Morgan, happy to be a Gatorland Gator Wrestler

Joined the E-Team: June 2009
Age: 27
Education: Some college, Major: Herpetology

INTERVIEW
When you decide to audition for Gatorland Entertainment did you know you would have to become a gator wrestler?

Yes, that’s why I auditioned.

What were you doing before you came to Gatorland?

I owned my own business installing floors and fixing houses.

It is challenging to learn to wrestle alligators but it has to be fun too. Tell me about what makes it fun and keeps you excited.

Always knowing that these animals want to eat me! That’s exciting enough.

What is your favorite alligator at Gatorland and why?

Gonzo. The first time I pulled him out of the water he spun on me, next thing I know his mouth is flying at me waist level. Now, every time I wrestle Gonzo it reminds me of that moment and to be careful. He could eat me!!

What is the hardest part of your job as a Gatorland Entertainer?

I’ll let you know when I find one. Gatorland is the best job I ever had.

Have you ever had any close calls working with alligators or any other animal here at Gatorland?

Yes. Robert (an employee in our Facilities Dept.) and I were underneath the boardwalk that leads to Flamingo Island mending the fence. The gators had broken it. I put a fence tie in, twisted it three times, put on the second fence tie twisted once and that’s when I saw the mouth of an eleven foot gator charging at me, the only thing that I saw was teeth and water rushing towards my face as the gator rammed the fence, pushing it closer and closer to me. Finally the fence held and stopped the gator two inches from my nose. That was close.

What made you interested in alligators/reptiles?

I grew up loving reptiles. Growing up around the Florida swamps there was not much to do besides go out and catch everything that crawled. Now that I am older I need bigger critters.

What kind of pets do you have at home? Why those pets?

I have one cat. I was out catching snakes in a cow pasture when I heard the faint meowing of a kitten. I followed its meow to a patch of saw grass about five feet around and when I finally found the kitten in the saw grass it was covered in fire ants. I guessed its age, about two days because his eyes weren’t even opened yet. That was back in June of 2000 and I still have him. also have an alligator snapping turtle. They are just cool looking, and I love the way they hunt. He’s so pretty I named him Cuddles. I also have two baby soft shells and one baby mud turtle. The soft shells because they are fast, turtles aren’t suppose to be fast, and the mud turtle, because he’s like Napoleon, mean yet tiny.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

Boating, surfing, swimming, camping, skydiving, catching reptiles and all sorts of critters, sword fighting, riding motorcycles and horses. I’m kind of adventurous.

Do you have any special talents?

I can walk on my hands, which makes people smile. Crack whips, gator wrestling, read animals needs and personalizes but I still have much more to learn about that.

Do you have someone who inspired you to get in to this field?

My parents. My dad has a seventy five acre farm in upstate New York. He had horses, goats, ducks, chickens, turkey’s geese and cats. So with all of these animals meant the rodents and reptiles were never far. He always let me keep the snakes I caught until one of the garter snakes I caught turned out to be pregnant, the next morning woke up and there were twenty eight baby snakes, that’s where my dad drew the line and told me to let them go. He let me bring the critters home but had me let them go a day or two later. My mom, bought me every reptile I ever wanted from the pet store.

If you had a choice to travel anywhere in the world to study animals, where would you go and what animal would you study?

The Amazon. I would study all of the animals there. My favorites are the poison dart frogs, caimans and crocodiles.

If there was one thing you would like for our guests to know about you, what would that be?

I don’t wrestle gators because I am crazy, I wrestle gators because it’s fun, but I guess I am a little crazy too!

George at the Upclose Show and pulling out a wrestling gator

Joined the E-Team: July, 2009
Age: 32
Education: Just a hard workin’ guy.

INTERVIEW

When you decide to audition for Gatorland Entertainment did you know you would have to become a gator wrestler?
Sure I did. The whole reason for wanting to work at Gatorland was to wrestle gators!

What were you doing before you came to Gatorland?
I was mainly in aluminum construction also I did screen room building, pools, cages, and hurricane protection.

