One of my favorite things about Chubby Checker (if I have to narrow it down) is that he always keeps me guessing. I dutifully search the news several times a week for any scrap of Chubby info and most of the time I come up with nothing. Lately I've found some concert reviews but they aren't very colorful. The reviews are primarily made up of facts instead of facts plus opinion plus commentary by Joejung that makes me laugh until I snort.
Even though I can't find anything new, in the past two weeks I have been treated to stories found by my readers. I'm glad to see that the readers are still acting as Chubby Checker Correspondents. First I found out about the Chubby Checker action figures although I still can't find the additional information that I need, such as where to actually buy them. In this case, no news is bad news. Fortunately I had some good news from a reader who caught a Chubby Checker item on the television news.
Subject: Chubby Checker, wedding singer
Couldn't sleep last night. Turned on the TV (which was tuned to CBS). Human interest story on the overnight "news" show.
There's this family, see, with a tradition of doing The Twist. The daughter is getting married. Father, to surprise daughter, for the father-daughter dance, gets Chubby Checker to show up and sing.
Couldn't find anything on the CBS News website yet, but maybe it'll turn up later.
floretbroccoli
Now that is a human interest story! I am very interested in any family that has a tradition of doing The Twist. How does that happen? And how many generations does it span? Is this family single-handedly responsible for Chubby Checker's continuing popularity? Do you imagine they go to neighborhood block parties clutching their Chubby Checker music just waiting for a chance to bust out The Twist, or is it strictly for the immediate family? How does a tradition of Twisting even get started?
The Twisting family is pretty good, but the fact that Chubby Checker showed up to play the reception is even better. I wonder if he only performed The Twist or if he stayed for an entire set. I need more information! And the CBS web site still has nothing! I also wonder if he works on a sliding scale or if he has a flat fee. If I'm going to hire Chubby Checker for one song and it costs the same as a full set, you can bet that I'm going to go for the full set. I'm guessing he has a sliding scale.
I just hope the father of the Twisting clan didn't go to much trouble to find Chubby Checker. As near as I can tell, booking Chubby Checker isn't that difficult. I have noticed that anytime I do a search for Chubby one of the ads that always comes up is Book Chubby Checker for your Banquet. I'm not planning a banquet!
You can also book him directly off his own web site, and don't think I haven't considered getting more info from both places. If my readership wasn't so far-flung we could pass the hat for a party but instead of getting a keg we could get Chubby Checker. I've always lived in fear of requesting more info from the banquet people because I don't want to be on a mailing list. Also, Chubby's fee scale isn't listed. The site tells me I have to call for a quote. I can't do that with a straight face! I can't invent a banquet just to find out how much Mr. Checker charges!
Plus the banquet site says that the site is for legitimate Business inquiries only. Business is capitalized. It also says that personal requests will not be answered. I guess that saves me the trouble of fretting over being on that mailing list. I wonder what kind of mail they send out, if they do send out mail. Do they have celebrity closeouts if they want to kick someone off the talent roster? Offer their appearance for $39.95 until the entertainer just up and quits? Well, wait just a minute. If they don't answer personal requests how did the father of the bride secure Chubby's appearance? Oh, Chubby's own site has a different booking address. I suppose being a business, sorry, I mean Business entertainer is a completely different ball game so he needs different agents for each activity.
I'll probably never find out what he charges for a private party because I am certainly not sending my information to Chubby Checker's web site. He might show up at my door and yell at me for making fun of Snoopy's Hawaiian shirt. On the other hand he might be super friendly and show up on my doorstep bearing meat snacks, but I'm just not willing to take that chance.