We recently had the chance to connect with Forest Kinsey and have shared our conversation below.
Forest, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
By far, integrity. When a person is true-to-their word with a good moral compass and great work ethic, they can accomplish anything. I would always put my faith in a person I can trust over others with only innovative ideas or boundless energy. I strive to be a person of integrity, myself, although I do hope to bring intelligence and energy to the table as well.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! I’m Forest, a comedy writer and director for stage and screen. I love wackiness and absurdity, but appreciate a great deal of heart and wittiness in humor. I’m all about creating effective, hand-crafted works of art- I don’t mind if the seams show as long as the piece makes the audience laugh for the right reasons! In my experience, no story is untellable and no vision is too impossible, a belief I’ve held from a young age. At the intersection of digital art and live performance, there really are no bounds on creativity.
I produce shows for The Bird Comedy Theater (KC’s Best Comedy Club, The Pitch KC 2023-24), and I am co-director and head writer of “The Anarchy Fun Time Show,” Kansas City’s sole monthly sketch comedy show, which I run with comedian Cody Lindenberger. This last year, I directed “The Anarchy Heist Show” at KC Fringe, which won Best of Venue; in previous years, I’d received awards for Best Original Script, Audience Choice, and Best Comedy. I’ve written and produced works for musician Danielle Anderson of Danielle Ate the Sandwich, comedian Jamie Campbell, and media group IX Film Productions.
Currently, I’m gearing up for a plethora of new projects in the Winter and Spring, focusing on uplifting the KC comedy community and forging a serious career path in the theatrical arts.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was a kid, I had a problem with ego. Now, I didn’t believe I was perfect- in fact, my greatest ambitions had a curiously arbitrary cap: I wanted to be the second-best at everything. Not the best, I never wanted to take away the ability for others to achieve, but I certainly wanted to prove… something. In academics, art, altruism, attitude- I felt I must have limits, yet no focus. I wonder if I set my cap at “second best” purely to spare my own feelings when I’d inevitably fall short. No one can cast their net that widely.
As I’ve grown, I’d like to think I’m more humble. Some days, I yearn for the ambitious fire of the unchained ego, but most others, I’m happy to have reached comfort and focus. I’ve found a home in the arts, especially with comedy theater and filmmaking. I no longer believe it’s possible to be second-best at everything; the term “best” is so incredibly undefined and unachievable. No one is the best at anything, that’s all opinion. The best squid is the worst bird, although I’m sure one could argue against that statement (proving the point). In the end, I don’t aim for greatness, but rather strive for satisfaction and creative freedom, which, hopefully, can be achieved by merely working hard and moving forward.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I go through periods of time where writing, performing, and filmmaking seem to take over my life, which can prove difficult for my relationship with my partner. Don’t get me wrong, we’re doing well, but there have certainly been periods where I’ve messed up. I’d taken on work at a time of the week we’d set aside for ourselves, committing to a project for months on end without thinking of what that would do to our shared time. Mistakes of this type aren’t quick to show the damage- they have effects in the long run. I made one such error in the last year, which resulted in a lot of friction.
I’d consider that move a failure, and certainly related to my art. I realized I needed to prioritize my home life just as much as my creative passions. These two will ebb and flow over time, but I can’t lose sight of either; while previously I was concerned about being a successful artist, I now know that I want more to be a successful partner. Honestly, it’s a significant struggle for creatives, balancing passion and responsibility, as I’ve heard from many of my peers. I’m still learning and growing, but I can tell the key is to recognize that Art as not purely passion and a Partner as not purely responsibility- both are both, if that makes sense.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Fundamentally, there are a few core values to culture and art: originality, free expression, and equality. Art is a very neutral thing; by this, I mean the act of creation has no motive, source, or direction. It is pure and belongs to no one uniquely, like the ether of life itself. Our individual expressiveness is what gives art its meaning, and our originality yields our marks on culture distinctly our own.
Personally, I hold originality in the highest of values. A culture cannot advance without new ideas, unashamedly weird and different courses of action, thought, and actualization. I’d defend the ability to freely create new things pretty much to the end of the earth, for anyone.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing?
I’ll regret the days I don’t try. I’ll regret the days I spent in limbo, torn between working toward my dreams, striving to support myself and my partner’s practical future, and focusing on the happiness I can find in the present. I owe it to myself, my peers, and my family to resist the temptation of refraining from action- it’s incredibly easy to simply not do something.
Dreaming can only last so long before one finds themself waiting instead of leaping.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.forestkinsey.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forestkinsey/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/forest-kinsey/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forest.kinsey
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForestKinsey
