In a bold step to create news, garner page views, and cash in on that elusive ad money haduken brings you the first of (hopefully) many interviews. Today’s subject: Pete Humes. Pete currently works for the RTD in charge of their new alternative weekly and used to work on Punchline. I asked him if he would bring back Punchline but he said no. Cry. On with the show.

Where would you send someone new to Richmond who was looking for
something to do? (Excluding Maymont, Belle Isle, and Monument Ave.)

If they wanted to be outside, I’d send them on the Flood Wall walk that starts by the SunTrust building on the Southside. It weaves past the wall climbers, goes under the highway and strolls along the foamy James. Very pleasant. If they wanted to stay inside? Richmond has some excellent cable television channels.

You once said “I understand that [Broad and Allen] is not the most desirable part of town. That is unless you’re in the market for a feisty young man in a lycra mini who carries around more hand lotion and ribbed condoms than Walgreens.” While that is still very very true, what’s changed in Richmond since you worked on Punchline? Both positive and negative.

All of the abandoned buildings I once dreamed of owning have been snatched up, snazzed up and put up for sale. It’s sad in a way, but also very encouraging. Development is happening faster than ever. The city is in the midst of a bona fide growth spurt. Richmond never did become the next Seattle (or Austin… or even Charlotte for that matter), but that’s okay. This way we still have time to become something great, something unique. Because if Richmond exploded back in the grunge era, that would be like peaking in high school. I’d rather we had our best years ahead of us.

Richmond seems to be full of people doing things that have lots of potential. What are some of your favorite new things happening in Richmond?

Anything consistent. I respect and admire the hard work that went into making WRIR 97.3 FM a reality. Tony Harris didn’t quit after realizing how much work it was to publish RVA magazine. John Pollard at ADA Gallery, Patchwork Collective, Wrenn Magnum… there’s something to be said for dogged persistence.

Have you ever eaten at Croaker’s Spot? Man that place is good.
Oh yeah. I’ve only been once but I can still taste it.

If Chicago, NY, and Richmond got into a fight who would win?

Sadly, Richmond would be spitting teeth. Chicago and New York would take turns kicking us while we were down. We’d get whupped within an inch of our lives until Baltimore and Norfolk swooped in to save us.

I hate when people leave Richmond for NYC. What will it take to grow Richmond into a cultural center and, as the Patchwork Collective says, an exporter of culture?

A different attitude. Nobody runs this town except for the people who choose to do so. If you want change you have to work for it. If the artists, musicians and creative-types want to wait for Richmond to magically transform into a bohemian utopia, they’ll be waiting a very long time. If they want more music venues, cooler ways to spend the weekend or a downtown movie theater… then do it.

What’s your favorite city, besides RVA of course?

My wife and I had fun in Philadelphia. New York City is nice too, in a quaint and charming kind of way. Lovely bagels.

What role do you think Punchline filled in Richmond, and is anything filling that role today?

I think above all else it brought a sense of ridiculousness to a much-too-serious town. It provided a forum for swearing that has yet to be matched and when it came to household spills it was surprisingly absorbent.

You seem cool. How do you do that with kids?

“Seem” is the key word there. It helps to have an amazing wife who is ACTUALLY cool. I just stick close to her and seem hipper by association.

Lots of kids these days are getting their news through those new-fangled blogs. How do you feel about blogs and blogging, yourself being part of the Main Stream Media(TM)?

Blogs are great. Do I read lots of them all the time? Not really. But I like having them around and I think they’re important. And I’m glad there are people who can consistently maintain them because I sure can’t.

When can we expect the new Alt-weekly to hit the shelves? And will it be free?

Soon. Not soon like tomorrow, but soon like soon. It will be free. I can safely say that it will be cool and different and exciting. Also, if used properly, it can protect your skin from harmful UV rays. What more could anyone want from a paper?

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So there we go. If you have any suggestions on who you’d like to see interviewed drop a comment. Thx ^_^ .

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