Friday, August 22, 2008

I want to try something here to validate "Circus Awards Festivals"

If I say Academy Awards Best actor/actress, Emmy Awards for Best actor/actress, Olympic Gold Medal, Super Bowl, World Series, World Cup, Gran Prix, etc. who knows what these mean?

Now, who knows who won the following and what they are:

1998 People's Choice Award at Swedish International Circus Festival
1994 Named One of America's Best Circuses by Family Fun Magazine
1990 Won a Prize at Russia's International Festival on the Black Sea
It won a "Bessie award" for excellence in it's field, which is?
2 members won Awards at Festival Mondial Du Cirque De Demain

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Circus Smirkus. Perhaps Rob Merman, a former Clown College dean as well, deserves more attention for this effort which I have yet to actually see. I know that former RBBB/red asst GM Steve Curtis came out of Smirkus.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

Wade G. Burck said...

Dick,
That is the point. Yesterday 53 people looked at the blog, and Friday is a slow day. Either they didn't see this question or they didn't know the answer. You are a true blue died in the wool Circus Fan. That makes you see things different then the "general public", who have seemed to have left to seek entertainment elsewhere.
Who are the "awards" festivals really for, and how "valid" are they? They have been going on for over 30 years, with a boat load of them within the past 20. What have they really proven to the public, who doesn't know anymore about them then what they are told at the box office, this is the "Best 0 The Best". I wonder if while festival organizers, and award winners were patting themselves on the backs for the past 30 years, they really checked to see how many members of the ticket buying public walked away, muttering,"what, are you kidding me!!!" How many people/performers have filled up a bag of false glory to give to their grandchildren, at the expense of valid "accomplishments" so the ticket buying public will come back year after year to see them "accomplish" greater things. Name me one person/performer with the honesty of May Wirth who was quoted on the "History Channel" today, "different tricks(acts) which have been credited to her, she admits quite a number of impossible tricks(accomplishments) have been exaggerated by over zealous press agents." I might suggest Dick, that "press agents" can be interpreted as friends/fans/family, and the ticket buying public are none of those.
Regards,
Wade