Circus Life – Page 4 – Paul Binder Blog

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 272013

This week, many of us will be heading into the kitchen to prepare a meal for our families and friends. I myself am no great chef, but every year around Thanksgiving I’m reminded of the time I worked for one. The following excerpt is from my book Never Quote The Weather to A Sea Lion… (available for purchase here).

In 1963, barely out of Dartmouth College, I’d been hired as floor manager for a little cooking show aired by Boston education channel WGBH. The show was called The French Chef, and the chef, of course, was Julia Child. Julia was an imposing figure. At six feet two inches, she was taller than I was, but it was her passion that wowed me. She loved the food that she’d discovered in Europe and wanted all of America to share her discovery.

On my first day I was naturally nervous but resolved not to let her see it. That was no easy task, as I was positioned twelve feet in front of her. During that first taping, I heard the voice of Russ Morash, our director, loudly through my headset: “Tell her she’s sweating, Paul.” I quickly thought about the various ways of putting this tricky, personal, potentially embarrassing matter to her; then I wrote one word on a large paper pad and held it up for her to see: PERS-PIR-A-TION. A moment later she casually mopped her brow with a dishcloth, and I thought to myself, Whew, I got that right.

As the show ended, I counted her down with my fingers: 5 …4 …3 …2 …out. She was laughing and happy. The show worked; the food looked great. She walked up to me, engulfed me in that large frame with a hug, and said with a laugh in her voice. “Paul, where I come from, they call it a sweat!”

Folks, when you’re in the kitchen tomorrow, and you’re afraid the turkey’s too well done, or Grandma won’t be impressed with your take on her famous sweet potato casserole, my advice is: don’t sweat it! Just be grateful for the opportunity to be surrounded by loved ones. And remember, if you find yourself acting a little stir-crazy, you could always gather up all your visiting relatives and bring them to the circus! Happy Thanksgiving!

Living Landmarks Gala

Nov 192013

Brooke Shields

Last week I attended the annual New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Living Landmarks Gala. I’m humbled to be a part of this truly prestigious list, which includes public figures, entertainers, writers, politicians, and activists (all New Yorkers!) who’ve changed the shape of music, dance, literature, food, television news, movies, criticism, public service…the list goes on and on. I was named (along with Michael Christensen) a Living Landmark in 1997.

Some other notable Living Landmarks are Lauren Bacall, Norman Mailer, Walter Cronkite, Tommy Tune, Charlie Rose, A.E. Hochner, Gloria Steinem, Ed Koch, Mario Cuomo, and many more.

Joel Grey as Master of Ceremonies in Cabaret

The evening, hosted by Living Landmark Liz Smith, honored 6 new Living Landmarks including Brooke Shields (who was introduced by her very funny husband, Chris Henchy, a Producer and Screenwriter) and Joel Grey (who was introduced by Chita Rivera).

Also honored were Mary Wells Lawrence (creator of the original “I Love New York” ad campaign), William Vanden Heuvel (former US Ambassador and current chairman of the Roosevelt Island Memorial), Ann L. Buttenwieser (a wonderful NYC parks activist), and Robert I. Grossman, MD (who presided over NYU Langone Hospital’s amazing emergency evacuation during Hurricane Sandy). A highlight of the evening was Joel Grey singing “Willkommen” from “Cabaret”, the song he made famous.

A photo of me with my gorgeous date Shelley

Seated at my table was Thomas Schutte (the President of Pratt Institute, from which I have an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Fine Arts) and of course Shelley Doctors, my gorgeous date for the evening. We had a blast eating, schmoozing, and dancing. As some of you may know, I look pretty cute in a tux.

