I am diabetic and I also have kidney problems. With that said I want to challenge my body. I want to perform something interesting for publicity. I have access to the college market, so colleges and or nightclubs would be a neat place to perform it at. The question is, what is there left that hasn't been wh_red out by our favorite dynamic duo of TV magic?

There's a GREAT publicity stunt in Goldin's It's Fun To Be Fooled auto-bio. He has a number of fun things in there that haven't been done in 80 years. I think that book is available from the Learned Pig or Lybrary site. I would tell you what the stunt is, but I've said enough. And I'm not being mean. Slightly evil, yes, but mean, no.

Get a chunk of wood and cut a circle two foot in diameter. Get a unicycle. Put the circle of wood on top of a 25 foot pole, climb up with unicycle, get on unicycle and maintain balance. No ropes, nothing. I'm sure you'll be in the news and the front page the following day.
Steve V

And in hospital the day after!

You could drink sugar water, instead of acid.

Here's a natural! Easy too...On Jan 14th Quartzsite AZ is having a Guiness event. "The World's Largest ATV Parade." The former record, (I think) was 687 ATVs. ATVs are common here, the streets are wide and sponsors are very easy to come by.
This just screams out for a blind fold drive! Q is close to Ca and Nev (Las Vegas.
Slim Price

Why have publicity stunts dwindled in recent years? Seems like they get no publicity!

Scott,

If you want publicity in a small media market, like a small town, they work just fine, even the old ones.

If you want publicity in a larger market, you are either going to have to be original (a stunt that hasn't been done before, and isn't like the old ones) or have important friends.

For publicity at the national and international level, you are going to have to put together a big team of well-paid media pros, I think.

Newspaper stories or video footage from publicity stunts at the local level can work just fine as promotional material to book shows, which is what you are trying to do, right?

Let's say you chase down some of the old stunts that Todd refers to and decide to do one. Where to do it? Forget New York City! Those jaded Yankees have seen everything.

Let's say that you really like the David Blaine block of ice stunt and decide to have yourself encased within a tomb of chocolate in Hershey, PA. The image of your chocolate-smeared face as you emerge would certainly make the local paper and TV news. That's just one example. Tie it to a local interest.

What would you do in Roswell, New Mexico?

Yours,

Paul

It doesn't matter, if you're not using it to promote something else, that people will remember. Otherwise, you'll be another one of those "Did you see that guy who?"

Even something that's well-promoted, is not guaranteed of coverage. If the TV stations have to do any work (in days of dwindling local budgets), or if something else happens that's newsy, or if they think you're out of season...might as well forget it.

In Jan. Quartzite will be hosting the ATV parade. It will be a Guiness Event. While Quartzsite is a small town of 5000, during Dec, Jan and Feb, it hosts 3 Million people from around the world. Guiness ,ATV, blindfold drive, 3 million attending. National coverage, unique town. = publicity...
Slim

I heard that in January Quatzite will be hosting the ATV Parade, maybe that would be a good place.
Steve V

Slim,

It seems to me that the problem with the ATV Parade is that it is hard to make sure that you are the story. Sure there are a lot of people and plenty of coverage, but what happens if there's a ninety-five-year-old great-grandma leading a convoy of ATVs carrying the next three generations, and they all have matching tattoos? That's the money shot, not some twentysomething with spikey hair and an eyebrow piercing under the blindfold.

Yours,

Paul

I guess I lack the ability and experience to negate an idea. I find myself wondering how many ideas were killed by "what if."
Slim

Sometimes, perhaps we plan a little too much on this board and not enough action, thank you gentlemen!

That's it Scott! You need to get a grandmother tattood on your face AT the ATV thing! I'd watch.
Steve V

Slim,

That's the spirit! Maybe a better approach is "why not?"

It's really funny to think of you as lacking in experience!

Yours,

Paul

LOL, thanks paul. I just need some more public work to promote. The regulkar gigs pay no matter what the draw, I guess my ego just wants to be seen in media...

If you are so desperate for some sense of fame take a hint from Steve O and just get a nail gun and go at it. You'll get fame.
Steve V

Done it. No fame in pain. I have lots of video of me doing unusual stuff. I have been barb wire tied into a chair and tossed into lake michigan, crucified in one hand to a board, I have driven blindfolded, etc. I guess I am looking more for national recognition now. It is the heart of show business!

I think in a few months, the name will be more prevelant!

What like Garry Glitter!