Ladies and Gentlemen…Val Kilmer!

Such was the rare opportunity experienced by the students and faculty at The Principia College on Friday, January 14th, 2000, when the actor and fellow Christian Scientist graciously spent the entire day visiting and talking with students at the school's two campuses. Kilmer Safari obtained an interview with Heather Blamey, a Mass Communications major present at the evening assembly and the reception following.

Heather, a member of the class of 2001, grew up in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin with her parents and two siblings. Her brother Scott, is a recent graduate of The Principia who lives on campus and works in the Computer information Services department. Her sister Jenny will be a freshman at the college next year.

Kildareme: Heather, can you offer our readers some detailed information about yourself so that we can get to know you a little?









Heather: I love spending time with my family. We are all very close. Some of my best memories are from when I was younger and playing with my sister outside. We lived in the country and there weren't many neighbor kids our age so we were forced to be creative when it came to play time! We must have made a hundred different tree forts! And in winter every free moment was spent outside sledding or making snowmen!

Attending a small college allows me to get involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. I have played on the women's soccer team two years, pole vaulted for the track team one year, played in the intramural games, hosted an on-campus radio show and was part of the staff/crew for our on-campus television show. I will graduate in June of 2001, but I am currently considering attending another quarter to play one more season of soccer!









I am very interested in the film/movie business and KNOW one day I will be making my own films/movies, whether it be writing, editing, directing, or producing. (but it will be behind the camera work!) I love movies based on real life experiences or about people overcoming obstacles...anything inspirational that helps people make positive changes in their lives. These are the types of movies I want to create!

I love to travel and have been all over the world with my family. April 15th I will be heading to South Africa for 6 weeks with the Mass communications department abroad!


K: Did you attend any of The Principia's lower schools?


H: No, I did not attend the lower schools. I am really glad I was able to experience public schools, especially high school. I went to L.P. Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac. My class consisted of about 600 students it was great to see a new person every day!


K: How did you come to choose The Principia as your college?


H: My family heard about Prin through members of our church. Three of their children attended or were attending the college. They had such a positive opinion of the college. My parents decided to look into it, and immediately fell in love. My brother ended up going to Prin, so I visited the campus often. When it came time for me to choose a college, I chose University of Wisconsin, Madison. I had my classes and my roommate already picked, but my reasons for going to Madison were wrong. I was only going there to be close to home, and near my friends...and I had a gut feeling telling me it was the wrong decision. So, at the last minute I dropped Madison and accepted Principia. It was definitely the right decision. Not only would I be getting an education in classes where you are a name and not a number (meaning the teacher student ratio is 1:15), but also I was living on the most beautiful campus I have ever seen. AND...I would be able to continue playing soccer...one of the loves of my life! I had played since I was six, so the thought of continuing to play was awesome. And, the team would be training in Europe for two weeks prior to school starting. How could I resist!


K: Do you know how the school accomplished the coup of having Val speak there?


H: Well, it all began with our school's Special Events Coordinator. Val has been class instructed in Christian Science. Every year those [who have been] class instructed get together for a weekend with everyone in their class to continue the education. Our Special Events coordinator was in the same class as Val, and they became friends. So one day the coordinator asked if Val would ever be interested in talking to our campus about his film career and possibly how CS (Christian Science) plays a role in it. Val agreed, and after a few phone calls, a date was set.


K: Can you define the term "Class Instruction" for those of us who don't know what that might entail?


H: Class instruction is an in-depth study of Christian Science, the study of the Bible and Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures (by Mary Baker Eddy). It teaches students how to use Christian Science for healings and understanding the Bible lessons. It helps students better understand how to be a Christian Scientist. A class of 25-30 students gathers for 2 solid weeks with a Christian Science teacher. Then every year on they meet once a year for a weekend to update their knowledge.


K: Before the visit, were you aware that Val Kilmer is a Christian Scientist and that his brother Mark attended the college?


H: Yes, I knew Val was a Christian Scientist, but to what extent I did not know. Many times I hear of celebrities that claim to be a Christian Scientist, but certainly don't practice the religion. I was afraid Val would be one of these, I was pleasantly surprised to find out he is a dedicated C.S.! I also knew his brother attended Principia and graduated from the school.


K: Before his visit, had anything about Val drawn your attention?


