Kevin T Interview

AUDIO	VIDEO	
	TEXT ON SCREEN: Come From Away’s real Kevin T explains his Pay It Forward 911 initiative 
	
JOHN: So first of all Kevin, what has life been like for you for the last 18 months? 		
[CHUCKLES] 		
KEVIN: Like everyone, it's a hard time for Newfoundland as they say at the time. I left New York. I was there in New York the last three years and doing a lot of public speaking and book talks. But after the pandemic, I went back to Texas where I spent most of my life and ended up getting a job there. 		
And so now balancing that. And then my passion, my charity pay for 9/11, which of course the 20th anniversary is in full gear and lots of exciting activities ahead for next week. 		
JOHN: So you actually are now living in Texas? 		
KEVIN: Right, living in Houston. 		
JOHN: In, Houston, OK. Well, that's a lovely city. That's a good city. Very different from other parts of Texas. 		
KEVIN: Yes, it is always called the blueberry in the tomato soup. 		
[CHUCKLES] 		
It is very progressive city. But frankly, so many people have been moving there from California and New York. That it's lost its-- I've been around so long. I'm becoming a ornery old person who complains about all the new people. So I think I'll be back in New York sometime next year. 		
JOHN: Well, that's good to know. So speaking about it paid for neither 9/11. Can you tell us how it began for you? 		
KEVIN: Sure, well. Of course, there's even a line in the musical to come from a way that when I went back to the 10th anniversary and that's when I was interviewed by David Heine, Irene Tenkorf and I had already begun doing my part for 9/11 project starting in 2002. 		
And because after having that remarkable experience and Gander, I came back. And the people there kept saying no Thanks are necessary. Your everything is paid in full. And so I couldn't pay them back. So I decided to borrow an idea from the movie and pay it forward 		
And so in 2002, we closed the doors of my company about and at $100 bills and have people go to do random good deeds for strangers. And that continued on for 15, 16 years while I was at my company. And then when I stepped down, I wrote my book channel of piece. 		
I actually have a whole chapter in there about 15 years of remarkable stories of how people do these simple things. And how it changed their lives. And so and it's all goes back to the ripple effect that was started with me and the people from Gander helping me 20 years ago. 		
JOHN: So here's the book by the way. I have my copy right here. 		
KEVIN: Hey, good. 		
JOHN: And it's still available for sale. I know that house of Ananse has it on their website. So you can buy it directly from there. And I think some-- 		
KEVIN: Paperback and audio book as well. 		
JOHN: --Yes And I think some bookstores in Toronto still haven't. 		
KEVIN: Chapters Carrier yeah. 		
JOHN: And to go that's right, Yes. So that's really good. So if people really want to find out your story, this is it. This tells the whole thing. So now tell us about this year's pay forward. How is it different? 		
KEVIN: Well what's different about pay for 9/11 this year is that just the volume of participation is skyrocketed. We have set a goal for doing 20,000 good deeds by the 20th anniversary on September 11. And then we created what's called 11 days of kindness and unity September 1 to 11th to give people like say, it's not just one day. 		
That's our world. We're in so much suffering right now from the pandemic, from natural disasters, from our lack of unity. And I'll like to say that in a time before hashtags back in 2001, 2002 the words United we stand were pervasive across the world. And now not so much. 		
And so our thought is, we can't change the political systems, but we can change hearts one at a time. And so we have a lot of great exciting things happening. And from a small town in West Virginia, that will be giving away free copy for three hours to anyone who pledges to go out and do three good deeds. 		
Back in Houston Texas where I live, there's a company that rents kayaks and canoes and paddle-boards. And they're going to go randomly give away 100 hours of free paddling time to people who also will pay it forward. So magically, these little things can they keep growing. 		
And so for example, even before I left my apartment, there's a man that works there who is a veteran from Afghanistan and Iraq war. And so I went to him before I left and I said, the war in Afghanistan is over and I want to thank you for your service. And so I gave him a $50 gift card. And didn't even ask him to pay it forward. But within four hours, he calls me back and says, hey, I've talked to the management. 		
On September 11, I'm going to bring in donuts for everybody in the complex and for everybody to take the donuts. They're going to get one of these birthday smile cards. Smile that you're the recipient of a random act of kindness in honor of the 2,977 lives that were lost on September 11. And I asked them to go out and continue with it through good deeds. 		
So now my one gift card that I purchased, is now multiplying dozens and dozens more good deeds. So those are the things that are happening. There's the Canadian real Estate Association. Is actually speaking my book they're donating 1,000 copies of Chandler piece to Toronto area high school. So I'm excited grateful for that. 		