It is challenging to learn to wrestle alligators but it has to be fun too. Tell me about what makes it fun and keeps you excited?
Alligators are unpredictable creatures. You never really know what’s coming next when you step into the wrestling arena so that keeps it fun and definitely exciting.

What is your favorite alligator at Gatorland and why?
I’ll say Bruno….actually, Bruno is an American crocodile. I like him because he is huge and pretty gnarly looking.

What is the hardest part of your job as a Gatorland Entertainer?
Everybody has bad days. It’s hard to put on a smile when you’re having one but that is the job. Funny thing though when I get on stage and people start laughing and getting excited….that bad day just goes away.

Have you ever had any close calls working with alligators or any other animal here at Gatorland?
I plead the fifth!

What made you interested in alligators/reptiles?
I’ve always been fascinated with alligators and crocodilians as far back as I can remember. Their just cool.

What kind of pets do you have at home?
Why those pets?
I have a dog. I would love to have reptiles but my family is deathly afraid of those critters. I am only allowed the fluffy animals, LOL.

What kind of hobbies do you have?
I like wake boarding, fishing, and just being around the water.

Do you have any special talents?
I play guitar and sing a little.

Do you have someone who inspired you to get in to this field?
Nope, no one really inspired me. I’ve always just love alligators.

If you had a choice to travel anywhere in the world to study animals, where would you go and what animal would you study?
I would go to Australia and work around Saltwater Crocs.

If there was one thing you would like for our guests to know about you, what would that be?
I’m probably one of the most laid back, nice guys you’ll ever meet.

Brandon as “Bubba” in the Gatorland TV and radio commercials

Joined the E-Team: May 2004
Age: 24
Education: Some college, I was studying Biology

INTERVIEW
When you decided to audition for Gatorland Entertainment did you know you would have to become a gator wrestler?

Not at first, but once I found out that part of the job entailed wrestling alligators, I was really excited and up for the challenge!

What were you doing before you came to Gatorland?

I was a full time student. I was debating between moving away for college or staying here and going to collage locally.

It is challenging to learn to wrestle alligators but it has to be fun too. Tell me about what makes it fun and keeps you excited.

Personalities keeps it fun! The alligators have individual personalities and some of them are crazier than others. I like seeing the reactions of guests when we wrestle crazy alligators!

What is your favorite alligator at Gatorland and why?

Jumper is my favorite alligator because in his day he was one of the larger wrestling alligators. He was spontaneous and had a mean streak that made him challenging & fun to handle.

What is the hardest part of your job as a Gatorland Entertainer?

The hardest part of my job as a Gatorland Entertainer is….surviving the Florida summers!

Have you ever had any close calls working with alligators or any other animal here at Gatorland?

Yes, shhh … don’t tell anybody!

What made you interested in alligators/reptiles?

I’ve always had a love for animals; reptiles and alligators were something I grew to love, even more after working with them. They are prehistoric creatures. There is still so much to learn about them and that keeps me interested.

What kind of pets do you have at home? Why those pets?

I have two Miniature Dachshunds. Why? Because, my wife loves them. I had a Labrador Retriever for 14 years who passed away … maybe someday I can have a big dog again.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I have many hobbies, mostly outdoor sports. Mainly I enjoy racquetball, golf, bowling & baseball.

Do you have any special talents?

I usually tell people I can wrestle an alligator, but it’s fairly common here at Gatorland! Other than that, I can touch my nose with my tongue.

Do you have someone who inspired you to get in to this field?

If I had to choose a main inspiration for my love of animals, it would probably be Jack Hanna. I grew up watching him on TV and reading about him. He bleeds love for animals of all kinds and it is contagious.

If you had a choice to travel anywhere in the world to study animals, where would you go and what animal would you study?

That’s a tough question, there are so many animals to see and places I would like to go. But if I could go anywhere in the world, I would go to South America and study the Melanosuchus niger, also known as the Black Caiman crocodiles. They are the only species of Caiman crocodiles to grow to lengths of 15 ft long and I’d like to know why!

If there was one thing you would like for our guests to know about you, what would that be?

