Culture Camp: feat. UCI's Umeji
Aug 13, 2017 23:58:23 GMT -6
Bonnie Blue, Kevin Bishop, and 1 more like this
Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2017 23:58:23 GMT -6
[Open to a colorful cue card: Culture Camp written in bold italics. Chopin's "Nocturne Op. 55, No. 1 in F minor" plays to a pair of professor types lounging in rattan chairs. Close up to a live video feed.]
"Wilcommen and bienvenidos to another addition of Culture Camp. I'm Jesse Bjornson—"
"And I'm Tennessee Bell-Bjornson. We have a number of great guests today. But first—"
"He's a wrestler but also a poet. That's right, we got UCI talent Onishi Nobuo—"
"But in the ring he goes by Umeji."
"That's right, Tenn. He's going to tell us all about the rigors of the sport he loves. And how he learned to cope with pain—through words."
"Also on tonight's program: Fred Wah on the recent shift in ethnic policy—"
"And hold your jeans. Because we're expecting a Skype call from Pierre Duchesne, former Lt. Gov. of Quebec. Isn't that a dandy?"
“All that, and more, after this break.”
[Ads run about back to schools sales and a local Toyota dealership. Cut back to Jesse and Tennessee sitting in their rattan chairs. Teamsters set a pair of empty seats. Cameras roll as the set goes into place. Enter Umeji and his manager, Stuart “Stewie” Mendelsohn. They sit, with Mendelsohn taking the one closet to their interviewers.]
“Mr. Onishi—”
“You booked Umeji, lady,” Mendelsohn says. A tight grip holds his client’s shoulder. “This is my champion, or more, soon-to-be.”
“Well, Umeji, you might not be aware. We’re interested in all things literary.”
[He nods. Harsh lighting reflects off his slate suit. Stewie, in a full mustard get up, opens the bulging buttons on his suit.]
“Do you have a favorite author?”
“Ai.”
“U, what about the guy with the haikus?” his manager says.
“Ai knew life. She knew suffering was human.”
“Right,” Bjornson says behind a cough, “You told us about dealing with… pain?”
[Mendelsohn dabs his glistening forehead with a golden pocket square.]
“Yes, I found peace in the literature. Some think I like Twitter as a tool—”
“We loved your feed,” adds Tennessee. “Producers et al, we just adored it.”
“Wrestling can be a struggle. My share of injuries continue to this day. One knee dislocated ten years ago. I also broke my big toe last summer… I also—”
“U, tell them about the mask stuff.”
[Umeji glares to his left before shaking it off.]
“A champion manages injuries despite enduring new ones each week. I will be back to that caliber in three months. I am 85% health. I hope to be 100% soon. Managing an injury takes time. You rest, you rehabilitate and you improve for the next time.”
“I hear you like Noh,” Bjornson says. “Is that a part of your routine?”
“Jesse, I love it,” he says with a warm smile. “Reading helped recovery. I learned more on a treadmill than in school. I read everything—”
“So Ai was your favorite?”
[He nods but keeps a stoic posture. Stuart leans forward, blocking his client’s view.]
“Can I say something?”
“About reading?” Tennessee says. “If not, we know a show about the “squared circle”.”
"Don't get us wrong. We love wrestling," Jesse says. "Here, we like to focus on belles letters, please."
"You're kidding," he says. "One sec, hey U."
[Mendelsohn leans into his client’s ear. Umeji shakes his head to almost everything his manger says. The hosts draw them back with more questions.]
“Umeji, how did reading help your body heal?”
“I developed my mind,” he says, pointing to his forehead. “Headstrong is a better fighter. Anger leads to mistakes, losses and injury. I read great minds and childish things. People discovered my flaws centuries ago. Now I learned all that has made me weak.”
Tennessee nods then asks, “When did you start composing for yourself?”
“I think in primary... I fell in love, twice, and it ruined my art. Love is harsh.”
[The hosts laugh together, and then return to their notes.]
“Do you have anything new to share with us?”
“Jesse, I wrote on the car ride,” he says. “Do you want to hear that?”
