Richard Cheese Incident

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:59:39 -0500

I can see where people get offended by Richard Cheese. I have seen him live before and the role he plays is always intentionally confrontational, rude and raunchy. But that is his act. The same show every time he plays. Its a character.

It is very much like Andy Kauffman’s Tony Clifton. It is all shock value. Every time Richard Cheese puts on a show, he gets really “close” to the crowd and does stuff like that, makes crass comments, cracks dirty jokes, etc.

But I do not want to belittle anyone’s anger. I would be angry too, especially if my camera was tossed too. And to be honest, it isn’t really my type of humor either.

I was surprised to hear Richard Cheese was booked at the New Media Expo. IMHO, his core fan base ( wild crazy party people) and the attendees of the Expo are very different. When I saw him in Chicago a while back, he did the same show, but he had the right type of crowd to appreciate his style of rude comedy.

He was probably not the right act to be booked there, but that was a decision the organizers made I guess. I wonder if they knew what they were getting into.

I also know that he is currently filming a movie about his tour and knowing how movie studios get with leakage of footage, I can see why he must keep a tight lid on what comes out. When he filmed the show I saw in Chicago, it was legit and the audience was instructed that it will be in the film.

I perform 4 nights a week, and at times a crowd makes me a bit frustrated, but I do know the line to be crossed and I myself do not feel comfortable crossing it. That is just me. Others, like Richard Cheese are cool with that and have built an entire career on that character.

Oh well. I hope I just come across as being level headed in this post. If I ever get to play a show near where you live, I will always treat the crowd with respect and hope to gain new friends each time I play.

For me, I just let the music do all the talking. I mean I let the music do all the ROCKING.

How is this Fair?

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:43:00 -0500

My family is dealing with something very troublesome. Please read below a letter we have sent to a senator for help. It explains everything. I have been tweeting about this, and I have decided to post this blog so people can get as much info about this. The support we have is amazing and so much of the town of Abilene is presently rallying with us. But knowing how ugly the fight could get, I just want to have as much support, and prayer with us as we fight for justice here.

Dear Senator

I have a twelve-year-old nephew in Abilene, TX. He is an A-honor-roll student and scores 100s on every state test. He has never had disorderly conduct in school or been aggressive in any way. Several former teachers have spoken on his behalf to a school board hearing stating that he is well-liked, helpful to others, not disruptive, and one said “The best student I’ve ever had.” (If you met him, you’d know what a loving personality he has. ) One day an incident occurred that changed my nephew’s life. My nephew, Wyatt, (who is only twelve—but tall for his age) was a victim. He’s never done anything wrong or been in any kind of trouble. He was surprised one day that two regularly-dressed strangers tried to restrain him and handcuff him. He thought he was being kidnapped, but was mistaken for a different boy who the officers were seeking. He fought to get away, and bit one of his ‘abductors.’ He was fighting for his life. Eventually, Wyatt discovered they were real peace officers. After taking Wyatt to the juvenile detention center, he proved to them he was not who they thought. Upon realizing their mistake, they decided to cover themselves by giving him felony charges. That’s where that penal code comes in. They used this law to threaten him into a plea bargain, so the family would not go forward in filing a law suit. The family understands why this law is made—to protect, but in this instance, Wyatt should be an exception—because he is not a danger to others and is an outstanding student. Please, Senator, continue reading…

My sister and brother-in-law have investigated the situation thoroughly. My sister knows city officials personally and has now heard that the officers are claiming to have shown their badges to Wyatt and are suddenly claiming to have been in marked vehicles—while Wyatt’s father removed Wyatt’s belongings from the officer’s unmarked vehicle. The same vehicle Wyatt saw them pull up in. The officers have now changed their claims about the original pursuant they were after, being younger than 16 (since Wyatt is only 12), but his birth records show his age is 16.

Here’s the statement from his father at the school board meeting—while fighting for his son to stay in his honors program at his own school:

The Moment of Wyatt’s Alleged
Felony Assault of a Peace Officer

Two adults in regular clothing with guns on their hips emerge from a blue car, approach, and stand at the entrance to fenced-in the skating area.

Detectives: “Colton, Colton, come here.”

Wyatt steps tentatively toward them.

Wyatt: “Excuse me, did I do something wrong?”

Detectives: “Do you think you did something wrong?”

Wyatt, believing these people might be park workers, responds: “Is the skate park closed today?”

Detectives: “You’re under arrest, Colton.”

