The Tailgate Entertainer | Performers | Performance Business | Creatives | Artists | Talent Buyers

Welcome! Picture in your mind a little boy in the 1930’s growing up in rural Arkansas. With his horse, Midnight, this boy never aspired to anything other than the cowboy life. At six years old, he would ride the train alone to Wyoming to live and work on a ranch for the summer---year after year after year. Bunky Boger grew up to be a rodeo competitor, bullfighter, and circus performer.     At age 64, his journey took a new path when he entered the fair industry as a promoter of hands-on, interactive agricultural activities for kids of all ages. Along the way, he met his girl, Connie, with whom he built his life, family, and business. It’s a beautiful partnership that has endured the test of time and the ups and downs of life. Today, they travel to fairs with 225 animals housed in 4 tractor trailers. They’ve appeared in several TV shows, commercials, magazines, and newspapers. Listen in as Bunky and Connie share their favorite stories about their unusual life’s work. Join us! What you’ll hear in this episode:

My guest today is one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. Ryann Boeger Newman grew up in the fair industry since her family ran pony rides at fairs. Growing up in the fair industry, Ryann learned to cultivate her entrepreneurial spirit, always looking for ways to improve the business. Following in her father’s footsteps, Ryann has gone from vendor to fair manager. Her wise, hardworking, and ambitious spirit is evident to all who know her. I hope you’ll understand what it’s like to walk in her shoes. . What you’ll hear in this episode: Her family has done pony rides in fairs since 1961! How her dad encouraged her entrepreneurial spirit Growing up on the fairgrounds Beautiful memories The draw of the fair life—it’s home for 5-1/2 months each year The family business, being passed down to Ryann’s brother from her father Loves the variety, positive interaction, and family time of the fair life At age 21, she bought her own pony ride business Why Ryann’s pony rides are different from others you’ve seen Workin

Welcome! Today I want to introduce you to an amazing friend, fishing buddy, and colleague. Brad Tylman’s curiosity has led him to a vast knowledge of reptiles, ecosystems, education, and the fair industry. His commitment to education has prompted his travels to over 38 countries, researching, filming, and educating himself further. His attitude is, “How can I be a teacher if I’m not a student?” He is the owner of Brad’s World of Reptiles, and appears at 25-30 fairs each year. Let’s find out more about Brad!   What you’ll hear in this episode: How his love of nature and animals was fostered by his grandparents as he grew up in Wheaton, IL Turtles! They have always been a favorite! How Brad grew up with his constant companions of fish, snakes, turtles, and bugs Brad worked as a deckhand on a fishing boat after moving to Oregon. Dream job! At age 18, he became the full-time curator at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). Other unusual jobs included working on a turkey ranch, EMT, and volunteer fireman.

Welcome! My guest today is FULL of fun and laughter. Danny Kollaja, aka Lanky the Clown, is original, funny, and approachable. He knows his business and knows how to work hard. He’s here to give us a glimpse into the life and work of a professional clown—which may not be all fun and games. What you’ll hear in this episode: Coulrophobia: Have you heard of it? The irrational fear of clowns Danny’s home base: Corpus Christi, TX How a high school production launched Danny’s career as a clown Danny’s first “clown alley” of all older women “This might be interesting.” Danny was in his late 30’s before clowning became his full-time profession. Now, 90% of his income is generated from the fair industry. Danny sees himself as an “ambassador of goodwill.” He brings “attitude adjustment” to people by helping them escape for a moment. Have you ever seen a clown driving down the road? Danny drives in full costume! Danny shares his worst clown experience, why you should pay attention closely to a child’s eyes, and how it

Welcome! Today’s guest is John Allgaier, the owner of BC Characters, an entertainment company that started as a strolling fair act. If you think “slow and relaxed” defines a strolling act, then you’ve got the wrong idea here. John and his performers use body puppetry in costumes at a frenzied and energetic pace. Let’s find out more from John!   What you’ll hear in this episode: To get an idea of John’s characters, think Fraggle Rock meets Captain Caveman, in full-size body costumes. Each costume is made of foam and metal, weighing 30-50 lbs. The fair industry IS John’s source of income. A physically demanding test of endurance Why your performance must be STRONG John’s business started in 1990, with only one costume. (The 12th one is in process now!) Why John has NO regrets “You will always learn more from your mistakes than from your successes.” John looks forward to stepping aside and seeing his “guys” carry on the business. What’s important to be successful in the fair industry? Be flexible to change, ada

Welcome! My guest today is Michael Hilby, known as “Hilby, the Skinny German Juggling Boy.” He is a really great performer who was born in Germany and became a social worker. Soon he transitioned to becoming a street performer who traveled the world. He now lives in Ithaca, NY with his wife and kids. His act is in high demand and is one of the best comedy acts to ever perform.  What you’ll hear in this episode: Hilby learned to juggle at age 23 in India. He traveled with his wife to Hong Kong and Japan, but then settled in NY, where her family lived. For five years, he flew back to Japan once a year for six weeks to be a street performer. This was his full-time income for the entire five years! He learned to speak Japanese to help with his performance. He soon stayed in the US and worked at Busch Gardens in VA for six months each year and transitioned to performing in English. On his one day off from Busch Gardens, he would go work as a street performer and was amazed at the money. Soon he left the amusement

