the story of a troll that lived underneath all iterations of the stadium. He was he was a died in the Wolf fan and he was tired of all the changes in the stadium. Let's stop doing this, let's just get to hockey. And they caught him defacing some of the new stuff because he was he was putting graffiti up, but it was almost like an old flyer sticker. That was the story. So they find him, Oh my gosh, he looks like our players. You know, he's he's he's unkept, he's got hair coming out of all kinds of or if it's on their face, he's not hasn't shaved, he smells bad. This is our guy. And then when they start doing the drawing, I brought in a designer. They said, can we bring in another design I said, yeah, this is about doing what you want. And then I'm looking at one of the designs. I say, that's great. They take it and make it even look scarier. And they told me their whole focus was to build new fans out of young people. And I went to the boss and I sit Sean Tildre. I go, I get it, but you know this looks like something you know. Stephen King would like, it's it's gonna eat kids, it's not going And he said, you told us we're gonna I said, okay, you're right, okay, and so I was a little concerned. Then I went to the rollout in front of three hundred elementary school kids. Not one of them jumped up and ran in terror. I've never seen a rollout where at least one kid runs over to his first grade teacher and goes, no, nothing. They're all just watching this. Their mouths are open. He's blowing steam out of his hockey helmet, and I'm like, okay, and then and then all then I told them expect all negativity. It's all gonna be negative. It might be six months. You stick to your guns and show them that you believe it. He's member of your yours, he's one of your family. You're not getting rid of him. It will work well. In the second day he opened up, there's a picture of him skating like I'm here and that's just getting hammered all the people. Ironically, the trolls are are trolling him. And finally the Pittsburgh Penguins feed says okay, l L very dismissive tweet. So Gritty goes sleep with one eye open tonight bird and that and meet, Yeah, he's our ugly, he's not your ugly. You leave him alone. And then the Philly fans rallied around him, and then he got brought on all late night TV. I mean, John Oliver said profanely on his show, Oh my gosh, Gritty, he just said, lol, and you went right to f and murder. So now you know it's it's good content for late night. And he and they had a media tracking service and within this is no, this is a media tracking service, so for eyeballs, not actual revenue. But he had driven in earned media over eight billion dollars of that tracking mechanism over eight weeks, eight billion dollars of media attention. And I go and I don't know, I'm.

Doing this thing in purple feathers. How are we killing them? Conversation?

Doing this thing in purple feathers. How are we killing them? Conversation?

Well, its it depends.

Well, its it depends.

What's it like inside that guys, cold.

What's it like inside that guys, cold.

Heavy, Well, when they handed it to me that first day, they said, you can't wash this because they were involved in controlled environments on television and film, and okay, to just let it dry blow fans on it. Well, there were no breaks it's a game. Three appearances a game than a day game, and then more appearances. And it was like, you see these parents in kids' faces, so it's a fanatic, come in and give them a hug, and then you walk away in They're going, oh my, what the heck was that? So I went to my mother and I said, Mom, this it smells terrible. She goes, uh, you could throw that in a bathtub with woolite. So I threw in a bathtub with wolfe. I hung it up, I blew a fan on it. I called Bonnie up, I go, we cleaned it.

Heavy, Well, when they handed it to me that first day, they said, you can't wash this because they were involved in controlled environments on television and film, and okay, to just let it dry blow fans on it. Well, there were no breaks it's a game. Three appearances a game than a day game, and then more appearances. And it was like, you see these parents in kids' faces, so it's a fanatic, come in and give them a hug, and then you walk away in They're going, oh my, what the heck was that? So I went to my mother and I said, Mom, this it smells terrible. She goes, uh, you could throw that in a bathtub with woolite. So I threw in a bathtub with wolfe. I hung it up, I blew a fan on it. I called Bonnie up, I go, we cleaned it.

You did?

You did?

What'd you do? I threw it in a bath tuble woolite. It smells great now. So we only had one costume. So but it uh. So I was a football player double sessions back. They don't let even do double sessions anymore. Two practices in one day, and I'm like, you know, I'm thinking this is easy, And it was until that first night I went, this is the hardest thing I've ever done. And it was awfully difficult physically and taxing, but you know, like anything, you get used to it. And I was in pretty good shape. But you know, I'm sixty seven now, and that costume, all that work I did for because I continued to perform for another eight ten years after I left the Phillies, because I was doing it for my own company, and and that was the you know, that was the thing I kept saying, Well, it's keeping me in shape, and it was that was That's the hardest part about our industry. When you get a young person who's talented out of costume and they haven't been in costume before, and you put them in the costume, there's fifty percent of them go running out of the audition.