H: I am not a person who has a favorite "star" or movie. Anybody in the movie business interests me. Of course when I heard the news he would be visiting our school my interest picked up a bit, as it would have with any well-known person visiting. One thing I have noticed, and has gotten my attention about Val, is his camera avoidance. What I mean by this is his ability to remain a relatively private person. He doesn't flaunt who he is or his lifestyle, nor does he seem to care what we think. I appreciate people like Val who do what they do because they love the work, not the fame or fortune.


K: In what way, if any, had Val influenced you?


H: Val reminds me that there is life outside of Hollywood and its social scene. People can still make movies without getting caught up in the whole party crowd. He is a very down to earth guy with a lotta love for his kids/family, and he doesn't let the publicity get in the way of leading a normal life!


K: How far in advance were the students notified of Val's impending visit?


H: Of course, like all exciting information, the news was leaked. I heard about it in the late summer, and I believe everyone else "officially" heard about it in early November.


K: Were students given any special instructions concerning that knowledge or any aspect of Val's visit?


H: Once the news was official, there were no restrictions. We could brag...ahh, I mean tell anyone we wanted to! This is what I know for the college students, however I don't know if there were any restrictions for the lower/upper school students. We were expected to act mature, and we did. There were no special directions and no problems. Oh, wait, there was a rule announced during his introduction that no pictures/video were to be taken.


K: What was the level of interest with the students after the announcement was made that Val Kilmer would appear?


H: Well, as with any big, well-known star, there was a lot of exciting talk on campus. And not out of the norm, there were a lot of rumors as to why he was visiting "our" campus. Many did not know (at first) that Val was a Christian Scientist or that his brother was a student here. So the first couple of weeks were filled with a lot of.."I heard that Val..." Most everything was cleared up by the start of our next quarter (Jan 8, 2000) approximately a week before his arrival.


K: How were you chosen to be a part of the group of only 16 students to attend the evening reception for Val?


H: Myself and other Mass Comm majors with similar interests were asked if we would like to take part in the reception...of course I accepted, and can't understand why some others didn't! Also, I asked the special activities coordinator (in charge of Val's visit) in advance if there were any way I could help out in order to have a chance to talk to Val personally. I was assigned the task of making a bulletin board announcing Val's visit, so I guess this helped me get "in"!


K: At our request, you very graciously provided us with a picture of the bulletin board you created; can you describe it for us as well?







H: I used a space of about 3 feet high and 12 feet long in our concourse. I arranged it with pictures and short bits of information from all his movies in a sort of time line fashion. The main part of the board was a theater-like 3D sign coming out with big white Christmas lights surrounding it saying: Coming Soon Val Kilmer (in glitter) 8 p.m. Cox Auditorium. I also had information about his interests outside of Hollywood, and a very small bit about his family (in respect to his privacy). There were director cut boards (whatever you call those boards they hit right before a take) describing each section of information.







K: Heather, you posted a message on Planet Kilmer asking for information on Val. What kind of help did the members offer you?


H: There were a lot of great ideas and information given to me after I left a message on one of Planet Kilmer's bulletin boards. One lady was amazingly helpful. Right away she offered to send me color pictures of Val in case I didn't have a color printer. She was so friendly! Others offered me information on Val's career or directed me to places I could find out more. And, of course, there were those who didn't believe me, which I totally understand, I probably wouldn't have either!..., especially since I didn't give my school's name or location. I wanted to tell them more, but in fairness to Val's privacy, I wanted the information to be as general as possible.


K: Did you incorporate any of their ideas into the bulletin board, and what was the most helpful advice you received?


H: The most helpful advice I received was to visit the Val Kilmer Newsletter. That had many links and a huge pool of information, where I got a lot of photos and movie information. And, I went with the idea to create a time line effect. I can't say exactly whose Ideas these were because many people suggested them to me.


K: Is it true, as rumored, that you got into trouble for posting on Planet Kilmer about Val's upcoming visit?


H: No, I didn't get in trouble, but word got around mighty quickly, and many people thought I was giving the name, location, and dates of Val's arrival, and therefore got a bit upset with me. The school didn't want any publicity nor did they want the reputation of exploiting their guests. I was able to clear the matter, but it taught me a lesson about the Internet...anything goes, and it goes quickly!


K: Can you give us an idea of how the evening went upon Val's arrival?


