SHOW PROMOTERS TAKE NOTE

Muscle Mag (USA)24/08/2004

In a successful bid to halt the decline of bodybuilding show attendance, UK promoter Paul Smith (with the help of Kerry Kayes and Co.) has found the, up until now, elusive answer. Smith doubled his normal ticket sales by providing real family entertainment along with his bodybuilding contest.

Picture the scene: the lights go out. A blue haze covers the stage. Suddenly out from the wings appear James Bond villain look-a-likes, Jaws (Gary Tiplady) and Odd job, firing guns into the audience. (Not real ones – that would keep the crowds away.) Then midget Mini Me rushes onstage through Tiplady’s legs, head-butting Odd job, then punching Jaws in the lower extremities. Both ultra-villains limp off stage, Mini Me drags Mr. Bodybuilding Kerry Kayes onto the stage, and the show begins.

Paul allowed all kids in free, provided they brought along paying parents – an astute move. The youngsters participated in an upper-body posing routine to win prizes. They took it all quite seriously and were cheered on heartily by their parents. Here’s the next generation of musclemen. Smaller children had free face-painting sessions. Thus the whole family was part of the show.