What'd you do? I threw it in a bath tuble woolite. It smells great now. So we only had one costume. So but it uh. So I was a football player double sessions back. They don't let even do double sessions anymore. Two practices in one day, and I'm like, you know, I'm thinking this is easy, And it was until that first night I went, this is the hardest thing I've ever done. And it was awfully difficult physically and taxing, but you know, like anything, you get used to it. And I was in pretty good shape. But you know, I'm sixty seven now, and that costume, all that work I did for because I continued to perform for another eight ten years after I left the Phillies, because I was doing it for my own company, and and that was the you know, that was the thing I kept saying, Well, it's keeping me in shape, and it was that was That's the hardest part about our industry. When you get a young person who's talented out of costume and they haven't been in costume before, and you put them in the costume, there's fifty percent of them go running out of the audition.

Now it had.

Now it had.

Tom claustrophobic, I can't breathe. But the costumes that we design and build are costumes that are performer friendly. They're they're about as cool as you can make them. But you know you're gonna sweat.

Tom claustrophobic, I can't breathe. But the costumes that we design and build are costumes that are performer friendly. They're they're about as cool as you can make them. But you know you're gonna sweat.

Did I not read that you spread You told somebody to spray the costume with water and vodka.

Did I not read that you spread You told somebody to spray the costume with water and vodka.

Yeah, that's true. It's because that's kind of an old minstrel history when they would go on the back I guess in the seventeen hundreds, and they'd travel in wagons and they would drink a lot of alcohol party and then it would spill on their clothes and they say, hey, these clothes smell pretty good. Maybe we ought to do that more often. And it's two parts water, one part vodka. And so we we sayah, A couple for the costume, a couple for the reformer, A wet looking at David.

Yeah, that's true. It's because that's kind of an old minstrel history when they would go on the back I guess in the seventeen hundreds, and they'd travel in wagons and they would drink a lot of alcohol party and then it would spill on their clothes and they say, hey, these clothes smell pretty good. Maybe we ought to do that more often. And it's two parts water, one part vodka. And so we we sayah, A couple for the costume, a couple for the reformer, A wet looking at David.

You wouldn't also know ready, because he invents costumes that he played irritable bowel.

You wouldn't also know ready, because he invents costumes that he played irritable bowel.

You have done your research, You've done that.

You have done your research, You've done that.

Irrit What does that costume look like.

Irrit What does that costume look like.

It's well, it looks like an irritable vow you. It's it's pink, and it's it's it's an air character. So the performer steps inside, puts a little belt around his side, and it has a fan and a battery that sucks the air out and fills the shape. So whatever the shape is. And then you've got pulleys and knobs and you can make and you can stick your hands in there. And the SALEX Pharmaceuticals they're a company that creates a medicine for for lower bell issues. And I mean I went to their trade show. There's a million people there, and I go, this is all just for your colon, this whole environment, all this millions and billions of dollars spent, and they wanted to engage their their doctors. That came in and this was when we knew we had a success. The other engagement technique was you could sit in virtual reality and go through a bow and see what it looks like. So and that was the big one. This one's really work and this is great. So we want something for maybe the you know, the less intellectual. So so they come over to a to a site where to a part of the booth where you could take a picture with Why am I I'm forgetting his name. He does have a name, good guy guy. So there's a there's a lot of ball humor like hey, what did you have to eat last night?

It's well, it looks like an irritable vow you. It's it's pink, and it's it's it's an air character. So the performer steps inside, puts a little belt around his side, and it has a fan and a battery that sucks the air out and fills the shape. So whatever the shape is. And then you've got pulleys and knobs and you can make and you can stick your hands in there. And the SALEX Pharmaceuticals they're a company that creates a medicine for for lower bell issues. And I mean I went to their trade show. There's a million people there, and I go, this is all just for your colon, this whole environment, all this millions and billions of dollars spent, and they wanted to engage their their doctors. That came in and this was when we knew we had a success. The other engagement technique was you could sit in virtual reality and go through a bow and see what it looks like. So and that was the big one. This one's really work and this is great. So we want something for maybe the you know, the less intellectual. So so they come over to a to a site where to a part of the booth where you could take a picture with Why am I I'm forgetting his name. He does have a name, good guy guy. So there's a there's a lot of ball humor like hey, what did you have to eat last night?

Oh?

Oh?

I see it? And they're taking pictures with this and and they we we helped get the company to build this. The design was already there because they had used this design many years ago. We bring it out and I have one, I have a trained performer there to do this work. I'm too old for this stuff. And he and I told him he's going to work and he has to go on a break for lunch and then I'll come back. Well, they had a line of about one hundred people so I said, he's got a break for lunch, said could you please just get in the costume and do this while he's a break?

