History of The Talented Talent Bros -- Chapter II

Abnormal Stew’s opening in August 2005 was fast approaching and I was stretching myself way too thin. In the months leading up to our stage debut I had played the title role in a production of Hamlet and directed a production of Love’s Labours Lost. In addition to that I was working 60+ hours a week at the day job. As we learned in Chapter I, The Talented Talent Brothers had been a focus for nearly two years. Time had been invested … and like I always do, I pressed on.

I neglected my family. I neglected my health. I would pay dearly in time … but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

The Stew Is In the Pot

We hadn’t even taken the stage and we had already lost three Talent Brothers. The whole idea was originated with Clyde and Jabbar. When they left I was certain that bringing in a guy like Jef would be perfect. For a couple of days an extremely impressive actress named Paige Lussier was on board. Every time I started to gain confidence that this idea and this show would be something special … somebody walked.

I was frustrated … nobody was grasping hold of the idea, the concept, the gimmick. As a child, whenever I played with my brother, I was Robin to his Batman. Tonto to his Lone Ranger. I didn’t really want the spotlight. I wanted to showcase the talents of others and give myself a moment or two to shine. My focus would be to support the group … I never wanted to be a star; I just wanted to be part of something special. I would focus on the “business end” and try to get us as much press as possible. What would lead to success would be unity, a commonality. “If mama says we’re family, we’re family!”

Maybe I should have been more of a leader.

The week before Stew opened we had a blurb in the Village Voice, a listing in Time Out New York, been booked as part of the 2005 Fashion District Arts Festival and an exclusive interview featured on nytheatre.com. We had shot and edited a handful of cute, funny little skits to show on a television during the show while we made costume changes and such. What we hadn’t done is actually run the damn show. We had no idea of how it might flow … I was worried that it would run way too long.

This is where writing this little history gets tricky. It’s hard to write anything negative about people who I genuinely care about. But the truth is the truth, right? So, before we go any further, let me point something out. Today JB is a good friend and I respect him and his talents a great deal. The past is the past. We were both man enough to recognize our mistakes and make peace with them and each other. He’s grown and I’ve grown.

But back to August of 2005 …

I was stretched nearly to the breaking limit. My marriage was in jeopardy, my health was on the decline, my job was frustrating and Abnormal Stew kept trying to fall apart. Kat Castaneda wasn’t anywhere to be found, JB’s wife Tammy would be stepping in for our first performance, Jillyn McKittrick was obviously growing unhappy with the whole sock monkey idea and had her own issues … with her husband Chad, with me and apparently with Andy. I’ll leave what those issues might be to your imagination. Laz and Giselle were slowly evolving into a couple … at least something really good would come out of all this.

I scheduled a rehearsal at my place a few days before we opened. We would relax. We would have a little fun, enjoy one another’s company … and run the freaking show from top to bottom. We would get back on track …

… or not.

That rehearsal did not go well. Too much alcohol was served, too many egos were bruised. We never ran the show and JB left … quite literally just went out to smoke and was never seen again. We were hours away from opening … and I had no idea what was going to happen.

Give credit where credit is due: Laz Viciedo is one of the most talented and confident performers I have ever met. He would become a good friend and, in some ways, a mentor. I could riff with him better than I had been able to riff with any other actor or comedian … ever … and I’ve done this for a while. I wasn’t terribly worried about getting on a stage… I knew that, if push came to shove, Laz and I could take the ball and run with it. Giselle (who I also respect and love and who will forever be my sister) and Andy had some funny moments together that were can’t miss. Jillyn would be dressed in a ridiculous sock monkey costume. We would be okay.

But I was distracted, angry and frustrated. JB may have pissed me off, but he was my brother. You don’t talk shit about my brother to me. Most of the cast (Laz, Giselle and even Andy) tread lightly around the subject … at least with me. They were hurt and angry and they had every right to be. But they had the tact to be cognizant of my feelings – they expressed their disappointment and anger, but stopped short of insulting me or what JB and I had accomplished thus far. They made me aware of their feelings and concerns and I certainly appreciated and respected them for it. They could’ve just said, “Screw this!” and walked out.

All I could do was question all the effort, all the thought, all the money, all the time that I had committed to this project. I had put even more than I intended on the line. Was the whole concept of The Talented Talent Brothers worth even pursuing? I had made two new friends, Laz and Giselle, who I respected and appreciated … but my idea, my dream, kept trying to come crashing down.

Would Stew even open? And if so, at what cost?

History of The Talented Talent Bros -- Chapter I

Pretty much the past three years of my "professional" life have been dedicated to The Talented Talent Brothers. Very few people have any inking of the history of "the family" so I thought I might use this blog to outline our history. So, here we go ... chapter one ...

Pre-History

Drawn together by a love of entertaining, the Talented Talent Brothers were first formed as a germ of an idea during the winter of 2003. Four young men, all outgoing and outrageous performers, just happened to find themselves working in the same office trying to make ends meet. During frequent smoke breaks these four guys loitered in front of the building they worked in, hanging out, telling jokes, cracking one another up and slowly became something of a clique. A silly clique, but a clique nonetheless.

