On Monday, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen asked for an emergency hearing on hate crimes and domestic terrorism in the wake ”of recent killings by individuals with white supremacist views.”
Cohen joined Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Shelia Jackson Lee (D-TX) in a letter to House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) to request the hearing.
In their letter, they cite three incidents for the need of a hearing:
• On Wednesday, Gregory Bush attempted to enter a predominantly black church in Jeffersontown, Ky. When he failed, he entered a nearby supermarket and killed two African American individuals. He is reported to have told a bystander: “Don’t shoot me. I won’t shoot you. Whites don’t shoot whites.” He is also reported to have a long history of domestic violence charges and to have been previously barred from possessing a firearm under federal law.
• On Friday, federal prosecutors charged Cesar Altieri Sayoc Jr. with sending explosive devices to at least a dozen public figures who have often been singled out by President [Donald] Trump. Savoc identified himself to coworkers as a white supremacist who “dislikes gays, African-Americans, Jews, and anybody who isn’t white.”
• On Saturday, Robert Bowers shot and killed 11 people gathered to worship at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He made his motive clear to the SWAT team that captured him: “I just want to kill Jews.
“In the past week, our nation has borne witness to three acts of terror,” reads the letter to Goodlatte. “This groundswell of violence includes both the largest attempted mass assassination of prominent political figures in American history and the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in American history.
[pullquote-1] “Each of these acts was carried out by an individual understood to espouse white supremacist views…Whether it manifests itself as racism or anti-Semitism or xenophobia, white supremacy is white supremacy. In its modern form, it motivates a fluid and particularly virulent form of domestic terrorism. It must be stopped.”
The three lawmakers say Goodlatte did not respond to a similar request for such a hearing after last year’s Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.
Today’s Music Video Monday world premiere is ready to take our country back!
Longtime ambassador of Memphis music John Kilzer is prepping a new album for 2019. Scars was recorded with Grammy-winning producer Matt Ross-Spang and a band of Memphis all-stars that included Steve Selvidge, Rick Steff, Steve Potts, George Suffolk, and Dave Smith.
The album is set for release in January 2019 on Archer Records, and the first single “American Blues” will drop on November 23rd. Kilzer says the protest song is “Jangly, happy, almost languid. It hides the stringency of the lyric.”
He believes musicians must make political songs that both speak to the moment and to eternity. “I hope it has enough polyvalence to last. I think the prototype of the protest song is ‘For What It’s Worth’. It’s germane in any time period.”
The video is directed by Laura Jean Hocking, who has previously done award-winning work for Kilzer. “I was inspired by the courage of the survivors of the Parkland, Florida, shooting, and the wave of activism they inspired in young people.” says Hocking. “I was excited to work with Janay Kelley. I saw her short film ‘The Death of Hip Hop’ at the Indie Memphis Youth Festival and thought she was very dynamic onscreen. I needed that energy for this video.”
Legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Tennessee said Friday’s ruling that the Memphis Police Department (MPD) violated a 1978 consent decree barring political surveillance of citizens is a win for free speech nationwide.
Thomas H. Castelli, ACLU-TN legal director, said that the Blanchard v. City of Memphis ruling could make Memphis a “standard-bearer” as other cities learn to balance free speech and advancing technology.
[pullquote-2]
“This ruling is a tremendous victory for free speech in Memphis and nationwide,” Castelli said. “The court not only recognized that under the consent decree Memphis residents enjoy even stronger free speech protections than those afforded by the First Amendment, but that this uniquely positions Memphis to be a standard-bearer for cities across the country as they wrestle with how to protect individuals’ privacy and free speech in the face of ever-growing surveillance technologies.”
U.S. District Judge Jon McCalla ruled that the city failed to train its officers on political intelligence as defined by the 1978 consent decree. This failure led to a “shared misunderstanding of the decree’s requirements and a significant number of violations.”
“Every community must decide how to ensure an appropriate balance between public safety and protecting personal rights,” the court wrote, “By successful implementation of the consent decree, MPD has the opportunity to become one of the few, if only, metropolitan police departments in the country with a robust policy for the protection of privacy in the digital age. The court recognizes this may be a heavy burden; being a pioneer usually is.”
