My First Season

Mike Coltman

My guest’s name is frequently brought up on this podcast when I ask them which CDV they enjoyed working with, so I am very happy he agreed to share the first part of his story with us. Why just the first part? Well, he worked for Club Med from 1967 to 1999 and spent twenty of those years as a Legendary Chief of Village! His first season was in 1967 in Club Med Caprera in Sardinia, Italy as a Scuba G.O. Everyone, please help me welcome the amazing, Mike Coltman!! I hope you are sitting comfortably because Mike came with some stories!! It’s impossible to take a distinguished career like Mike’s and condense it to one hour, so Mike will be back at a later date to talk about his Chief of Village years. Before Club Med, a leg injury curtailed his burgeoning football career, so he went into the Merchant Navy as an Engineer Officer. But a chance viewing of “Thunderball” in 1965 starring Sean Connery as James Bond and being entranced by the underwater scenes, led Mike to scuba diving. Twelve months later from that viewing, Mike was a certified Scuba Instructor. What’s included in this interview? Well, if you worked in Martinique as I did, you probably wondered where those cannons came from. Wonder no more, because Mike helped in raising those cannons to the surface from the Diamond Rock dive site!! He tells the amazing tale of how they found the cannons and the incredible amount of work it took to raise them. Mike also opened the village of Club Med Fort Royal in Guadeloupe in 1969/1970 and lets us know in vivid detail what that was like. So many stories in one hour, too numerous to mention here! Mike also worked with a lot of the legendary Chief of Villages back in the day, so if you are a Club Med historian, you will love this episode! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

Robin Brogdon (Kopilnick)

I never had the pleasure of working with my guest today, but we do have 16 mutual friends in our Club Med family. Before Club Med, she studied Communications & Marketing at Eastern Michigan University and is a diehard Michigan Wolverines fan-Go Blue! Her first season was in May of 1988 in Club Med Paradise Island as a Hostess. She worked for CM from 1988 to 1990 in St. Lucia, Huatulco, and Punta Cana and she was also a Sailing G.O. Please help me welcome from Baltimore Maryland and now living in Huntingdon Beach, California, Robin Brogdon (Kopilnick)! During her first season, the American game show “Hollywood Squares” actually came to Paradise Island to film some episodes, and yes, we will talk about that experience. Robin first went to Club Med Guadeloupe as a G.M. in 1985 and then to Sonora Bay in 1986. Robin explains how after university she was a young working professional who had a good job and a house and a car at a very young age, but something was missing. She decided to change her life around and apply to Club Med, even though people around her thought she was a little crazy for giving all that up. Robin had her interview in Washington, D.C. with a group of people, and a few weeks later she got a letter in the mail telling her she was accepted. While waiting for her village, she decided to go to Club Med Paradise Island as a G.M. While Robin was there, she told the CDV, Bob Fagan, that she was going to be working for Club Med and Bob told her to go back home, get her affairs in order and then come back to Paradise Island, which is what she did. And the rest is history. So, if you were a late 80s or early 90s G.O., you will love this episode! Please enjoy! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

Howard McCarley

I heard about my guest during my first season in Turks and I did not meet him until 28 years later! So, as you can imagine, I am very excited to have him on the podcast! His first season was in Club Med Eleuthera in 1983 as a Sailing G.O. He worked for Club Med from 1983 to 2020 and held positions such as Sailing & Windsurfing, Public Relations, Chief of Sports, Chief of Village to Director of Training and Corporate HR in Miami and Director of UDT. Still don’t know who I am talking about? You have either all worked with him, or you know his name, as it is synonymous with Club Med. Of course, I can only be talking about the one and only, legendary, Howard McCarley!! Up until Chief of Sports, Howard worked in villages such as Ixtapa, Playa Blanca, Sonora Bay, Fort Royal, Île Maurice, Eilat, Luxor & Hurgada and Copper Mountain. Howard first heard about Club Med from a couple that he was giving windsurfing lessons to in California. It turned out that this couple frequented Club Med and told him all about it. Howard applied and drove down to the Scottsdale office to be interviewed by none other than CDV Sylvio de Bortoli, who was going on a recruitment drive. Howard helped open the beautiful village of Sonora Bay in 1984, with CDV Michel Proriol and we fondly reminisce over windsurfing on the Red Sea in Eilat. Howard shares with us which Chief of Village he modeled himself after and who became his mentor and ends the interview talking about his Chief of Sports stage in France. Please enjoy this first part of the interview. Hopefully, Howard will return in the near future for the second part! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