Rob Torres: Clown and Funny Man

Nov 122013

As many of you know, I love good clowns and the Big Apple Circus has always presented the best in the world. Amongst those is the funny man now performing in the Big Apple Circus ring – Rob Torres. He has that special something “x”, that “je ne sais quoi”, which, to a fun-seeking audience, is always just right. He is always present in the ring, always right there. If anything changes, he immediately adapts. And he makes us laugh out loud – repeatedly! If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, a seat at this season’s Big Apple Circus is worth every penny. I’ll be there this Saturday, November 16 at 5:00pm, for the Holiday Season Family Benefit. Tickets for that special performance are available here.

Rob Torres, Big Apple Circus clown (photo: Jim Moore)

Last Night’s Tribute to Michael

Oct 302013

Last night I had the honor of making a tribute to Michael Christensen at the annual Big Apple Circus Gala. Here’s what I said in the ring:

Good evening. I’m Paul Binder, founder of the Big Apple Circus, and I’m here to pay tribute to Michael Christensen. Now many of you think that we, he and I, were the only two founders of the Big Apple Circus. Actually, there were three of us.

This wonderful organization had humble beginnings. Michael created a juggling act that included me. So we packed our bag and took it on the road… literally. We became street artists, traveling across two continents from San Francisco to Istanbul. In that bag were balls, clubs, hats, some stupid shoes and Leonard the Rubber Chicken.

Michael, Leonard the Rubber Chicken, and Paul

Yes, Leonard was a full and equal partner.

Leonard also wrote some rubber checks, ‘til we learned how to juggle the books. But I digress…

Working on the streets of the world often led to encountering the local constabulary wherever we traveled. Fast forward – we finally made it to the BIG Time, the BIG Apple, and we set up our first BIG Top – hmm, am I sensing a pattern here? – on the landfill that eventually became Battery Park City. There we had the opportunity to meet New York’s Finest…Bill De Blasio, are you listening?

Early in that first run, after a glowing review in the New York Post that included a reference to the “Chicken Jugglers” Paul and Michael, I was out front near the box office when a New York City Police Car came rolling up. On it was emblazoned Humane Law Enforcement Division.

‘Hmm,’ I thought to myself. ‘There’s an entire division devoted to enforcing the law humanely? Are these the guys who put their hand on the top of the perp’s head so he or she won’t bonk it on their way into the backseat of the cop car?’

“What can I do for you officer?”

New York Post in hand, he demanded to see the “Chicken Jugglers” Michael and Paul.

“I’m Paul. Michael’s around back. What’s this all about?”

“Bring us to him,” was his answer.

So I walked around to the back of the tent, where Michael was enjoying the sunshine. His eyes grew very wide as I fingered him, pointing. “That’s Michael.”

“Okay, let’s see the chickens.”

“There’s only one,” said Michael.

“Okay. Let’s have a look.”

Michael opened the suitcase with all our equipment in it. There lay Leonard on top, his eyes closed, as was his custom.

“That’s it? That’s the chicken?”

“Yup,” said Michael. “I’ll give him to you.”

“NAH, let him sleep, he looks exhausted.”

So here’s to our sleeping partner, Leonard. And here’s to you, Michael, humane partner, colleague, mentor, and friend.

Circus of the Senses

Oct 082013

One of my greatest joys as a performer in the Big Apple Circus was being able to experience the audience’s reaction. Whether it’s seeing the excitement of a clown moment light up a child’s eyes, or hearing a great big roar of laughter from the crowd, I’ve always found immeasurable happiness in those moments. Around thirty years ago, after many years in the ring, it occurred to me that there were some folks whose visual and hearing impairments were preventing them from experiencing the enchantment of the circus. Along with our Founding Chairman, Alan Slifka, I decided to do something about it.

Circus of the Senses premiered in 1987. It serves hearing- and sight-impaired people. We set out to create a show that everyone, regardless of physical ability, can enjoy. American Sign Language interpreters are placed throughout the ring, in order to sign what some audience members can’t hear. We distribute large-print or Braille programs which describe the various acts in detail. We also have headsets for visually impaired audience members, where they listen to a play-by-play description of the acts in real time while hearing the music, announcements and ring sounds like hoof beats.

