The view from 660. A.K.A Helga

Photo courtesy of Robin Souma

Love, fate, and Karaoke.

I had the pleasure of seeing the show 'Interviewing the Audience' on Sunday afternoon. It was like no theatre I have seen before, which was both a good thing and a bad thing. I stumbled into the cozy theatre with the usual Sunday matinee crowd, if you've been to a show on a Sunday afternoon you'll know that its full of an older more 'dignified' type of people.

It opened with the interviewer, Zach Helm (best known for writing Stranger than Fiction and Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium) introducing the show. He laid out the structure of the piece explaining we all had entered into an unspoken contract to be potentially interviewed, he also gave us his background with the show and told us about when he saw Spalding Gray (who originally created the piece for the Wooster group) perform in years earlier. Tracing the lineage of the production was a nice touch, it laid the ground for a very personal experience.

This particular show will never be the same, which was told to us often, because it is based on the responses of three randomly chosen audience members. This initially felt like a bit of a crap shoot; what if the people chosen just weren't interesting? It soon transpired that Mr. Helm had a way with getting people to speak, not that he really had to during this particular show. The first gentleman who entered the frightful position of interviewee appeared immediately at ease. He loved to talk and regaled us with tales of a life lived to its fullest with his childhood sweetheart and now wife.

The second 'guest' on our little talk show was a life long fan of Mr. Helm, he was awkward but eloquent and you could see that he wasn't used to the spotlight. He was considerably younger than the first participant and as such told us about his career and aspirations. He was full of quirky anecdotes about being in the right place at the right time, especially interesting was a tale about his second date with his current girlfriend. On this date they ended up late at night doing karaoke with Guillermo del Toro (director of Hellboy, Pans Labyrinth and many more). Towards the end he made a very heartfelt remark about his girlfriend, she had told him a story about when she was 7 and he stated, I was trying to picture her at 7 and I knew then that I wanted to be with her when she was 70.

Our third guest was an older woman who had chosen a career over love. She was kind and soft spoken, but it was hard to get long answers out of her.

The whole experience was unfortunately tainted by an old woman who misunderstood the whole experience altogether and kept yelling things out. My other qualm was Mr. Helms desire to interject with his own stories, although interesting, they took away from the people we had been getting to know. Many people have referred to this as similar to a talk show, and it was, but I think they took it too far with the set design. It was forced and a little over dressed.

At the end of the piece we are again addressed and our host concluded by summing it all up, he also apologized for repeating a question in two interviews which seemed unnecessary. A performer of any sort should never apologize for what they do, it showed he was uncertain, and after such a sure performance it left a little doubt about whether our host was confident with what he just presented. He should have been confident, because it was a delightful experience.

All in all it is definitely worth a visit to Union Square to see. It runs through Feb 27th and you can visit the website for tickets.

-Vogel

Fuck! Im not being ME- I'm just plaguerizing Calvin & Hobbes

So I'm writing a play that deals with the Superior self arguing with the Common self. Its a commentary on the difficulty of being a better more developed person when life seems to reward our common/inferior qualities time and time again.

I've been battling against my alleged opposing forces since I was young. The ones inside me and outside of me, always smart-mouthing and going against the grain. If I'm not supposed to do something, I demand to know why. If I shouldn't say something- I instead test the limits. My whole life I thought this was who I was, how I was born, simply someone who rebelled against the masses and fought to express himself creatively- that was until I realized someone who I grew up with was doing it all along and bigger and better.
Calvin of the infamous Calvin & Hobbes comic strip was Bill Watterson's brainchild and was a favorite of mine growing up. The kid said what I thought and when I hadn't thought it, he made me think it. I read the strip and all the books that were put out. I enjoyed the banter between him and Hobbes and saw how necessary the banter was for Calvin to justify or ignore his own actions.

