(
)
Bill Schermerhorn, long-time creative director of the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and two-time Emmy Award-winning lyricist, started at the retail behemoth fresh out of William and Mary, but his first gig had nothing to do with orchestrating the turkey day festival: It was a day job selling Calvin Klein underwear on the second floor at the Herald Square shop.
Growing up in Philmont, NY, surrounded by cows, apple trees and dirt roads, Schermerhorn dreamed of becoming an actor and was deeply involved in high school theatre. Fast-forward: He’s put his love of storytelling and spectacle to work overseeing the Thanksgiving extravaganza for the last 30 years. We talked with Schermerhorn about his career path and having such a dream job.
How did you go from selling underwear to organizing the famous parade?
I was working on a small theater show in Brooklyn. To pay the rent I flipped a coin to decide whether I’d work at Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s. It came up Macy’s, so in June of 1982 I took a job as a sales clerk. Then someone said, “If you’re working at Macy’s, why don’t you go up and work in the parade office?” So I went looking for a part-time spot, but Jean McFaddin, who was running the parade at the time, convinced me to take a full-time job. It was a fit from the start. I realized I didn’t need to be on the stage to enjoy the creative act of storytelling.
How do you pull all the moving parts together for the spectacle each year?
I always start with the turkey and end with Santa. The stuff in the middle reflects pop culture — tween singers, maybe a battle with Power Rangers to appeal to the 8-year-olds, as well as old family favorites, like the annual performance by the high-kicking Rockettes. It’s one of the last great variety shows. Really, I get all the ingredients and create a great soufflé.
What’s the hardest part about creating such an event?
We’re at the mercy of Mother Nature. Our events are rain or shine. I’d love to have a job where everything’s inside. With my luck though there’d be a blizzard and no one would get there.
Any particularly hairy moments come to mind?
One year one of the floats took a wrong turn. I was in a golf cart monitoring the route and got the message “the Mother Goose float’s caught at the wrong intersection.” I still have no idea how that happened.
What’s the best thing about the job?
I get to bring joy to so many people no matter what they’ve been through. Also I work with the best people in entertainment — especially people from Broadway — singers, actors, choreographers.
What’s different this year?
The parade always reflects the state of the country. Hurricane Sandy’s had an impact. We’re sensitive to what’s happened in the area. Our goal is to bring a smile, bring us all together to celebrate and forget the real world. Oh, and Snoopy won’t be in the parade this year. He’s retiring, but Charlie Brown will be carrying a football down the parade route.
Snoopy’s retiring?!
Well, you never know when he’ll make a return.
It must be nonstop in the run up to Thanksgiving. How do you keep going?
Six cups of coffee a day is a good thing, no? I use coffee to wash down the chocolate.
I also find inspiration — an illustration in my office of a wishing star by Mike Gabriel of Disney, for example, and the view, which extends all the way down to 1 World Trade, helps too.
In addition to serving as the show’s “head chef,” you also make a direct contribution as a lyricist, right?
That’s right. In June, we won our second Emmy for outstanding original song with last year’s show opener, “Won’t You Join our Parade?”
What’s your typical day?
I live on 58th and Ninth by the Time Warner Center and I walk to work through Times Square and past “Good Morning America” ’s outdoor stage. I see full marching bands, Elise the Cow, and other oddities en route to the office. I get in by 8, 8:30 a.m., catch up on the papers, dash off emails, and meet with members of my team. I view my lunch break as sacred. I’ll always leave the office, even if it’s just for a walk around the neighborhood, followed by lunch at the desk. In the run up to the parade, the meetings are about staging, timing, rundowns and getting Santa to appear at precisely the right moment. The day typically ends around 6 or 7 p.m., unless a big event’s approaching, in which case all bets are off.
Why is this a dream job?
You get the freedom to let your imagination soar. Very few jobs allow you to do that as much as this one. We fit all the pieces together — country musicians, pirates, Uncle Sam. And knowing the latest trends and talent at Disney and Nickelodeon keeps me young. After 30 years I’m still learning.