The court imposed sanctions “designed to ensure future compliance” with the consent decree.
They include:
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Requirements that the Memphis police department revise their policy on political intelligence and train officers accordingly.
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Establishing a process for approving criminal investigations that may incidentally result in gathering political intelligence. Establish written guidelines for the use of social media searches.
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Maintaining a list of all search terms used in social media collators and submit the list to the court quarterly.
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Court-appointed independent monitor to supervise the implementation of these sanctions.
[pullquote-1]
MPD Director Michael Rallings responded to the ruling Saturday, saying that the department has made an efforts in the past to not violate the decree: “The Memphis Police Department has been proactive in our approach by putting methods in place, prior to the ruling, to ensure that we stay within the limits of the decree.
“We look forward to working with the court to ensure compliance.”
Hedy Weinberg, executive director of ACLU-TN, called Friday’s ruling an important decision, as free speech is “crucial” and engaging in dialogues about injustices are “vital” to democracy.
“This important decision ensures that activists in Memphis can continue to fight the good fight without fear of unwarranted police surveillance,” Weinberg said. “The right to free speech is crucial to our ability to speak out against injustice and to hold the government accountable. Especially in this day and age, being able to truly engage in dialogue about important issues without the threat of intimidation is vital to our democracy.”
When the Memphis Tigers take the field at East Carolina this Saturday, they will have gone 27 days without tasting a victory. That’s a long time in the course of a college football season, merely three months to separate programs with Top 25 aspirations from those happy with a mid-December bowl berth. Having lost two straight games — a heartbreaker to UCF and a thorough teeth-cleaning at Missouri — Memphis (4-4) will start its final third of the season knowing the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl may be this season’s pinnacle, in which case we’ll toss out the word “pinnacle.” What lessons can we take from the Tigers’ first eight games? Here are four. Larry Kuzniewski
Darrell Henderson
• A soft September did this team no favors. I sat in the Liberty Bowl press box on October 6th as the Tigers wiped the field with UConn Huskies and had a rather uncomfortable conversation with another reporter, one who’s been covering the Tigers even longer than I have. “Who is this team? What’s their strength? Can Brady White beat a team with premium recruits? Is the defense as bad as it looked at Tulane?”
To be asking such questions in October is scary. Those of us who watch every snap of every Tiger game felt unfamiliar with a team almost halfway through its regular season. The Missouri spanking would have been better — big picture — had it taken place in early September. Coaches need to learn what they have, too. Whatever adjustments (to scheme or personnel) defensive coordinator Chris Ball might make will come too late to impact much of the season, and way too late to impact the Tigers’ chances for reaching the American Athletic Conference title game.
• The Tigers have dropped a notch in speed. This is the easiest team-wide component to measure on a football team. Strength and “football IQ” get lost in the mass of bodies on every play. But as one team outruns another — be it on offense or defense — games are won and lost. And the Memphis defense is surrendering big plays as though it’s down a man. After pulling within four points (21-17) at Mizzou, the Tigers gave up four touchdowns in less than nine minutes. A turnover played a role, but three of the Missouri scores covered at least 44 yards. Stare at the film as long as you’d like, but I’ll summarize: Missouri players outran Memphis players, all the way to the end zone. (Let’s acknowledge the SEC-AAC gap while we’re here. However much the Memphis program has grown in recent years, a mid-level SEC program is of a different talent stripe.)
• Memphis is not a bad football team. I’ll point you to the Tiger record book and circle recent records: 2-10 (2006), 2-10 (2009), 1-11 (2010), 2-10 (2011), 3-9 (2013). Memphis has fielded some boot-licking football teams since the turn of the century, but the 2018 bunch is not among them. With merely seven points against East Carolina, the Tigers will move into the top 10 teams in the program’s history as measured by points scored, and with at least three more full games to play. But as of today, the Tigers’ biggest win this season came over a Connecticut team that’s 1-7 and staring up from the AAC’s East Division cellar. This must change. A win over East Carolina (2-5) would do it, but barely. Memphis needs to circle the Houston game (November 23rd) in thick, red ink. The regular-season finale at the Liberty Bowl (the day after Thanksgiving) is the last chance the U of M will have to beat a team with real claws.
