In the latest edition of the Hatchet Herald that was released today there were interviews with some of the cast members from ICP Theater.
ICP, Sugar Slam, Jumpsteady, Greg “the Hammer” Valentine and Vampiro all sat down for interviews with the Hatchet Herald.
ICP theater premieres this Wednesday, July 24th at 11:00pm EST on Fuse TV. You can check out the interviews below.
From The Hatchet Herald For 7-22-13:
VIOLENT J & SHAGGY 2 DOPE:
Hatchet Herald: What was the first thing that went through your minds when Fuse told you they wanted to give ICP their own national TV show?
VJ & S2D: Seriously a lot went through our minds. We wondered if we were about to seriously get paid up in this bitch? I mean everybody has heard about TV money. But we found out the answer to that question with the quickness… No. If we end up with an actual hit TV show, then that’s different, but as it stands right now nobody is getting rich but the tax man. A lot of good shit went through our minds though, lot of excitement but also a lot of worry and concern, you know? Shit like “would they let us be ICP or would they try to make us into something else?” Believe it or not, but we have been reading up on TV shows and reading the biographies of ninjas that have them, for quite a while now. Peep this, while it’s true that Fuse came to us with this fresh ass concept, we kind of have been knowing that we would start getting involved with TV sooner or later. We never announced it and then lost sleep about it for years, but we just kinda felt like it would happen sooner or later and it actually did! The power of the Dark Carnival is a mighty one indeed
Hatchet Herald: I imagine filming a TV show can be pretty nerve-wracking. What was the hardest thing about making the show?
VJ & S2D: There is absolutely no script to this show, it’s all one hundred percent improv. So when your filming every day from 8am until about 6pm and you’ve gotta try to be at your funniest that entire time, it’s just not that easy. Especially when you’re certified heavily medicated skitzsofrantic lunatics!
Hatchet Herald: Did Fuse ask you guys to tone any of your humor down for the show or were you both allowed to just be yourselves?
VJ & S2D: No, but they did however inform very politely, that if we didn’t tone it down a bit we would be in jeopardy of losing our prime time slot of 7pm and instead be given an 11pm slot which of course means less viewers! The good thing about having a later slot is you can get away with saying and showing so much more. The freaks come out at night, baby.
Hatchet Herald: Besides ICP doing commentary on videos, what else can we look forward to on “ICP Theater?”
VJ & S2D: You can also look forward to a special segment that takes us into the days of way back when crack was brand new! We call this segment… Forgotten Freshness! Also, we’ve got a fresh segment where we interview fresh and exciting, celebrity, extra special guests. This segment is called… Celebrity Freshness! Plus surprise segments such as the Red Carpet Bonanza that we call Pho-Tog Flava. And of course the viral video segment that we call “Venereal VIDEO”. Why do we call these popular viral video clips Venereal? Because the won’t go away!!! Hahaaa ,yeah… It’s stupid.
We hope you guys dig it. Much Clown Love!
SUGAR SLAM:
Hatchet Herald: So what is your role on “ICP Theater?”
Sugar Slam: I play the “projectionist.” I’m the crazy one that loads up the videos and weird stuff for the guys to look at. I also introduce our week’s guests to Violent J and Shaggy, and have some fun banter with them while we’re headed down to meet them.
Hatchet Herald: Did you find it hard to be acting on a major network TV show?
Sugar Slam: I was really nervous at first, how can you not be? But everyone was so nice and made me feel so comfortable; it was just a chill atmosphere. When you look at the big scheme of things and think about millions of people watching you, that’s when it becomes overwhelming and scary.
Hatchet Herald: What was your favorite thing about making the first season of “ICP Theater?”
Sugar Slam: Being asked by the network to participate alone is my absolute most favorite thing!!
Hatchet Herald: Describe what a typical day on the set is like.
Sugar Slam: Typical day for me was getting there extra early before anyone else for hair and makeup. I wear different hair every episode so that was fun! Then we just got busy once they said roll, a lot of laughing, so much laughing I now have a six pack. No lie.
Hatchet Herald: You and Violent J are married. Is it ever hard or awkward working together professionally?
Sugar Slam: Hell no, why would it be awkward? The way we roll is we’re in this life together and we are very fortunate to be able to work together like we do. I’m sure he was ecstatic when they asked if I would be on!
GREG “THE HAMMER” VALENTINE:
Hatchet Herald: What’s your role on “ICP Theater,” Mr. Valentine?
