‘Behind The Mask’ takes an in depth look at the people inside the Mascot costume, a familiar presence at almost every sporting event from high school, college to the professional level.
Josh Greenbaum
The show’s creator Josh Greenbaum has created a series that is intriguing, exciting and heartwarming. Each mascot has a story that will make you laugh, cry and inspire and after watching the first few episodes Rich Girl was excited to talk with Josh about his experience doing the show.
Navey
RG-What inspired you to do a docu-series about Mascots?
As a kid, I was always intrigued by those giant furry creatures at sporting events, and as I got older, and became a filmmaker, I began to wonder, not just who is inside the suit, but why? And that’s really what our show looks at. And it’s also a world I had never seen explored, and I think every filmmaker is in part an explorer. Where there is still undiscovered ground/material, I want to go first and report back to the world what I’ve found.
JOSH-I actually wound up attending mascot camp as research, which was an experience to say the least. But beyond that actual field work, yes. I found out all sorts of interesting facts in my research. One is that the word “mascot” derives from French, and means something that brings good luck. I also found out that the first mascots in history were in fact live animals that lead armies into battle, not unlike their pretend counterparts who lead football teams into battle.
RG- How did you approach your subjects to get them to agree to be part of the show?
JOSH-That was actually one of the most difficult aspects of making this show. Mascots, especially at the collegiate and pro level, all abide by a code whereby they don’t reveal their true identity. Its been that way forever, and I’d say 90-95% of the mascots we approached turned down the offer to be on the show, simply because they weren’t comfortable revealing themselves publicly. And of those remaining, I had to do a lot of convincing. This season was a little bit easier because we were nominated for an Emmy in our first season, and I could show each potential mascot the previous season so they knew what to expect.
Joel
RG-In the series Chad Spencer desires to become a professional Mascot? How does one get the job?
JOSH-Landing a pro gig is a surprisingly difficult thing to accomplish. Primarily because there are only so many teams and the openings are rare. Take the NBA for example, you have 32 teams, 4 of them don’t have mascots, and out of those 28 remaining teams, most performers will keep their job for 15+ years. So when the jobs do open up, it’s not only incredibly rare, but you have all of the minor league, and collegiate mascots all vying for that one spot. In a way, it’s more difficult than some of the athletes spots in a way in that there are more positions and the turnover is faster.
Chad
RG-How does one audition to become a Mascot?
JOSH-For every team it differs, but the primary process is when there is an opening, you apply like any normal job, with a resume and cover letter. But unlike a normal job, you also include a video reel to showcase your skills. You then will (hopefully) have a phone interview as the first stage, and then if that goes well, you may be invited to a live audition. A typical audition involves performing for a panel of people who work for the team (often marketing departments, game operations, and sometimes cheer/dance coaches), and the audition can range from performing skits, acrobatics, dancing, improvisation, etc. And there will usually be a more formal interview with that as well, although that would likely be out of the suit.
RG- On the show there are so many amazing Mascots and stories. Which story resonated the most with you?
JOSH-That’s like asking a parent which kid is their favorite. Honestly, I love all of the mascots and all of their stories, for different reasons. Our first season, we captured a lot of incredible stories and moments and this season is no different. So many incredible moments: being there for Navey’s first high school Prom, where she took off the tiger suit and donned a prom dress, or for Chad’s first Pro audition in years, or when Joel (who plays Lou Seal for the SF Giants) went all the way to the World Series. What an experience the year was, as you will see on the show. But I think the most unique story overall to me this season was in Chris Hall, who is a freelance mascot performer who suffers from autism and sever anxiety disorder. To go on this journey, alongside his family, and see how his whole being transforms whenever he steps inside the suit was not only emotional and moving but truly inspiring. A true testament to the human spirit and our ability to rise above one’s challenges.
RG- On your journey while making ‘Behind The Mask’ what did you learn?
JOSH-I learned so much making this show. But what I think I will take with me for the rest of my life is just how powerful “believing” can be. A mascot’s core purpose is to support and believe in his/her team, no matter what. It could be 20 degrees out, team is losing by 50, the clock is winding down on a winless season, people are leaving the stadium, and there is one person who still believes. That’s the mascot. And while that example may be extreme, I think there is such power in believing in and cheering someone on. Ask any athlete, a crowd of 50,000 people cheering for you, believing in you, is powerful. Yet at the same time, the quiet support of one person, can be just as powerful, as you see throughout our show.