• Darrell Henderson is mortal. Proof came with a hamstring injury in the Missouri game, one that sidelined the Tigers’ star tailback after only four carries and 15 yards. Henderson’s in a virtual dead heat with Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor for the national lead in rushing, trailing in total yards (1,155 to 1,148) and yards per game (144.4 to 143.5). But Henderson’s yards per carry (10.1) dwarfs Taylor’s (6.4). Needless to say, Henderson faces a lighter schedule in November than does Taylor, so this will be a fun race to follow, particularly if Henderson is fully recovered from the hamstring tweak. (Coach Mike Norvell has indicated Henderson will play at East Carolina.)
Stewart in SCS office earlier this month in an unsuccessful first effort to obtain McCormick’s attendance records
State House Democratic chair Mike Stewart of Nashville, who was frustrated by earlier attempts to obtain attendance records of Shelby County Schools board member Scott McCormick, a Republican House candidate, has apparently obtained those records now and has scheduled a press conference to reveal them at 11:30 a.m Monday in front of the Shelby County Schools building at 160 South Hollywood.
Stewart, acting in support of McCormick’s opponent, District 96 state Representative Dwayne Thompson, has suggested that there is a pattern of negligence in McCormick’s “dismal attendance record” as an SCS board member that would inhibit his effectiveness as a legislator. He had previously made several attempts to obtain McCormick’s attendance records, including an in-person visit to the SCS offices earlier this month, where, he said, he was “stonewalled.”
On the occasion of that visit, Stewart and an aide waited, for hours, along with media, in the lobby of the SCS building to receive records that were first seemingly promised and later declared to be unavailable.
The press release announcing Stewart’s follow-up press conference on Monday had this to say: “ Now we know why they took so long to turn the public records over. “
Uncertainty hung in the air going into Saturday night’s home game against the Phoenix Suns. After a compelling win against a scary Utah Jazz team, the Grizzlies suffered a disappointing loss in Sacramento. The Grizzlies coughed up a halftime lead when the Kings clamped down on defense and clawed their way to victory. Larry Kuzniewski
Worse than the loss, Marc Gasol suffered what appeared at the time to be a potentially season-altering injury when De’Aaron Fox came down on Gasol’s upper back area fighting for a rebound. The good energy from the win over Utah evaporated.
Fortunately, Gasol wasn’t seriously injured after all. “It was a pretty bad scare when it happened. Thankfully, everything is okay. No structural damage or anything too serious to worry about,” he told The Daily Memphian.
Doubts remained elsewhere, however, regarding the team’s rebounding, defense, and especially with Kyle Anderson. Anderson’s length, ball-handling, and IQ portended to him quickly fitting in with the Grizzlies, but he’s struggled to find his groove.
While Anderson didn’t make much headway acclimating himself to the team in this one, the Grizzlies were able to hold their own on the boards, gobbling up 39 to the Suns’ 35. The Grizzlies performed better on defense, as well, with Ayton being the only Phoenix player to score in the 20s, but the Suns’ offensive woes were more indicative of their youth, inexperience, and lack of Devin Booker tonight.
The matchup also featured another marquee rookie matchup between number one overall pick DeAndre Ayton and fourth overall pick Jaren Jackson. With Saturday night’s game, Jackson has faced off against every top-5 draft pick except Luka Doncic.
The Grizzlies built up a sizeable lead in the first half, creating a 25-point cushion behind 61 percent shooting, including 7-13 from deep. The high shooting percentage may speak more towards the Suns’ defense than the Grizzlies offense. The Grizzlies are currently rated last in the league in offense, and it shows. The offense frequently falls stagnant, and fails to generate good or easy looks for anyone.
Grizzlies unable to get much out of their primary or even secondary options on offense. No flow. Everything takes a long time to unfold.
Ayton, the lauded #1 overall pick for the Phoenix Suns, didn’t impose himself at all in the first quarter. He routinely passed out of the paint despite having the physical advantage against his defender, and finished with 2 points on just one shot. Larry Kuzniewski
Ayton turned that around, however, in the second quarter, going 6-6 and scoring 6 straight on Jaren Jackson when Gasol sat. He would finish the game with 25 points on 12-13(!) shooting, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.
