As anyone who works with animals can tell you, every day is different. I think the same can be said for anyone who works in television. Both lines of work are extremely unpredictable, which I find appealing. You just never know what could be right around the corner. For instance: If you would have told
The end of this year will mark my 13-year anniversary working with animals on television. If I told you that journey was easy, I'd be lying. For years I toured the country, spoke to various audiences, and volunteered at any chance to share my passion of animals on television- Most of the time in very small markets, where I'm assuming the viewership wasn't more than a few dozen.
On July 11, 2016, I made the official announcement I'd been waiting to share for weeks: Partnering with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Frito Lay for the conservation initiative S.A.F.E (Saving Animals From Extinction). This new venture would take me on an exhilarating press tour in New York. It would also introduce me to new faces, new animals, and new ways to raise awareness about saving wild animals in wild places. Simply put, it was living a dream I'd dreamt since I was a kid.
As a kid, I was obsessed with zoos! Coming from a small town in southern Idaho, zoos were the only place I was able to see animals found throughout the world in one day. And yes, I was "that kid" who would stare at a motionless alligator for hours!
I've never been good at faking anything. If I'm not passionate about something, you won't hear me talk about it. (Hence why reading off scripts has never been my forte!) When I was approached about teaming up with the AZA and Frito Lay, I could not have been more excited. AZA zoos and aquariums alone, donated over 160 million dollars last year to field conservation. Frito Lay 2-Go variety packs offer a free kids pass, encouraging kids and their families to learn and get excited about wildlife. And the best part: Every time you walk into ANY accredited zoo or aquarium, a portion of your ticket is donated to conservation. There isn't anything better than that!
I was beyond thrilled to find out the animals I'd be working with, would be coming from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Rated as the #1 zoo in the nation, the Columbus Zoo has become a household name due to famed Jungle Jack Hanna.
First stop, The TODAY Show! This appearance would mark my first time working with TV legend, Regis Philbin. It was also a dream booking, considering I'd just appeared less than 3 weeks prior.
Did you know that newborn kangaroos or "joeys" are the size of a jelly bean!?
Never in the history of The TODAY Show, have they ever featured the rare Clouded Leopard. With less than 10,000 left in the wild, along with their reclusive nature, not much is known about their behavior. The majority of what we do know, has come from studying them in zoological settings.
Working with TV icons, Regis and Kathie Lee, was a definite highlight of my 13 years in television. Moments like this make all the years of hard work, drive, and tenacity well worth it. It was also my 27th birthday. I would not have spent it any other way!
Next stop was the offices of Family Circle Magazine. Animals literally took over the conference room, as anxious editors scrambled for their Iphones! The intimate setting was a great way to convey our key messages for S.A.F.E. as well as answer any questions.
The great thing about Facebook Live, is being able to interact with a live audience from around the world. Another memorable moment was being able to work with Trout the Penguin, hands-down one of my favorites. Trout, unlike the other penguins at the zoo, prefers to be with people instead of his own kind. He was the perfect ambassador for his species, which is considered endangered due to pollution and over fishing. A penguin is also one of the animals you can find on specially marked Frito Lay 2-Go variety packs.
You can watch the live segment here: https://www.facebook.com/peoplepets/?fref=ts
Working with Jack Hanna's team at the Columbus Zoo was definitely a surreal moment.
The Little Things LIVE interview was a fantastic experience. Using Facebook LIVE we were able to answer questions and help people get involved in participating in SAFE. And as I write, the segment is already at over 103K views, the most watched of any in-studio segment!
You can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/littlethingscom/videos
There are some things in life you never expect...like filming with leopard cubs at the Wall Street Journal! It was a fantastic way to wrap up a successful press tour in New York.
And this is what makes it all worth it! THANK YOU everyone for taking the #FL2Go challenge and supporting your local accredited zoo/aquarium. If you haven't already, pick up a specially marked Frito Lay 2-Go variety pack (look for the animals!), collect your free kids pass, and take a picture. It's as simple as that.
