One of the things I love about my job as the Director of Consumer Events, is the opportunity to work with some amazing and talented personalities. Sometimes they are TV or movie stars, sometimes they are musicians or singers, and once a year I work with a rock star named Jack, Jack-O-Lantern.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jack and ask him some of the tough questions that mainstream media have shied away from. I wanted to give you the opportunity to see into the mushy pumpkin head of this super star.
Tim: Jack, I've noticed how well you handle the guitar in your “Jack is Back” show, can you tell me
Jack: Well I started playing air guitar many years ago, but I fine tuned my skills by training on Guitar Hero. I was able to master that game pretty quick and move straight onto the stage so my minion fans could hear me rip it up. I've had many influences, mostly the great guitar heroes of the 1960's such as Jimi Hendrix and later artists in the 80's such as Slash! I am so good I scare myself sometimes!
Tim: Jack, was there any childhood drama that shaped who you are today?
Jack: I was always a mischievous lad. I pretty much spent the first half of my life in detention and timeout, but eventually people gave up on trying to make me conform to the norms of society. I like to be mischievous and playful during the day, but at night I love to terrify people. Screaming in the night is music to my ears, and reminds me a little bit of the sounds of Hannah Montana....Love ya Hannah! Did her dad have a great mullet or what? Now THAT was scary!
Tim: Are you currently dating anyone?
Jack: Well I prefer to keep my options open. Being the biggest rock star on the planet it is hard to be in a one pumpkin relationship. I prefer to play the pumpkin patch and keep things light. I'm so busy scaring people that a relationship isn't high on my priority list right now. Someday I hope to raise some pumpkin heads of my own, but not now.
Tim: Do you have any celebrity followers on Twitter?
Jack: Define celebrity. After me the rest of 'em are all just humans. I have a few human stars who follow me, literally. Matt Bonner, of the San Antonio Spurs, has been stalking me a bit since he arrived in San Antonio. He is convinced we are related! Must be the red head?!?
Tim: How do you spend your leisure time?
Jack: I spend most of it just hanging out playing Guitar Hero with my pumpkin posse. After Howl-O-Scream I'm still around causing some mischief. I watch the park guests and sometimes hide their stuff, or send bugs their way.
At night I like to check out the animals as they sleep and pull flowers out of the ground. That one drives the landscape team crazy! Every now and then I'll do a little “dead heading.” You know, pick the dead blooms off of the flowers to help them grow. I do it because I like the name “dead heading,” and because I almost felt bad once about pulling flowers out of the ground...almost...once.
I guess it is a sign of my softer side, and it is just my way of passing time until the next Howl-O-Scream.
Tim: You mention a “softer side.” What makes you cry?
Jack: I often cry from laughing so hard when I see people screaming, crying for their mommies and generally terrified. I've also been known to cry during Guitar Hero when we play a great 80's power ballad like Motley Crue's “Home Sweet Home,” it reminds me of the old country, Ireland, where I'm from.
Tim: Well thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to let me ask you some questions. What is on the agenda for the rest of the month?
Jack: Frights and delights at my Howl-O-Scream, tell all your friends so they'll come and see!
where you learned to play?
Follow Jack on Twitter @jackreturns and on the SeaWorld Facebook page, which he has hijacked for the month of October. Rumor has it he is giving out lots of tricks and treats (prizes) there. He also has a fun interactive page.
Any of Jack's fans have questions?
Tim