One thing that stood out in the first half was the Grizzlies’ offense not immediately going down in flames when Conley exited the game for rest. Shelvin Mack buoyed the team nicely and dished 4 assists as backup point guard, and Wayne Selden chipped in 10 points and 2 two assists.
Gasol, Conley, and Selden all finished the half in double digits, with five other Grizzlies scoring at least 5 points. Ayton was the only Suns player to finish the first half in double-digits with 14 points, with only 3 players notching at least 5 points.
Anderson continued to struggle finding his groove with the team. After starting, he got the hook with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter after missing a couple bunny shots near the rim, and going 0-3. He finished the half with 0 points on those three shots.
The Grizzlies maintained their advantage in the second half, keeping a healthy points margin over the Suns. Their solid lead late into the game allowed Yuta Watanabe to check in, and become the second Japanese player to play in the NBA in league history. Japanese NBA Twitter definitely paid attention to the moment. My two most viral tweets, by an enormous margin, were crappy handheld phone videos of Yuta dunking in the warmup line, and spinning to the hoop, missing, but drawing the foul. Virtually all of the RTs and favs were from Japanese basketball fans.
Jaren Jackson had a rough game defensively. He wasn’t able to deter Ayton, got into foul trouble early, and earned the first technical of his NBA career after receiving his 5th personal foul. It’s funny that his offense has come along more quickly than his defense.
Jaren Jackson earns his fifth personal foul trying to deflect an entry pass to Ayton on the block, hops near the ref out of frustration, walks away, and ref calls a tech a few seconds later.
Garrett Temple has absolutely locked down the starting shooting guard spot. His defense has been crucial, his ball handling on point, and he finished the game with 15 points on 4-6 shooting. It appears to be for the best, as Dillon Brooks gets to come off the bench with more freedom to impose his will as a dynamic playmaker. Brooks actually ended up playing about four more minutes than Temple, but that’s partially indicative of the Grizzlies comfortable lead for most of the game. Larry Kuzniewski
The Grizzlies bench contributed nicely in this win. Wayne Selden continued to impress. He finished with 16 points on 6-8 shooting, and provided a nice punch at the two spot. Marshon Brooks played his role perfectly as instant offense off the bench, pouring in 18 points in 19 minutes. Larry Kuzniewski
Gasol didn’t look limited in his return to action. He finished with 19 points on 8-16 shooting, and hit 3-6 from deep (including a Steph-range near buzzer-beater to end the first half). Larry Kuzniewski
Mike Conley had a solid game without having to soak up super-heavy minutes. He scored 11 points and tallied 7 assists in 28 minutes. Usually when Conley leaves the game to rest, the Grizzlies offense goes down in flames. Garrett Temple and especially Shelvin Mack were able to buoy the offense when Conley exited, and to not immediately enter a tailspin without Conley is a new development.
When I asked Conley what it’s meant to be able to go to the bench and the offense stay afloat, he said Mack, Temple, and Anderson have been huge. “[It] allows me to keep fresh legs longer.” He also noted that their play will allow him to regain his conditioning with each game as he returns to pre-injury form. J.B. Bickerstaff understood the importance of being cautious with how much the Grizzlies lean on Conley, saying “I feel bad because there’s been times where it feels like we’re wearing him down, so we’ve got to do a better job of giving him some breaks.”
The Grizzlies are now 3-2 on the season, and return to action on Tuesday when they take on the Washington Wizards at FedExForum.
Epilogue: the Grizzlies blared Kid Rock’s Bawitdaba to pump up the crowd late in the fourth, and I’ve never seen less of a reaction. Let us pray that this trash song gets retired and forgotten sooner rather than later.
To Gabby Salinas, Democratic nominee for the District 31 state Senate seat, Marlo Thomas is “my angel … the reason I’m alive.”
JB
State Senate candidate Gabby Salinas (left) and supporter Marlo Thomas of St. Jude prepare to meet with the media on Saturday.
To Thomas, national outreach director for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the daughter of St. Jude founder Danny Thomas, Gabby Salinas is “a warrior” fighting for her community as she had previously fought for her life at St. Jude as a victim of childhood cancer.
