Mr. Becker, welcome...

It's well known now that you were in the advertising business. Why did you never draw on that for performance material?


How do you stimulate your creativity? Do you work from method to effect, vice versa, or inside out?


What does 'Subtract 1, *then* divide by 4' mean?

Gotta go slop the hogs...

I should have...but didn't. I was a very successful advertising executive. For whatever reason until recently I basically hid it. I have for the better part of my 75 + years on earth, lived in two worlds. I kept them separate for personal reasons. Today, I use my communication skills and persuasion techniques to help explain what I'm doing. I'll borrow from my opening patter to let you see how this works for me.

"Good evening. For close to 30 years, my East coast advertising agency catered to multi-million dollar clients, creating some of the most compelling and effective advertising campaigns the industry has ever seen. In 1985 I hopped off the fast track and began to use my communication skills and persuasion techniques to entertain and motivate audiences the world over.

Tonight, I'll attempt to use those very same techniques to read your thoughts and influence your actions...all in the name of entertainment. "

My good friend Lee Earle suggested that I use this approach. Truthfully, I should have done this all along.