David Zancai

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David Zancai (born 1968^[1][2]) is a street entertainer and actor from Toronto, Ontario, in Canada. In October 2004, Zancai created his character Zanta, a modified Santa Claus that travels around the streets of downtown Toronto doing pushups and other antics to mixed reactions of passersby. He does so wearing nothing but shorts, boots, and a red-and-white Santa hat, even during Toronto's harsh winters. He claims to perform this routine every day of the year except Christmas Day. Zanta has been the subject of some controversy regarding the legality of his public behaviour, and has been banned from both private and public premises around Toronto.

Career

Zancai formerly worked as a contractor before suffering a work-related injury in 2000 in which he fell a distance of 25 feet before landing on his back^[3][1][4] Zancai spent 23 days in a coma and 17 days on life support as a result of the injury.^[1] This lead Zancai to being on workers compensation and engaging in a strenuous self-rehabilitation program.^[1] In particular, Zancai began doing pushups, working up to performing thousands of pushups each day to maintain the physique of an amateur body builder.^[4][3] He still suffers occasional loss of feeling in some parts of his body. ^[3]

After a personal crisis in October 2004, Zancai began leaving his Christmas decorations up all year so that "every day could be Christmas."^[1] At about this same time, Zancai created Zanta, his modified Santa Claus character while watching Jerry Springer as a means of gaining publicity to further his acting career.^[1] Using a combination of "Santa" and Zancai and incorporating a distinct persona to match, Zanta was created in part to emulate the notoriety gained by the Naked Cowboy of Times Square, New York.^[4] By November 2005, Zanta had become Toronto's most recognizable street character.^[4]

Origins of Zanta

A father of four, Zancai stated that "Zanta" originated when his daughter was taken out of his custody. When he appeared for a custody hearing he reportedly wore the Santa hat for her amusement.^[4] At the hearing the judge requested that the hat be removed and, when Zancai refused, suggested a mental-competancy test be undertaken.^[4] Zancai has stated that he is neither bipolar nor psychotic; instead he is merely in character.

Media Appearances

Citytv Toronto

For his first appearance as Zanta, Zancai showed up behind the street window of the CHUM-City Building and began performing.^[1][4] As a result of Citytv using streetscapes as backdrop to live news programming, Zancai was frequently seen in the background of on the morning news and entertainment program Breakfast Television. Reportedly aggravated by Zancai's presence, CHUM filed a number of complaints which resulted in Zancai being banned from the the area of the building.^[4] He violated this order, and as a result police banned him from the area south of College St. to King St., and from Yonge over to Spadina Ave.^[4]

Since that time, Zancai has made appearances on Breakfast Television and claims to have a verbal agreement allowing him to make regular appearances on the television series Speakers' Corner.^[1]

Documentaries

Zancai has been the subject of two documentary films. In October 2005, graphic artists Muckney Tipping & Pietro Gagliano, filmed Zancai describing his life events and motivation to become known world-wide.^[3] Numerous non-professional short video clips of Zanta also appear on YouTube.^[5]

Other appearances

• Few Toronto parades or labour marches take place without Zanta's involvement, official or unofficial.^[4] Zancai is especially involved at Christmas parades, pointing out that "Santa's at the back, while Zanta's at the front."^[4]
• Zancai's self-described "brash" act of doing pushups in thoroughfares and shouting "yes yes yes" has garnered him significant notoriety among Toronto's citizens. "Zanta sightings" are often the subject of posts on Toronto-based Internet forums and weblogs.^[6][7]
• Zancai guest starred in Episode 305 of Showcase Television's Kenny vs. Spenny as a replacement for Spencer Rice; Rice claimed he was suffering a nervous breakdown during the episode's production.
• Zanta has followed actress Penelope Cruz around Yorkville, trying to get in a photo during the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival.^[8] He finally was photographed with Cruz and Michael Keaton.^[9]

Controversy

In 2005, Zancai was banned from the downtown core of Toronto following a number of complaints filed by CHUM, owner of CityTV. ^[4] Zancai's continued desire for fame and exposure resulted in at least one arrest on mischief charges.^[4] Zanta has claimed^[10] that on August 19, 2006, he was banned from the Exhibition Place grounds, in particular the Canadian National Exhibition, after performing in the Farm, Food and Fun building. He was arrested September 11, 2006 by the Toronto Police.^[11] On November 17, 2006, 680 News radio reported Zancai had been banned by the Toronto Transit Commission from the city's busses, subways, and subway stations.^[2] Zancai is presently no longer allowed at the Toronto Street Festival, the Taste of the Danforth, the St. Patrick's Day Parade or the Santa Claus Parade.^[2] He has also been banned from Old York Lane between Cumberland Street and Yorkville Avenue in Yorkville, College Park and Yonge-Dundas Square.^[2]

Personal life

Zancai has four children, and resided in Etobicoke as of April 2005.^[1][4] Zancai estimates he performs 2,000 to 3,000 pushups per day.^[1]

References

See also

• Naked Cowboy

External links

• David Zancai official website
• MySpace: Zanta
• Flickr: Zanta
• Toronto's Molar Radio #36: The Zanta Interview, a podcast interview