“What Am I Doing in Dunellen?” - Dave Hill at The Dunellen Theatre – 5.26.2023 by Nicholas Tanek

“I’m trying to impress my 15-year-old self” – Dave Hill

On a beautiful Spring evening in Dunellen, Dave Hill reminded me how much a comedy show can inspire. He happened to be doing this show on the very last day I would live in Dunellen. So, in the spirit of George Carlin, I wanted to ask him what he was doing in New Jersey. His response was simple: he lives in New York City, and he took the train to the Dunellen Theatre. The essence of the answer is that this comedian, songwriter, musician, and author, who has performed professionally around the world, created a sense of mirth for a legendary theatre in the small central New Jersey town of Dunellen.

Without getting into details, I was going through a difficult time in my life. I needed some inspiration in the form of comedy, writing, podcasting, and music. That very morning, I moved out of my apartment, which was down the street from the venue. My life was a mess. My once Domme/roommate was committed to a mental facility, my car died, and I had to move suddenly. I did not want my final night in Dunellen to be a bummer, so I saw Dave Hill at the Dunellen Theatre in Dunellen, New Jersey.

Armed with only our phones, my kinky friend Sunshine filmed this quick interview backstage, before the show at the Dunellen Theatre. As always, we did it DIY punk rock guerilla style. At the end of it all, Dave Hill was a funny and intelligent connoisseur of the creative arts. I’m sure he was confused as to who these weirdos were, but he was cool as can be.

Seeing Dave Hill live at the Dunellen Theatre reminded me to be thankful for small towns like Dunellen, NJ, the performers who play there, and the theatres that support the arts. That is the magic of a small town. One show can spark a ripple effect of creativity. This all reminds me of Tony Wilson’s view on the Sex Pistols’ gig in Manchester, England. The myth is that one Sex Pistols’ gig planted the seeds for Factory Records, Joy Division, and Martin Hannett (producer).

One thing I love about interviewing people for YourKinkyFriends.com is that I try (and often fail) to capture the low-fi DIY charm of public access television and radio by using the most basic technology on the internet. (Please note that all my interviews are always raw and uncut.) I like to think the low-fi, no-budget style adds to the New Jersey indie charm. This interview with Dave Hill was full of typical low-fi technical problems, like all my interviews. (Why not donate some money, equipment, or some of your attention to help me interview someone you would like me to interview? Now is a good time…before would have been better.)

Watch us talk about comedy, music, Ohio, New York City, SCTV, Shorsey, Letterkenny, kink, punk, and other cool things that came to our minds.

Here is the interview:

Comedians Mike Sicoli and John Kurschner (That’s My Time Podcast) opened for Dave Hill. Like every opening act, it was good to see local up-and-coming talent. During the opening acts, the microphone kept shocking the comics. The improvised jokes about dying on stage by electrocution reminded me of the beautiful chaos of a DIY punk rock show. As someone who almost died during a liver transplant, I can appreciate joking about one’s own death.

When Dave took the stage, he shredded his guitar and told jokes. One of my favorite bits was his “Pick up lines exclusively for Dunellen Theatre”. If you notice in the interview, he had a piece of paper in his hand. That same piece of paper was used for local references during his act. He taped it to his mic stand. He obviously does this when he tours every city. As he asked the crowd where they were from, people would yell out their towns, like, “Metuchen!” Then Dave Hill would make up these ridiculous memories of when his dad would drive him from Ohio to Metuchen, NJ for just a couple of hours, only to turn right around and return home. I found peace that Dave Hill shares my appreciation for clever absurdity.

Dave Hill at Dunellen Theatre reminded me that even this little town can be filled with the power of creativity, music, comedy, and charm. I only promote the people I love. Obviously, I don’t do these interviews for money; there is no production value; there is no editing. It’s raw on purpose. I am trying to capture and celebrate creative people within the moment. When Dave Hill came to my small one-square-mile town, he put on a fun show that motivated me and a group of local fans. Cherry Bomb from Conversations with Crossdressers Podcast loved the show. I spoke with Trevor from Dunellen Theatre about the upcoming shows for the summer. This cool show in this legendary theatre in this small town inspired me to write this article. This Dave Hill show gave me a feeling of hope. At this time of writing, my life is filled with people struggling with mental illness, physical health issues, and major life changes. This one little show made life feel a little easier, even if it were just for one evening. I am grateful for that feeling. Now, I have to find a studio for my podcast, where I can interview (y)our kinky friends. To be honest, the show gave me the inspiration I needed to do more creative projects while the world seems to be falling apart. After the pandemic and a liver transplant, this show was just what I needed. This will give me inspiration to write my next (and final book), The Coolest Way To Save My Life In the interview, Dave Hill told me that he does his shows to try to “impress his 15-year-old self”. I think we should all tap into that kind of whimsical energy. That night, seeing the show at the Dunellen Theatre, my 47-year-old self, as well as my 15-year-old self were both impressed by Dave Hill.

Dave Hill

https://www.davehillonline.com/

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