Throughout the last two and a half years the “Fascination! Newsletter” has presented some of the most bizarre, eyebrow raising, yet special and interesting items that can be found hiding on the World Wide Web with that uncanny connection to our favorite circus – Cirque du Soleil. Be it Cirque inspired wine, guitar tabs for certain Cirque songs, information on taking a college engineering course featuring the designs of “O”, dolls inspired by Cirque characters (the “Myumee” dolls), or modeling shots of Olga Pikhienko; the “Fascination! Newsletter” has been there, searching for it, uncovering it and letting you know about it.
Thus, our topic for this edition therefore falls upon an item recently placed up for auction on eBay, the world’s most popular online trading website. What we found there on the morning of April 28, 2004 astounded us. It harks back to the old adage: Let the Buyer Beware.
Now I know what you’re thinking — how can anyone trust the anonymity of the seller. It’s true; all the information the buyer has to base a decision on is a series of feedback ratings, a user name that doesn’t positively reflect the person’s real name, a location that likewise doesn’t necessarily reflect the truth, and blind faith. Yet beyond these failings, thousands of transactions are conducted each day without issue. Even I will offer the point that I’ve made many purchases through eBay (both Cirque and non-Cirque related) and have had no adverse anomalies. But the buyer must beware… and do his or her homework.
The item’s description was innocent enough — Item #2241477772 Cirque du Soleil Randall’s Island Tickets — but what was being sold was far from the norm. The seller, who I will not mention by name here, was not selling tickets, as the subject of the description would have led us believe. No, the bid was for a special link that would allow the winner to purchase tickets for Alegría’s engagement in New York City at a 30% discount. The link, supposedly, would grant a choice of four matinee shows, presented on June 11, 18, 24 and 25th at 4:00pm. The ticket prices were reportedly cheap at $60.25 for adults and $42.00 for children under twelve. Big savings considering the category one tickets for the Randall’s Island engagement are $95.00 for adults and $66.50 for children under twelve.
We watched the auction as it came to a close five days later; by May 3rd there were no bidders for the $3.99 item. I’m happy to announce no one fell for this incredibly idiotic sale, but I’m frustrated just the same. I mean no disrespect to the seller if he or she happens to be a reader of Fascination!, however, it’s these kinds of postings that give buyers pause. Why would anyone post an Internet link for sale? To whit, why would anyone pay the $4.00 US for said link? An eyebrow raiser for sure. Luckily, this auction passed and no harm was done.
But this is not the first time something on eBay caught the attention of Fascination! staffers. Long-time readers may remember a newsflash we sent out on September 19, 2002 with the title “Whoa Nelly, It’s True!,” regarding another interesting item discovered on eBay by Lynn Nakayama, a fellow reader. In fact, we sent out two news flashes that day but never followed up, as we had planned to in our October issue.
What now follows is an untold story about that auction. It’s untold because we were asked (and agreed) to remain silent once the company’s investigation had concluded. For it turned out to be an internal fiasco best left alone. But we shall remain silent no longer. The recent eBay oddity brought this story back to us, and we feel that now is the right time to come clean about this stumble, and tell you our story behind the eBay fiasco.
On September 18, 2002, a listing was placed on eBay that promised the winner a once in a lifetime opportunity. It caught our eye the following day and we drooled over ourselves with the possibilities of winning a package to perform in the Cirque du Soleil show “O”. We immediately checked out the link and poured over the original listing
(as follows):
MAKE HISTORY PERFORM LIVE W/ CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
eBay item #:1382325325
Started: 9/18/02 at 17:17:33 PDT
Ends: 9/28/02 at 17:17:33 PDT
Listing Prices:
Currently US $30,000.00
Buy It Now for US $200,000.00PERFORM LIVE ON STAGE WITH CIRQUE DU SOLEIL!
The Cirque du Soleil experience will transform you from an
amazed spectator to a character in the award winning Las Vegas
show “O” by Cirque du Soleil. You will begin your adventure
with four (4) tickets and a backstage tour of Mystère at the
Treasure Island Hotel. Deluxe accommodations for three (3)
days/two (2) nights at the Bellagio Resort; dinner for four (4)
at “Olives Restaurant”, await you and your guests to fully
capture the Las Vegas life. One lucky person will then have a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be formally trained by the
Artistic Director and coaching staff of “O” and take part in a
sold out performance. That’s right! You are sure to impress
everyone in the audience (including your guests) with all of
your newfound abilities.THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING FROM “O” AND MYSTÈRE BY
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL:* One (1) person is trained to perform LIVE ON STAGE in Cirque
du Soleil’s production of “O”! You will be trained, styled and
costumed as part of the cast of “O” (according to your
abilities and physical limitations…no matter what there is a
spot for you!).
* Two (2) FIRST CLASS round-trip plane tickets on AMERICAN
AIRLINES (from Continental US 48, Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas,
Canada and Mexico to Las Vegas).