I see it? And they're taking pictures with this and and they we we helped get the company to build this. The design was already there because they had used this design many years ago. We bring it out and I have one, I have a trained performer there to do this work. I'm too old for this stuff. And he and I told him he's going to work and he has to go on a break for lunch and then I'll come back. Well, they had a line of about one hundred people so I said, he's got a break for lunch, said could you please just get in the costume and do this while he's a break?

And I went all right, okay, oh schmuck. So that's when you say, yes, of course I can. But it's gone.

And I went all right, okay, oh schmuck. So that's when you say, yes, of course I can. But it's gone.

Well.

Well.

They had taken good care of me, they'd take good care of her. So I'm in there and I'm just reliving all this fun. And he comes back and I take it off and I call my wife Sandy, and I go, hey, I Scott in the costume. It's so great. It's just man. She goes, what are you doing? Do not get in that costume again. Meanwhile, for that next because that was a three day event, I was doing at least two hours worth of work in costume every day. And the one that I did that I couldn't tell my wife was I you stand like you're still, and it's a big trade show, hundreds of people walking by the booth. So in the character, you stand still and it looks like it's it's a balloon, like it's a blow up balloon, and you stand there like that and you wait till people walk by. They haven't seen you move into place, and eventually people have never seen you. They come by and look at you, and.

They had taken good care of me, they'd take good care of her. So I'm in there and I'm just reliving all this fun. And he comes back and I take it off and I call my wife Sandy, and I go, hey, I Scott in the costume. It's so great. It's just man. She goes, what are you doing? Do not get in that costume again. Meanwhile, for that next because that was a three day event, I was doing at least two hours worth of work in costume every day. And the one that I did that I couldn't tell my wife was I you stand like you're still, and it's a big trade show, hundreds of people walking by the booth. So in the character, you stand still and it looks like it's it's a balloon, like it's a blow up balloon, and you stand there like that and you wait till people walk by. They haven't seen you move into place, and eventually people have never seen you. They come by and look at you, and.

You go, whoa.

You go, whoa.

It makes them show. And then I did this and I lost my balance and I fell in the battery pack just hit me on the side and I had a bruise that looked like somebody had hit me with a baseball in you know, when I'm going home at night and we're getting ready for bed, I'm just I'm walking. I was my wife kid. Finally she goes, oh my gosh, what is said? I said, well, you know, I told you that costume. She goes, I'm telling you, David, I'm divorcing you. You're not going to do the same more. You're not going to leave us homeless because you've killed yourself in costume. You got to grow up, all right.

It makes them show. And then I did this and I lost my balance and I fell in the battery pack just hit me on the side and I had a bruise that looked like somebody had hit me with a baseball in you know, when I'm going home at night and we're getting ready for bed, I'm just I'm walking. I was my wife kid. Finally she goes, oh my gosh, what is said? I said, well, you know, I told you that costume. She goes, I'm telling you, David, I'm divorcing you. You're not going to do the same more. You're not going to leave us homeless because you've killed yourself in costume. You got to grow up, all right.

I got a couple of fast ones because we're almost out of time. So if someone wanted to do this for a living, because it sounds like fantastic one, what's what's the method? How do they become a mascot?

I got a couple of fast ones because we're almost out of time. So if someone wanted to do this for a living, because it sounds like fantastic one, what's what's the method? How do they become a mascot?

Well, they in this day, believe it or not, they're working since high school to get they're going to a college where some colleges give you a full ride if you win the audition. To be the character. Yes, some very nice collegiate situations like Auburn take care of their performers. So you you hone your craft, you get ready. I have asynchronous Maskot boot Camp training so you can go online and take training and you can work with me one on one on a zoom call. And that's really I love. I've been teaching this for like twenty seven years, and it's you've got to dance, you got to be able to move, you got to have non verbal skills, and you have to be passionate, you got to be in shape, and you gotta love it. Uh and and there's a lot of kids love it.

Well, they in this day, believe it or not, they're working since high school to get they're going to a college where some colleges give you a full ride if you win the audition. To be the character. Yes, some very nice collegiate situations like Auburn take care of their performers. So you you hone your craft, you get ready. I have asynchronous Maskot boot Camp training so you can go online and take training and you can work with me one on one on a zoom call. And that's really I love. I've been teaching this for like twenty seven years, and it's you've got to dance, you got to be able to move, you got to have non verbal skills, and you have to be passionate, you got to be in shape, and you gotta love it. Uh and and there's a lot of kids love it.

