Aj MassYes, It's Hot in Here: Adventures in the Weird, Woolly World of Sports Mascots

I saw an article in the USA Today about this book that discussed the first chapter and Mr. Met being told by a Secret Service agent that if he got near President Bill Clinton there were snipers on the roof that would shoot him. That story alone interested me enough that I downloaded the book to my Kindle. Mistake.After the the Secret Service story the author, A.J. Mass, takes the reader on a long trip through the history of mascots. I would enjoy it more if Mass would have just started with the early sports mascot in America the San Diego Chicken.I am not a fan of the NY Mets but was when seeing the cover of the book on Amazon I assumed, wrongly, that the book was going to deal with stories from his years working for the NY Mets and maybe other sports. He shares a couple stories about being with the Mets but most of the time that he discusses the Mets it is to rip them for not sharing his vision for the future of Mr. Met and than being fired by the team via email. The first time he mentions the way he was treated by the team it is understandable him being upset but as the book continues he continues to rip the club about how it is run and why it is so horrible.Instead of this book being stories about Mass' time with the Mets he interviews other mascots around the country about their experiences. All sports and levels are interviewed. College tryouts are discussed for different universities. Also the introduction of women into the largely male dominated field both in college but also in the pros.He doesn't just grind the ax against the Mets either. The original sports mascot San Diego Chicken, Ted Giannoulas, get his fair shots too not just from Mass but other mascots. At first it just comes across that maybe Mass is difficult to get along with but after a few other mascots discuss how unlikable Giannoulas is than it is a little more believable. Than again mascots maybe hard to get along with because more than one have stories about not getting along with the front office of a team and being fired or let go due to creative differences.After watching the HuluPlus series Behind the Mask I was a little more interested in learning about the people that strive to be mascots. The people in that show did not come across like the majority of the people interviewed for this book. They were doing for the love of the sport, team, school or community. They all were happy doing and for the couple looking toward moving on they were disappointed. This book just seemed to be an attempt by a disgruntled former employee to get some shots off at a former employer while writing about a topic not usually talked about because of the secrecy around being a mascot.

I found this book to be a bit of a rambling journey and didn't quite understand why Mr. Mass wrote it other than to complain about his mistreatment and later the lack of respect in the way he was ultimately fired by the Mets organization. He uses the book as a tool to set the record straight and write about other mascots and their dealings with their sometimes difficult employers. Although there are humorous sections, I felt Mr. Mass could have had more fun with the story by embracing the light-heartednss of being a mascot instead of all the issues he was having with the Mets. Because he writes about other mascots I was not particularly interested in, I found myself skipping stuff and that was probably the reason I found it difficult to follow his point of view in the story. But these areas may appeal to other readers. I was more interested in reading about Mr. Met and that's why I purchased the book in the first place. I feel he unfairly slams The San Diego Chicken who he ironically tributes to starting the whole mascot craze back in the early 70's. He makes it very clear that he doesn't respect The Chicken even though if it wasn't for him he probably wouldn't have had a job as Mr. Met or written this book. From my research he got his facts wrong when it comes to why Mr. Giannoulas was fired by his radio sponsors, KGB Radio. It was not due to The Chicken's drive for fame but over ownership of the copyrights to the Chicken outfit but since Mr. Giannoulas could not be reached for comment, I guess Mr. Mass can't be faulted. In a book about mascots where Mr. Mass referenced a number of MLB mascots, he never once mentions Dandy, the New York Yankees mascot. Yes, Dandy was a bust but it seems odd not to write about the first mascot in Yankees's history in a book about mascots and their failed attempt . I would have found that interesting and a no-brainier coming from Mr. Met. But maybe Mr. Met can't give the Yankees a break for at least trying. I would have enjoyed reading about that and could have been a lost opportunity. However, I still found value and entertainment in Mr. Mass's book and I applaud him for getting it published. For those who have any interest in mascots at all, you will find this worth your buck and time.

What a fun read! Mr. Mass not only gives his firsthand thoughts as to what it's like to be a mascot (as Mr. Met), but he gives you plenty of stories about other mascots over the past few decades. The writing is warm, thoughtful, and accessible. A perfect gift for die-hard sports fan as well as the casual reader. I was looking for something light and fun to read on my morning train ride and this book was the perfect solution.

I saw this product in another store when I was away on business. I like that I found it on Amazon and that it arrived so quickly. I appreciate unique sports history and lesser known stories.

Heard AJ Mass on the RHAP network and bought this for a friend who is a big Mets fan. They really enjoyed it.

Great book if you enjoy baseball related stories!

Outstanding read if you love mascots! Not surprised to gear the mets org. Is terrible, but great to gear not just about mr met but many other mascots

it was a gift