Leave Your Interview In Your Pocket! A Discussion With The Tommy Wiseau Hand Puppet People
Recently I asked the cast of the YouTube web-series CommentsInYourPocket some questions about their show, The Room, Lady GaGa, and love.
So I have to start off with asking the question that immediately came into my mind the first time I saw your video. How did you make/acquire such a high quality Tommy Wiseau hand puppet?
Katherine:I woke up one morning unemployed and with an uncontrollable urge to make a puppet. Having never made one before, I went online and learned all about where puppets came from. Afterward I was overcome with sadness. I thought, I’ll never make a puppet because I’ll never create a character that will be worthy of all the work that goes into puppet making. Then I realized, I didn’t have to. And 400 hours later, puppet Tommy was born.
Justin: Voodoo.
Katherine: I am from the south.
How did the initial idea for creating a Room based hand puppet web series come about?
Katherine: Well, I had this puppet and Erik did a great voice and was a natural puppeteer. The original plan was and is to have puppets of all the characters in “The Room.” But we were eager to put Tommy to work immediately and the most sensible concept for us seemed to be celebrity fan mail. We asked Louis and Justin to join the operation and the writing began.
Erik: I’ve always wanted to do something with puppets, but it always seemed making your own puppet was a prerequisite to that world. I have the artistic ability of a gnat. So when Katherine came around with the puppet, but no one to perform the character, it all worked out. Katherine supplied the puppet and I supplied the … er , “talent.” At some point, the email format was suggested and we went from there.
Louis:I had seen for a while that she was making a Tommy puppet. Then I heard they wanted to do a skit, and they asked me if I wanted in. Naturally, I said yes, because, c’mon: Tommy puppet.
Well I am very glad this isn’t a one-off video and you have plans to expand the series. Would you like to let us know what we can expect from future episodes?
Katherine: You can expect to see reflections of your life. Duh! You can expect further commentary on the character. We’re bringing him into different environments. He won’t exclusively be behind a computer.
Justin: A lot more references to B movies of the ’80s and early ’90s. Louis and I watch too much TV.
Louis:As they said, more references, bigger situations, more puppets. Lisa will be a fun one.
Erik:A fun new look at breakfast cereal, Tommy’s secret love for the Great Ships of the 19th Century, and a dissertation on the Bruce Willis classic “Color of Night.”
Lisa (pictured right) is a fun one. IN BED! LOL G2G 4 LOL'ing 2much!
What new puppets are you working on?
Katherine: I am working on getting a Lisa together. I plan to have 5 puppets.
In the first video, all of the emails in Tommy Wiseau’s inbox besides the few most recent ones were spam, my favorite one being the one that pleads for Tommy to not let people ridicule his manhood. Do you believe that Tommy Wiseau is actually the epitome of manhood, contrary to that spammers belief, and if so, why?
Katherine: That was just a funny coincidence. I didn’t search for that particular spam. It was just there. The epitome of manhood, maybe not. The epitome of a four year old’s perception of manhood, perhaps.
Justin: Tommy is Bram Stoker’s platonic ideal of manhood. Or at least of foreignerhood.
Louis: Tommy is the epitome of life. We should all make such an important artistic work.
Erik: Tommy is the epitome of misguided passion.
If you could actually send Tommy an email that he would read and ask him one question, what would that question be?
Katherine: Could we borrow a camera? …And maybe some C stands?
Justin: I actually had the opportunity to ask him that question, but it was at Comic-Con and I was drunk.
Louis: “Where did I leave my keys?”
This man should receive more emails
The Tommy puppet seemed to only have two folders on his desktop, and one was named simply “folder.” Does the Tommy Wiseau hand puppet do anything else with his laptop besides answer emails?
Katherine: Sometimes he tries to hump its navel.
Justin: He uses it to sculpt flint knives and occasionally to club his mailman.
Louis: He has a Twitter account, but he constantly wonders why his messages cut off after 140 characters.
Erik: He sends me stuff from my Amazon wishlist.
How many filming formats are your videos shot in? Do you plan to write a book about the differences, if any?
Katherine: As many as possible. As far as I know we don’t have any plans to write a book about our formats. But I hear the puppets pen scratching all night long and can only assume he’s writing tirelessly.
Justin: Don’t ask me. We have two USC grads. Ask them.
Louis: The iSight camera on Katherine’s Macbook, and my MiniDV camcorder. Books are passe; expect a Powerpoint on the subject later.
Erik: Louis and I are collaborating over the Google Wave on a lecture series we plan to take to college campuses all over the world on the subject. It’s called: “I Did Not Have the Correct Information: Shooting for Cinema Palaces and Mobile Devices.”
How many times have you seen The Room and have you seen an “actual showing” with Tommy Wiseau?
Katherine:12+ times on DVD, 3 times at the Sunset 5. Tommy was there all 3. I was only indoctrinated in February 09. Erik, Justin and Louis are OOGs though.
Justin: I’ve lost count at this point.
Louis: I feel like I’m slacking. Only once at Sunset 5 (my first), and about a half dozen more times on DVD (or Adult Swim). Wiseau was at the screening I went to, as he usually is.
Erik: The first time I went was April of 2008, so I’ve seen the live show the most of the group; six or seven times plus an extra four or five on DVD. The first time I went, the actor who played Peter (not Steven) showed up and discussed why he disappears and why his clothes never seem to fit.
"My clothes don't ever seem to fit." - This guy
Do you have any special “Room” traditions while watching?
Katherine: No particular traditions for me but on my birthday I dressed up as Lisa and during the Q and A a friend asked Tommy to sing me happy birthday. He did and even invited me up to the screen for a birthday dance. The occasion was made even more special by Greg’s presence. So I got a dual hug or as I like to call it, a Wistero sandwich.
Erik: One bit we’ve tried to add to the live experience is shouting “Science!” whenever Peter has a close-up because he vaguely resembles Thomas Dolby.
Justin: I mostly like to get liquored up and go.
What is each of your favorite character/scene from The Room?
Justin: As for character, it has to be Denny. The best part of bad movies is trying to get them to make sense, sort of filling in the blanks to create something that borders on coherent. Denny, as a character, makes absolutely no sense. He’s a freaky voyeur with a Lisa fixation, he appears to live on the roof, he stops by to borrow sugar… the list goes on and on. The first time I saw the movie I was convinced he was a serial killer. That does explain why Chris-R is never seen again.
Louis: As for favorite scenes: Katherine and Justin hit some faves, but I also like when, during the rooftop scene with Chris-R, at one point Lisa yells “What the hell is wrong with you?!” at Denny. It’s almost like she’s yelling it at everyone, both in the film, and in the audience.
Katherine: My favorite moment in The Room is when Chris-R has just been tackled and Lisa appears in the magic box and screams, “what’s going on here? Somebody help!”
Erik: My favorite scene has become the introduction of Steven (not Peter). That scene is delivered in such a way as to make us believe Steven has been there the entire film, but he just magically appears as a close friend. In a film filled with poor introductions, it’s the pinnacle of the bunch. I’ve gotten into the habit of quoting Steven’s memorable line, “I agree with that.”
Could the Tommy Wiseau hand puppet please do a keyboard cat impression? I suppose that’s not really a question and more of a request but I felt like I needed to ask.
Louis: We’d rather he become his own meme. No one is influence on him.
Tommy Wiseau keyboard cat was not meant to be...
Fair enough, although I have to admit I am a bit disappointed. In any case, I now have some more serious questions of utmost importance.
Lady GaGa? (this is an open ended question)
Katherine: I haven’t really thought about it. Guys?
Justin: I had Lady GaGa for about a week. They had to give me a special shampoo and a little comb.
Louis: She’s on the fence with me about everything. Is she attractive in any way? Is she talented? Is she serious about what she wears? I can’t pin her down.
Katherine: Hey Louis, Duane says she’s the stuff of PHD theses. If your thesis is called Identity, Sexual Politics and Commodification in the Post Media Age.
Louis: It’d be a long and thankless thesis.
Erik: She’s the one dating Mickey Rourke, right?
Louis: I don’t think Rourke dates so much as conquers.
Rourke's latest conquest at the Golden Globes
Here is a question that won’t even be relevant two months from now but is still extremely important, probably! Conan or Leno?
Katherine:We have an opinion, and so does puppet Tommy. Hopefully we’ll have that episode ready soon.
Justin: Stewart/Colbert.
Louis: Conan.
Erik: Norm MacDonald.
Some general info about each of you would be great, such as age, names (or internet nicknames), where you live (obviously not exact address). Also if there’s any other internet things you guys do that you want mentioned let me know, this is your chance!
Katherine:My main alias is Kathering Voorkies. (It’s how I was credited on a indie movie I wardrobed.) Nickname: Vork. Age: 28. If you want to commission a custom puppet, (or hire someone for your wardrobe department) you can find me at commentsinyourpocket@gmail.com.
Justin: I’m known as Captain Supermarket over at th3rdworld.com, where, once the sun becomes like sackcloth, my webcomic should be up. I’m the same age as Tommy. Possibly.
Louis: My main alias around Internetville is Enriquez the Water Bottle. (It’s a long story.) Age: 29. I write at miniaturefiction.tumblr.com. I otherwise have no job. Oh, hi Economy!
Erik: I have a terrible habit of using my own name on the internet, so a search of me will reveal my previous life as a college radio show host, a novel writer, a message board lurker and my current life as an entertainment reporter. There’s also a German guy with my name who ran for EU Parliament in 2000, but I have no political aspirations. Easiest place to find me is futurethreat.com.
This is a two-part and final question. Do you believe love overcomes all obstacles and do you believe true love finds everyone in the end?
Katherine: I’m not sure about all that. However the main message I take from The Room is, “don’t worry about it”.
Justin: The only way to test it would be to force true love to run an obstacle course of some kind.
Louis: My answers are “eleven” and “Jean Stapleton.”
Erik: Sure, why not? It all worked out for Harlan Ellison.
I lied, there is one more question. If you could each be one character from the Room who would it be and why?
Katherine:Hmmm. Tough question. Does the extra who tries to steal camera time in the coffee shop scene count? I know Justin badly wants to be the flower shop clerk. Right Justin?
Justin: Hell no. I want to be Seacrest. Sure, he’s a total douche, but his life consists solely of breaking into people’s apartments and making out with the best looking woman in the movie. My second choice would be Peter/Steven for the shapeshifting and hyperbolic powers.
Louis: Steven. He’s the only thing in the film resembling a conscience.
Leave Your Interview In Your Pocket! A Discussion With The Tommy Wiseau Hand Puppet People
Recently I asked the cast of the YouTube web-series CommentsInYourPocket some questions about their show, The Room, Lady GaGa, and love.
So I have to start off with asking the question that immediately came into my mind the first time I saw your video. How did you make/acquire such a high quality Tommy Wiseau hand puppet?
Katherine: I woke up one morning unemployed and with an uncontrollable urge to make a puppet. Having never made one before, I went online and learned all about where puppets came from. Afterward I was overcome with sadness. I thought, I’ll never make a puppet because I’ll never create a character that will be worthy of all the work that goes into puppet making. Then I realized, I didn’t have to. And 400 hours later, puppet Tommy was born.
Justin: Voodoo.
Katherine: I am from the south.
How did the initial idea for creating a Room based hand puppet web series come about?
Katherine: Well, I had this puppet and Erik did a great voice and was a natural puppeteer. The original plan was and is to have puppets of all the characters in “The Room.” But we were eager to put Tommy to work immediately and the most sensible concept for us seemed to be celebrity fan mail. We asked Louis and Justin to join the operation and the writing began.
Erik: I’ve always wanted to do something with puppets, but it always seemed making your own puppet was a prerequisite to that world. I have the artistic ability of a gnat. So when Katherine came around with the puppet, but no one to perform the character, it all worked out. Katherine supplied the puppet and I supplied the … er , “talent.” At some point, the email format was suggested and we went from there.
Louis: I had seen for a while that she was making a Tommy puppet. Then I heard they wanted to do a skit, and they asked me if I wanted in. Naturally, I said yes, because, c’mon: Tommy puppet.
Well I am very glad this isn’t a one-off video and you have plans to expand the series. Would you like to let us know what we can expect from future episodes?
Katherine: You can expect to see reflections of your life. Duh! You can expect further commentary on the character. We’re bringing him into different environments. He won’t exclusively be behind a computer.
Justin: A lot more references to B movies of the ’80s and early ’90s. Louis and I watch too much TV.
Louis: As they said, more references, bigger situations, more puppets. Lisa will be a fun one.
