Gordon and the Whale interview with director Harmony Korine, 2011

Interview by Chase Whale
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[@bugalooskrimp2599]

This is the guy who never puts lol at the end of random texts and leaves you wondering if he's joking or not. He's waaaaaay ahead of this time, and I hope people can respect this type of humor in the future.

[@chasewhale]

You nailed it. I've interviewed him three times. He knows what he's doing and knows how people will respond. He's very similar to the late, great Andy Kaufman. Except Harmony doesn't want to push the audience their limits, he just wants them to keep guessing -- "Is this really happening? This story he's telling, is he serious? He can't be serious. He's not laughing, though."

[@blbl126]

There's nothing eccentric or "ahead of his time" about his humor. It's just that you're an autistic mongoloid redditor geek who spends too much time on the internet.

[@sealife12]

blbl nailed it.

[@dblackout1107]

@@blbl126 agreed. I can make brainless remarks with a straight face too to see if I can drag people along or make them question my sanity.

[@adiemissworld]

He is amazing

[@WindRises100]

"Well, first one second, I wanna draw some dots" -Harmony Korine

[@MrWadsox]

I've never seen his work but he comes across as being out of his fucking mind when you listen to him. I'll bet psycho wards are full of guys just like him. I could tolerate him for about 30 seconds.

[@cannabis8caution]

Green Genes yeah, well, that’s, uhh, just, like, you know, your opinion man...

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

@@MrWadsox As you can see, he came out just fine. He certainly a breath of fresh air. He's respected among the "Trash Humping" community.

[@bluecollar825]

Entire comment section after they heard that: "What a genius he is. People don't appreciate him enough."🤣 Im jk, I like Harmony👍

[@dads_diy]

He successful learned how to transcend adhd into art, I started to tap into this as a teen and people honestly started treating me like I was mentally ill, I regret learning to hide this quality of myself. I fell victim to "what society thinks of me" and I started to try and "act normal".

[@Daltic639]

You can always get your soul back

[@piyush2465]

Get back out there

[@brightoneasterling9304]

its like hes figured out the secret to life and he's teasing us

[@thomasfraser9072]

Harmony is educating us by simply allowing us to look inside his mind of what he sees as he is actively pursuing and connecting his dots to a truly disorganized mixed up world. Humorous indeed, Cheers

[@YellowRomeda]

This, and by this I mean the DNA story, is absolute genius. It's like, the future of creativity with a completely unrestrained mind. I'll start right now.

[@TheGat911]

how’d it go

[@avaj2825]

I would have framed it.

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

He's a great role model for all fathers.

[@twohamburgers]

"eats his toes in Texas at the strawberry circus..." and that's just a tip of the iceburg for this entire interview, seriously one of the most hilarious person i've ever seen and so interesting and articulate - wish there were a hundred interviews with Harmony - one of the most hilarious things ive ever seen, other than a couple of his films

[@machete8614]

This is the most interesting shit I've seen in a long time.

[@melissalove2463]

I can’t watch him without picturing him rummaging through Meryl Streep’s hand bag!

[@milov6002]

Lissa Love I wish Harmony would do a TED for every single one of his ideas. Pure genius.

[@shaneintegra]

Drugs can make you do crazy shit

[@gordpedersen543]

@Melissa Love Yes Right you too

[@capitalistholocaust3128]

​@n\a Drugs impair your judgement and make it harder to make rational and responsible choices.

[@capitalistholocaust3128]

@n\a Except that you are framing it through the lens of conservatism/personal responsibility, which is problematic because drugs are a society-wide problem. Your framing of it, and the types of polices that stem from that type of framing, never solve the issues of drugs (without massive authoritarian use of power by states), because they require each and every individual to make that choice for themselves. Also, it's dichotomous thinking to view it in terms of merely force or no force. The either you are forced or you aren't paradigm is completely unnuanced and can lead people to reflexive condemnation.

[@everyvillainislemons7583]

Years from now he’s going to have the recognition that he’s deserved all this time

[@noneofyourbusiness6764]

He will always be a DNA fox whore.

[@chasewhale]

Hugsbunny311 just curious, where did you discover this interview?

[@everyvillainislemons7583]

Chase Whale Wdym?

[@chasewhale]

Hugsbunny311 I’ve been getting a flood of comments on this one interview, so I’m trying to find out where it’s linked to. I’m guessing it’s because Beach Bum opened this weekend and somebody linked it. Hoping to find it and thank them because the dozens of comments are cracking me up!

[@lucanreynolds947]

@@chasewhale it's probably because the beach bum was released and everyone's becoming a korine obsessor (totally me by the way:)

[@annalatzer44]

Best interview ever!!! If you are a creative person who needs inspiration, this interview is it!!!!!

