Let's Paint, Exercise and Save the World
Interview by Elizabeth Benefiel
Every Wednesday and Saturday night, John Kilduff paints, exercises and does a third activity, such as blending drinks, cooking pancakes or dressing a chicken, all one half hour television show. Let's Paint TV, on public access in Eagle Rock, California, enjoys a cult following in much of the English-speaking world since the nascence of YouTube, where John posts episodes a few days after they air.
And no wonder &mdash with its improvisational air, dadaist camerawork and Kilduff's manic energy, the show captivates and inspires its viewers and followers. John's effusive zeal shines on camera, and it's thoroughly infectious.
I spoke to Kilduff at his home, where he lives with his girlfriend Sari, three cats and two dogs, Mae and Serena.
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ZOTAPINE: How did you come up with the concept for Let's Paint TV?
JOHN KILDUFF: I had done another show, called the Jim Barry show, for about six years, starting in 1995. But I was also a professional painter &mdash Jim Barry had nothing to do with painting. Around 2001 I got tired with it and just wanted to do a how-to-paint show, like Bob Ross. Are you familiar with Bob Ross?
Z: Yep.
JK: Well, people seemed to respond to that, and I found it came very naturally. It didn't start out with the treadmill and cooking, but I had that entertainment part of the show &mdash I'd burst into song, for example. Cooking and exercising came in about two years ago.
Z: How do you decide the third or fourth activity?
JK: I try to think of things that can be done in that format &mdash basically, anything, as long as I can stay in the area and still keep that all going. Someone mentioned the other day I could play ping pong, and paint and exercise at the same time. I've played chess before.
Z: I've noticed a lot of callers try to get a rise out of you, and aren't really serious. What's your opinion of that?
JK: A lot of people like that part. I'm open to things being hurled at me; while I'm doing the show, I'm in a place where I'm not gonna be offended. It's okay &mdash I'm not attacking back, I try to be very friendly. If I do attack at all it's very mild, maybe a little annoyed. With too many "I love the show" calls, that's too much patting on the back. When people challenge you, you have to navigate through that. I think it's closer to what society is.
Z: Do you incorporate fans into the experience?
JK: Well, the show is definitely experimental &mdash I'm open to new possibilities. I don't jump on every idea that comes across, though. A person from Myspace was going to come on the show. Through correspondence, we came up with the idea of a Sushi Gingerbread House &mdash she was going to dress up as a Japanese catholic schoolgirl [laughs]. She couldn't make it, which is understandable &mdash I'm not paying anybody to come, and it's your job to get yourself down to the studio.
Z: How much of the show is just you riffing?
JK: In a lot of cases it is just me. People will come on and be on the show for a couple episodes, but these people have to move on after a while. Like I said, I can't pay anyone.
I leave a lot up to the button-pushers. I might say I want a bluescreen on this or that, but I'm open to their intuition. They do whatever they want &mdash by doing so, you inspire them in their own creativity. The only time I'm annoyed is when the phones don't work.
There's something refreshing about not knowing what'll happen, about that experimentation from a guideline. I'll sometimes go out without any idea of what will happen &mdash and often do.
Z: Your personal philosophy, at least as you espouse it on Let's Paint, seems to be that it's more important to be in motion than to plan or bide one's time. Am I getting that right?
JK: That tends to be what I'm saying, though I always try to correct myself, and say this is just one type of process. It's not mandatory to do this in everything &mdash but we have this option.
People who are controlling, who plan everything, tend only to plan. On the opposite side, people who just jump in, well, they never plan. With multitasking and poking fun at self-improvement shows, Let's Paint has become my own regurgitation of tv, through an anarchist, tongue-in-cheek approach.
I enjoy interacting with the public, and the challenge of trying to respond to their questions. I excel at this, doing things all at once &mdash when I do it, something happens. You don't have ingenious ideas and thoughts, it's not that, but you are...alive.
There's a great line from the TV movie "Network," where the guy opens the window and says "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" and then he tells everyone else to start saying that and they start saying that too.
Z: Wait, wait, how does "Network" fit in to this? Are you mad as hell and not going to take it anymore?
JK: I'm not sure how "Network" relates, I'm just throwing that out there. Let's Paint taps into all this craziness going on, with the war, economic news, all the latest gadgets &mdash all this stuff. We're spinning out of hand, frankly, or at least our part of the western world is. We're going at a real fast pace, faster than a lot of people can really handle. The show's about that, but it gives hope that you can have a go at it all without going crazy. Because I'm going crazy for you! I found a way to walk on this planet in the year 2007.
I don't really know what I'm hoping for from people. I wouldn't mind answering questions and giving them advice on how to navigate their creative process. Maybe I'm some self-appointed creative guru. At the same time, I'm not that great &mdash I'm just a regular guy telling people it's okay to be alive, and encouraging them to shout out if possible.
I always hear people say, "I wish I could draw" or "I wish I could paint." What I hear, what I sense they're saying, is "I wish I could be creative," that they're missing something, that there's a void there. Maybe I'm kind of spoiled, but they can still jump in the deep end and find a way out. Perfectionists, when thinking about being creative, think about making a masterpiece. That stops them. They don't stop and have fun, enjoy their failures.
With Let's Paint, I try to keep positive. I have to keep going. I have to keep going. I can't shut down &mdash obviously I've had bad days, and it may not always work. If I did the show every day, I'd be a lot happier. Right now I'm, well, I'm not as alive as I could be.
Z: What comes next?
JK: I'm optimistic that there's more to this, that it could get more accessible. I get lots of calls and emails about people who want to get on the show, or call in, but because of time they can't. Even if they call in, it's not like they're seeing me face to face.
I'm also open to nothing happening. I don't make that the most important part of my life. If I do, it becomes a business. Most artists struggle with the aspect of profiting. I'd like to profit &mdash but I like the idea of encouraging others. I feel very much complete with myself, but would love to have it on a bigger level. Maybe Let's Paint just is what it is.
Article © Elizabeth Benefiel, March 2007. Photo © John Kilduff, used with permission.