Erik: A fun new look at breakfast cereal, Tommy’s secret love for the Great Ships of the 19th Century, and a dissertation on the Bruce Willis classic “Color of Night.”
Lisa (pictured right) is a fun one. IN BED! LOL G2G 4 LOL'ing 2much!
What new puppets are you working on?
Katherine: I am working on getting a Lisa together. I plan to have 5 puppets.
In the first video, all of the emails in Tommy Wiseau’s inbox besides the few most recent ones were spam, my favorite one being the one that pleads for Tommy to not let people ridicule his manhood. Do you believe that Tommy Wiseau is actually the epitome of manhood, contrary to that spammers belief, and if so, why?
Katherine: That was just a funny coincidence. I didn’t search for that particular spam. It was just there. The epitome of manhood, maybe not. The epitome of a four year old’s perception of manhood, perhaps.
Justin: Tommy is Bram Stoker’s platonic ideal of manhood. Or at least of foreignerhood.
Louis: Tommy is the epitome of life. We should all make such an important artistic work.
Erik: Tommy is the epitome of misguided passion.
If you could actually send Tommy an email that he would read and ask him one question, what would that question be?
Katherine: Could we borrow a camera? …And maybe some C stands?
Justin: I actually had the opportunity to ask him that question, but it was at Comic-Con and I was drunk.
Louis: “Where did I leave my keys?”
This man should receive more emails
The Tommy puppet seemed to only have two folders on his desktop, and one was named simply “folder.” Does the Tommy Wiseau hand puppet do anything else with his laptop besides answer emails?
Katherine: Sometimes he tries to hump its navel.
Justin: He uses it to sculpt flint knives and occasionally to club his mailman.
Louis: He has a Twitter account, but he constantly wonders why his messages cut off after 140 characters.
Erik: He sends me stuff from my Amazon wishlist.
How many filming formats are your videos shot in? Do you plan to write a book about the differences, if any?
Katherine: As many as possible. As far as I know we don’t have any plans to write a book about our formats. But I hear the puppets pen scratching all night long and can only assume he’s writing tirelessly.
Justin: Don’t ask me. We have two USC grads. Ask them.
Louis: The iSight camera on Katherine’s Macbook, and my MiniDV camcorder. Books are passe; expect a Powerpoint on the subject later.
Erik: Louis and I are collaborating over the Google Wave on a lecture series we plan to take to college campuses all over the world on the subject. It’s called: “I Did Not Have the Correct Information: Shooting for Cinema Palaces and Mobile Devices.”
How many times have you seen The Room and have you seen an “actual showing” with Tommy Wiseau?
Katherine: 12+ times on DVD, 3 times at the Sunset 5. Tommy was there all 3. I was only indoctrinated in February 09. Erik, Justin and Louis are OOGs though.
Justin: I’ve lost count at this point.
Louis: I feel like I’m slacking. Only once at Sunset 5 (my first), and about a half dozen more times on DVD (or Adult Swim). Wiseau was at the screening I went to, as he usually is.
Erik: The first time I went was April of 2008, so I’ve seen the live show the most of the group; six or seven times plus an extra four or five on DVD. The first time I went, the actor who played Peter (not Steven) showed up and discussed why he disappears and why his clothes never seem to fit.
"My clothes don't ever seem to fit." - This guy
Do you have any special “Room” traditions while watching?
Katherine: No particular traditions for me but on my birthday I dressed up as Lisa and during the Q and A a friend asked Tommy to sing me happy birthday. He did and even invited me up to the screen for a birthday dance. The occasion was made even more special by Greg’s presence. So I got a dual hug or as I like to call it, a Wistero sandwich.
Erik: One bit we’ve tried to add to the live experience is shouting “Science!” whenever Peter has a close-up because he vaguely resembles Thomas Dolby.
Justin: I mostly like to get liquored up and go.
What is each of your favorite character/scene from The Room?
Justin: As for character, it has to be Denny. The best part of bad movies is trying to get them to make sense, sort of filling in the blanks to create something that borders on coherent. Denny, as a character, makes absolutely no sense. He’s a freaky voyeur with a Lisa fixation, he appears to live on the roof, he stops by to borrow sugar… the list goes on and on. The first time I saw the movie I was convinced he was a serial killer. That does explain why Chris-R is never seen again.