H: His friend, the events coordinator, and his wife picked Val up from the airport, rushed him to the lower/upper school, and then back to the college campus. Val arrived around 6 p.m. He went directly to a dinner with the theater/drama majors, there by invitation only. You could definitely feel the excitement on campus. Everyone was asking "is he here yet...have you seen him?" A bunch of people waited outside the entrance to the dining room to catch a glimpse, and we did. Many had the urge to take his picture, but he looked tired, and none took any out of respect for Mr. Kilmer. Then to the auditorium around 7:30 p.m. for the talk. Around 9 p.m. he went to the reception where he conducted an interview for our on-campus television program. Around 9:30 p.m. the reception began and ended around 11:00 p.m. He went to bed, then woke up very early, like 5:30 a.m., to catch a flight to New York. So, I would say he was on campus for approximately 12 hours.


K: Was there any specific objective for Val's talk, or was it directed entirely by the students questions?


H: The talk was directed entirely by the student's questions, and they had no theme! I thought he would give a bit of background, his own thoughts...basically what HE wanted to tell US, but after an 8-minute introduction from one of the students, Val came on stage, sat down, and we watched a 7-10 minute compilation of selected movie scenes he was in. The focus was a little bit of each movie, including one of his high school plays! It gave us an idea of all the roles/characters he has portrayed over the course of his career. Then he said, "hi" and the questions began!


K: What was Val's demeanor towards answering questions he's been asked so often before?


H: He certainly was respectful of our questions...no matter how many times he has answered them before! He treated us as if we were the first, He never made anyone feel dumb for asking a question that may have been known by everyone else in the audience...you know a question from someone who has never seen a movie in their life!


K: Val admits to being very shy. Did he seem comfortable being the focus of attention at the assembly?


H: Yes, I would definitely describe Val as shy...but this is based solely on his visit to our campus. But, I would not characterize him as one of those "get red in the face" kind of shy. He was shy more in the sense of "you ask the questions, I'll answer but I won't offer anything else".

At first he was very fidgety and looked down towards the ground a lot, but as the students continued asking questions and responding positively to his answers (laughing and joking back)...it was evident he became more relaxed. He started looking up at the audience more and his answers were longer, more thought out and sincere!

The only conclusion I can come to is that maybe Val is more of a shy person off camera than we think. Remember, he doesn't live in the middle of Hollywood. You rarely see him schmoozing with the big wigs and at parties. He seems to be a very private, low key person. Maybe he was uncomfortable because activities such as this have no scripts, no director. He has to be himself...no character. That might be harder for him than we expect.


K: Val is known for his sense of humor. Did you see that aspect of his personality come through?


H: Oh, yeah. He has a great sense of humor that came out more as he warmed up to us, but you had to be paying attention to catch it. He was very sneaky and would drop a joke in the middle of his answers, but it wasn't a typical joke like "knock knock" they were just funny little stories that he would add a punch line. It is hard to explain. But we were definitely laughing more than once!


K: Can you give us an example?









H: One time, a student asked him if he could say "you're my huckleberry," and he said no, he wouldn't do that for us. As the student sat down, a bit embarrassed for being denied, he continued saying, (I don't remember the exact words) "you would have to be pretty special to hear me say 'You're my huckleberry!'"...well, the audience (those who caught it) thought that was great! Val continued the evening throwing little jokes or playing with the audience, but you had to be paying attention, he wasn't always obvious!


K: Val mentioned that he had just visited his children. Did he tell any stories or comments about them? If so, can you share them with us?


H: My favorite part was when he was telling us stories of his kids...more specifically, he told us about how his son thinks he is the real Batman, even while watching his dad on the screen he still believes his dad was playing make believe and he is the real Batman...the son that is!


K: Val's children are young yet, but did he say if they have expressed any interest in following in his footsteps career wise?


H: Jack is always dressing up and acting out different characters, some he has seen on TV/movies, and some he creates on his own. But, as far as getting into the movies it didn't sound like they wanted to head in that direction.


K: Did Val share anything from his childhood?


H: I'm racking my memory and asked others who were at the talk, and we can't remember if he talked about anything from his childhood. OH WAIT...I just remembered he mentioned how he loved acting out Bible stories when he was young, and that he would often go off on his own outside in the nature (he loved the outdoors even when he was young).


K: Did he give the students any advice?


H: The advice he gave everyone in the audience: if you love something...do it.


K: Val is known for his "elliptical" "convoluted" patterns of speech. He has described it himself as "parenthetical." Did you have any trouble following his train of thought or understanding what he said? Did others mention that they did?


