WVU News Profile (originally written March 2003).
This is one of the very first reviews ever written for The Brice Kennedy Show. It's also unique because it's from the perspective of a college student doing a profile on yours truly for WVU News.
Profile: Brice Kennedy and His Show
by Rachel Spadowski
College News Reporting Course
West Virginia University, March 12, 2003
A steady white hand holds a green plastic cup under a running water faucet in what appears to be a bathroom sink. Water builds up quickly, coming dangerously close to overflowing. After a short fade to black, the scene cuts to a beautiful girl with short dark hair sleeping peacefully on a bare mattress and wrapped up in a single blanket. The camera zooms in on the unsuspecting female and the hand holding the dark green cup again emerges, moving slowly but steadily toward the victim.
With a sudden motion, the hand overturns the cup, spilling cold water down the neck of the unsuspecting girl who shoots up out of bed and gives forth a pathetic sound. Her pale face, framed by the tousled dark hair, displays a distraught look - a combination of shock, anger and slight humor. She throws her arm out to strike her attacker - someone she knows well and works with. She is Heather Tennant, victim and co-host of "The Brice Kennedy Show". The man responsible for the assault is the host of the show.
A trick like this is one of the tamer stunts performed by the star of the show, Brice Kennedy. With his mischievously sparkling blue eyes and boyish grin, Kennedy himself never quite knows what he will dream up! This local celebrity, a 27-year-old who was born in Morgantown, has his own camera crew and his own film equipment. Unlike Jay Leno or David Letterman, Kennedy creates his own humorous skits alone with the help of only a few friends.
When Kennedy first had the idea of creating his own show, he was disappointed to learn that Morgantown had no public access television channel that could broadcast his project. However, after discovering that Pittsburgh was a relatively close location that did have public access, Kennedy began work and soon filmed the first episode of his show there. However, after finding Mountain Digital Channel 7, which airs closer to Morgantown (in Preston County), Kennedy decided to move the filming location.
During his first episode, which was taped in Pittsburgh in October of 2000, Kennedy interviewed a French intern named Nathalie Evrat from PCTV, Channel 21. Evrat, who must have taken offense either to Kennedy's mild jokes or to the naked co-host Tennant, who streaked across the stage during the taping, asked if she "had to stay" for further conversation. When Kennedy made it clear that she did not have to, Evrat promptly took off her microphone, stood up and strode out. "I honestly didn't mean to offend her", Kennedy said with a look of slight confusion.
After Evrat's unexpected exit, Kennedy sits bewildered at his desk, wearing a shiny silver shirt. Tennant, seated on a mahogany couch and clad only in a pink robe after her streaking incident, quietly states, "That's the price you pay for art."
Kennedy asks her to repeat the statement, which she does. He likes the direct and implied meanings that her words offer and he urges Tennant to chant the phrase with him. With a slight giggle, Tennant complies. Kennedy says it again, banging his hands on his desk emphatically.
On February 5, Kennedy taped his fifth episode and interviewed Emmy award-winning director Jacob Young, who is best known for directing the film "The Dancing Outlaw" featuring Boone County man Jesco White. The upcoming sixth episode promises to reveal new stunts. He hopes that Morgantown residents will soon have the opportunity to see his show. As to whether he will ever have the show on the air in Pittsburgh, Kennedy really isn't sure.
However, "The Brice Kennedy Show" has recently moved its taping location to the Monongalia Arts Center in downtown Morgantown. Previous shows were taped in various locations such as The Digital Domain Theater in Reedsville, Pittsburgh and Mansfield, PA. Viewers can now catch the half-hour show Saturday nights at 11 p.m. on Mountain Digital Cable Channel 7.
Although the interview segments are taped in the theater, Kennedy and his crew also work to capture funny moments on camera outside of the studio. Many of these little scenarios are taped in Kennedy's own apartment - a little place in Dellslow.
Kennedy has produced five episodes and featured several guests. "I just try to pick people to interview who I think the audience will find interesting. Although I can't say that I've had a favorite, one of the guests who stands out the most in my mind is Eric McGuire. We had been planning his appearance for a while and it just worked out really well. He's also in the entertainment business and, as a performer, he knows how everything goes. It's nice to interview someone who knows what it's like to do the interviewing," Kennedy said enthusiastically.
Currently, Kennedy is in the process of building his own production company, which will be called New Arena Pictures. He is no stranger to the movie scene. Just cruise over to www.IMDb.com and check out his adventures on the Internet Movie Database. The 27-year-old has already made several appearances such as the organ player in the CBS miniseries "Mama Flora's Family" and as Devin in "Hellgate: The House That Screamed 2". Kennedy has also been filmed in several TV commercials and has some behind the scenes experience.
From day to day, Kennedy draws on experiences and random thoughts to spark his imagination for upcoming show ideas. His onstage personality and his presence outside of the studio are one and the same. Kennedy never seems to stop making people laugh. Every once in a while, he won't be able to contain his own amusement and you'll get a quick glimpse of his dimples.
After high school, Kennedy worked for a while and attended both West Virginia University and Fairmont State College. "I liked WVU but college just wasn't my cup of tea... at least not at the time," he says. It appears he has since found his cup of tea.
Later, Kennedy joined the Army. After basic training, while he was stationed near Atlanta, Georgia, he heard about a casting call for a CBS miniseries, which he attended. He was chosen as an extra, then landed a featured role complete with a close-up. So his first ever television appearance was for a national audience.
In addition, Kennedy has written his own script, "Shooting Home". In "Shooting Home", which is a semi-autobiographical comedy, Kennedy serves as director, writer, producer and editor. The film, which he plans to be feature-length, has not yet been shot. The entire movie will most likely be filmed in Morgantown late this year. Because it is Kennedy's own production, he can hand pick the actors and actresses for the film.
On a clear day in Morgantown, Kennedy and his camera operator arrive at Patteson Drive. Sporting a white "Brice Kennedy Show" t-shirt and a pair of swimming trunks over his head, Kennedy marches out into the oncoming traffic and pulls his pants down. The white mesh part on the inside of the trunks conceals his identity as oncoming traffic slows down. Some folks go around him, some come to a complete stop and plenty of them yell at him.
Now these little pranks and crazy stunts can be seen live on "The Brice Kennedy Show". It just recently opened itself up to a live studio audience for TV tapings. With this recent improvement, Kennedy can actually involve audience members in his stunts and jokes. Those who have ventured into the studio to watch the show never quite know what they'll get. The host of the show has been known to bring some crazy moments to the stage, including the alternative personality Johnny No-Name and his trusty sledgehammer for destroying an object or two!
Though it may seem like Kennedy already has his hands full, he also sometimes takes the opportunity to fund his creative outlets by videotaping important events such as weddings. Since he is creating his own production company, he already owns the equipment needed for professional video production. Kennedy has worked in the field for several years earning the necessary experience to produce videos for events such as these.
Fans can find updates, mp3s, pictures and additional information on the web at www.bricekennedy.com. The colorful site is easy to navigate and provides ample information on Kennedy and his show. Viewers can also sign the guestbook and comment on the show, his movies or anything else they like.
Kennedy says that while producing each episode seems to take a long time, doing the show has been a rewarding experience. He and his small crew shoot plenty of material, often for extended periods of time, to fill thirty minutes worth of "The Idiocy" for each show.
The slim, dark-haired guy known as Brice Kennedy brings humor to the screen not only with his amusing antics but also with his warm personality. His energetic persona could draw even the quietest guest out of his or her shell. With Kennedy's past accomplishments and current activities, there is no doubt that we will be hearing more about him in the future.
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