Donna LoCicero and Robert Campos Pay Tribute to 3 STILL STANDING

Robert Campos and Donna LoCicero started out as fans of the three stand-ups profiled in their film, 3 STILL STANDING. Will Durst, Johnny Steele, and Larry “Bubbles” Brown were part of that heady brew that was the comedy scene in San Francisco in the 1970s and 80s that also gave us Robin Williams, Paula Poundstone, and Dana Carvey. When we spoke on September 28, 2015, they talked about what it was like to get to know the guys as people rather than performers, the difference between interviewing a performer and a person, as well as why these three became the focus of their documentary, and what they learned about storytelling from listening to them talk about the craft of making people laugh.  And, of course, we talked about Williams, how generous he was with his time, and how delighted he was with the doc itself, which he was able to see before his death. We finished up, though, with my asking Campos and LoCicero about their previous work on shark documentaries and what may be the untapped market they will serve with the DVD release of 3 STILL STANDING.

3 STILL STANDING is their documentary about talent, ambition, and holding onto a dream. Recalling the 1980s comedy scene in San Francisco, when this city was the funniest on the planet, Campos and LoCicero focus on three stand-ups who had everything going for them, but for some reason, never broke into the big time the way their peers, Dana Carvey or Robin Williams did. .Will Durst, Jonny Steele, and Larry “Bubbles” Brown. From the beginnings making family members shoot milk out their noses at Thanksgiving dinner, to re-thinking their approach to the business with pop-up venues, each man talks about how he got started in the business, their heyday in The City, and what it is about doing comedy that won’t let them go. Campos and LoCicero are the founders of Beanfield Productions and their previous work include DISASTER ON K2 and DAY OF THE SHARK, which brought a different, more sober, element to frenzy of Shark Week.