Calvin is described as an impulsive, sometimes overly creative, imaginative, energetic, curious, intelligent, often selfish, rude, and ill-tempered six-year-old. I never thought though that as I approached 35 yrs old I would feel like I was still behaving like the rebellious 6 yr old boy in the strip, but calling Calvin 6 yrs old is a real stretch. He may represent a 6 yr old in physical appearance and reckless abandon, but he's also quite insightful. Then again calling me a 35yr old man is an even bigger stretch. Regardless, I see now that my quest for originality; to carve out a life distinguishable as my own grand creation was actually an epic fraud because I am nothing more then an overgrown Calvin. I havent stopped expecting the great things Calvin does of himself, havent stopped being irritated by the lack of creativity in the governing system and certainly havent stopped talking to the cynical stuffed tiger in my head.
_Fathom

Front row center

Its been a very long time since I have had the funds or freedom in my schedule to go see a show, that being said, I sucked it up and bought tickets the other day. The show's called 'Interviewing the Audience' and that pretty much explains the plot. Zach Helm picks three audience members to interview and I guess its kind of like a talk show.

I go to see it this Sunday, so expect a full review from me then. Each show is different (obviously since its based on the audience in attendance) so I assume it could be hit or miss. Have a look at what the NEW YORK TIMES had to say... then check back on Sunday night for my response.

I'm hoping to sit back and be an innocent bystander to the whole thing, hence my decision to sit front row center. It would be far too cliche for him to pick the person sat by themselves in a prime spot... at least that's my hope.

-VOGEL

Festival Bound

So I was thinking today, normal people spend their whole lives paying bills and trying to keep up with the man. I say fuck the man, at least now and then. We are on this green earth for such a short period of time, why work so hard for other people? Why spend all your waking hours behind a desk so you can what... pay all the money you make to someone else? I quote 'Waking Life' (which is a fucking awesome film).

"Its bad enough that they steal your waking life for minimum wage, but now they get your dreams for free"

How true, sure I'll do what I have to to pay my bills, but now and then I want to spend money I don't have on fun. Hence my decision to go to Bonnaroo this year. I wanna car full of crazy creative types, I want our tent to be covered in paintings and art, I want people to tell their friends when they go home about us.

So I have 4 seats in a car I'm taking down. Please if you're reading this, know that you are invited to join me. The more people we get the better, I'm all about community.

THE WEBSITE!

This year its June 9th to the 12th... join me, you'll love it I promise.

-VOGEL

I wish I had payed attention in typing class

I've been pretty busy transcribing interviews lately, and I have never wished more that i knew how to type properly because it takes me fucking ages. I remember as a child thinking 'Why would I pay attention to this bullshit? Only secretaries need to know how to type properly and I have higher expectations for myself in life.' (thats ironic because I am pretty much a glorified secretary right now) But now I realize I do need to know how to type... all of this verbatim theatre requires more organization skills than I ever knew, especially when I don't have a team to do all the shit I don't want to do (like transcribe). Just today, I overheard a teenager in the doctors office telling her father that she was going to skip typing class because it was stupid, and I wanted to scream 'NO! THATS GOING TO MAKE YOU MONEY SOMEDAY BECAUSE YOU MIGHT END UP LIKE A LOWLY SECRETARY LIKE ME OR YOU MIGHT FIND OUT IT WILL HELP YOUR REAL CAREER!' But I didn't, she will have to learn the hard way like I did.

I also wish I knew shorthand, that would come in handy... so if anyone like to type come find me and help me out, or if you know shorthand and want to teach me that would rock too.

Time to get back to typing transcripts...

-VOGEL

SUPER EGO IDiot Man- The Most Interesting Man on the Internet

If an actor can claim to be the most interesting and Howard Stern can declare himself the King of All MEdia...These are my attempts at piggy backing off the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man Alive.

I will just try to shoot for "The Most interesting Man on the Internet."
This will be in collusion with my 35th Birthday Celebration called "Super Ego IDiot Man". I hope you enjoy arrogant tirades.

<--He once participated in a bull fight...... where HE was the bull, and he won!
-His sweat is sold as an aphrodesiac in foreign countries.
-If a tree falls in a forest, its probably because he pushed it over.
-Its been said that the chinese invented elaborate firework displays in effort to recreate his essence.

He bought the Fonze his leather jacket.

He once snuck in to Santas house in the middle of the night to leave him a thank you card.

