Theatre of the Mind brings you this exclusive interview with Baby Stuntman, Bucky Whiplash. We caught up with Bucky while filming on location in Stockton, CA for a unnamed film to be released in the fall.
TOtM: Thank you for taking this interview Bucky. How in the world did you get started as a Baby Stuntman?
BW: Early on, my Pappy used to make me do summersaults, flying around at the end of his arms, pushing me down hills on Fisher Price things. He realized my talent and exploited me.
TOtM: Fascinating, but it has to be dangerous work, have you sustained any injuries doing this?
BW: No, my bones aren't fully formed yet, they're sort of like pickled eggs, so I bounce. We also spend a lot of time planning the stunts and I have an experienced support team. Don't try this at.... that is so cliche, never mind.
TOtM: What about Child Protective Services? How did you get around that?
BW: Okay, Im going to end this interview now! You journalists are just looking for sensationalism...
TOtM: No, no, I didn't mean to concern you, I was just curious, if we could continue please.
BW: Goo goo.
TOtM: What's the most dangerous stunt you've done?
BW: In this one scene, I had to climb out of my crib and wander out of the front door of the house and into a hog pen on this farm. Man I tell you, the squeeling hog heads! Stop the squeeling please! Anyway, I thought these fat 600lb hogs were going to eat me for sure. Scary. I was covered in mud and poo.
TOtM: What film was that?
BW: It was a documentary about farmworker's kids left alone while their families work in the field. It was about neglect, sad really... kinda like that sign I saw on a bus the other day- Nunca shake a baby... it was in Spanish anyway.
TOtM: Does it pay well?
BW: It keeps me in diapers.
TOtM: I'm sure your'e an inspiration to many people.
BW: That's what keeps me going. The rewarding part of the job. I can show people that if you put your mind to it and work hard you can accomplish anything. Well, except going back and becoming a baby again, unless you got some sort of Benjamin Button thing going on. That was me in the make up by the way.
TOtM: I'll bet working with Mr. Pitt was pretty cool. Did Brad and Ang try and adopt you after filming? ( chuckle).
BW: Yeah funny. It goes to show you, there must not be any poor people in the US anymore because all the stars have to go to Africa or Southeast Asia to find an impoverished child. But if I had to be breastfed, those are some good ones right there......
TOtM: How much longer will you stay in the industry?
BW: It's hard to say, probably till I'm 5. Thats when I have to start kindergarten so it might put some time constraints on me.
TOtM: Well we wish you the very best and it was a pleasure to have you. Thank you for your time. We know you're a busy baby. We look forward to seeing more of your work.
BW: The pleasures been all mine.
