Inside Story - Entertainer



Chris

Age Range
36-45

Countries of Work
Australia

Study and Career History
I left school at 17 worked in retail, horticulture, building and fishing industries. returned to study Performing Arts at age 31 Completed 2 year full-time course at TAFE college Have worked as an entertainer for the last 12 years. Glamour part is I get paid to attend lots of parties and events and receive access passes to areas the public don't get to. eg. Sydney Olympics, Australian Tennis Open & player party, Melbourne Grand Prix, AFL Grand Final. Now I am... comedian, circus performer, actor, singer/cabaret performer, MC, clown.

How long have you been doing the job?
12 years

Did you decide on your career path or did it all happen by accident?
It was planned but it hasn't turned out exactly as I thought. I decided to return to study following a divorce and I chose Performing Arts as drama classes were the only thing I really enjoyed at school. All my school reports said things like " When Chris gets over his need for an audience..." and Chris likes to clown around in class..." They were trying to tell me all along. When studying Performing Arts we did a unit on circus skills which I took a shine to, so I can include on my resume juggler, stilt walker, fire-eater and acrobat.

How did you get your "Glamour Job" ?
By visiting agents and marketing myself.

What does the job involve?
Entertaining people form 3 to 103 in all sorts of different situations.

Describe a typical day at work.
There is no such thing as a typical day in my work.

What do you like most about the job?
It is always different and challenging. I rub shoulders with people from all walks of life and mostly they are out to have a good time so I am dealing with happy people.

What don’t you like about your job – if anything?
Nervous Nelly organisers who want to dot all the i's and cross all the t's who just do not understand the business of entertaining.

During your teenage years did you have much vocational guidance from school, university, family or friends? What was your biggest influence?
No, none whatsoever.

If you took end of school examinations did you get exam results you were happy with from your education?
I left school at 17 after taking end of school examinations. I was not happy with the results but after spending my final two years at school bored and partying I couldn't have expected better.

Do you think that what you studied in school or in your further education was right for the career you are in now? Any regrets?
I don't think that what I studied at secondary school was good for much at all let alone my career now. The tertiary education I did at age 31 and it was chosen specifically for my career now.

Have you taken further studies since leaving secondary or tertiary school. If yes, what did you study and why did you decide you needed more qualifications?
Yes, see answer above. I decided I needed to study because I was annoyed by my secondary school results and knew I was a lot smarter than they gave me credit for. Also I knew very little about my chosen field.

What was your first job?
Mowing lawns.

What has been your most bizarre or challenging job to date?
Most challenging job was working on a trawler, just for the sheer physical challenge of working my balls off, with little or no sleep for a month at a time and a good dose of drugs, alcohol and fools to contend with. Most bizarre is impersonating someone at a hoax, whether it be a visiting executive from the USA or someone's long lost Uncle at a wedding.

What is your ultimate goal.... is this it, or do you have a pinnacle you have yet to reach?
I wish to run seminars that empower people to go for and reach goals especially in the area of love and relationships.

What are your top tips for personal success?
Say yes, even if you don't know you can and persistence, persistence, persistence.

Any comments?
I am incredibly lucky but I believe we make our own luck and attract the things and people we need according to our outlook.

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