“The Hammer”: I’m the bodyguard and usher. They also include me in on talking about the videos. When the guests come in, I tell them when it’s time to get out. It’s always a surprise when I show up and escort them out because the guests don’t know I’m there at first. I grab them by the hand
like I’m giving them a handshake then I suddenly pull them out of their seat and escort them out. It’s a lot of fun.Hatchet Herald: You first worked with ICP way back in the ’90s in their video to the song “How Many Times?” What do you remember about making that video?
“The Hammer”: I remember I went to LA and I remember Honky Tonk Man and The Bushwackers were in it with me. I remember we were all on this living room set that had an old TV with rabbit ears sticking out of the top. There’d be a big puff of smoke and one of us would appear when the smoke cleared. I wore my black robe in that video. That was a fun experience. I still have a copy of the video.
Hatchet Herald: What was your most memorable moment of filming the first season of “ICP Theater?”
“The Hammer”: Oh man, it was all great. There were long days of filming but I laughed and laughed all day long. We shot from 9 a.m. to about 6:30 at night and it was a lot of fun. All the guests were great and we all had a good time. It was a different experience for me, plus I love the two Joes—they’re just the greatest guys.
VAMPIRO:
Hatchet Herald: You’ve been an associate of ICP for a long time now. How did you first meet ICP?
Vampiro: Years ago, I read about ICP doing a song with Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols (“Piggy Pie”). Steve’s a friend of mine so I listened to the song and really loved it. I personally met them after that through wrestling. I was in WCW at the time and I was told “Hey, you’ll be doing a storyline with these guys ICP.” So that’s how we met and we’ve been friends ever since.
Hatchet Herald: What’s your main role on “ICP Theater?”
Vampiro: I’m supposed to heckle them, but it was sometimes hard to do because we’re friends. Plus, I’m not a comedian so it was hard sometimes because there were a lot of retakes and reshoots and it can be hard to be funny right then and there. It was fun though. It was an experience.
Hatchet Herald: What’s your favorite thing about the show?
Vampiro: I’m just so excited to see Violent J and Shaggy to have this opportunity. It was so great to be on the set with them and see them so excited and for them to invite me along was such an honor. I’m just so proud of them—that’s my favorite part.
JUMPSTEADY:
Hatchet Herald: Although we don’t see you on the show, you did a lot behind the scenes. How would you explain your role for ICP Theater?
Jumpsteady: I help produce the show. This includes everything from helping to define what the show was going to be (I wrote the original treatment with Joe’s help) to securing many of the celebrity guests for the show. I have been Fuse’s main contact and have been communicating with them daily about everything from the final edits to promotional strategies for the show. I was on scene during the filming of the entire season and acted as the eyes and ears of Psychopathic to make sure that everything was straight. I also acted as manager for our group to oversee our people while in NYC (from travel to accommodations). I handled our own itineraries for the show (including the guests) letting them know when and where they needed to be.
Hatchet Herald: Do you think you’d ever step in front of the camera?
Jumpsteady: I doubt it. I have always tried to avoid the other side of the lens if I can help it. Since I have been back at Psychopathic I have really become involved with the filming of music videos but I have never been comfortable with being filmed. I think that’s why a lot of my characters where masks.Hatchet Herald: What do you think Juggalos are going to love about “ICP Theater?”
Jumpsteady: The humor… Joe and Joey are the funniest ninjas I know and during the filming of this show the entire production crew was laughing the whole time. That’s when I knew we had a great show because professional ninjas couldn’t even control themselves when ICP was schoolin’ it. I think they are also going to love the fact that they kept it raw as fuck and didn’t hold anything back. There’s nothing else like this show on TV that I know of because I feel that other people are worried about causing other famous people to be upset. Not ICP… they give you there uncensored response to everything laid before them and it’s quite honestly refreshing to me and I am sure that our family will love it.
Hatchet Herald: As someone who was there during the filming of the entire first season, what was the craziest thing you witnessed?
Jumpsteady: The craziest thing to me is how Fuse didn’t try to censor ICP in any way. They just let the guys be themselves to the fullest. Every day during the filming of the show I was amazed at how disturbingly graphic ICP would get from time to time (even I was uncomfortable at times) and there sitting behind the cameras were all the Fuse executives just laughing away as if they had lost their fucking minds. I was simply amazed that they weren’t trying to pull the plug on the whole thing and kick us all the fuck out. I have made respect for Fuse because of that.
Hatchet Herald: What is your absolute favorite thing about the show?
Jumpsteady: I think the interviews with the celebrity guest are my favorite part because they are pinched off right in-between ICP as they school the fuck out of them with questions like “So how much skins do you get in the comedy business? “I have never seen interviews conducted in this fashion with controversial questions that ninjas really want to hear the answers to. It is a super dope part of the show that became the favorite part for me.
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