By Tony “Phruishun” Spires
The Comedy Doctor
I tend to go hard in everything to which I put my
mind. Chances are if my mind is in it, it means my
heart is, too. It's my natural zeal. That's just how
I've gotten/still continue to "get down." I guess
you could say, “I’m about that life," as it were.
Call it passion. That same passion and the grace
of God is what has sustained me for these three
decades in show business. That's what first put
me on the map in the early 80's. It's what has
kept me relevant (even if only modestly, in the
larger scheme of things) in my industries of
endeavor. It's also what has provided me with
some of the most fun and rewarding experiences
of my life. At the end of the day, it's the passion,
my spirit of adventure, who I love, along with my
creativity and my faith that define me.
It's like that old European guy in the beer ads
telling us, his friends, to "stay thirsty." I know the
term "thirsty" in an urban vernacular has a
negative connotation. I'm not referring to that
limited usage of the word. I'm talking about a
lust for life. I know, I know, "lust" has a negative
association, as well. But what I'm talking about is
an emotion akin to extreme excitement, artistic
fervor, passion. Okay. All right, already! Can I
get a pass on the word "passion?" (Evocative
images of illicit love affairs and the like
notwithstanding?) I use it way too often. Thank
you.
I’m in love with the arts - the performing arts in
particular. I enjoy instructing in the arts and
advocating for youth arts education. I enjoy
patronizing the arts and supporting my fellow
artists.
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Mostly, I love creating art. Film, music, poetry,
theatre, literature - I love them all. The arts make
me feel alive - really alive! When I wake up bright
and early in the morning full of inspiration for
telling a new story, or when an exciting idea for a
project or plot twist or even a powerful lyric
overtakes me during my morning run, that's the
genesis. That's when the hard work and the love
affair begin. Why? Because, since I fully love my
work, the arts are a labor of love.
Take my 2013 film "Joke Thief." It was a labor of
love. Consider Nate Jackson's 2014 crime webseries pilot - turned short film, "Marvin Road,"
which I also directed. It was a labor of love, too.
And then there was/still is BT Kingsley's 2015
romantic comedy, "She Wins," which I directed,
as well. We just wrapped principal photography
on it two weeks ago! (By the way, it is an
incredibly funny movie!) All three projects were
big labors of love - not just for me, Nate and BT
but also for everybody involved. With modest
budgets, scarce resources and crazy Hollywood
schedules for both actors and crew, it had to be
all love! The behind-the-scenes story of the
making of She Wins is a movie in and of itself. The
story is too long to tell you right now. Let it suffice
to say, it was a great challenge, and an even
greater adventure! We may not do a movie
exactly like that again (it took 10 months to
shoot) but I'd do that project again and would
gladly get back in the trenches with those actors
and that crew in a heartbeat!
"She Wins" had many more perks than mere
adventure and a great crew. A bevy of beautiful