On Saturday, the two made a pair of stops together — at a morning fund-raiser at the Belltower Coffee Shop on Highland and later in the parking lot of White Station Church of Christ, an early-voting location.
Thomas said she was actively supporting Salinas, “an old and very good friend” whom she has known since Salinas was seven years old, because of the aforementioned warrior spirit, because of the candidate’s valuable “common sense,” and because of the public positions advocated by Salinas.
“She’s a good-hearted, good human being, and she knows about things like health care first-hand, and she’s fighting very hard for Medicaid expansion,” said Thomas, who mentioned such other Salinas concerns as education, infrastructure, jobs, agriculture, and tourism. “She brings moral values, has a moral sense and family values. When you get the real deal, you’ve got to support it.”
Thomas said, “I am very, very happy to get involved in Shelby County politics.” She said she considered Shelby County “home to the Thomases” and noted that her parents were by their choice buried here (they are interred in a mausoleum at St. Jude).
Salinas has been the subject of a series of attack ads directed against her by the campaign of Reoublican incumbent Brian Kelse and/or its supporters. Some of the ads refer to her as a “socialist” and one says that she “supports stealing benefits from our elderly,” and supports Planned Parenthood, which “sells baby parts.” Another ad makes a point of saying that Kelsey is “one of us,” and critics have charged it with being a “dog-whistle” message calling attention to Salinas’ birth in Bolivia.
When Gabby Salinas’ cancer was detected at the age of 7, her entire family moved to Memphis with her so that she could be treated at St. Jude.
Saying that there was “clear and convincing evidence” that the city of Memphis actively pursued covert surveillance of four local activists, U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla decreed on Friday that the ACLU of Tennessee could sue the city of Memphis for breaking a 1978 agreement prohibiting the city from conducting such activities.
Judge Jon P. McCalla
From McCalla’s decision: “The Court finds that the ACLU-TN has demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that it was the entity that entered into the 1978 agreement with the City. Thus, the ACLU-TN has standing to bring the lawsuit.”
McCalla’s ruling came as a result of an August trial to determine whether the ACLU had legal standing to pursue a lawsuit on behalf of local activists Elaine Blanchard, Keedran Franklin, Paul Garner, and Bradley Watkins, who claimed they had been illegally spied upon by the Memphis Police Department and other city agencies.
The city violated several areas of the consent agreement, McCalla ruled, including: intercepting phone calls and electronic communications, using a fake Facebook profile of “Bob Smith” to learn of activists’ activities, and failing to properly inform officers of the parameters of the 1978 ruling. The city also utilized the local Office of Homeland Security to gather information on Memphis activists. From the judgment:
* The police department conducted “political intelligence”as specifically defined and forbidden by the consent decree.
* The department operated the Office of Homeland Security for the purpose of political intelligence.
* The department intercepted electronic communications and infiltrated groups through the “Bob Smith” Facebook account.
The department failed to familiarize MPD officers with the requirements of the decree.
* The department did not establish an approval process for lawful investigations into criminal conduct that might incidentally reveal information implicating First Amendment rights.
* The department disseminated information obtained in the course of an investigation to individuals outside law enforcement.
* The department recorded the identities of protest attendees for the purpose of maintaining a record.
The judgment is available in PDF form here and goes into great detail about specific activities conducted by MPD and the city in their efforts to spy on local activists and their groups. Surveillance was conducted against activists from Save the Greensward, Black Lives Matter, and other groups, and photos were taken at several marches and protests. Details of the city’s surveillance operation begin on page 20 of the attached document.
The Old Testament character Job had his share of problems. He lost his home, his livelihood, his health, and his family. Craig Lucas’ play I Was Most Alive With You, which recently took its last bows at Playwright’s Horizons, may borrow heavily from the troubling Bible story, but none of that tragedy’s rubbed off on Harold Foxx. The Memphis-born actor may have made his Off Broadway debut in Lucas’ Job-inspired play, but he looks like a man on top of the world. Sitting in the Buffalo Wild Wings on Manhattan’s W. 47th (“the one close to Playwright’s Horizons”), Foxx’ broad face practically glows with confidence.