[@chasewhale]

Thank you for the kind words! I had a blast interviewing him!

[@WakeRunSleep]

batshit crazy, i'm kinda jealous.

[@davefusa]

Crazy isnt fun you cant turn it off. You can hear voices etc.

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

Mushrooms, Peyote, etc. Say, 'Hi there'.

[@_uncle_rj_4786]

Can you imagine his daughter asking for help with homework..... "well first let's draw some dots"

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

He is certainly a great role model for all fathers to their children

[@santiagoescobar3368]

I imagine this is how basquiat worked

[@Bfizzy420]

This is a brilliant being. His nervous/repetitive movements and crazy antics fascinate me.

[@JT-ss6si]

To explain what is going on here, Harmony is doing what Freud called "Free Association". I totally get it.

[@justinnardine8564]

Norm Macdonald + juaquin Phoenix + shrooms

[@DatsOKxDatsOK]

Justin Nardine Andy Kaufman

[@34672rr]

Korine: "Usually he (the editor) was wearing like speedos and stuff" Interviewer: "Uh huh".

[@twohamburgers]

i cracked up for the third time by that point until I had to walk away

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

He made me a believer in Salvia.

[@jessedampolo]

They were all in love with dying they were drinking from a fountain that was pouring like an avalanche coming down the mountain

[@TEAMGETHELP]

Epic song😍🥰🔥

[@engleburghumperdinck7868]

I don't mind the sun sometimes the images it shows I can taste you on my lips and smell you in my clothes Cinnamon and sugary and softly spoken lies You never know just how you look through other people's eyes

[@sBabysKid-nk8eh]

Jesse Dampolo ok Beck

[@kennyadams9741]

@@sBabysKid-nk8eh butthole surfers....

[@johndory6882]

Pepper

[@FallingInLine]

As soon as he mentions the word “kill” I would call for security

[@mattobanion2264]

And then puts Jews next...😳😳😳

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

He's including himself.

[@Brandzen]

great interview thank you

[@Buggirl66502]

Wow, that was an incredibly disturbing description of Mexican Hairless Dogs (Xoloitzcuintli). I wonder how many urban legends he's started? He's awesome. 😆

[@waxon7]

what a genius. I am glad to be witness to the evolution of his art...

[@7-elevenmanager]

My time is a piece of wax falling on termite that's choking on the splinters

[@jaybo1505]

Listen to the quiet between his words when he pauses. That's the creative juice that forms in the silence. When we step away/behind the form we assume, we can see and hear the noise that others of which others are completely unaware. The genius appears insane to those who have not awakened to the reality of our true existence.

[@prof.sweatercows9187]

I was recommended the David Letterman interviews... I am glad I watched it.

[@chasewhale]

The David Letterman interviews are so iconic. I love them.

[@nickglttbaow]

I’m on a Harmony binge now

[@TheTaxburden]

@@nickglttbaow indeed

[@adiemissworld]

Me too. Fabulous

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

I liked his dance routine while he was sitting, being interviewed by Letterman.

[@ianjwatson1874]

This Guy is Absolutely Magnificent. How can Anybody compete with this? You CAN'T. Genius comes in Many forms. This is around 12 of them! Said with Love. Harmony is A1!!

[@crippledcamera9054]

I do relate to these dots and lines I’ve been doing that since I was a child

[@crippledcamera9054]

@@crissyfox553 I did it as a form of art

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

Daycare centers have children doing that. No report of them being on hallucinogenics.

[@lponm]

When mommy dips your tendies in prescription sauce. This would be easier with manatees and beach balls.

[@im6gesim6ges]

an absolutely incredible guy

[@GavinskisTutorials]

I'm really curious what his daughter turned out like 😂

[@yellowspidy]

hes just fucking with the everyone, par usual. ive seen completely normal interviews with him

[@IdSlitUrThroat]

i love this dude soo much

[@HBICTiff]

I could watch Harmony Korine draw a DNA maze all day

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

I could watch him for days doing this.

[@Najvalsa]

Harmony is so high in this vid lolol XD

[@leoavantmusic]

Hes writing random words but the things you think of are subliminal reflections of yourself, that’s actually a very good way to come up with ideas, im gonna use that, sometimes writers block can be a really hard thjng because people don’t want to be random, they want to be meaningful, but nothing you do as a human is random, it’s always a reflection of what’s going on in your brain.

[@rezdan4257]

There's a girl out there who looks up to this guy for her survival...

[@sofiacapasso8181]

Rezdan me!

[@rezdan4257]

@@sofiacapasso8181 Sorry to hear that.

[@yeahthatshouldwork]

Its just an act

[@priest109]

me

[@rezdan4257]

@@priest109 Sorry to hear that...

