Before we begin, make sure you're all caught up by reading these in order--
This is the seventh entry in this series, and it focuses on someone who was not a part of the theater in question, but an arts writer in the area.
Here's the interview:
ME: You might be the only person who reached out and offered to talk to me enthusiastically.
FRANKLIN: I think it's good you're doing this. We need to get a lot of this out in the open.
ME: Specifically what?
FRANKLIN: Nobody paid for the things that happened back then. Nobody had to answer for anything. These were the days when you could just pick up and--Fft--head on over to another town if you got yourself in trouble where you were.
FRANKLIN: Nobody paid for the things that happened back then. Nobody had to answer for anything. These were the days when you could just pick up and--Fft--head on over to another town if you got yourself in trouble where you were.
ME: Do you think that's what Charlie did when he left town?
FRANKLIN: I always suspect that he got up, sat down somewhere else, he might have gotten himself a new name--
ME: So you think he was a real con artist?
FRANKLIN: I think he was no different than a con artist. That's right.
FRANKLIN: I think he was no different than a con artist. That's right.
ME: What was your first interaction with him?
FRANKLIN: I wrote about him when he came to town, because I was writing--I was writing for the paper in town, and I was working at the radio station. I was a notary for the town too.
ME: So you were all over?
FRANKLIN: I was all over the place. (Laughs.) Had to make a living and didn't like doing a nine-to-five so I would do a little bit of everything.
ME: Was Charlie's theater the first time you had a theater in the town?
FRANKLIN: Regular theater, yes. I would go write up events that went on--We had a summer theater nearby and every summer I would write up those shows, but this was the first time we had a real theater troupe in town all the time.
FRANKLIN: Regular theater, yes. I would go write up events that went on--We had a summer theater nearby and every summer I would write up those shows, but this was the first time we had a real theater troupe in town all the time.
ME: Was there a lot of excitement about that?
FRANKLIN: Oh sure. And I was excited. I want to say that. I was very excited for it. Charlie and I got along great when he first started doing things, and I was happy to support him and the theater. I would write nice things about them all the time.
FRANKLIN: Oh sure. And I was excited. I want to say that. I was very excited for it. Charlie and I got along great when he first started doing things, and I was happy to support him and the theater. I would write nice things about them all the time.
ME: So what changed?
FRANKLIN: One show they did, and it was a good show, in the middle of the show, this piece of their set fell. Small thing. Nobody hurt. It was a funny moment. People laughed. The show was a comedy so it was all right. It was just a funny, innocent moment. I put it in the review. That it happened. I also said I liked the show. Loved the show. Charlie did not care for that one bit. He called me up and let loose on me, and I told him that he needed to watch his mouth, but I wasn't a punk. I'm still not a punk. You're not going to talk to me like I'm a punk. Well that set that off and from then on it was problem after problem.
ME: Did the way you write about them change?
FRANKLIN: I'll be honest with you, Kevin, I wasn't trying to play nice after that. You want to come after me, I'll do the same for you.
FRANKLIN: I'll be honest with you, Kevin, I wasn't trying to play nice after that. You want to come after me, I'll do the same for you.
ME: Just with Charlie or with everyone there?
FRANKLIN: The thing is, they were all rotten. Every one of them. They would all--I would get prank calls into the station when I had my show on the radio. I would get all these letters calling me a hack. Calling me other names. People ringing my doorbell at three am, four am, and I go out there, and there's nobody there. That wasn't all Charlie.
FRANKLIN: The thing is, they were all rotten. Every one of them. They would all--I would get prank calls into the station when I had my show on the radio. I would get all these letters calling me a hack. Calling me other names. People ringing my doorbell at three am, four am, and I go out there, and there's nobody there. That wasn't all Charlie.
ME: So he was telling them all to do that do you think?
FRANKLIN: I didn't have beef with anybody but him, and then him and the theater.
FRANKLIN: I didn't have beef with anybody but him, and then him and the theater.
ME: What was your understanding of the relationships people had with each other within the theater?
FRANKLIN: I didn't know much about it other than that they were all #$%-ing each other. If I can sa that.
ME: You can say it. I'll #$%^ it out.
FRANKLIN: Fine by me.
ME: Did you know anything about Pigpen?
