Catching Up with Actor, Screenwriter, Musician VICTOR COLICCHIO

Hi Alexxis & congratulations on the 10 year anniversary of STEEL NOTES MAGAZINE.

Some of my memories are of time spent as a contributing writer. “Colicchio’s Corner” covered film, stage, music, and happenings around Manhattan.

My craziest memory is when you & I went to Madame Tussauds’s Wax Museum and posed with the celebrity figures. The accompanying article claimed that we were at the “Party of the Year”. We posed with Puffy Combs, Nicolas Cage, Brad Pit among others. Our readers were so excited to see us at this exclusive party with these superstars. When our readers turned the page there we were posing with John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Biggie Smalls, and other celebs who have passed. At the top of the page it was written APRIL FOOLS.

I’m doing great. Still going to parties, playing music and acting. I recently returned from Spain where I co-starred as a soldier in the film “Death Border” directed by Danny Garcia. My most prized acting roll was in George Bugatti’s play “ Trial on the Potomac’’ . I portrayed Judge John Sirica, a former prize fighter turned Washington DC district court judge. He was featured in the cover of TIME MAGAZINE under the heading “The Man who took down Nixon ‘’ It was a fun and challenging role. I was asked to reprise my role for the documentary “Secrets of Watergate.“

As usual I’ve been attending Plays, Premiers & Parties. The party of the year for was Spike Lee’s party at Ft Green Park celebrating the music of Prince & Michael Jackson. In addition to the thousands of fans attending were Chris Rock, Rosie Perez & Dean Winters. It’s been a fun year. Once again congrats, and see you the next time you hit Manhattan.

- Vic

MBW: Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of all ages, I am your Ring Leader. My name is Marlowe B West. I have been the Star Reporter here at Steel NotesMagazine for 10 years ... It has been my quest, to bring to the attention of my beloved fans and readers, the treasures I find along this tireless job of taking Manhattan.

Today, it brings me much pleasure and satisfaction to bring to you the multi-talented Tym Moss. I have recently been thoroughly entertained by a couple of his subversive acts. One was called Twisted TV, presented at Pangea, on the lower east side, in which he and his lovable cast members effortlessly tear up tired old Saturday Night Live without even trying.

At Christmastime, at the Copacabana, he starred in Ike Avelli’s widely acclaimed, hysterical 50 Shades of Gay. A very gay, cheerful and colorful twist on traditional Christmas. Brimming with talent, gut splitting stunts, a laugh a minute. While at the same time richly entertaining, heart warming and cheerful.

Your face beams, Tym. What is behind that face? That content and confident aura of yours?

TM: It’s been a very long road…. But I am finally an Entertainer. A Singer, Actor, Host for TV, Radio and Stage Events, and Producer. I perform in Cabaret, Nightclubs,Theater, Musical Theater, TV, Web series and Film.

MBW: So I see and where did all of this begin, my friend?

TM: I grew up in the countryside of Indiana in the 1960s and 70s. It was a different world. Very protected and sheltered. I never heard the words gay or homosexual. I couldn’t understand why I was more attracted to the other boys than the girls. We were a Baptist family so I couldn’t even entertain such thoughts or I would go to hell!

MBW: No! I know!!! A lot has changed. It’s truly unbelievable.

TM: My father wanted me to play sports, basketball, little league baseball, etc. After many failed attempts (I hated sports so much) I realized I was not like the other boys. I just wanted to be a cute cheerleader like the girls on the sidelines! I learned to do some gymnastics and in high school, approached the sponsor of the cheerleaders to see if I could be the mascot. They approved it. They could not call me a cheerleader because I was a boy, so I was Astro, the Astronaut for the Caston Comets! I’d break through the big paper hoops in front of the players and run down the football field doing back handsprings. Then I’d join the cheerleaders on the sidelines to do all the routines. I had a ball!

MBW: Well I must say it took a lot of creative courage, nerve and balls to land the gig as mascot and by the sound of it you were having a blast.

TM: I tried to be like the other boys. But I soon learned that I was more into the plays,and the music and the dance!! I was a total embarrassment to my family I’m sure.

MBW: Well that in itself could be a terrible drag but I can tell that you were inwardly certain what you were doing.

TM: I found such an incredible solace in singing and performing. The plays and choirs were the only place I could be myself.

MBW: Smart cookie!

TM: When I was 6, my parents got an organ so I had to take organ lessons. I learned the basics, but then walked away from it. Years later when I became more interested in music, I returned to the organ and piano.

MBW: Rings bells loud and clear, man. Wow !!! When I was 6 I would sit at my Nana’s upright piano and pluck out tunes. Nana was floored and made a big fuss and sent the piano to our house but very shortly thereafter Dad put it out to the street.

TM: Omg! That’s terrible. The obstacles we have to overcome to be our true selves and find our passion. Well, for me, it was when I first heard Barbra Streisand sing. Omg!.....I got all her albums. I studied everything about her vocal abilities. Her incredible breath control, her precision of solidly hitting the notes, the confidence and emotion, etc. So in many ways, Barbra Streisand taught me to sing!! She was my vocal coach and she never knew it.

MBW: ... and you ended up with a really beautiful voice yourself.

TM: Oh, thank you so much, Marlowe. So like all the other boys, I had a girlfriend in high school. We loved each other very much and had a great sex life. But the Baptist boy in me knew I had to be going to hell for having premarital sex. Then I discovered there were other young men out there like me who liked having sex with other young men! It was on. So then I figured I was going to the lower layers of hell!! No hope for my soul. My soul was taken away.

MBW: Don’t mind me for laughing but I personally have no regard for organized religion. I don’t intend to get into it but by 5th grade in Catholic school I had it!

