Fee Hedrick Family Entertainment

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. – What do a bowling ball, rubber chicken, and ping pong ball have in common? Not much, other than they are all items comedic juggler David J. Hirschi can toss into the air as part of his “Slim Chance” act, appearing at The Comedy Barn during the 2007 season.

Known by his stage name “Slim”, the seven-ball juggler also throws saw blades and incorporates humor into his act by saying his catch phrase “Sissy Dog” using a voice similar to Mr. Haney, who was played by Pat Buttram on the popular sitcom “Green Acres.”

Slim comes to The Comedy Barn from Branson, Mo., where he most recently worked in “The Yakov Smirnoff Show” as a performer, writer, director, and co-producer. David Fee and Jim Hedrick, co-owners of the Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment Group, saw Slim’s act in the Yakov show during a trip to Branson in August 2006. In addition to co-owner, Hedrick also is vice president of the Fee/Hedrick company. He says they really found a special addition to The Comedy Barn in Slim’s act.

“As a juggler myself, I instantly recognized his talent,” Hedrick says. “His energy and presentation is very likeable, which is one of the most important aspects of a being a great entertainer. The country theme of his act also really fits into the atmosphere of The Comedy Barn.”

Slim says relocating to Pigeon Forge has been a positive move for him. To keep his act fresh and new, Slim works on new tricks all the time. He is introducing a new finale trick that involves standing on top of a 6-foot ladder on one foot, while balancing 10 cigar boxes on his chin, and twirling a garbage can lid in one hand and spinning a Cowboy rope in the other.

When asked what part of his act he most enjoys performing at The Comedy Barn, Slim is quick to point out that it is not so much what he does, but the audience’s participation. “I enjoy figuring out where an audience is emotionally and bringing them into the performance until they are roaring with laughter. After all, that is what comedy is all about — laughing.”

Slim says juggling is a creative profession. “This is an environment where you are allowed to create happiness in people. There is nothing better than people being appreciative because you made their day better,” Slim says.

But the performer has not always been sure about his career path. He first learned to juggle at 15 years old, after which he found himself leading a double life — his normal, everyday life; then his life as an entertainer. Although he spent thousands of hours on the stage as an entertainer, performing always took a back seat to more serious endeavors, such as graduating from college and working in the “real world.”

While a student at Virginia Tech, he established the Virginia Tech Juggling Club and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology. Following graduation, he worked as an education specialist for the National Park Service in Maine and Utah, The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and Point Reyes Bird Observatory in California. At the same time, he also worked as an actor in theatrical productions, industrial videos, and a television mini-series “The Murder of Mary Phagan,” starring Jack Lemmon. He also honed his juggling skills with appearances at Busch Gardens and Disney World theme parks.

His unique combination of theatrical experience and science education led to six years of writing, directing, and producing large-scale, science shows for The Science Museum of Virginia and The Science Museum of Minnesota. He also received consulting contracts from The Minnesota Zoo and The Science and Technology Museum in Atlanta to develop science-based theatrical productions.

But in 1991, he shifted his career direction when he accepted an invitation to perform his juggling act in Las Vegas, which led to stints at the Excalibur, Maxim, Sands, and Aladdin hotels. Since then, he has worked full-time only as a professional entertainer.

Slim says there once was a time when he questioned the social importance of being a comedic juggler. “As a teacher, we are taught that our purpose is to bring a sense of social value to society. When I started performing professionally, I questioned whether this line of work had much social value,” Slim says. “But one day following a show in Branson, a lady came up to me crying. She told me that her husband had terminal cancer and this was the first time she’d heard him laugh in months. At that moment, I learned we all have our role and place in life, and this was where I needed to be.”

After four years in Las Vegas, he moved to Branson in 1994 where he began performing at The Country Tonite Theatre. For the next four years he developed his new character, “Slim Chance,” which the entertainer describes as “a sophisticated, juggling hillbilly with an off-beat sense of humor.”

His “Slim Chance” act garnered him back-to-back Comedian of the Year titles at the Branson Entertainment Awards in 1995 and 1996. Also in 1996, he received the Country Comedian of the Year Award from the American News Journal in Houston, Texas.

In 1998, David joined Russian comedian Yakov Smirnoff at his theater in Branson. The duo created “The Yakov Smirnoff Show,” which became one of the most successful shows in Branson, attracting some 250,000 people per year. He later served as creative producer when Smirnoff wanted to create the one-man show, “As Long As We Both Shall Laugh,” which ran on Broadway in New York City in 2003. That same year, Slim also wrote and directed “The Pam Tillis Show” for the country superstar in Branson.

After 13 years in Branson, Slim moved to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., just a few weeks ago to perform at The Comedy Barn and to enjoy the atmosphere the region offers. “The live entertainment scene in Pigeon Forge is coming into its own, with folks understanding that they will be getting a quality show on par with other entertainment venues around the country,” Slim says.

The Comedy Barn Theater is located one-half block south of traffic light No. 3 on U.S. 441 (The Parkway) in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Open year ’round, The Comedy Barn has two shows nightly in season at 5:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., as well as some scheduled matinees for groups throughout the season. Adult tickets are $21.95, plus tax. One child, age 11 and under, is admitted free with each paying adult. Additional child tickets are $9.95, plus tax. For tickets, call 1-800-29 LAUGH. For more information, visit www.comedybarn.com.