exclaims: “teach them well”

“I believe the children are our future”

Director Rusty Cundieff, left, writer, director, and star Hadjii, center, and executive producer Nate Kohn are shown on the set of BET’s new original scripted series, Sombodies. (Photo courtesy of Associated Press/BET).

By John Charles Reedburg

What’s up, blogworld?

Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing writer-director/actor and comedic genius RUSTY CUNDIEFF.

Seriously. I’m not just saying that folks. Dude is funnier than Mike Tyson in a spelling bee. Yet, he’s very insightful.

As a kid, I grew up watching a lot of Rusty’s work, ironically not knowing that I one day would be interviewing for him for my big wonderful website.

It was definitely an honor. Sort of reminding me of a line that Notorious B.I.G. rapped in the song “Juicy”, “It was all a dream.”

FLASHBACK:

INT. RUSTY CUNDIEFF INTERVIEW – POP CULTURE MONTAGE

CIRCA, MID-1980’s.

OPEN ON, tail end of the first question:

Can you start talking about your career and how you got started in the business? What was the beginning for Rusty Cundieff?

I started out as a performer. From plays in school to theater classes in college. After my first year in college I began performing stand-up comedy for professionally. (In other words for pay.) I went on to do TV roles and Film roles as an actor. (Hollywood Shuffle, School Daze, Days or Our Lives etc.)

After Hollywood Shuffle I began writing my first screenplay that I completed while filming School Daze in Atlanta. It was a film called The Other Class a sort of black Big Chill or Secaucus Seven type film about black buppies.

Though never produced it got me meetings and I was eventually approached to write House Party 2 for Newline. The Hudlins had decided to move on and they wanted a black writer. I was in the right place at the write time.

As an actor how was it being a part of cult classics – such as School Daze and Hollywood Shuffle? What were some of those things that you learned being a part of those films? Tell me about your career as an actor.

You never know that you are being part of a classic while you are making a classic. So every experience is based on the realities of what is happening in the moment. In regards to Hollywood Shuffle, we were just a lot of black actors glad to be working and having fun. It was the most bare bones production imaginable but I think we all looked up to Townsend who had taken the bull by the horns in terms of his career. I don’t know that any of us thought it would be a classic, but we did think it was funny. I think we were all surprised when we learned Robert had actually sold the film to a distributor and was going to pay us. I still remember going to his apartment to sign a contract and I think get a check. That was a shock.

School Daze felt very different. Spike had already hit big with She’s Gotta Have It which came out before Shuffle. And my first meeting with him was at the Chateau Marmont (famous for the death place of John Belushi among other things) and he was flying high. He envisioned School Daze as the hit that Do the Right Thing would eventually become. I guess this time out I had more of a feeling that this film could be a classic, because Spike had already gained a reputation.

Making School Daze was special on many levels. Probably the first big budget black film to be produced in quite some time. And Spike had blacks at practically every level of production. Even his fellow producers. The cast was huge. So you had all these young black actors, actresses and dancers flying into Atlanta to make this movie. We were all in a couple of hotels and at night you could hear doors slamming as people snuck up and down the fire escapes to hook-up with this person or that.

Lawrence Fishbourne was the big dog on campus because he had been in Apocalypse Now. But almost everyone else, except Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis Jr. and the like were newbies.

The town embraced the production and making black movie felt so “fresh” at the time that if you said you were in the cast you could get into any club in town and have the DJ throw you a shout out, which of course meant fawning attention from the ladies.

But back to the artistry of the film. Well… you don’t know if you are or are not making art. You do your best. Plenty of people questioned Spike. His shooting style, the script etc. We were mostly young and bull-headed. At one point I remember Spike saying, I paraphrase, “If you don’t like the way I write then make your own damn movie.” Great words from a great man in my opinion. And it pushed me to finish my own script.

A few last things. You never know how things will turn out. Sam Jackson was a day player on School Daze. Kasi Lemons was as well. They are two forces in Hollywood today. People you may have thought would be huge were not. Others you barely noticed at the time became notable.

As a screenwriter and filmmaker, describe some of the things you’ve written or directed.

I’ve written and directed everything from TV, to film to music video. Some things less known are that I directed three music videos for Neil Young and a couple for the black rock/punk/ska group Fishbone. Seems I’ve done a few things that have gained some cult status. Fear of a Black Hat and Tales from the Hood. As well asChappelle’s Show for Comedy Central. Recently I’ve done some episodes of The Chocolate News starring David Allen Grier and four episodes of Somebodies for BET.

How did one of your first films — Fear of a Black Hat come about? In what ways, you think it showed a reflection of pop culture. What was the meaning behind it?

I just loved rap at the time and the film This is Spinal Tap I wanted to do something similar in the world of Hip Hop. The movie really is about what is “real” in art and what is created to appear real for the sake of commerce. This country is all about selling you something and once businessmen saw that Hip Hop could generate dollars Hip Hop became something to be marketed. Since its initial appeal was “real from the streets” that was the marketing angle. But once marketing starts you can be certain that the words “real” and “authentic” are about perception more than reality.

