Neale Bacon, Canadian ventriloquist, talks about the CanaDAFT, a Canadian Ventriloquist convention he ran. We then transition into the 2013 ConVENTion. (This was recorded prior to the conVENTion.)
Video Transcript:
Were you in charge of some type of convention up there for ventriloquists?
I did. Oh gosh, I can’t remember how many years ago now. Some of the vents listening will know—there was a guy named Captain Dick, Captain Dick Whiteman. He lived in Seattle and for many years had a convention out there called DAF, which stood for Dummies and Friends Together. It was a very informal gathering. In fact, that was the first place I met Stephen Knowles—at Captain Dick’s in Seattle.
We did it for a number of years, and then Dick said, “I don’t want to do it anymore. It’s a lot of work.” So the next year we decided to have one up here, and we called it Canadvent. I put on a two-day convention. Some folks came up from the States—mostly from the Seattle area, which is just a three-hour drive from Vancouver—and then a lot of Vancouver magicians came out just to see what ventriloquism was all about.
Of course, my mentor Peter came out. He MC’d some things for us and taught a class. We had workshops, and we also did a ventriloquist roundtable. Because we only had about 50 or 60 people, it was an open-floor discussion on anything they wanted to ask. Kind of like what they do at Vent Haven with “Ask the Pros,” but very informal. We had a bunch of folks answering questions, and it was a lot of fun.
I even thought about trying it again sometime. Now that more people know I did it, I keep hearing, “Oh, why didn’t you tell me?” Back then, I didn’t know as many vents as I do now. So it may come back. You never know.
Very cool.
It’s a lot of work, though—especially because I did it all by myself. I organized the entire thing, so yeah, it was a lot of work.
What year did you first go down to Vent Haven?
2007, okay. And have you been there every year since then?
I’ve been every year. This year still looks doubtful, though. I have a daughter’s wedding to pay for—need I say more?
Nope.
So yeah, this year looks doubtful. But last year was my favorite because it was my wife’s and my 30th anniversary. She came with me for the first time and got to see what all this craziness is about and meet a bunch of my crazy friends down there. But yes, I’ve been every year.
Well, it was my pleasure sitting down with you folks for lunch. It was very nice meeting her. I had a good time with that.
She’s my biggest fan and supporter. I wouldn’t be in this business if it wasn’t for her.
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