March has been one incredible month! From appearing on America's favorite morning show - The Today Show- to traveling across the country working with a variety of different animals, it has proved to be one memorable month. I've put together some of my favorite highlights from the past few weeks. Hope you enjoy! - Corbin
Before any large national appearance like The Today Show, the animals and I begin a mini-promotional tour to help spread the word of our upcoming national appearance. First stop was Idaho's #1 News Channel 7 KTVB. This was the very station 11 years ago I got my first start working on television. What was even more memorable was being able to work with the first anchor I ever appeared on television with, Maggie O' Mara. I never knew in my wildest dreams that 11 years from that first appearance, I would be back promoting one of my regular spots on The Today Show. Sometimes life is so surreal.
Next stop was Mix 106 with "Mike and Kate in the Morning", Boise's #1 radio show. I always enjoy appearing on the show and bringing a variety of different exotic animals that literally take over the studio! With the help from a baby Joey from Babby Farms, and a few of my personal animals, we had quite great time!
The Today Show brings together a variety of different guests from all walks of life- celebrities, authors, musicians, experts, chefs- and it's always exciting to see who will be on the show the day of my appearance. (Past guests during my appearances include Chris Brown, Martha Stewart, James Franco, Helen Hunt, Train, and Miss Universe. ) This time around I was not disappointed!
The theme was Friday the 13th and animals that bring good or bad luck. I was so fortunate to work with some incredible animals! My favorites had to have been "Walter" the African Pied Crow or "Taffy" the White Fallow Deer. Did I mention we had to walk her through Rockefeller Center to get her into the studio? The looks on all the passerby were priceless. A lot of people wonder how I travel with the animals. In reality I don't travel with them at all. To avoid the stress of long distance travel, I only work with animals that live a few hours away from the studio on private animal reserves or rehabilitation centers.
I could not visit Studio 1 A without stopping by and visiting its most famous resident: Wrangler The Today Show's puppy with a cause. Unfortunately, Wrangler was is no mood to meet me! Maybe next time.
After a few busy press days, It was exciting to have a few days to relax and experience The Big Apple firsthand. I can honestly say we went on a complete pizza tour of the city, trying to find the best slice. Hands-down John's on Bleecker took the cake- no pun intended. We ending up eating there twice!
Less than 12 hours after leaving New York City, we hit the open road heading towards our final destination, St. Louis. It was such a change going from tall skyscrapers to the wide open spaces of the Great American West. My highlight had to have been spotting the herd of buffalo grazing on the Wyoming Prairie.
A large portion of my family and friends call St. Louis home, so it's no wonder I look forward to visiting every year. It's even nice stopping by some of the local St. Louis stations where I got my start many years ago. A special thanks goes out to my "reptile buddies" for allowing me to use some of their amazing animals during my segments on "Show Me St. Louis" and Fox 2 News.
I ended wrapping up March and my time in St. Louis doing something I've always dreamed of doing: Going behind-the-scenes with the hippos at the St. Louis Zoo. Hippos are my favorite animals and I've always been interested in their captive husbandry in zoological facilities. A behind-the-scenes tour of these large animals in any zoo is next to impossible to get. (Even some of my good friends who work at the zoo have never been granted access.) You can imagine my excitement when my friend Mark Wanner, Zoological Manager of Herps and Aquatics, arranged a tour while I was in town. It was an experience I'll never forget and a perfect way to wrap up such an eventful month!
I want to personally thank everyone for all the support and interest in my adventures with animals. I can't wait to share with you what's coming within the next few months :)