Sitting Bull's 'Presence' unexpectedly rude

When Sitting Bull first enters, he and I engage in reverent greeting, sign language accompanying our dialogue. My first line ends with "...you.. honour.. us all.. with your presence," each break having it's own signed gesture. For "presence" I alternate randomly between two signs: the first one starts with my hand outstretched in front of me, about level with the top of my head, palm up, hand open. As I say "presence" I bring my hand down evenly to waist level and slightly close my hand, as though catching in slow motion a ball dropped in front of me at arms length. It represents the ethereal soul or aura as "presence". The second sign I use also starts with hand in front at top-of-head level but close in, arm bent 90 degrees, hand open on edge, with palm turned towards my face. On "presence" I bring the hand down in front of my face like a window shade and slowly close my fist on top of my other hand. This indicates the physical being as "presence". Well tonight my brain didn't choose between the two but created a new hybrid gesture: I held my hand open palm up in front of me but only at about half arms length then brought it down in front of my face, my elbow close in to my body, and at the end closed my fist, palm up, forearm slightly inclining outward. Go ahead and picture it. It was only after I had finished "presence" that I realised I'd created the universal sign for "erection". "Presence" indeed. Fortunately Sitting Bull was too preoccupied with his horse to notice or we may have both snorted and laughed like 10 year olds who just discovered "fart" in the dictionary.

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Location:Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show Disney Village Disneyland Paris

Willie Ketchum Has a Blowout

A cowboy I call Willie Ketchum made his second mount fine during the pony express race in tonight's second show but his pants fared badly. The full length of the butt seam blew clean out, leaving our Disney audience no doubt as to the color of his undies. Black. Thankfully he was wearing some.


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Location:Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Disney Village, Disneyland Paris, France

Cowboy Pinches Pecker on Saddle

One of the cowboys in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show (La Legende de Buffalo Bill), Disney Village, Disneyland Paris France, competed in the famous Pony Express Race and celebrated by doing The Worm - an 80's breakdance move where the dancer undulates the full front of his body against the ground, propelling himself forward. There is nothing choreographed here - each cowboy celebrates as he wishes. Some raise their hat. This cowboy, on occasion, does The Worm, a move at which he is particularly gifted. He simply falls forward into the move from a standing position, the momentum allowing impressive height and distance from each undulation.
On this occasion, however, as he walked towards the judges stand after performing The Worm I could see he was in pain, favoring his stomach or groin area. I think he was trying to smile through his grimace, but I couldn't be sure. Half doubled over, he made his way off stage, letting us know he needed a few minutes to recover.
My first thought was that he had  accidentally mashed his man parts against the uneven ground of the arena as he fell into The Worm so I jokingly advised the audience not to try this move at home - it's only reserved for experienced professionals.
I later learned that the injury had occurred when he vaulted onto the horse. After launching himself upwards, the horse at a full run, he came down a bit farther back on the saddle than intended, pinching the tip of his manhood between the falling weight of his descending body and the sharp lip of the cantle. I cringe just thinking about it. And yet, and yet.. consummate professional that he his, he still did The Worm - the pinched worm, on this occasion.

Panoramic Photo of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show with Mickey & Friends

Our beloved friend and photographer Marc Veillard took this photo of the entire cast (minus those absent on the day) of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show with Mickey and Friends, Disney Village, Disneyland Paris, as a Happy New Year's wish from all of us. (I found this photo on bbwws.blogspot.com, another blog in French, maintained by one of the stage managers.)

Our show is the longest-running, most successful dinner show ever produced by Disney (and maybe any other organisation). It's one-of-a-kind. Come see us!

Ryan Bingham Nominated for Oscar

Ryan Bingham, ex-cowboy in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show (La Legende de Buffalo Bill), Disney Village, Disneyland Paris France, has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song, for his song The Weary Kind (The Theme From Crazy Heart) on the soundtrack for the movie Crazyheart. Bingham already one a Golden Globe award for the song but was at the bar waiting for a beer when the award was announced. In a recent article in Vanity Fair, Bingham explains that he promises it won't happen again.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show is Disney's longest-running and most successful Dinner Theatre, or any kind of theatre show, worldwide, ever. It features authentic Cowboys and Native American Indians - and the occasional Golden-Globe-winning-and-Oscar-nominee singer and songwriter. If you haven't seen us yet, you're missing out.

Ex-WWS Cowboy Wins Golden Globe Award

Ryan Bingham won the 2009 'Best Original Song' Golden Globe award for The Weary Kind (The Theme From Crazy Heart) which he wrote with T Bone Burnett. Ryan played the role of Cowboy for a few months several years back in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show (La Legende de Buffalo Bill) and remains good friends with several members of the cast, especially Lucas, who helped him get the job. Unfortunately, Ryan wasn't present to receive his Golden Globe award.


One might be forgiven for thinking he was on tour, or in the middle of a recording session, or had some other obligation that prevented him from being present, but in fact he was at the ceremony.



At the bar. Having a beer. With a friend. How's that for unassuming?

 

Crazyheart also won the Best Actor Golden Globe award for Jeff Bridges' performance.

Trent Features in Wyoming's "Casper Star Tribune"

I was recently interviewed by Margaret Matray for a feature article in The Casper Star Tribune, Wyoming's premier state-wide newspaper. I think she did a great job. Here's the link to the web version of the article: La Legende de Buffalo Bill.