Today we’d like to introduce you to Cathy Carlson.
Hi Cathy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been friends with Andy Dick since 1983. Everywhere I go, it seems that people have had memorable encounters with him. I knew that there were many positive and fun sides to Andy that weren’t making the news. I also knew hundreds of people that had stories that they were willing to share with me. So I bought a camera, and made this movie called, “Everybody Has An Andy Dick Story”. I asked everybody to keep it a secret from Andy so that I could surprise him in a screening of it. I told Andy that I made this great documentary and that I wanted him to see it and give me notes if he would. Of course, he jumped at the opportunity to help. I also invited his family so that he had lots of love and support around him. I asked him if he would be in this fake documentary if he liked it. Shockingly, he let me put a mic and a camera on him while he was settling in to watch it. I told him that it was totally fine with me if he gave me tips and his thoughts on how to make it better while he was watching it. Then he asked me what it was about again, and I said it’s about comedic actors. I filmed a bunch of people who told me who their favorite comedic actor was, and I wanted him to see it and then tell me who his favorite comedic actor was.
I then told him, “I forgot to mention Andy… Everybody’s favorite comedic actor was you. This is called Everybody Has An Andy Dick Story.” It was like the heavens opened up and it all happened exactly how I had wished that it would. I was able to film all of his reactions, the reactions from his son, his ex-wife, his stepdaughter. Then I went back into the movie and re-edited it to put some of their reactions into it. It’s like a surprise party on film. I was so happy. But then it took Andy over a year to agree to let me use that footage. Andy is such a pro and a perfectionist. He wanted to get more people into the movie before he would sign it. So I did get more people, and he finally gave in and signed the release form on my birthday from a rehab center in Malibu. I know that there are millions more fun and cool stories out there. I love all of the people who graciously gave their stories to this documentary. And I’m heartbroken that I couldn’t use all of the stories. And of course, I wish that I could have reached a few that I couldn’t. But this cast and everybody that helped me get this cast are my favorite people in Hollywood. They all have such hearts and are hilarious.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was easy to find people who respected and admired Andy’s talent and his heart. It has been challenging to be an Andy Dick fan in the wake of his personal struggles. Andy is somebody who would benefit from care rather than derision. I finished the documentary and was so very excited about it. It went to so many great film festivals. TBS Comedy Festival in NYC, Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, Just For Laughs in Montreal, Punk Berlin Too Drunk to Watch Film Festival in Germany, Prison City Film Festival, Hoboken. And then Andy and I both lost family members, and nothing really seemed to matter anymore. And it didn’t end there. The #MeToo movement happened. There was a festival that dropped the movie and also sent somebody to heckle at an event and published it in a few papers, dragging everything over hot coals. It was pretty devastating to be going through the death of loved ones while these people decided to be publicly hateful about a project that was trying to be uplifting. I hope that those people at the newspapers and the festival never have to go through what they did to us. It was unnecessary. Life is way better when you lend a helping hand instead of pushing somebody under a bus.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m looking to franchise this style of documentary. I have lots of experience in comedy. Directing, producing, and performing. I think that I am most proud of the vision that I have for creating projects. I would like to work with as many comedy artists as possible to see just how far I can go in this career. I know a lot of hilarious artists who also have a heart of gold. That’s who I want to work with. I’m not sure what sets me apart from others, but It’s time to see how it can play out.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes, You can rent the documentary for $5.99 on Vimeo On Demand @ https://vimeo.com/ondemand/andydick. Vimeo is a great site. You do have to join it to watch Everybody Has An Andy Dick Story. Vimeo is typically for filmmakers, but it’s an excellent place to save all of your personal videos that you have on your phone and laptop. Are there is a free account that you can get. I save lots of videos there to free up space from my phone.
The photo is BY the brilliant Robert Sebree.
Here are some of the names that appear in the documentary:
Here is the IMDB link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6258332/
Pricing:
- $5.99
Contact Info:
- Website: EverybodyHasAnAndyDickStory.com
- Instagram: andydickstory
- Twitter: @andydickstory
- Other: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/andydickM
Image Credits
Robert Sebree.