“Did you see my New York Times spread,” he asks by typing the words out on his phone and holding it up for me to see. I indicate that I have and tell him it looked great. He then types out a message saying he’s waiting to see if the attention results in more work. If it does, he’ll get excited about it.
Foxx is realistic about life as a working actor. He grew up in Orange Mound and graduated from White Station where he played football and made citywide headlines. Foxx is completely deaf. He’s mostly silent. He’s currently a professional actor, who lives in Los Angeles where he studies improv comedy with the Groundlings and auditions as often as possible. He doesn’t think a Netflix special is out of the question. There’s no reason to believe he won’t get a shot at being in the next Black Panther movie. Nothing’s for sure, but Foxx believes. He points to his personal inspiration, the deaf actor C.J. Jones who recently made his film debut in Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver.
“My agent’s good,” he types.
Courtesy of Harold Foxx
Harold Foxx and Craig Lucas
Foxx is as expressive as any silent film star. Every wrinkled brow or nostril flare writes a whole new story on his face. He describes this expressiveness as an artifact — something that just happens when you’re in the deaf community. But there’s precision to every eye-roll or pursing of the lips. There’s timing, and it’s good. You don’t always need to read ASL to get the gist of his messaging. Critics noted his skills in I Was Most Alive With You, where the play’s main speaking characters are mirrored by a shadow cast who perform a somewhat modified version of the show in ASL.
I caught up with Foxx in Manhattan, during the last week of his run at Playwright’s Horizons. We “talked” about many things over wings, but did our official Q&A in a typed format. Here’s a lightly edited version of that conversation.
Memphis Flyer: Wondering about life in Memphis. Did you know you wanted to act and do comedy when you were still living there?
Harold Foxx: Born and raised in Memphis. Native of Orange Mound. It’s funny how my comedy starts. Every morning the school bus picked me up. It was sorta of long ride. Then one day all of us kids on the bus just start to making jokes. From there I started doing comedy storytelling. That was in elementary school. And everybody laughs. Then, after school, when the bus takes us back home, everybody asked me for another comedy storytelling. And I start doing it again. Then somehow it became daily on the school bus, on the way to school and after school. Only difference is that I didn’t get paid that time. Since then, everybody sees my talents. Not only in comedy, but in acting too. Even my teachers in elementary school got me in school talent shows for dance and sign music. Plus, when I was in elementary school, the national theatre for the deaf came to my school and performed for us and I really looked up to them. Not only that. My former theater teacher Rita Grivich, who runs Deaf Drama & Theatre at White Station, always had a show. And when I was young, I’d always go there and watch the older kids perform. And I knew it would happen for me someday and glad that I was part of it.
MF: Memphis only has limited opportunities for actors, and the comedy scene has only begun to mature in the last few years. Guessing Paulette Reagan was a theater teacher at White Station? Were there many opportunities to experience and participate in comedy or theater?
Yes, Paulette Reagan and Rita Grivich were my theater teachers at White Station. Honest with you, I’m thankful to have had them as my teachers at White Station. When I was there, I was heavily involved in theater and it actually helps. It applies to what I’m doing today as an actor.
MF: When did you decide on comedy and acting as a career? And was there an obvious path for deaf performers or did you have to make your own?
Actually with all my experience and background as an actor from White Station High school under Paulette Reagan and Rita Grivich, they taught me a lot on what it takes to be an actor. When I graduated from White Station in 1999, I went to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., where I graduated and also played college football there. Everybody expected me to join the theater at Gallaudet University but I didn’t get involved in theater productions. I focused on football. But I took a couple of theater courses at Gallaudet. So, when I graduated, I started to work as a football coach, personal trainer, and physical education teacher. Somehow my acting passion hits me again one day and I started doing some comedy sketches on Vine apps. It changed my whole life. Now I’m doing acting/comedy as a career, full time. Most of all I started this out on my own from looking up to my role model like CJ Jones, John Maucere, Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx, etc..
Past show flyer
MF: I love silent film, and your comedy reel was a joy to watch because it has the expressiveness of great silent comedy. Funny enough to transcend any biases hearing audiences might have. Curious as to which actors and comics might have inspired you?
