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2011 Fair Magazine
Matt Baker
Comedic acrobat makes Lynden fair debut Haggen Festival Stage will also host local magician Sterling Dietz The life of a really funny acrobat is all Matt Baker knows. That’s because he hasn’t really had a chance to do anything else since he was invited at 17 years old to join an international hackeysack team. That team, made up of 13 of the world’s best “footbag” players, took Baker around the world in one year performing
demonstrations with Snickers as the sponsor. Matt Baker’s “comedy stunt show” will perform for the first time this year on the Haggen Festival Stage at the 2011 Northwest Washington Fair. Hackeysack is a non-competitive sport that has participants bouncing a small bead-filled sack with their feet
and performing tricks without letting it touch the ground. Internationally, it is known more commonly as footbag. From his original tour on, Baker started developing other physical acts and also started adding jokes into his routines. He continued touring in the U.S. for two years after his international appearances, demonstrating in schools and other locations until he was about 20. Baker said he first started hackeysack when he was 13 years old and he still hasn’t stopped doing it in professional shows. Now, at 29, Baker has a much broader repertoire, from juggling and mainstream acrobatic acts, to more bizarre stunts that surprise and shock audiences everywhere. “People should expect to see a lot of off things that they won’t see anywhere else,” Baker said. But that originality is accompanied by a clean, familyfriendly comedy routine. Over the years, Baker has performed solo and also as one half of the comedy duo “Brothers from Different Mothers,” with juggling artist Alex Zerbe. That act was featured on season two of TV’s “America’s Got Talent,” winning the unbridled praise of judge Piers Morgan. Baker is also a Guiness World Record holder for “most complete change-overs juggling three objects in one minute.” Basically, that refers to the process of one person leapfrogging over a juggler and picking up the three juggled objects in
Lynden Tribune the process. Baker originally broke the record at 8 cycles, but now holds it at 10. Performing at fairs and similar venues all over Washington State is a special thing for Baker, since those audiences seem most ready to have a good time, as opposed to a corporate event, where people tend to be a little stiffer, he said. Fair shows also are ideal for allowing Baker to use a loose format, since people feel free to come and go, and he can tailor his humor to the specific location. Also, fairs aren’t as stressful, since they aren’t competitive. Instead, each performer is intent on adding an important piece to the entire fair experience. Baker said he is excited to be playing in this format because he is good friends with many of the other performers, including Lynden fair veteran Roberto the Magnificent, who is performing this year and helping manage the stage. Baker said he hopes to eventually work as a writer for another comedian, where his thoughts and creativity can gain a wider audience. He has already been hired by some of his peers to that end. He even envisions himself writing screenplays and scripts for sitcoms and feature films. “I’m blessed to have a gift,” Baker said, “and to make money doing what I love.” For more information about Matt Baker and his show, visit his websites at www.comedystuntshow.com and www.mattbakercomedy. com. Baker will perform at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday on the Haggen Festival Stage. Lynden-grown magician Sterling Dietz will make a comeback to the same stage after skipping last year, performing at 2, 3 and 8 p.m. on Saturday only. New to this year’s stage offerings are noon performances each day by local musical talents usually reserved for the RECO Community Stage. For a complete listing of performers and their time, visit the fair entertainment page at www.nwwafair.com. — Mark Reimers