Diversity Rules Magazine

5 Diversity Rules Magazine May 2018 Pina Bausch and funny woman Tina Fey. I use to call myself "Pina Fey". I still consider this type of recipe when being creative today. Truth, accessibility, expres- sivity, and absurdity all rolled into one. JRK: Your background is in choreography but you are venturing into the comedic realm with your first show at the People's Improv eater (PIT). Can you tell us about the show and what's going to happen? JB: In Gay Stuff, I'm debuting 2 sketches, Gay-splainer, the new app for people who desperately need a bitchy best friend, and Avenue WTF, a couples counseling session that takes the idea of non-binary gender to a whole new level. Christine Driscoll, an environ- mental policy escapee, will present Mother's Maiden Name, a perfor- mative rant about security pass- word micro-aggressions. Experimental Bitch, Hannah Gold- man, will present a stand-up set and the sketch Safe Space, depicting bro culture as both endangered, and ho- moerotic. It'll be performed by an all-female cast. I recruited these smart and funny women in a sketch writing class we completed recently at Mag- net eater here in the city. All of the sketches presented were written and developed in that class. JRK: Inspiration is the fire that propels people for- ward to fulfill their dreams and aspirations, and it is the fuel for empowering our personal greatness. What inspires you? JB: Self-starting writers, in most forms but especially those that write funny and impactful narrative fiction (i.e. stand-up, television, and film type storytelling). It takes smarts, the ability to edit oneself, an understand- ing of the human condition, and a shameless resilience that I respect deeply. I'm still trying to find a fertile place to shove all my writing chops, in the way some- one like Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, or John Waters does. JRK: You also do what you call "Free Range Public Relations Consulting." What does that entail? JB: rough sheer strength of will and utter nerdman- ship, my fringe performance self-has experienced glim- mers of mainstream success, like serious press cover- age, film festival acceptance, and grant funding. Now, I make most of my money consulting other individu- als and organizations on how to do it for themselves. Many think the creativity you put into your artistic work is separate from the, often neglected, business side and they are so damn wrong. Without promoting these services at all, I have a packed public speaking schedule and turn down con- sultations due to time restraints. As a speaker, I offer down and dirty tutorials in tandem with philosophical rants on everything from social media advertis- ing, press solicitation, how the brain functions, and creative copywriting. As a consultant, I offer deeply person- alized strategies and resources, usually via a conference call. Essentially, it's "free- range" because I hap- pily mind my own business until someone feels like having me as a meal. JRK: What are some of your more colorful mo- ments in your career that make you laugh out loud when you look back upon them? JB: Dancing dressed as an unflushed piece of shit, TP- ing an audience, interpretive dancing to orgasm noises, using grant funds to cover a vintage subway car with fake bloody bandages, spilled coffee, and vomit. JRK: What's next for Jamie Benson after the PIT show? JB: e Park Avenue Armory invited my Shakedown Dance Collective to participate in the new Nick Cave installation, e Let Go, on June 10th. Cave is Benson - Con't on page 6 Driscoll Photo Credit: Kali Borkoski Goldman Photo Credit: Sub-Urban Photography

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