Damon is all smiles as judges award his dazzling routines
With a little help from a dose of Viagra and a duet with Michael Jackson, puppeteer, singer and ventriloquist Damon Scott romped to victory in the gala final of the 1999 Daily Echo star Trail contest.
But don’t worry, the 19-year-old from Salisbury wasn’t in need of medication.
Viagra was the subject of one of his routines featuring the love life of his entirely make believe grandparents Edna and Frank.
Superstar Jackson got a look in too courtesy of Damon’s long-time puppet pal, a chimp called Bubbles, bought for him by his mother five years ago during a holiday in Miami Florida.
The audience at Bournemouth’s Pavilion Theatre loved it as Damon whisked through a dazzling routine that involved complex puppetry and duet ting with an array of backing tapes.
In fact they loved it so much than, in addition to taking first place in the contest he also won the audience vote trophy and just to make it a hat-trick walked off with the award for Best Speciality Act too.
The prizes bought Damon an armful of prizes including the Daily Echo’s own Stan Sowden Memorial Trophy, cash awards totalling £500, a guaranteed booking at the Highcliffe Sports and Social Club and a place in the finals of the prestigious National Resorts Association Search For A Star finals at Leamington Spa in November.
Damon, who described his victory as “a dream come true” is no newcomer to Star Trail. He made the finals last year when, as part of a double act MAD, he was also voted Best Speciality Act.
On that occasion Sue Hodge advised him to concentrate on his puppetry. It was advice that he heeded and this year’s panel of judges were impressed with what they saw.
Speaking afterwards Connie, a veteran of the puppet world, told me: “he had real class, I’m sure he’ll go far”