Last week's appearance on The Today Show, marked my 18th time appearing on the mega morning show. I can honestly say, Studio 1 A is feeling more and more like home! One thing that hasn't changed since my first appearance, is how incredibly fast everything goes. Several weeks are spent researching, pitching ideas, preparing animal permits, and then before you know it, you're next to Kathie Lee Gifford! I finally had to time to wind down from such a busy week and reflect on some of my favorite moments. Hope you enjoy- Corbin
Pre-promotion for my upcoming TODAY appearance took place on the New Mix Morning show on Mix 106. Over the years, I've come to absolutely love radio and look forward to every time I visit. I was even more ecstatic about this appearance because it was the first time I'd be working with a badger! All the animals featured on the show were rescued from my good friends at The Animals in Distress Organization. They will also all be returned to the wild.
Every time I travel to New York, I always try to visit and stay in different boroughs. This time around I stayed in Astoria, Queens. Hands-down one of my favorite boroughs. Quick and easy access to the city, fantastic night time views of the Manhattan skyline, and great Greek food!
The "Who Knew?" trivia segments are quite different than my normal animal spots on TODAY. There are more elements to them such as trivia, audience member participation, and live animals.
Because June is National Zoo & Aquarium month, it made sense to team up with my good friends over at the Adventure Aquarium.
One of my favorites was Cornelia, the African Penguin. Cornelia made herself at home, walking around the set, checking out food in the green room, and causing every member of the crew to whip out their Iphones and snap pics!
Words still cannot express how surreal it is to work with a television icon like Kathie Lee Gifford. She's always very friendly and a great sport when it comes to working with the animals. (Sorry KLG that the lobster splashed you pretty good!)
If you haven't had a chance to watch the segment, you can find it below.
Special thanks to everyone for the support and tuning in. It sincerely means a lot to me. Until next time...
As a wildlife expert on television, there isn't anything much better than landing an appearance on Late Night - One of the most coveted spots in the industry. All the greats, from Jim Fowler to Jungle Jack Hanna, got their start on this prestigious program. Making my debut last week on Late Night with Seth Meyers was literally a dream come true. All the years of touring the country, appearing on local TV, speaking to various audiences large and small, is starting to pay off. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at my experience at Late Night.
What a lot of people do not know about animal segments, is the amount of time it takes to plan them. This segment took approximately two months to coordinate. A team of people including talent coordinators, segment producers, and animal handlers work closely together to make sure the segment goes as smooth as possible. The first step is picking out the animals (My favorite part as I feel like a kid in a candy store!). I typically pitch anywhere from 8-10 animals and the segment producers make the final choices.
Picking the baby tiger cubs for the segment was a no-brainer! The cubs, at approximately one month old, completely melted the hearts of everyone in the building, from the Late Night staff, to the Saturday Night Live staff who tape on the same floor.
A lot of people wonder where the animals come from. The cubs, capybara, and alligator all came from a licensed facility in Pennsylvania, which I've seen firsthand. The facility has spacious habitats, outdoor ponds, and the animals receive the best possible care.
The mother tiger would typically hold the cubs by the back of the neck, so holding them in this position, is the most comfortable way to handle them. They literally go into a 'trance-like' state.
My dressing room was packed with everything you could think of: Various snacks, an assortment of drinks, and gift bags.
A lot of people have asked me how Seth was in person. He was extremely friendly and genuinely grateful to have us there.
Having appeared on national television for quite some time, I've been able to work with various celebrities; some nice, some not-so-nice! Let me tell you, it was a huge relief meeting Andrew and seeing how down-to-earth he was! He also brought his family and young nephew, who was a HUGE animal fan. I think he won an award that day for being the coolest uncle!
The segment was an absolute hit! Seth and Andrew interacting with the animals was hilarious, and the cubs completely stole the show. All fun and games aside, I'm happy the animals served as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, you can check it out below.
Thank you all for the support! I enjoyed seeing your pictures you sent while watching the segment on your TV's!
The stage manager of Saturday Night Live was such a big fan of the animals, she invited us on set to watch rehearsals and take pictures on the set. Talk about a surreal moment!
The following day was spent exploring the city, stopping at every single pizza stand (the best I found was in Queens), and enjoying the great spring weather in NYC!
Thanks for taking the time to read about this exciting new chapter in my life. Until next time-Corbin
