Eric, wait till you get to be my age and we'll talk again!

Sometimes that is not enough. Pizza Hut is a good brand, so is Chucky Cheese. Only Chucky Cheese is a better brand more often for young kid's parties. Branding is more than a good reputation.

Good brand, and good quality are two different things. Wal-Mart and Macy's are two stores with great brand, but totally different expectations in product. Also, Chuck-E-Cheese caters to children's parties with amusement park type games. I am not sure that Pizza Hut does, at least not in New York. Like people say " You get what you pay for". I can see more often that you will not regret getting the better product when time passes. You might with the inferior one.

It is not always a matter of one product being a better or worse product, but can be which is better suited to address particular needs. Many would agree that Pizza Hut has higher quality food to Chuck E Cheese, but try telling that to a young child looking forward to a birthday party.


This quote is true, but misleading when it come to understanding why people might look in another direction when booking an entertainer. People do not just look to book great shows, but rather to fill a need they have.


While we can quibble about this in absolute terms, It has almost no place in this discussion. Zucchini is no kid, yet no one would ever tell him they feel their audience would relate better to a younger performer. This is because Zucchini has paid very close attention to the interests and desires of his audience and limited his target to a rather narrow age range. Zucchini has gone into his philosophies at great length. His DVD's are outstanding at sharing these concepts. Those who choose to offer a show with an appeal to a wider audience range do so with the risk of not relating to a targeted age as well as those who have heavily invested their efforts to do so. Perhaps the shows they offer serve them well overall, but stop complaining when you run into discriminating buyers that are seeking specific interactions with their audience and believe someone else serves them better.

We can all use age, race, religion, sex, etc. to complain about why we miss out on opportunities. Most of the time, it's not about that.

In this case the librarian told him explicitly it was about age. This is not in Jay's head. It was about age, nothing more.

And if we had come up against that librarian Eric, I, or any of us above thirty would have hit the same problem. The question is how to get her to look beyond her prejudices.

No, the issue was her perception around who would relate best with her audience. She chosse the other guy and "told" Jay that it was his age. That may (or may not) be the real reason she believed the other performer would relate better. Perhaps she could only afford the other performer, was embarrassed to say so and quickly made up an excuse. Holding onto feelings of discrimination and feeling like "oh poor me" I find get in the way of doing something about it.

I was told by potential clients early on that they were passing on my show because of my age as well. In reality, I was just unable to overcome their preconceived perceptions because I was not well enough prepared with my material, image, and interactions. There are plenty of examples of younger people overcoming potential age concerns and there are plenty of examples of older people overcomming them as well.

I very much disagree with your assertion that anyone over thirty would categorically be denied in this situation. You would need to know this persons buying patterns over time in order to come to such a conclusion.

She may or may not have hired Eric, but I can say with confidence that she never would have perceived a younger performer relating better with her audience, assuming it was a typical age of the library shows for younger kids.

When I relocated, I made a point of introducing myself to countless librarians by making appointments, meeting them in person, showing them my marketing materials, describing the benefits of my shows, and sharing my testimonials. I did the same thing with the heads of the different library systems in my new area. All of these potential clients ooh'ed and aah'ed and said what a breath of fresh air I was. They admitted they were tired of all he usual ho-hum amateur acts they had been hiring. Couldn't wait to work with me, who they considered to be a real professional. But when it came time to book for the next summer reading season, they all hired the same old mediocre, local goofballs they were used to hiring. Librarians are a strange breed ... you ought to know that, Charlie.

As a side story, in 1996 thru '97 I played keyboards with John Waite. He was/is a manic depressive, so when we were on tour, the rest of the band and crew used to hide newspaper reviews of our shows from him, just in case it was negative. But one morning as our bus pulled out of a town where we had just performed, he saw one. Which predictably brought him down. The funny thing was ... it had been a great show, and the audience had loved us that night! But for whatever reason, in this article the reviewer criticized the audience for having enjoyed our show.

I related this story because that shows about as much logic as you're going to get out of most librarians. You can't reason with unreasonable people.