Paul Binder and Michael Christensen at Circus of the Senses

I am proud to say that I am always the one behind the mic, describing each of the acts in detail as they happen, with Michael Christensen as my co-narrator. The very first time we premiered Circus of the Senses I had the pleasure of partnering with the legendary sportscaster Marty Glickman, one of my childhood heros (and also the subject of a recent hour-long HBO Documentary). His uncanny voice was perfectly suited to the task, and it was an experience I’ll never forget.

After each performance, visually impaired kids get to come into the ring for a “touch session.” They speak to the performers as they touch costumes and animals and props. They even get to swing on trapezes.

After-show “touch session” with performers

I’m happy to report that I have never once missed a Circus of the Senses performance. This past Thursday, October 3, I went to Dulles, Virginia, where I narrated the performance with Bill Boots from our Clown Care Unit (substituting for Michael). I can honestly say that Circus of the Senses is probably the most gratifying aspect of my involvement with Big Apple Circus. To be told by a visually impaired kid that they “saw” the horses galloping around the ring, and to know that if even for just a few moments, they left behind the everyday world and just enjoyed the circus… for that, I feel incredibly grateful.

Barry’s Last Show

May 202012

During the Finale of the May 13 show in Boston, Michael Christensen and I walked into the ring.

Many in the full house crowd were aware of what was going on…the word had gone viral…but for the few who didn’t know, I started by saying “If you are not aware of why these people are on their feet cheering, this is Barry Lubin’s last performance as Grandma at the Big Apple Circus.”

It was an emotional tribute.

We stared by giving him a framed poster of his first season with us which came from the collection of our late founding Chairman, Alan Slifka, signed by his twin sister Barbara.

Michael, a fellow clown, spoke about how Grandma embodied the core values of the BAC: family, kindness, warmth and humor.

I paid personal tribute, saying how he’d been a great friend, somebody who always made me laugh, and the many good times we shared along the road, lifting my spirits if I was down and I spoke of the millions of people that he touched, whose lives he had brightened.

Barry was in tears, Michael was in tears, I was in tears.

Backstage was a celebration, all the cast and company members hugging and thanking him. More tears.

Barry, may your journey continue. We love you brother.

Ring of Fame

Jan 292012

John Ringling’s vast fortune was made as a real estate developer. He was the major force in creating the city of Sarasota, Florida, which was the location of the winter quarters of his circus. And, although it’s long since moved on, to this day Sarasota is known as “Circus City.”

Barry uncovers his plaque on the Ring of Fame

Drive west from downtown Sarasota across the bay on a bridge and along several miles of causeway and you’ll arrive at St. Armand’s Key. In the center of the Key, there is a very large traffic circle that forms a park, with expansively beautiful palm and bay trees inside its perimeter. It is there, each year, that several greats of the American Circus are inducted into the Ring of Fame. Brass plaques celebrating these celebrities are imbedded in concrete and encircle the park On January 15, this year’s inductees included Cecil B. DeMille, Joseph Bauer Senior, Hans Wynn and “Grandma,” Barry Lubin. I simply had to be there for Barry’s induction.

The temperature was a perfect 72 degrees as emcee Chuck Sidlow, himself a clown, opened the ceremonies. Bello Nock, his hair at full staff, welcomed the returning inductees from across several decades and put in a plug for his thoughts on future winners. Kenneth Feld accepted on behalf of the DeMille family.

Barry’s acceptance speech was filled with smiles and laughs and tears as he recalled his childhood (born in Ventnor N.J. next door to Atlantic City) his career (“Grandma is a tribute to my grandmothers and the old ladies I saw, daily, on the boardwalk.”) his family (“my two wonderful and patient daughters who had a clown for a father”) and his new life in Sweden with companion Ann Hageus (“in Sweden my radio sounds funny”).

I felt deeply touched when he recounted “Grandma’s” more than 30 years entertaining audiences at the Big Apple Circus. We were all honored for all of his dedication.

