Ladies and Gentleman... Meet Anoush!

Anoush being written on at NYC's Fashion Week
in September.
Photo by Meena Sajwani Appleton.

I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Anoush Froundjian.  Anoush and I met in college; where we were in a tiny screenwriting program together (we had all of our classes with the same 15 writers for all four years!).  Recently she has embarked on a new project, "I Got Written Up".  I love this project and think it's awesomely awesome that Anoush is doing it, so I wanted to share it (and her) with you.

"I Got Written Up" is an interactive project where Anoush covers herself in paper and goes to different places to get written on.  She asks everyone a question and allows them to answer (on her) with the sharpies she provides.  Previous questions have been "What do you want the most?" "What's your superhero name?" and "What do you think about when you're on the train?"  Anoush starts the day completely blank and at the end it's, as she puts it, "the noisiest thing you've ever seen."  

Anoush Froundjian is a writer, illustrator, and performer, who wants answers. She lives in New York City.

My interview with Anoush regarding "I Got Written Up" is below. 

L:  Hi!  So, tell me about your project. What are you up to? 

A:  Hi Lauren!  I've been doing a series of experiments where I go to different parts of the city while completely covered in paper.  I walk up to people, ask them a question, and ask them to write their answer on me.  The idea is to offer each person a blank slate to make it their own.  The whole experiment becomes this big, interactive project. 

L:  What was the biggest/scariest thing you overcame to actually take to the streets and turn this idea into a project? 

A:  The first time I did this, I was in Union Square and I was scared out of my mind.  I pinned all these papers to an extra large men's undershirt and wore a loose button-up shirt to cover it all.  I planned to show my "costume" at 2pm, and was waiting for my friend to be there to document it.  She was running late (L train) and couldn't answer her phone.  So I was on my own.  I realized there'd be a chance that this idea would not be absolutely, totally, fucking awesome, and that I'd have to face that reality while also looking like a dumb paper-idiot.  I stood there playing with my top button, and I started to tremble.

Photo by Meena Sajwani Appleton

I called a friend, who is also an improviser, and she gave me advice that made sense.  Something along the lines of "You have to just do it." Advice that sounded good on paper (Hah! Anyway...)  but I needed more than that.  The back of my neck was really hot and I was trembling even more.  She reminded me that I have to be okay with looking stupid.  If I'm not okay with looking stupid, I'm doing it wrong. 

I thanked her for the reminder and unbuttoned.  The shirt came off, and I started talking to people, and the writing started.  The L train finally brought my friend to Union Square and she started snapping pictures while people were already there.  Her not being there in the beginning was actually a very, very good thing. 


L:  What was your biggest fear? 

A:  First, people thinking I'm crazy.  Second, People thinking I'm just some artsy person trying to get unearned attention.  Thirdly, people not thinking anything.  Well... the people thing, pretty much.


L:  What's been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of this? 

A:  Something really great happened on my way home after the last time I did this.  When I got to my floor of my apartment building, the elevator door opened, and maybe a nine-year-old girl ran up to me.  She said she saw me on the street and had to take my picture.  I didn't want to have my picture taken of me by myself because I didn't really think me alone with the paper all over me was all that interesting.  So I asked her if she would like to write down something she really wanted to do and she said: 

"Yes! Do you have a marker?" 

(Yes, my child - I have a MILLION of them!) 

She smiled and said while she wrote, "I really want to be famous."

I said, "Oh, you totally can.  Just go and do a lot of stuff.  GOOD stuff." 

"Yeah," she said.  "Good stuff." 

"Are you a dancer, or...?" 

"I like acting.  I'm going to start taking classes when I move here." 

"Oh, great. Yeah. Just go and do it.  Wherever or whenever you want." 

"I'm going to"

"It was really nice meeting you."

"You too!"

"Now, go be famous!" 

While I turned the key to my apartment, I thought - that was a good thing that just happened... 

Anoush at Grand Central.
Photo by Meena Sajwani Appleton

Another was when a woman on the subway, on my way home, asked if she could write something down.  She told me that I was doing something very new and the it moved her to see someone create something that had to do with everyone else. 

L:  A lot of artists struggle with identity - who they are, what they do.  You and I met at school for writing, and you've always had some performance mixed in, too.  How do you introduce yourself at a cocktail party?  What do you say you "do"?  Do you put yourself in one category, or are you open to whatever happens? 

A:  I can't really afford to categorize myself - my name is already "Anoush Froundjian".  Giving more information than that at once might cause an explosion (figurative!).  I need to be patient and figure out how to relate to people first and then take it from there (and then bring up comedy).  But I think if I go around telling people who I am and what my purpose is, (which I'm still figuring out), I'd never make any new discoveries. 

That being said, if anyone has any questions about Armenia you know I'm always here to help. 

L: What is the biggest thing you've learned through this process? 

A:  That I can talk to anyone about anything!  Except sports...! And I was also surprised to learn how much people like being approached.  I've also learned that when you're entertaining a group of people, sometimes it is better to let your audience do the talking (writing).

L:  What's the next step for this project?  What do you want to do but haven't done yet with it? 

A:  My plan is to create a bigger project from all of this with each physical piece of writing. 

So far, I document everyone's responses here: http://igotwrittenup.wordpress.com.  The photos were taken by Meena Sajwani Appleton, who has been accompanying me on these adventures.  

Also, please go to my Facebook page and become a fan (or if you're just curious): http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anoush-Got-Written-Up/528229813869545?ref=ts. 

I hope to get you to write something soon! 

L:  Any new projects or other pursuits we should look forward to? 

A:  I do a few things in addition to this.  I have a web comic called "Anoush talks to stuff at http://anoushtalkstostuff.tumblr.com.  It's about me and the inanimate objects I live with and talk to. 

I also design t-shirts called Monster Eats T-Shirts.  About different foods that hate people.  That's over at: http://www.cafepress.com/monster_eats

I also have a collection of monster drawings that I post here at: http://teethandeyeballs.blogspot.com.  It's a lot of teeth and a lot of eyeballs. 

L:  Thank you for doing this!
A:  Thank you for asking me to do this!  This was fun.  I have a question -- do you still do voice impressions, when you're not writing movies?  I remember your English accent being really, really good.  I was just curious.  You can leave this part out if you want.  Actually... don't :) 

L:  Sometimes... I do... [talks in a British accent for the rest of the day].

Anoush being written on in Union Square.
Photo by Meena Sajwani Appleton

Cheerio :)