. >> i perform as hootie the hustlin owl for the oregon institute of technology.r is buster. we associate him as the cousin of the phanatic. >> i am the mascot and entertainment manager for the richmond flying squirrels. >> they've gathered from across the country for three intense days of training to learn the secrets of their craft. >> so you have to invest in them. a good performer, a great costume from the practical. okay, let's talk about hydration. we're going to be using a lot of ice, and you should be drinking water to the musical. >> even the philosophical. >> this is important work. >> you're doing this isn't just silly furriness. you know, they're really changing people's days. they're making people feel better. >> another important part of the craft coming to the mascot, suiting up. what happens when you put on that suit? >> i can be myself. >> oh, no. that's right. yeah, yeah, yeah. >> while i'm practicing in a suit filled with air. >> and then the floss, the mascots act out complicated skits, dance and do tricks and costumes weighing upwards of 40 po

and i just came from monday after the masters with a where hootie the blowfish do big a they do a big event over there and they invite the wounded voyeurs from far from the smg you know and they go out there and they give us vip passes and let's play golf they pay for all of that and and it's fun because i got to see friends that i hadn't seen in years and and it's it's nice to see that they're doing well as you know as and and it's fun to see that because now i go god, you know, i haven't seen in ten years, but he's doing good. you know because you do lose communication. you i mean, we live on different sides of the of the country so it's kind of difficult to sometimes to just to keep in touch but i love that about walter reed that took care of you and we got to explore new york disney world. we went to the carolinas. i mean it was just it was great experience out there. it was really, really it was really, really fun. it got us out, got us out, got us out, got us out, got us out. and and that's what we needed. less and less. i feel embarrassed being out. i mean, i shouldn't feel emb

how did that hootie the party that opens the rock and roll hall of fame and the thinking there every major rock musician in the world was going to be there that night. and if they picked one of them to play it sort of be a death on all the others. but if they picked us, nobody would even have to listen. so they picked us and i'll know. we watched. stephen walked in, stephen sing by me and walks in and who's right in the front? betty king. i'm the guitar i'm carrying a guitar case. boom. hit this guy really hard and apologize. and he's like, and it's steve cropper who's a really good guitar player, professional. but anyway, that was one time we played. another time we played. we're in cleveland and us that night were frank mccourt great. frank mccourt, the great late frank mccourt and roger mcguinn of the byrds who used to play regularly with us. why me and we were in somebodys room after the show and were drinking wine and beer and frank and roger both irish start to sing irish folk songs, and they were singing and singing and, pounding on the door. and this comes up and tells roger

how did that hootie the party that opens the rock and roll hall of fame and the thinking there every major rock musician in the world was going to be there that night. and if they picked one of them to play it sort of be a death on all the others. but if they picked us, nobody would even have to listen. so they picked us and i'll know. we watched. stephen walked in, stephen sing by me and walks in and who's right in the front? betty king. i'm the guitar i'm carrying a guitar case. boom. hit this guy really hard and apologize. and he's like, and it's steve cropper who's a really good guitar player, professional. but anyway, that was one time we played. another time we played. we're in cleveland and us that night were frank mccourt great. frank mccourt, the great late frank mccourt and roger mcguinn of the byrds who used to play regularly with us. why me and we were in somebodys room after the show and were drinking wine and beer and frank and roger both irish start to sing irish folk songs, and they were singing and singing and, pounding on the door. and this comes up and tells roger