* Two (2) exclusive backstage tours (at both “O” and Mystère)
for you and your 3 guests.
* Two (2) beautifully framed, gallery sized posters, signed by
the cast and crew of Mystère and “O”.
* Four (4) souvenir programs from “O”
* Four (4) souvenir programs from Mystère
* Four (4) CD’s from “O”
* Four (4) CD’s from Mystère
* Two (2) hand painted sculptures inspired by characters of the
shows (Zebra from “O” and Le Palmier from Mystère; both by
Judie Bomberger.The package also includes:
* Three (3) tickets to “O” at the Bellagio Hotel with one (1)
person performing (formal training included)
* Four (4) tickets to Mystère
* Deluxe accommodations for three (3) days/two (2) nights at the
Bellagio Hotel (dates to be mutually agreed upon by package
winner and Cirque du Soleil)
* Dinner for four (4) at Bellagio’s “Olives Restaurant”
* Four (4) Cirque du Soleil jean jackets (one (1) medium, two
(2) large and one (1) XL)
* One (1) “Wings” photography book by Veronique VialThis is a verifiable performance package. The winning bidder
must use this package by October 1, 2003.***A Cirque du Soleil/MGM Mirage approved release form must be signed*****
Once our jaws had been lifted from the floor we started cranking the gears at Fascination! to find out whether this posting was too good to be true. The first step was in contacting the seller directly, asking whether or not the package was legitimate, where he/she received it and why it was so expensive. One of the first things that stuck us odd was the listing price — $30,000 US initial listing price and a buy-it-now of $200,000? Thus we wanted to check the facts.
The seller replied the same day advising that 1) the item for sale was indeed legal, 2) a description of where he got it (the recent Tiger Jam Auction), and 3) a contact name within the Cirque organization (who’s name and contact information is being withheld) with whom I could speak to verify the package.
Thus the second step began — I emailed the contact given, which was within the Social Affairs office for the Resident Shows Division, to ask its legitimacy. For good measure, I also sent a communiqué to the Publicist of “O” and other select people in Montreal for their verification. Meanwhile, fellow Fascination! staffer Keith Johnson,
contacted Tiger Jam directly who’s spokesperson verified that it “could have been” an item they offered, but they were unable to confirm (or deny) it and were unable to help us further. With that avenue exhausted, we waited for a reply from Cirque. Before long those replies had come in and we turned that information into the newsflashes we sent to our readers:
Earlier this evening we reported a strange and seemingly “to good to be true” auction item that appeared on Ebay, which allows the winner to train for and perform in a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s resident show “O” (as well as a horde of other amenities). We have received confirmation from various sources that the package is indeed legitimate. In fact, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was auctioned off at Tiger Jam V, a charitable event by the Tiger Woods Foundation held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on April 20, 2002. The Tiger Woods Foundation was established in 1996 by Tiger Woods and his father Earl to empower young people to reach their highest potential by initiating and supporting community-based programs. For fans that can afford the $30,000.00 initial offering price (and the $200,000.00 Buy-it-now price) this auction offers an once-in-a-lifetime event that may never come around again!
This is, of course, all that Fascination! has ever made public about the auction. Unfortunately we left many questions unanswered, which no-doubt may have made our readers express a little confusion as to our agenda, and for that I apologize. I’m here to say today the story did not end back on that fateful day in September. We did get those answers and now, finally, I think we can finish what we started to report to you a year and a half ago.
As we reported, the package was legitimate. It was offered and approved by the Resident Division of Cirque du Soleil. The package was offered up for PRIVATE auction at the Tiger Jam V event held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on April 20, 2002. At the auction were two individuals who were the instigators of this game – one, a Mystère performer and two, our eBay seller. When the item came up for bid, the Mystère performer (who’s name is being withheld) placed an offer of $15,000 to raise the price (remember, it was for charity), hoping that someone would outbid him or her. No one did and the package went to the unnamed Mystère performer. The Mystère performer, however, did not have the appropriate funds to pay for the item, thus someone in attendance (our eBay seller) came to the rescue, purchased the item at cost and placed the winnings up for auction to the highest bidder on eBay for a substantial profit.
Internally a fiasco brew, once we started our inquiries. Come to find out, the Resident Division President at the time (who is no longer with the company I might add) approved the package for use in Tiger Jam V; however, it was not approved by the higher ups in Montreal. Therefore a conflict was created: the package was legal, yet not. Fascination! doesn’t currently know what happened with the seller and what decision Cirque du Soleil ultimately made regarding the package (whether they’d purchase it back or not), but we know one thing: even if someone had purchased (or won) this package, there was no way that person would get to train or perform live on stage.
Why? Liability.
Unfortunately this is where our story ends, but it goes to show that you never know what will end up on eBay, or what might happen if you inquire within. As to the recent auction listing regarding the link, CirqueClub is looking into it.
