Sept. 29, 2008

From local newspaper to national TV

BY ROY MITCHELL

You may have seen the NBC TV show "America's Toughest Jobs." It's the reality show where a cast of contestants from all walks of life try their hand at America's most challenging occupations, with the worst-performing contestant from each episode forced to go home. If you were watching earlier this month, you had the chance to see a local man who's already graced the pages of The Post once before.

Peppered amongst the seasoned cast and Hollywood crew of last Friday's show was nearby Cave Spring, Ga.'s most famous rodeo clown, Rockin' Robbie Hodges. Robbie, a Professional Bull Riding Clown of the Year nominee, played an integral role in the “bullfighting” episode of "America's Toughest Jobs" on Sept. 26.

For this particular show, the network signed-up world champion rodeo bullfighter Rob Smets to teach the contestants and oversee judging.
Smets gathered an all-star assembly of bullfighters for the rough-and-tumble reality show. Needing a “barrel man” to help teach the contestants and protect the bull riders, Smets called Hodges.

Filming took place this summer in San Angelo, Texas. Hodges said the show contestants first assumed they were going to ride the bulls, realizing later that their role was that of the rodeo clown or “bullfighter.” They soon discovered that being a rodeo clown is no day at the circus.

Hodges and the other professionals spent around half a day teaching the novice bullfighters the “ins and outs” of protecting a dismounted bull rider by using a padded barrel. When the competition began mixing with the toughest bulls of the pro riding circuit, it quickly took its toll on the mostly hapless contestants, Hodges said.

“It was like we fed the Christians to the lions," Hodges said. "The producer said the bulls were hurting too many of their contestants. After a while, the cast looked like those three guys playing Yankee Doodle, all bandaged and bruised.”

Hodges emphasized that not all contestants cowered at the charge of an 1,800 pound bull.

“Some contestants really thought bullfighting was cool," he said. "I was particularly impressed with how well the women on the show did."

At the time of the interview, Hodges was contractually prevented from indicating any results of the competition. NBC insisted that all participants, including Hodges, sign a million dollar “no-tell” contract.

Another filmed participant was Hodge's driver, Matthew Orebaugh, also a resident of Cave Spring. Orebaugh, though only recently out of high school, has frequented the rodeo scene for many years and was quite comfortable assisting in the arena.

Orebaugh whisked opened the gate for each contestant to exit after their bullfighting stint in the arena.

He, too, was asked to sign the no-tell contract.

“Every single person that came in had to sign the no-tell contract, even if it were just for five minutes," he said. "Even the janitor had to sign it. We couldn't have any cameras or shoot any videos. When the cast came in, we couldn't even have our cell phones.”

Hodges, Orebaugh, the rodeo stars, and show contestants capitalized on the chance to socialize after filming when the producers brought everyone together for a barbecue.

“They filmed it all,” said Hodges. “We told a bunch of rodeo tales. It was sort of off-the-cuff and a good way to end the day.”

Yet, the most memorable part of the entire reality show experience for Hodges was the company of the all-star cast of rodeo bullfighters.

“It was the coolest thing I ever got to do, working with the five greatest bullfighters," he said. "They are the best of the best. It meant everything to me.”

Though the bullfighting episode of "America's Toughest Jobs" has already aired on NBC 13, it can still be viewed at the network's website (www.nbc.com/americas_ toughest_jobs).