Celebrity Synergy

When I clicked the TV on last weekend to watch a PBR telecast, there was Larry the Cable Guy touting the tour stop that he helped produce three weeks ago in Orlando, Fla.

Because the Built Ford Tough Series was not in session this past weekend, Versus broadcast a rerun of the June 6-7 Orlando tour stop that featured the renowned comedian who teamed up with 2000 PBR World Finals winner Tater Porter to produce the show.

Throughout the two nights of competition, Larry the Cable Guy was one heck of a nice guy and was more than accommodating. He mostly grew up in rural Nebraska, and he came across as a successful entertainer who hasn't forgotten where he came from.

Larry, who is known for his catch phrase "Git-R-Done!" is a very authentic fan of bull riding, and he co-owns the defending PBR World Champion Bull, Chicken on a Chain. He's pretty typical of celebrities who gravitate to bull riding and rodeo shows because they enjoy being part of the western scene.

Asked how riding bulls compares to doing comedy, Larry laughed and said: "It's way safer being a comedian. However, at some of those shows that we used to do, we got stuff thrown at us, but it's harder to be a bull rider." One apparent reason Larry feels comfortable at a bull riding show is because it attracts the same type of fans who flock to his comedy shows.

"Fans of rodeo, bull riding, NASCAR, they are good people," Larry said. "When they become your fans, they stick with you. They are not fair-weather fans. They grew up the same way as the (talent they come to see), they like the same thing and it's almost like we belong to the same club."

Larry said bull riding is a fast-growing sport that provides wholesome entertainment.

"When people go to an actual event and see what it is, I think that they really start to enjoy it," he said. "Anything that has to do with farming or country, I think that people just write it off as a bunch of Hee Haw. But it's not. It's totally different than what people think. And that's one thing that people who make the decisions in California and New York, they just do not get it.

"But when people come (to a PBR show), they have a great time. It's one of the few things other than NASCAR that you can actually take your family to and enjoy a nice night. It's good to have a sport where they have an opening prayer and the whole deal." Larry the Cable Guy was a big hit with both fans and bull riders at Orlando's Git-R-Done Invitational. It began on opening night when the comedian initially entered the venue and was whisked to the contestant's locker room to shoot a film clip for the PBR's TV broadcast on Versus. But it sounded as if he was on stage. Larry the Cable Guy was emphatic about the Florida heat, saying he and Porter went to the movies earlier in the day just for the air conditioning.

Minutes later, he joined Porter on the Amway Arena floor to greet the fans and he drew laugher when he said: "Don't worry, I ain't riding tonight, so everybody gets a chance."

However, he was very close to the action. Larry sat on the front row near the chutes for both performances and was heavily focused on the competition that featured stars ranging from Brazilian Adriano Moraes, a three-time World Champion who will retire at the end of the year, to Sean Willingham who won the title. He also spent time in the TV commentator's booth, helping with the Versus broadcast.

The comedian capped the weekend by awarding a $24,500 (average winner's) check to Willingham and the comedian had something to say about the money: "Twenty-four grand, that'll buy about two tanks of gas."

Larry's involvement in western sports is similar to many celebrities. Over the years, I've talked to numerous entertainers and sports stars, including former San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana (who competes in cutting horse shows) and former Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan (who helps raise money for cowboys who have experienced hardship) about their involvement in western sports, and most of the time, they are more than willing to be interviewed about something other than their day job.

They relish hanging out with the down-home cowboys and cowgirls who are competing.

"It's just fun," Larry said of hanging out at PBR shows. "I grew up on a farm in southeast Nebraska and my wife grew up on a big black Angus cattle ranch, and we just love it. We love the smell. We love everything about it. So, I'd rather be doing this than anything else. I ain't going to the orchestra."

Porter, who has been a friend of Larry's for more than a decade, said he was grateful that the comedian came on board and helped produce the show.

"He's a fan and it comes from his heart," Porter said. "He started out as just a fan who turned into a bull owner who is getting deeper and deeper in the PBR." Randy Bernard, the PBR's Chief Executive Officer, said Larry the Cable Guy's presence has been a hit with PBR fans who gravitate to his style of comedy.

"People love that redneck mentality and there's a huge demographic of our people who love that and it just fits very well," Bernard said. "Although we're a sport, we're also entertainment. We want to make sure that we're having fun and we can't forget that. So you can't ask for a better guy to have than Larry the Cable Guy. He's funnier than heck and just a great guy to be involved with the sport."

Sean Gleason, the PBR's Chief Marketing Officer, said Larry the Cable Guy's enthusiasm for bull riding is a big asset.

"He's involved because he loves it through and through," Gleason said. "We've become friends over the years and the friendship is based on the fact that he's become a huge fan of the sport and he's been around it for a long time. His involvement opens to door to a lot of his fans who may not have been introduced to the PBR. He's got a lot of fans out there who share similar characteristics to our fans and hopefully, it will introduce the sport to a lot of new people."

With all that in mind, here's some questions for you, the fan:

1. What is your favorite memory of watching Larry the Cable Guy work with the PBR?

2. Why do you feel that it's advantageous to get celebrities such as Larry the Cable Guy involved in the sport?

3. How are Larry the Cable Guy's fans and PBR fans similar?