Worst worst interaction you've ever had, the one that was really like wow, that went.

Worst worst interaction you've ever had, the one that was really like wow, that went.

South when I decided that I thought it would be funny during a particular break in a Bruce Springching song, that I would open up a box and pull out a little person who was playing a saxophone. I got, I got done. I thought it was great.

South when I decided that I thought it would be funny during a particular break in a Bruce Springching song, that I would open up a box and pull out a little person who was playing a saxophone. I got, I got done. I thought it was great.

This is what I got. What was that?

This is what I got. What was that?

What was he doing?

What was he doing?

Wow? Yeah?

Wow? Yeah?

By the way, so the Hall of Fame, we started this with the Hall of Fame. You just decided in earnest to create a hall of Fame. You did it and put it together. A is economy tanked and be the mayor who supported you went to jail.

By the way, so the Hall of Fame, we started this with the Hall of Fame. You just decided in earnest to create a hall of Fame. You did it and put it together. A is economy tanked and be the mayor who supported you went to jail.

Correct, he did not go to jail. He did not go to jail.

Correct, he did not go to jail. He did not go to jail.

What happened to him?

What happened to him?

He well, he had to resign as the mayor. And he's and and look, yeah, it's look it is a it's the disney from Mascots. It's in Whiting, Indiana. It's a small town that embraces British petroleum. They have the largest North American footprint of their refinery there. But Whiting sits out the Lake, Michigan, has this gorgeous, beautiful park right up to the you'd want your daughter to get married there. And they they are the little silly city that could they have. They have Progi Festival every year where three hundred and fifty thousand people come to this little tiny town. And the Mascot Hall of Fame was something they wanted. It was part of their brand of the of the city. It's a twenty six thousand square foot facility. It teaches steam and stem to kids. Because everything about Mascots has some analytics to it, and and it's people are coming from all over the world to company.

He well, he had to resign as the mayor. And he's and and look, yeah, it's look it is a it's the disney from Mascots. It's in Whiting, Indiana. It's a small town that embraces British petroleum. They have the largest North American footprint of their refinery there. But Whiting sits out the Lake, Michigan, has this gorgeous, beautiful park right up to the you'd want your daughter to get married there. And they they are the little silly city that could they have. They have Progi Festival every year where three hundred and fifty thousand people come to this little tiny town. And the Mascot Hall of Fame was something they wanted. It was part of their brand of the of the city. It's a twenty six thousand square foot facility. It teaches steam and stem to kids. Because everything about Mascots has some analytics to it, and and it's people are coming from all over the world to company.

You think about branding period, you have all of these companies that did branding because it's so important. I remember growing up Frank Purdue Chickens. It puts a face to a company, the ones that bothered me kind of charm and bears walking out with their their.

You think about branding period, you have all of these companies that did branding because it's so important. I remember growing up Frank Purdue Chickens. It puts a face to a company, the ones that bothered me kind of charm and bears walking out with their their.

All that that is what the hell is happening? What what pitch meeting did somebody say, have we got these blue bears that come out with and that it'll be sureman, because it's it's a gold mine.

All that that is what the hell is happening? What what pitch meeting did somebody say, have we got these blue bears that come out with and that it'll be sureman, because it's it's a gold mine.

I mean it's gold Mascots and business mascots are really important again for community, for branding, and they wouldn't do it if it didn't test.

I mean it's gold Mascots and business mascots are really important again for community, for branding, and they wouldn't do it if it didn't test.

You know, if I said I could listen, I'm going to create a marketing initiae for you that is going to go out and it's gonna deliver your brand message. But it's gonna be entertaining everybody. And they're not even gonna know they're getting a commercial. There's like and they'll go, can I take a picture with you? So they'll take a picture with the band. They're gonna hug your brand and they're gonna show the picture of your brand going. Look, this was just last Tuesday, I'm putting this on the wall. I mean, it is a brilliant marketing strategy to be able to connect to people on an emotional line.

You know, if I said I could listen, I'm going to create a marketing initiae for you that is going to go out and it's gonna deliver your brand message. But it's gonna be entertaining everybody. And they're not even gonna know they're getting a commercial. There's like and they'll go, can I take a picture with you? So they'll take a picture with the band. They're gonna hug your brand and they're gonna show the picture of your brand going. Look, this was just last Tuesday, I'm putting this on the wall. I mean, it is a brilliant marketing strategy to be able to connect to people on an emotional line.

And I will tell you the thing that blew my mind because I was totally in it as a kid, and then when I became an adult, I went they con do so only if you're my age. I'm sixty three and Peter, you might remember this. Cuisp and Quake. Do you remember cuispin Quake? Okay, cuispin Quake? Were these two cereals. Now they're the exact same cereal, They're exactly the same. One was chopped in one shape, one was chopped.

