SITE DESIGNED AND MAINTAINED BY... BOBBY LOONIE!
Following is Bobby Loonie's Blog, with the most recent posts at the top.
For most visitors, the information you are seeking has been listed above,
but if you want to read Bobby's Blog, you are more than welcome to peruse his
ramblings. There is material about his start as an entertainer, performing around
the world and in living rooms and family rooms throughout the Lower Mainland.
Some posts will just be Bobby rambling about "stuff" and life in general! |
The entries in my blog are added with the most recent at the top.
| Sunday, February 3rd, 2008
ven·tril·o·quist - [ven-tril-uh-kwist] –noun - a person who performs or is skilled in ventriloquism.
ven·tril·o·quism - [věn-trĭl'ə-kwĭz'əm] The art of projecting one's voice so that it seems to come from another source, as from a wooden figure or puppet.
There are a lot of performers listed on the internet and phone books... clowns, jugglers, magicians, balloon artists... in those categories I am one of many (if you are just looking through the lists) but there are not that many ventriloquists. I hope it is not a dying art. I enjoy working with my "partner", JoJo The Cheeky Chimp. I know that my audiences enjoy the act and the interaction that "we" have. At the end of many shows, I am asked if they can meet JoJo, even though there is a real, live bunny rabbit sitting there for them to meet. The fact that he is "cheeky" allows for some great material with him, ultimately, learning about manners and responsibility for his actions. Yes, we do a show with a message! JoJo learns he should not call people names and not be rude. At Christmas he wants to be one of Sanata's elves ("I hear they have a good elf insurance policy!") and learns, with the audience's help that it is better to be nice than naughty.
When writing the material, I get "inspiration" from many classic acts from days gone by, especially Abbott and Costello. JoJo, of course, is Costello! Not that we would ever do "Who's On First" but he does drive me crazy sometimes, which, as JoJo says, is not difficult.
The ventriloquism is just a part of the whole show and ties many of the magic routines together. Now in the works, is a number of illusions that will involve JoJo disappearing from one spot, only to re-appear somewhere else, being cut in half and restored and, for larger shows, flying over the audience and landing on stage with an explosion of props and playing cards!
Well, until next time Magic Land,
You humble magic scribe,
Bobby Loonie!
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| Saturday, February 2nd, 2008
Getting things ready for the weekend... birthday parties! I am "branding" all my gear. The Bobby Loonie colours are "Reflex Blue" and "Lemon Yellow" so all my cases and sound gear is getting done up with Sign Writers One Shot paint. It's what sign painters used to use before eveyone started using computers and cut out vinyl lettering. It's very shiny and should look great for a while! 
I am adding a couple of new pages to my web site. NEWS will have clippings and segments from newspaper articles I find while going through my files at the office. There will also be links to any other stuff I find that would be appropriate for that page.
I will soon have a new page for PARTY PICS. This will be for any photos that parents send after birthday parties. I will have a Javascript on that page so people cannot right click or download any of the images. I have some already from past events but a lot of them are already on the site, and as others arrive I will replace the older ones with the newest.
I will be out visiting Shopping Centres in the the next two weeks. I have all my Mall promo materials on CDs for the Marketing and Promotions Managers to peruse at their leisure. I am planning on placing my portable stage in one mall this year for a week prior to Halloween. With haunted decor and sound effects it will serve to promote the special show to be done on Halloween Day... or, if that mall wants, a couple of lead up shows can also be done... perhaps even roving close-up magic through the centre! The stage can also be used for Christmas and the arrival of Santa Claus. One of the benefits of the QuikStage portable stage is that, after the show, it can be folded down and, with one or two security personel walking in front of it, the stage can be rolled away and right out of the mall. This allows the area where the show was to be clear for shoppers to start making their purchases without a big stage being in their way!
Of course, I can always do magic at other times. There's an advantage to having a real live bunny rabbit for, say, Easter shows. Magic and balloon shows can be done any time of year. One does not really need an "occasion" to have a fun show for the entire family!
Until next time Magic Land!
Merrily, merrily, merrily...
Life IS but a dream... sooooo dream on, Bobby Buddies!!
Bobby Loonie
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Friday, February 1st, 2008
Welcome to my Magical Corner of Cyber Space and my Bobby's Blog! In my family, today is what we call "Daisy Day". My Grandma, Daisy, was born "the first day of the second month of the third year"... February 1st, 1903. Today was her birthday... so February 1st is Daisy Day! Spent part of the day working on computer stuff and a few hours training my new bunny, David Hopperfield II. Well, not so much trraining him... more like training me! I was once told by magician and bird show owner, Stan Kramien, that one of the easiest ways to train an animal is to find out what they do on their own. I handed David a playing card and he immediately grabbed it in his mouth and pitched it away. A couple of times he got quite a bit of distance. Imagine a card flinging rabbit! People will be amazed at the great trick I taught him when, in fact, it was something he did all by himself. I have had clients ask me whether I belong to any magician organizations. I have over the years and proud that I am the only magician in Vancouver who has been elected to be President of both of the city's magic groups.
