Internship gives teen new view of fair fun

This is the first year the fair has offered internships for teens, said Jeanette Gardiner, the fair's marketing assistant. Besides Knapp, of Big Lake, the fair also hooked up interns Friday with a photographer, a video expert and people who work at the fair in public relations, Web site maintenance and radio broadcasting.

The point, Gardiner said, is to give teens a backstage look at how a fair is run.

Knapp, 16, wanted a security internship because she's a music buff and dreams of managing a band or owning a venue. Learning the ins and outs of controlling crowds is a step toward making that a reality.

Knapp hung out with Randy Scott, director of operations for Starplex Corp., aka Crowd Management Services, a Portland, Ore., company that's been handling security at the fair for about eight years. Scott is a 25-year veteran with the company and makes the annual trip to Alaska with a handful of other employees to manage the fair crowds. From parking snarls to drunken fights, Scott hears the calls trickle in through his own earpiece.

The most frequent calls, he said, are about intoxicated people who have decided to brawl. He told Knapp to stay behind him if there was an altercation. Scott is a big guy, easily topping 6 feet 4 inches tall, and it isn't hard to imagine him wading into a melee with little risk.

He had to do that during a Ted Nugent concert several years ago. A guy hit a woman in the crowd, which spawned a fight that lasted until Scott hauled the guy away.

"When I got him back to the room, I found out he had my name -- first and last," Scott recalled. "So I had to book myself. That was weird."

The Sean Kingston concert was the area of concern on Friday, and 21 security people attended both of the rapper's concerts. Kingston was about an hour late -- not unusual for a rap artist, Scott said.

The crowd was mostly well-behaved but started chanting "Sean, Sean, Sean!" and inching closer to the Borealis Theatre stage.

Scott, with Knapp in tow, inched to the fence and kept a close eye on things. When Kingston, as colorful as a parrot in green, red and yellow, took the stage, Scott and Knapp got a call on their radios.

"I've got to go question someone back at the office," Scott told Knapp and off they went.

The accused pot seller waited alone in a back room. Scott questioned him tersely; he defended himself, pointing out the lack of evidence. The accused got booted from the fair for the rest of the year.

Evidence isn't necessary to decide someone is guilty, Scott said. "We're a private entity so we can (kick someone out) for any reason."

Back at the concert, fans were unhappy that the show lasted only 30 minutes. They complained in droves to security, who referred them to the box office. Knapp turned in her radio, effectively ending her day, but planned to stay with Scott even though she had tickets to the second Kingston show.

Knapp decided this job was for her. She soon will start work at Make-a-Scene, a Wasilla music venue owned by Valley musician Josh Fryfogle that attracts local groups. She said her perception about the role security plays in the public arena has changed. She used to join her friends heckling security at concerts; now she knows they're just doing their jobs the best they can.

"It's pretty fun, been really interesting to see how they operate, with all the walkie-talkie stuff," Knapp said. "And they get to walk around and watch people, legally."

Find Melodie Wright online at adn.com/contact/mwright or call 352-6721.