Darren Wasson

I had the pleasure of working with my guest today in Club Med Turks and Caicos during the summer of 1994. When I posted Anthony Salerno’s interview about the amazing “70s Celebration” in Turks that summer, he left a nice comment and his recollection of that incredible week. I reached out to him and he graciously agreed to come on the podcast. His first season was in Club Med Sandpiper in 1991 as DJ. Please help me welcome to My First Season, Darren Wasson! Darren was actually in a pool bar in Pasadena when he encountered someone who had worked at Club Med and told him all about it. Darren applied and had his interview in San Francisco and was sent to Sandpiper. He worked in villages such as Playa Blanca, Cancun, Martinique, and Paradise Island. Darren was a Snorkeling/Picnic G.O. for his second and third seasons and he shares some stories from that time. He has a very funny “picnic/porta-potty” story in Sandpiper that you will not want to miss! Darren also shares his recollections of the “70s Celebration” in Turks in September of 1994. He played Scrabble with rule-breaker Ron Palillo and handed over a packed dance floor to guest DJ, Felipe Rose, from the Village People, who probably should have stuck to singing and dancing! Darren recounts a classic Paradise Island ghost story and is patient when I grill him about the "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" show in Playa Blanca in 1991. Snow White in Playa in '91?! Okay! Near the end of the interview we talk about his YouTube channel on personal audio called “HeadKarma” and what’s it like living with a 140-pound Presa Canario mastiff. With a dog that size, can he have nice things? Darren lets us know! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

Please visit his YouTube channel and hit that subscribe button!

https://www.youtube.com/@headkarma

 

 

Emmanuel Azuelos

My guest and I worked an amazing season together in Club Med Playa Blanca in 1996/1997, so I am delighted whenever someone from that season comes on, such as previous MFS guests like Dana Winess, Vladimir Mayllen, and Luke “Gus” Neale, for example. His first season was in Club Med Huatulco in January of 1996 as Polyvalent Sports with Myriam Karaohanessian as CDV. He later became an Archery G.O., Animator, and Chief of Animation and then returned to Club Med in 2013 as Polyvalent Animation. From Montreal, Quebec but now living in the Sunshine State, please help me welcome a very funny man, Emmanuel Azuelos!! Emmanuel learned about Club Med from his parents who would frequently go there on vacation. The kids did not get to go with them however, and went instead to, I-kid-you-not, Winter Camp in Montreal (been here my whole life and never heard of that!)! Emmanuel’s parents met Myriam in Huatulco as G.M.’s in 1996 and they said their son would be perfect for Club Med. She told them to get him down to Huatulco and the rest is history. Emmanuel’s second season in Punta Cana coincided with Kevin Batt’s first season as a CDV! Emmanuel worked in villages such as Punta Cana (3x!), Ixtapa, Playa Blanca (2x), and Columbus Isle. He thought Playa Blanca in 1998/1999 would be his last season only to find himself working for Club Med again after almost 14 years. Emmanuel and I talk about our incredible season in Playa Blanca and he is kind to share a lot of funny stories with us! We also talk about what he did in those intervening 14 years and what he is up to now. Please enjoy this hour with, Emmanuel! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, Podchaser and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

Please check out his social media:

Boutique Emmanuel Menswear (@emmanuelmenswear) • Instagram photos and videos

EMTVLive | Facebook

 

 

 