The detectives step toward Wyatt and grab Wyatt’s arms. Wyatt tries to pull away and run. Both detectives attack him and attempt to handcuff him. As Wyatt struggles to free himself, he screams: “Help! Help! These aren’t real police! Help! Help! They’re trying to kidnap me!” Everyone out in the surrounding Rose Park simply looks on. During the struggle to handcuff him, the detectives tear out a handful of Wyatt’s hair and scour a large ten-inch abrasion and bruise across his chest. They handcuff him, hands behind his back, to the fence of the skate-park. They pull his shirt over his head to blind him and muffle his cries for help.
Four Important Points Regarding Wyatt’s
Alleged Felony Assault of a Peace Officer

1. Before these two plain-clothed detectives accosted Wyatt and began grabbing and apprehending him, never, not once, did they identify themselves as police officers.

2. The detectives called Wyatt by the wrong name several times. This frightened and disoriented Wyatt.

3. Wyatt did exactly as he’d been taught to do by the AISD and by the Abilene Police Department. He tried to evade being grabbed; he repeatedly screamed for help and created a scene to draw attention; and he fought being abducted.

4. Wyatt attempted only to defend himself. By definition, assault is a willful offensive attack. Wyatt never did this. Wyatt fought to keep from being handcuffed by two plain-clothed, dangerously armed strangers who didn’t even know who Wyatt was. Wyatt’s actions were strictly defensive. He was trying to free himself and to run away.

Senator, Wyatt’s teachers cried at the school board hearing, and so did the superintendent when he first viewed the photos of Wyatt’s wounds after the incident. He has many supporters that know and will testify he is a good kid. It’s not fair. Being in an alternative school would scar him and scare him. When did Wyatt make a bad decision? What will he learn from this lesson? I don’t see where he went wrong and has to be subjected to an alternative school-deprived of his GT classes, football, and UIL activities. The experience could ruin him—and he’d be introduced to some REAL aggressive students of whom we don’t want him to know or them to know Wyatt.

Please, Senator, what can be done to help this situation? Wyatt’s parents have been working with a local attorney and the real court hearing is much later after school begins—which, hopefully, will clear these felony charges against him. They are currently seeking an out-of-town attorney and has sent Wyatt to live with an uncle in Victoria to attend a private school—only to protect him from being exposed to the environment of the alternative school.

There are already rumors that the officers and police chief are working to cover this up from being their mistake in the first place. (According to supporters who’ve called the police chief and DA on Wyatt’s behalf.)

Wyatt’s father is a graduate of Harvard and is currently a professor at McMurry University. His mother has connections in the city since has been an associate editor for the Abilene Reporter News and Director of the Tourism and Convention Bureau. They have local support, but cannot convince the DA to be open-minded in the matter of their son. They have kept the story from the media because of the two officers’ known efforts to cover their tracks in rebuttal. However, the story will surface eventually as they are awaiting a fair trial.

Based on his outstanding student record, shouldn’t he be proven guilty BEFORE being sent to an alternative campus?

If you can help in some way, or have any contacts who would be willing to help with this, please call me. This can happen to any innocent child—even the best of them, like Wyatt.

Thank you in advance for your consideration,

Now officers are spreading rumors deliberately to supporters implying ugly lies in “trench warfare” alleging to have evidence against Wyatt to scare the family into the plea bargain. The story implications are only vague enough to get by as rumors, but not specific—such as nasty rumors implying my nephew as doing something sexual in the back seat of their car. Those who know him & his own teachers KNOW he would NEVER be vulgar or disrespectful in such a way. He is not capable of it. Though the officers know what is on the vehicle surveillance video—as does the attorney who has viewed it—the video WILL NOT show these alleged acts or ANY profanity (allegedly said by Wyatt as they are claiming)—to intimidate the family or convince the public before the hearing. Wyatt’s mother heard these nasty accusations about her son and became physically sick and nauseous over these officers’ lack of integrity.

Hello iPhone!!!! Here’s a little song I wrote.

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:09:52 -0500

Hello iPhone

Hello iPhone!!!! Here’s a little song I wrote.

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Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:52:55 -0500

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The Big Bang

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 18:52:03 -0500

All is going well at the new Big Bang Piano Bar in Nashville. Crowds are fun, if not out of control at times. It was funny, in the middle of a song, a rather tipsy girl came up and slapped Sam.
We sang Nah Nah Nah Nah, Hey Hey, Goodbye as she was led nicely out the door.
Check out the Big Bang website

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Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:10:00 -0500

Hello Paul video I made for Apple and Paul McCartney

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Sat, 16 Jun 2007 03:18:01 -0500

mmmmmmm pizza

My first entry

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:26:33 -0500

Hi there.
Just tumbling for the first time.

GeoffSmith

Richard Cheese Incident

How is this Fair?

Hello iPhone!!!! Here’s a little song I wrote.

The doctor who episode is gonna be good

The Big Bang

Hello Paul video I made for Apple and Paul McCartney

mmmmmmm pizza

My first entry