Welcome! Today we’re talking to Alyssa Daire Nelson about maximizing your strengths. The introduction to this episode was in last week’s Episode 10. Please listen if you haven’t! Alyssa is a personal strengths coach and the owner of Daire Success Coaching. She helps businesses and solo entrepreneurs maximize their innate strengths. Her greatest joy is seeing breakthroughs occur when people maximize their strengths instead of fixing their weaknesses. I met Alyssa at a podcast conference, where we were both learning about all aspects of our new journeys into podcasting. I was on her show recently and took her strengths test. She’s here today to talk about her work and to analyze the results of my test.  What you’ll hear in this episode: Alyssa shares her “Aha” moment in her early 30’s. The Strengthsfinder Profile test is the product of 40 years of research. The profile test has 180 questions, mostly based on “Would you prefer _____ or ______? It takes about 30 minutes to complete. The profile test helps you id

Welcome to this Tailgate Talk episode! There is no guest today; it’s just you and me, and we’re talking all about YOU! We’ll focus on your relationships with others and maximizing your strengths in this two-part episode. Next week, we’ll be joined by Alyssa Dare Nelson, a strengths coach and host of the Maximize Your Strengths podcast. Visit www.strengthsfinder.com to find out how to take the online assessment test to identify YOUR strengths. What you’ll hear in this episode: The analogy of “the toolbox,” birthed from my own experience working in my little corner of my dad’s workshop, with child-sized tools and scraps of wood How each of us is given an individual “toolbox” in life, but many people don’t know what tools they have or how to use them The mark of a successful person is someone who KNOWS what’s in their toolbox and how to use it. The problem with school environments is that often we are put in places with no tools, with tools we don’t understand, or with tools we don’t know how to use. “Knowledge

Welcome, and thanks for joining me! We’ve made it to Episode 9, which is a milestone that most podcasters don’t achieve. Many start with a bang but quit before this point. I’m dedicated to bringing you quality content, but I want to give you what YOU want to hear. To this point, I’ve brought you  stories from performers in the fair industry, but you know there are many more people with amazing stories as well.  We call these people our “fair family,” and they are a cross-section of grass-roots Americana—wonderfully talented people with stories that need to be told. So, here’s the question: Do you want the show to continue to highlight only performing artists? Or do I turn the spotlight on the huge variety of people that make up the many other aspects of our industry? I need to hear from you!  Let me know what you think and what you want to hear. Email me: tailgateentertainer@gmail.com or ask to join our private Facebook community. Look for Tailgate Entertainer and ask me to include you so you can comment. Tha

I hope you’re ready for a fun time with my guest, Amanda McDaniel! Amanda is the co-owner of Friendly Farmer’s Barnyard Review, a music, magic, and comedy production. Amanda and I performed next to each other for a couple of years, and I’ll always think of her as someone whose stories WILL make you laugh. Join me to hear more of Amanda’s crazy story! What you’ll hear in this episode: Amanda describes herself as a variety show entertainer who also owns a production company. She books variety entertainers for special events, spends four months each year as a fair entertainer, and has spent about ten years in the fair industry. She and her performing partner, Zakari Asiago, developed the idea of the farm-themed show. She and Zak are married, but NOT to each other! They are good friends who travel and perform together and are co-owners of the show. Although Amanda went to school to be a teacher, she has always loved the technical aspects of theater and started performing at a young age. While working at a fire d

Today's guest is Shanae'a Moore. At only 23, her resumé eclipses her age. Shanae'a started in early life as a ballet dancer and expected that to be her career path. And injury changed her course, and eventually went on to study theater and drama. Her Mother was a drama teacher, so the process of simply growing up, Shanae'a was able to amass extensive theater credentials. Shanae'a graduated with a BFA from Sam Houston State University. She's mature beyond her years and doesn't fit the mold of how society thinks of millennials. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did! In this episode, Shanae'a also discusses:   - Why she doesn't make plans - What learning as much as you can, will do for your career - Why writing a play is something she wants to do.....but not now - How her "Social Justice, Warrior" personality can sabotage her - Her secret to success! Let's just say, many people twice her age don't get this one - The lessons she learned about connection from another actress and how it changed her - The

Welcome! My guest today is Ken McMeans, an entertainer with many great stories to tell. Ken isn’t afraid to open up his life and his heart with total transparency so you can learn from his experiences. He has been in the entertainment industry for his entire life. He now performs and owns an entertainment company. Ken is a living example of someone who never quits, no matter what curve balls life throws at him. Join us! What you’ll hear in Ken’s amazing life story: Ken grew up in a family of thoroughbred horse trainers in Washington, but spent his young adult years trying to get away from that to do something else. A creative writing teacher in high school awakened Ken’s interest in journalism and writing. He started playing guitar at age 17 and was enthralled by the country music scene. The bars and clubs he played, the record industry, and some harmful influences led to Ken’s drug problem. Through the 80’s, Ken was wheeling and dealing in the music industry, but became discouraged and left Hollywood in ’91