Louis: As for favorite scenes: Katherine and Justin hit some faves, but I also like when, during the rooftop scene with Chris-R, at one point Lisa yells “What the hell is wrong with you?!” at Denny. It’s almost like she’s yelling it at everyone, both in the film, and in the audience.
Katherine: My favorite moment in The Room is when Chris-R has just been tackled and Lisa appears in the magic box and screams, “what’s going on here? Somebody help!”
Erik: My favorite scene has become the introduction of Steven (not Peter). That scene is delivered in such a way as to make us believe Steven has been there the entire film, but he just magically appears as a close friend. In a film filled with poor introductions, it’s the pinnacle of the bunch. I’ve gotten into the habit of quoting Steven’s memorable line, “I agree with that.”
Could the Tommy Wiseau hand puppet please do a keyboard cat impression? I suppose that’s not really a question and more of a request but I felt like I needed to ask.
Louis: We’d rather he become his own meme. No one is influence on him.
Tommy Wiseau keyboard cat was not meant to be...
Fair enough, although I have to admit I am a bit disappointed. In any case, I now have some more serious questions of utmost importance.
Lady GaGa? (this is an open ended question)
Katherine: I haven’t really thought about it. Guys?
Justin: I had Lady GaGa for about a week. They had to give me a special shampoo and a little comb.
Louis: She’s on the fence with me about everything. Is she attractive in any way? Is she talented? Is she serious about what she wears? I can’t pin her down.
Katherine: Hey Louis, Duane says she’s the stuff of PHD theses. If your thesis is called Identity, Sexual Politics and Commodification in the Post Media Age.
Louis: It’d be a long and thankless thesis.
Erik: She’s the one dating Mickey Rourke, right?
Louis: I don’t think Rourke dates so much as conquers.
Rourke's latest conquest at the Golden Globes
Here is a question that won’t even be relevant two months from now but is still extremely important, probably! Conan or Leno?
Katherine: We have an opinion, and so does puppet Tommy. Hopefully we’ll have that episode ready soon.
Justin: Stewart/Colbert.
Louis: Conan.
Erik: Norm MacDonald.
Some general info about each of you would be great, such as age, names (or internet nicknames), where you live (obviously not exact address). Also if there’s any other internet things you guys do that you want mentioned let me know, this is your chance!
Katherine: My main alias is Kathering Voorkies. (It’s how I was credited on a indie movie I wardrobed.) Nickname: Vork. Age: 28. If you want to commission a custom puppet, (or hire someone for your wardrobe department) you can find me at commentsinyourpocket@gmail.com.
Justin: I’m known as Captain Supermarket over at th3rdworld.com, where, once the sun becomes like sackcloth, my webcomic should be up. I’m the same age as Tommy. Possibly.
Louis: My main alias around Internetville is Enriquez the Water Bottle. (It’s a long story.) Age: 29. I write at miniaturefiction.tumblr.com. I otherwise have no job. Oh, hi Economy!
Erik: I have a terrible habit of using my own name on the internet, so a search of me will reveal my previous life as a college radio show host, a novel writer, a message board lurker and my current life as an entertainment reporter. There’s also a German guy with my name who ran for EU Parliament in 2000, but I have no political aspirations. Easiest place to find me is futurethreat.com.
This is a two-part and final question. Do you believe love overcomes all obstacles and do you believe true love finds everyone in the end?
Katherine: I’m not sure about all that. However the main message I take from The Room is, “don’t worry about it”.
Justin: The only way to test it would be to force true love to run an obstacle course of some kind.
Louis: My answers are “eleven” and “Jean Stapleton.”
Erik: Sure, why not? It all worked out for Harlan Ellison.
I lied, there is one more question. If you could each be one character from the Room who would it be and why?
Katherine: Hmmm. Tough question. Does the extra who tries to steal camera time in the coffee shop scene count? I know Justin badly wants to be the flower shop clerk. Right Justin?
Justin: Hell no. I want to be Seacrest. Sure, he’s a total douche, but his life consists solely of breaking into people’s apartments and making out with the best looking woman in the movie. My second choice would be Peter/Steven for the shapeshifting and hyperbolic powers.
Louis: Steven. He’s the only thing in the film resembling a conscience.
Erik: “I agree with that.”
Episode 1 of The Room Responds
The Brand New Episode 2!