It was a glorious day.

A) Paul, Ann & Barry; B) Paul, Bello, Barry & Kenneth Feld from Ringling Bros. to the right; C) Paul and Barry with his Ring of Fame plaque.

For more photos of Barry Lubin and Paul Binder go to this PAGE

Montreal Visit – Voyage à Montréal

Aug 312011

The little one is my Montreal granddaughter Marjane on the day she was born.

At the beginning of July, on a family visit to Montreal, I spent an extraordinary day at Ecole Nationale du Cirque, the TOHU and the headquarters of Cirque du Soleil.

My congenial host at the ENC (National Circus School) was Executive Director Marc Lalonde, who toured me through their extraordinary facility. The school was founded by Guy Caron in the Eighties and 11 years ago, with $22 million, mostly from the Quebec and Federal governments, the new building was completed.

It is an extraordinary facility, with three extra large and extra high instruction and practice studios and many smaller spaces. It has a restaurant, classrooms and study rooms (the courses of study include a normal high school curriculum). There is a dormitory for live-in students and a feeling of extraordinary professionalism and thoughtfulness. It was a lot of fun meeting the large number of American students all of whom knew the Big Apple Circus. Remember that this school draws from all around the world.
And thanks to Marc Lalonde for the delicious lunch.

On the same day I paid a visit to the TOHU which is a circular performance building on the same grounds in the outskirts of the city, in the St. Michel district. My host was Nathalie Drouin who is a program director. We talked about smaller shows that might appear there, with the Big Apple Circus being the Producer and TOHU presenting. It was very invigorating. When returned home, I discussed the meeting with Guillaume Dufresnoy, my successor as Artistic Director at the BAC.

Finally I had a meeting, at her request, with Katherine Adams who is in charge of new projects for Cirque du Soleil. She is exploring the possibility of using horses for what is presumed to be a separate production from Cirque and knew that I had many years of experience with horses and equestrians with the Big Apple Circus. As part of her charge she is heading up a program for kids in the St. Michel community that will involve Les Cavalries, the Montreal mounted police and their horses. She has been all over Europe visiting horse people to elicit their thoughts on professional programming. Interesting, eh?
A super visit.

This year’s circus festivals in Europe

Feb 202011

I must tell you how excited that I was to be at the Festival du Cirque in Monte Carlo this year. Circus Directors from around the world were invited by the World Circus Federation to have lunch with Princess Stephanie at the Hermitage Hotel before the fourth presentation on Sunday January 23. Late that evening, the awards were presented at a special dinner, attended by Prince Albert. He and I have seen one another often over the years when his father presided over the Festival Jury. I congratulated him on his engagement. I’ve been honored several times by being asked to be on that Jury.

A snapshot from my iPhone, the moment after Bello heard the news of his GOLD CLOWN award.

Here’s the big news. Big Apple Circus alumnus and wonderful clown, the great Bello Nock was awarded the highest honor, by the jury, the “Gold Clown.” He was thrilled and he certainly deserved it. Over 4 performances he presented a large part of his amazing repertoire: the daredevil Wheel of Wonder, his Bungee-trapeze, his comic trampoline, and his hilarious volunteer William Tell routine. He even presented a group of six dairy cows… a tribute to his Swiss heritage. I’ve often said: nobody works harder in our business than Bello Nock. I was very pleased and am proud to call him a friend. Congratulations Bello!

Equally deserving was Flavio Togni one of the world’s great animal trainer-presenters. His repertoire included acts with horses, elephants, camels and tigers. Amazing.

During that week I arrived in Paris, in time to see the Cirque d’Hiver in its classic building and attend the Festival du Cirque de Demain (Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow). This year was among the best festivals ever, with acts from around the world presented by artists 25 years and younger, including France, Italy, China, Ukraine, Canada, Russia, Spain, Germany and more. There’s a future in the Circus and it is bright and dazzling. As they say over there: “Vive le Cirque!”