H: YES!!! There were many times he would go off on tangents and never return to the question...or jump around between stories. I was confused a couple of times, but blamed it on his lack of sleep...I guess there might be some other reason!


K: Did Val mention which subject matter in his movies he found most inspiring?


H: Yes...Africa hands down! He loved working in Africa. He talked a while on everything he loved about the countries. How everything is natural...the way of life, the wildlife, etc. He loves the people and how connected they are with the environment around them. He loves the variety of scenery and the beauty of the countries.


K: Did he say which of his movies is his favorite?


H: If I remember correctly, it was Tombstone.


K: Did he say what he finds most fulfilling in his career?


H: Working in a variety of locations...learning something new with each movie and the subject matter. Taking on a character and mastering it. These are all things Val mentioned as reasons for being so satisfied with his career.


K: Was he asked which of his movies was the most difficult to make and why?


H: I'm racking my brain for an answer because I am sure he was asked this question, but I honestly do not remember. I wish Val's talk had been the last week of the quarter rather than the first, I have forgotten A LOT and know there is probably a lot more I could have told you.


K: Did he happen to say what he likes least about Hollywood or his career?


H: No, not specifically, but it sounded like there is a lot of traveling which takes away from the time with his kids. He loves his children and I think would like to spend more "quality" time with them. On the other hand, his career has presented a lot of extra opportunities he can share with his children. (that is my opinion on the situation, gathered from what I heard).


K: Did Val reiterate any of the feelings expressed in his early career that he is over paid as well as otherwise overly blessed?


H: He never mentioned how he felt about his pay. But judging from how he talked he seems to know how blessed he is that he can provide his children with love, a home, food, toys, an education...without any struggle, doing what he loves to do.









K: Was there any discussion of Val's humanitarian efforts?


H: Well, he mentioned he is very interested in helping the less fortunate. He volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. He realizes how nice he has it, and isn't afraid to share his time for those who have so little. There really wasn't a discussion on all his humanitarian efforts, it was announced to us in the introduction.


K: Did you personally get to ask Val any questions in the Q&A session?









H: Yes, I told him a few of us were going on an abroad to South Africa next quarter and that I had heard he loved Africa...was there anything he could tell us about Africa, and reasons why he loved those countries so much. (ok, I was a bit nervous and to be honest, didn't listen completely to what he was saying, I guess I had to keep telling myself he was talking to me!) So, what I do remember is that he loved Africa because of their connection to the nature and environment. They respect their land and culture. He felt Africa was one of the most diverse and beautiful places to be. He talked for a while but, as I said before, I was a bit distracted, and sat down wishing someone else had asked the question! Then maybe I would have listened more intently!


K: Which question was Val asked that the students, in general, thought was the most interesting?


H: This may sound strange, but the answer everyone wanted to know was where he got his shoes. His answer, from Australia (I guess they were ordered after a friend introduced them to him). He had been wearing all black and then these crazy slipper-like shoes that a lot of the students thought were really cool and I'm sure wanted to purchase some for themselves!


K: Which question and answer did you find most interesting?


H: Personally, the question that really got my attention was whether he was raising his children in Christian Science...the answer was Yes! That made me believe he really was a strong Christian Scientist who takes the religion seriously!


K: Does Val seem to credit any specific belief or practice within the Christian Science faith in helping him achieve his professional goals?


H: No, well he didn't mention anything specific. But a lot of times he mentioned how prayer helped him get through difficult times (relationships on and off set). He talked a lot about his use of Christian Science in his career. As a Christian Scientist, I do know that he is raising his children in Christian Science! As I mentioned above, he used CS to overcome some (not all!) of his on/off set relationships. Working with cast and crew long hours in sometimes difficult environments...remembering they too are children of God, perfect in every way, and there can be nothing but harmony between everyone.


K: Did he discuss positive changes he hopes to see happen in the world with Christian Scientists leading the way?


H: Nothing other than he would like to see the ideas practiced by more people even if it weren't under the name of Christian Science, but these ideas are similar to a lot of religions...love, kindness, and all that fun stuff!


K: Do you feel the Q&A format was sufficient for the occasion?


H: I think others would agree with me that it would have been nice if Val had begun by giving us 10 minutes of just him talking. I don't even care what it would be about. There were a lot of people that knew very little about Val, and they had a chance to ask ONE question...what would they possibly ask? Ya know?! A 10 minute talk would have been a great lead-way into the Q&A part of the talk.