Welcome! Today’s guest is Steve Hamilton, aka Steve the Pretty Good. Steve is a magician originally from Prince George, BC, but is now a US citizen who lives near Seattle. Steve has performed his magic all over the globe and is very well-known in the fair industry. He is best known for his Flying Carpet! Let’s catch up with Steve! What you’ll hear in this episode: Steve tells the story of the origin of his Flying Carpet,” necessity being the mother of invention.” After high school, Steve was a Marine and later worked as an EMT. Steve loves the left-brain/right brain component of magic. Steve started street performing with card tricks, which he calls “the best training for fair work.” A friend suggested that he go to China to do his show, even though it seemed impossible. His boss would not give him the time off to go to China, so after 25 years as a firefighter and paramedic, Steve turned in his resignation. Steve didn’t want to look back on his life with any regrets or questions like, “Could I make a living

Today’s guest is Washboard Willy, also known as Larry Hiskett. He is the person who changed the direction of my life and taught me some valuable lessons. Back in the mid-90’s, when I was learning to be a performer and run my business, I would run into him everywhere I went. He was a “Musical Mountain Man” and a wonderful entertainer. Join us! Washboard Willy shares the following about his amazing life and work: Larry began working as a drummer in bars and clubs all over Kansas at age 15. In 1985, he worked as a landscape architect and a park planner in Colorado. He played in a band that specialized in German polka music! He had a motorcycle crash that paralyzed his girlfriend and sent him into therapy. He gave a 90-day notice and quit his job, and then discovered the washboard. He became obsessed with the instrument and modified it with all kinds of percussion instruments. Larry developed the Whiskett Rhythm Board, created his own musical tracks, and formed a band. Soon, he was invited to visit Japan in a Si

Welcome! This is the first in the series of “Tailgate Talks,” designed to help artists who are working hard to further their careers and build better relationships with clients. Today, there is no guest to be interviewed; it’s just you and me. I’m taking this opportunity to share my 20+ years’ experience in what I’ve learned, even though I don’t consider myself a guru or one who has “arrived.”  Today’s Topic: The Construction Zone This came from a recent highway trip that I took, encountering a large construction zone, an obstacle along the way.  The Construction Zones in life are where the work happens and where we grow as performers and people. None of us has “arrived” and we all run into bumps in the road along the path to where we are going. For example, I used to be scared to death to speak in front of people. My “road” became bumpy and I had to undergo “construction.” What did I do? I tried Toastmasters International, but struggled to speak in front of peers. I partnered with Junior Achievement, teac

Cody Beebe has an authentic sound and depth of soul to his music. Originally from the state of Washington, he received a civil engineering degree, but then decided to follow his heart to become a musician. He has since performed in 30 states and 5 foreign countries and is the creator of the band, Cody Beebe and the Crooks, along with a few others. He runs his own video production company and a metal print business. You might call him an artist and you might call him an entrepreneur; you would likely be correct on both counts! Join us! What you’ll hear in this episode: Why Cody said NO to civil engineering and following the inspiration from his uncle How the economic crisis pushed him onto the road with his music. How Cody got his band The best part of traveling on the road Cody shares a hilarious story of playing music in the bathroom of a hotel suite! It really happened! “Good impressions are critical!” Cody’s favorite song that he wrote Cody explains how Chinook Fest began and how it’s grown into the huge

Welcome to our first guest episode! Roberto the Magnificent is an excellent performer who has been in the entertainment business for a long time. He started as a juggler at age 11, in 1981, and has now performed in fairs in 46 states! Roberto’s show includes interactive comedy with amazing stunts; he has opened for many well-known celebrities and artists and appeared on many TV shows. Let’s catch up with my friend, Roberto! In this episode, you’ll hear the following: How he got his start at age 12! His first experience at "passing the hat" The best advice he got from his parents, regarding his unconventional career The Gentleman Jugglers Marriage to an entertainer is NOT easy!  During difficult times, Rob found therapy in his work Hear his story about falling during a New Zealand show and finishing the show despite a broken wrist! Rob has developed about 13 unique characters and themes “The greatest compliment is when a kid aspires to be just like me.” How Rob recommends getting started in the business “Part

Welcome to our first episode! On this podcast, you will get a glimpse into the lives of some very talented and exciting people. You will meet some unusual artists and hear about the passion that drives them to do what they do. Here’s what you can expect from this episode:  How this podcast received its name—from some of my favorite memories tailgating with other entertainers, sharing food, swapping stories, and forming friendships Where I come from in this industry—from designing, building, and performing in shows as an owner/operator of an entertainment company How you will hear from normal people who lead drastically abnormal lives, as jugglers, musicians, and hypnotists How the podcast will feature talent buyers who book corporate events and fairs in this industry “Tailgate Talks” will be a special feature of this podcast in which we address questions from you, the listener How we will tackle important business and financial issues unique to this industry Reach out to me! I would love to hear from you and