Spurred on by one another’s improvisational talents and work on a project where we were actually paid to make crank telephone calls, the four of us banded together to create our own “troupe” – something akin to 21st Century vaudeville – featuring music, dance, multi-media, film, comedic skits, stand-up and improvisation. We were (in alphabetical order) dancer and choreographer Clyde Bailey, actor Jonathan Brown, actor Jabbar McDonald and actor/director Rich Warren. We became The Talented Talent Brothers.

We knew right off the bat that we wanted to create something unique. We also wanted a unique selling point. So we decided that we’d create something revolutionary – a cross between The Ramones, the Marx Brothers, vaudeville and more contemporary urban comedians. So we became a family.

If Mama says we’re family, we’re family

In 2004, we held a meeting to develop material and wound up going about the process of naming one another. I have always been King (King Richard) – Jabbar added “Spade” and I became King Spade Talent. Clyde was a terrific dancer who could “boogie,” so he became C-Boogie Talent. At the time Jonathan had a full beard and looked extremely tough. Jabbar named him “Brawny,” Clyde added a “Big” and he became Big Brawny Talent. Jonathan hated the name, thinking people would associate him with the paper towels and simply took his initials to become J.B. Talent. Hell, I wouldn’t want to be called “Big Brawny” either. Jabbar already had the nickname “J. Rock.” And thus, the “brothers” were born … King Spade, JB, J. Rock and C-Boogie Talent.

We began writing material and also solicited material from others. I drew on some scripts that I had been working on in the late ‘90s – scripts that I had originally envisioned for a proposed sit-com loosely based on my own life and experiences. After placing ads calling for original comedic sketches to be submitted, we received literally thousands of scripts – and hated almost every one of them. Over time, most of 2004 in fact, the group met periodically to write, create and discuss what we could become, what we could produce. The desire was simple – to take charge of our own careers and to work together to showcase one another’s talents and skills. But things were not meant to be … at least, not yet.

Early in 2005 C-Boogie stopped working in the same office and the others slowly lost contact with him. I was already slated to direct a production of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus that summer and thought of it as a great opportunity for the three remaining members to work together. Perhaps we could use this as a springboard to get things rolling. J. Rock was cast in the title role with J.B. taking the role of Tullus Aufidius. But other commitments and a new job would force J. Rock to leave the production and force me to step in and play the title role.

And then there were two

Armed with some ideas of what the group’s first show could be JB and I decided to press on. We agreed, however, that we needed to fill out the rest of the “family,” so we began a months-long process of holding auditions and looking for new members. I recommended a fellow I had worked with on a production of Henry V and thus, Jef Cozza became part of the family – Ezekiel Talent, or EZ Talent for short. JB brought in a friend, Giselle Hyland and we were back to four – King, JB, EZ and Baby G Talent.

The beginnings of a script were ready. I would be a sock monkey. EZ would be He-Man. JB would be the wild and vulgar Dr Cockburn. Baby G would be the ingénue. The rest of the cast was filled out with the phenomenally talented comedian Laz Viciedo, young actor Andy Jacobs and the sexy Kat Castaneda. The show would be called Abnormal Stew, something of an homage to the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup. Rehearsals were under way.

Things aren’t EZ

And then another Talent brother fell by the wayside. Due to personal and professional conflicts, EZ Talent stepped aside … leaving Abnormal Stew in a little bit of a lurch. Once again it was time to scramble. I hesitantly took over the roles originally played by EZ and brought in actress Jillyn McKittrick to play the sock monkey. In some ways, I was disappointed – I had thought playing the sock monkey would give me a chance to live out my Harpo Marx dreams and be a (mostly) silent comedian. Who would've imagined how much I would come to regret that decision?

The revised group continued to rehearse Abnormal Stew and shoot a number of short films that would be presented during performances. An open-ended run at Where Eagles Dare Theatre in NYC was scheduled and the show would open in August of 2005.

After all of these starts and stops, personnel and personal changes, things were going to level out and this new adventure would begin. Little did I realize that sometimes changes come in waves.

Sports Rumblings

It's amazing that just over a year ago I posted this. What the heck happened? One of the benefits of being seriously sick lately is that I've managed to watch more than my fair share of ESPN. So, here are my recent thoughts on the world of sports.

Jose Reyes & The Mets Collapse

Much has been written about the how the Mets blew a seven game lead with only 17 left to play. A few writers have even noted that the collapse didn't just happen in September, but actually was something of a slow decline. But why? Why, oh why, did my Mets disappoint me so this year?

The CW11 and SNY crew repeatedly showed us graphics this year about how Reyes goes, the Mets go. Jose Reyes is the most exciting player in Major League Baseball. But he only hit .205 in September and his average dropped from near .320 to level off at the end of the season at .280. What happened? Did some tough love from Willie Randolph cause him to go into a shell? No ... in my opinion, the change came about from a needless firing.

On July 11, the Mets fired hitting coach Rick Down. Down had been the Mets hitting instructor since 2005, Reyes' first full season in the majors. That same day Reyes went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored at the All-Star Game. A week before Reyes was benched for not running out a grounder in Houston. On July 12 he hit his 9th career leadoff homerun. He was batting .317 -- and it slowly, gradually started to go downhill from there. Some thought bringing in Rickey Henderson would be of a benefit to Reyes -- the greatest base stealer of all time coaching the best in the business now at first base.

My bet is that the only thing Rickey improved was Reyes' card-playing.

Brett Favre

The Green Bay Packers are one of only four undefeated teams in the NFL and everybody is declaring him the comeback player of the year -- this after years of sports journalists only being able to write about whether he should retire or not.

Instead, the question that should be asked from now on is whether or not Favre is the best quarterback ever to play the game of football.

Last Sunday, Favre continued his march toward the answer of that question being a profound "yes", as he became the NFL's all-time leader in career touchdown passes in Green Bay's 23-16 victory over Minnesota, surpassing Dan Marino's old record that many felt would stand ... well, forever.

My Favorite Athlete

The best athlete I've seen recently wears #5 for the gold team in Lynchburg, VA and last week he scored his first goal ever. I played soccer for nearly all of my childhood and only scored one goal ever ... and this little boy is not even five years old and has already passed his old man. He's by far the youngest boy on the field ... but he's the sweetest.

And one of the greatest things I've ever seen in my life was his smile as he ran up and down that soccer field.

Ty Immanuel is my favorite athlete ... and I'm headed back down south next week to check out another couple of games.

The heck with the Mets ... I've got something much better to watch this October!

"Ladies & Gentlemen, I’m a Cook"

I'm craving Bar-B-Q right now … and it got me to thinking about a very special man I met when I was just a kid.

Christopher B. "Stubb" Stubblefield liked me ‘cause I was a nice enough kid who loved music, loved food and loved to dream. He also got a little bit of a kick that his birthday (March 7) was just a few days before mine (the 18th) and once told me, “you keep havin’ birthdays, you’re gonna wind up gettin’ as old as me.”

In 1968, Stubb opened the original Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant in a small, ramshackle building at 108 East Broadway, Lubbock, TX. The jukebox was filled with vintage Blues music. The place soon became the center of Lubbock’s musical community thanks to the man’s smile and his bar-b-q cooking skills. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, the Sunday Jam Sessions became as legendary as the bar-b-q. Tom T. Hall’s song, "The Great East Broadway Onion Championship," was written about an early-morning pool game between Tom and Joe Ely in which an onion from Stubb’s kitchen was used as a cue ball.

Stubb was more than "just a cook." To his many friends, family and those who have only heard the stories, C.B. Stubblefield was an exceptional being. He was another of Lubbock’s legendary figures whose memory lives on in the hearts of multitudes of bar-b-q and music fans everywhere.

Stubb died May 27, 1995 and was buried in Lubbock. I remember the funeral. The church was full … standing-room only … I was standing in the back. Half the congregation was black and half was white … which was fitting, ‘cause with Stubb one was no different than the other. Tells you something about the man who was being buried … a whole lot of black and white people ate food and listened to music side-by-side for the first time at Stubb’s. There was no race at Stubb’s … only difference between us was that some of us liked the brisket best and others liked the sausage.

After the service, I went and had a Budweiser. I remembered fondly how Stubb had told me once that the blues, bar-b-q and beer all went together … you needed a cold beer when you were working over a hot pit. Kept you from sweating too much. And it was good for ya.

Some of my favorite quotes from the man:

o "I was born hungry; I wants to feed the world."
o "Bar-B-Q? Makin’ do with what you got."
o "God born me a black man and I plan to stay that-a-way."
o "They build barb wire fences around old locomotives. I’ll be damn if they do that to me."
o "I guarantee you one thing, you ain’t gonna cook no better than I can. Another thing, you not gonna love people no better than I can."

Miss ya, Stubb.

Gawd, I’m starving now …

breakdown

what to do
with this doubt that I'm in?
fighting myself
I want to give in
where is my
forgiveness for sin?
fragments of soul
tossed into the wind

never-ending emotion
cause such a commotion
like waves on the ocean
caused by devotion

fading embers
breathe into them new flame
dance between
the drops of an ongoing rain
cut a path
my own road, never the same
can't be done
with only myself to blame

nytheatre.com Review of The Broken Jump

Just in case you missed it on the webpage, here's our first review for The Broken Jump:

Baby Hippopotamus Productions' The Broken Jump takes place during the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and tells the story of Julius McGowen, a wise-cracking, small time comic who has worked 20 years to realize his dream of hitting the big time. It begins with Julian and his partner, Milton Kean, arriving at a theatre in Grand Rapids, Michigan to find that their headlining status has been taken over by a 12-year old singing sensation named Christina Bell. To add to this slight, Christina is accompanied by her mother, Natalie, who Julius walked out on 13 years earlier to pursue his career. The child is not his but the sight of Natalie throws him for a loop: he still carries feelings for Natalie and her appearance acts as a reminder of what his life has not become.

The theatre is run by an ex-boxer named Jack Ruby and Jack has some problems of his own. A silver-haired, smooth-talking senator named Irving Drew is waging a crusade against the declining moral climate in the midst of the epidemic and targets the theatre's employment of the underage Christina as an example of this decline. Ruby's life, it seems, consists of fending off Senator Drew threats, paying health-related fines to an attorney named Mr. Klein, or patiently humoring a boisterous comic named Desmond Donegal, who spends all of his offstage time in Ruby's office, pushing at the bounds of his sanity. All this would seem to lie outside the sphere of Julius's responsibility but when tragedy strikes within the theatre, he is forced to take charge of the colliding events and, unexpectedly, an honest look at his life.

