TEAM KATY PERRY: SUPER BOWL XLIX

Life really is full of surprises.  You never can really guess or plan whats going to happen.  (Though we all try … constantly)  The experience of being a part of the “Pepsi Superbowl XLIX Halftime Show” along side Katy Perry and your boyfriend shared with 118.5 million people was one of those experiences.

We knew that we would be extras in the large show… but we didn’t have a clue what to expect.  We knew there were 800 people involved to make it happen but where would we fit in?  They had enlisted local High School and College Cheerleaders and Theater kids to be a part of the show… so were we going to stick out like sore thumbs?

Yes.  Yes we did.  That ended up being one of the best parts of it! We were 2 grown men in a sea of teenagers!  Somehow that made us favorable among the wrangling crews.  We had a great time during the 3 days of rehearsals.  We knew we would be the waves and the waves were the last priority anyone cared about.  The choreography changed every day and nobody was ever really sure what it was.  The orbs got all the attention!  We were given prime camera spots at the last minute.  We just didn’t know HOW prime.

On show day, we were sent to a nearby University to park our cars and check in 6 hours prior to gametime.  After being dressed in our finest white onesies we all climbed into the 11 school busses waiting for us in finely organized rows.  This is where the excitement really began:

A dozen or so police officers escorted us out of the parking lot and onto the roads of Phoenix, AZ.  As we drove onto the freeways we realized there was nobody else on the roads!  They shut down the freeways for US!

We arrive at the University of Phoenix Stadium and the sun is still shining brightly… thats a bit worrisome as our show has lots of fireworks. But they thought of that when they planned this thing RIGHT??   The game is still going on and the 2nd quarter only has 2 minutes left!  The sun is still out and Siri told me the sun doesn’t set for another 30 minutes!  I then get a call from my brother telling me his wife is about to have a baby!

So I’m about to become an Uncle!  I’m unsure of the choreography!  Theres going to be a hundred million people watching!  Talk about adrenaline.

Luckily there was a time out which delayed the game just enough for sunset to begin and the next thing we know we’re running at top speed INTO the stadium!  The view was spectacular.  Thousands of cameras flashing.  The crew of 200 people moving the stage into place in a matter of minutes and it was showtime!

Somehow the rehearsal found its way into our bodies because we didn’t miss a beat during the show!  It was the most incredible moment watching Katy soar above with fireworks exploding all around us.  Magic.

IMG_2500_1024Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 3.58.54 PM

The following morning, my facebook and instagram was blowing up because some guy on Reddit had turned me into  a MEME!

The next thing I know my story has been posted everywhere.  Cosmo, People, Mashable, PaperMag, Refinery29.. it was nuts!!

Like I said before, life is full of surprises.  6 months ago I had no idea we’d be a part of the show, much less I’d become an Uncle in the same day AND become an internet “sensation-of-the-minute”.  This is what dreaming accomplishes.

I’ll never stop.

BarrettCrake-SqLOGO.