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I had the pleasure of speaking with Ken Lawson or Ken L as some people know him from the hit shows In The House and The Parkers. We had a long and fun conversation. He's so personable and down-to-earth. Ken released a vlog last week in response to the recent news of Maia Campbell, once his fellow actor on the show In The House. In the conversation we talk about Maia, pressures actors face in the industry, off-beat stuff and what's going on in his professional life.
There was a call for some of Maia's colleagues or fellow actors to either actually step up and say something or reach out and do something to try and help her in her situation-especially people who worked with her. It seemed like almost instantaneously, you were the only person that stepped up. Some people felt like you used this to shine off her situation. What are your thoughts?
Ken: Well, actually I've been told to do another one but um my situation is I...(pauses to gather thoughts) I don't even know where to begin. It's a long story. I used to work with her, going through all the situations in her personal life... Um, you know, I came onto the show- I was an addition to the show. The show was already created. Debbie Allen was on the show and they were doing their thing. When it came down to my character, I was just a guest star. I wasn't there for no regular or nothing like that. I was doing a good job and they brought me back....but um me and Maia kicked it, hung out- you know and got to know her. We were going out shopping, drinking...just doing things that you would do with your co-workers. As it gets to the very last seasons that's when they brought me onto the show as a serious regular and that's when we got tight. I wouldn't say she was like my sister but she was someone I admired. I mean everyone wanted to be with Tiffany Warren (Maia's character on the show) (laughs) for me to actually be blessed with the opportunity to work with her and then to continue to work with her after those few years that went by it was like a blessing like DAMN! I did scenes with Maia Campbell! (laughs) As I started to hear this stuff, I started going to these internet sites and someone was telling me to type in her name and check this thing out and a picture came up I was like nah dawg that's photoshopped. You know, I was like trying to get that out of my head like damn dawg I been hearing some things from some guys in the entertainment industry, like damn dawg are you serious?! There were times we used to be on the set and right when we started to end, right when the season was ending- there was an incident where she just swore up and down that the cook poisoned her food, she's not eating, not coming to work unless that chef or that cook is out. There were like three or four more episodes to tape-she just bugged out; it was this big ordeal. That's when people started telling me "There she goes trippin' again." (phone rings- he takes the call; apologizes and continues) Sometimes she would lock herself in the dressing room, you know-and it tripped me out. I didn't know, you know what I'm sayin? To see what's going on with Maia, it's a tragedy for me. For people to have this understanding that she is this hoe or crackhead or things like that without understanding the underlaying side of her life....you know it's disturbing. That fact that she suffers from Bipolar Disorder and some people don't understand that and can't even fathom what it is, you know, but they're gonna....she's in the hood. She's around individuals that don't have the understanding of her mental condition and therefore it's like she's being taken advantage of and it's making me feel like damn dude- like I know the world is cold but you know I'm not saying celebrities are above and beyond all these different people but damn these are people who help influence a generation and for you to treat your gold, your diamond in the rough like that?! Like I said on the vlog, I'm kinda speechless.
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So working with her you didn't find out what her condition was until some had time past? Seems like no one knew until she started exhibiting behaviors that were a little odd to everyone.
Ken: Like I said I was just a guest star. When I first got in the show I maybe did like, I think it was season three, I did like 6 episodes out of the 22. So in that amount of time I kicked it with her, we were cool and I didn't get any inklings of mental situations. When they brought me back for the following season, I did like 9 episodes out of the 22, we got a little closer. But that last season, that 5th season, I pretty much took notice to some of the stuff like her locking herself in the dressing room. Everyone on that show loved her. I was just a co-star. I wasn't a cast member so I didn't have the same bond with her that the other actors did. To me, they should have been the one's speaking up about this. I'm not a big time star. I'm still out here struggling with my acting just like every other actor trying do his thing. These individuals have a bond with her beyond mine. When I saw the video, I just reacted. I don't do vlogs (laughs). I just don't jump in front of someone's camera. And I just put it on my Youtube. I was just trying to say something to get it out. I just felt like "Damn, that could've been YOU (referring to himself)."
When was actually the last time you've spoken to or have seen her?
Ken: Um, when did the show wrap? Uh, probably around 2000. I did the show Moesha and then The Parkers kicked off right after that...so probably around 2001 was the last time I kicked it with her. But I have to say I have worked with some bomb ass people! I mean Maia Campbell is beautiful. And even the other girl that was on the show, Gabrielle Carmouche (who played Raynelle) she's out there too! I'm like damn if it could happen to you it could happen to me.
Maia's step-father and grandmother released a statement via Essence.com thanking everyone who prayed for her and says she is in treatment. Here it is a week later and still no one from the cast has come out and said anything. Not to say they haven't been thinking about her. It's like they are afraid to say something and open a door that they can't close.
Ken: It's a catch 22. I'm not trying to say that they don't care- I'm not trying to say that but my whole thing is what if that was me? I worked with ya'll too. What if I was going through some shit? Ya'll wouldn't have reached out either.This is your co-star (Maia) and you haven't reached out! I'm not in the title credits of that show. My name doesn't pop up in the beginning. She used to be closer to them than she was to me and it's just disturbing that none of them have said anything. The Parkers cast are MY family. I know they would have my back. We all still kick it and talk to each other.
Some actors or entertainers want the spotlight but don't want the burdens that come with it. We as fans and consumers of entertainment we're going to have questions when a situation arises and we want answers. I feel like entertainers don't understand that.