The Broken Jump lacks strong narrative cohesion. The sum of its parts don't come together in a way that allows the actions to build momentum and the characters to blossom, but the play is definitely worth looking at for the parts making up its sum. King Talent's script is especially effective at evoking the energy, atmosphere, and sheer tediousness of lives lived on the road. He is especially attuned to the dynamics of relationships forged between colleagues and competitors who are reconciling the pursuit of their dreams with the fear and disappointments which the chase has dealt them.

Director J.B. Lawrence also stages some wonderful vaudeville routines utilizing the smooth talents of his cast. King Talent as Julius McGowen and Tony King as Milton Kean successfully convey the impression that they've been working together for years. Caitlin Mehner proves her versatility by taking on the lead and the straight man in two very different sketches. Tony King also has some solo bits which capture the manic intensity of his character's desires. And don't venture too far from the lobby during the intermission: Jack Boice as Desmond Donegal belts out a tune that is sure to leave you laughing and happy.

Copyright ©2007 The New York Theatre Experience, Inc. All rights reserved.

Tickets are still available, so head over to SmartTix and order yours now!

Just Between The Three Of Us

Just between the three of us

Girls, I'm much older than I ever hoped to be
But we do what we must
Although I am lonely, at least I know you're free

I can hear your hearts from here
Laughter and music as you sing and dance and play
The greatest gift to my ear
The only thing that helps me make it through the day

When its early in the Spring
Rise with the morning and put on your Easter dress
We can do most anything
Race through the fields even though your hair's a mess

But hurry on out with me
So many things that we can still do with the day
All the world for us to see
Swim in the ocean and explore around the bay

Though I cannot watch over you
I know through these years that you've watched over me
I'm still someone to turn to
With God's grace I can be a show for you to see

You are always on my mind
I don't think that I would have it any other way
Maybe that suits me just fine
No closure when you constantly relive that day

Funny in a Dark Place

It's easy enough to fall
Bad reputation will have to do
Live my life, it might get rough
It doesn't matter at all
Until it happens to you
But haven't I lost enough?

Not hurt, just lost my smile
I don't quite know where I put it
It's been missing for a little while
Learning to live without it

Gotta find funny in a dark place

It's easy enough to speak
When I am afraid to see
In the midst of all my crimes
That deep inside I am weak
I can never pay my fee
Maybe I've just lost my mind?

Don't stand and applaud for me
Just because a tear streaks down my face
Oh Lord, please help me see
Your reward at the end of this race

And let me find funny in a dark place

Look up to see a blue moon
With it's light shining on me
Beating me down like the sun
Hum myself a little tune
Respect makes me take a knee
And decide that I am not done

Be strong for a little while
Kneeling in the dew and frost
Keep on looking for that smile
The world's not over because I am lost

Grasp hold of the funny in a dark place

“Before Vaudeville Dies, comedian Julius McGowen needs to get a life!”

Las Vegas' own Talented Talent Brothers return to the NYC stage in the World Premiere Production of The Broken Jump as an official selection of the Midtown International Theatre Festival. Performances July 21st through August 5th at Where Eagles Dare Theatre, 347 West 36th Street, NYC. General admission tickets are priced at $18 and are currently available at Smarttix.com.

After successful off-off Broadway runs of the zany comedies Abnormal Stew (2005) and Weasel Erotica (2006), playwright and eldest sibling King Talent has created something of a departure for the group, a comedic drama … with songs … set in a vaudeville theatre in 1918.

The Broken Jump

“Julius McGowen is a small-time vaudeville comic who has spent twenty years pursuing his dream of making the big-time and playing the Palace. He arrives in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the end of a broken jump (a "split week," as it were) not to find a stepping stone to success, but rather that a child performer has taken his headlining slot, a long lost love struggling to be re-ignited, a politician trying to make a name for himself by any means necessary and an epidemic outbreak of the Spanish influenza. Shaken to his core by these events, he must decide whether it's better to dream a dream he's always had or to live one he never knew existed.”

The Broken Jump features The Talented Talent Brothers (King Talent, Melissa Jo Talent, Matt "Mo" Talent and Tony King) along with Jack Boice, Dan Hernandez, Greg Homison and Caitlin Mehner. Direction by J.B. Lawrence, Musical Direction by Rebecca Sponseller and choreography by Naomi Austin.

About The Talented Talent Brothers

The Talent Brothers are sibling entertainers who originally hail from Las Vegas but have spent way too much time all over the United States. King Talent, the oldest, is an actor, writer and stand-up. Matt "Mo" Talent is an actor with years of stage experience on both coasts. Melissa Jo Talent, the youngest, is an actress and director. Tony King...boy, can he act. And dance? Hoo, let me tell ya...

Meet the Cast

Greg Homison (Senator Irving Drew) has recently returned to acting after a substantial intermission. He has recently appeared as Leonard in the White Horse Theatre Company’s production of Tennessee Williams’ In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel and at the Emerging Artists Theatre as part of their short play festival, Fall EATfest 2006. This will be his third stage appearance since his return. He is very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Baby Hippopotamus Productions and to participate in the Midtown International Theatre Festival.

