PROFILE
By Mark Miller
W
hether it’s the PBA or PWBA tours, collegiate or youth tournaments, if you’ve watched nearly any bowling telecast over the past three-plus decades, you’ve seen Jacques Darden’s work even though you’ve never seen him. While people hired by networks such as FOX and ESPN handle the cameras and the players engage in the action, Darden is the person who makes any show come to life through the lights. In fact, he oversees all production services, including drapery and camera decks, each week with five people. It’s something he’s done for a diverse array of events, shows, and productions since the late 1970s. “Lighting always was easy for me and I found so simple,” said Darden, who turned 65 in March. “It’s basically mathematics, volts, and watts equal lamps. That’s just math. Everybody is scared of electricity, but it’s the simple laws of physics. Don’t touch something that’s grounded or you will get electrocuted.” His passion actually was grounded through a love of art dating back to at least junior high school. When theater groups needed someone to paint something, Darden was there to help. Born in Beaumont, TX, Darden spent his early years in his 32
IBI
September 2019
The master, Jacques Darden, hard at work illuminating bowling