I that I love my job and I’d love to share my enthusiasm for animals with them here at Gatorland!

Bret performing, “The Sleep” in the Gator Wrestling Show.

BRET CHISM
Joined the E-Team: Which time? 1988 was the first time.
Age: I’m the oldest…and most experienced, LOL!
Education: Life!

INTERVIEW
When you decide to audition for Gatorland Entertainment did you know you would have to become a gator wrestler?

Actually, I didn’t. I was in Entertainment before the Gator Wrestling show got started in 1991. I guess you could say that I was drafted into gator wrestling. A fellow workmate and I got a call on the radio asking if we could come up to Frank Godwin’s office (the former President of Gatorland). We thought we were in trouble. We entered the office to find Frank and a gray haired gentleman with a smile hidden behind his mustache. Frank looked at us and said, “This here’s Tim Williams, he’s gonna teach ya’ll how to wrestle gators.” Being a young and fearless man, I said. “OK.” It was all downhill from there.

What were you doing before you came to Gatorland?

I grew up in my father’s business of office machine repair and sales. I did that since I was 8 years old. Fixing office machines, typewriters, copiers, fax machines. I have always loved working with my hands. When we moved to Florida and I started working at a pet shop while still working for my dad, the manager of the pet shop’s son worked at Gatorland. He got me interested so I quit the pet shop job and got a job at Gatorland. Since then I have worked on and off doing other things, construction, pest control, pool cleaning, working at a plant nursery and appliance repair but I have always come back to Gatorland.

It is challenging to learn to wrestle alligators but it has to be fun too. Tell us about what makes it fun and keeps you excited.

I think seeing the smiles on the guests faces is what keeps me excited and interested. I love the interaction we have with the guests. That sets us apart from the other theme parks. We are very much into guest interaction and we love to talk. Don’t ask us questions or we’ll hold you there for hours, telling you all about what we do and all about the cool animals we have here.

What is your favorite alligator at Gatorland and why?

Unfortunately my favorite alligator died at a ripe old age of about 60. His name was Godzilla. He was about 13 feet long. A few months before he died he got in a bad fight with another alligator. The other alligator punctured his nasal passage on the top of his snout which meant he couldn’t hold his breath underwater. But, he lived with that wound for a while. Well, one day I was leaving the park after work and I looked down in the water and saw Godzilla going into convulsions. Now, I have this passion for animals and a lot of experience with gators so I jumped in the water, got in front of him and gently lifted his snout above the water so he wouldn’t drown. By this time, I had a zookeeper behind me with a roll of tape to tape his mouth shut. Godzilla looked me in the eyes as if to say, “Ya know, you guys have taken care of me all my life, just let me die peacefully.” We actually had some guests and a few other employees help lift Godzilla onto a truck and put him into a shallow enclosure so he wouldn’t drown. Godzilla died a few weeks later. I absolutely balled. I was pretty attached to that alligator. I took him out in the back forty and buried him myself.

What is the hardest part of your job as a Gatorland Entertainer?

Ummmm….can’t think of one.

Have you ever had any close calls working with alligators or any other animal here at Gatorland?

I was hoping that this question wouldn’t come up. Yes. I have been bit but I haven’t been bit in quite some time, though. It’s inanimate objects that get me. The bell at the Jumparoo Show fell on my head. I shut my hand in the train’s door. I was struck by lightning (long story…but I lived). I slip and fall a lot. Hey, if something weird is gonna happen, it’s gonna happen to Bret.

What made you interested in alligators/reptiles?

We live in Florida, need I say more?

What kind of pets do you have at home? Why those pets?

I have a Yellow Naped Amazon Parrot. Why? She was donated to Gatorland and she had a skin condition and some weird tail feathers so they didn’t want to put her on display. I took her home. I thought she was the biggest mistake I have ever made but now I can’t live without her. She’s my Sydney.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I love the outdoors; camping, fishing, boating, bike riding and hanging out with friends. I love to cook. I love music. I love to play guitar although I am not very good.

Do you have any special talents?

