A documentary of an entire year in the lives of five real-bearded professional Santa Clauses to find out what the rest of the year is like for a man who perpetually looks like Jolly Saint Nick.
We have documented an entire year in the lives of five real-bearded professional Santa Clauses to find out what the rest of the year is like for a man who perpetually looks like Jolly Saint Nick. In the process, they are shown for who they actually are, flawed, flesh and blood men who feel an overbearing responsibility to protect the integrity of the spotless, untarnished reputation of the 'Red Suit.' 'I Am Santa Claus' is a documentary that poses a question about a ubiquitous holiday figure that few parents ever ask themselves; 'Whose lap is my child sitting on?'—Anonymous
Kids love Santa all over the world. Santa is believed to be having magical powers and delivers gifts to kids on Christmas Eve.
Russell Spice is born with looks which are very similar to Santa and is pointed out to by friends and family. Russell believes that he is Santa. This is a documentary on how a Santa spends the remaining days of the year, leading up to Christmas.
Russell is old, lives off social security and lives in Sterling Heights, Michigan. He was laid off after 40 years of service (for being too old), & lives in daughter's basement, after he lost his house to defaults on mortgage payments. He could not find another job due to his age and the lack of any new age skills. He celebrates St Patrick's day & swears at Insurance companies who send him birthday cards as advertisements for Medicaid. Russell tells a story of how he got a young girl pregnant out of wedlock and had to marry her.Russell collects and delivers tin cans and soda bottles to collection centers to earn some extra cash.
Russell is looking to purchase a trailer so that he can have a place to stay. Russell doesn't have many choices and has to compromise to have a roof over his head.Russell had a good relationship with the firm he worked with at last Christmas, so he assumed that he would be invited again the next year.At the Santa convention, he doesn't fill a job application. But later he receives a call from his agent saying that he doesn't have a gig. If Russell doesn't have a job at Christmas, it would devastate him financially and he won't be able to move into his trailer.Russell resorts to a garage sale to build up some cash, just in case. He finally lands a job at a mall in Minnesota which pays $ 10,000. He has to stay at a hotel room in the mall itself.
Santa Frank Pascuzzi in Long Island New York, used to work for the railways & had a black beard. He was avoided by everyone, until one day when he bleached his beard and now strangers would strike up conversations & even have their kids sit on his lap. Frank works as an electrical engineer in the construction sector but hates his day job as it makes him stressed.Frank wants to open his business selling smoked, barbecued pork chops and ribs. He has also invented barbecued raviolis.
Santa Bob Gerardi in Orange Country California. He is a real estate agent & doesn't consider himself a Californian. Bob is recording his own Christmas songs album to supplement his income.
Mick Foley is a WWF wrestler & a big fan of the Christmas spirit. He wants to become a Santa. Mick travels to Chicago to meet a Santa mentor Dana Caplan, who actually has a degree in Santaclausology. Dana offers tips on little things such as how you smell, trim your nose hair, don't let kids straddle you and so on, that are basic Santa 101 for anyone.Mick gets a job as Santa and gets his first Santa suit and dyes his beard to get ready for the gig.
Santa Jim Stevenson lives in Fort Worth Texas & was a polar bear model in his youth. Even now he poses semi naked for pics in his backyard for professional photographers. Jim used to own an antique shop. Jim was sold his first Santa Suit by a customer in his antiques shop. Jim was overwhelmed by the love and gratitude he receives from new parents as his role as Santa.Jim is a gay Santa and is in relationship with a guy named Alex whom he has met online.
Jim takes a 3-day Santa workshop in California. Rusell and Frank are also attending. The big issue this year is that the President of Federation of Real Bearded Santas or FoRBS, Rob Foley has cut his beard. The Santas don't accept him as president anymore. Rob has a strip bar that he runs back home & had a gay brother who recently died of AIDS. Santas are split between accepting or rejecting Rob. The complaints range from the religious angle of having a gay brother (which leads to whether once would accept a gay Santa or whether a gay could be a Christian), or to the choice of profession (the strip bar).
Christmas finally arrives and all Santa's dress up and enjoy the pure joy of being a Santa and bringing joy to other kids. If you don't enjoy it, you won't be able to do it full time. But soon, Christmas passes and Santa's having to return to their old lives, until Christmas the next year.
Russell moves into a trailer park. Frank's barbecue business takes off. Jim and Alex are still working on their long-term relationship. Bob's album was released, and he made money.
