Mike Geier

Michael Geier (born March 12, 1965), known as Big Mike Geier, is an American singer and entertainer based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.[1][2] Geier has garnered international fame through his most critically acclaimed act: a Pagliacci-type clown alter ego named Puddles Pity Party. As Puddles, Geier has toured North America, Europe, and Australia; and has released content under the Puddles moniker since 2013. Geier is well known in the Atlanta entertainment circuit, having garnered a reputation for himself through his Elvis Presley-themed Christmas shows and charity events, and he has also collaborated with musical acts like Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox.[3] Geier now performs almost exclusively as Puddles, and he also refers to Puddles in third person when speaking about the character.

Mike Geier
Geier performing as Puddles in 2014
Born (1965-03-12) March 12, 1965
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other namesPuddles Pity Party (performer)
Occupation(s)Singer, performance artist
Years active1990s–present
Height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Musical career
GenresCabaret
Instrument(s)Voice, piano
Websitepuddlespityparty.com

Biography

Geier was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, the fifth of seven children of "Big Oz" and Peg Geier.[4] He says that he "grew up in a houseful of giants", with his two brothers and four sisters all growing to at least 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) in height. Geier is 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall. He grew up in Richmond, Virginia.[4] Living in, and based in Atlanta, Georgia since 1995, Geier is married to his business partner, Shannon Newton.[5]

In the early 1990s, Geier led a touring "Swing Noir" band, The Useless Playboys, before settling in Atlanta in 1995. Around this time, Geier started up an Elvis tribute band, Kingsized. Several years into Kingsized, Geier began experimenting with a clown-themed side project called Greasepaint, which laid the foundation for his later alter ego, Puddles.

Puddles Pity Party

In 1998, Geier decided to found a clown-themed band with several other Atlanta-based musicians. Having named himself Puddles in the band, this collaborative project would eventually break up; but would lay the foundation for his solo project Puddles Pity Party. Puddles' original appearance was mostly non specific, but eventually developed into adorning a whiteface clown costume.[6] Geier refers to Puddles in third person while speaking about the character, and will also refer to himself as Mike in third person while performing as Puddles. Like Geier himself, Puddles has a baritone singing voice, and sings mostly covers of songs. Puddles has a depressed persona and refrains from speaking on stage or giving interviews.[7][8][9] His shows include a mix of silent prop comedy, mime, and audience participation with songs interplayed throughout creating a narrative structure.[10] Puddles Pity Party's first performance as an independent act was an experiment for Aqua Teen Hunger Force's 2010 tour. Initially skeptical if his singing clown character would be well-received, Geier stated that his wife convinced him to continue with the act after his premiere performance garnered an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience.[11]

In 2011, Geier appeared regularly at the Manderley Bar in New York's immersive theater show Sleep No More. In 2012, he moved to Seattle to appear in a European-style vaudevillian cabaret, Teatro ZinZanni. In 2013, he opened for Eels during their U.S. and European tour.[12]

In October 2013, Geier recorded a cover of Lorde's "Royals" with Postmodern Jukebox on YouTube. As of March 2023, the video has been viewed over 33 million times.[13] Lorde declared his cover to be her favorite cover of "Royals".[14] Two more versions of Royals, in a "punk" style[15] and in a "new-wave" style[16] appeared in the later part of 2020.

Since 2014, Geier has toured the world, playing concerts in the United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Australia.[17] On September 27, 2014, his live performance of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, was filmed by director Gary Yost and was later described by HuffPost as "a strange kind of beautiful".[18] As of February 2021 the video on YouTube had received over 8.7 million views.[19]

In 2017, Geier, as Puddles, participated in season 12 of the reality series America's Got Talent.[2] He advanced to the quarterfinals at the Dolby Theatre, where he performed his version of "Royals" and received an "X" from Simon Cowell. He was ultimately eliminated the following night.[20] In October 2017 Geier, as Puddles, made an appearance in a Cartoon Network ad promoting new episodes of Teen Titans Go! and OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes.[21] Geier previously collaborated with Cartoon Network's Sunday Pants series writing music for the show as well as playing the Slacks' band leader in the live action segments.[22]

In January 2019 Geier, as Puddles, began a headline act residency at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.[23]

In 2022, Geier, as Puddles, made a guest appearance on the season 4 season finale of The Conners.[24]

Discography

With Postmodern Jukebox

As Puddles Pity Party
Albums
  • Live at Joe's Pub, not on label (Puddles Pity Party self-released), 2015
  • Holiday Jubilee, not on label (Puddles Pity Party self-released), 2018
  • You Down?, not on label (Puddles Pity Party self-released), 2018
  • Unhappy Hour at the Loner's Lounge, not on label (Puddles Pity Party self-released), 2020
  • Songs That Got Me Through the Plague, not on label (Puddles Pity Party self-released), 2021
Singles & EPs