FRANKLIN: Well Pigpen I knew from town, and he was the one, other than Charlie, who gave me the most trouble, because that was Charlie's little #$%^ boy, and then it was Snoopy, but I didn't know Snoopy. I knew Pigpen, because my little sister dated him for a bit.
ME: What did you think of him?
FRANKLIN: He thought he was the stupidest person I ever met in my life.
ME: Did you ever have any run-ins with him?
FRANKLIN: One time I left him out of a review I wrote about a show they did, because he wasn't in very much of it, in my opinion, and he didn't like that, so he came around the station where I was working and he was causing a big, uh, a ruckus, I guess, where the secretary sat, and I went out there and told him if he didn't get out of there, I was going to go on the air and tell everybody that you couldn't see his pecker from space.
FRANKLIN: One time I left him out of a review I wrote about a show they did, because he wasn't in very much of it, in my opinion, and he didn't like that, so he came around the station where I was working and he was causing a big, uh, a ruckus, I guess, where the secretary sat, and I went out there and told him if he didn't get out of there, I was going to go on the air and tell everybody that you couldn't see his pecker from space.
ME: You said that?
FRANKLIN: That was the story going around town. That Pigpen's pecker looked like a baby's finger.
FRANKLIN: That was the story going around town. That Pigpen's pecker looked like a baby's finger.
ME: Who was telling you that?
FRANKLIN: Women talk just like men do, and I had a lot of women friends. I love listening to women. You get all the good dirt that way.
FRANKLIN: Women talk just like men do, and I had a lot of women friends. I love listening to women. You get all the good dirt that way.
ME: He must have lost it when you said that to him though.
FRANKLIN: I also got right in his--He was a chickenshit. They all were. Patty was the toughest one among them, and Lucy a little, but the rest backed down if you stood up to them.
ME: So he just left?
FRANKLIN: He knocked something over on his way out, something dumb like that. Dumbass.
FRANKLIN: He knocked something over on his way out, something dumb like that. Dumbass.
ME: What do you remember about the night of the brawl?
FRANKLIN: Not much. I was out smoking and damn near missed the whole thing. I remember the show sucked. I do remember that.
FRANKLIN: Not much. I was out smoking and damn near missed the whole thing. I remember the show sucked. I do remember that.
ME: Do you remember if anyone got arrested that night?
FRANKLIN: A few people did, I believe.
FRANKLIN: A few people did, I believe.
ME: Did you hear about Charlie and Pigpen having a falling out?
FRANKLIN: I heard about it, because Pigpen called me wanting to do a whole expose on Charlie.
FRANKLIN: I heard about it, because Pigpen called me wanting to do a whole expose on Charlie.
ME: And what did you say?
FRANKLIN: I told him to kick sand.
FRANKLIN: I told him to kick sand.
ME: You didn't want to do it?
FRANKLIN: I don't want to hear from you once the enemy's kicked you to the curb. You're no good to me then. You come to me when you're still in it with them, then I'll listen, because that's when you've got credibility. Not when your ass is out in the cold looking for a stove.
FRANKLIN: I don't want to hear from you once the enemy's kicked you to the curb. You're no good to me then. You come to me when you're still in it with them, then I'll listen, because that's when you've got credibility. Not when your ass is out in the cold looking for a stove.
ME: Did you ever hear that Charlie might be stealing money from the company?
FRANKLIN: I wouldn't be surprised. They always had the best of everything, and that shit ain't cheap, and it's not like they would sell out for weeks and weeks.
FRANKLIN: I wouldn't be surprised. They always had the best of everything, and that shit ain't cheap, and it's not like they would sell out for weeks and weeks.
ME: When I talked to Marcie, she indicated that Charlie showed up at your house one night with a gun.
FRANKLIN: He did.
ME: Because you insinuated that there were comings and goings at his house?
FRANKLIN: I went on the radio and said that he needed to spend more time on his shows than on entertaining every woman and man in town. I almost didn't say 'and man' because I knew that was low, but I had just been at one of his shows, and he was extra rude to me that night, so I was...feeling pretty punchy when I got on the air next, and my show wasn't even about the arts, but on the radio, I felt like I could be a little more off-the-cuff.