Yea, let me say it differently, because in no way do I think Jay doesn't have a brand. I know Jay has a exceptional show, as well, and it seems like he ran into a rare quip from a librarian that we could of all gotten, as well, had we run into her.
My comment was more on the broader retaliation of some of the comments, that were wondering about age, etc. I feel that lots of librarians are aware of your place in the kid's community and no matter what age they are, they do gage your popularity with the kids. Heck, I had a librarian(whose library I had been to many times)tell me, 'Great Zucchini, we can't bring you in anymore, because it's too crowded when your here'.
I loved it, and face booked that comment immediately. I used it, as a way to promote my brand, etc. I'm def. in line with Charlie's thinking, that if you're always doing in show branding, and working on your popularity with the kids, where they know you by name, and not, 'we saw a magician', then librarians, and whoever the organizer is for particular events, they won't want the 75 dollar newbie, and will understand that no matter what age you are, you bring in the crowds.
Remember, librarians are very observant when you're there. They notice when kids come up to you and say, 'Hey Great Zucchini', or whatever your name is. They notice how kids respond to you before and after your show, how the parents come up and have conversations with you, like they know you. They notice your place in the community and if you feel like people are just going the younger more inexpensive person, than I believe people can work on this aspect more.
Talk to the librarian before the show, humanize yourself, talk to people afterward, give the sense they know you, and you can build your persona and relationship with them.

For sure, many of them think a bit differently than we.

What I believe some here are experiencing is changes in the market, not specifically age, but more performers who are able to compete for these gigs. With the evolution of low cost marketing, upstart performers can operate a business for a lot less than what performers used to need to invest. With that, comes more competition, and more competition tends to drive prices down. Established performers need to do more to differentiate themselves. I believe it is wiser to consider changes in the marketplace and adjust strategies accordingly rather than complain that things are not like they used to be, and believe there is no way around it.

I will say this with respect to librarians, if I had to manage their meager budgets, I too would think long and hard about forking over a large portion, or all of my budget on a show. There are increasing demands on librarians to demonstrate a return on their investments. In the past, (they share with me) no one questioned them on where their money went and what the results were. Now it is a numbers game more so. If they are not sure you bring an audience, you are a bigger gamble no matter how good you are.

It's the old cliche' that age is just a number. Charlie is actually one of the smartest people I've met in this business and it would baffle most people if you knew his age. He's wiser beyond his years, and then I've met people doing this for years, and they sometimes come across as inexperienced, or unrelatable, so you never know.

Here is a key line in your post, and it may be something you can use in the future.



OK. She hired the young kid with the anticipation that he'd relate better to the kids. But did he?

Is there a way to determine when he performed? Then, you might politely circle back to this librarian and ask if she was satisfied with the new guy. She might--just might--say she made a huge mistake and has learned the error of her ways and desperately wants you back next year. If so, it would seem you have a future dedicated client, who also might share her experience with other librarians.

Or the kid might do fine and she decides to stick with him--until a 12-year-old comes along. But you won't lose anything by making a follow up, professional, contact.

Larry, that is so true. We all have people that for one reason or another might try another direction to just to add a different flavor, etc. There is no better feeling, then when they come back to you, and realize it just wasn't the same.

Everyone makes great points. Let me throw a couple more on how you could have influenced her to pick you, Jay.

1). Be casual instead of business like. Great Zucchini knows exactly what I mean. Talk to the librarian making social contact. The librarian will focus less on what the kids will receive. She will be just as happy of what she is getting personally. Great Zucchini is in his 40's. The librarian will see he is personal by his personality and the way his dresses. She will think she is making a friend.

2). Show proof of what the librarian is looking for. She does not want to know about you, she wants to know what she is getting. Have money shots of the kids having fun and being entertained by smiling and laughing. I have many pictures of that on my website. Have video clippings too you will be able to display with a portable DVD player. A few testimonials from previous libraries will help tie it up. It is all going to change the librarian's mind about age matters. It will have thinking "experience" matters.