[@DavidWaeldervideo]

A whale of an interview chase, how did you land the time with this brilliant soul ?

[@iluvhou]

😅🤣😂😂😂

[@patrickvalicenti5971]

Just a cool cat

[@patrickvalicenti5971]

'The dog thing is kinda like a public service.' It dont get funnier than that

[@adiemissworld]

He is brilliant

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

"Trash Humping" is a well respected hobby. America's pastime.

[@cannabis8caution]

I remembered the weatherman said aim, so was wearing my impressive cowboy rock as I glide from the trailer park to shoplift The nameless grey concrete tampon from lava boxing asylum after the mirage

[@alilruthlessify]

He said this alone could take a person far in life.. I obviously don’t see what this guy sees. How strange that a person can live a completely different world view. This is pretty brilliant. God bless the hermits.

[@LAZERDISC]

He's fucking with the guy the entire time

[@kaseylum8625]

he knows exactly what he's doing

[@romanatah]

a character on 2666 by Roberto Bolaño was doing something similar but with philosophers/writers names at the nodes on geometrical figures / or just in columns building seemingly random associations... It's such a great way to dig into whatever you mind is roaming around subconsiously...

[@rhettrhodes8148]

I like it when he does the Herve laugh from Trash Humoers! XD

[@goodbye3771]

i kinda relate to harmony with the dna thing loll. that's kinda what i do when i'm bullshitting my siblings, pretending to explain something very abstract and somehow it works because they're not sure if i'm a whack or a straight-up genius. in the middle of that semi-bullshit explanation, it actually unlocks parts of my brain in improvisation that i didn't know i had and can actually be used as a material for something valuable thus making it more believable as the explanation progresses. it all works out in the end, and then i just don't tell them that i was just fucking with them.

[@benjamin81too]

i was born june 1988 and my death thralls started in july of 1988 now of course i was not aware of them at that time because of my life force but i knew one part of me was constantly lying to another now at times death takes control and i call that depression but my life force is relentless but since the 80's it is being consumed ... hi harmony

[@dayuhanspace]

I imagine how eccentric he worked.like an abstract artist

[@markm.9458]

A quick shower, a hamburger, and a few hours sleep would help the tweeker much.

[@Lyndanet]

Ty

[@hoodstrong6980]

to açcomplish the variety of whimsy that harmony is all about, one must first find a steady supply/ flow of people that have absolutely nothing to do and don't mind doing it with harmony...

[@tylersims6937]

Fuckin love this fella.

[@racheltheehermit7314]

It all made perfect sense when he said “mushroom.” The mushrooms took him to all those places.

[@chasewhale]

Rachel McBain hahahahaha ah!

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

Hallucinogenics bring out the creativeness in eccentric people. Harmony may be at his Apex. It wouldn't surprise me if he won the Pulitzer prize.

[@racheltheehermit7314]

@@PROFESSOR-I.C. Ok. I will wait for homeboy to get ahold of some strong spice and then cure all cancers. Nothing surprises me anymore.

[@elyshadawson7517]

Harmony Korine’s mind intrigues me to no end

[@nanalobster5589]

The dots part gives me ASMR

[@marknutt4398]

Yes.

[@ITR]

I think he mixed up D.N.A. and molecules

[@lsheppard8996]

Nah he speaking truth

[@adj789]

he must be fun at parties

[@jerryh2954]

He sees anarchy in places most people only see order. It's genius how finely tuned-in on it he has become.

[@DaoDragonFire]

Having a laugh. Just goofing around. Just like everybody.

[@JT-ss6si]

If I was interviewing him, I would have played along and had fun.

[@chasewhale]

Yeah, that’s the thing. You weren’t and never will. And what is there to play “along and have” when he’s explaining something? You’d be a terrible journalist.

[@RockyMountainResale]

@@chasewhale 💯

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

How about trippin' with him on 'shrooms'?

[@caseyschoessow8892]

madman genius...🔥

[@leatherfaced]

My goal in life is to play Monopoly in the alley behind First Avenue in Minneapolis with Harmony Korine.

[@Bouzsi]

I'm having a cheese dream. That's gotta be it

[@corporalclegg914]

thank God. I thought I was the only one

[@daniellawrencewilson]

So awesome, he's talking about Spring Breakers @19:52

[@samtheriverspirit2536]

best professor ever

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

Harmony is already at Legend status. Playing this game with his child shows that he is a genius. His drug addiction and ingesting mushrooms have allowed him to advance into another dimension. One day soon he will become the "guru" of the world.

[@tobydog1989]

I feel sorry for people working on cures for diseases clean energy. THIS guy is CLEARLY the genius.

[@ossem1]

He's a fucking insane genius for sure

[@dreamerweaver]

I like when people say they’re following when there’s no way they could.