[The hosts bump fists. Umeji digs into his lapel pocket for what looks crumpled hotel stationary. Mendelsohn, unfazed, texts from inside his coat pocket. Both hosts lean in as a mic lowers.]
“This is ‘Command’ …
Pieces together
A fracture appears in white
Falls one hundred shards ”
[He slouches back to applause. Mendelsohn has since migrated into the green room—one ear plugged with a cell phone.]
“Well that was fun,” says Tennessee. “Anything you’d like to share about it?”
“Emotions confuse themselves.” Umeji massages his brow. “That arose from—”
“I’m sure all this current news rattled you too, Mr. Onishi.”
“No Jesse, conflicts are not in my nature. I refer to the Ryū, the shadow who lost his face.”
[Both host search one another puzzled.]
“That person is a ghost. A period between ellipses. Seen in daylight and mistaken as a man. He lost his life to a sneaky trick. Honor bound him to a black sheet. When removed, the shadow died. And with it came a common birth.”
“Ooh… are you riffing a poem on the spot?”
“Free versing!”
“Sorry Mr. Onishi, please continue.”
[Umeji’s hands fidget.]
“You asked about Noh,” he says. “I have my theories and enjoyment. A mask, you see, makes us special without being alive. A character that never was yet can do things—good or bad. Evil or righteous, masks offer more than us. They offer another person. Once it’s gone, the second life dies. I love Noh because it gives life to another.”
“If I may,” Tennessee says. “What you actually like is mimesis: Pretenders in plain sight. Liars donning a cowl. We all love a good lie, Umeji, but liars aren't worth their salt. Are you living a lie?”
"No..."
"You make it sound like you are."
“No,” Umeji says under a long breath, “masks are a new life. It is new, not pretend.”
“So you aren’t a pretender in the ring?”
“I am Umeji. Who are you?”
“Okay, well I think it’s time for a break,” Bjornson interjects. “We’d like to thank Mr. Onishi for visiting the studio this morning. You can catch him tonight on SYFY, or at the Air Canada Center, where UCI presents: Overload. When we return, we’ll have Fred Wah on the line. And later in the program, a discussion with ex-Lt. Gov. of Quebec.”
[Umeji walks off set without shaking their hands. Cut to commercials about buying Argos tickets.]
"Wilcommen and bienvenidos to another addition of Culture Camp. I'm Jesse Bjornson—"
"And I'm Tennessee Bell-Bjornson. We have a number of great guests today. But first—"
"He's a wrestler but also a poet. That's right, we got UCI talent Onishi Nobuo—"
"But in the ring he goes by Umeji."
"That's right, Tenn. He's going to tell us all about the rigors of the sport he loves. And how he learned to cope with pain—through words."
"Also on tonight's program: Fred Wah on the recent shift in ethnic policy—"
"And hold your jeans. Because we're expecting a Skype call from Pierre Duchesne, former Lt. Gov. of Quebec. Isn't that a dandy?"
“All that, and more, after this break.”
[Ads run about back to schools sales and a local Toyota dealership. Cut back to Jesse and Tennessee sitting in their rattan chairs. Teamsters set a pair of empty seats. Cameras roll as the set goes into place. Enter Umeji and his manager, Stuart “Stewie” Mendelsohn. They sit, with Mendelsohn taking the one closet to their interviewers.]
“Mr. Onishi—”
“You booked Umeji, lady,” Mendelsohn says. A tight grip holds his client’s shoulder. “This is my champion, or more, soon-to-be.”
“Well, Umeji, you might not be aware. We’re interested in all things literary.”
[He nods. Harsh lighting reflects off his slate suit. Stewie, in a full mustard get up, opens the bulging buttons on his suit.]
“Do you have a favorite author?”
“Ai.”
“U, what about the guy with the haikus?” his manager says.
“Ai knew life. She knew suffering was human.”
“Right,” Bjornson says behind a cough, “You told us about dealing with… pain?”
[Mendelsohn dabs his glistening forehead with a golden pocket square.]
“Yes, I found peace in the literature. Some think I like Twitter as a tool—”
“We loved your feed,” adds Tennessee. “Producers et al, we just adored it.”
