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June 7, 2007
Inside With: Dusty Warren
By: Keith Huang
When Dusty Warren of All-American Push-Up Party takes the SketchFest stage tonight, expect goofy. The Seattle native will be in town for one night only as he will fly out Friday morning to kick off a nationwide tour with his brother's rock band, Big Business.
"It'll be a month of going around the country, primarily to cities I wouldn't have any other reason to go to," he says. "My brother basically told me to pack socks and underwear and I figure we'll just buy socks at truckstops -- the little ankle socks with the balls on the back so they don't slip into your shoes."
A former member of SketchFest 2005 darlings, Flaming Box of Stuff, Warren spoke with The Apiary briefly about his new material, his old crew and plans for the future.
You're leaving early. Maybe somebody can give you a shoutout at the Closing Night Craptacular.
Yeah, and you could lie because I won't know if I don't get one. Just tell me it happened and I'll sleep better.
What's your new material like?
It's pretty much me talking by myself. And getting into crazy situations.
I remember last year's show was great because it was so simple. Like the juggler sketch, which we posted the video for.
Without my permission, Keith.
I think the statute of limitations has passed on that, Dusty.
But not the statute of my anger, Keith. There is no limit to that.
What's up with the old Flaming Box of Stuff crew?
Val (Bush) is pretty much running the Seattle SketchFest. Troy (Fischnaller) is doing very well as a legitimate actor in Seattle. And Cory (Nealy) is the grandpa of the group. He's engaged and has a yard and crap like that. I've done some other stuff with Cory. There's a series of readings of screenplays that are fully staged and costumed. And we completely butcher the text.
What are the odds for a Flaming Box of Stuff reunion?
It's been kicked around. We left on good terms. We actually met to talk about whether to fly to New York for last year's SketchFest. But a lot of scheduling conflicts came up and interest was waning, and we realized that we're all getting older, and we're not on TV yet, and we're not getting more attractive. We were by far the baldest sketch comedy group on the circuit, and therefore, the least likely to get a show. But we talked about it--I don't think we'd do a new show, and I don't think we'd travel. If we did do something it'd have to be in Seattle for our tens and tens of fans. We probably will do something eventually--I just don't know what. The night we did call it quits, we all went back to Cory's house and watched "Dancing With the Stars."
How do you feel about your solo material?
I would not be completely surprised if this were my last festival. Just 'cause I never really had the intention of doing solo shows. The first time the thought of a doing solo material crossed my mind was when I was asked to put a showcase together for an audition for the HBO festival. Without a deadline, I don't accomplish stuff very often. I jokingly talked to Cory about leaving a comedy wig on the stage at the end of my show, you know right before I walk off. Kinda like how wrestlers do that for their last match -- when they leave their shoes on the mat. But that'd be a really, really horribly stupid thing: "And with that, I leave you my comedy wig ... and my legacy." But I won't because a) it's retarded and b) no one else will know what I'm parodying.
That's not definite, though, right? I mean, you're not giving up sketch comedy.
No, no. It's not for sure. I'm just saying this is how I feel before I leave on a cross-country tour with a rock band for a month.
What's your plan of attack for this year's SketchFest?
I'm not really worried about industry stuff at all. If someone sees my show and has some clout somewhere and approaches me, that's great. But it won't be like last year when I had was this "Let's see how this show that I would like to get into the Aspen Comedy Festival" goes. This year, I'm just kinda like, "Fuck it. I'm going because I like hanging out with my friends in New York."
Any advice for first-time SketchFest performers?
I would assume they're all in the festival because they're doing good stuff. I'd also assume they've got chops and know what they're doing. Maybe be prepared to hustle as far as the changeover between shows goes--both setting and striking your show. It's the greatest audience you're going to have because a big chunk of it is your peers. And get drunk by 6 p.m. If you can get wasted by 6 p.m. on the day of your show, you're probably going to have the best show you've ever had.
Dusty performs TONIGHT @ 9 as All American Push-Up Party at SketchFest NYC. Tickets available here.
Posted by The Apiary at June 7, 2007 12:17 PM