François «Tiger» MacKay

En plus de deux ans d'existence de ce podcast, mon invité d'aujourd'hui est le PREMIER et le seul invité à accepter d'enregistrer deux interviews distinctes dans DEUX langues! C'est exact tout le monde, cet épisode sera à la fois en anglais ET en français!! Qui est cet homme talentueux?! Eh bien, je l'ai rencontré au Club Med Cancun en 2004 alors qu'il était G.O. du cirque, mais sa première saison était au Club Med Cancun en mars 1998 en tant que scénographe. Il a travaillé pour le Club Med de 1998 à 2006 dans des villages comme Eleuthera, Hualtulco Varadero, Ixtapa, Turks et Caicos et Lindeman Island. Veuillez m'aider à accueillir, le seul et unique, de Montréal, François «Tiger» MacKay!! Tiger a également été Chef de Cirque lui-même et il est ici aujourd'hui pour montrer ses prouesses en anglais et en francais! Avant le Club Med, Tiger travaillait dans la construction et le design, ce qui l'a amené à répondre à une annonce pour le Club Med qu'il a vue dans le journal local. Comme la plupart des Montréalais, Tiger pensait ne rester que deux ans, mais il a fini par rester huit ans. Tiger a travaillé pour des chefs de village tels que Kevin Batt, Mike Coltman, LouLou, Saverio Friselli, Teach Mayer, Myriam Karaohanessian, Paul Langas et Hendel Duplessy. Mon histoire préférée de Tiger s'est déroulée au Club Med Ixtapa en 2001-2003 et impliquait le remplacement du "gag" du spectacle de trapèze, une nudité involontaire et le président du Club Med de l'époque, Philippe Bourguignon! Une autre histoire incroyable est qu'il a rencontré un G.O. à Cancun en 2005 et il s'est avéré que Tiger était son entraîneur de hockey quand il était plus jeune! Qui était le G.O.? Vous avez tous entendu parler de lui ou travaillé avec lui, et vous devrez écouter cette interview très drôle pour découvrir qui c'est, profitez-en! **Le podcast My First Season a toujours été sans publicité et son écoute est gratuite. Il est disponible sur: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora et Listen Notes. Et si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, veuillez laisser un commentaire sur Apple Podcasts.

François “Tiger” MacKay

In more than two years of this podcast, my guest today is the FIRST and only guest to agree to record two separate interviews in TWO languages! That is right everyone, this episode will be in both English AND French!! Who is this bilingual stud and talented guy?!! Well, I met him in Club Med Cancun in 2004 when he was a Circus G.O., but his first season was in Club Med Cancun in March of 1998 as a Set Designer. He worked for Club Med from 1998-2006 in villages such as Eleuthera, Huatulco Varadero, Ixtapa, Turks and Caicos, and Lindeman Island. Please help me welcome, the one and only, from Montreal, Francois “Tiger” MacKay!!! Tiger was also a Chief of Circus himself and he is here today to show off his bilingual prowess!! Before Club Med, Tiger worked in construction and design, which led him to answer an ad for Club Med that he saw in the local paper. Like most Montrealers, Tiger thought he would stay only two years, but wound up staying eight years (winter in Montreal will do that to you!). Tiger worked for Chief of Villages such as Kevin Batt, Mike Coltman, LouLou, Saverio Friselli, Teach Mayer, Myriam Karaohanessian, Paul Langas, and Hendel Duplessy. My favorite story of Tiger’s took place at Club Med Ixtapa in 2001-2003 and involved the fill-in for the trapeze show “gag”, inadvertent nudity, and Club Med’s president at the time, Philippe Bourguignon! Another incredible story is that Tiger met a G.O. in Cancun in 2005 and it turned out, Tiger was his hockey coach when he was younger! Who was the G.O.? You have all heard of him or worked with him, and you will have to listen to this very funny interview to find out who it is. Enjoy!! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

”Winnie”

