CNE carnies talk about the craziest things they’ve seen on the job

It’s the end of summer, and that means people from across the Toronto area are making the pilgrimage to the Canadian National Exhibition, the city’s annual cornucopia of rollercoasters, giant stuffed animals and terrible, terrifying food. In that same spirit of discovery, we asked some people working the rides and games on the Ex’s midway about the craziest things they’ve seen on the job.

Tom Gauder

49, from Toronto

Years at the Ex: 27 Game: Crown and Anchor

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “We had this one guy who was just watching the game here for about a half hour, dressed in a Little Bo Peep outfit.”

Tyler Knights-Rocheleau

19, from Toronto

Years at the Ex: One Game: Mr. Frog

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “Three drunk guys came by last night. Two of them tried to start a fight with my friend because he wouldn’t give them free hits on the game.”

Imran Hussein

16, from Toronto

Years at the Ex: One Game: Fish Til You Win

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “People ask me if I can look away while they take one of the big stuffed animals, but I say no.”

Rafael Turpin

27, from Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec

Years at the Ex: Three Game: Fool the Guesser

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “I got slapped once in North Carolina, but here at the Ex? I guess it has to be the riot last year.”

Denae Wheatley

15, from Toronto

Years at the Ex: One Game: Bust a Balloon

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “We used to have a pump, but now I have to blow up all the balloons by mouth, so I’m getting a bit light-headed here.”

Mohamed Abdi

20, from Toronto

Years at the Ex: Three Ride: Sky Rider

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “Parents tend to not help their children on the rides, even though they need help and we try to explain it to them. Like, the parents will get on the ride and don’t even look for the child, so we have to be the parents to the child.”

Gerhard Eksteen

24, from Johannesburg, South Africa

Years at the Ex: Two Ride: Charlie Chopper

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “Adults sometimes want to go on the ride more than children. I just let them on.”

Reese Gaghadar

18, from North York

Years at the Ex: One Game: Beer Pong

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “One day at the caf, I tried out a hotdog that had mac and cheese on it. It was an odd experience. Honestly, would not recommend. All the mac and cheese fell off.”

Wayne Kunz

80, from Brandon, Florida

Years at the Ex: 14. (And a total of 75 years working at carnivals.)

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “It’s different people in every different town. This is a classy town, classy people. This town is good for just about everything. What I think is interesting is when everyone goes home, it’s like a quiet little city. The fairs were different forty or fifty years ago, with the bearded woman, and the illusion shows. Nowadays it’s a lot classier, more for the kids and the public than anyone else.”

John Gallant

56, from Mason, Michigan

Years at the Ex: 40 Ride: Polar Express

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “There have been so many things, but I guess the riot last year on Labour Day Monday. Every year it’s the same thing. There seems to be a problem with the crowd.”

Kya French

17, Scarborough

Years at the Ex: One Game: Ascension

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? “I had a woman who was sitting here for about two hours playing a game just to win one of the big stuffed animals.”