I started on Vine Apps. Of course, as deaf person, I can’t hear a sound or music. Most of my sketches were based on body language and physical comedy so it can be accessible to both hearing and deaf audiences. It started similar to silent film — like my favorite comic who did all amazing in silent film, Charlie Chaplin. Then I started my internship at DPAN.TV (Deaf Professional Arts Network) where I learned to make better quality work — script, film, edit. Plus, they have a sound engineer who installs all sounds and music. My comedy video went to a whole different level. That’s when I started getting recognized for my work and getting opportunities in acting and comedy.
MF: How did you land the role in I Was Most Alive With You? And was working on it like anything you’ve done before? Looking at the behind-the-scenes videos, the process looks like it must have been unique and difficult.
Yes. It’s different from what everybody’s already seen from my work as a comedian or doing sketches on the video. I was in a production of Our Town last year by Pasadena Playhouse and Deaf West Theatre. That’s where everybody recognized my work on stage in theater. I’m not only limited to comedy. I can do variety range of work as an actor. Actually how did I land the role? I was in Jamaica doing stand up comedy and then I got an email from my agent. They asked for my video audition, but at that time I wasn’t really interested because I didn’t want to move to NYC. I’m still new in LA. Then one friend convinced me. Said, “It’s Off Broadway.” And that’s a good start for my career. So I decide to do the video audition and I got offered the job. So, I’m thankful for this opportunity because I got to work with amazing talented of actors and actresses plus Craig Lucas and Tyne Rafaeli.
MF: Do you think the show’s accurate in its depiction of hearing impaired people, and culture?
We do both as English spoken and ASL, it’s a very heavy play and powerful at the same time and it’s very accessible to both audience.
MF: Has the run been rewarding? And is it difficult to put away as closing night approaches?
We had a very successful run, but at the same time we wish it could be extend more.
MF: Has the run of this show resulted in more opportunities, or is it back to the audition grind?
I’m hoping this production will get me more opportunities. I mean, it’s not easy as deaf actors/actresses because we don’t get a same opportunity as hearing actors/actresses. They might get an audition daily when we, as deaf actors and actresses, are probably lucky to get 2 or maybe 3 auditions a month. But for me, it’s all about hustling. Show your work out there and create your own work. That’s why I created a bunch of short comedy sketches. Now I’m writing my new stand up comedy material and working on a film script. Who knows, I might produce a feature film and act in it someday instead waiting for someone to offer me the opportunity. Always have your own work ready to go.
Memphis Actor/Comedian Harold Foxx Makes Off-Broadway Debut
MF: I know you’ve been training with The Groundlings — which is great! But wondering what’s next, and if you have a preference for sketch/standup over other kinds of performance?
Right now I’m still in training and taking classes at the Groundlings. Sometimes I put it on hold if I get an opportunity like Off Broadway in NYC. But now my agent and I are working on something. Be aren’t sure yet. But for the Groundings, my training continues. Who knows? Maybe one day I will end up on SNL or Comedy Central.
MF: Do you ever make it back to Memphis? What’s the best way for folks back home to experience what you do?
I finally made back to Memphis last summer after seven years. I did a homecoming standup show there and am hoping to do it again soon. Memphis is my hometown, roots, and where I started. One thing I would tell Memphis folks, if they are pursing what I’m doing, it starts with passion and hard work. Create your work and get some training with a top acting or improv class to develop some network.
Three local college theater programs are staging work by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Collectively, it’s called, “NottageFest.” One play is being performed on each campus with an “intercollegiate finale,” Sunday, November 11th, at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens.
Southwest Community College, Verties Sails Building, Room 113
Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine (premiered 2004)
The play is about Undine Barnes Calles, an ambitious African-American woman in the early days of the Obama era whose best-laid plans don’t go accordingly. On the brink of social and financial ruin, Undine retreats to her childhood home and forgotten family only to discover she must cope with her cruel new reality and figure out how to transform her setbacks into small victories.
Directed by Thomas King
Nov. 9 & 10, 15-18, 7:30 p.m. each night, except the 2 p.m. Sunday matinee.
All tickets are free,but reservations are recommended by contacting the McCoy Box Office at mccoy@rhodes.edu or (901) 843-3839
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