Dan Hernández (Mr Klein) is thrilled to be a part of The Broken Jump and the Midtown International Theatre Festival. A recent graduate of Brown University, Dan's recent credits include the TSI/Playtime series show Sweetheart, Kryptonite Hearts at Theater for the New City, and Dan's solo show The Macho Society of America. In addition to acting, Dan writes screenplays, drama, fiction, and has even been known to dabble in (bad) poetry when "the mood is right." Dan thanks everyone in the cast and crew for their support.

Jack Boice (Desmond Donagal) feels honored and privileged to be joining the Baby Hippopotamus for the first time. He can’t even find the words to express how pleased he is to be a part of The Broken Jump and to work with such talented actors. Jack most recently played Judas in The Passion Play. He is also an accomplished guitarist who can be found playing all over New York. And if there are any of you out there that enjoy singing…He also hosts Karaoke nights in many New York City bars. If one would like to get in touch to find out where these events are being held please email jackboice@hotmail.com . He would like to thank God for the gifts he gave him, He would like to thank his Mother and Father for their continued love and support. He would like to thank Shannon Keyes for her love and patience. He would also like to thank King Talent for thinking of him for this project. Jack hopes that everyone that sees this play will love it, laugh and cry just as he did the first time he read it.

Caitlin Mehner (Christina Bell) is thrilled to be part of The Broken Jump. A recent graduate of Brown University, Caitlin was recently in the short film “Suburban Bravery” which was shown in theaters nationwide (produced by Upright Citizens Brigade and Screenvision) and the Off-Broadway show Stairway to Hell. Other favorite roles include “Roxie” in Chicago, “Cassandra” in Agamemnon, and “Cecily” in The Importance of Being Earnest. Caitlin also works as a choreographer, movement coach/consultant, and fight choreography. Thanks to my family and friends for their love and support!

Matt 'Mo' Talent (Jack Ruby) has been performing since childhood, but actually began to study acting in 1992, first with the De Anza Shakespeare Ensemble where he portrayed Hamlet/Polonius (Hamlet), Baptista (Taming of the Shrew), Friar Lawrence/Peter (Romeo & Juliet) along with studying fencing. He then went to study at the Foothill Theatre Conservatory where he played George Gibbs in Our Town . He has worked with Comedy & Tragedy Inc where he played the role of Watson (Death by Writers Block) and wrote/directed/performed in a one-act (why do we do it?). Before moving the NYC he worked with City Lights Theatre Company in And to All a Good Night, The Eight Reindeer Monologues and Cosi. He has also worked with Northside Theatre Company in such plays as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Maderatti and Holiday. With the family he has appeared in Abnormal Stew and Weasel Erotica.

Tony King (Milton Kean) has always felt honored to be included in the Talented Talent Brothers' group. He hails from Rock Hill, South Carolina and came to New York in 1999 to study acting at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Mr. King has starred Off-Broadway as Milton Derby in Mother Tongue and Andrew in Grease Pan Alley. Some Off-Off Broadway credits include Tom Wingvalley in Christopher Durang's For Whom The Southern Bell Tolls and Buck in Betty's Summer Vacation. Touring for a year with Chamber Theatre, Tony had the pleasure of playing such roles as the narrator in an adaptation of Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart and Jim Smiley in The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Caleveras County. He appeared last fall in our production of Weasel Erotica as well. Tony thanks those women that he loves for their support (Mom, Grandm, Colleen [love you baby! {she's my little sugar pie}]).

Melissa Jo Talent (Natalie Bell) is living proof that the kid sister can find a position where she can boss her big brothers around. A director and actor, she has directed the family in last year's production of Weasel Erotica and has appeared with family members in productions of Abnormal Stew, Love's Labour's Lost and Hamlet. Melissa has also performed at Rutgers; Twelfth Night as Feste, Margaret in London Theatre Academy's production of Henry VI, Part 2 and Beatrice in Cabaret's Much Ado. Thanks to King and Mo for this great opportunity to do something besides Shakespeare, the cast, Elli and the folks. Oh, and of course the little lord Jesus.

King Talent (Julius McGowen) has had one of the most non-traditional careers a performer could possibly have. He spent the first several years of his career living out of a beat up 1988 Nissan Sentra while travelling the United States staging everything from improvisational comedy shows to Shakespeare. His introduction to comedy came in the early '90s as a performer and emcee with Naked Comedy in Las Vegas. Later he would form his own theatrical company and continue to stage plays throughout the Southwest while also writing and directing TV commercials for McAlister Television. While in North Carolina in 1999 he wrote, directed and was featured as Groucho Marx in the revue Why a Duck? In 2004 he formed Baby Hippopotamus Productions and has since written and performed in our productions of She Said Maybe, Abnormal Stew and Weasel Erotica. While developing his own one-man show, King discovered the world of stand-up comedy and, being one to never shy away from a challenge, began to venture away from the world of independent theatre and deep into the world of the comic. He has two children, Derek and Ty, who mean the world to him and are the source of his smile. It's all about the Baby Hippopotamus!

Where Did All That Drama Go?

So, if you've read the blog recently, you know all about the threats of legal action taken against me and such. You'll also notice that all previous references to that nonsense has been removed. Sometimes it takes a while for things to sit in with me, but eventually I will come around to being the bigger man. The following is my email response, and the only mention of that ridiculousness that will appear on this blog ... I hope:

From: King Talent [kingtalent@babyhippopotamus.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 12:16 AM
To: 'jillynmck@aol.com'
Cc: 'andyacting@yahoo.com'
Subject: RE: Final chance to avoid legal action...