TM: It took me until I was in my 40s. Lol. Before my senior year of high school, after going to school with all my friends my entire life in the small community, my father got transferred to a different town up in northern Indiana. There was no way I was going to move and leave everything and everyone I ever knew. My mom told me to go check out the school. I asked the music director of this huge new school where I knew no one, if their music program was any good. He reached over and handed me an album! They make an Album? They played the top music, pop and disco. And they traveled the Midwest like a professional band. I’M MOVING HERE NEXT YEAR!

I was grateful to be one of the lead singers for CONGLOMERATION and got to go touring, recording and a touch of stardom experience. And I loved it!

MBW: There’s that kid with all that creative courage, nerve and balls again.

TM: After performing in a few places and on the road, once again, I left everything and everyone I ever knew and moved to a very dangerous, filthy, scary NYC and had to learn how to survive. But the men made it worth the horror.

MBW: Uh Oh !!!

TM: I guess I thought I deserved to be punished and deserved a difficult life because I was such a sinner with no hope for my soul.We didn’t have mentors in the gay community. We were just making it up as we went along. Many had gotten thrown out of their homes. We all found our way to NYC. I got lost in the open sexual freedom of the early 80s. I lost my identity.I was never told, or taught, that 2 men could actually fall in love with each other and build a life together. Again, we were making things up as we went along. So I just always thought men were just for sex. Getting houses together and raising families were for straight people.

MBW: There it is right there ... the guilt.

TM: I got manipulated into Real Estate which I hated. The guy that ran it used to be in entertainment with Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, etc. I thought I’d help him with the Real Estate and he’d help me with my entertainment career. He had no intention of that. He wanted someone to run the Real Estate. So he was constantly telling me that I wasn’t a good entertainer, I would never make money as a singer or actor. I should just stay and do the Real Estate. After hearing this for a couple of years I agreed with him. I gave up. I lost my dreams.

MBW: Not sounding good, man. You lose your dreams and you’re done.

TM: I started reaching for drugs and alcohol to hide the pain inside. I required more and more over time. This developed to a 20 year drug and alcohol addiction that by all accounts should have killed me. It got to extreme levels and the insanity along with the extreme behavior of myself and those around me got way out of hand. Stabbings, break ins, hospital stays…. All became normal. I lost all my memories due to a brain atrophy and scar tissue on my brain from having small strokes and not knowing it. When I finally was faced with death, I decided to reach out for help. My memories started to return slowly, but the first beautiful memory to emerge like a beautiful white light from deep inside me,was that I remembered… I’M AN ENTERTAINER. I’M A SINGER. I’M AN ACTOR. I had forgotten about it for 20 years. 20 years! That beautiful memory is what I grabbed ahold of and it helped to guide me out,along with lots of doctors and therapists for many years. That was the beginning of a very long, confusing, painful, scary, dark, lonesome road back. By far the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. I had to pull up strength and inner power I didn’t even know I had. When I committed to getting back into entertainment, the Universe would send me these miraculous opportunities that would light up my path. That’s how I knew entertainment was my destiny. It led me out of the darkness.

MBW: I call mine The Pleiadians ... angels and fairies.

TM: Yes exactly. Well, it’s been almost 18 years since my last line of cocaine. I’m still so grateful daily that I am free to be my true self and I get to pursue my true passion in life, which is to entertain people. Make them laugh, make them cry, make them think, make them feel.

MBW: You are a seriously beautiful entertainer, Tym.

TM: Oh, Marlowe, thank you so much. That’s so sweet. Well, I am NOW surrounded by some of the most loving, supportive, creative, loyal friends and artists in the world. I’m so grateful.

MBW: Like minds attract.

TM: I travel the country with my dear friend (he’s more like a brother) the hysterical Ike Avelli in 50 Shades of Gay. We have performed in so many cities around the US. And it’s always a good time, both for us and the audience!

MBW: But I see you all over social media. Like you’re everywhere.

TM: That’s because we are! LOL. But I also have a talk show with the incredible, and incredibly beautiful, Wendy Stuart (who is more like a sister to me). It’s called ‘If These Walls Could Talk’. We interview some of the most interesting singers, actors, authors, creatives, etc in America today.

MBW: Oh my God. Do you ever come up for air?

TM: Rarely! Lol. I have taken my one man Cabaret show around the country as well. I tell my life story through stories and song.

MBW: You should be a movie star.

TM: Funny you should mention that! Lol. I have starred in a movie. (I’m officially a movie star now!) It’s called JUNK, by the brilliant Michael Penny. A full length original and unique feature film, a musical with an LGBT theme and only 2 people in the cast. Robbie Wayne and myself. MBW: Tell our readers what you have coming up so we can watch for you.

TM: I am working on developing a play called ‘Little House On The Ferry’. A hysterical musical, written by Robert Gould, about 3 friends going to Fire Island the weekend Marriage Equality passes in NY State.

MBW: After witnessing you guys with all your crazy energy and charisma I can imagine that being a big hit.

TM: By the way, I’m going to be heading the Pride Channel on UBC TV for CEO Peggy Dodson.I have some other big projects I’m working on that I’m sure you’ll be hearing about soon. So follow me on all social media. Just search Tym Moss.

MBW: It was a barrel of fun and very insightful having you as my guest today, Tym ... Do you have anything you would like to say to all your fans out there?

TM: I’m very grateful that I was one of the lucky ones that made it out of the total darkness, found my path back to my Inner Light and my True Authentic Identity.

MBW: If I could grant you 3 wishes what would they be?

TM: Hmmm?..1. That I have perfect pain free health so I could continue to effortlessly entertain the masses, hopefully inspiring & making people feel good. 2. That more and more people around the world would discover my talent and continue to follow and support me making my star rise nationally and internationally. 3. I would really like to find a Loving and supportive partner/ husband to share this journey with Joyfully.