FunHouse Before Shark Tank
Before David Adamovich started performing magic tricks and throwing knives, he was a professor and taught graduate students for eighteen years. He is also an ordained minister and manages a billiard hall. David Adamovich states that he found his passion for knife-throwing when he was fifty years old, and that it is never too late to learn. After becoming interested in knife-throwing, David Adamovich went off and has set over twenty five world records, including the one for the most knives thrown around a human target in one minute.
Todd Robins and David Adamovich want to bring good, clean fun to New York’s Times Square with their product called the FunHouse. The FunHouse project will bring entertainment, magicians, performers, knife-throwers and many other kinds of entertainers to people all over New York, but especially around Timers Square. In order to be able to do so, they are in need of a hefty sum as an investment from the Sharks, or else they will not be able to create their product and get it to Times Square.
FunHouse During Shark Tank
“Todd Robbins and David Adamovich walk confidently and stand in front of the Sharks”
Todd Robbins starts the presentation by introducing himself, after which David Adamovich introduces himself. They state that they are looking for an investment of three hundred thousand dollars, in exchange for a twenty percent stake in FunHouse.
Todd Robbins states that when you have an idea for something new and exciting, he wished that finding money for it would be as easy as rubbing your hands together, but of course, it is not as easy as this, which is why Todd Robbins and David Adamovich are in front of the Sharks today.
“Todd Robbins does a magic trick and reveals a one hundred dollar bill”
David Robbins states that it is not difficult to guess that he has a little background in magic as a side-show performer. David Adamovich continues by stating that he is the world’s fastest and most accurate knife-thrower, and he states that he will demonstrate his skills.
“Todd Robbins stands in front of a red board while David Adamovich reveals his knives and starts throwing them at the red board”
“Daymond John looks very uncomfortable when he sees David Adamovich throwing knives and barely missing his friend”
“Robert Herjavec is surprised and states that he is impressed by David Adamovich’s performance as a knife thrower”
“Daymond John asks David Adamovich if he can stand in front of the red board, after which he gets up and walks towards the red board”
“David Adamovich gets ready with another set of knives and throws them at the red board while Daymond John is standing in front of it”
“David Adamovich starts throwing his knives, and with each knife throw, Daymond John makes funny scared noises”
“Kevin O’Leary states that the guys must be nuts if they think they would be able to afford a twenty five thousand feet area around Times Square”
Todd Robbins and David Adamovich state that they are not nuts. Todd Robbins continues the presentation by saying that FunHouse is already live in five different venues, such as a restaurant that features a stage with a world class variety of entertainers, jugglers, plate-spinners, acrobats and knife-throwers. They also have a lounge area where there is close-up magic happening as magicians walk around the lounge.
“Kevin O’Leary states that they get it and asks Todd Robbins how much it is going to cost and how they are going to make money”
Todd Robbins answers the question by saying that it is very simple. In order to see the FunHouse workers live, there will be a fifteen dollar admission price. Todd Robbins states that they are anticipating that they are going to gross over nine million dollars in the first year alone.
“Kevin O’Leary asks Todd Robbins how they are going to attract customers”
Todd Robbins answers the question by saying that the people seeing the facility will already know that it is a FunHouse, which will cause a traffic of people walking in.
“Kevin Harrington asks Todd Robbins and David Adamovich how much it is going to cost to construct a facility of five thousand square feet”
Todd Robbins answers the question by saying that in order to genuinely start FunHouse, they are going to need one and a half million dollars.
“Barbara Corcoran asks Todd Robbins what it is going to cost to stay open each month”
Todd Robbins answers the question by saying that the annual expensive will be around seven and a half million dollars.
Kevin O’Leary states that Todd Robbins basically pitched that the Sharks should invest into a business and hope that people visit this business often enough to make money. Kevin O’Leary continues by stating that in today’s market, you should just throw knives at each other, because it is never going to happen. Kevin O’Leary states that he does not want to invest in FunHouse and that he is out.
Robert Herjavec states that after investing the one and a half million dollars, you will be on the hook for the annual expenses of over seven million dollars, which is a huge risk, because you do not know if the model of FunHouse actually works or not. Robert Herjavec states that this investment is way too risky for him and that he is out as well.
Kevin Harrington states that to him, the concept of FunHouse is like a coin toss, and he does not want to take that kind of a risk. Kevin Harrington states that he is out.
Barbara Corcoran states that Todd Robbins and David Adamovich are underestimating a large concept that hasn’t been discussed yet. She states that she has not heard anything about the branding of FunHouse, which is key. Barbara Corcoran continues by stating that this makes her fearful that both Todd Robbins and David Adamovich are going to lose a lot of money and states that she is out as well.
Daymond John states that there is an old saying, the higher a monkey climbs a tree, the more you see his ass. Daymond John states that he is out as well.
At the end interview, Todd Robbins says that the Sharks seemed scared of FunHouse’s concept, and says that it is unfortunate that they didn’t get an investment.
“Kevin O’Leary states that he learned how to throw knives, walks towards the red board and grabs a couple of knives and asks Barbara Corcoran to stand in front of the red board”
“The Sharks starts laughing at Kevin O’Leary’s joke, after which Kevin O’Leary throws a knife at the red board and impales the red board with it
FunHouse Now in 2018 – After Shark Tank
Even though they were already performing shows in restaurants and lounges, they could never get together enough money to rent a huge area around Times Square. None of the Sharks were interested in investing in FunHouse, due to the fact that they believed it was way too risky and way too expensive. There is no mention of FunHouse being the best or worst on Shark Tank, although the Sharks did seemed to be entertained by the little knife-throwing performance by David Adamovich.
After appearing on the Shark Tank, it does not seem like FunHouse continued as a project. After searching on Google, I was not even able to find a website for the FunHouse project, which simply tells me that they vanished away. Perhaps both Todd Robbins and David Adamovich are working on the FunHouse project locally, without feeling the need for a website with basic information on it, such as contact information or pricing.
However, after searching for both Todd Robbins and David Adamovich separately, it seems like the FunHouse project really has come to an end. Todd Robbins seems to have joined a company called Magical Nights Incorporated, which are the producers of the longest running magic show in New York. He also wrote a book called The Modern Con Man: How to Get Something for Nothing.
It is surprising to read that David Adamovich holds twenty five world records and the Guinness world record for “Most knives Thrown around a Human Target in one minute” He also holds a doctorate of education degree in exercise physiology from Columbia University. Apparently, David Adamovich is known as the Great Throwdini and is currently working in New York in the sideshow and burlesque scene.
