NEW YORK — Jim McCarthy doesn't just think it's fun to go out and see a play or a comedy show or a basketball game. He thinks it actually makes you a better person.
"It drives the dullness out of your life and stirs your personal creativity," says the CEO of ticket discounter Goldstar. "I think it actually makes you a more interesting person."
Goldstar, a sort of Priceline.com for live events, finds unused tickets to everything from wine tastings to circuses and sells them discounted to its 4 million subscribers from Boston to Seattle. The average fee is $5.
The Harvard-educated McCarthy is something of a proselytizer for live events, dedicated to getting people over the "convenience gap" — off the couch and into a venue. So the website is filled with user-generated tips and reviews, none of which are scrubbed of negative comments. So dedicated to live events is McCarthy that he creates his own: the annual TEDxBroadway conference.
The Associated Press sat down with McCarthy to see how he views the future of live shows, high ticket prices and whether there's a role for professional critics.
AP: Why are live events so special?
McCarthy: Entertainment is like a pyramid. You start from the base, which is something that you consume frequently that doesn't cost you very much — watching TV or a YouTube clip. Up at the top is the live experience. I think almost everyone would agree that a live experience is the best entertainment experience. If you go from a short clip of your favorite musician to a beautifully produced concert film or an MP3 on a really nice stereo — all the way at the top is a really good live performance. As you go up the pyramid, it's more expensive and better.
AP: It's also less convenient — there's parking, getting a baby sitter and the fear of the unknown, right?