Hypnosis is a wonderful thing. It helps you to quit smoking. It makes you dance the funky chicken in front of strangers. It's indispensable when it comes to repressed memories. It prompts an a capella rendition of "Funkytown." It proves that the brain is a marvelous and mysterious organ. Then there are those other organs ...
Welcome to the mesmerizing world of Mr. Kevin Lepine and his Uncensored Comedy Hypnosis Show!
A curriculum vitae is a tricky thing, but this is the dossier we have on the suave swami. Born and raised in these parts, he was a straight enough arrow to be named Eastpointe's Youth of the Year back in 1993. Then came a gradual immersion in theatrical fun and games and a serious interest in psychology.
The latter led him to become a certified hypno-therapist ("I'm certified AND certifiable!"), while the former saw him sharing the stage with the likes of The Flying Cat Circus and the Candy Pants Burlesque Troupe. These two tangents of interest inevitably converged, a decision to go solo was made, and the result is recognized as one of the most entertaining acts in the country.
Oh, and the straight arrow got himself dubbed New Orleans' Most Insane Performer in 2003. What a difference a decade makes.
"I consider myself one of the luckiest men in the world simply because I've had the opportunity to work my tail off around the globe," Lepine says. "I've done the hypnosis show in a rain forest theater in Puerto Rico, the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, major Vegas theaters and finally back home to headline the club where I first saw my heroes perform and said to myself 'I wish I could grow up and be like them.' Well, here I am. Not quite grown up, but ..."
Lepine is talking about Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak. He'll be there on Wednesday, Oct. 8 and you can call 248-542-9900 for tickets and reservations (This writer has now lost control).
Still a little unsure? We subjected the very alert Lepine to a quick Metromix Q&A. His answers will probably prompt you to make that call without being hypnotized first.
What can your fans, innocent newcomers, and assorted lucky victims expect to see at Ridley's when you show up there on Wednesday?
Everyone coming to the show will have a lot to see and laugh about. I'll be hypnotizing you or your friends which makes for several different shows for the audience. You'll be laughing with me, with what the group is doing, and with what that one person you know is doing.
Every show is different because I have different volunteers who inspire me to do different things. Whether that means turning them into pop stars, gluing them together or more. This show is uncensored; there are no rules for what hits my sick-crazed imagination. Forgive me -- my original sense of humor. And there's new stuff that I've been waiting and wanting to do for quite some time now.
This is not an act! This is not pre-packaged entertainment! There will be genuine hypnosis on that stage, correct?
Yes, the hypnosis is real. I think everyone knows when someone is faking. The laugh comes from what is happening on stage. But I believe the real experience is in seeing how real hypnosis really is.
We have statistics galore on jugglers, magicians, fire performers, belly dancers -- but we couldn't find much on stage hypnotists. How many like you are out there? Is there a union?
An independent performers' union: To dreaaaammm the impossible dreaaammm... There are about 100 guys really making a full-time living across the country doing this. Mine is one of about 25 that is touring nationally.
A nice guy named Doc Magi labels himself "Hypnotist to the Stars." We'll take that at face value - but if you could invite five or six celebrities to the stage, who would they be and what would you "encourage" them to do?
Five celebrities to do with what I will? Oh, sweet! 1) Paris Hilton -- you will stop appearing on our TV screens and go get a real job;
2) David Blaine -- you will only do stunts that are entertaining and make sense; 3) Bill Gates -- you will make me a computer that doesn't crash three times will I am doing an interview...and you won't miss $3 million; 4) The hot new aneorexic starlet of the day --
eat something!; and 5) Our president and all of Congress -- fix this mess!
You are a certified hypnotherapist and - all kidding aside - this is actually something that does a great deal of good for certain people with certain problems, right?
Hypnosis is great for changing behavior patterns. I have helped people quit smoking, diet better, lose weight, overcome phobias and relax. It is extremely useful! Mostly though, I use my powers for evil instead of good.
Though it is my Certification in Hypnotherapy that helped me write the end routine of my show where I leave all my volunteers with a positive suggestion to help them improve their day-to-day life.
You're a native Detroiter and you've always had nice things to say about the D. Cool - but you've been to Vegas and that's a town with an avid appetite for this kind of stuff. Any stories to illustrate that point?
Vegas is different on every level. It's the only town where what I do is very much appreciated, yet totally commonplace. I did a gig at the Wynn in the Middle of September. I got to the show room and everything was set up before I got there because all the techs had worked on hypnosis shows before, so they knew exactly what to do.
Does a woman think twice before dating a guy who can say sweet nothings like "you are getting very sleepy?"
Some women run in the opposite direction, while others find the whole idea extremely ... intriguing. Still others don't know why every time they hear the word "turnip" they pick up the phone and call me.
