Copyright © PHOTO BY TAMAR LEVINE

Artist Provocateur

Q: How many votes did you get?

A: 1,080. Because I was promoting myself as a performance artist, I got lumped with some of the "crazy" candidates, like Gary Coleman, the actor who played in the Diff'rent Strokes sitcom. But the race gave me a lot of appreciation for grassroots democracy. People wrote from as far away as Germany and India. Somebody wrote from a mobile home in Mt. Shasta to say that if I wanted his vote, I should come over for a glass of whiskey. Running for governor forced me to make decisions on how I felt about issues, which is important for anyone living in a democracy. You need to know what your opinions are and why.

Q: So do you have political ambitions?

A: No. But as an artist I have a message in terms of exposing ideas through contrast — or through irony. I call it subversive messaging.

Q: At an art show last year you had the word "nihilist" written across your chest. What was that about?

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A: That was part of a 365-word poem. It was an interactive piece for which I asked people to submit a word on my Web site every day, starting January 1, 2006. I got 20 to 40 words a day, and I chose the best-fitting word — or whichever word I felt like — for the poem. Then I wore the word in a harness so that I could show it at all times throughout a particular day. I was also photographed each day, with the word, while going about my life.

Q: Did people think you were being provocative?

A: I flew from L.A. to New York wearing the word "death." I got no reaction from passengers or stewardesses. If I sat with someone who had the word "death" on him, I'd say: Hey, do I have to get ready to take you down?

Q: Have you ever held a regular 9-to-5 job?

A: Immediately after I graduated, I worked as a marketing assistant at Columbia Pictures. It's the only job I've ever had. I left after a year and a half, because I would get everything done in two hours and I would have to sit around pretending I was working.

Published Oct 1, 2007 8:00 AM