Talents? Yes, getting myself into trouble, oh and I slip and fall a lot.

Do you have someone who inspired you to get in to this field?

Inspired me? No, not really. But, the people that I work with keep me inspired to continue in this field. I was working with reptiles and wrestling gators before any of the recent animal guys on TV had shows. Although, Tim Williams, has been a great inspiration to me. He’s the one that taught me how to wrestle alligators.

If you had a choice to travel anywhere in the world to study animals, where would you go and what animal would you study?

Costa Rica. No one animal though. There is a huge diversity of animals there.

If there was one thing you would like for our guests to know about you, what would that be?

I like long walks on the beach and puppy dogs. Ha, ha!

Mark with one of our friendly critters.

MARK J. RICHMAN
Joined the E-Team: May, 1st 2006
Age: 27… erm… 33… *cough* (covers mouth) 43…
Education: Life and about half-a-dozen colleges around the country.

INTERVIEW
You have performed in various acting roles around the country. Tell us a little about those experiences and how you ended up at Gatorland.

I am a “rennie.” I have performed at Renaissance Festivals all over the country and I have to admit that this will always be my first performing love. Interactive performance is my favorite type of entertainment, which is one of the things I love about working at Gatorland. I have also done Shakespeare and other traditional theatre, which I truly enjoy as well. I ended up in Orlando, and at Gatorland, when I needed a break from traveling. Eventually, I will return to the road, but Gatorland is a nice break for the time being.

What made you want to become a gator wrestler; was there a particular experience that helped you make this decision?

Gator Wrestling had to grow on me. When I first came to Gatorland, I was happy not to ever have to touch an alligator. But when I was offered a year-round position, it was contingent on getting trained to “cracker” the wrestling show, which meant gator training. My beloved reluctantly agreed as long as I promised to be careful, but the first time she saw me on an alligator, she thought it was the greatest thing. Her passing was the catalyst for my gator training and every time I wrestle an alligator, I can see her in the audience smiling.

Gator training must have been challenging, but it has to be fun too. Tell me about what makes it fun and keeps you excited.

There is no routine with gator training. There is no mediocre with gator training. Either you do it right every time, or you risk going through life known as nubby. But, the adrenaline rush that stems from performing in front of an audience with an alligator is addictive. I also love that no two gators react in the same way and no gator is the same on two different days. Every time I work with an alligator, or watch another performer, I learn something new. I’m not a morning person, but when I know I am wrestling an early show, I wake up ahead of my alarm.

What is your favorite animal at Gatorland and why?

Wow, that is hard. My favorite animal is kind of a revolving list. There is a bearded dragon named Elvis who holds a special place in my heart. My favorite bird, an amazon named Rio, now resides with me at home. But, throughout all the animals I encounter, an albino red rat snake named Oliver Twist probably squeaks by as my favorite animal. Love snakes or hate them, people are fascinated by them. And I love watching someone work through their fear by petting Oliver.

If you had a choice to travel anywhere in the world to study animals, where would you go and what animal would you study?

Wow! Make me think, why don’t you. If I had to choose, I would go to Africa and study the various species of ape. It may be cliché, but they have always fascinated me.

What kind of pets do you have at home? Why those pets?

I have 3 cockatoos, 2 amazons, and a blue-and-gold macaw. As well, I have 3 rat snakes. I am a sucker for animals and my wife and I took in birds that came from abusive or negligent homes and Gatorland has been kind enough to let me adopt other birds with whom I have worked at the park. I have snakes… well… because snakes are cool.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

Hobbies require the time to have hobbies, of which I have precious little. But, I do like working with leather.

Do you have any special talents?

All talent is special.

If there was one thing you would like for our guests to know about you, what would that be?

It makes me smile to see you smile.

What is the best part of your job as a Gatorland Entertainer?

It never fails to amaze me that someone actually pays me to do this.

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Chris and an amazing jump at the Jumparoo Show

CHRIS SEARS
Joined the E-Team: April 6th, 2007
Age: 29
Education: Trained as chef in Italy

INTERVIEW
What was your last job?