BANDS & ENTERTAINMENT
Winning the wild, wacky way
W
hat do toilet plungers,
Silly String, fidget
spinners and Twinkies
have in common?
They’re all objects you might
use to compete in the Freddie Prez
Show.
“The point is that these are con-
tests you wouldn’t find anywhere
else,” Prez said. “I made them up.”
Each of Prez’s game shows in-
cludes five contests, picked from a
list containing about a dozen ideas
— everything from Sponge Bob
trivia to snow machine karaoke.
The “Great Toilet Paper Blow-
out,” featuring a 210 mph blower
and 10,000 sheets of toilet paper,
is a classic crowd favorite.
While the games are silly, the
prizes can be serious. Prez said
he’s recently awarded big winners
Photo courtesy of Alana Listoe
Entertainer Freddie Prez uses
a puppet to lead a lip sync
competition during a performance
at a fair in Helena, Montana.
with flatscreen TVs, Xbox 360s
and hobby drones. For the evening
Frisbee and bingo attractions, con-
testants could win up to $10,000.
“And these are all free to play,”
Prez said. “There’s no gambling
involved here.”
The games are open to fairgo-
ers of all ages — even toddlers and
grandparents, Prez said. He added
that those looking for fun without
the spotlight will still enjoy view-
ing the show. His 45-foot stage
is outfitted with strobe lights, fog
machines and cartoon sound ef-
fects.
Prez has been a profession-
al entertainer since 1988, when
he dropped out of UCLA gradu-
ate school to pursue a music ca-
reer. The Freddie Prez show was
born one night as he wowed a
night club audience with a one-of-
a-kind trick: an animatronic bear
that tapped drums for tips.
He has since developed his
novelty entertainment business
into a career. He travels across
the United States and Canada to
host his wacky attractions. All that
traveling is good for him, he said.
“Most of the contests come up
while I’m driving,” he said. He
sees inspiration in odd objects and
the wild things he hears.
“One time this kid came up to
me and said, ‘Freddie Prez, did
you know I can blow up a bal-
loon with my nose?’” he said. “I
still haven’t figured out how in the
world I can turn that into a con-
test.”
But with his imagination, don’t
put it past him.
Have a great time at the
Umatilla County Fair!
Kevin & Georgia Cleaver
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20 | Umatilla County Fair Guide 2017
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