John Gadd is so excited about getting publicity for his Cleveland business Hotcards, you'd swear as he talks that he's about to burst into flames.

And you'd be right. Gadd and 19 others plan to be set ablaze along the Cuyahoga River on Oct. 19th in an effort set a Guinness World Record and, of course, to burn the Hotcards brand into the minds of potential customers.

The 2009 record-setting burn of 17 people.

Stuntman Ted Batchelor, who lives in Chagrin Falls, is coordinating the effort for Gadd. Batchelor also oversaw, and participated in, the event that resulted in the current burn record, 17 people on fire at one time, at Pizak Farm in South Russell in 2009, breaking a Spanish-held record of 12.

Those people burned for 43.9 seconds.

Among them was the Rev. Mark Simone, youth pastor of Federated United Church of Christ in Chagrin Falls, who was a friend of Batchelor’s and was looking for an adventure to mark his victory over lymphoma. He’s rappelled down Table Mountain in South Africa after getting a liver transplant. Burning man seemed just as exciting.

“This was my coming-out-of-cancer big event,” Simone said. “It’s not like I’m some adventurer, I’m not so much an adrenaline seeker. But this just appealed to me.”

And so one day on a mission in South Africa, the subject came up as Simone piloted the van toward another shantytown where his mission group was to build a simple shelter and Gadd, who has been in his youth group as a teen, rode shotgun as a member of the mission.

It was a 15-hour drive and they talked about a lot, including Gadd’s desire to put his business on the map.

“What about a burn?” Simone suggested.

Somewhere deep inside Gadd, the pilot light was lit on a great idea.

It’s the Burning River city. The company’s logo contains a flame. It seemed perfect.

“We didn’t have any trouble finding people. We have people chomping at the bit to burn, which makes me feel a little better about my own sanity,” said Gadd, who was set ablaze in his company parking lot Friday as a demonstration for Cleveland firefighters.

Among the 20 agreeing to burn: Jenna Conforti, Director of Marketing at Scene Magazine; Scot Lowry, CEO of Fathom; Tony Madalone, CEO of Fresh Brewed Tees, and Archie Berwick, morning host on 87.7 FM “Cleveland’s Sound.”

The minister is among those who’ll burn. It’s exhilarating, he said, but a lot safer than it might appear.

“My personal motto may be ‘safety third,’ but Ted Batchelor’s is ‘safety first.’ He really has all the bases covered,” said Simone. Each burner will wear proper fire resistant clothing and be covered in a protective gel. Each will have a personal “igniter.”

“My wife (Kathy) is my lighter,” said Simone. “She not only lights me, she has to put me out. So I've been really on good behavior.”

Gadd has been busy making all of the arrangements for the burn, which is scheduled for Oct. 19 on a piece of land owned by the city near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. Patrons will gather across the river on Shooters to watch, paying $15 apiece for the privilege. The event is a benefit for “Brick by Brick,” the nonprofit Simone set up to build structures for the poor in South Africa.

Total costs will be around $50,000. Gadd is paying to have the Cleveland Fire Department crew on hand and the city’s Emergency Medical Service nearby. He’s flying in the Guinness judge. He hopes ticket sales and sponsorships help cut down on overhead and bring in more money for the charity.

It’s an attempt to re-frame history, says Gadd.

“We take a lot of heat in Cleveland as the Burning River City. Yet it became the catalyst for a lot Cleveland pride, including environmental movements, breweries, and a whole lot of 'Hot in Cleveland' fame,” he said. “It’s a unique part of our legacy that we can embrace and give new meaning with such a magical spectacle.”

Here's a video highlight reel of the 2009 record-setting burn: