TRAINWRECK'D SOCIETY

Sean Jordan [Interview]

I need to preface this introduction by giving a full on apology to Sean Jordan, one of my favorite working comedians of the now. I am writing this introduction on May 5th, 2017. As you will notice, that is just a few days shy of 5 months after this amazing interview was published. This is for two reasons: 1) I am a total dick and 2) (time for the excuses) I released this interview during my transition from southern Spain to the Suffolk region of England. And totally dropped the ball with the site for a few weeks during that transition. And Christmas was happening and stuff. So, again, my sincerest apologies to Sean Jordan, who again, is one of the finest comedians of the now that you absolutely must check out. Now for a more formal and deserving introduction.

God dammit I love Sean Jordan. He is exactly the kind of person I want to see standing in a room with the full desire to make me smile. His light-hearted take on life and the misery all around us is not only entertaining, but absolutely admirable. He comes from a time and place that I am very specifically familiar with. As a kid growing up in the late 80’s and early 90’s, moving into the teen years at the later part of the decade, it was a very specific time to be alive, and Sean Jordan can tell you all about it in a truly beautiful way. And, as die hard Jordan fans will already know, he hails from one of the most wholesome parts of the country you could ever imagine, yet have probably never experienced, the midwest. Specifically, Sioux Falls South Dakota. For anyone who has spent some time in South Dakota, you will automatically know that Sioux Falls is definitely the “big city” for that region. (Random fun fact: Ellsworth Air Force Base, based just outside of Rapid City, is the 5th largest “city” in the state of South Dakota). And what is the best thing about all of this? Sean has ZERO shame in any of this. And why should he? He loves what he does, where he came from, and is destined to delight audiences for decades to come.

Recently Sean Jordan has developed a worthy following as a “guest”, more of a co-host at this point, on the brilliant and creative podcast All Fantasy Everything, hosted by another brilliant comedian (hailing from my beloved (sort of) homeland…shout out to Beaverton!) Ian Karmel and also featuring a new favorite comedian of mine who is also a “guest” on the show David Gborie. If you haven’t listen to this amazing podcast, please fucking do it, right now. I mean, read this incredibly thoughtful and personal interview that Sean has graciously provided us. And then go and listen to the brilliance of Karmel, Jordan, and Gborie who have a synergy that is beyond comparison to anything you have ever heard before. I guarantee it.

So, again, with apologies to this very hilarious comedian, I would whole-heartedly love to (re)introduce to you all, the great Sean Jordan!

What made you decide you wanted to join the world of comedy? And what were some of your earliest comedic influences?

I honestly had no clue I wanted to be a comedian before I started. The first stand up show I went to was Bobcat Goldthwait and I absolutely loved it. I think I was around 23 or 24. I remember the MC being super funny and dry and I thought to myself that it was kind of how I was just in general. I think I mentioned something about wanting to try stand up while I was at work one day and then a coworker heard an ad on the radio for a comedy contest and he told me I should enter. I ended up entering and winning but not because I was any good of course. I brought something like 80 people to the show so they all just voted for me and that kind of sealed it. I did fucking terrible! I remember my first set pretty well and still have the note cards from it. Not a single actual joke, just a bunch of ideas that didn’t have punch lines or anything. As bad as I did though I was still super into it from jump. It was one of the best feelings in the world getting off that stage and just thinking “I did it, I actually got up there and told jokes to strangers.” Nothing has ever made me more nervous in my entire life and I love that feeling. I still get nervous but in a good and exciting way.

My earliest influences were the comics that came to the club that I really enjoyed. I still love them to this day. Tommy Johnagin, Brendon Walsh, Andi Smith and Brett Erickson to name a few. A couple years in I started to pay attention to people like Doug Benson, Paul F. Tompkins, Sarah Silverman and people from that class.

So, what was the stand up scene like when you started out in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where you are originally from? Were there any other local talents in such a specific area of the country?

The scene was VERY small in Sioux Falls. There were 2 other comedians that actually lived in Sioux Falls when I started. There were 0 open mics so the only place to work was the comedy club as a host for the shows. The only way to get to host was to win the contest pretty much. After I won they invited me to start hosting. Looking back that was a horrible way to start developing material but it was fantastic to get comfortable in front of people. I was doing 1 or 2 shows a week and gradually one of the comics kind of fell off so it was just myself and another kid who would host shows. I started doing 4 or 5 a week and he would cover 1 or 2. My friend Jon started doing stand up a year or so after I did so then he would do a show or 2 a week as well. Eventually the club closed and there was nowhere to do stand up in town. I know that sounds ridiculous but there was literally nowhere doing shows or open mics for 2 or 3 years! That’s pretty much why I moved. I hadn’t done stand up for years and I was bummed because I knew it was what I wanted to do. That ultimately brought me to Portland which ended up being the best decision I’ve ever made.

The scene in Sioux Falls is getting a lot better now though. There are a handful of very good comedians, open mics, a record store called Total Drag that is amazing about putting on shows and a comedy just opened back up in town. I love all of that.

In 2009 you became a Portland transplant. What made you want to move to the PDX area? Did you know any comedians working out there? And what was your overall thoughts on the comedy scene out there?

The reason I moved to Portland was kind of touched on in the last question but I’ll dive in a little deeper. Portland was never the destination, I just knew I wanted to leave Sioux Falls. I had never really left before so I was kind of scared to go on my own. I had some friends who decided to move from Sioux Falls to the west coast but they didn’t know where. I told them if they moved and got a place to stay that I would come live with them as soon as they were settled. They tried San Fran but couldn’t find a place or jobs so they just ended up going up the interstate to Portland and found a pretty dope spot. I look back on it and it was in an amazing part of the city for pretty cheap considering it’s Portland. They moved in and had an extra room just sitting there! I got pretty lucky with my job as well because they had a branch in Portland I could transfer to. So in the middle of a recession I got to move to Portland with a dope place to live, 2 of my best friends in the world already there and a job waiting for me. It couldn’t have been a better situation. I didn’t know any comedians at the time but I ended up doing another comedy contest in 2010 in Portland and met a bunch of people that would end up being my friends to this day.

I moved to Portland at the exact right time for comedy. The scene was always good but in 2010 they started the Portland comedy contest up again so I made it just in time for that. The next year The Bridgetown Comedy Festival started up again after a year hiatus and Helium Comedy Club opened up. Those 3 things really pumped some life into the scene again and I got to be there for the start of all of it. I was very fortunate in that way.

You recently moved once again to what seems like the most logical place, Los Angeles. Looking back on your experience in the Rose City, how you do feel about it? And what was your main reason to move to L.A.?

My experience in Portland was probably the best time of my life so far. The excitement of leaving Sioux Falls for the first time made the summer of 2009 the best ever for so many reasons. Then i moved to Portland and learned how to live away from home and also learned so so so so much about stand up and what kind of person I was. It taught me so many life lessons and I’ll always love Portland for that.

I’m excited to be in LA for the same reason. The possibilities are endless here and it’s just another chapter in my life. It’s been almost the same situation here in that my best friend had a room that he wasn’t using that I just moved into. So I got to come to LA and instead of having to search for a place I had a room here with a friend built in. If it weren’t for that I honestly might not have lasted here. I moved because I was just thinking that if I don’t now then I never will. I don’t want to look back and think “what if?” So I said fuck it and moved. I didn’t have a job waiting for me or anything, no manager or agent but I do have confidence in my ability and hopefully that’ll be enough 🙂 Things have a way of working out and that’s what’s been going on since I got here. I’ve never been more nervous about life or worried so much about money but that’s kind of part of the deal I think. This city can break you down and you have to realize why you do stand up. If you’re in stand up to make money or get fame then chances are you’re in the wrong business. It can certainly happen but I feel it only happens to the people who are in it for the love of the game which is something this city will pound into your head. I’ve been here for almost a year now and it’s very hard. I stick in there because I love doing it though and I feel like as long as you work hard and work for the right reasons that good things can and will happen.

While we are discussing your continuous globetrotting, would you be able to enlighten our readers as to where some of your favorite places to do stand up are? Are there any middle land areas that surprise the left and right coasters of the country?

Performing can be fun anywhere! It’s such a universal thing that everyone enjoys. My favorite places to do stand up are Minneapolis, Denver and Portland. I’m sure that comes as no surprise to anyone 🙂 I’ll say this, the first club I ever did a feature set at was in Peoria IL and it’s still pretty fun there. I don’t think a lot of people would see that one coming. Also Madison WI. They have one of the best clubs I’ve ever worked! It’s a college town so it’s very fun to go to. Tell jokes, walk around campus, get drunk with college kids and grab some late night pizza! Do that for 4 days and then go home and sleep for a week 🙂

You have been one of my favorite comedians to appear on the brilliant contest driven podcast Doug Loves Movies, hosted by Doug Benson. I am always excited to notice that you will be on the show. So how do you enjoy your appearances on the podcast? Is it as fun as it sounds like it is?

I absolutely love going on DLM and it is as much fun as it sounds. Doug has helped me out in stand up more than I could have ever asked for. So when I was in Sioux Falls bar tending and not doing stand up because thee was no club, Doug texted me out of the blue one day. I got a text saying “Hey, I’m in town. We should grab a drink.” I had no clue who it was but it turned out to be Doug and he was in town doing a college. He ended up coming to the bar I worked at after and talked to me a little about moving. He said that I needed to and wherever I ended up he would do his best to help me out. When I was in Portland he let me open for him at a theater which was my first big theater show, he pretty much got me into the comedy club as a regular act and had me on DLM for the first time.
So what does the future hold for Sean Jordan? Anything you would like to plug here?

I don’t really know what the future holds 🙂 I’m trying to get writing jobs and late night sets of course but it’s a pretty long process. I’m just gonna stick it out in LA and work my little pooper off! Hope for good things.

The only thing I wanna plug is stand up comedy in general. Go watch some live stand up and enjoy it 🙂

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Doesn’t take much to make me smile 🙂 I got coffee today and walked around the mall a little and there was a kid in a stroller with little antlers on his head. That made me smile BIG. I love the holidays.

Adam LeFevre [Interview]

We certainly love a good character actor here at Trainwreck’d Society. And hot damn if we don’t have a wonderful actor to showcase today. Adam LeFevre has probably been in your favorite movie. He’s probably been in your mom’s favorite movie. Hell, he’s probably in your pot dealers freeloading girlfriend’s favorite movie. Seriously, for close to 40 years, Adam has been in just about anything. In fact, he is actually in MY favorite movie. And for avid fans of this now 20 year old gem of a film known as Beautiful Girls, you will definitely remember him as Victor The Meat Cutter. He was sort of the “villain”, who really didn’t deserve such a title, but when you build a divinity for Michael Rapport’s senseless character in that film, you didn’t want to like Victor.

So, of course, we were so delighted that Mr. LeFevre was willing to talk with us a bit about Beautiful Girls, acting in general, and a nice quick conversation about a very admirable and illustrious career. So, feast your eyeballs on some great work from a wonderful actor. Enjoy!

When did you first decide you wanted to join the world of acting? What were some of your earliest influences?

I began college as a pre-med student-athlete (football, baseball). Gravitated to the English and Theatre departments.I remember being thoroughly smitten when I first watched Brando’s performance in On The Waterfront.After a few decades as an actor in so many different types of mediums, what would you say has been the greatest change in the profession, for better or for worse?

After a few decades as an actor in so many different types of mediums, what would you say has been the greatest change in the profession, for better or for worse?

I think the greatest changes in the actor’s media in my time have been technical. The new technical possibilities have been both a blessing and a curse.. A blessing in the amazing range of new effects possible; Faustian to the degree the “human element” has been sacrificed or marginalized.

So, I honestly have a very specific reason I was hoping have you on the site… You portrayed none other than Victor The Meat Cutter in one of the greatest films of all time. And depending on how rational of a person you are, some might say you were the “villain”. So, I have to ask how that filming experience was for you? Was it as fun as I could imagine?

Filming Beautiful Girls was delightful. Working with Teddy Demme was delightful, and I still miss him. I never thought of Victor as a villain. He’s just a small town butcher looking for love.
If you could portray any famous world leader and/or dictator in history, who would it be? 

Dictator/world leader? Henry VIII because he was a rational man consumed by his passions. Or maybe Nikita Kruschev, a teddy bear or a grizzly bear depending on one’s point of view.

In your long illustrious career, you have played characters who tend to have a plethora of different occupations. That being said, what would you consider to be the most difficult occupation to portray?

I don’t think any one occupation is more or less difficult to portray than any other. Because you’re never portraying an occupation. You’re portraying a person.

When you look back, what would you consider your greatest non-artistic achievement?

I consider my children by far my “greatest achievement”.

So, what does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug here?

Two films about to be released: Gold, with Matthew McCoughahey, and Almost Paris, directed by Domenica Cameron-Scorsese.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

The last thing that made me smile? Just now, remembering Ted Demme and working on The Ref and Beautiful Girls.

Greg Proops [Interview]

There are a lot of comedians out there who have left a mark on my fragile mind, and today you are lucky enough to hear from one of them. Greg Proops is an amazing comedian who has a brilliant perspective on life and love and everything in general. The casual reader will remember Greg from Who’s Line Is It Anyway?, and the avid reader will know that he is one of the finest stand up comedians that has graced the comedy stage in the last 20 years. He has an amazing podcast as well, so be sure to get yourself on the Proopcast wagon!

And with that, we are so damn happy that Greg decided he would like to share a few words with us. He really didn’t have to, but we are so damn happy that he did. So, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Greg Proops!

How did you find yourself in the world of comedy? And what keeps you in the business?

I wanted to do it since I was a teenager. The freedom and being treated as an adult drew me in. The audience interaction keeps me in. I love the dance.

What are you thoughts on the modern world of comedy after so many years in the business? Are things better? Worse? Same?

Better, more Women and People of Color. The worse part is there are still too many sexist asshats. The internet has allowed us all to be free agents.

You’ve been a cast member in both the UK and U.S. versions of the hit sketch based game show Who’s Line Is It Anyway?, so what would you say was the biggest differences between the two versions? And which audience did you find the most receptive to this style of show that was unlike any other?

The money. The audiences are mad enthusiastic on both sides. We did the Palladium in London this year and the Adelphi last year and it was bonkers. I am very lucky to work with so many great improvateurs and visa versa.

If you had to pick one, what would you consider your favorite bit you have performed on either version of the show?

Tony Slattery’s pants split once at taping in London. I saw more than I wanted to. I prefer the Live version I do with Ryan Stiles.

You have a plethora of voice over gigs under your belt, including 5 seasons as Bob The Builder and Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Meance. So I’m just wondering how much do you enjoy these gigs? And what has been your favorite gig thus far?

I’m working on a new movie called Duck, Duck, Goose and it should be great. I loved Nightmare Before Christmas and I have had the pleasure of performing it live the last two years with a full orchestra, Danny Elfman, Catherine O’Hara and Pee wee at the Hollywood Bowl. That was like being in an opera.

I really enjoy Proopcast, by the way. But, for those out there who may not be familiar with it, what do you believe it is that sets your podcast apart from the increasingly large amount of comedian driven podcasts these days?

I’m not a misogynist. And I speak to issues.

When you look back on your obviously illustrious career in the world of comedy, what would you say you are most proud of?

The podcast. My Wife Jennifer and I have put our hearts into it.

So what is next for Greg Proops? Anything you would like to plug?

The podcast is always happening. The Greg Proops Film Club rolls on, next episode we show The Apartment on December 7th at Cinefamily. My paperback of The Smartes Book in the World comes out in February. I also ell continue being a satirical voice opposed to Trump and all he stands for. Racism, sexism, bigotry and xenphoboa.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

The windows at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. (See below)

Watch Greg for yourself at one the following dates:

12/07 Cinefamily-Greg Proops Film Club -The Apartment in Los Angeles, CA

12/14 The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, CA
12/29-31 (Podcast on the 29th) Punch Line in San Francisco, CA

1/09 NerdMelt in Los Angeles, CA
1/15 Vodkast – Bar Lubitsch in West Hollywood, CA
1/26-28 (Podcast on the 26th) -Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington Virgina
3/05 The Crocodile in Seattle, WA

Hans Bauer [Interview]

If I have learned anything from running this site for the last 5 years, it is that sometimes you strike gold without a whole lot of effort. We have done it today, folks. As I mentioned before (probably last week) we LOVE film and television writers. They are some of the most respected artists, who ironically enough do not receive enough respect. The story starts with them. They are the idea men. Even when excess individuals enter the picture and twist the story around, as it can happen sometimes, it was still THEIR story. When you see these strange visuals and exceptional storytelling brought to the silver or television screens, it all started as stimulation of some creative human being’s brain. It is a truly fascinating process, and deserves a showcase on a far more grand of a scale that it currently is today.

So back to striking gold: I discovered Hans Bauer while digging through the dark and dusty proverbial alleyways of the internet with only the intention of possibly getting some words from the dude that once wrote a screenplay about a giant snake. But, what I got was so much more. I got some beautiful insight that is on par with the insight and surprise I received from the likes of Frederic Raphael over 3 years ago. I got brilliance, and I am so happy to share it with you fine folks. This man is a writer’s writer, and I definitely don’t mean that in an insulting way. I really dig Mr. Bauer, especially after how he handles my unfortunate use of autocorrect and made him a transplant to America from a country even further away than he actually came (read below, you’ll understand and remember that I am a very simple man). So please enjoy some great words from one of my new favorite writers of anything, Mr. Hans Bauer!

How did you get into the world of screenwriting? What inspired you to get into the business?

As a fluke, really. I’d gone to San Francisco with a vague idea of starting a life there. Unable to find an affordable apartment, I thought I’d give LA a try. The day I moved in, the guy below me was moving out; he’d sold a script and was able to afford a house. So it hit me: I’d take a shot at this thing called screenwriting. I got very lucky, very quickly, was hired to write some scripts, optioned a few of my own. Most were sold off pitches, which I quickly realized was my strong suite. If they wanted the idea, they had to give me first crack at the screenplay, always with the implied understanding that I’d likely get booted as soon as I fulfilled my obligation. Point being, producers REALLY LIKED THE IDEAS. It did, however, take another two decades to actually get something made.

You penned the screenplay to the severely underrated 1997 suspense film Anaconda, which I honestly enjoyed very much. Can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to write this script?

Thanks. Anaconda was, in part, inspired by a misunderstanding. Once in a while I’d see a nature film that featured an anaconda, so, obviously I paid attention. How could you not?  It’s a giant snake, for Christ’s sake, there’s got to be a movie there. The misunderstanding had to do with the original King Kong. Looking at a grainy print, I saw the giant ape battling a giant snake, and how cool is that? Years later, when viewing a cleaned up print, it turned out I was wrong: Kong wasn’t battling a snake, but a giant lizard. That time I was able to make out the little lizard feet. Anyway, that’s how it happened.

Anaconda is not a film I’m thrilled about, meaning it has very little to do with the story I scripted. Mine had nothing to do with a National Geographic team looking for a lost Indian tribe, which, if you ask me, is bullshit. The fact that it found a global audience and became a brand has much to do with the studio hiring actors who covered almost every known demographic. That’s my theory.

My original draft: In an epic adventure, twenty-something, middle-grade biology teacher Andie Easter and six young colleagues, in the dead of a Chicago winter, hatch a plan to spend their summer in Brazil, hoping to reverse their meager fortunes by joining a modern-day gold rush on a tributary of the mighty Amazon.

Disoriented and increasingly isolated, the treasure hunters stray into the remote domain of three colossal snakes: daughter, mother, grandmother. One by one, under terrifying circumstances, the teachers fall victim to the devastating effects of gold fever and the relentless brutality of the primeval South American jungle. Andie Easter must discover her inner Amazon to avoid becoming prey to the Mother of All Snakes.

I recently novelized Anaconda (Anaconda: The Writer’s Cut) in order to get across my original vision. Fingers crossed that someday Sony will make a new version and that time get it right.

Titan A.E. was also amazing as well. I’m curious to know if it was always planned to be an animated film? And what are your thoughts on the end result as a film?

Thanks again, but Titan A.E. also had little to do with my involvement. How candid am I allowed to be here? I’d been developing a concept for a galactic pirate film (Treasure Planet) with a wanna-be producer friend who later went on to head a studio. When he got to that position, he ripped me off and turned the project into an animated TV series, somehow forgetting to mention that I was his contracted partner. I sued and we settled out of court. The guy’s next plan was to use a lot of the same material for an animated feature. That time, the studio bought all my material (a lot of it was just notes to myself) up front, and threw in a co-‘story by’ and a meaningless producing credit.

If you were to give any piece of advice to an aspiring screenwriter, what sort of advice would you give?

What can I possibly offer? My career has been a fluke. I beat the odds, got lucky over and over again. I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but accept that it had a lot to do with the strength of the ideas, even if I am the one saying so, and not the actual writing. Not very helpful, am I? Hope I haven’t wasted your time.

If you could pen the script to any tragic event in Australian history, what would it be?

Actually, I’m an Austrian citizen with a Green Card, been here forever, not Australian, and know little of the history of either country.

But you mentioned Australia, and I have been toying with a story set in the South Pacific. I’ll quote from Wiki: In the annals of our World Wars, there have been many atrocities committed by our kind against each other. The South Pacific during World War II holds a special distinction for being an especially brutal and savage killing ground the likes of which humankind has never seen before or since. Yet one of the bloodiest and most horrifying massacres in the history of the war came not from the hands human beings, but from the jaws and teeth of the animal kingdom. During World War II on one remote island in the South Pacific, a platoon of nearly a thousand armed Japanese troops entered crocodile infested swamps and most never returned; a disappearance that, if reports are to be believed, would make it the single greatest instance of carnage caused by animals in history.

So what does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to promote?

The future doesn’t hold much in the way of new material. A half-dozen bought or developed scripts (Young Wizards, The Tree, some others) are still in limbo at various studios, so there’s that, Have a co-authored (Craig Mitchell) script, Motorcade, over at Dreamworks for over a decade. I occasionally hear rumblings that they’re still developing it, so we’ll see. Another script, Fishtale, is in turnaround at Sony, maybe someone will pick that up. Also have another dozen scripts (Snake, The Pet, Marooned, Texicano, among others) that have never been shopped. But mostly now I’m interested in writing novels and in my photo-based art.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I smile when I reflect on how well my new novel, Spicewood, is turning out. And when I see the images in two new photo projects: a thoroughly convincing photo-based medieval tarot deck; as if someone had recently discovered a long lost tarot deck made with a prototype camera five hundred years ago, and with American Pickers, a collection of stark, black and white portraits of working Texas Hill Country musicians. Yeah, those speak to me.

Kerry Fleming [Interview]

Long time readers out there will be well aware of our avid love for the world of horror. Even more hardcore readers will know that we adore everything that happens around two of our favorite horror filmmakers and past interviewees, Tom Holland and Victor Miller. Both of these geniuses have been kind enough to cross our digital pages, and we are truly honored for this. And yet, they have managed to bring us even more in the likes of making us aware of the brilliant new screenwriter Kerry Fleming. And while we love Tom and Victor, today is all about our new dear friend Kerry.

Kerry Fleming has lived a full fledge life. He has been involved with the world of air traffic control for the greater part of his life, but the idea of writing for the screen and/or television has always been a niche in his mind, and he has now managed to make all of those ideas swirling in his head become a true expression of art. Our new friend Mr. Fleming has developed a brilliant new horror masterpiece that will be known to the world as Rock Paper Dead. He managed to get Victor Miller to assist on the script, and eventually was able to get  the great Tom Holland to direct. It is one of those beautiful stories that are always a damn good thing to hear.

But, let’s not let my inept and incorrigible introduction take away from the real story. We are fortunate enough to get some words from the great Kerry Fleming himself. So how about we read what he has to say for himself. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, Kerry Fleming!

So, for many years you were working outside of the film industry. What made you want to switch gears and become a part of the blood thirsty world of filmmaking & screenwriting?

In 2005 the Federal Government decided to privatize a section of air traffic control that included the group I worked in. After a stress filled year and a half I was finally re-hired for a unique workgroup tasked with protecting our nation’s airspace, but was forced to relocate to Washington, DC. It was during this transition that I had an idea for a Sitcom that revolved around the stress filled environment of air traffic control.

You have recently teamed up with our old friends Victor Miller and Tom Holland on the project Rock Paper Dead that seems quite intriguing. How did you come into this project? And what can you tell us a bit about the project?

Well, as I explained in the previous answer I wanted to explore how to make a sitcom and while discussing it with a good friend he mentioned that he knew a writer that might be able to help me. That person was Victor Miller. Victor agreed to act as my mentor and after completing the entire treatment for the sitcom (which I still plan to make) I started writing feature length screenplays. One day I had an idea for a horror thriller about a reformed serial killer who is haunted by his past and loses touch with reality. I pitched it to Victor and while he was somewhat hesitant at first (because he was thoroughly enjoying retirement) he did engage on the structure of the story and the character development. This went on for a few weeks until one day he said it sounded like fun and let’s do it. Over the course of the next several months we held weekly Skype sessions in which we discussed how each upcoming scene would play out and which of us would be tasked to write it. Last spring we were introduced to Amy Williams through Moveeman John T. Baker and Brad Lambert. Amy had an investor who wanted to work with her and although Amy had other projects she could have pushed, she loved our story so much she chose RPD. Amy was the one who brought in Tom Holland with the help of his son Josh and Vincent Guastini. The film is about a “cured” serial killer named Peter Harris. At the start of the film he is apprehended shortly after adding the lovely Angela Grant to his “doll collection”. Instead of getting the death penalty he is remanded to the hospital for the criminally insane, but several years later budget cuts force the staff to release several residents, including Peter. Peter initially believes he actually is cured and moves into his family’s ancestral estate. It isn’t long before memories of a tortured childhood and renewed temptations begin to unravel his sense of normalcy. When his new neighbor, the mysterious and beautiful Monica Barfield, enters his life that things get very interesting.

Now that the film is finally complete, what are your thoughts on the final product? Did the story you saw in your head become projected onto the screen?

It was very humbling watching the story unfold every day on the set, and now that it’s finished I am very excited to share it with the world. It was the story in my (and Victor’s heads) head and somehow Tom Holland managed to crawl inside my brain and make it come to life. I also have to give a big shout out to our DP, Yash Bhatt, for his camera artistry on this as well. I know I am biased in my opinion, but it is a very compelling story and will bring audiences on a roller coaster ride of emotions. There are scenes that will absolutely make people cringe, scenes that will scare and scenes that will just blow everyone away. I know it sounds like a cliche, but all the actors brought their A games. I know I have heard that term used before and never really knew what people meant when they said it. I do now. While you expect that from Tatum O’Neal, Michael Madsen, and Maureen McCormick, you will be blown away watching Luke Macfarlane, and Jennifer Titus as our leads. Add in superb performances from John Dugan, Anna Margaret, and Courtlyn Cannan and I think RPD will become a rousing success.

What were some of the first horror films you can remember watching, and have any of them influenced your work today, and how?

I always loved horror whether it was the classics of Frankenstein, Dracula, or The Mummy, or the B movies that Chiller Theatre would air on Saturday nights in the 70s, to the slasher subgenre that began right after that. All those films served as a base, but it wasn’t until the late 70s and 80s that I developed a deeper appreciation of the genre. There are several films that influence my writing because I found them so powerful the first time I saw them. Films like; Psycho, The Exorcist, Friday the 13th, Night of the Living Dead, Child’s Play, and the Amityville Horror. Rock Paper Dead is like a modern day Psycho, but with influences of the supernatual and slasher subgenres. It really has something for all fans of horror and our amazing cast is just icing on the cake.

When you’re not working on writing stories to frighten the hell out of people, what would one find you doing? What do you do for a bit of “me time”?

I’m still enjoying getting up every morning for my “day job” watching the skies for threats and protecting America. My wife and I spend a lot of time traveling together up to NYC to visit family, especially to see our son and his wife.

So what else do you have coming up in the near future? Anything to plug?

Funny you should ask! A friend of mine, Trent Moran, wrote a very cool supernatural thriller called Something’s on the Roof that he has asked me to help produce. We are in the process of putting together the team and to find funding. I have an 80’s throwback slasher script that I wrote called Opening Day that I would like to get into production right after RPD comes out. On the writing front, I am working on a story inspired by the haunted house I grew up in on Staten Island. It’s called Nefarious and it will be a set piece from the 60’s.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My wife, Karen and my Shih-Tzu Lucy.

David M. Stern [Interview]

Oh, do we have a great one for you fine reader(s) today! We have been fortunate to get some words from several television and film writers over the years, and today is definitely not an exception. In fact, we may have outdone ourselves with this one. Today we have the wonderful David M. Stern, a writer who has done some of the most influential work in the last 4 decades. His work ranges from starting off on The Wonder Years, moving on to The Simpsons (yes, the god damned Simpsons!), then to Ugly Americans, and so much more. He is seriously a genius, and we are so happy to have him on the site.

And to make things even better, I called in some help from a dear friend, and host of the Four Guys Drinking podcast, Scott Lawrence. Scott has a big ole brain just crammed with Simpsons knowledge, so he was the obvious choice to ask to throw us a few Simpsons related questions. So please enjoy a wonderful collaboration of questions with the amazing David M. Stern.

When did you decide to join the bloodthirsty business of television? What was your drive and motivation? And was it always writing that you wanted to do primarily?

My mother got me a journal when I was around 10 I think and I really took to it and began to appreciate the power of the written word very early. My brother Danny made it as an actor in Hollywood when I was around 13 and he would send me scripts he was auditioning for or parts he got along the way. Some scripts were incredible, some were award winning. But my favorites were the terrible ones because I’d read them and think ‘I can do better than this crap!’

You career was really kickstarted with your work on the first few years of The Wonder Years. Was it at all nerve-racking to become part of something so grand, at such an early stage in your career?

The Wonder Years was a total miracle job. I had only been in Hollywood for a few months. I met Neal and Carol, the creators through a mutual friend at the Circle Bar in Santa Monica. They knew I wanted to be a sitcom writer and they had already created Growing Pains. We really just hit it off on a personal level. They read a couple of the spec scripts I had written and gave me advice and notes. And then they told me that one of the ways they had made it in Hollywood was that they sent funny letters once a month to any producers they had met. I remember Neal asking, ‘how many funny letters do you ever receive from random people?’ The answer was zero. So it was great advice on how to get yourself noticed in a positive way and I took the cue and began sending them funny letters. Neal appreciated the effort and we began to pal around a bit, playing basketball together and stuff. Then a few months later, I was up at my brother’s house and saw the pilot for The Wonder Years, written by my new friends, on his desk. I snagged the script, xeroxed a copy and made it my religion. It was to this day, the best pilot I ever read. And at the tender age of 23, it was about the perfect show for me to write. I read it a hundred times and then I wrote a spec Wonder Years off that script as quick and well as I could, which was about 6 weeks. It was about Kevin’s first jr. high school dance. When I sent it to them, the show hadn’t even been cast yet. Long story short is that they really liked it. We went through a bunch of rewrites and things got a little hairy there for a little bit, in that I didn’t know if I would be able to cut it as a rewriter, which is really the job as a professional screenwriter. But, alas, I got it right finally and that episode become the 6th and final episode of the first season. The rest as they say, is history.

What would you consider your greatest achievement during your tenure on The Simpsons?

I had a lot of proud moments on The Simpsons. Writing the season premiere of season two, “Bart Gets An F” was a real highlight. For a long time it was the highest rated Simpsons episode ever as it was the first time the show went up against The Cosby Show on Thursday nights. “Kamp Krusty” which was the season 4 premiere was another highlight. “Duffless”, which was the last episode I wrote on my first tenure with the show was also a highlight as I think it may have been the closest a first draft of mine came to the aired episode. But my favorite of all may have been “Principal Charming” about Skinner falling in love with Patty. That was a tough storyline but it came out really good and I inadverently created two characters in that script that still get a lot of play – Groundskeeper Willy and Hans Moleman( who was I believe originally named ‘Kindly Elder Gentleman.’

Did you every believe that The Simpsons would have the staying power that it has had?

Nope. I don’t think anyone did.

A generation has grown up watching The Simpsons. What kind of impact do you believe it may have had on the way they live their lives?

Well, I think the simplest answer is that most people now understand and appreciate how cool animation is. That you can make comments in primetime using animation that never would have flown in a live action series. I also think that a lot of the satire of The Simpsons had, until that point, been only available late night. On Letterman and SNL. It brought that brand of sharp, cutting social commentary to primetime. Now it is mainstream.

What was it about 5 On With Alan Whiter that made you want to develop it for TV, as Ugly Americans?

Nice reference! Everything about it. Loved those shorts. Great, simple animation, I loved Devin Clark’s drawings. And the simple concept of monsters living among us in modern Manhattan, just accepted and kind of dumb and gross like everyone else. That essential comment of that series, I think, really dictated where I took the series on a much larger scale. That if Zombies and Werewolves did exist, society would quickly normalize them and soon they’d just be more everyday shmoes on the streets, trying to make a living and get laid and generally being stupid and common and flawed like everyone else.

This is an insanely personal question, which may not really have an answer, but I have to ask. I am a HUGE fan of Kurt Metzger. Did you hire him for Ugly Americans and/or what was it that he did that landed him that gig, which he was absolutely incredible at doing?

Anne Harris at Comedy Central brought him in. She is an amazing talent and knows everyone in New York. I didn’t know him or anyone else at the time. But as soon as I heard him I knew he was my Randall. I had to go to the mat for Kurt a little as he had no experience of any sort on VO work and there were others who were favored for the role, including Pete Holmes who went on to do a ton of amazing and hilarious voices for us. But I insisted on Kurt. He’s so great man. He owned that role. Brought a TON of his own stuff to the character. We’d write great stuff for him and then I’d tell him to riff on it in the booth. 3 out of 5 times, we’d go with his take on whatever it was. He was the perfect Zombie. I recently had an amazing dream about him being a zombie that I emailed to him.

So what is up in your world now? Anything you’ve been working on that you’d like to plug?

Just wrote my ninth Simpsons, “Kamp Krustier”. Other than that just hustling for work man. Nothing to brag about at the moment. Soon though.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Norm Macdonald’s memoir – Based On A True Story. He’s the funniest I think. Him and Louis [CK].

Corbett Redford [Interview]

I can hardly begin to explain to you all how much I truly adore our interview subject for the day, Mr. Corbett Redford. He is by far one of my favorite musicians, artists, and overall people I have ever had the privilege to meet both digitally and in person. He’s the kind of guy who simply gives off an essence of being a natural born sweet heart. A sweet heart, who also happens to be ever knowledgable about all things that are punk ass fuck, and writes hilarious songs about polyamory and living the life of a cat. He also touches on some very serious subjects, but still manages to create some wonderfully silly tunes. He is a brilliant artist to say the least, and we are so honored to have him on the site again, this time sharing some very nice words with you all.

Corbett has also branched off into the world of filmmaking. He is the man behind the Green Day executive produced upcoming documentary, Turn it Around: The Story of East Bay Punk. And believe me, I can’t think of any other person more qualified than him to tackle this amazing subject. Corbett has lived and breathed the East Bay punk scene pretty much his entirely life. He IS the scene, and there is no way this film is not going to be amazing with his creative force in tow. I am so excited to see the final product, which is coming soon. So, please enjoy a few words with our old pal, Corbett Redford!

Tell us a bit if you will about the formation of the now legendary comedy/punk/rock/brilliant duo (turned band, and back to duo when applicable) group Bobby Joe Ebola & The Children MacNuggits. How did this group come to life?

My bandmate Dan [Abbott] and I were both aimless, weird young men when we started the band in 1995 – Dan was 18 and I was 22 – trapped in a detached suburb of Oakland, California called Pinole. There are many versions of the story of our formation – really, I would say most importantly, at the time we both needed a creative outlet that wasn’t limiting. We always thought of the band as less of a band and more of a platform to share ideas – be it through music, film, writing, or events.

And where did the name come from? It’s definitely memorable and original, but what was the inspiration behind it?

We both stoned on the way to our first show. We didn’t have a name for the band and we needed to think of one. At the time in 1995, Ebola had just hit the Congo. In Pinole, where we lived, per capita there was more fast-food available than anywhere else in the nation. Visions of both the disease of Ebola and the disease of fast-food were swirling in our wild and high minds, I guess. Dan and I are both satirists at our cores, I think.

I recently had Jello Biafra, formerly of Dead Kennedys, tell me that though he doesn’t prefer the “poppy” sound of our music, but he needed to emphasize that we had “the best band name ever” – that was awesome to hear.

BJE also happens to have one of the most energetic and impressive stage shows I have ever had the honor of witnessing. Whether it’s in a full band in a downtown punk club or a duo setting with Dan in a book store, you have an undeniably wonderful energy. So what is your process? What are you looking to convey to an audience in a live setting?

I can’t speak for Dan, but I always want for people to feel included or at least my hope is that no one builds us up to be “more important people” just because we’re on a stage and amplified. I go into a show to release my demons, to spill my heart – that is the selfish “personal therapy” part of it. But more important than that, I don’t want people to get some idea that what we are doing is anything that they couldn’t do themselves. I think Chuck Berry once said, “Rock N Roll ain’t rocket science.” I think that idea demystifies things – makes it easier for someone to feel included or that there is no difference between audience and band.

BJE at a book signing at Powell’s Books in Portland, OR. Seriously, these guys can rock EVERYWHERE!

For those of us who have been following closely, you’ve been diligently working on an upcoming documentary called Turn it Around: The Story of East Bay Punk. Without divulging too much (“spoiling” as the kids would say) can you tell us a bit about it is going? When can we expect to see the film? And more importantly, why did you believe people should be interested in this scene?

The film has been a wild three year ride. I turned 40 and had my first kid during the course of it all. We’re done with the edit and I am just finalizing the mountains of release forms – the last stage, as they say. We conducted over 150 interviews, gathered over 35,000 photos & fliers, and over 500 pieces of archival footage. The film is a beast – I hope people dig it when it is out. No exact release date yet, but shooting for somewhere around the beginning of 2017.

It’s funny you ask the question as to why I think people should be interested in the music scene we cover in the film. Yesterday, I watched the end of the film as I was culling through timecodes and paperwork. I stopped my sorting and it hit me – our film’s ultimate focus is about the human need we all have to find a place to belong. A place we feel safe to be ourselves. With the recent rash of fear and sickness I have had since the US election results, suddenly I felt a new urgency for people to see what we have created in this documentary – which is really a story about the road to the emergence of the non-profit music collective, 924 Gilman in Berkeley, California.

Safe community spaces like Gilman existing are going to be more important than ever for outsiders who need a place to converge under the dark cloud of Trump’s America.

What made you decide to move into the film world? I know you have shot dozens of music videos in the past, but what inspired the job into full blown documentarian?

Like songs or music videos, it is another way to tell a story. I had started a documentary about a different subject years ago with my long-time friend and collaborator Anthony Marchitiello (we recently formed the production company Capodezero Films together) and it hit some roadblocks. Years later in 2013, my old hometown friends in the band Green Day were looking for a director for a documentary project they wanted to do about the history of the scene they came from – and BAM – I was plucked from the ether to helm it. I could have never predicted it would take this long or that it would be such an extensive telling of the local punk music history of the Bay Area – but here we are. Not sure what comes after all this – nervous and excited to see what life brings next.

Photo taken from eastbaypunk.com

So, you have managed to slide yourself into the adult world suddenly, and became a father to a beautiful little boy. As a father, I am not ashamed to drop this stereotypical question to another father: How has fatherhood changed you? And what do you believe it has done to your creative self?

That is a good question. It has changed my entire way of looking at the world and thinking about my life. I haven’t always made the healthiest choices – bad food, to drugs & alcohol, to the kinds of overwhelming creative projects I take on. The birth of my son has made me strive to shoot for a more sustainable, manageable and focused life – the less stress I have, the longer I get to live to see my son grow. I don’t want to miss anything. Suddenly, the major thing on my mind is turning my health around and making better choices about what I get myself into. I owe this epiphany to him.

In the past 20 years on and off with this band, we have played over 2,000 shows around the US and even jumped the pond once. Being a father makes me want to be home as much as I can be – I love to read to him every night before he goes to bed. So touring a lot doesn’t feel like a priority anymore. But music, art, film – creating those things? Those things will ALWAYS have a place in my life.

Dan used to quote the Dire Straits song “Sultans of Swing” when we we talk about slowing down our non-stop touring, recording, filming, publishing… “Harry doesn’t mind if he doesn’t make the scene. He’s got a daytime job, he’s doing alright” was the lyric. I can see that being me. So long as my wife and son have food, shelter and access to medical care – I can meet with a band a few times a month to hammer out the kind of musical weird shit that is important to me. This film has been pretty all-consuming for the past three years… so it will be great for me to have some time again to focus on music once the documentary premieres.

Let’s get deep here: For as long as I have known you, whether digitally or when we run into each other in person, I’ve always thought of you as a sort of “spiritual guru” for me. Obviously not in a religious sense, but just as a person who has the wisdom I seek to understand. So, in light of recent events in the states, you know what I’m talking about, would you be willing to over some words of hope and/or encouragement? Basically, in your own opinion, what do we do now? And are we going to be okay?

I made a statement the other day online that I think might answer this:

“[I have been loving] seeing Bernie speaking on every outlet the past week. No loss of resolve. No fingerpointing. Just plans. And ideas. All encouraging us to stay strong. To be sticks in the spokes of Trump’s inhumane plans. I don’t know about you, but I’m heeding THIS man’s every word as we all try navigate through the next four regressive years. Now is the time to reach out to others who don’t have the same means or privilege that you might. Build more community and networks of support. Thwart homophobia and transphobia. Destroy sexism. Crush racism. Fight on, fight together. Fight the fucking power.”

Bernie changed my life. He was the perfect person for me to learn about at the most perfect moment in my life. His spirit NEVER breaks and it is so inspiring to me. He reminds us that there is ALWAYS work we should be doing to make the world a better place. ALWAYS. A Trump presidency will just be a hovering reminder that everyday we should be active in demanding a better world and curtailing the powers that be.

We will be okay. Things are going to get more shitty. But I feel that progressive populism will prevail over authoritarian populism in the next election and when it does… we will repair the dismantling Trump and his inhumane cabinet will inflict on the human condition and NEVER let them get ahold of the steering wheel again. We will one day live in an Utopian Star Trek future, dammit – or hopefully my son will. And their will always be orange Klingons trying to fuck shit up for the rest of us… we just have to stand together like Sulu, Uhura, Scotty… and even vanilla-ass Kirk did.

While I know you are still actively knocking out work on Turn It Around, but are you able tot ell us what might be coming next? I’m sure you will have to promote the hell out of the film when it is released, but are we going to be hearing more BJE in the future?

Promoting the film will be fun – I really look forward to sharing it with everyone. I really couldn’t tell you what is next. BJE might shake the dust off. I might start some new projects. Maybe I will form a band with my kid? Kids like songs about poop and farts – so do I.

Honestly, I do have a vision for a new musical project I have been dreaming of putting together with some great people here in the East Bay. Maybe that wil get off the ground…

I have a few ideas for short documentaries about local and unique subjects involving the area I grew up in here in California – one is about an old comic store where I grew up and it’s crazy history and the other is about this freaky art installation I would always see on the side of the freeway near Oakland. Not sure what is next, but I know something will pop up. Whatever it is, I want it to be simple and low stress.

Find our more about what I’m up to at:
http://capodezerofilms.com

Home

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My son working on putting some of his first sentences together this morning. He gets so happy and proud when his mother and I understand him.

That’s all anyone really wants, yeah? To be understood.

Martha Kelly [Interview]

I recently fell in love with a brand new comedy that premiered earlier this year on FX known as Baskets. It is a series starring Zach Galifianakis, produced by Louis CK, and starring Louie Andersen as Zach’s mother. There was absolutely NO WAY this could fail with just these facts alone. Not to mention the premise of the show is god damned incredible. It was simply destined to be amazing. But, little did I know, there was going to be more. Yes, it is through this amazing show that I learned about the great Martha Kelly. A hilarious woman who simply blew my mind in her portrayal as the brilliant deadpan and sort of self-deprecating character named, well, Martha. I simply can not stress to you just how wonderful she is on this show.

And throw that, I learned that Martha is not entirely “acting”. Of course she is indeed acting, and doing great at it, but the character she portrays is very close to her own act as a stand up comedian, which I did not know she did as well. But, hot damn, I am so happy that I discovered her work. Her recent Comedy Central Half Hour Special is an absolute delight. I also managed to watch a plethora of videos of her work, and she has definitely moved to the top of acts I simply MUST see live for I kick the proverbial bucket. She’s a wonderful comedian, actress, overall human being. So, please enjoy a great interview with a great person, the delightful Martha Kelly!

Of all of the forms of entertainment there is to get into, why stand up? What drew you to this beautifully demented world?

I love stand-up because there are no auditions, rehearsals, or middlemen – you just write stuff you hope people will like, go to an open mic, and perform what you wrote. The audience gives you immediate gratification or rejection. To me, it’s the closest to a merit-based art form there is. If the audience likes you, you move up from open mics to booked shows and maybe someday quit your day job. You don’t have to convince casting directors or producers that an audience will like you – you just perform and see what happens.

What were some of your earliest influences? And what do you believe they would smell like after an hour special?

Some of my early influences were Rosanne Barr, Joan Rivers, and later Janeane Garofalo, Mr. Show with Bob [Odenkirk] & David [Cross], and a lot of other comics. I’d rather not speculate on anyone’s personal lives/hygiene.

You have been doing stand up for quite a while, and you are indeed a woman, so maybe you could give us some insight into women in comedy. Are we closer to losing the Boys Club mentality that has been projected onto the world of comedy? Have things improved at all? Basically, are we any closer to equality than we were 15 years ago?

I started doing stand-up in LA and then moved to Austin and did it there and have been lucky that both comedy scenes were full of really funny, good guys who treated women comics like peers and friends, not outsiders. I don’t know if there’s been a shift but there are definitely more women doing stand-up now than there were when I started, which is great. In general, it seems to me like there are tons of super funny newer comics of both sexes, which makes it really fun to go to open mics and renews my enthusiasm for stand-up.

Being a long time Austin resident, what are your opinions on SXSW? Have the changes in the set up bettered or worsened the experience for you? Or has being an on and again, off again resident desensitized you to the entire spectacle?

I like SXSW early in the week when all the stages are set up but there’s no garbage in the streets. The comedy shows usually get great crowds so I love that part. I don’t go to any of the parties or music shows because I’m a full-time dud.

What is the craft service like on Baskets? On a scale from 1 to Diabetes, how healthy are the choices?

Craft service on Baskets is terrific. We have a lot of healthy choices and plenty of comfort foods so that pretty much everybody on the cast and crew can find stuff they like.

Baskets — Pictured: Marrtha Kelly as Martha. CR: Frank Ockenfels/FX

Speaking of Baskets, how did you enjoy your time on the show? What is set life like with such a diverse and hilarious cast essentially doing improv?

Being on the set of Baskets is one of my favorite things of all time. It’s been one of the greatest sources of joy in my whole life, second only to when my niece and nephew were babies and I got to spend every day with them. The cast and crew are a bunch of talented, good-hearted people who I love spending time with every day. Louie Anderson is great to work with. He’s always been really supportive and encouraging to me even though I’m no where near as good as him at improv. Jonathan Krisel is amazing. He’s brilliant and super funny and very sweet. There’s not a bad egg in the bunch really, except for Zach, who is a goddamn nightmare.

So what is next for you? I hear you are doing a Spider Man flick or something? Anything else you would like to plug here?

After we wrap season 2, I’ll start working on stand-up again to hopefully record an album in 2017. I might also go back to school to finish my BA in English, and/or get a job in retail. We’ll see how it goes.

When you look back on your extended career in comedy, what would you say you are most proud of?

I don’t know if I’m proud of a whole lot – I always feel like I should work harder/be funnier. But one of the things I’d wanted to do for over a decade was a Comedy Central Half Hour special and I got to do it this past summer. We recorded in New Orleans and the Comedy Central Half Hour people made it a great experience. Could not have asked for a better audience/venue/overall experience.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My dog and cat slapping each other this morning.

Troy Ruptash [Interview]

I came to enjoy the work of the very talented Troy Ruptash when I first saw him perform as Marc Maron’s brother on Maron, which we talk about a bit in the interview. But, as I began to research more of the man’s credits, I soon discovered that he has a plethora of amazing work out there to be enjoyed. And I also learned that he has a very great story of perseverance and having to overcome so much to make it to where he has today in the world of film and television. He did some amazing work in films like Tortilla Soup and A Marine Story. Also, he will be appearing in the new HBO Original Series The Young Pope, coming the states soon. He is an amazingly talented man who can work in so many different realms, and definitely somebody to follow if you aren’t already.

So with that being said, let’s check out a few words from the great Troy Ruptash. Also, as a delightful added bonus, Troy has agreed to share with you fine readers a collection of some of his AMAZING art work. The boy also paints, as the old saying goes! Check it all out!

I have come to learn that you were once a thriving figure skater who came up just short of being on top…on purpose. And for some very dark and sad reasons. Would you care to tell our readers about what happened, and how did it eventually shape you into being the great person you are today?

I guess you’re referring to the time when I was ‘outed’ in the skating world. I was a competitive figure skater from the age of 9 or 10 until the age of 16. I was really beginning to excel in the sport and was competing at a high level ( 3rd in Canada in Novice Men’s, 2nd in Junior Men’s in Western Canada).

There was/is a lot of homophobia within the competitive skating world. I was a young… kid, really… coming to terms with my sexuality. Something happened where a few of my ‘close’ skating friends caught wind of a budding (clandestine) romance between me and another skater. Let’s just say they were not kind about it and basically decided that I was no longer worthy of their friendship. It was a very difficult time for me. I felt.. and was… incredibly alone. I didn’t have the fortitude at that time to face that kind of rejection from a world that was the only world I knew… and had been my ‘home’ for many years. Trying to cope with the amount of pressure I was now facing because of the level I was competing at .. together with that rejection from my ‘skating family’ was too much. I wanted out, but didn’t really know how to go about doing it, so basically I faked an injury during the 5 minute warm up before the final portion of a National competition. For those of you who have watched skating on t.v. .. it’s the 5 minute warm up you see that immediately precedes the actual competition. I came out of a jump… a well executed jump.. but then faked a back injury and withdrew from the competition. I never went back. I now say that it was the beginning of my acting career.
As difficult as they can be when they are happening, I believe that ‘dark nights of the soul’ are an integral part of shaping who we are as artists. One of my acting mentors once said… don’t relish or indulge your pain. Feel it… acknowledge it.. and then turn it into art.

And when did the acting come along? Was it something you always wanted to do? And what keeps you motivated and yearning to continue on as an actor?

I was in my senior year of high school. Living in Vancouver, BC. All my life I had been on the track of ‘competitive skater’. I hadn’t ever really thought about what else I would want to do. I never really thought beyond skating. I can’t even remember where I got the idea from.. but halfway through my senior year of high school I decided to audition for Ryerson Theater School in Toronto, which was/is considered to be on of the best schools for Theater training in the country. I had no experience…. I wasn’t one of those people who had acted since they were a kid and knew it was what they always wanted to do… I just … for whatever reason… decided that I was going to audition for Theater School… and I got in.

I think what keeps me motivated and yearning to continue today is craft. I once had a teacher tell a group of us students that it takes 20 years to become an actor. And that meant twenty years of studying… working… not just … 20 years of saying I’m an actor. In the last few years I feel like I’m really beginning to understand the wisdom and truth of that statement. I feel a connection to the craft of acting .. and a desire to continue to develop my craft as an actor in a way that I’ve never felt before. I’ve always been disciplined (largely in part because of my background as a competitive athlete) as an actor. I’ve always continued to take class… but in the last few years my understanding of what it means to have craft as an actor has hit a new level of excitement and appreciation. I thrive on it. I think it’s also the people who I’m now connected with (my artistic community) that keep me motivated and pushing on. I feel very grateful for the artistic community I am a part of.
You hilariously portrayed Marc Maron’s brother on his IFC Show, aptly titled Maron. As far as you know, where you playing closely to his actual brother? What was Marc’s direction in your performance?

Thank you for the kind words. Playing Josh Maron was one of those roles that really stands out for me in terms of my work experience. Up to that point I was always being cast in dramas. I love comedy and I especially love smart comedy… which I think Maron was. Josh was such a well written role. Every time I got a new episode I couldn’t wait to see what the hell was happening to him now. It was a great set to be on and working with Marc was really fun and rewarding. He actually didn’t get that involved in the direction of my performance. He was definitely involved and continued to tweak the writing of the role.. even while we were shooting, which I loved. As far as how close Josh was to his actual brother? It was never discussed. All I remember hearing Marc say in an interview once was that the show was a fictionalized version of his life.

Your episode at the corporate gig was one of the most heart-warming yet hilarious pieces of television I have ever seen. What was it like to shoot something like that? Did it get emotional?

That was definitely one of my favorite episodes. I thought it struck such an incredible balance between funny, funny stuff… and heartbreak. I thought it was extremely well written and so much fun to do. The ‘truth circle’ and the whole color coded Hawaiian shirts bit was very funny! That episode was a blast to shoot and yes… it did get emotional at times. I think that’s what made the writing so good.. and that episode contains my favorite line Josh ever got to say when he says to Marc, ‘I’m not interesting enough to make money talking to people in my garage’

We tend to get a lot of Soap Opera stars on the site (not sure the coalition, but it’s cool). You did a good stint on General Hospital recently! How was this venture? Was it different than working on a primetime show?

You know when General Hospital came along I had never auditioned for a Soap Opera before. I didn’t audition for GH either. It came as a ‘straight offer’… which was definitely fun to get… even though at first I thought… ‘did my manager leave a message for the wrong client’?? Suddenly, out of the blue, I get offered a Soap Opera??

I had a blast doing it… and I’ve probably never been so stressed out in my life. I had heard how quickly they move in terms of how much material gets covered in a day, but I really HAD NO IDEA! Holy shit!! And I shot my 6 episodes over 1 week and as the week went on I got more and more behind in terms of being prepared with the next day’s material. I had one real nightmare of an evening when I got home late… was reviewing my material for the following day… and then, at about midnight realized that earlier in the week I had somehow only printed out half of the material that I was shooting the next morning. Suddenly I had about 20 pages of dialogue that I had never even seen… and I was shooting it in the morning! I literally thought… I have no idea how this is going to happen. I am going to be fired!

So when you aren’t working, what can we find you doing? What do you do for a bit of “Me Time”?

I love to hike with my partner and our two dogs. I love working on our house. We have a craftsman bungalow that was built in 1923 and it truly is my sanctuary. I love looking at art and reading. I love to cook for friends… and I love watching ‘my stories’, The Fall, The Night Of, Night Manager. So much good television being made these days. I also like to draw and paint.

What would be THE role you would really want to do, but haven’t quite gotten to do?

I would love to play some historical figure. I’m too old for it now… but I always wanted to play Egon Schiele. (he died when he was 28… so… I think that ship has sailed). I love the research aspect of the work and I love transforming….. so the idea of researching and transforming into someone who actually existed is something I really long to do.

So, what is next for the great Mr. Ruptash? Any projects you would like to shamelessly plug here?

Always up for a shameless plug… so Yes! Actually I have several things that I’m very excited about. I’m in the upcoming Paolo Sorrentino HBO Series The Young Pope. I come into the series in the final two episodes. I think the series is going to get a lot of attention. Paolo is pretty remarkable.  http://www.hbo.com/the-young-pope

I shot a film in NY called Wildling with Liv Tyler and Bel Powley. The film is written and directed by a very gifted German filmmaker, Fritz Bohm. They are finishing that up now and it should be hitting the festival circuit at the beginning of next year. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5085924/?ref_=nv_sr_1

I did a small film a couple of years ago that I really believe in. I think it’s a very well made film by Hunter Adams called Dig Two Graves. It’s getting a limited theatrical release the beginning of next year. You can read a bit about it and check out a trailer here. https://digtwograves.com

And then I just finished shooting a very fun guest star on the new CBS show Training Day with Bill Paxton. Very fun role. That will be airing some time in March of 2017 I believe.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I have a morning meditation practice. I used to sit on the floor when I would meditate but the last while I’ve been practicing a mediation that requires me to sit in a chair with my feet flat on the floor. It’s a pretty involved meditation. Lasts about an hour and 15 minutes. I was doing it the other morning and at the end of it when I slowly opened my eyes.. one of my dogs had quietly crawled underneath the chair and was quietly sitting between my feet… I guess meditating with me.

And now for a little extra special treat for you find readers/viewers, Troy has been kind enough to share some of his amazing art work for us. It is truly incredible stuff, and deserves to be admired. So please enjoy, the art of Troy Ruptash.