Hiring Horrible Entertainment

(Warning: This post will offend the parties involved and their friends. I am sorry, it must be said.)

Some people should not be on-stage.

This past week I read a forum post from a "ventriloquist" who discussed a major Christmas gig they did last weekend. This "ventriloquist" talked about the adventure getting there, the accomodations, the beautiful theatre, how the client was disorganized, but how well their show was received.

I happened to know this event was contracted through a company called Gigmasters. They provide client feedback that links to each entertainer's profile. When you do a show, the client can let others know what they thought of your performance. The information is there for everyone to see - especially potential clients.

Since I had bid on this event, I decided to check the client feedback on this gig. It was horrible. The client was embarrassed by the quality of the show, people had left, it was without a doubt the worst review of an act I have seen on the Gigmasters.com system. The performer left a long winded response defending their act - but what is the true story?

The true story is that the client and the "ventriloquist" are both to blame.

First, the "ventriloquist" has an un-realistic view of their act. Perhaps the most telling, is the fact they posted how well the act had been received BEFORE the client posted feedback. If the act had bombed as the client said, shouldn't the "ventriloquist" have known that? Now the same "ventriloquist" is saying they were injured and in great pain during the performance. Funny how that was never mentioned in the original, very detail oriented forum post.

Wait a second Tom! Maybe the client was just a jerk and wrong about the act. Maybe the ventriloquist was injured and it affected the performance. Did you ever think about that?

Yes. But put aside the claims, put aside the "ventriloquist's" credentails and READ all of the client feedback for this particular act. This act has a history of poor shows. I've seen this act live - it isn't pleasant and it isn't entertaining. But what about the laughs on their video? Sorry, just because the audience was laughing, didn't mean they were laughing at the jokes.

So if the act is bad and shouldn't be on-stage, how is the client to blame? An act who can't achieve decent reviews at a birthday party and has failed miserably at larger scale events should never have been hired for that event. The client FAILED to do their job. They looked at their budget, the price of the act, and hired this person. If they had read the reviews and really watched the video, they would have realized this act was not appropriate. They deserved to be embarrassed by the outcome of the performance.

So how do you avoid hiring horrible entertainment?

First, read the act's feedback and reference quotes*. Next, watch the act's video. Can you actually see and hear what the act looks and sounds like? Does the act engage you? Is the material entertaining? DOES THE VIDEO FIT THE QUOTES?

*-WARNING - Don't assume quotes are real, acts have made them up. If the video lives up to the quotes, then you can bet they are. If not, ask for information on these previous clients and contact them.

Just because an act fits your budget doesn't mean they are suitable for your event. It would actually be better to look elsewhere or go without that particular type of entertainment rather than just hire someone to fill the slot.

The key here is to DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Don't be embarrassed by your entertainment!