Oklahoman Bingo Caller Amuses Players in Middlesex
22nd October, 2007
Believe it or not, being a professional bingo caller isn’t as easy as it looks. Sure, in theory you just announce number after number, night after night, and with good luck, send home some happy contestants a few hundred pounds richer. But just like any other stage performer, pleasing your audience can be one tough job. So naturally when Craig Burnell from Oklahoma had his night as a guest caller at Gala Bingo in Feltham, Middlesex, there was no telling how the crowd would take to his Southern American accent and honky-tonk demeanour.
Luckily for Burnell, he’s a hit among the ladies in Feltham. Yes, it helps to be a male in the world of bingo-calling, but if you don’t know how to work a crowd, it wouldn’t matter if you looked like Clive Owen-the players won’t be amused. Now Burnell is the senior bingo caller at Gala Bingo after he started just 3 years ago as a guest. Now four afternoons and five nights a week, Burnell’s voice rings out on stage. On full days he works from 11:15am to 10pm, but the thrill of being on stage and interacting with the contestants makes his job worthwhile.