That's my point in a nutshell. That is what Jay said. If that is true, then it is a prejudice on her part, and any of us over a certain age, no matter how popular, would hit the same objection.

I lost a major festival in my early days to a boy band. I drew a full hall every year. The boy band drew 35 people and cost several thousand. The experiment failed, and the following year the price of my show doubled. I did my best not to lose the gig. I told the festival I was known (true) and the kids would turn out for me (true) and the boy band did not have a name or pedigree (true), and all to no avail. The perception was all.

I lost a creche one year when she decided to go with someone younger and trendier. Four shows in July. After the first show she rang me and asked me to come back and take over. Young and trendy didn't cut it with the kids. I could have told her that, but she had made up her mind. Ten years have passed since that failed experiment, and I have that date in my diary every year.

Jay came across a librarian who had closed her mind to the facts, and was basing her decision on an internal reality, in which young relates to young, rather than audience relating to talent. It is not about branding in this situation. It is about how do you persuade one stupid woman that she is wrong.

Newsflash > I've had time to think about her approach, demeanor and attitude.
To clarify: The competition charged the same amount. Second: She was an older librarian. Not sure if she's ever used my services but possible because she was Sooo friendly and nice.

I can sum it up with this story of another client who "did" something that leads me to my assessment.

After finishing a show in a wealthy part of Newport Beach, the father said "Let's go outside and I'll pay you:. He opened his three garage doors. All three had new cars including a new Ferrari.
He said "I just bought this house, I just bought this car and, my wife is spending money like crazy. - I really want to give you a tip but..... You are driving a one year old Lincoln, You have a Rolex, and You said you had to run because you have another show....... SO........ You look like you're doing OK... but IF you drove here in an old car I would feel obligated because you did such a great job, and I would HAVE give you something extra...... BUT..... since you're obviously doing well, I hope you'll accept the amount we agreed on... and a handshake".

(No tip because everything was very good and I didn't need one)

Back to the librarian: As I was listening to the librarian, I thought "This is really very odd that this lady seems so happy to tell me how wonderful I am.... BUT... she's hiring the lesser talent." She was bubbly... telling me how much she enjoyed my audition... She acted like she was doing me a favor. She was very pleasant.

I can only conclude:
A. That (as some of you and I believe) in the future, she will call me.
B. There wasn't a reason to Nudge her, at that time.
C. This was the worst back-handed complement I've ever received. In a way, I'm a bit flattered.
Oddly, this must be how the prettiest girls at the dance feel- who can't get a date !!!

Some people look at someone successful and use them as a yardstick to measure others while other people resent someone successful and Slight them. (No pun intended)

I'll keep her in my list. The show isn't till the summer.

Yea, she was just an out of touch exception, and my prediction is also that she will be like 'whoops, I guess there is a difference between Jay and this new pup.

I like your attitude Jay. The gig will come back to you in the end.

As for your tipping story - hilarious. He had a Ferrari, and couldn't tip. Ireland doesn't have a tipping culture, so a tip here is as rare as hen's teeth. However I have noticed that those without money are far more likely to tip than those with. That's how they get rich, by being tight.

Yeah, you know I was wondering about the tipping thing too. I usued to drive to gigs in my new Subaru Forester, but switched to my 12 year old Corolla, I think tht might help a little with tips, but who knows. I also try not to tell clients I have multiple gigs that weekend so they don't know what I'm making. I also noticed that if a kid at the party is being difficult, especially one of the birthday kids siblings, they are more likely to tip.

You are so right Tony. I find that some people that are considered "middle class" often tip because they understand every little helps. But sometimes I feel that "those with money" have the feeling that we agreed with a price, and you did what we hired you to do. I never get upset when I don't receive a tip, unless I extend myself in any way ( delay the start 15 min, throw in an extra effect to extend the show, or wait longer to start the ballooning after the show).

This also happened to me! Hundreds of shows for the last 18 years. This year-nothing. They brought in sub par young acts from other parts of the states.