“He made it look so easy!”
When an expert does his job well, he makes it look easy. It can be a joy to watch an experienced pro perform his craft. Whether it’s a pilot landing an airplane, a mason laying bricks, or a window-washer on a tall building, they seem to work almost effortlessly. If you’re really good, you make it look like fun – think of Tom Sawyer white-washing the fence.
Of course, these people all have specialized training, tools, and safety gear. More importantly, they have years of experience.
Through the years I have tried many of these “easy” jobs. Something rooted deep in the male psyche makes us men insist on fixing things ourselves. So I have repaired plumbing, tiled the bathroom, installed my own air conditioning, painted inside and out, and even roofed my own house. Sure, I could do it – slowly, and not always very well.
For each of these duties, I had to do some research, a bit of reading, and consult others who had experience at these jobs. I had to borrow, buy, or rent specialized tools. And it always took me twice as long as the trained artisans who do these jobs as their career. Several times I injured myself, and earned a trip to the Emergency Room. How do the pros do it, without getting hurt?
I have even flown an airplane – it’s easy! Anyone could do it. Of course, I don’t know how to land the plane; I let the experienced pilot do that part. And I wouldn’t want to try it on a stormy night.
When the job gets tough, experience counts!
It’s like the commercials – so easy a caveman could do it!
Under ideal conditions, when performed by an experienced professional, ANY job can look easy! And an experienced professional wedding MC makes it not only look easy, but also FUN. Watching the DJ smoothly introduce the wedding party with wit and humor is a joy – but guests never see the 20 hours of meetings, paperwork, phone calls, scripting and preparation required to make that five minutes perfect.
Nor do the guests know about the faulty electrical outlets, nor the RF interference, nor the time spent with a Real Time Analyzer and Digital Delay to eliminate the echo in the room. They don’t know that 20 people worked feverishly for several hours to make the ballroom look breathtaking. They don’t realize that the smiling MC in the designer tuxedo, who seems to speak so effortlessly, practiced those introductions many times – and has been in that ballroom since noon!
A Stark Contrast
The professional Master of Ceremonies exists in stark contrast to the stereotypical amateur hobby DJ. Neal Howard, an experienced professional in Atlanta, shares this image of the DJ you DON’T want at your wedding:
Sadly, tragically, Cousin Darrell is what many brides end up with, when cost is considered more important than experience. He’s the “low bidder,” and is often the Death of the Party.
The Party Machine receives calls almost daily from young DJ wanna-be’s looking for work. I have trained many young DJs in the last 35 years. The good ones, who have what it takes to become professionals, are willing to serve as an apprentice to more experienced DJs. Many young wanna-be’s are too impatient for that, and seem oblivious to the need for developing professional skills. Minnesota DJ Tyrone Blue, another experienced professional, has created this bit of humor that demonstrates the arrogance of ignorance: