Gary Willner
Valley Cottage, NY
I have been a professional ventriloquist and singer for more than 30 years, but since the economy tanked, the work in corporate, resort and private venues has all but dried up.
I specialize in something that's never been done before -- impressions of singers using life-sized puppets of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Nat King Cole. Before the recession, I could always get some sort of gig on a cruise ship, at a comedy club or at a corporate event. I was even on national television many times, including The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.
Now, I'd say at least 50% of my work has disappeared since the economy went south.
I have no other skills but the ones I use to write and perform. I am trying to ride the storm and wait things out. But as everyone knows in an economic slowdown, the first things to go are non-essentials such as entertainment.
Facing rapidly rising college costs, these six folks took out unsustainable student loans.