And there's the superstar peg who you know, everybody knows. New York is getting about 10 schools to get involved in doing pay it forward in Canada. So it's a great reminder for people in Canada that September 11 is a National Day of service in both US and Canada. And so encourage people to join us and pay it forward 9/11 this year. 		
JOHN: Let me ask. Just before 9/11 this year of course was the Apple TV Plus streaming of the live capture of the show. Were you in the audience on that day in May? 		
KEVIN: No, I was not unfortunately because I was back in Texas. But I have seen the premiere and I got to tell you it is amazing. It is not to be missed, especially because the camera is really right there up on the stage and parts of it. You get these views and these reactions. These small subtle things that you might never see from the theater. 		
So it doesn't replace the theater experience definitely, but I'm just glad. It's going to really open up the show to people who might not necessarily be musical theater lovers. And so I think this is great, especially because of the message. 		
JOHN: Yeah work and don't live in a place where the show has been playing. So you can't see it live. So it is great that it will be in people's living rooms and available to them when they want to see it. I wouldn't be surprised if people see it many times. 		
KEVIN: Right. 		
JOHN: You yourself have seen the show how many times now? 		
KEVIN: 55 in person maybe 56. It was all away but finally come back to my hometown of Houston Texas. And then Houston where Nick and Diane live and we had a great talk back there in Houston and Claude Elliott was there and then BOOM. The shutdown happened right after that pretty much. 		
So Yeah. But I agree for people that can't see it what's been so real for me is I've spent the last several days doing interviews with Apple TV Plus that they set up with reporters in Germany. A lot of interest in this film and all across Germany. And I'm actually part German. So now I ask them, do you want me to answer these questions in English German or Newfoundlander? 		
[CHUCKLES] 		
KEVIN: And finally, taken me 20 years that I finally figured out why are Newfoundlander are they so kind and compassionate? And if you ask them, they'll say, well, this is the way we were taught. And ways is we take care of each other. We're all human beings as we've evolved we are meant to live in communities. We are meant to take care of each other. 		
But after doing these random good deeds and I've been studying psychology of compassion and what I've learned is that the human adult brain can act is a muscle and can be trained. And so the more you do things like random acts of kindness you get this helpers high. You have this great feeling of euphoria. Your blood pressure goes down. 		
Maybe it's just something so simple. Buying someone's coffee or what have you. But you feel better. You feel good. So it is in giving that we receive straight from the prayer of Saint Francis. And so I think that's the reason why they are such a wonderful people is because it makes them feel happy. 		
JOHN: Yeah no I truly believe that as well. We wouldn't have been able to survive as a species if we didn't help one another. And I think like many aspects of nature pleasure comes from some things that help us survive. And one of those is helping each other. We we're not lone wolves. 		
We need each other, which is what's been very difficult about the last 18 months because we've been separated. For good reason because we want to overcome this virus and put it to rest. But it's been hard because we're not wired that way. We want to be with other people. 		
And I truly believe that's one of the reasons that Theodore has survived all the technology that separates people because you could stay in your own space and see a story unfold on a screen as opposed to being in a theater. But there is something so special about gathering together and sharing a communal experience that technology cannot replicate. 		
KEVIN: 100%. And I really have such empathy for all of those and your company. All the actors and cast and band and crew who have been without Oracle for such a long time. I'm in New York now and I went to a bar. I remember going to bars that they have an interviewer vaccinated. You can go to this piano bar. 		
So I went in there. And this woman stepped up to the microphone. It turns out she had been in a production of West Side Story. And so she started singing a song that's very small, intimate crowd. And I watched her afterwards and she just felt so good to be able to sing to an audience again. 		
And I went upstairs and I actually bought her a drink. I said no as an audience, I was so good to hear live music in person again. It's good for the soul and we need that collective. The laughter and the tears and the standing ovations. We need that we need it soon. 		
JOHN: Yes and it's come from a week reopened September 21st in New York. And in Toronto, we've announced we're going to reopen on December the 7th. 		
KEVIN: Fantastic. 		
JOHN: So we're a bit behind but we'll get there. And we're always looking forward to it. So anyway thank you so much Kevin, for taking this time out of our very busy time. And I hope that this 9/11 has more paid forward than ever before. It would be a great thing for people to get involved. 		
KEVIN: Thank you. I would love to just encourage anyone watching you to go visit our website payitforward911.org. And we would love to light up our map. We've got this map with hearts across the world where people are pledging for what they're going to do and where they're going to do it. So it'd be great if more people from Canada joined it. 	TEXT ON SCREEN: PAYITFORWARD911.ORG