“Wrestling can be a struggle. My share of injuries continue to this day. One knee dislocated ten years ago. I also broke my big toe last summer… I also—”
“U, tell them about the mask stuff.”
[Umeji glares to his left before shaking it off.]
“A champion manages injuries despite enduring new ones each week. I will be back to that caliber in three months. I am 85% health. I hope to be 100% soon. Managing an injury takes time. You rest, you rehabilitate and you improve for the next time.”
“I hear you like Noh,” Bjornson says. “Is that a part of your routine?”
“Jesse, I love it,” he says with a warm smile. “Reading helped recovery. I learned more on a treadmill than in school. I read everything—”
“So Ai was your favorite?”
[He nods but keeps a stoic posture. Stuart leans forward, blocking his client’s view.]
“Can I say something?”
“About reading?” Tennessee says. “If not, we know a show about the “squared circle”.”
"Don't get us wrong. We love wrestling," Jesse says. "Here, we like to focus on belles letters, please."
"You're kidding," he says. "One sec, hey U."
[Mendelsohn leans into his client’s ear. Umeji shakes his head to almost everything his manger says. The hosts draw them back with more questions.]
“Umeji, how did reading help your body heal?”
“I developed my mind,” he says, pointing to his forehead. “Headstrong is a better fighter. Anger leads to mistakes, losses and injury. I read great minds and childish things. People discovered my flaws centuries ago. Now I learned all that has made me weak.”
Tennessee nods then asks, “When did you start composing for yourself?”
“I think in primary... I fell in love, twice, and it ruined my art. Love is harsh.”
[The hosts laugh together, and then return to their notes.]
“Do you have anything new to share with us?”
“Jesse, I wrote on the car ride,” he says. “Do you want to hear that?”
[The hosts bump fists. Umeji digs into his lapel pocket for what looks crumpled hotel stationary. Mendelsohn, unfazed, texts from inside his coat pocket. Both hosts lean in as a mic lowers.]
“This is ‘Command’ …
Pieces together
A fracture appears in white
Falls one hundred shards ”
[He slouches back to applause. Mendelsohn has since migrated into the green room—one ear plugged with a cell phone.]
“Well that was fun,” says Tennessee. “Anything you’d like to share about it?”
“Emotions confuse themselves.” Umeji massages his brow. “That arose from—”
“I’m sure all this current news rattled you too, Mr. Onishi.”
“No Jesse, conflicts are not in my nature. I refer to the Ryū, the shadow who lost his face.”
[Both host search one another puzzled.]
“That person is a ghost. A period between ellipses. Seen in daylight and mistaken as a man. He lost his life to a sneaky trick. Honor bound him to a black sheet. When removed, the shadow died. And with it came a common birth.”
“Ooh… are you riffing a poem on the spot?”
“Free versing!”
“Sorry Mr. Onishi, please continue.”
[Umeji’s hands fidget.]
“You asked about Noh,” he says. “I have my theories and enjoyment. A mask, you see, makes us special without being alive. A character that never was yet can do things—good or bad. Evil or righteous, masks offer more than us. They offer another person. Once it’s gone, the second life dies. I love Noh because it gives life to another.”
“If I may,” Tennessee says. “What you actually like is mimesis: Pretenders in plain sight. Liars donning a cowl. We all love a good lie, Umeji, but liars aren't worth their salt. Are you living a lie?”
"No..."
"You make it sound like you are."
“No,” Umeji says under a long breath, “masks are a new life. It is new, not pretend.”
“So you aren’t a pretender in the ring?”
“I am Umeji. Who are you?”
“Okay, well I think it’s time for a break,” Bjornson interjects. “We’d like to thank Mr. Onishi for visiting the studio this morning. You can catch him tonight on SYFY, or at the Air Canada Center, where UCI presents: Overload. When we return, we’ll have Fred Wah on the line. And later in the program, a discussion with ex-Lt. Gov. of Quebec.”
[Umeji walks off set without shaking their hands. Cut to commercials about buying Argos tickets.]