Ken: I can respect that. If you had access to anyone that was doing something and you had a question or if somebody interests you- you would want to ask a question and you have the power to do so. The other day my boy said every word has a value. Like the word Nigger. But we give it value. If a skinhead were to come in your face and yell "You stupid NIGGER!" and gave them no reaction, he would have to say something else to try and get a reaction from you because the word that he used you didn't give it any power. That's how this game is. People give all these celebrities all this power. Like celebrity is power because it attracts people. People look at what celebrities have done and they have all this pressure and they don't have a way to release it. Celebrities feel like they can't talk to someone that can relate to what they are going through. The network in this industry isn't as solid as you would like for it to be. Everyone goes through their struggles. When you get to the point when you have a Maia Campbell who is doing her thing- she might not call a cat like me that gives her a different level of respect. Sometimes pride gets in the way of trying to get help. I wish Maia wasn't in this situation. What if she doesn't recover from this?
What are the pitfalls you've encountered as an actor? What advice would you give to someone looking to break into the industry?
Ken: You gotta have a vision. You gotta know what you're doing it for. Some people wanna be actors, I'm not got even use the word "actors", some people want to be entertainers and others need to be. There's a big difference. To me, I'm an artist, I'm an actor and things that I do are a reflection of what I've seen. I display myself through art. You know, I express myself through art. That's what it is to me. Anytime anyone writes a script or a screenplay and you wanna see that, that's art to me. You have to look at that as being artistic- and if that's what you wanna do and you feel you can express yourself with that vehicle then DO IT. You'll be benefiting mankind because that's what you should be doing it for in the first place. Sure there's fame and money and all the stuff that come with it, but in the end you gotta know what you're doing it for and who you're influencing. Are you trying to change the world? Are you trying to leave your mark? When you die, what do you want people to remember you for? That's why I do it. I need to be an actor. I need to be an artist. Because I have so much I want to shape the world into and mold the world into. People that try and get into this game, if you're not trying to be influential to change a wrong and make it right- then you shouldn't be in it. You're wasting your time.
What is your take on these "15 minutes of fame" people on these reality shows? Because there are entertainers that are actually "entertaining" these shows. I wanted to know from an actors prospective how you felt about these reality series that are on now?
Ken: Uh, well there are a couple of ways I want to approach this. (laughs) On one end, watching reality television is giving you like somewhat of a real glance at someone's life-almost. I know what reality t.v. is and I know how it was created and how they manipulate it. And it's funny how people watch it. Reality television, when they had that big writers strike, it shut EVERYTHING down for a moment. And what happened was when they got to that fine line of what was considered Writers Guild of America material and what was reality material-they split that line. So here is reality t.v. and there's no script that we're writing, we're just being suggestive. If you can get a man to go off on camera and it's real, that's the best! Like Rev. Runs show, it's a great show but the cameras aren't just there. You know you see Ziggy walking by and it's "Hi, Ziggy!" That just doesn't happen. It was already scripted like "Hey, you're gonna come over here and this gonna be the situation. You're gonna grab the lil toy and make this thing pop and make your brother mad. Then we'll call your daddy down." (laughs)
Have you ever been approached to do a reality show? Would you even consider doing one?
Ken: Yeah, if I was gonna have a reality show that was gonna be the bomb and it was gonna be tight, something interesting, was me and my reality- yeah I would do it. But if it's not my reality or do something that's not gonna be real then I wouldn't. It's getting to that point where it's like The Truman Show. Reality ain't gonna be real enough anymore. What's gonna be the next big bang for us? I've done so many pilots for television shows- for instance there was this one show we did the pilot, it was a Christian church based type thing. But when you shop it around to networks they don't want that because it's not edgy enough. Big networks aren't funding shows like that. It's to the point where we're finding our entertainment on Youtube.
Do you think these reality shows make it increasingly difficult for African American entertainer to find quality roles?
Ken: I'm glad you asked that. Well, it does. Just like right now, the rappers are taking all the good parts. (laughs) You gotta have a rap career in order to really pop it off, you know? It's a strange, strange situation. It's a crazy game. There are not a lot of roles for brothers and there's definitely not a lot of main lead roles for black males. As far as these people having these reality shows- I think it's great they can do their thing but cats like me or other individuals that have master trained in acting are still trying to get jobs, you know it can get frustrating at times. It's all entertainment. You just can't limit yourself to being just an actor or a songwriter or an athlete. You have to be diverse with your life. To see these people with their own television shows, reality shows, much success to them.
What are your guilty pleasures on television? What shows do you watch?
Ken: To be quite honest, I watch CNN. I watch Fox News channel. I try and stay informed with the news and the politics. I can just go and turn the television on to CNN and just chill. There's nothing really on television that pulls me away...I used to watch Heroes. I was really deep into Heroes because one of the homies was on the show. I love drama, I love crimes series. I've watched a couple of CSI episodes. I love theater. If you wanna see reality, go to the theater. Go watch someone do a bomb ass play on stage right in front of your eyes.
So are you married, single or dating?
Ken: It's complicated (laughs). I'm currently going through a transition right now. I'm just trying get through this stuff ...I'm gonna be O.K.
Do you have any kids?
Ken: Yes, I do. I do have children. I have a few of them running around here. (laughs)
Are your kids showing interest in acting also?
Ken: Noooo! (laughs) My daughter, well, she definitely wants to get out there and do her thing but I'm not letting her. I've been through so much in this industry and it's like...I'd prefer for her to do something else. If this is something she really wants to do I'd support her. But I want her to understand what she's doing it for. To be an actor you have to be an activist in you community.
In part two of our conservation- Ken talks about how friends Merlin Santana and Lamont Bentley deaths changed his life, more thoughts about Maia, channeling his energy in music and being humble. Check back for part two!