[@FallingInLine]

“So what do you call that”. INSANE!!!

[@proptosis2682]

anyone know what happened to that whiteboard? I would like it

[@jimmyt1270]

Wrote Kids yes. But often under appreciated for curing so much insomnia

[@Retog]

No need to be sarcastic. I'm just stating that Korine's movies have improved over time.

[@chelseableau402]

He is actually insane

[@krysztofixx]

+Chelsea Bleau Like all genius.

[@Godvernment]

“Is it bright in here?” 🤣🤣🤣

[@rainblaze.]

kind of edward de bono stuff with the lateral thinking exercise and hydrocarbon chains

[@warrenrooks2251]

Art in gibberish!

[@papaproduction]

How much gear is this bloke on

[@rebeccapowell3695]

What did the fox say.

[@genericusername337]

I'm really not impressed with the people saying they love him a lot because he's crazy and weird. I am completely serious when I say that he makes more sense when he talks than almost anybody else I've ever heard. the problem with consumers of art is that they only understand something if it's been explained to them. Abstract paintings are exactly what Harmony's films are. People can agree with abstract paintings or even impressionism because they've been taught how to appreciate art in that form. give them the same thing in Harmony Korine, and they laugh. of course I know he's messing around, but that doesn't mean his ideas are not valuable.

[@pchinnIII]

It is called mental masturbation.

[@22minus13]

I love the delayed punchline

[@BargainBarons]

*BAT* *SHIT* *CRAZY*

[@vagibonds]

love strawberry circus

[@ezequielfull]

I don't think he was really joking, it can work if you don't have anything to write on a script!

[@kradz3667]

I actually agree with this. If you have writer's block it can help get ideas in your head. We had a writer (I think he wrote children's novels) and he basically laid out how abstract ideas can easily become a story.

[@gogogaga3974]

BRO JUST SAID I WILL SIGN IT AND U CAN HAVE IT Dude Said okay BRO ITS FUCKING HARMONYKORINE GIVING YOU AN ARTWORK ON CAMERAAAAAAAAAA

[@artranchero]

I know a guy who told me Harmony was a really good dancer in high school. Apparently, his friend told him to stop getting attention .

[@AllOfTheHallows]

Damn he looks so much like Tom Savini here.

[@cjbarahona5770]

He's been filming la chupacabra!

[@verynice126]

How do you know?!

[@brittneyrichardson6314]

He's got that itch

[@davetherealrave9680]

Is it possible to contact harmonie!!!

[@JT-ss6si]

Does anyone know why he was really banned from Letterman? Did he really steal from Meryl Streep?

[@leonardo_8887]

que nóia

[@deylivewhilewesleep]

I don't think you sound like you're gay or have a lisp. I'm glad you let Harmony do his comedy routine first and get it out of his system before answering questions. Good interview

[@candyquahogmarshmallow8257]

"He would explode the hell out of these public toilets ... it was just a hobby". Classic line

[@ChannelZero1031]

What happened to Harmony? I haven't heard anything about him since Moondog.

[@aria1071]

This dude is obviously nuts

[@Scrapegoat]

Missed a couple

[@92mattster]

Is anyone able to make sense out of the whiteboard lecture? I'm really trying but all I get out of it is that this method could be used to get inspiration.

[@00midmod70]

Kajsa Djärf Yeah Inspiration ! That's pretty much the main jist of what he was getting at :)

[@92mattster]

Hhh, yeah I guess it is. Oh well. ^^'

[@TheFirstDandelione]

Kajsa Djärf i'm pretty sure i get it, so i'll take a crack at re:'ing. the dot-line pictograph is just a pictograph;just a little stream of consciousness doodle. there's no road map for that. then there's the word association bit, starting the free word association at whichever point (there's a lot of that: action without "too much" preorganization... the point is to create pulling from the most initial associations. (i.e. when you think "war" the first thing that comes to mind is the mushroom cloud, therefor "mushroom" became the next written word)... etc etc etc) when you get down to the bones of understanding a process such as this one, it turns out to be really fucking simple, but you've never seen someone focus on this before, so it's new. this is a game that he plays with his daughter. he's super good at stripping away all the static that gets in %99 of the population's way between the stockpile of what the brain has before it forms a thought and what manifests in display to another after the thought has formed. if he were into it, i wish there was a way to help him produce more. lots of things are good, and less things are really super important. i feel like korine has produced important things.

[@joew4202]

I think he's totally fucking with the interviewer

[@pre-packaged_9692]

I don't know how you guys can think he's being completely genuine. We have no idea wether anything he said was true, or wether this was the first time he had ever done this 'DNA' thing. Maybe certain parts are true. Who knows

[@monakat8517]

By freeing your imagination you allow your instruments to operate at higher joy per sunrays