One of those is the Vancouver Magic Circle which is the local "ring" of the Internatioanl Brotherhood of Magicians. The other is the Vancouver Assembly of the Society of American Magicians. I was also elected the Canadian Director of the World Clown Association for four years. During that time I was a regular columnist in the group's monthly magazine, "Clowning Around".
Although now a "magician", I started performing as magic clown, and actually ran away with a circus when I was a teenager. I learned a lot on the road in a one ring tent show. Back at home, I founded a group that became the first World Clown Association "alley" in Canada, The Laff-A-Lot Clowns. We did parades and events and won First Place for Comic Entries in the PNE Parade for four straight years. I was Tooth Pick The Magic Clown and started doing parties and fairs. After doing five months (7 days a week, 4 shows day, 3000 children per show...whew!) I got tired of the make-up and gear required and BOBBY LOONIE was born. Strange, but I am still refered to as a clown when arriving at parties. I used to where a button that proclaimed "HEY! I AM A CLOWN!" but now I laugh along with everyone else.I feel I am now a clown in the tradition of classic performers like Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. I am not saying I am that good, but I find a lot of inspiration and influence when watching their movies. Speaking of which, I think I will go watch one now.
Until next time Magic Land!
Merrily, merrily, merrily...
Life IS but a dream... so dream on, my friends!
Bobby Loonie
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| Thursday, January 31st, 2008
Spending time on the phone lately talking to Entertainment Directors at FAIRS & FESTIVALS across Western Canada as we get set for the Summer. For exhibitions, fairs and a variety of festivals I bring either my QuikStage portable stage or my Tent Show. Both shows are good crowd pleasers. The stage is a much bigger venue and makes for a better show at most events.
 I also have my SuperScooter that was built for me by a film company special effects company in Vancouver. It has a battery powered sound system and a full street magic show in the box on the back. I can also load up with balloons and head out across a fairground to create balloon hats and sculptures for children and adults. Yes - adults like getting balloons, too! If you could see the smiles that I get when I hand a grandmother her own balloon flower or put a ladybug bracelet on her wrist. They can't believe it but they are more tickled than a child would be.
Using the SuperScooter is also great when there is a line-up for a feature show or a venue and some "line up maintenance" is required. Even without my sound system I have a voice loud enough to do magic and comedy along a line to keep everyone smiling. I have even done this in the rain... rain proof costumes are a great idea. Imagine people at a fair waiting to get into a grandstand show or a special display. Wouldn't it be nice for them to have entertained while they wait?
I also make myself available to festival and fair boards, committees and management. I take the stance that I am just a small part of a big event and anything I can do to help them... I do. This includes press interviews to promote the event. I have done close-up magic, stage magic and balloon work for TV remote broadcasts on festival and fair sites. I also use the SuperScooter to participate in parades. One festival that I have done for years, has me on the parade route before the parade to entertain while the people wait for the main event. I often wondered why some people do so, but I see families putting their lawn chairs out hours before the parade is scheduled to start. I suppose it is to get the "prime" seats.
For FAIRS & FESTIVALS I try to do more than just my four stage shows a day. I do the roving street magic or balloons shows between stage shows and now have my own game show, too. It is a family trivia contest that pits a parent against one of their children. I have a podium that is built like the one from TV's "Family Feud" with two buttons. Whoever hits their button first locks out the other one while a light flashes and a bell rings. (Again, thank you to my brother Neil for building and wiring this for me!) The trivia questions are aimed at the younger competitor and the idea is to see how much the parent knows about music, toys, games, sports and even fables and fairy tales. ("In the story, Cinderella, how many step family members did Cinderella have?)Every correct answer gets a lollipop and the one with the most after about 10 minutes wins a prize. The loser gets their lollipops... and a toothbrush. I even have "game show music". By the way, Cinderella had three step family members... two step sisters and her step mom.
There's lots of information on the FAIRS & FESTIVALS page so, IF you are in that market, please check that one out. Until next time Magic Land!
Your humble blogger,
Bobby Loonie
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Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
Another day of working on the web site. I made a new "video" with photos from past birthdays, placing it on YouTube and adding it on my BIRTHDAY PARTIES page. I put "video" in quotations because technically it is made out of still pics, although it it now technically a video so, I suppose, technically that is alright! (Not to get too technical or anything.) I have a couple of videos that parents have sent me from their children's parties but I want to get their permission before I would ever post that online. Watch for that in the near future.