So we played with the notion of how non-gangsters were posturing are gangsters. How much violence was really happening? The perception of women in rap. I am amazed that people still love this movie. I would have never thought I’d be talking about it all these years later. But obviously it captured a slice of pop culture from that time. Along with, somehow dealing emotions and dramatic situations that allow it to remain accessible to audiences today.

It was because of Fear of a Black Hat that Spike stepped in to produce Tales from the Hood.

Do you think that some of those reasons that motivated you to make Fear of a Black Hat shows reference as to how society is today? If so, how?

Society always needs someone to pull the mask off of those claiming to be “real” and “truth speakers” because when you use those terms to gain or retain power you risk giving into corruption and truth turns to convenient fiction.

Again, with Tales from the Hood there are several motifs and evolving messages that definitely reflect society and the things that people do on a day-to-day basis.

What triggered the idea of you putting those things into that you put in that film?

The idea of Tales from the Hood that I co-wrote with Darin Scott was that what was truly frightening was not the supernatural, but reality. I’m far more afraid of being shot while visiting the local liquor store than I am of having the Devil possess me. So we looked at the evils that were within or affecting the black community: Police Brutality, Black on Black crime, Spousal Abuse, racist politicians.

Talk about working on Chappelle’s Show. How was it working with Dave and Charlie Murphy? How was it on the set? Were their any challenging moments?

Dave is a f–king genius! He was also tremendously easy going. The amazing thing was how this laconic guy could create such biting social satire. I wish Dave the best. I know he’s on the road doing gigs.

Charlie Murphy is a great guy. The kind of guy you want on your side when some s–t breaks out at the club. He’s much bigger in size than his brother Eddie and knows how to throw a punch. But he’s also pretty damned funny and good-natured. The cool thing in terms of Charlie on the show was watching him go from “Eddie Murphy’s brother” to just plain Charlie Murphy. The show allowed him to be seen as an individual, something I know he was grateful for.

As far as challenging moments – there were some, but that’s part of the gig.

Did you ever thought that the Chappelle’s Show would be as successful as it was?

I knew when we did the Black Blind Supremacist that it was the funniest thing I had seen in a LONG time. And socially relevant as well. There was a screening party where I remember saying to Dave, “You won’t be getting too many more notes from comedy Central after this.” You could tell it was going to be big. Though as big as it became, probably didn’t see that coming.

What are some things about Dave that you feel people should know? Are there any thing that people would be surprise to hear about Dave?

Dave drives a Prius (at least he did) and rides a skateboard and lives on a farm. In Ohio. Not exactly the profile of a blinged out, Hollywood superstar.

Do you ever keep in touch with any of the guys from the show? Any plans on working with any of them again?

I’ve spoken to Dave’s writing partner Neil Brennen from time to time. And Charlie on occasion as well as various crew members and the show’s other producer Michelle Armor. They’re al god people. If something came up it would be a pleasure to work with any of them.

Like a lot of your work sends off a social message of some sort. Did any of commentary influence any of the skits on the Chappelle’s Show? If so, in what ways?

I’d try and add my take on things as we filmed. And initially Dave and Neil gave me the more socially charged pieces to direct because they knew the type of work I did. Dave was a big fan of “Fear” and of “Tales” and cast Clarence Williams the Third in “Half Baked” because of Clarence’s performance in “Tales”.

Talk about your skit on YouTube, Obama Time? Where did that concept come from?

I had written the sketch as part of a pilot that did not get picked up. I decided to perform it myself and post it on You Tube to support Obama. I cleaned it up a bit, because the show I wrote was more scatological and I wanted this to be more positive.

What are your thoughts on the current state of politics? The 2008 Election? Do you think Obama have a chance?

I believe Obama will win. He is rewriting the opportunities in politics and I don’t mean just from an African-American perspective. His use of the Internet and how he reaches out to his base is unique. He could be the first president to email constituents and have them pressure their representatives in the congress and senate to push through his platform. Imagine if Clinton had had that sort of tool when Hillary was trying to overhaul healthcare. I don’t know if Obama will use it, but that would be a real game changer. Imagine, instead of influencing the electorate by holding a televised “state of the Nation” we all got a personal “email from the president”

OK, I probably know the answer to this question. But I’m going to ask anyway. What are your thoughts about Sarah Palin?

Hahahahahahahahahahaha. I mean, aren’t you supposed to laugh at a joke?

Besides the election. Name of some of the other things going on in pop culture that you consider hot?

The ability for anyone to make a movie or short and get it in front of faces. The Internet and technology are amazing. The problem is that, no that everyone has access it is harder to make a statement. There is so much product and media out there that getting your voice heard can be hard. But the average guy stands a better chance than he did twenty or thirty years ago when you were much more at the mercy of the big studios and conglomerates to get your product out.

What projects are currently working on lately? Anything coming out soon that people should know about?

As I said, Chocolate News which has just started on Comedy Central. Somebodies which airs on BET. And, in a big departure for me from comedy, I am about to write an episode of CSI: New York.

Is there anything that you would like to add? Is there anything else you would like the world to know?

I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and… Wait, maybe we shouldn’t teach them anything. We’ve screwed up the world enough. Give them a chance to come up with a new model.

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