Meet writer, musician, spoken word and theatre artist, Brendan McLeod.
Meet Brendan McLeod
Brendan McLeod is an award-winning writer, spoken word artist, theatre artist, and musician. He is the founder of the folk group The Fugitives, and a former Canadian SLAM poetry champion and World SLAM runner-up. He has taught spoken word at Vancouver’s Langara College, and is an active arts educator with a variety of organizations. He has an MA in Philosophy from the University of Waterloo.
You can follow Brendan on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can also out more online at brendanmcleod.ca.
20 Questions with Brendan McLeod
1. Your first job.
I was a soccer referee when I turned 11. I was refereeing the youngest group of four or five-year olds. There are basically no rules – they just follow the ball around like a swarm of bees. So, you’re basically about as important as the referee in professional wrestling, except no one smashes tables over your head. That said, I was amazed how seriously some of the parents took their four-year old bee swarming soccer kids. Everyone thought their child was the next Pele, even though they are pretty much all the same at that age.
2. The job you always wanted as a child?
Professional basketball player. And/or lawyer. But why not both? Shoot for the stars! As it turns out, I became a spoken word artist and let down everyone.
3. Your pet peeve.
People who stand to the left side of the escalator for no reason.
4. Your hero.
I try not to think of people that way. I just met Chubby Checker, so I’ll go with him. He was nice. I thought he was actually a Chubby Checker impersonator, but it turns out he was the real deal. Or at least he said he was. Hmm. Now I’m doubting everything.
5. Your biggest indulgence.
Bad drama on television. I luckily don’t watch reality TV but I’m a sucker for any show that keeps the plot going with fist fights, people coming back from the dead, or deciding at random to plot against their own family members … or all of the above, really.
6. One thing no one knows about you.
My show pretty much ensures that that can’t happen.
7. Three things you would want with you on a deserted island.
Food, shelter, clothing, firewood, and a match. And the ability to count.
8. The one word your best friend would use to describe you.
Hmmmm.
9. If they made a movie about your life, who would it star?
It doesn’t matter. I have a pretty generic face so most people will do.
10. Hero or villain?
Contextually dependent on how heroic or how villainous.
11. Your life’s motto/mantra.
I think life is too complicated for that.
12. Your favourite playwright?
Good question!
13. The last book you read.
“Luminal” by Jordan Tannahill.
14. If you were a cartoon character what cartoon character would you be?
Wile E Coyote, and the Roadrunner is pretty much most things.
15. What will it say on your grave marker?
I think I’ll just get cremated and get my ashes thrown somewhere? I try not to think about stuff like this. I like to pretend I’m younger than I am.
16. Who would you most like to have dinner with?
Someone who buys.
17. Your idea of happiness.
Right now I’m really thirsty, so a glass of water.
18. If you could go back in time, what would you tell your twenty-year-old self?
The secret of time travel.
19. The one thing in your life that makes you most proud.
That my friends are as a cool and amazing as they are.
20. To be or not to be?
To be, I guess.