… and lovely to hear from you as well …

The videos in question (Remembering Abnormal Stew & Monkeypiece Theatre) have been removed from my public YouTube profile and will remain private. Although I have to admit to at first resenting the idea that you would want them removed I have done so, not in response to your threat(s), but simply to avoid the drama that was certain to follow.

Photographs from the stage production of Abnormal Stew continue to appear on our website as a historical record of the work we’ve done. I will endeavor to have those removed as well … which is unfortunate, because I am proud of the work we did with that production. Additionally, on a personal note, I made two very close and dear friends in Laz and Giselle in that show.

Because I continue to think fondly of both you and Andy, I do, however, feel it wise to give you this small piece of advice: please be weary about continuing to burn your bridges. You’re better than that. Lord knows this is the pot calling the kettle black … I’ve burned more than a few bridges in my day … and frankly I’m ashamed to have done so. In fact, I am ashamed to have even been bothered by your request. I’m better than that too. Much better. Your “request” and my initial response was a nice reminder that I, too, am far from perfect.

On a side note … is this why Hudson Shakespeare hasn’t updated their site in two years? If so, I would advise you to make peace with Luther and Ciccy, at least in-so-far as allowing them to publish pictures of your performances on their website. You did lovely work with them that you should be proud of and should celebrate.

Finally, the most disheartening thing about all of this is your tone. Had you simply called and said, “Hey King, would ya mind taking down those silly videos with me in the Sock Monkey outfit?” I would have done so in a heartbeat. Our relationship, whether personal or professional, was never formal. It would’ve been a great opportunity to catch up, see what one another is up to (heck Andy, I’m sitting on a killer part at the Midtown International Theatre Festival that you would steal the show with) and move forward from a better place.

I hope that you are well, healthy and happy. As always, you have my best wishes.

Sincerely,
~King

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From: jillynmck@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 10:11 PM
To: kingtalent@babyhippopotamus.com
Subject: Final chance to avoid legal action...

To: Mr. Richard Warren aka King Talent
From: Jillyn M. McKittrick and Andrew G. Jacobs
Re: Our likenesses on your website

This is the third request we have sent you. The first was sent via email on April 4, 2007 the second on April 17, 2007. This is your final chance to avoid legal action!

We are once again writing to ask that you remove our images from your personal page on the website www.youtube.com. Although we both gave you verbal consent to use our images during the run of the show, Abnormal Stew, for promotional and performance purposes – we never gave permission for continued use of those images. No verbal or written agreements currently exist between us and therefore we would both demand that you remove our images from your website and refrain from using our likenesses for any reason in the future.

We are aware that our images are used in your videos titled “Remembering Abnormal Stew” and “Monkeypiece Theatre.” If our likenesses appear in any other pictures or videos on this or any other website you control that we are unaware of, our request is applicable to them as well.

This letter is being sent via email on May 13, 2007 and I have left a message on your phone informing you of this letter. We expect removal of our images or other suitable response to this request no later than May 27, 2007. Should you fail to comply, you will hear from our lawyer in early June.

We expect you attend to this matter immediately.

Jillyn McKittrick and Andrew G. Jacobs

For Those About to Rock

The Broken Jump Update

Yes, it is official … The Talented Talent Brothers return to the NYC stage as part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival on July 15-Aug 5. Tickets go on sale very, very soon! Keep checking Baby Hippopotamus Online for dates, info on the show and how to get your tickets.

Had a meeting with JB the other day to get the ball rolling on everything. Gotta get auditions scheduled for a few parts and get this puppy into rehearsal. I imagine that it's gonna be a busy summer for the big, bad Daddy Hippopotamus ... what with The Broken Jump finally taking off, making some real strides as a stand-up (you can check out a couple of pics at my MySpace site) and promoting other events. Ah well ... I can always sleep in the fall.

The ride is about to begin again.

ZZ Top and Heart

So I’m surfin’ the ‘Net the other day and find out that a couple of my favorite bands are being honored at the VH1 Rock Honors this year – ZZ Top and Heart. Last year two of my other favorites were also honored, Queen and Kiss. Be sure to check it out May 24th.

Now being a card-carrying Texan, y’know I gotta love ZZ Top. In fact, one of my favorite concert experiences was catching the bearded ones at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum way back during the Eliminator tour. That was the concert where I saw the biggest doobie ever rolled in the history of man.

If I had to admit to having a celebrity crush, it would be on Ann and Nancy Wilson. I had always been a Heart fan, but fell in love with the ladies during the Heart / Bad Animals era. All those videos were so great … “These Dreams,” “What About Love,” “Nothin’ At All,” “Alone” … all satin, lace and hairspray. Sexy! Sure, in retrospect you can see how they tried to hide Ann’s weight and made Nancy the sex-pot … but, hell, I was a teenager. All I knew was that they were remarkably talented and if I got a glimpse of Nancy’s cleavage here and there, all the better.

And speaking of Kiss …

I grew up with Kiss. If you read this blog, you know I still love ‘em. If you check me out on MySpace, you’ll see that Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels and Peter Criss are all on my friends list. I love the music, I love the energy. “Shout It Out Loud” is playing in my house this very moment. They are the greatest show in rock-n-roll!

As a kid, Peter was my favorite. Part of that was because he was a cat, part of that was because he played the drums. When he left the band, I was one of the few to buy his first solo album, Out of Control. Man does it sound dated now, but I wore that vinyl out back in the day.

In the ‘90’s he released an album, Criss Cat #1, with his new band. It’s one of my favorite CDs to this day. And now there’s word that he’s actually going to release a new album within months … here’s the official press release:

Rock Legend PETER CRISS To Release New Solo CD "One For All" Worldwide July 24 On Silvercat Records Via Sony/Red Distribution From: Silvercat Records

PETER CRISS, founding member and drummer of iconic rock group KISS, will release his new solo CD entitled ONE FOR ALL July 24 on Silvercat Records, distributed by Sony/Red. The CD will be distributed day-and-date to fans across the globe.

An autobiographical collection of songs that Criss produced and recorded over the course of two years, ONE FOR ALL also includes several cover tunes that reflect his outlook on life at this point in his long-standing career.

The lead vocalist and co-writer of what to this day remains KISS’ biggest Billboard hit, Beth, which also went on to win a People’s Choice Award, Criss goes back to his songwriting roots with this new CD. Says Criss: "The most important thing is that my fans and other people will get a whole new outlook on me with this CD. I’m reinventing myself at my own pace, and for me, it’s now, more than ever, about being true."

ONE FOR ALL is the first fully self-produced CD that Criss has recorded -- in addition to arranging and writing the lyrics and melodies for most of the material on the CD.

Joined by longtime friends and acclaimed musicians – Grammy award-winning bandleader Paul Shaffer and bassist Will Lee, as well as guitarist Mike McLaughlin -- ONE FOR ALL is a variously styled project, profoundly rich in ballads that touches on all aspects of Criss’ life, and draws on his love of rock and R&B. The title track, recorded with the Church of Transfiguration Boys Choir, was written in the wake of 9/11 and sets the tone for the CD. Other songs include: Doesn’t Get Better Than This, Last Night, Faces in the Crowd, Heart Behind the Hands, Send in The Clowns, and even a tribute song to his longtime bandmate and friend ACE FREHLEY titled Space Ace.

Finally ... some random update-y stuff:

These are just short factoids to answer a few of the questions you might have ...

1) No, I have not received any legal notice from the attention grabbing, threatening email writing folks yet. I kinda hope I do ... but only when I'm feeling petty.

2) Yes, I am still hitting the gym, but not as often as I would like to. And I'm a little upset at myself over that. I'll have to step it back up to keep the energy level I'm gonna need this summer.

3) I'm not blowing smoke up your ass when I say that I honestly have learned more about performing by working as a stand-up than I have over the last ten years of doing plays.

4) I thought the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie rocked! "Your money is now our money and we will spend it on drugs!"

She Has Left Us "Alone"

I am so very saddened to read today about the passing of Kitty Carlisle Hart:

Kitty Carlisle Hart, whose long career spanned Broadway, opera, television and film, including the classic Marx Brothers movie "A Night at the Opera," has died at age 96, her son said Wednesday.

Christopher Hart said his mother had been in and out of the hospital since contracting pneumonia over the Christmas holidays.

"She passed away peacefully" at home, said Hart. "She had such a wonderful life, and a great long run, it was a blessing."

Hart had appeared for years on the popular game show "To Tell the Truth" as a celebrity panelist.

The entertainer was also a tireless advocate for the arts, serving 20 years on the New York State Council on the Arts. In 1991, she received the National Medal of Arts from the first President Bush.

Well known for her starring role as Rosa Castaldi in the 1935 movie "A Night at the Opera," her other film credits included: "She Loves Me Not" and "Here Is My Heart," both opposite Bing Crosby; Woody Allen's "Radio Days"; and "Six Degrees of Separation."

She began her acting career on Broadway in "Champagne Sec," and went on to appear in many other Broadway productions, including the 1984 revival of "On Your Toes."

She made her operatic debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1967 in "Die Fledermaus," and created the role of Lucretia in the American premiere of Benjamin Britten's "Rape of Lucretia."

From 1956 to 1967, she appeared on the CBS prime-time game show "To Tell the Truth" with host Bud Collyer and fellow panelists such as Polly Bergen, Johnny Carson, Bill Cullen and Don Ameche. The show featured three contestants, all claiming to be the same person. The panelists asked them questions to determine which was telling the truth. (The popular show also had runs, sometimes including Carlisle, in daytime and in syndicated versions.)

Hart's late husband was the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Moss Hart, who wrote "You Can't Take It With You" and "The Man Who Came to Dinner" with George S. Kaufman and won a Tony for directing "My Fair Lady" on Broadway.

Future = Bright; Past = Get Over It

So I’ve been fighting an upper respiratory infection for the past several days and quite frankly have been just too tired (read: lazy) to update this blog. It’s weird that I’ve been in fairly solid health throughout a cold and bitter winter just to find myself in really bad shape come April. Ahhh … well.

