A Day in the Life of a Singing Telegram
Ever wonder what the day in the life of a professional singing telegram performer is like? For Scott Galbraith, 39, of Boston, an employee of Boston Party Solutions, it means a car stuffed with balloons, countless hours of driving, quick meals between gigs, and lots and lots of red faces.
Professional singing telegram performer Scott Galbraith, 39, of Boston, Massachusetts, picks out Valentine’s Day balloons at a Dollar Tree in Malden, Massachusetts in preparation for his seven deliveries he has scheduled for Feb. 14, 2017. In regards to working on major holidays , “I can either make one person happy or make everyone happy,” he says as he shops besides those chosing gifts for their loved ones.
Galbraith adjusts his Pinky the Gorilla suit before performing his second singing telegram of the day on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2017, at locations around Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He ensures the customer never sees his face by changing outdoors before entering rather than finding a restroom and risking ruining the surprise.
Galbraith ensures the customer never sees his face by changing outdoors before entering rather than finding a restroom and risking ruining the surprise.
Ed Flaven reacts to Pinky the Gorilla in his office at ClearBridge Technology Group in Billerica, Massachusetts Feb. 14.
The freelance entertainment business comes with a great deal of travel, Galbraith says, which means his Ford Focus serves as his traveling office and closet. Galbraith carries a variety of costumes in his car at all times such as Pinky, Chuck the Chicken Farmer, a tuxedo for a Frank Sinatra impersonation as well as materials balloon twisting and his magic routine.
Galbraith transitions into a new character, Chuck the Chicken Farmer, for his next delivery to an unsuspecting woman, whose boyfriend sent him to embarrass her at her office. Chuck the Chicken Farmer, like Pinky, has his own character voice. “Everything is funnier with an accent,” Galbraith says.
Chick-fil-A and Wendy's are popular quick lunch or dinner destinations for Galbraith when he is on the road. He performs as the Great Scott, his magician routine, for children’s events at Chick-fil-A locations across the state. As a frequent customer at the Northshore Mall location in Peabody, Galbraith enjoys the benefit of ordering his “usual,” when placing his dinner order after a long day of deliveries.
“I’ve perfected the art of what goes first.” Galbraith says in regards to changing outdoors during all seasons.
Galbraith reviews the information he has written on the card he plans to give to Carrie Pierce in his office at 50 Milk Street in Boston, Massachusetts. He sports an alternate, more elaborate pink gorilla costume because a separate, more expensive, contractor arranged the delivery.
Carrie Pierce was one of seven recipients of a surprise singing telegram performed by Scott Galbraith today. Reactions varied from uncontrollable laughter to a few happy tears.
After gathering “recon” on his second to last subject, Galbraith prepares his barbershop quartet version of the Pinky the Gorilla costume. He has many methods of gathering information on his recipients and warns of the dangers of entering a building wearing a mask before doing so. For this delivery, he called the customer’s place of work to ensure she was not the woman at the front desk, then entered workout studio as to make sure that someone on the inside is in on it.