I'm starting a new feature on Beat Jeremy Coon: Interviews with Berkner High School Alumni who knew Jeremy Coon - even just tangentially - before he was THE Jeremy Coon... and sometimes afterward as well. Their observations on Jeremy Coon will be candid, humorous and sometimes a little surprising.
I'm kicking off the interview series with Duncan Gilman, an old theater buddy of mine from middle and high school who studied film with me at the University of Texas. We went to Austin, Arkansas together to film Where are We?, the best documentry to come out of Karen Kocher's small format video class. Now he's a video editor in California. When you're doing reading the interview, check out his blog: Here's the Thing.
Q: First tell me a little about yourself. Who are you, where are you, how did you get there, what do you do, what's your life philosophy, and how do we know each other?
A: I'm Duncan Gilman. I grew up in Richardson, TX and went to junior high and high school with both Rhys Southan and Jeremy Coon. I moved to Los Angeles four years ago and currently work as a video editor for cable television programs. I lead a happy, optimistic life with a genuine love of family, friends, and fruit juice.
Q: You first met or knew of Jeremy Coon in middle school, right? Did he change at all during the time you knew him?
A: From my perspective Jeremy didn't change. I had no exposure to him in elementary school and little in high school.
Q: Were you friends with him at all? What did you think of him? Was your impression of him more positive or negative?
A: We were never good friends, but we had classes together; gym was the most memorable. He seemed like an okay enough guy. We were all nerds of course, but he was physically bigger than I was, so he had that going for him.
Q: Physically, how would you describe Jeremy Coon? Fat?
A: I wouldn't call him fat. Before my brother Camden grew a foot, I used to tell him encouragingly that he was "husky, like Brad Schob." Of course Camden is far from husky now, as I'm sure Brad is. I'd like to give a shout out to the Schob family. I love you guys!
Q: Do you wish you'd been better friends with Jeremy Coon in high school now that he's made it so big?
A: No. For two reasons. Unfortunately some of my current friends had terrible experiences in either junior high school or high school or both. Not true for me. I have wonderful memories of wonderful experiences and wouldn't change that. Also, I might give this question more consideration if I thought Jeremy's career could be some sort of Coon ex machina that would rescue me from my current job and take me to far away candy lands with Latter Day lollipops and Salt Lake taffy. Although my path to fame and fortune has been slower than I hoped, I'm happy where I am at the moment and doubt our careers will cross.
Q: How did Jeremy Coon functional socially in high school? Did he have a lot of friends? A lot of enemies? Did he ever seem to be dating anyone? Did he get into any fights? Was he cool or was he a nerd?
A: He seemed to have his own crowd of friends; I'm sure I knew some of them too. I don't remember him being in a relationship, but I do remember a fight of some sort. I wish I could remember the details, but for some reason I seem to recall he got in a pretty serious fist fight with somebody. I could be mistaken. He wasn't cool. Neither was I.
Q: Do you see any similarities between Jeremy Coon and Napoleon Dynamite?
A: Jeremy wasn't lanky and had straight hair. He wasn't quite the exaggerated nerd that Napoleon is. Jeremy performed the role of that almost lovable goof rather than serious nerd.
Q: Did you know that Jeremy Coon was a Mormon? Does it make sense in retrospect? Do you think he was trying to hide it?
A: I had no idea at the time, but then again I didn't know any Mormons at the time. I probably didn't know what Mormonism was. I still don't. So in fact it makes perfect sense in retrospect. I didn't really know what to make of Jeremy.
Q: What have your other experiences (if any) with Mormons been like?
A: Excellent. In all seriousness the few Mormons I know are incredible people. I was a post production assistant for a documentary about a Mormon family dealing with infidelity, AIDS, and homosexuality. I never met the film's subjects, but the director was an amazing woman who was producing the program in her office in her free time from a regular job. The other Mormon I know is a beautiful and very intelligent girl named Charity who is now working for Paul Schaffer on the Late Show.
Q: Did you ever hear about Jeremy Coon getting on America's Funniest Home Videos?
A: I did hear about that. Maybe I was confusing a school fight with getting on this show.
Q: Years after high school, Jeremy Coon was quoted as saying, "Rhys was so weird in high school, he was an untouchable, even to me." You knew me in high school. What do you make of that? Spite or candor?
A: When did he say that? What was the context? Everyone was weird in high school. I saw the humor in your weirdness and didn't connect it with any sort of untouchability. Probably spite. Jeremy only wishes they had pronounced his name "Juramy Cone" at graduation. [Ed's note: At my graduation, I intentionally told the annoucer an incorrect pronunciation for my name -- "Rice Soothin."]