As Mike Geier

Music composed and performed by Geier has appeared in television shows including iCarly and Victorious.[32][33] In 2022, Geier's cover of blink-182's "All the Small Things" was featured on the John Lewis Christmas TV commercial in the United Kingdom. [34]

References
  1. Gleim, S. (2016). 100 Things to Do in Atlanta Before You Die, Second Edition. 100 Things to Do Before You Di. Reedy Press. ISBN 978-1-68106-044-6. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  2. DeVore, Sheryl (September 18, 2017). "Puddles Pity Party brings humor, baritone voice to Genesee". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  3. Goodman, William (October 31, 2013). "Sad Clown Rendition Of Lorde Song Will Certainly Haunt Your Dreams". HuffPost. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  4. "Headshot, Resume, Contact". Michael Geier official website. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  5. "Michael Geier". Facebook. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  6. Heckert, Justin (March 11, 2014). "Let Me Live That Fantasy". Grantland.
  7. Kennedy, Gerrick D. (January 20, 2015). "Puddles: Sad clown, big voice". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  8. Bowers, Paul. "The wisdom and sorrow of Puddles, the clown with the golden voice". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  9. Zaino III, Nick A. (January 7, 2016). "Puddles Pity Party brings mystery, joy to Sinclair". Boston Globe. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  10. Willis, Daniel. "Puddles Pity Party mixes laughs with a golden voice" Riff Magazine. 23 January 2019. https://riffmagazine.com/reviews/puddles-review-20190122/
  11. Stafford, Jeff (August 30, 2013). "Preview: King-sized Mike Geier continues to follow his ever-growing, ever-eclectic muse". ArtsATL.com. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  12. "Puddles Pity Party – Tickets – Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA – January 23rd, 2015". Troubadour. Archived from the original on September 20, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  13. Royals – ("Sad Clown with the Golden Voice") – Postmodern Jukebox Lorde Cover ft. Puddles Pity Party on YouTube
  14. Goodman, William (March 4, 2014). "Puddles Pity Party, The Sad Clown with the Golden Voice, Is Back with a Cover Of Lorde's 'Team' (VIDEO)". HuffPost. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  15. Royals - Lorde Cover - Style Punk on YouTube
  16. Royals - New Wave style - Lorde Cover on YouTube
  17. Young, Amy (December 30, 2015). "Puddles Pity Party Is the Most Bizarre Cover Band Around". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  18. Barness, Sarah (October 16, 2014). "A Pitiful Clown Singing 'Hallelujah' Is A Strange Kind Of Beautiful". HuffPost. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  19. Hallelujah – Puddles Pity Party at the SF Regency Lodge Ballroom. Postmodern Jukebox – via YouTube.
  20. Ho, Rodney. "Did Puddles Pity Party, Angelica Hale make it to the 'AGT' semi-finals?". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  21. SerCom_KC (September 30, 2017). Teen Titans Go! New Episode Promo – Talent Show (October 9, 2017). Cartoon Network. Retrieved October 9, 2017 – via YouTube.
  22. Rodney Ho, Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Atlanta's Puddles Pity Party survives 'America's Got Talent' first round: 'This hulking Pavarotti with a retro hipness'". ajc.
  23. Angermiller, Michele Amabile (October 17, 2018). "Puddles Pity Party Sets First Las Vegas Residency". Variety.
  24. Venable, Nick (May 19, 2022). "The Conners Showrunner And EP On How Season 4's Finale Handled Ben And Darlene's Relationship, As Well As Harris And Aldo's". CINEMABLEND. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  25. Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox - Clubbin' With Grandpa, May 20, 2014, retrieved July 27, 2023
  26. "Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox* – Top Hat On Fleek". discogs. November 5, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  27. "Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox* – The Essentials". discogs. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  28. Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox - Squad Goals, July 14, 2016, retrieved July 27, 2023
  29. Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox - Fake Blues, 2017, retrieved July 27, 2023
  30. Ursula 1000 - Voyeur, October 30, 2015, retrieved July 27, 2023
  31. Various - I Expect You To Die / I Expect You To Die 2, 2021, retrieved July 27, 2023
  32. Hoefer, Steve; Schneider, Dan; Farrow, Jake (September 10, 2011). "iDate Sam And Freddie". iCarly. Series 5. Episode 2. Nickelodeon.
  33. Kendall, David; Schneider, Dan; Malkoff, David (December 8, 2012). "One Thousand Berry Balls". Victorious. Series 4. Episode 7. Nickelodeon.
  34. "Everything you need to know about the song in this year's John Lewis Christmas ad". The Independent. November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
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