A few years ago, I was performing in Little Tokyo and came across a brother who blew the stage away with one of the most cleverly, funny, thought-provoking, did I say funny…seriously engaging live performance I’ve seen in a long time.
He goes by Joe Hernandez Kolski a.k.a. Pocho Joe. I then discovered his Chap Book – “Wanna Piece of Me?” So I wanted to know more.
Actor/Def Jam Poet Joe is from the North-West Side of Chicago, graduated from Princeton - (Dr. Cornel West says that, "Joe’s work offers a fresh perspective that is both honest and insightful.") – moved to Los Angeles to pursue Acting, worked for a bunch of After-School Programs, and began his beautiful career that incorporates Acting, Hip-Hop, Comedy, and Spoken Word Poetry.
Joe won an Emmy for Downbeat Showdown for “Outstanding Youth Programming,” and his DJ, DJ Jedi won an Emmy as well.
He’s an Actor who knows how to “Pass It On” to our Youth.
MJ: Can you share with us your first play??? first spoken word piece ???
JH-K: My first play was when I was six years old. I was in "Here's Love," the musical version of "Miracle on 34th Street." My mother was in the play and I remember thinking, "That looks like fun. I wanna do that." So my mom made me approach the director myself, tug on his jacket and say, "Mr. Brubaker? Hi, my name is Joey Kolski and I'd like to be in your play." I haven't stopped acting since.
My first poem? Wow. I think it was this one called..."False Utopia"? All of my original stuff was super-militant, very critical of the world. I definitely came from this, "I need to educate the world" perspective. I think a lot of poets start off like that. As you mature, you begin to realize that the more personal the piece, the more you connect with people. To reach the largest audience, find the most intimate truth.
MJ: Your style/influences comes from where and whom???
JH-K: Langston Hughes is a big influence. He wrote from the heart, void of all conventional structure. Very raw and honest. Tony Kushner, the playwright, is also a big influence. When I first saw "Angels in America" on Broadway, I was blown away. The way Kushner pushed and pulled his audience. He'd really get in his audience's face with the subjects of AIDS and homosexuality, push them a li'l further out towards the edge, and then he'd crack a joke and pull them back in. I was so amazed by that dichotomy and that's what I do my best to accomplish with my work. Use comedy and balance it with raw energy that's straight from the heart. De La Soul are also big influences. They've always wrote lyrics that speak to exactly where they are at that moment. They don't put on fronts. Now that they're older, they talk about their family lives. I dig that a lot.
Pocho Joe Afterschool’d http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrwrNmIrXqE
JH-K: I'm hoping that SAG will not need to strike. 
Considering how long it's gone with the WGA, I'm hoping that they'll get what they want and we'll (SAG) piggy-back on their agreement. As far as the strike goes, I'm in complete support. Writers are creating material (webisodes, etc) online and not getting compensating while networks are selling to advertisers. Not only are the networks selling ad space on their websites, but they're also forcing viewers to watch commercials. We must get compensated for this. I highly recommend that people go to www.youtube.com/wgaamerica or www.unitedhollywood.com
MJ: Your thoughts on the future of Television and Film for Original People.......
JH-K: Original people? Um...the History Channel has some great documentaries on the evolution of man.
Just kidding.
If you're referring to "people of color," which is yet another generalizing term that doesn't capture each individual's unique background, I don't know what the future holds for us. Personally, I believe in what I do as someone who has refused to change his last name and I believe that people embrace it. I believe that we're moving in a better direction. But it's hard to say. We're still dealing with a lot of the same stereotypes that we were dealing with forty years ago. To me, it's all about the educational system. As long as it improves, we'll improve.
Joe for Si TV's "Not So Foreign Filmmakers Showcase"! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfI1taQlMD0
Personally, I think this:
Actors who stand for something real are COOL
B-Boys who are Intelligent are……………….COOL
Poets who give back to our communities are……COOL
Writers who have something to say are………………COOL
Let Joe break it down for you what he thinks is COOL in his own unique way.
HBO Def Poetry/Season Four Finale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-7nO9Lb-c
MJ: "So Fresh & So Clean" is up next.....now what's that all about???
JH-K: It's a fun fun fun fun show. Josh and I have been working together for years but this is the first time that we are putting together a formal show. It's part comedy, part poetry, part beat-boxing. Imagine the Smothers Brothers if they grew up as part of the hip-hop generation. Mix that with a li'l Rahzel, add in that book of Truly Tasteless Jokes that you used to carry around in grade school and that's our show. We're two young, single men living in Los Angeles so we obviously talk A LOT about girls, excuse me, women.
Joe is appearing with internationally known beat-boxer Joshua Silverstein
on February 21, 2008 at the bang Comedy Theatre in Los Angeles (www.bangstudio.com)
to premiere “SO FRESH AND SO CLEAN”
Written/Performed by Joe Hernandez-Kolski, Directed by Benjamin Byron Davis
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