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The core purpose of the Everyday Arts section is true to the core mission of Catalyst itself to highlight and promote the creative talents and activities of our local artists, musicians, theater people, etc. A rising tide lifts all boats in every community, and regular thoughtful, in-depth coverage of the arts helps everyone understand—and appreciate—what’s going on in this world, a world that is key to the continued growth and success of all of St. Pete/Tampa/Clearwater area.
Yet this reporter’s long career has always involved interviews with famous people who happen to be visiting, for a local performance or other purpose. It’s fun to include these bread and butter conversations Catalyst stories, from time to time.
Here are my favorite celebrity interviews of 2022.
10. Alan Cumming (March 31)
Tony-winning actor, singer, comedian and Scottish-born man of the world, Alan Cumming, talked about his one-man show, his past and upcoming projects (a wide range of things), and his two memoirs, the first of which details years of physical and emotional abuse from his domineering father.
I had to tell this story – and I realized, with all the response, that by telling your story, by revealing your truth and your authenticity, you really help people. Just by the very act of doing it, because it makes people feel like they’re not alone. And it makes people realize that famous, successful people may have gone through the things that they went through. And they can go on and live a happy life.
I just think that unfortunately there are still so few people who really talk about the darker sides of their lives. Being sincere and authentic is a big thing in my life, always, as an artist.
Read the interview
9. Daryl Hall (July 25)
John Oates was barely mentioned during this eye-opening conversation, in which the Philadelphia soul-singing legend—one half of one of rock’s most successful duos—seemed intent on … well, taking the (deserved) credit.
There is a lot of misunderstanding about what Hall & Oates is. And it was. I wrote most of these songs. Almost all. And I wrote some of them with a little help from John, and some of them have his name on them that shouldn’t be there. It was sort of a Lennon and McCartney thing. And some of the most important songs I wrote with the Allen sisters, Sarah Allen and Jana Allen. This has been a project of mine since about 1974. With notable exceptions, of course. But that’s how it is. I was a hidden solo artist for a long time.
Read the interview
8. Craig Ferguson (October 18)
One of Scotland’s wittiest exports talks about his introduction to stand-up comedy, his first serious work in America (as an actor in The Drew Carey Show) and his decision to quit a lucrative gig as a late-night talk show host because he was tired of poking fun—with jokes contributed by his writers—to celebrities in trouble.
If you’re an actor, you say the words, that’s the job. But I think if you’re a comedian and that’s the job, then you have to say your own words. Or you’ll go crazy… And a lot of the targets I had up until that point late at night, I had never even heard of these people. And I was saying things about them. And look, I’m not perfect – you’re doing five shows a week, we were doing 250 gigs a year when I was late at night … the jokes are heard and you’re like ‘I wish I hadn’t said that’ but it is what it is.
Read the interview
7. Gregory Porter (June 7)
The Californian singer with a silky smooth voice (like Luther Vandross singing in unison with Al Jarreau) explained the fusion of styles that has made it uniquely his own.
To synthesize it all, this is a truly black American musical experience. But I approach it all as a jazz singer. And I can say the same: I approach all of this as a gospel singer. I just don’t make any distinctions, stylistically, in the devices I use. Something that needs to be delivered in a soulful, powerful way, the gospel sound comes out. When there’s a refinement of the lyric, when there’s poetry that suggests classic jazz, then that’s the voice I use. It’s the right sound for the right moment. Every instrumentalist has the ability to do this. And I just do it with my voice.
Read the interview
6. Rufus Wainwright (October 1)
The Canadian singer/songwriter has a huge cult following around the world for his unique, commercially risky projects, including a song-for-song recorded cover of Judy Garland Live at Carnegie Hall album, an original opera and a collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets set to music. He is also a talented singer and, yes, indeed, a songwriter.
I don’t know that I’m so much fearless, I think I’m looking for danger. {Laughing}. There has to be some risk. I’m definitely scared, but at the same time, I’m looking for danger, and I like that it’s something that really electrifies me—and that’s overcoming the odds. I’ve always had to do what I want, for better or for worse.
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5. Jay Leno (January 29)
The comedian and long-time host of Tonight’s show was forthright in his assessment of show business and why the specter of the Conan/Letterman/Late Night Warriors debacle (in which he was painted as the Bad One) keeps him up at night.