So the theme to today’s entry will be how bright (at least in terms of creativity) things are looking and how proud I am of fellow performers and artists. Indeed, this is a good time to be part of the Baby Hippo family … as you can tell if you’ve paid a visit to the slightly re-vamped website. This theme can be contrasted with how some folks will make absolute imbeciles of themselves because they want attention. But first, let’s take a look at the bright side of life …

My Pals the Filmmakers

A little over a week ago my buddy JB finished work on his short film “Fatal Isolation.” After working for months on the project, shooting it and really more or less teaching himself to become a first-rate filmmaker he came over to borrow my computer and nifty editing software. The final product is pretty damn amazing … and you can check it out here.



Additionally, a film I shot way back in the summer of ’05 found distribution this month. It’s a serious accomplishment to complete, from script to finished product, a full-length film. So, my most heartfelt congratulations to Manny as well.

It’s good to acknowledge the accomplishments of others … and JB and Manny accomplished something that thousands of others have tried and failed.

King the Stand-Up

So last Friday (the 13th, no less) I made what I have to consider my stand-up debut. Yeah, sure, I’ve done a bit here and there, but for the first time I did something along the lines of a full set on the bill with some great comics. I walked out of Casa Spain (a great venue out past Dover, NJ) pumped and rejuvenated.

For the first time in my performing life (which, ironically, pretty much corresponds with my “life life”) I felt like I could seriously consider myself a comic.

Was it perfect? No. It was like starting all over again. I learned more in that 10 or 12 minutes than I had learned performing anything in the past decade or so. It was like a re-birth of sorts. A whole new playground has been opened up to me. And I couldn’t be more excited. Big thanks to Laz for the opportunity!

The Broken Jump

Newsflash! My latest play has been accepted as part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York this coming July. Needless to say, it’s time for the return of the Talented Talent Brothers! More on this to follow …

... the remainder of this post was removed 5/15/07.

San Fran and A Major Talent

Yeah, yeah … so I haven’t posted in a while. So sue me.

I Left Something or Another in San Francisco

So I went to the annual CfMC User’s Conference in San Francisco in March and I had forgotten just how much I really love that city. It has charm, character and is as expensive as Manhattan. The conference was the week before my birthday, so I stuck around for a while.

Y’see, the conference was over on the 16th and I sure didn’t want to fly out on St. Patty’s Day. I sure didn’t want to fly out the next day seeing as how I was turning 37 and all. So why leave?

Especially when Mel came out to play and we could spend some time enjoying the city and then heading up to Napa for a few days of wine tasting and exploring. Now, usually when Mel goes somewhere the rain follows. Since there was no rain, Mel did the next best thing and came down with a nasty little upper respiratory thing.

Regardless, much fun was had, much alcohol was consumed and much money was spent.

Now That’s A Show!

If you missed the lovely Miss Rebecca Sponseller at Vlada last Tuesday then you missed out on one heck of a fun show. Keep your eyes peeled … she’ll be back. She gives me way too much credit for helping her put the thing together. She brought her A-game to the stage and I had nothing to do with it … it was all S-P-O-N-S-E-L-L-E-R.

Keep checking babyhippopotamus.com for some exclusive video and pics from the performance … and for a major announcement regarding the new direction of Baby Hippopotamus Productions.

Also … major thanks to JB for coming out to film the gig, to David for lending his incredible talent and to our old Weasel friends for coming out to support our very own “Opera Girl.”

The remainder of this post was removed 5/15/2007.

Misconceptions I Have Had

As you go through life, especially childhood, you start to develop thoughts and ideas that are completely inaccurate. Words have different meanings that what you had first envisioned, the real lyrics to that song you like are completely different than what you thought … little pieces of your world shatter and crumble under the weight of the truth. Typically, none of these misconceptions are Earth-shattering, but they build up as you grow older leading you to doubt each and every little thing about your life, yourself and your world.

The following is a list of things I have discovered I had misconceptions about at some point in time in my life:

1) The ‘60s Batman series was meant to be funny. Who knew? As a kid (with a kid’s point-of-view) I always assumed that Batman was a serious superhero show, much like the Filmation cartoons. Sure, there might be a funny gag or one-liner here and there, but Batman was filled with exciting (if poorly executed) fight scenes. I always loved when Batman and Robin would work together (for example, Batman might swing Robin around so that Robin could karate kick the heck out of some henchman) and I was never distracted by Cesar Romero’s mustache under all that pancake. It wasn’t until I was well in my late teens before I realized the show was supposed to be campy and fun and wasn’t until I was well into my twenties that I got most of the humor.

2) The meaning or theme behind Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit is not, “Life’s a bitch and then you die.” And I’ve actually performed in a (really, really bad) production of the show. Y’see, I’m just not all that deep.

3) Russian race horses do not have urinary problems. Okay, so I bet you’re waiting for an explanation on this one. One saying I heard from my father time and time again was, “I have to piss like a rushin’ racehorse.” Obviously Dad was referring to a racehorse who was actually in a hurry, but in my mind I always pictured a Soviet horse with furry hat and all needing to pee. Rushin’, Russian … let’s call the whole thing off.

4) Wisdom does not come with age. Sorry folks, but as I get older I just don't see that wisdom creeping into my consciousness. The American Heritage Dictionary defines wisdom as: "The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight. " As I approach my 37th birthday (quite literally just days away) I can honestly say that I am no better at discerning what is true or right any better than I was when I was 21. Maybe it'll all kick in when I reach 60 ... assuming I ever get to 60.