Spoken Reasons Brings “The Heat” this summer from Youtube to the Silver Screen.
Standup comedian and Youtube phenomenon, Spoken Reasons is receiving rave reviews for his silver screen debut in “The Heat.” Spoken Reasons stars, alongside Sandra Bullock and breakout “Bridesmaids” actress Melissa McCarthy, in a hilarious cop comedy about an FBI agent (Sandra Bullock) who is forced to team up with a tough Boston policewoman (Melissa McCarthy) to take down a Russian mobster. The transition from Youtube comedian/actor to starring in movies may seem like a big jump, but for Spoken Reasons things seem to be going according to plan. We caught up with Spoken Reasons to find out how he did it.
So how does someone turn Youtube success into a starring role in a major motion picture?
The way the Youtube channel started was I was just sitting in the house and I wanted to find something better to do pretty much. I wasn’t in college; I only spent one semester in college. I lied to my mother and told her that I was gonna finish out when I knew the plans. And she pretty much knew, she told me “I know you’re not gonna finish college. I know you’re not”. And I was like dang, you’re supposed to be my mother, you’re not supposed to tell me that I’m not going finish. So, it was one semester and I didn’t know what to do; I sat down in my room for like a week and I googled poetry. I wanted to do something different. I didn’t know anything about it, but I did it and that’s how I got into that. And then it went from that, to not getting attention on the road that I wanted, so I took it to Youtube and that’s when the comedic twist got into it, because I knew that people didn’t like serious stuff all the time, I had to throw the comedy in it. Then it went from the comedy to the films and that’s how it happened.
I’ve been a fan of your Youtube channel from the early days and you made the transition from hilarious sketches on social commentary to a more serious tone with your series Relationship Games. How did that transition come?
You got to thank my manger for telling me to move to LA. I wanted to stay in Florida, but he told “You’re gonna have to move to LA”. So, I didn’t think twice about it, within a month I was gone. So, I packed up all my stuff and I got into writing and wrote Relationship Games. It’s kinda funny how you said that, because I wanted to do something a little more serious and I wanted to show people I can do movies, and that I can act, and that I can write. And I felt like that was very important for me show people before the movie comes out. And I feel like now, because I’ve told all my fans to watch me on tv with their video game consoles and stuff, they are programmed to like me in that way. And now they are used to seeing me that way, so when they go see me in the film, they are used to it.
You also do music, you write, and act; Where does that versatility come from?
It just came from me being me, man. I like music, I love music, I love R&B, I love Rap. It wasn’t something that my mother or my father put me on, I just like being around music. I like playing the piano; I loved that before I loved poetry or before I loved doing standup. I just applied it within myself. I just blew up just for being me, man. That’s all I can pretty much say. You’re not getting any other person besides me.
Now you’re working with the same director who directed “Bridesmaids” and you’re with the Academy Award winning Sandra Bullock, and the breakout comedian Melissa McCarthy; How is that going for you?
Amazing, man. I mean what more can I ask for? Working around Sandra and working around Melissa…Sandra, I consider more of a mother figure to me when I was on set. She would always pull me to the side and give me advice. And Melissa would just brighten up my day; she would brighten up everyone’s day. If you came to work mad that morning, you didn’t leave mad, you were actually happy. So, that’s what they were good for and I’m appreciative for everything.
What was your favorite part about being on set?
My favorite part about being on set was just seeing how it worked behind the scenes, because I’m a behind the scenes type of guy. I mean, don’t get it twisted, I love acting and I wouldn’t take it back for anything, but being behind the scenes and watching people that I’ve never seen before or been around, and feeling like I was apart of a family was the most important part. Because being behind the scenes and making sure you’re apart of a family and you’re treating everyone right is an important part of how you become successful.
And how has life changed since “The Heat”?
But it’s changed a lot. How do you think it feels when you leave your house, and you go to Target, and the person you parked next to tells you to roll down your window and says, “Hey you! You! You!”. I’m not used to it, I spent the majority of my life just being a regular person and I have to realize that I’m not a regular person any more. So, it’s mind blowing, but than again I like it.
And what’s up next for Spoken Reasons?
I’m writing a movie right now with Brian Robbins, the director of “Thousand Words,”” Norbit,” “Coach Carter,” and stuff like that. And I’m actually auditioning a lot more. I have a lot more things coming out, just keep watching, keep staying in tune, it’s coming. I’m not gonna stop working, more movies and more scripts.
And musically what do you have coming out?
Right now, I have a comedy album, but I call it alternative and that’s coming out June 23rd. Like I say, make sure you get that. It’s called “The Game Changer” and it’s pretty much me being me. Pretty much, how I’m feeling and what I’ve been going through for the past six months, since I moved to LA, that’s everything that it’s going to be.
“The Heat” is now playing.
-JT Tarpav
