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Q & A with Zoltar: Coney Island Mermaid Parade’s Best Fortunetelling Float!

Posted in Coney Island, Interviews, tagged Coney Island, first prize, float, Jonathan Gleich, Mermaid Parade, Segway, winner, Zoltar on July 6, 2009| 2 Comments »

Zoltar Speaks, First Prize for Motorized Float in the 2009 Mermaid Parade. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

From the reviewing stand at the Mermaid Parade, I snapped this photo of an amazing one-man float inspired by the fortune telling machine in the movie Big. After reading the post-parade discussion on the Coney Island message board, I realized that “Zoltar Speaks” was the same guy who created the popular “Pirate on the Segway” for the 2008 parade.

Last June, Jonathan Gleich won third place for motorized float (with no bribe because “I was new and didn’t know the rules LOL,” he says). He got hooked. A few weeks after last year’s parade, Jonathan started working on a Segway powered float for the 2009 event. Advance planning, hard work and an exquisite bribe–two bottles of Crystal Head vodka packed in shredded cash– paid off. Zoltar won first place in the Mermaid Parade’s motorized float category. Congrats to Jonathan and his alter egos for winning two years in a row!

After discovering Jonathan’s fabulous Zoltar Speaks website and flickr set documenting the project, which included an elaborate “dress rehearsal” in Coney Island a few weeks before the parade, we asked Jonathan/Zoltar to do a Q & A. How could we resist? The website drew us in: “Welcome Traveler, Zoltar Knows Why You Are Here. You Seek More Information…”

Zoltar says: "This is my 'publicity' picture. Photo © Phil Yee via jonathan_gleich @ flickr

Q: How did you get the idea to do a Zoltar float for the Mermaid Parade?

A: I am a Segway enthusiast and use my Segway to commute to my office in midtown Manhattan most nice days and have made friends with other Segway people across the country. One of those people is Chris Johnson in Ashland, Oregon. He is the one who came up with the idea of putting a Zoltar on a Segway (I have a picture of him on my website in the thank you section). He knew about my pirate Segway and was teasing me how I would top it, and I said “Hey I’m gonna steal YOUR idea. A fortune teller is PERFECT for Coney island” and as they say, That’s how it Started!

Zoltar in front of Stillwell Station on Mermaid Parade Day in Coney Island. Photo © Phil Yee via jonathan_gleich @ flickr

Q: How long have you been working on it? I seem to remember you saying (on the CIUSA board) that you started as soon as the 2008 parade was over!

A: They say idle hands are the devil’s work, so I must be an angel! I started on Zoltar just about a month after the Mermaid Parade. I had such a great time at the parade, and had such good response to my Pirate costume, that I was really enthused.

Here is a ‘log’ of progress. Chris recommended I track both the cost and the time…

History:
7/20/08 – Ordered base Plates
7/23/08 – Plates done – First Rev added Posts
7/23/08 – Started tracking expenses
1/17/09 – Wiring done – disassembled waiting on material
1/25/09 – Front of Zoltar completed
2/8/09 – Zoltar work continues
3/15/09 – 98% complete last 12 things left to do
4/12/09 – First outside test with Phil, windy, minor problems
5/2/09 – Fixed most of the problems found on the outside test
5/15/09 – Completed all exterior work on Zoltar (moldings / etc)
6/1/09 – down to the last 6 items, test 2 today.
6/7/09 – Boardwalk test – dress rehearsal

And before you ask… I spent $4000 total on Zoltar (from soup to nuts)

"Zoltar: This is a Before and After Shot of the Pieces that Make Up Zoltar." Photo © Phil Yee via jonathan_gleich @ flickr

Q: What is the history of the Zoltar machine? Where was it located in Coney Island?

Zoltar is a Fortune telling machine from the movie “BIG” – it actually is based on a ‘Zoltan’ machine, a 1940’s mechanical fortune telling machine. A company in Nevada produces a Zoltar machine now and they’re all over the country. I grew up in Brighton Beach and spent many many, many days in Coney Island at Faber’s and at the Skee Ball place on Mermaid Ave (long gone) right next to the carousal (long gone). Coney Island has always been arcade and carnivals and scary rides (and sometimes scary people).

An original Zoltar machine. Photo by jonathan_gleich @ flickr

Q: What is your background? Are you an artist or woodworker? It looks like an incredible piece of craftsmanship.

A: THANK YOU! – I am a computer geek by trade (I am the IT director for a children’s clothing manufacturer). But the fact is i have little experience or knowledge in making and designing and woodworking. Electronics and tech is my real talent. BUT I love a challenge and that’s what Zoltar was to me. Give me 1000 problems, and let me solve them! – That is why it took so long and so much money. Chris built his in 2 days with the help of a Hollywood prop guy. He sent me pictures and dimensions of his Zoltar and that gave me the foundation to work from.

Zoltar's Trial Run on the Boardwalk a few weeks before the Mermaid Parade. Photo © Phil Yee via jonathan_gleich @ flickr

Q: I notice in the photos that you did a trial run in Coney on June 7th. How did it go?

A: The dress rehearsal went great, but nothing like taking your show before a live audience. I discovered problems–say design flaws— that I never even thought about. It also was a great opportunity to see what I look like. You always have a image in your mind. But the camera sees a whole different image!

Q: Did you tell fortunes? Any anecdotes from that day?

A: I consider myself to be a funny person with a quick wit, and looked forward to the challenge of being asked to tell a fortune, or to flirt using Zoltar as my ploy – my best retort was a kid ran up to me and yelled “I WANNA BE BIG” – I replied (in my Zoltar booming voice) YOUR WISH IS GRANTED. His mother looked at me, and I said in a slightly lower voice “BUT IT WILL TAKE 15 YEARS FOR YOUR WISH TO BE GRANTED.” Everyone laughed.

Zoltar at Nathans on Mermaid Parade Day. Photo © Phil Yee via jonathan_gleich @ flickr

The weirdest reaction was that people wanted their fortunes told, seriously wanted them. I said “I’m not friggin miss cleo” that really shocked me, that some people took my get up seriously!

The other thing was the nastiness of some people, a woman tried to knock me over. She thought I was standing and pushing it on a dolly and it would be a laugh. The Segway compensated for the sudden lurch, but I and others could have been been hurt badly and that never came into her consideration. I added a “spotter” with me for the parade.

Q; What are your plans for Zoltar now that the parade is over?

A: I try and use the costumes for two parades— The Mermaid Parade and the Village Halloween Parade. Zoltar has lights and electronics that weren’t even seen during the day, so the Zoltar at night is a whole different experience.

Zoltar at Night on Coney Islands Boardwalk. Photo © Phil Yee via jonathan_gleich @ flickr

Q: Where do you store it?

A: I live in a house and have a basement full of old projects. But I think that Zoltar will end up in my living room with a mannequin wearing my costume and being my own personal fortune teller

Q: Are you available for appearances?

A; I have been already approached by a professional photographer to do a studio session with Zoltar. A zoo in Staten Island has a haunted week during Halloween and asked me to be there. So what’s next for Zoltar? Who knows? Maybe Jimmy Kimmel? Maybe America’s Most Wanted!