Circus Safety: question from a reader

Dec 022010

A fan wrote recently and asked a question that is very central to circus performance:

Dear Mr. Paul,

I have been a long time fan of yours and Big Apple Circus. I was fascinated by the PBS series “Circus” and was surprised by your reaction to the safety issue with the horse vaulting tricks (first episode). Can you explain why you are so strict about the artists using the harness when they don’t want to?

Thank you,

Jennifer, NJ

Thanks for asking Jennifer.

Safety must always be the first priority. Circus performers place a premium on safety. They’re artists, not daredevils. They don’t perform a feat once and go on to the next stunt – they repeat their performance, as Francis Brunn once said, “at 8:20 every night.” There’s some risk built into any extraordinary feat, but circus performers look to make that risk as small as possible. But they’re also supremely confident people. They have to be. You can’t throw a triple somersault without complete faith in your ability, without total commitment to the moment. And that’s where the real danger in circus performance lies: in the tension between confidence in one’s abilities and the need to reduce risk. In my years with the circus I’ve seen how performers can sometimes let that faith in their abilities trump their ingrained need for safety, and I eventually came to understand that part of my job (the job of any director) is to spot those occasions and head them off.

Also, the first rule of engagement for the film makers was as follows: “There will be people training for an act involving vaulting on horseback. NEVER approach with a camera when there are animals in the ring. Horses, particularly inexperienced ones, are spooked by any approach, especially if it involves a large object like a camera.”

Acrobats who don’t have years of experience working with horses are at particular risk, not realizing that it is not only their ability that is being tested, but that they are working with another sentient being, with a mind of its own. And in this particular case an animal that runs away from anything alien or the least bit threatening.

Imagine how I felt, then, when I walked into the tent one morning to find not just a camera crew ignoring that first rule, but a performer brazenly putting himself at risk. What I saw was this: a company member without a safety belt on a horse circling the ring, and a camera crew advancing toward that horse.

Quite simply, I lost it. My temper is usually as close by as my laughter, and this appalling breach of safety, not just by outsiders by one of our own, enraged me.

With a furious outburst, I stopped the camera crew. Then I stormed into the ring and halted the action. I glared at the company member, who had been on horseback without a safety belt, then at Christine Zerbini, the horse trainer standing in the middle of the ring with a long whip. “ALL OF YOU INTO MY OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!” I shouted.

Christine, afraid that the horse would interpret my roar as intended for him, tried to quiet me down.

“SHUT UP! I yelled, misunderstanding her intent, and stomped out of the tent towards the office that had been set up for the film’s producers. There, I told them that I didn’t care that we had a contract with them – that I’d tear it up if this blatant disregard for the rules continued.

If my anger didn’t get their attention, that certainly did.

The company artists who had flouted the rules were next, and I let them have it with an anger that was nearly uncontrollable. Over the years I’d seen overconfidence or inattention lead to some perilous situations – in two cases to serious incidents, one of which led to a performer being paralyzed – and I wasn’t going to let it happen again, not on my watch.

Soon my temper cooled, if not my indignation, and I sought out Christine and apologized for my insult to her. For a few days everyone seemed to walk on eggshells around me, and I regretted having caused such an ugly scene. But ugly though it had been, I’d gotten the message across.

The film crews behaved, as did the company, and I kept one eye on them – and another on my volatile temper.

“CIRCUS” turned out to be an excellent film. I’m glad I didn’t have to tear up our contract with the production company, because they were able to capture what I’d wanted to see for so long: the moment the trick is made. Thanks to the latest camera technology, slow motion, Steadi-Cam, and the talent of great camera people, I’ve seen that moment – as Alex Cortes turned the triple somersault on the flying trapeze, Anna of the Rodion Troupe completed the double-double on the russian barre, and Sarah Schwarz executed her straddle leap on the tight wire.

These are awesome sights.

Paul

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