Q: When and how did you find out that Jeremy Coon produced Napoleon Dynamite? Was it a shock?
A: I think my parents told me. It did come as a bit of a shock since I hadn't heard anything from or about him since high school.
Q: What did you think of Napoleon Dynamite?
A: I enjoyed the movie. I wasn't entertained the way I usually expect to be, but it's refreshing to see something that's more unconventional even if it's unconventional for the sake of being so.
Q: What's your feeling about the Berkner community reaction to Jeremy Coon? Is he a hero to us? Has he finally given Berkner the credibility it's long been seeking? Or is he a blight, a menace?
A: He certainly won't raise Berkner to stardom on his own. I can't speak for the current Berkner community, but I can't imagine they would consider him a hero. No one I've spoken to does. The manager of Garbage is a Berkner grad. Jensen Ackles is a Berkner grad. Wake me up when a Berkner grad becomes president.
Q: By the time our high school reunion rolls around, will everyone at Berkner already know that Jeremy Coon is the big success story?
A: Several factors come into play here. He might be a one-movie wonder and no longer a success by the time the reunion rolls around. And then there are the '97 grads who have no idea who Jeremy Coon is. Then you have the people who didn't see the movie. Then you have the people who saw the movie but weren't really paying attention to who edited it.
Q: Of all people to make it big from our school, did you ever suspect it might be Jeremy Coon?
A: Never.
Q: Who hasn't made it big from our school that you thought would?
A: From our class? Kenneth Lawrence and Celest Villanueva. But hey, the night is still young.
Q: High school reunions are basically a time for showing off what you've done with your life. How do you think you'll fare at the Berkner class of '97 10-year reunion?
A: I think I'll fare about average. While I'm not a huge success, I'm proud that the activities and organizations I was involved with in high school have a great deal of relavance to my life today. They were fun AND useful.
Q: Do high school reunions matter? Does the prospect of one make you want to try harder? Will you even go?
A: Memories and friends matter, and reunions help facilitate the maintainance of both. I don't think that the prospect of going (and I plan to go) necessarily makes me try harder.
Q: Are you at all concerned with Jeremy Coon basically blasting us all out of the water by being the producer of such a fantastically successful movie and going on to produce more?
A: No, I'm afraid of Grace Chen blasting me out of the water by being president of Jackie Chan's production company (and she's on her way). Out of 600 graduates I refuse to believe that the editor of Napoleon Dynamite will be the most successful.
Q: Do you think Jeremy Coon will even appear at our high school reunion? Why or why not?
A: Oh he has to. He has to flaunt his success. I would if I were him.
Q: Have you accomplished everything you hoped you'd hoped you would since high school?
A: Not entirely, but I have two more years to be rich and famous and happily married.
Q: In what ways has your life not lived up to your post-high school graduation expectations?
A: I thought I'd have a much easier time making new friends. That's more frustrating at this point in my life than my career.
Q: Tell me everything else you can think of about Jeremy Coon.
A: He reminds me of either Beavis or Buthead. Which one was blonde? Now Mike Judge! He's a successful Richardson guy. I don't know where he went to high school, but he should be our local hero.
Every emphases added was mine. Thanks, Duncan!
subtle yet bold
Posted by: brzus | July 08, 2005 at 03:33 PM
Rhys I think you have the only blog that makes me laugh beyond the point of control. Those emphases are brilliant.
Posted by: Chad | July 08, 2005 at 04:00 PM
Funny funny stuff Rhys...
I was just in New York for a friend's wedding. I'll have to look you up next time I'm there. Keep up the good work.
-Sam
Posted by: Sam Yi | October 19, 2005 at 03:21 PM
Hey I randomly came across your site while searching for Jeremy Coon, I know it is something you probably didn't want to hear...but oh well. I know the Schob's and Brad is not at all husky! I went to school with Camden and your dad, he was a senior my sophomore year. Well, good luck in all that you do!
Posted by: Bonnie | November 28, 2005 at 05:22 PM
Hey I randomly came across your site while searching for Jeremy Coon, I know it is something you probably didn't want to hear...but oh well. I know the Schob's and Brad is not at all husky! I went to school with Camden and your dad, he was a senior my sophomore year. Well, good luck in all that you do!
Posted by: Bonnie | November 28, 2005 at 05:23 PM
I came across this when searcning for info on our High school reunion. If you ever need another interview. I would be oh so happy. I always believed that Rhys would be the most successful person in our class(HONEST)I also somewhat knew Jeremy as he was a friend of my Prom Date Chris Rivers. We all went together. I wish you all the success in the world!!
Posted by: Michelle Breedlove(Carter) | October 30, 2006 at 05:46 PM