COVID puts a gag on gigs for MCs

For many, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant furloughs and job losses and a lack of opportunity to exercise their creativity.

Among the affected are the MCs and event hosts. It was hoped that the climate for socialising would have returned to normal for the festive season, when there would be countless gigs like community Christmas tree lightings, corporate functions and numerous brand promotions.

Entertainer and media personality Kaylia 'Press Kay' Williams said COVID-19 was a blessing and a curse, whereas, "it has put a damper or a gag, so to speak, on a lot of opportunities which would have become available during the holiday period, (but) there are some that spurred out of the pandemic".

"Every year, clients, in particular hotels, would reach out and I would host and be able to perform, but I have not been seeing any of those booking coming in. However, I am a voice-over talent and do more advertisements for corporate companies. It fills to gap just a bit and I am still, thankfully, using my voice," she said.

Intense

Television host, brand strategist and motivational speaker, Tamiann Young, told THE STAR the impact of COVID-19 has been intense on what MCs do and how they do it.

"Whereby this time of the year we would see a lot more customer appreciation, anywhere between eight to 12 engagements, which for me would have also included corporate workshops and training seminars, that has been cut down to a third of that, even with the natural transition to the virtual platforms," Young said. "I don't usually do the primarily entertainment-based events. A lot of my jobs are corporate-type events. Not much is happening as companies plans look more into reinventing themselves for next year."

Comedian Dufton Shepherd, who is no stranger to event hosting and serving as an MC across all sectors, said last Christmas into this January was a good economic period, in comparison to this COVID-hit year.

"And now, some are just finding back their footing in creating a routine kind of way," he said. Shepherd said many of the challenges with getting back into the scheme of things are related to adjusting fees for virtual events.

"You find that persons are asking more of you. Even before, as MCs or hosts, you had to deal with potential employers paying what they think you are worth and giving 10 times more to an act that performs for 20 minutes while you are there doing the long hours," he said. "Right across the board people have less money to spend and many have not been working since March. So, as companies are asking us to provide a discounted rate which can't be changed much, there has to be some understanding between the parties in order for it to work."