I just got back from Megaplex 2010 down in the Orlando area and I’m still reeling from the fun I had. This is the third year I’ve been asked to play a show at this convention, though this time I owe a special thank you to two sponsors who stepped up to make the show possible. Zachary Friedrich, an awesome fan and one of my new VIP’s, and Genesis Whitmore, another fan and web comic artist. Without these two, my appearance at the convention would not have happened.

That’s not why I chose the title for this post, however. This is more about Megaplex 2010’s guest of honor, Paul Zaloom. Most folks my age or slightly younger know him as the mad scientist with hair that won’t quit, Beakman. I enjoyed the opportunity to chat, drink, caffeinate, and stew in Florida’s heat with this award-winning actor, puppeteer, and comedian. I should add blossoming nerd as well since he may end up coming to more of these conventions as an attendee in the future. He’s delighted children for years now and inspired quite a few to become real-world scientists.

He also has a puppet with a talking penis.

Anyone who remembers Mr. Conductor shouldn’t be surprised at that last bit. It’s this duality that got me typing this morning. Sometimes I forget that the people who entertain our children are also, you know, people. Fully grown adults with the same sick sense of humor as me. Hello, ever heard the Thundercats outtakes before? I believe this duality is not only healthy but absolutely necessary to nurture the artist.

After his Beakman presentation at Megaplex, Zaloom regrouped for an original puppet show later that day, this time for adults only. The tone of the show was on a par with South Park and Robot Chicken, making most of us laugh while the rest run to cover the ears of nearby children. Yet, as with all good comedy, the bawdy veneer surrounded a collection of social statements and real-world issues. Honestly, without the grown-up comedy, discussing these issues in a clinical way would make some even more uncomfortable. It was all in good fun, but definitely not for the kids.

At the end of the day, Zaloom is simply himself. He can’t be kid-friendly all the time, neither could George Carlin. That’s the job of Beakman, a fictional character. If I expected Zaloom to be Beakman, I’d expect him to be only a fraction of who he is. An artist requires more than one expressive avenue like a plant requires more than just sunlight to survive. Proper care and feeding of an artist means that the audience must be mature enough to separate the man from the role.

Maybe next year we’ll see him back at Megaplex simply as Paul Zaloom. Though I won’t be able to return as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, I do hope that I can return simply as Matthew Ebel.

The 1980’s are still trying to make a comeback, bringing their overinflated sense of self-importance with them.

A few weeks back I was featured in a WBUR on-air segment about performing live via UStream and selling my songs as a fan-driven Subscription Service rather than just making round pieces of plastic every year or two. The people at the radio station thought what I’m doing was innovative enough to give me nearly 8 minutes of air time during the morning drive. Then I got two comments like these:

That idea doesn’t sit well with everyone, including Boston musician and rock critic Dave Wildman. “I don’t know, it freaks me out,” he says with a laugh. Wildman likens Ebel to a talented street performer on the information super highway.
WBUR.org

It’s success if that’s what he wanted, definitely. If not…then no, he’s still got more work to do.

My guess? Dude still has a lot more work to do.
Justin Boland, comment on Hypebot.com

These two comments, though lamentably myopic, are understandable. Believe me, I can level with these opinions by making only one assumption: Their definition of “success” is stuck in the coke-filled limousine of Motley Crue, 1985.
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