 While my shows generally entertain the entire family and at festivals and fairs the audiences tend to be mostly adults, I specialize in Birthday Parties for ages 5 to 10. I do sometimes expand that range a bit but feel, after doing this for over 20 years, that is the best years for an in-house magic and balloon show. Someone once asked me what I do for a 3 year old party and I answered "Wait two years!". If someone is going to spend the money on a professional entertainer I feel it is better to wait until the "audience" can appreciate the magic... have a little understanding about what is going on. A lot of my show is the children being involved in my show by reacting to what I am doing. If the children aren't ready to do this it makes it, in my humble opinion, less of a show. Just my two scents. (Yeah, I know I spelled it that way!) I also get people asking me what areas I travel to for parties. One of the fun things about people using Google is I get people from places far away inquiring about my services. While I have performed across Canada, in the United States, England, France, Japan and Shanghai, my birthday party shows are normally done a little closer to home. This includes... wait for it... are you ready?... Here we go...
Vancouver, (including Kitsilano, Dunbar, Marpole, Mount Pleasant, East Vancouver, Chinatown, False Creek, Marine Drive, Commercial Drive, Main Street, Fraser Street, Knight Street, Granville Street, Shaughnessy, Yaletown, Westside, Jericho, Kerisdale, South Vancouver, Granville Island), Simon Fraser University (SFU), University of British Columbia (UBC), North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Deep Cove, Lions Bay, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, New Westminster, Richmond, Langley, Abbotsford, Cloverdale, Ladner, Steveston, Tsawwassen, Surrey, White Rock, Fort Langley, Mission, Horseshoe Bay, Squamish, Furry Creek, Anmore, Belcarra, Delta, North Delta, Matsqui and, yes, even Whistler!
Whew!
All the information about my Birthday Party show is on my BIRTHDAY PARTIES page. I now have PayPal set up so people can, if they wish, can book shows and put it on their VISA or MasterCard. When anyone wants to do so, they just let me know and they are e-mailed a PayPal Invoice. You just have to click on the secure link and follow the PayPal instructions just as you would making an eBay purchase. There is, however, an added $10 fee on PayPal transactions.I also do magic and balloon shows for ONE year old parties... in some situations. In some cultures, the 1 year old party is a HUGE social event and the gatherings can include hundreds of people in community or banquet halls. For these larger parties I have special packages that include pre-show roving close up magic as we wait for all the guests to arrive. Then I do a show that is for the entire family, as opposed to an in-house birthday party that is usually done for around 15 children sitting on a living room floor. After the show I make the children balloon hats and sculptures for about an hour. These events, normally held in the evening, are a lot bigger and can last up to four hours so the fees are higher. Information about that is also on my BIRTHDAY PARTIES page.
I have a FREE Birthday Party Planning Tips e-book that would be happy to send you, if you would like. There is absolutely no obligation and all you have to do is ask. Simply CLICK HERE to request a copy. There are ideas about planning and hosting a great birthday party for your child. There is also a Party Planning Check List for you. Alrighty then...
Until next time Magic Land...
Bobby Loonie
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| Tuesday, January 29, 2008
WELCOME! I am Bobby Loonie and I am glad to say that, unless I find any mistakes or things that need tweeking, my new web site is finally finished. I am proud that I have created the site myself. I didn't use a program. I actually sat here at the computer writing the HTML code, creating the buttons and graphics. I also spent a lot of time cruising the web looking for ideas and inspiration. There are some great magician web sites around the world (and one or two not so good ones) and I like to say that "originality is just un-detected borrowing". By the way, that line was originally someone else's... originally.
 So... what to write? What to write? Perhaps I will add posts here daily (check back for updates) about shows I have done, new tricks I have added or perhaps notes about my involvement with the Langara Family YMCA (formerly South Slope Family YMCA). (See a letter from the Y's Youth Coordinator on my LETTERS PAGE. I want to be able to keep up with my young audiences so am hoping to start working with the trainers there to be a leaner, fitter Bobby Loonie. I have taken my portable stage to the YMCA's Healthy Kids Day for the past three years. This year the goal is to be a "healthy" magician for Healthy Kids Day! (That will be Saturday, May 31st... and everything is free... information booths from lots of community groups, rides, games, even the food!)
What I do mostly is magic shows and balloon twisting art for family, community and corporate events. On my web site there are separate pages for the various types of shows. One of the advantages I have is that portable stage which I can set up anywhere. With a 110 volt power supply in my car I don't even have to plug into a regular power supply and there is no noisy generator required either. That is great for Company Picnics or Street Festivals and Block Parties. No other performer in Vancouver or the area has anything like it. I have to thank my brother, Neil who designed, welded it all together and continues to maintain the stage. Helps to have an inventive and artistic brother at my side. There are a number of Business Improvement Associations (BIAs)in the Lower Mainland that have used my shows and stage for multiple years. The longest has been the Marpole Business Association that has had me as part of their Marpole SummerFest for SEVEN years! They close the side streets running off of Granville Street at 9 a.m. and within 30 minutes we are set up and ready to do shows! We have also had the stage and my shows at fairs for numerous years including the Cloverdale Rodeo for 6 years and Ladner May Days for 11 years in a row! Well, enough rambling and blogging about my favourite subject... that would not be myself but about doing shows and bringing miles of smiles to children of all ages... including adults!
Until next time Magic Land!
Bobby Loonie
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