And I will tell you the thing that blew my mind because I was totally in it as a kid, and then when I became an adult, I went they con do so only if you're my age. I'm sixty three and Peter, you might remember this. Cuisp and Quake. Do you remember cuispin Quake? Okay, cuispin Quake? Were these two cereals. Now they're the exact same cereal, They're exactly the same. One was chopped in one shape, one was chopped.

In another shake.

In another shake.

But Cisp was a space alien and Quake was like a coal miner. And which one is better? Kids, Crisp or Quake? And Crisp and Quake would have commercials where they vied for European and you got and I was team Cisp totally quist. It's the same cereal, but its engagement, it was absolutely and you got involved with it and you cared about it and you wanted yours to win.

But Cisp was a space alien and Quake was like a coal miner. And which one is better? Kids, Crisp or Quake? And Crisp and Quake would have commercials where they vied for European and you got and I was team Cisp totally quist. It's the same cereal, but its engagement, it was absolutely and you got involved with it and you cared about it and you wanted yours to win.

It was think about brilliant, Think about the cavement for the insurance. It was the insurance company, was it?

It was think about brilliant, Think about the cavement for the insurance. It was the insurance company, was it?

Yeah, it was a Geico.

Yeah, it was a Geico.

Yeah, Colonel Sanders, you were Colonel Center you were actually Colonel.

Yeah, Colonel Sanders, you were Colonel Center you were actually Colonel.

Yes you were.

Yes you were.

That's but it goes smoke it bear.

That's but it goes smoke it bear.

Well McGruff, the crime Dog, the crime the Pembridge Farm raised their sales twenty six percent with the Goldfish by naming them and giving them backstories. And you're eating them. Yeah, you're getting them.

Well McGruff, the crime Dog, the crime the Pembridge Farm raised their sales twenty six percent with the Goldfish by naming them and giving them backstories. And you're eating them. Yeah, you're getting them.

I mean it is.

I mean it is.

It is proven time and time again if you can create a caricature to represent your brand. Which is why I ask you today, why do we not have a brand for the show. You need a mascot for the show.

It is proven time and time again if you can create a caricature to represent your brand. Which is why I ask you today, why do we not have a brand for the show. You need a mascot for the show.

We're going to get one. Why do you think Dan's Da Dave?

We're going to get one. Why do you think Dan's Da Dave?

Knowing the full I'm sure you researched our show fully. If we had to have a mascot, what what is the character? What would what would what would really counter.

Knowing the full I'm sure you researched our show fully. If we had to have a mascot, what what is the character? What would what would what would really counter.

This?

This?

This would have to cost you a great investment and we'd have to spend four days in a room alone, take some ayahuasca, you know, go into a sweat lodge, and then we come out and we'll have the.

This would have to cost you a great investment and we'd have to spend four days in a room alone, take some ayahuasca, you know, go into a sweat lodge, and then we come out and we'll have the.

Starts.

Starts.

The last one is as we as we go back to the Tommy the sort of joke where I said, rode an infestation. How did they sit around a table and come up with Chucky? My kid used to go to Tchucky Cheese all the time, and still I'm sure flourishes the guts it would take to say, you know what, let's make our spokesperson.

The last one is as we as we go back to the Tommy the sort of joke where I said, rode an infestation. How did they sit around a table and come up with Chucky? My kid used to go to Tchucky Cheese all the time, and still I'm sure flourishes the guts it would take to say, you know what, let's make our spokesperson.

And here I goes a sponsorship wrote right, oh.

And here I goes a sponsorship wrote right, oh.

Yeah, By the way, I understand that negotiations with Chucky Cheese sponsor, I spent more Have you ever taken a kid to Turkey cheese? Let me tell you something, more times than my last experience of turkey cheese was this. I'm standing there with my previous wife, which okay, and I'm standing there with a billion tokens and kids are coming up and give them tokens, and she goes, why are you giving them all this tokens? I said, because I want them to have a good time. She said, that's not our party.

Yeah, By the way, I understand that negotiations with Chucky Cheese sponsor, I spent more Have you ever taken a kid to Turkey cheese? Let me tell you something, more times than my last experience of turkey cheese was this. I'm standing there with my previous wife, which okay, and I'm standing there with a billion tokens and kids are coming up and give them tokens, and she goes, why are you giving them all this tokens? I said, because I want them to have a good time. She said, that's not our party.

That's good, Oh my god.

That's good, Oh my god.

But it's just always fascinated me that that that that was there.