Where in the world am I today?: Shanghai, China
Prologue: I first met David around 1998. He contacted me and asked if he could meet with me and ask me some questions. He had apparently seen me performing in Ottawa on Canada Day (July 1) some years earlier and it had inspired him to pursue performing as a full time career himself as “The Rubber Chicken Guy.” So he came over, we talked and soon became friends. We’d check in with each other on a fairly regular basis and I was continually impressed with how well he crafted his image and marketing materials. We traveled together on a ProTel Performance Tour in BC and Alberta in 2001 then just a few year’s later he decided to take everything he’d learned from performing and comedy and apply it to a completely different career as a humanitarian photographer. He shoots regularly for World Vision Canada and is about to publish his first book – “Within the Frame” which talks about the journey of photographic vision.
Stats:
Name: David Duchemin
Birthday: Dec. 24. Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday.
Place of Birth: Montreal, Quebec.
Started Performing/Working in the Industry: 1991 – retired (from performing) in 2006
Discipline: Former Rubber Chicken Guy/Current Humanitarian Photographer
Website: www.rubberchickenguy.com, currently www.pixelatedimage.com
Video Link: http://www.rubberchickenguy.com/generalmov.html
Venues Worked: Seriously? I can barely remember where I went for lunch yesterday. Lots of them. Here and there. More there than here.
Hot 10 Questions:
- What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Depends on my mood. But overall most favourite? Tiger Tiger. Why? If you need to ask you clearly do not know the joy that is synthetic orange flavour mixed with synthetic licorice flavour.
- Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films • Apocalypse Now. Or Casablanca. Possibly Monsters Inc. And Muppets Christmas Carol at Christmas. Always.
- What was your favorite toy from childhood? • I remember a Star Wars lightsaber with great affection. I also liked trees.
- Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • The Checkerboard Guy! And then it would be the Cos’
- From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Hobbes, from Calvin and Hobbes. Does that count? If not, then, uh, the ant voiced by Woody Allen in Antz.
- Name something that scares you. • Bureacracy. Ever seen the movie Brazil? Yeah, exactly.
- Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Current gig as a humanitarian photographer. But I also did a stint at KFC.
- What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • High altitude skydiving. Seriously. Oxygen masks and 5 minutes of freefall.
- What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • The creeping feeling that I was beginning to believe my own PR.
- If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Well done, kid.”
The Nugget:
Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.
“Be you. Be the best You that you can be. So good that other people want to be you. And if you find something you love more, follow it. Too many performers identify too closely with their persona, or the fact that they’re a “full time professional…” Whatever. Life’s too short.“
–David Duchemin