K: What was the format of the reception that took place after the assembly?


H: I think the reception lasted between an hour and an hour & a half. The students invited were told to show up any time after 30 minutes after the end of his talk. We showed up casually, got some punch, talked to each other, and took turns going up to Val to introduce ourselves, and ask a couple more questions. Then he sat down, and we gathered around as we asked more questions, and he tried to ask us a few. When the time came, the man in charge of his visit told us it was only fair to let Val get some sleep. We caught the cue and all left. There was a photographer (from our school) and another person with a video camera (from school) taking footage the whole time.


K: How much personal conversation did you have with Val during the reception, and can you describe it for us?


H: I introduced myself as the student who asked about his interest in Africa. He remembered. I then talked for about 5 minutes with him (I didn't want to hog the guy from the others!) I asked him about his trips there, told him where/when/why I was going. Asked him if he had taken his kids to see The Lion King on Broadway...since I had just seen it myself, and came out of it very excited for my African trip. He said he hadn't seen it, but would like to take his kids sometime. That was pretty much it. Oh yeah, he said he had some numbers and locations of friends, and said, "I should look those up and get them to you" Well, I didn't get my hopes up. It was a nice gesture, but I didn't expect him to follow through with it...I was right...so far!


K: Is Val a person who is easy to sit down and talk to?


H: No, because he was tired. I was a bit nervous, only because he didn't offer much. Many times I felt I was talking to a wall. I asked all the questions most of the time, and felt I was blabbing away with uninteresting questions. He would answer our questions, but then we were left with either asking another question or silence...we chose the questions! Thinking back, I think I would have much rather (and he too) asked him if he had any questions...after all his brother went here, did he want to know anything about the school or life his brother was a part of?! I think he may have felt he was there to answer our questions and he didn't want to take away from our time to do that. I don't think I was nervous because it was Val Kilmer...I would have felt uncomfortable if it were anyone, even another student. I'm not a big fan of doing all the talking!


K: If we ever get the chance to sit down and talk to Val ourselves, how should we expect him to interact with us?


H: If the conditions were replicated and you were in my shoes this is what you could expect...You would begin by asking the questions you really want to know, Val would answer them sincerely, going off on tangents occasionally, but he doesn't give 100% eye contact. I think it is probably near the 50% line of eye contact! He will answer your question and leave it at that! Soon you will find yourself asking questions for the sake of asking questions! I think he might be a tough first date!


K: What was the most memorable thing Val said or did?


H: To me, it was when I first met him and he right away said, "Oh, I like your necklace"! That kind of through me for a loop!


K: Describe your necklace to us.









H: My necklace is nothing special...or at least wasn't, prior to his visit! My sister and I bought the same necklaces from a vendor off the street in New York City. We bargained it down to $4!!! All it is, is a black (now faded brown) cord with a piece of black rounded leather with a white shell (looks like a tooth) on top of the leather.


K: Did Val say what it was about the necklace that he admired?


H: It looked as if it could have come from some tribe and I'm sure that is what caught his attention. He just reached out, held it in his hands (yes...he touched it and my neck along the way!) Then said, "Oh, I like your necklace," like I said before, it caught me off guard, and I didn't know what else to say except "thank you".


K: Tell us something about your plans to visit Africa in the spring.


H: I will be leaving April 14th and flying to Cape Town. The next 6 weeks will be spent learning about the South African literature, history and impact of mass communications. We will be traveling from Cape Town up to Johannesburg and doing everything in between...hiking, touring, visiting with authors, historians, and (crossing my fingers) Mandela! All in all I am extremely excited. OF course now is a hectic time trying to decide what to take, and scrounging enough money for film and a telephoto lens...I heard it is a necessity for this country!


K: What did Val have to say about that, other than his offer to share his crazy friends? Did he make any suggestions for your trip?


H: He just kept telling me to enjoy my trip...there is nothing like it! He was talking about some cities, but they were outside of South Africa and I won't be going there, perhaps another day!


K: In the picture with you, Val is seen looking at a book that appears to be a school annual. Was he looking for his brother Mark?


H: Yes. He thumbed through the yearbook and looked for his brother...very sweet!


K: What were his comments about what he found there?


