JOHN LEGUIZAMO'S
GHETTO KLOWN by Angela Yungk
36
SUMMER 2014
Angela: Where did the name Ghetto Klown come from? John: Well I grew up mad underprivileged. So that's where the ghetto comes from, and clown because that's what we would do; clown around to keep people from kicking our butts. That's what saved me. It was kinda like my antidote against the world. Angela: That makes sense. And that's what you use your one man shows for. Using your past and bringing it to the stage. Has that always been your vision to do something like that? John: No, no I started out in 1990 with Mambo Mouth about people in my neighborhood and then when I did Spic-O Rama it was about an anonymous Latin family that owned a laundry mat. And then with Freak I started investigating the autobiographical piece, the "selfie" play (laughing) and then I did my teenage years and everything was about working to get to Ghetto Klown I guess, this is my life's work. I learned how to really craft a story, how to compress my whole 40 odd years into an hour and half.
Angela: That's impressive! John: Mad impressive, I'm impressed, I'm tired. Angela: You are a true artist and perfectionist, is that why it took almost 10 years to make Ghetto Klown? John: Yeah, it took 8 years to create it. I drove around Texas and went to London with it. Then went to La Jolla Playhouse. It was a great journey, I really enjoyed every moment of it. Angela: Do you prefer to do a one man show verses doing films? John: It's different, it's so different. I mean yeah this gives me the biggest reward. But I love independent films, it's a different thing, I'm searching for naturalism and subtlety and expression, in this it's just about being, freedom and madness.
PHOTOS: (Š MEIR ISRAEL, STUDIO M PHOTO & CINE)
Imagine standing alone on stage in front of an audience of thousands. You stare into the audience member's eyes as they grip the edge of their seats waiting for you to make them laugh, cry, and become lost in the world you create. Even the most highly trained actor would find difficulty in attempting such a feat by themselves, alone with no one else to help build momentum. John Leguizamo welcomes this challenge. Known as a true character actor, John has played diverse roles in films from the evil yet portly Clown in Spawn, to the Latin spit fire drag queen Chi-Chi in Too Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar. John also has a unique ability in transforming his voice to create many different characters such as playing the slurry sloth Sid in Ice Age. Now in the 5th installment of his one man show, Ghetto Klown, John is on fire. He gets personal talking about his difficult childhood, women, and the problems he has with his father. Art Hive Magazine had the pleasure of sitting down with "Johnny Legs" to find out what made Ghetto Klown one of his best and most personal shows he has ever done.