Simply put, he’s a funny guy. He’ll pop up everywhere- whether he’s performing live or utilizing social media, the guy knows how to network. He’s on MySpace, I’m now following him on Twitter, I get Facebook Invites from him, he has his own Naked City blog, and I think I saw him driving down Rock road the other day. The omnicomedian is omnipresent!! Regardless of where you manage to catch him, he’s worth tuning into because he’s guaranteed to make you laugh. Read on.

Name?
James Gates

Age?
33

Title?

Bartender / Omnicomedian / Raconteur / Man About Town

Place of Employment?

Day Job: the Vagabond. Night Job: the Bars, Galleries, and Streets of ICT

Number of Years Employed there?

Day: close to 1 year. Night: 3 years (or most of my life)

Education?

“Some college”—spent a lost year at KU (Side note: I have never been to a graduation, including my own)

Are you from Wichita?

Yes… FAVORITE THING: the peoples!

What do you do in your spare time?

Sleep fitfully.

Who is one person you’d like to meet and why?

Bob Odenkirk, for our shared loves of history, hip-hop, and sketch comedy

What book are you reading?

Sadly, I haven’t read a “real” book in some time—but I devour comics and trade paperbacks, and am currently loving the new BATMAN AND ROBIN from DC and LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS from Marvel

What was your first job?

Day Job: Working the counter of my grandfather’s small-town corner store when I was 13. Night Job: My first onstage appearance was as a camel in my grade school’s Christmas show (age 6)

What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

“Are you serious?” (I’m joking and serious at the same time—story of my life, really)

Do you have any pets?

It’s more like they have me…I have 37 lbs. of cat, divided into three “Kitty Units”—Priscilla, Francesca, and Ted Lange. (And yes, my cats are better…)

If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change?

I would waste time less, and be better prepared for the next chapters of my life (especially the next one, where I’m a private investigator with a 50s-themed office and secretary…coming soon, I hope)

If you won $50 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?

Pay debts. Visit Europe and India. Come back to ICT and set up a fully-functioning production studio/venue that caters to all facets of comedy and alternative performance-based arts. And of course find true love, which is suddenly much easier to do now that I’m rich (funny how that works…)

What 5 words describe you the best?

Tall, confusing, paranoid, polarizing, presence.

Are you pursuing your dream?

Everyday.

Are you a collector of anything?

Too many things—comics, movies, music, books, bizarre novelty artifacts, names, twisted stories from other people, Styrofoam coffee cups, reputation…

What is your taste in music?

I like the taste of drums, always. I eat up a good bass line, too—also, quirky, unique lyrics. Few artists/groups are able to bring it all together, but here’s four: Beastie Boys, Beck, Soul Coughing and Gnarls Barkley.

What was your favorite childhood program?

MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS and TWIN PEAKS. (In retrospect, that explains a lot…)