H: He didn't remember the activities Mark was in so he was just browsing the pages to see if he came across Mark at all. He did! He saw his school picture and I think there was one more picture of him with a group of friends, I don't know if it was for an organized club or just hanging out.


K: Is Val aware of the tremendous positive impact he has had on many people's lives due to the deep and lasting friendships that have been forged through a mutual interest in him?


H: Nooooooo....I'm sure he will never realize this. He may have been told many times that a lot of friendships have been formed over his work, but I don't think he will ever realize the extent. I'm sure if he knew he would be beyond flattered!









K: Did anyone ask about Val's poetry in general or My Edens After Burns specifically?


H: Yeah, I did! I forgot I asked about that! He just laughed, got a bit red in the face and said that was written without any thought of being published, when it did get published it wasn't completed (in his mind). I think it was a friend of his that convinced him to publish. I think he said he still has most of the copies and they won't be making an appearance any time soon!


K: Val has visited the White House on several occasions. Did anyone ask him about his relationship with President Clinton?


H: Nope, but that would have made an interesting question! I would like to know what his impression of Bill is today?!


K: Val was obviously keeping a hectic schedule…


H: He didn't speak of it, but I knew from talking with the man who organized the trip....wait actually Val did say he was tired. He said he was up late editing the movie compilation of clips, and then had to get up at 4:30 am for the flight! But, I would have known if he hadn't told us. He was zoning a lot...like when you are so tire you just can't focus anymore. He looked like he was sitting in the most comfortable couch in the world at the end of the reception. He didn't yawn a lot, or at least I didn't notice, but well,,,,what can I say, he looked like someone who was tired.


K: Can you describe the way Val was dressed?


H: Ok, I'm going to tell you something I found out later, so I'm going to share it with you. After the lower school talk, the wife of the organizer took him back to their house, and asked what he planned on wearing for the evening. He handed her a duffel bag and asked if she could pick something out. She looked inside and found everything just thrown in...including a box of cereal (I don't know what kind)! She picked through the stuff and found a nice suit coat, a white shirt (but with a problem) and black pants. Well, she wasn't really sure what to do. Everything was wrinkled so she ironed them for him, but knew he could not wear the white shirt. So she rummaged through some more, and found the black t-shirt, and decided that would have to do. She then asked what shoes he planned on wearing...he looked at her and said, "You mean I didn't pack any?" He forgot to pack nice dress shoes so that is why he had to wear those crazy shoe/slipper things that ended up being totally cool to all of us students! That is the story of his outfit, he really can't take credit for it since the lady basically dressed him!!! But, getting back to your question, he ended up wearing all black...sports coat, t-shirt, nice pants, then the shoe/slippers!


K: In person, did Val look the same as on screen?


H: Yup, he looks very much the same, except for some of his characters in the Saint (duh!). He has that same smile...the one where a bit of one of his teeth show right before the rest of those pearly whites make their appearance! Everything looked the same, his facial features, the twinkle in his eyes (I know this sounds mushy, but I don't know how else to describe it), and the way his mouth kind of half opens when he talks. I hope you know what I mean. The only difference was his hair. It was a blonde with a slight tint of orange to it, and it was spiked in a messy way. I'm used to seeing him with brown hair slicked back.


K: What about his physical presence did you find most striking?


H: On and off screen I have always been attracted to his very defined face/jaw. I was glad to see this feature was natural and not just created with make-up tricks. I was also impressed by his hair. I thought it was super cool that evening...blonde and spiky and messy...just the way I like it! He didn't look too buffed (muscular). Personally, I am turned off by big bulky guys!


K: What was the mood of the students after Val's visit?


H: A lot were still high, and couldn't believe they had seen him in person. Most everyone was impressed with him. Those I talked to felt they had a lot more respect for him. I can't say enough how many of us were so surprised by his normalness and down to earth lifestyle. So many were surprised by how dedicated to Christian Science he is. All the students and faculty/staff thought what Val had to say (when not jumping around to other thoughts :) was very sincere and open. He never said "I won't answer that" or "that's a dumb question." He tried to answer all our questions as best as he could.


K: How did Val's visit, or Val as a Christian Scientist, inspire you?


H: He helped make my decision to pursue a career in the movie business final - his appearance helped secure my decision to continue heading in that direction, but I wouldn't say it "made" my decision. He also strengthened my belief that it is possible to mix movies and Christian Science! I guess the biggest thing I got out of the evening is that you can still have a life outside of Hollywood. You can make movies and come out still loving your job! Hollywood isn't all money, alcohol, sex, and kissing up.


