In March 2020 the boy who grew up in Gallup was launching his first syndicated television show in New Mexico, Utah, Southern Colorado, Montana and Kansas [Gallup Sun, Vol. 6, Issue 260].
Now, the show has evolved. Balok and his team have created “The Game Changer.”
The Game Changer is a segment of “The Colt Balok Show,” which is currently airing as filler on the CABQ Network at this time. City of Albuquerque Media Resources Manager Diego Lucero told the Sun that there is no current contract with the show. But he indicated a contract for new material could be signed in the future.
The Game Changer can be found online at coltbalok.com/gamechangers in three to five minute packages. It also appears on other platforms on a case-by-case basis.
The first video was launched on Jan. 1 with Dr. Marjori Krebs as the first game-changer in what Balok hopes will be a monthly series of videos highlighting the works of community members who embody virtues Balok values.
Krebs was chosen to personify generosity for her work with Wings for Life, a spinal cord research foundation, and the Heart Gallery of New Mexico, a Children Youth and Families Department program which focuses on placement of at-risk foster children. He also highlighted the children’s book Krebs wrote with her daughter, entitled “Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy visit the University of New Mexico,” which is being promoted and sold by the university.
“We wrote this book to encourage children to become Lobo fans, to kindle their connection with UNM, and to support kids going to college,” Krebs said.
Being chosen as a game-changer is not only an honor, but has a monetary aspect. The Balok show awards each game-changer a check for $2,000, from Public Service Company of New Mexico and Avangrid, an energy services and delivery company which was under consideration to acquire the utility up until Dec.
Balok told the Sun he isn’t working off of a list of virtues, but he does know that the second virtue will be perseverance. He has not publicly announced who the perseverance game-changer will be.
Right now, he calls this a pilot and is eager to see how it is received.
He dreams of making the Game Changer segment an annual event and holding a live presentation at a theater at some point, bringing all the game-changers together to encourage audience participation.
Eventually he’d like to take it from cities and towns around New Mexico into locations outside the state and continue indefinitely.
“Our whole show is based on love and human connection,” Balok said. “The sky’s the limit.”
“Our focus really is on what it is that that person has, what specific virtue,” Balok said. “It’s so much more effective when we can pinpoint what is effective about someone … we will be less vindictive … we will be able to see the human in each one of us.”
To see the segment and to nominate a game-changer, visit coltbalok.com/gamechangers
By Beth Blakeman
Managing Editor