FRANKLIN: I went on the radio and said that he needed to spend more time on his shows than on entertaining every woman and man in town. I almost didn't say 'and man' because I knew that was low, but I had just been at one of his shows, and he was extra rude to me that night, so I was...feeling pretty punchy when I got on the air next, and my show wasn't even about the arts, but on the radio, I felt like I could be a little more off-the-cuff.
ME: But you basically outed him on the--
FRANKLIN: I did not out him. The man was plenty out already. Everybody knew it.
ME: So you think he just showed up at your house--
FRANKLIN: He didn't like being called out. And I probably went too far going on about his personal life, but...Can't take it back now.
ME: And he showed up with a gun?
FRANKLIN: Yes.
ME: What time was it?
FRANKLIN: Right around dinner.
FRANKLIN: Right around dinner.
ME: Did you feel threatened?
FRANKLIN: Not at all.
FRANKLIN: Not at all.
ME: Not at all?
FRANKLIN: Not at all. He was trying to scare me, same as Pigpen.
FRANKLIN: Not at all. He was trying to scare me, same as Pigpen.
ME: So what happened?
FRANKLIN: I walked outside. He was sitting against the back of the truck he drove. Holding the gun. I thought he might shoot himself in the foot, because I didn't trust the dumb #$% to leave the safety on. I thought that would have been kind of funny. I said hello to him and he told me I better keep his name out of my mouth and off the radio. I told him to keep every #$% in town out of his mouth and he won't need to worry about it. He cocked the gun.
FRANKLIN: I walked outside. He was sitting against the back of the truck he drove. Holding the gun. I thought he might shoot himself in the foot, because I didn't trust the dumb #$% to leave the safety on. I thought that would have been kind of funny. I said hello to him and he told me I better keep his name out of my mouth and off the radio. I told him to keep every #$% in town out of his mouth and he won't need to worry about it. He cocked the gun.
ME: He cocked it?
FRANKLIN: I told him Charlie, you know as well as I do that I have my gun on me too--at all times. And I can get this gun out and fired before you can lift up that shotgun. You don't bring a shotgun to threaten somebody if they have a regular pistol. That shows you don't know what the #$% you're doing and it shooooooows that you couldn't hit me even if you wanted to, because I doubt Charlie ever shot a gun, but I didn't feel like having him hit my house and I told him to head on home.
ME: And he did?
FRANKLIN: He stood there for a minute or two, and I thought, Am I really going to have to shoot this mother#$%^#$ on my own property in the arm or something just to prove a point?
FRANKLIN: He stood there for a minute or two, and I thought, Am I really going to have to shoot this mother#$%^#$ on my own property in the arm or something just to prove a point?
ME: But he left?
FRANKLIN: He left. Good thing for him.
FRANKLIN: He left. Good thing for him.
ME: Did you have any trouble after the theater dissolved?
FRANKLIN: When I wrote about the brawl--as best I knew about it--I got a snake in my mailbox.
FRANKLIN: When I wrote about the brawl--as best I knew about it--I got a snake in my mailbox.
ME: You did not.
FRANKLIN: I did.
ME: A live snake?
FRANKLIN: She sure was alive.
FRANKLIN: She sure was alive.
ME: What did you do?
FRANKLIN I picked her up--I'm not scared of snakes. I grew up in [Name of State] before I moved, and a snake doesn't scare me, as long as it doesn't got any rattle to it. I picked it up the way you do if you don't want to get bit, and I went walking around town on my lunch holding it out so everybody could see. You're not going to scare me, boy. Not on your best day are you going to scare me.
FRANKLIN I picked her up--I'm not scared of snakes. I grew up in [Name of State] before I moved, and a snake doesn't scare me, as long as it doesn't got any rattle to it. I picked it up the way you do if you don't want to get bit, and I went walking around town on my lunch holding it out so everybody could see. You're not going to scare me, boy. Not on your best day are you going to scare me.
ME: Do you know where Charlie is now?
FRANKLIN: I was waiting for you to ask me this, because I know you asked everybody else.
ME: So you do know?
FRANKLIN: I do know, yes I do.
ME: Where is he?
FRANKLIN: Kevin, you are going to love this.
FRANKLIN: Kevin, you are going to love this.
Franklin is a retired radio show host and columnist.
Comments
Post a Comment