Competition: Like it or Not – by Bob Abdou/Mr.Puppet

competition
L to R: Ian Verella, Pam & Albert Ramirez, David Pitts, Rik Gern, Bob Abdou

One of your regular contributors, Bob Abdou/Mr. Puppet, is leaving the Austin area and moving to Columbus, OH, with his lovely wife June.

Bob, sent this in for us to share with you:

 

 

Competition: Like it or Not
by Bob Abdou/Mr.Puppet

After 8 years of living in Austin Texas and performing over 3,000 shows, my wife June and I are moving to Columbus Ohio.
Once I move there one of my claims to fame is that I will have lived in three capital cities of America, Atlanta, Austin and now Columbus. I had some ups and downs while living here, more ups than downs and I hope I have succeed in helping make Texas a more friendly puppet state. I have met some incredible puppet/vent folks and with the internet, we will still stay close.
Once I move to Columbus I will have new challenges in making new friends and meeting my peers.

One of my goals is to make sure that my presence in Ohio will not become a threat to other entertainers. I believe that there is enough work out there for all of us and we can’t do it all. In fact it is wise for me to know my competition because if an unforeseen occurrence happens, I will need to know who I can count on to put on a professional show. When I get over booked, it is wise to give out another name to the client who wants a puppet/vent show. What goes around comes around, competition we need to like it.

For those that know me realize that association is a vital part of my persona. When I lived in Philadelphia I gave all my contacts to one of my competitors and to this day they are still performing for the same clients and that was eight years ago.
In return, this competitor has helped me create new material for my shows and picked me up at the airport when I needed help. What goes around comes around, competition we need to like it.

Just this week, I was able to arrange a luncheon with other professional entertainers that were not only my peers but my competitors, there were magicians, jugglers, clowns, ventriloquists and puppeteers. We laughed, we shared, we listened all the reason to enjoy association. At that moment, we were all one big happy family besides being competitors. If there are no ventriloquists in your area, widen out your tent and contact other entertainers and enjoy each others company. I have found it to be to my benefit and part of the reason I am successful. I have helped them and they have helped me. What goes around comes around, competition we need to like it.

Competition to me is like jealousy, there is a good version and a bad version. The Bible writes about the bad jealousy in the example of Cain and Abel and how it can backfire and cause heartache. In my 21 years in this business I have to focus that good jealousy towards my peers can be healthy. What is the difference between good and bad jealousy? To me, good jealousy means I really want what my peers have however I am happy for them and content with what I have. Bad jealousy to me means I really want what my peers have but I and not happy for them or content with what I have. The same is true with competition, I have to remind myself that my competition is just as busy performing but so am I. Competition we need to like it.

Hope to see everybody at the Birthday Bash
enjoy my Texas tribute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhmYr1b-iyQ

Peace,
Bob Abdou

Thanks, Bob.

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

Copyright 2011 by Dan Willinger

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