Newsies on Stage, David Moscow on Blog

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If you are new to my blog, on Wednesdays I post about my experience in Hollywood as a former child/teen actress. If you want to start at the beginning of these posts go here.

This week your are going to hear from one of my actor friends.

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This is a rerun, but in light of Newsies recently hitting the stage, I thought you might enjoy this.

I finally got David Moscow (my friend for 21 years!!!) to do Part 2 of his guest post for me. I had to get the police involved and I had to shape it in the form of a Q & A, but here we are! If you missed part 1 of his story, check it out.

Here is the recap of how I know David and a little bio on him:

David and I met at this photo shoot for 16 Magazine. Unfortunately, this is the only pic of us from back in those days that I can find.

We developed a friendship despite the fact that we come different coasts and are pretty different. But that has made it fun and educational for both of us. We stayed in touch all these years - even before the internet!

I am not sure when this picture was taken. My gut says it was in college, but my heart says that I look 12 and my hair looks awful so I can't be sure.

This pic was taken at some point when I was at UCLA. David came to dinner with me and a bunch of my Bruin friends.

Here we are with my Kirk Cameron stalking accessory, Shannon, in New York right right after I graduated from UCLA. And once again, the hair is pathetic and I look 12 (I was 22) so maybe that other pic is from college. Man, I had bad hair in college.

And here we are last fall!

Before I met David I remember going to a taping of his show Live In. Years later, I visited him on the set of Newsies where he was transformed (or was forced?) into a singer and dancer. You wouldn't know it from David's byline, but he's been in a ton of stuff and continues to work consistently as an actor.

David Back Then

David Now

Meet David . . .

David makes his living selling his body and soul to the media conglomerates and their minions on the coasts. He has ruined two long-term relationships and one engagement because of his Peter Pan Syndrome yet is thankful for that particular disorder every day. In his own way, David strives to make the world a better place than he found it. He developed mixed income green buildings in Harlem, helped reintroduce captive bred wolves into the southwest U.S. (lived in a tent for the better part of a year), and is at the moment designing and fundraising for a rooftop playground for P.S. 210 in Washington Heights.

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And now for the interview . . .

1. How did you get into show business?

David:

I grew up in a time before prozac was dumped down the throat of any kid who had energy. This means that I am old - but it also means that I was a wild child, getting into everything. My folks tell stories of me running up and down the aisles of Radio City at some concert screaming with them on my heels, or as a 6-year-old jumping out of the subway right before the doors were closing so my mom could watch me wave on the platform as the train pulled away. She musta had a ton of fun!

As parents who refused to use TV as a sedative they instead forced me into every class (guitar, piano, science) and extra-curicular activity (gymnastics, art and zoo camps) around. One of these was acting in the school plays. Which I did twice, in 5th and 6th grade. It was following the second of these two that my mom read about a open audition in a local newspaper. It was for the Jodie Foster film "Five Corners". They were looking for 11 year old white boys from the bronx. Turns out that was a rare commodity - and as an added bonus I wasn't shy around adults, could read relatively well and had a very strong personality which is exactly what casting directors are interested in. The next thing I new I had to decide whether to screen test for this film or take a trip to visit my aunt in spain that my parents had been saving up years for. At 11, with dreams of being a jet-setting bon vivant I chose Europe. I had turned down my first part even before I had any right to do so. Not the best precedent. But like most spurned by someone, the casting directors fell even more in love with me. They sent my name to an agent with high recommendations and it began. Sadly, those first two months were by far the most successful period of my career. Three auditions later I had booked a reoccurring role on Kate and Allie (a cbs tv series), the lead in a short film and had a call back for a small part in a movie called "Big".

2. Do you still get recognized as the boy who played the young Tom Hanks in the movie Big?

David:

All the time. Sometimes people shout "Josh" out loud to get some response but those are mostly drunk jocks at bars trying to look cool in front of their friends. I pretend not to hear. About once a day someone comes up and asks if im "that guy". They give me no other clues - just that guy. But depending on the age, sex, race of the person I can pretty much tell which "guy" they are referring to. Older people (meaning 30 and up) recognize me from "Big" , they are usually towing some shy child to introduce me to, explaining that I was the guy from the movie they just made the kid watch. The kid usually keeps huddled behind their parents legs.



Girls (and gay men) ages 14 to 30 are coming up to talk to me about "Newsies". They are always very excited. Sometimes scarily so, recognizing no boundaries of normal human interaction. A lot of them are dancers.

(Wendy: Wonder if David has seen this video I found on youtube!)


If the questioner is of color then they most certainly have come to chat about "Honey". They usually ask if im "that guy" and then in the next sentence get specific with "the bad guy". And I respond back that "I wasn't bad and that it was Honey's fault she didnt wanna date me and she got what she deserved". They always love this response and it truthfully is my favorite interaction of the three.

Most of the time though people recognize me but dont know where from. They just think they know me from school or as a friend of a friend. This happens 9 or 10 times a day. I get smiles on the subway, nods from people passing on the street and free lattes at starbucks. It makes for a pretty charmed life. And I am shocked when outside the country I'm faced with angry responses when I walk out having not paid for my coffee. So I stick to America. Here, people even honk at me while I drive! My girl says its cuz I'm a terrible driver but I know it's my fans just saying hello.

3. How many times have you been asked to sing this and how much would I have to pay you to sing it on video and then send it to me?

Shimmy shimmy coco pop
Shimmy shimmy rock
Shimmy shimmy coco pop
Shimmy shimmy rock

I met a girlfriend
Named Triscuit
She said:
A Triscuits a biscuit

Ice cream
Soda pop
Vanilla on the top
Ooh shal-i-da

Walking down the street
Ten times a week
I meant it, I said it
I stole my Momma's credit

I'm cool
I'm hot
Sock you in the stomach...
Three more times (Repeat x3)...
Two more times
One more time

David: You are a funny lady.

(Wendy: Guess that means I'm not getting a video?)

4. I recall hanging out with you in Pasadena sometime during or right after college. A frantic girl ran up to us who was convinced you were Justin Timberlake and she desperately wanted your autograph. Do you get that a lot?

David:

No longer. I believe it had to do with our curly hair. He got rid of his. And now sadly I get less attention.

5. Besides fronting for NSYNC, what role are you most recognized for?

David:
I believe I answered that earlier but more in the vein of this question - I get recognized for scary movie, that thing you do, glee, meet the parents and boiler room (none of which I am in).
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Come back next Wednesday to read more of our Q & A when David talks about Newsies, Living Dolls (with Halle Berry) and the environment.

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