K: Was your impression of Val altered in any way by personally speaking with him and hearing his views?


H: Yes, prior to reading the Christian Science Sentinel interview (Jan, 1999), I had thought he was another star claiming to be a Christian Scientist, but probably didn't know the first thing about CS. After reading the article, I was more impressed, but still skeptical thinking he probably got the questions ahead of time and answered them the way we wanted them to be answered. After hearing him talk at our school, I knew his answers were genuine and he really is a strong Christian Scientist, and a practicing one too. Val did a great job answering our questions concerning his beliefs and practice of CS. He always had an answer right away and was very sincere. He didn't come across as thinking, "hmmmm, what would these people like to hear?! Many people were surprised after his talk at how devoted to CS he seemed to be! And the fact he said he was raising his kids in CS made everyone happy! I also am more impressed with him by the lifestyle he has chosen...a life outside of Hollywood.


K: In general, what are the most positive impressions students have expressed regarding Val's visit?


H: His dedication to Christian Science and the way he is raising his kids in it. Also, from what I gathered, they felt the same way I did...they were surprised by how normal he was, we could have carried on a conversation without ever knowing he was a famous movie star.


K: Were there any negative impressions expressed about Val's visit?


H: There were a few people who really thought he could have been more attentive to the audience at first...less fidgeting and more eye contact. I also don't think they took into thought that he may have been shy. Too many people assume all famous people, especially movie stars, are comfortable in front of crowds. They forget it's a bit different without a script!.


K: Did Val instill a belief in you that you can or should aspire higher than you might otherwise have thought you could?


H: No, not really. I have to credit my parents with that one!


K: I must say, as a parent, I really love and appreciate that answer! Can you elaborate on your comment that Val is not the typical outspoken movie star? What about him gives you that impression?


H: Well, this is my impression on Val. He didn't make a grand entrance. He didn't wear flashy outrageous outfits, he spoke with clean language, he was very polite. He was very personable while answering questions. He talked about his career, his family, his kids, Christian Science. He didn't go on and on about his lifestyle. He talked about the African people and country and his love for it. He talked about his pet buffalo. Val lives in a very quiet area and spends time with his family. I never read about him in the papers as getting in trouble or acting cocky, I rarely hear about him on the radio, or television, other than promoting movies. When doing interviews he is very professional, he doesn't go off bragging about his money, success, parties. So many times I watch movie stars doing interviews and I get the impression they are in love with themselves and the camera is their only friend. I have a feeling they are a different person off camera, whereas, Val seems to be the same guy on or off camera. What you see is what you get!




K: You were so overwhelmed by email that you didn't see my first two requests for an interview. How many emails would you say you received after Val's visit?


H: Oh my gosh....!!! You have no idea...I have no idea. I checked my e-mail everyday after I posted my message on the Planet Kilmer board and received at least 20 a day. It was crazy. I was completely overwhelmed and tried to respond to as many as I could but it was impossible. I felt bad, but after a while I couldn't even read them all. They just kept adding up. So finally I just cleared them all out and gave up. I am so sorry for those I didn't respond to. I was thinking, if I got this much mail just by saying I was going to see/saw Val Kilmer...imagine how much mail HE must get!!! I feel bad for the guy!


K: Of those you were able to read, what was the most interesting question?


H: This was the most interesting question..."could you please ask Val when he was born. The exact time, a.m. or p.m." This came from, I don't even know how to write it…..an astro.....some kind of person who analyzes famous people by the stars and birthdates/times. They needed the information to complete Val's reading! I am sure the person was completely serious and very nice, but I really didn't feel comfortable asking Val this question!


K: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?


H: Overall, most everyone thought Val was a great guy they could see as being a great friend, if he weren't so famous...what I mean is, that if he had been a student on campus, he would have been well liked. I have to admit, I was happy with how mature the campus/students handled his visit. By the end, I think everyone realized he is just another guy.


K: Thank you, Heather, for sharing your rare experience with Kilmer Safari and for taking the time to give us such thoughtful and in depth answers. Enjoy Africa!





If you have any questions regarding the Question and Answer Interview with Heather Blamey, please email Kilmer Safari.



As always, a special thank you to Dana at Jaguarwoman Graphics for her lovely art!