Ok "celebrity" buzzers, how'd you get on?

This may be a silly, silly question but I'm wondering how so many buzzers made their way on to this year's Thrills, Chills and Spills specials.

Is it being a member of an orginization such as ACE, ECC or even Coasterbuzz Club?

Is it developing a relationship with certain parks?

Is it just being in the right place at the right time?

I personally have no desire to wonk about coasters on TV and I have no plans on joining every enthusiast club in existence or badgering employees at the local park, but I am curious as there were a lot of names that were awfully familiar to coasterbuzzers.

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www.coasterimage.com

All of the above.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

I got on the shows Because The caster club i'm in has a good relationship with our local parks and the producers of the shows. Also making friends at the parks goes a long way.

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Joey Ciborek, Florida Coaster Club, Member
"WE RIDE ALL YEAR!!!" www.FloridaCoasterClub.com
"It's like an addiction" Me Discovery Channel Ultimate Guide: Rollercoasters 5/27/02

Sometimes you have to keep your eyes open on various coaster boards (like this one) for invites...and demonstrate some level of maturity while you're posting. Okay, sort of maturity. Relatively speakinnngg.

-'Playa

(who's been invited to shoots without any club affiliation whatsoever, but just couldn't make it)

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Coming 6/6/02--the CoastaPlaya 100!
Check Meeting Calendar for details...

It's all about who you know. The weird thing is that I don't think anyone goes out of their way to try and get to that point where you have an "in," it just kind of happens over the years.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

I have no desire to be on one of those shows, but it is interesting to see how you do get on.

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http://tycoonkingdom.rct-central.com
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RCT Downloads, Forums, and More!

I have a question- was Harry Shearer the narrator of the "Ultimate Guide" (the one with Elissa) special? That sure sounded like Mr. Smithers from "The Simpsons" to me.....

On another note, I found all 3 specials to be well done and informative. It was actually kind of fun watching someone who doesn't like coasters strapping himself into rides such as X, Goliath and Ghost Rider.

ProgRay (who didn't stay up till 11:00 to catch the end credits)

So what buzzers were featured on the shows. I know Shaggy did an on ride, but did anyone else?

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3/22/02, The Roller Coaster Collection Site Finally Updated. New Poll, Trip Reports, Photos, RCT, Coaster Company Profiles, Links, and More
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ProgRay: I thought the same thing as you and watched the credits at the end. It WAS Harry Shearer.

So.... Mr. Smithers likes coasters too.... Hmmmmm.... *wink*

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Men are like parking spaces... the good ones are all taken and the rest are handicapped or too far away.
www.TiggerMan.com

G man and Rebino were caught riding X, nine times in a row and talking a bunch of coaster stuff for hours. I believe that they were just scouting at Magic Mountain for true enthusiasts, and what they often look for is diversity(someone of a different type, not just race, but age, background, level of enthusiast, ridership, how much you know, and some amazing coaster story you have. I believe they talked to many people that day, but G man and Rebino stuck out probably because of their 3,000 mile journey back to their old coaster home to ride X mixd in with Rebino's lame coaster jokes and G-mans enthusiasm, they probably stood out like a sore thumb. Of course, you'll have to ask G-man why his favorite woodie has been Psyclone for 7 years(he even ridden Ghostrider, Boulder Dash, Roar WEST, and even Medusa at SFM, but still count Psyclone as his favorite woodie.

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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

I'm pretty sure it was Harry "Kent Brockman" Shearer doing the voice-over for Ultimate Guide.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

TiggerMan said:

So.... Mr. Smithers likes coasters too.... Hmmmmm.... *wink*

"Mr. Burns, I really think we ought to do some good PR work and buy the town of Springfield a nice amusement park....."....;).

....are you saying there's some sort of *secret* re: Wayland Smithers, TiggerMan.....

I was asked by CP if I would be interested in doing the Magnum spot for Discovery Channel for them. Apparently they were looking for a female and naturally CP thought of me (go figure! ;)) I am a member (and hopefully next VP) of GOCC but that had nothing to do with being asked, I was just honored that CP thought of me! :)

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
Gemini 100 "Survivor"
Who is and will ALWAYS be Raptor Jo :)
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Cowboys dig cowgirls in trucks
Cowgirls dig cowboys in Wranglers! ;)

Wonder if they'd ever want an old female enthusiast.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

I couldn't help but sit there and wonder when Mr. Shearer would break into Mr. Burns mode and (tapping fingers together) saying "Excellent....." after they would show footage of a ride.

And Mr. Smithers is nothing more thn Mr. Burns loyal assistant. At least that's what Troy McClure once said! ;)

ProgRay

CPLady said:
Wonder if they'd ever want an old female enthusiast.

That "requirement" already covered by ME! :)

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
Gemini 100 "Survivor"
Next VP of GOCC?
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Cowboys dig cowgirls in trucks
Cowgirls dig cowboys in Wranglers! ;)

ProgRay said:

At least that's what Troy McClure once said!
ProgRay

"You may remember me from such coaster specials as Ultimate Guide: Roller Coasters..."

Edit: Sorry, McClure was the late Phil Hartman...But Shrearer DOES have a variety of voices (Burns, Smithers, Flanders, Skinner, Otto, Rev. Lovejoy, Dr. Hibbert, Jasper, Brockman, Lenny, McBain, Kang, Herman, George H. W. Bush, and even Scratchy). Ok, enough of that.

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My two favorite coasters are named Superman.

*** This post was edited by astrosgp on 5/28/2002. ***

I "got in" when the park called me a few weeks prior to the shoot. DC called the park and asked them to find suitable folks to do the play-by-play and interviews.

PKI was gracious enough to contact me, and I gladly accepted.

Here's a little known fact.... I was supposed to be on Beast. The park called me the night before the shoot and switched me to SOB due to filming schedule changes. I had prepared for Beast and knew all the stats etc, and had to rapidly "bone" up on my Sonny trivia in one evening. I didn't mind the switch, because it enabled me to do the first ever filmed play by play on the ride.

Shaggy

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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.

Troy McClure was voiced by the late Phil Hartman, not Shearer.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Well thanks for the detailed accounts, Jo & Shaggy. I'm assuming a relationship like that with the park takes many years to develop.

I think Jeff summed it up pretty well and like all things in life - it's who you know.

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www.coasterimage.com

*** This post was edited by Lord Gonchar on 5/28/2002. ***