Top Dollar Entertainment

We attend various sports and if not entertained by the play, quite often the fans are entertained by the team mascot.

At this time of isolation there are no sporting events to cover, but reflecting back Laird and I have covered a lot of “neat gigs” over the years, to which Laird has got shots several mascots from various sporting events.

Their job is to not just entertain, but also making your time at their event a moment that you and your young son or daughter soon won’t forget.

It’s times like these that make the worries of the world simply vanish, giving you that uplifting experience that you so rightly deserve, but not without a cost.

Minimal as it might be for that brief moment any stress you may have had is forgotten with you now being caught up in the moment that makes life as we know it less stressful.

Your kids on the other hand are having fun, especially if they get to interact with the team mascot all of which have a “stick” that they use almost like a magician.

During our time covering various sporting events we have not only seen, but been privy to having arranged interviews after they finish their gig, which becomes more personal for them.

We have seen some of the best and also some “pretty lame” ones as well, but one fact is certain and that’s that they all give it their best shot!! 

One might say that the more famous mascot is the one formerly known as the San Diego Chicken, the Famous Chicken and currently “The Chicken” played by Ted Giannoulas.

Many think that Ted is American, but in fact he is from London Ontario and used the role of a mascot to entertain everyone from kids to sports teams to performing at the T-Ball Initiative in 2001 at the White House on the South Lawn.

We have seen “The Chicken” perform at Nat Bailey Stadium as well as watching him perform on ice at one of the Delta Ice Hawks games at the Ladner Leisure Centre, which was somewhat of a slippery slope for him.

Ted is in his 60ties and has enjoyed and entertained thousands often spending 260 days a year on the road and it was his act alone that turned pro teams to where they are today.

Ted or rather The San Diego Chicken is said to be the most famous mascot in sports dating back to 1974 as a mascot for the rock station KGB and is the only person to portray the famous fowl.

Many  if not all of his sketches all draw on “slap-stick” comedy while at times using possible routines from watching Andy Kaufman or maybe Harpo, Zeppo or Groucho the three Marx Brothers; albeit there were five in total.

Mascot one could say comes from the French word “mascoto,” which means “witch, fairy or sorcerer” and eventually became the slang word “mascotte,” meaning “talisman” or “sorcerer’s charm” dating back to the 1860ies.

During lopsided games or pauses in action, it is the sports team’s mascot that keeps fans entertained. 

Regardless of their role which could amount to throwing t-shirts into the crowds, goading coaches of the opposition, attacking fans all to make sports more entertaining for the fans.

Many seem to think that mascots are American, but you can actually trace the origin back to 19th century France. 

Research tells us that the word “mascot” comes from the French word “mascoto,” meaning “witch, fairy or sorcerer.” which eventually became known as “mascotte,” meaning “talisman” or “sorcerer’s charm” in the 1860s, which is all slang. 

It was often used in the context of gambling, in hopes that a “mascotte” was there to pull luck to the bettor’s side.

The word was first popularized and brought to the mainstream by the 1880s French opera “La Mascotte,” written by playwright Edmond Audran. 

It’s mentioned that the word “mascotte” was first used as a good luck charm in various sports in the 1880s in American baseball, first used in 1883 about a boy named “Chic,” who ran errands and carried players’ bats. 

Fast forward to today and we see all teams, pro or amateur, manage to come up with their own unique mascot to set their team apart from others in their league.

It’s reported that Ted’s net worth is over $28 Million US Dollars, which isn’t bad for someone who was unsure what his future held in London.

Not only do pro teams have a mascot, so do Junior clubs, one being the Trail Smoke Eaters who produced a video for Movember.

Thanks to Geoff Fontes for sending it to us..