Forget builders, farmers and politicians. Do you have any idea how hard it is to be an #Entertainer? All jokes aside; (I'm no comedian) making people laugh, cry or feel anything at all for a living is a struggle all on it's own. Add that to having to compete for the spot light and you get what we call in the industry a "Starving Artist". Key word "STARVING". I could go on and on... but we all know entertainers from all over the world struggle with finding work, funky hours and being compensated fairly.
With such an over saturated market; it has become increasingly difficult for entertainers to find work. When everyone wants to do the same thing, competition quickly turns into a battle of the fittest. Every performer is looking for their next gig or event but only a few events will take place at a time. You do the math. The alternative would be for entertainers to put together their own shows and events. The only problem there is that, on average, most don't make enough to put together such a production. Even if they did however, most if not all initial cost would now fall on them. This is no Bueno.
Once an entertainer books and agrees to perform at a show; no matter the hours, crowd, or pay, they can't afford to mess up. Entertainers are expected to show up on site much before the event begins to give time to prepare. Did I mention this time mostly not compensated? Imagine you're at an event where people are not having the best time. The Entertainer can't just abandon ship. #TITANIC.
Sure it can embarrassing for the entertainer not to move the crowd the way they intended, but walking away from the mess is not an option. This would put the entertainer in a bad light and it would also make it that much more difficult to find more work in the future.
All that time looking for a gig and the entertainer still has to worry about performing well and not getting ripped off (but not with CIRCUS PICNIC). That's right. Every now and then, some less than thoughtful event coordinator will try to short entertainer's checks. Is there no decency left in the world? The show must go on though! Some entertainers spent hours leaving their sweat and tears performing at an event for only scraps at the end. Negotiation skills are a must if anyone wants to make any type of money in this business.
If an entertainer cannot find work, has a bad event, or is ripped off, that would leave them in a tough spot. A location our friends the #starvingartist know fairly well. Unfortunately for entertainers everywhere, there aren't many safety nets set in place should they face injury, financial instability, or unpredictable circumstances like the ones we currently live with #COVID19 on the loose. So next time you see your entertainer friends or are at an event with one, let them know how much you appreciate them for trying to make the world a more joyful place. It is not an easy task.