I have the same friends I had in high school, I’ve been married to the same guy for 42 years. Here’s the thing: If you think showbiz people are your friends, ask them for a ride to the airport. They won’t give it to you. These are familiar. All of them are known from show business. And that’s good! I don’t mean to sound cold. This is the reality… If you have five true friends, you are way ahead of the game. You don’t fall in love with a prostitute, do you? This is show business.
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4. Sandra Bernhard (June 10)
An icon for the global gay community, Sandra Bernhard – actress, comedian, singer, author and podcast host (called Sandiland) – is always direct and straightforward. Which is probably why there isn’t another like her. We discussed her appearance in the then-upcoming Netflix special Stand Out: LGBTQ+ Celebration.
I do what I do. I don’t really do gay humor per se – never have – but there are a few things that work. And it was fun. It was good company. Is it important? I don’t know if it matters. It’s Netflix! Any of these outfits will jump on the bandwagon. I don’t know how innovative it is. It’s just part of, you know, Black! Latina! Asian! gay! Women! Anyone can be a part of the comedy extravaganza.
Read the interview
3. LeAnn Rimes (June 22)
The country music superstar also hosts a podcast – All Human is dedicated, she said, is dedicated to helping people understand themselves. She’s had some serious bumps along the way—personal, family, financial—and she believes those events, along with the years of introspection that followed, have made her a better person as she approaches her 40s.th birthday.
I mean, I hope we can all say that. I go back to the human experience – we can either remain a victim throughout our lives or we can grow and learn from our experiences. I wouldn’t be where I am without those experiences. So I look back and I… Do I wish some of them hadn’t happened? That I shouldn’t experience them? Of course. But I don’t regret things. I can look back on my life and say, “Okay, I understand why it happened.”
Read the interview
2. Herb Alpert (November 28)
Popular music in the 1960s meant a lot more than the Beatles, Beach Boys, Stones and Motown. In fact, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass sold more records in 1966 alone than either of them. Alpert’s happy, fast-paced trumpet instrumentals were a staple of the decade’s lively soundtrack. His Tijuana Brass TV specials were ratings favorites—Alpert was one of the biggest multimedia stars of the era.
It was a confusing time for me because I am an introvert. I’m a card-carrying introvert. So that kind of exposure threw me for a loop for a moment. I didn’t know how to react to that. And then when people said, “He’s a good-looking guy, that’s why the music is good,” that also threw me because I just wanted to make music that I liked and I didn’t want to compromise. I could have done the “Lonely Bull” record on the side and then done a few variations on it, but I didn’t. I wanted to see how far I could take the sound.
Read the interview
Rebecca Lovell, left, and Megan Lovell are Larkin Poe. The image is a screenshot from Larkin Poe’s cover YouTube channel.
1. Larkin Poe (April 6)
Georgia sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell front the roots-rock band Larkin Poe (there’s no one in the band with that name), playing a rich, swampy hybrid of rock, blues and country. Both are accomplished guitarists; Rebecca does most of the lead singing, while Megan plays a furious rap-style. On their YouTube channel, the sisters play—from their living rooms—everything from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Hall and Oates to Henry Mancini to Led Zeppelin, with disarming range and charm.
Rebecca said: It was a very deliberate move to keep ourselves fresh. Because I think that’s a rut that musicians can sometimes fall into, especially touring musicians, is that you don’t refresh yourself well. You don’t keep learning. When we were teenagers, we learned Jimi Hendrix solos and learned Allman Brothers tunes. You’re starting to get the hang of it. But at a certain point there is this danger of plateauing. So we both decided to commit to learning new songs together.
It was also a lot of fun. It’s become something we really look forward to and we love being able to connect with people on social media. And especially with the pandemic, I don’t think we’ve figured out what a salvation this cover series will actually become. Because it gave us something to do, it helped keep us sane. We were able to continue to connect with people despite the deep isolation that so many of us experienced.
Read the interview
others Catalyst celebrity interviews in 2022:
Rodney Crowell
Transfer Manhattan
Elizabeth Cook
Don Felder
John Waite
Rupert Holmes
Al Jardine
Stephen Wright
Patterson Hood
Paul Reiser
Patrick Wilson
Melanie
Martin Bare
Kathleen Edwards
Susan Cowsill
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