My guest today and I almost met in 1999 in Columbus Isle, but just missed each other by a few weeks. G.O.’s spoke often of my nicknamed guest over the years, so I feel like I knew him a little. After the interview, we realized that we attended the same EXGO Reunion in 2008 in Cancun! His first season was in Club Med Turks and Caicos for the 1989/1990 season as a Scuba G.O., with Kenton Smith as his Chief of Sports. He was born in New York, grew up in the UK, and now lives in Mallorca. His rather long and amazing name is Nick Stael von Holstein, but you probably know him by another name. Please help me welcome to the podcast, the one and only, Winnie!! Winnie worked for Club Med from 1989 to 2000 in such villages as St. Lucia, Cancun, Playa Blanca, Martinique, Sonora Bay, and Columbus Isle. Before Club Med, Winnie graduated with a Marine Biology degree from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island and became a scuba instructor at just 18 years old. And, as it turns out, one of my favorite people in Club Med, gave Winnie his nickname within 24 hours of Winnie arriving in Turks! If you were an early 90s G.O., then you will love this episode. Winnie name-drops so many people from his past, it will make your head spin how many legends he has worked with-Cowboy, Jean-Paul Morales, Hammer, Kevin Batt, Red, Cheez, Jenner, Sparrow, Lisa Henson (my 1^st boss!), Hansel Moss, Angie Boucher, Grant Simmons, Roast Beef, Scotty De Palma, Flower, Eric Turner and Dave the Wave, to name but a few. As you can imagine, Winnie is here to share stories and does not disappoint! Too many to recount here in this small space, but the stories that stuck out for me personally were happy hour at “The House of Kos” in St. Lucia in 1992, Hammer’s wedding in Turks in 1997 (and that same season he cut a very famous G.O’s long “Red” hair) and a Christmas Day scuba dive in Cancun in 1997 with a school of dolphins that will give you goosebumps. Please enjoy this episode with Winnie!!**My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

Laurent Grenouiller

Bonjour à tous, et bienvenue à nouveau à mon podcast sur le voyage et le tourisme, My First Season. J'ai rencontré mon invité aujourd'hui à Kusadasi, en Turquie, au cours de l'été 2001 et je suis heureux d'annoncer qu'il était mon chef de village cette saison-là et qu'il est le premier chef de village français à participer au podcast! Sa première saison a eu lieu en 1987 à Avoriaz en tant que moniteur de ski. Il a travaillé dans des villages tels que Kamarina, Opio, Yasmina, Marbella, Eilat, Puerto Maria et Pompadour, pour mentionner que quelques-uns. Avant de devenir lui-même Chef de Village, Laurent a travaillé pour des Chef de Village comme Jean Philippe Yvert, Patrick Calvet, Yves Mongis, Françoise Gravière, Mehdi Serrour, Juvenal Da Cunha et Lionel Benzoni. Pendant toute sa carrière au Club Med, il a travaillé dans 20 villages au total et jamais deux fois dans le même village. Sa première saison en tant que chef de village s'est déroulée à Eilat, en Israël, et nous parlerons de cette expérience et de bien d'autres choses encore. Merci de m'aider à accueillir, depuis la France, Laurent Grenouiller! **Le podcast My First Season a toujours été sans publicité et son écoute est gratuite. Il est disponible sur: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora et Listen Notes. Et si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, veuillez laisser un commentaire sur Apple Podcasts.

 

Rich Reichman

 

I met my guest today in Club Med Playa Blanca in 1997 when he was a G.M. and I was a Landsports G.O. It is because of this podcast that he reached out to me roughly 25 years later. He said that meeting me and the Rock Climbing G.O. in Playa Blanca, Claude Gagnon, inspired him to apply to Club Med. His first season was in Club Med Ixtapa in May of 1997 as an Archery G.O., with “Toutoune” as the CDV and “Godo” as the Chief of Sports. From Montreal and now living in Alberta, please help me welcome to the show, Rich Reichman!! Rich only did one season in Club Med and explains why at the end of the interview. Luckily for us, he has a very vivid memory of that first season! Rich is kind enough to share a lot of stories with us. Knowing there was not a weight room in Ixtapa, Rich brought two 70-pound detachable dumbbells in his suitcase!! I love this story so much that I asked Rich to not spare any details!! Other stories are Rich getting an archery injury early on in his season (but not what you’re thinking), a nerve-wracking sports demonstration set to the tune of Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do (I Do It For You), to an animation prank gone awry, to a Fire and Water show wardrobe malfunction, to hanging out with Blair Underwood, Rich has got some stories! For the last 14 years, Rich has been a Unit Manager in the ER, ICU, CCU, Medicine, and Operating Room and is currently in Endoscopy and we talk a little about that. Blair the nurse in Ixtapa was partly Rich’s inspiration for becoming a nurse himself and we delve into that as well. We talk about the 3 things he misses the most about Club Med and his favorite Crazy Sign. If you were a 90s G.O., then this episode is for you! Please enjoy this interview with Rich! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.