George Smithers - Niche (Department Store Santa)

In this week’s episode we bring to you a special holiday episode! We sat down for a chat with Santa Claus himself! George Smithers is a department store Santa who started playing the role for his family and has now taken the character on tour across the country. In our conversation we discuss the varying experience George has had during his time portraying the man with the white beard. Those experiences vary from having kids tell him he’s not real, to having a fan of his travel hours away just to see him at Christmas time. We also discuss the distinctive encounters he has had as an African American Santa Claus. Our talk ranges from discussions of the joys of Christmas to the stresses caused by George not fitting the stereotypical notions associated with Santa Claus. Personally, I found our chat to be uplifting, enlightening and important. I hope it brings all my podcast listeners a little joy during this particularly difficult holiday season!

Credits

Entertainment Tonight

https://youtu.be/fT5jKrJH_f8

December 23, 2014

Movie Clip Credits

It’s a Wonderful Life

RKO Radio Pictures

1946

White Christmas

Paramount Pictures

1954

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Videocraft International/NBC

1964

Miracle on 34^th Street

20^th Century Fox

1947

Scrooged

Paramount Pictures

1988

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Warner Bros.

1989

Home Alone

20^th Century Fox

1990

The Santa Clause

Disney

1994

Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

20^th Century Fox

Imagine Entertainment

2000

Elf

New Line Cinema

2003