TwoWordHeap

I’ve written in the past about how I stumbled upon Jeffery Self without meaning to. What a happy accident that was. Jeffery is a writer and performer who lives in New York City. He makes YouTube videos, writes a blog, is a stage performer, and soon, perhaps, a TV star. With this busy schedule you would think he would have little time for anything else. Luckily, he made time in between the hectic life he leads to answer some questions via e-mail. What follows is the conversation we had.

PART ONE – LIFE BEFORE NOW

Two Word Heap: From watching your videos and reading your blog, it does seem like you had an interesting childhood. But for those who may not be as acquainted, can you let people know what it was like?
Jeffery Self: I had a really cool childhood. Grew up in Rome, Georgia which is this awesome town in the Northwest corner of Georgia. An hour from Alabama and Tennessee. It’s got a population of like 30,000 people so it’s small but not too small. There was a pretty rich cultural community of local artists. Lots of community theater. I was really lucky. Any given month there were probably four or five different community productions going on. That’s pretty amazing for a small town in Georgia!

TWH: What sorts of influences did you have as a kid?
JS: Definitely the community theater. I think that’s the biggest thing. It’s all about doing it yourself. Putting on a show! I think that’s the sentiment that’s carried me into the YouTube self generated world.

TWH: You’ve written before about starting your own community theater. Why do you think community theater is important?
JS: I’m ALL about it. I think community theater offers a great source of… well, duh… community. My best friends and teachers growing up came from the community theater. Then, when I started my own, it totally prepared me for depending on myself and being independent with whatever I create.

TWH: Did you always think of yourself as a performer?
JS: I guess so. I did plays and stuff as a kid… I got really into directing for a while in high school and thought that was what I wanted to do until a couple years ago.

TWH: I think there is always this romanticism about New York City. How did you feel about it before moving there, and what do you think of it now that you live there?
JS: I just always assumed it’s where I’d end up. I think the romanticism is all perfectly correct. It’s sorta the greatest city in the world. There are days that I curse it for whatever reason but truly, it’s damn near perfect.

PART TWO – LIFE ON THE SMALL AND SMALLER SCREEN

TWH: What made you begin making YouTube videos? What did you learn about online celebrity?
JS: I did it sorta randomly. I just felt left out. Everyone else online was doing it, so why not me? It was after a couple videos that I realized how intensely cool the whole idea of making something and thousands of people being able to see it the minute you finish is.

TWH: FUN QUESTION! How much do you love Elaine Stritch?
JS: She’s amazing!

TWH: I know that the LOGO Network has asked you to make a show. Tell me about what it is and how it came about.
JS: LOGO started being interested in us (Cole and I) last summer when we were actively making videos a couple times a month and beginning to get some media attention. It was all sort of happening under our noses and then we started having meetings with some really nice folks at the network and it clicked! The show we’re doing for them is a strange sort of hybrid that I’m fairly certain hasn’t happened on TV before. The show started out as a web show for their website – written, directed, starring, edited, filmed by us – in my apartment, like the YouTube stuff. However, they really liked what we made so they’ve given us our very own time slot on the network. Friday nights at 11pm! The show begins June 19th! Tune in! Here are the details:

TWH: What are the challenges of keeping up a blog?
JS: Having something to write about every day, and actually making one’s self write it. It’s a good challenge though. I’m pretty lazy and it’s a good motivation to force me into being productive.

TWH: Do you think that performers have it easier in the age of YouTube (and the Internet in general)? For instance, Bea Arthur didn’t post rants on her MySpace page^[1], she had to establish herself on Broadway and then later television. Is it easier for performers, or harder because so many people are trying to be noticed?
JS: Definitely! No one has an excuse not to be seen anymore. I can’t sit around and complain that I can’t get anyone to see my work. Musicians can’t complain, actors, writers, animators, nobody. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, all this social networking stuff gives the artist all the power because they’re controlling who sees their stuff and how.

PART THREE – WHAT’S NEXT AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

TWH: What’s your next big goal?
JS: Hoping great things happen with Jeffery and Cole Casserole, as it’s something I am really proud of. I’m working on a book that I’m hoping to get published and I’d really like to get back into Lost.

TWH: Do you have any fear about your future?
JS: I guess everybody does, right? Things are constantly changing which I tend to get especially freaked out about but so far the changes have proved to be for the best.

TWH: What do you do to stay grounded?
JS: Nothing is too nutty right now but I guess talking to my mom on the phone multiple times a day is pretty grounding. That’s coincidentally what I do to stay co-dependent as well!

TWH: FUN QUESTION #2! Who is the most underrated performer?
JS: HMMMMMMMMMMM. I’m really into Leslie Mann right now. She’s in Knocked Up and recently 17 Again. I think she’s pretty awesome and should be the new big movie star

TWH: I know that you will be in San Francisco performing your show My Life on the Craigslist. Tell me about the show, how it came about and what you learned after writing it.
JS: I wrote the Craigslist show over a year and a half ago. This is the first time I’ve performed it in a year so it’s odd to revisit the material because I think I’ve definitely changed a lot since the period of my life when I wrote it. I wrote it when I first moved to NYC and I was meeting a lot of guys online, which came from the easiness of doing so and growing up in Georgia and that being the only way to meet other gay people. I think it’s a totally respectable way to meet people as long as you’re careful and safe about it.

Jeffery is obviously a very driven individual. Great things are in store in the coming years for this abundantly talented individual. I say that as a fan, but also because he deserves it. So do the people who do not know they are fans yet. Jeffery will be performing his show My Life on the Craigslist in San Francisco from June 10 to June 27 at the New Conservatory Theatre Center. You can find out more information here.

1. How awesome would that have been? [↩]

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