He once met a monk on a mountain road and gave him directions-towards inner peace.

• 
  

  He was seen reprimanding a female lion on how to better protect her cubs and is credited with telling Richard Bramson to "learn to live a little".
• A toy based on him was discontinued after it kept inventing other toys.21 seconds ago ·
• Doctors made him their official "2nd opinion"
• He is the inventor of CAPITAL LETTERS.
  When on the stand they dont require him to swear on the Bible, bc his word is that good.
• He didn't create the first omlette, he just suggested it have cheese.
• He doesnt ride a motorcycle out of concern that he will inherit a gang.
  
• He created the term "fuck off."

  When asked when he lost his virginity -his response- "whats that?"
• When visiting the Native Innuit they cross the border and marry prettier women to offer him when he stays overnight.

  He drinks Whiskey because beer is an accoutrement.
• Dogs leave in fear when HE growls.
  
• Anything he wears becomes his fashion line.

  Narcissists have admitted to him- Its not about me, its always been about you.He only lost his footing once and it immediately became in fashion to limp.
• He once beat a fish in a blinking contest.
• He gave his teachers report cards and once fired a pilot on an international flight and then took over.
• Soldiers & Schoolgirls await his command.,
  

  Legend has it that he once hired a hooker who not only refused payment but decided that she would call all her customers by his name from now on.

• at his birth he slapped the Dr. and had to fight off the nurses offering to breast feed him. By the age of 6 he left home to be raised by wolves on purpose. The wolves didnt have a choice.
  

• He also taught the Dos Equis guy how to spear his enermy with an olive branch.

Can you believe what they're sayin about us??!

The 9-5er flash mob hit the streets of downtown Jersey City last night and ohh boy what a tornado we were. We thought it would be fun to see what it's like to be a 9-5er and go to happy hour...but artists being artists, we made happy hour a 4 hour pub crawl.

We will be recreating this scenario monthly, so stay tuned for our next 9-5er pub crawl and if you'd like to be involved get in character and be ready for some antics. Special thanx to Robin Souma for shooting the adventure for us.

...and to all you Bar owners/managers- yes if you offer us even better happy hour drink specials- we will include you on our tour & come grace your space with some 9-5er madness.
Contact me at jfathomj@yahoo.com

-Fathom
RockSoup Studios.

It's TOO COLD to work in the studio, it's TOO COLD to NOT work in the studio

It's WAYYYYYY TOO COLD to work in the studio.
It's TOO COLD to NOT work in the studio.
It's TOO COLD to work in the studio.
It's TOO COLD to NOT work in the studio.
It's TOO COLD to work in the studio.
It's TOO COLD to NOT work in the studio.
It's TOO COLD to work in the studio.
It's TOO COLD to NOT work in the studio...

Man I can't be in a house heated over 63 degrees for too long anymore or I start sweating and feeling parched, but no matter how much we adapt you never get used to it when its below zero or really wet cold. Sometimes you just cant work through it. You gotta work on small things in smaller rooms or turn on the monster industrial heater and end the day with empty pockets and a headache from the sound it makes.

So I'm faced with the obstacle before me, shall I work on a project in the studio or hunker down digitally until the flash mob photoshoot tonight.?
...to be continued.

-Fathom

The only word more powerful then the word NO, is the word WHY..

I love the word WHY. Its been my good buddy for many many years and will be for many years to come. I was never a fan of the responses; "Don't worry about why", "you just worry about what your doing" or worst of all the "because I said so".
My first word was YES. A word my mother taught me because my older sister said NO so often. In essence I was indoctrinated into a world where presumably being a good boy would be beneficial, however I quickly learned the only power in being a "yes man" was for those in power. The real power came from asking WHY....OR in being told NO.

If I didn't get an answer, I would refuse or rebel against whatever was intended for me. Sometimes that worked out in my favor, sometimes not so much, but that didn't change my mind about the power of WHY. Asking people to explain themselves, their motives etc; isn't just for you, it's for them. Knowing the WHY shows you THE WAY.
I can't promise you will be happy with the answer you find, but you cant deny the power of knowing.

-Fathom