I starred in "Special Friends: Starring You On Kazoo" in '89 and recently the Internet found me out. AMA!

https://mobile.twitter.com/brettambler/status/692426220013654016

Comments: 132 • Responses: 32  • Date: 

kylek9752 karma

Are we still...special friends? :')

BrettAmbler27 karma

Definitely.

boxyfox26 karma

Can you please remake the video as an adult?

BrettAmbler33 karma

Lights... Camera... I wish.

Asminnow12 karma

A reunion of all the actors, as well.

BrettAmbler21 karma

I would love this so much.

optimusderp26 karma

Wait a minute...who are you?

BrettAmbler25 karma

If you see the second movie, you find out.. "I'm Brett!"

Conn2k24 karma

Did you ever expect this clip to resurface? And do many people recognise you / joke around with you about it? Thanks special friend

BrettAmbler40 karma

I never expected it to come around again in any significant way. Nobody has recognized me since I don't look 8 years old anymore. I don't think.

RoboHoboUnderscore21 karma

I accidentally spent $12 on a kazoo because of your video. Wanna rock out some time?

BrettAmbler23 karma

Yes. Yup. Yes I do.

geekometer9617 karma

Hey Brett, I originally called you for the AMA, so I'll repost my 5 questions here for you to play with for those who didn't see them. Thanks again for doing this AMA!

My 5 Questions:

  1. How did you get that child acting roll?

  2. Why in the world did they dub the girls to sound like older women?

  3. Did any of your friends see this video when you were older, and if so, how did that influence your life?

  4. What profession do you have now? Are you an actor or musician?

  5. Do you still know how to play the kazoo, and am I still your friend?

BrettAmbler30 karma

How did you get that child acting roll?

I got the roll by audition. My elementary school music teacher told us all that there would be auditions for a sing along movie. I must have expressed interest because next thing I know I was hanging out with Melissa & Doug (writer producers) doing an audition. I don't remember much of that beside crawling around, pretending, making animal noises. Weird stuff. I remember they seemed to be impressed that I was pretty willing to be strange. They auditioned a few hundred kids from all the neighboring towns and cast 6 or 7 of us. Through the rehearsal process every person besides me was recast. I think one girl was replaced by her own sister if I remember right.

Why in the world did they dub the girls to sound like older women?

It was a budget movie. And Melissa (producer) was who we had around. So all of the male dubs were done by me and all the female dubs were done by Melissa.

Did any of your friends see this video when you were older, and if so, how did that influence your life?

I mostly kept it on the DL after moving away from home. But most of my friends who have seen it think it's cute. And they always wonder what happened to my hair since it's more brown and curly now. Puberty, I think, is what happened.

What profession do you have now? Are you an actor or musician?

I'm lucky enough to say that I'm still an actor and musician! I just recently played Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story in Colorado.

Do you still know how to play the kazoo, and am I still your friend?

I do still know how to play the kazoo. It's a fantastic instrument. And yes, I think we're still friends. Special friends.

Skissorion9 karma

The answers are a bit messy and hard to read. :/

Edit: Now it's nice.

BrettAmbler19 karma

agreed. I need to learn to format.

BrettAmbler25 karma

I can be taught!

klamonic114 karma

Now that the clip has blown up, do you regret doing the video at all, or are you happy that it has gained popularity?

BrettAmbler29 karma

I don't regret it at all. This recent pop in popularity of the clip has been hilarious and weird and always fun.

Hee443TS13 karma

Do you still rock the kazoo?

BrettAmbler23 karma

Yes, but not as often as I probably should. Don't wanna get rusty.

Thjiiikkmmmmkkllllll13 karma

Do you play the kazoo safely?

BrettAmbler25 karma

We keep most of the furniture at our place off to the side most of the time.

pokeyclap711 karma

Do you enjoy all the edits people have made to the clips as much as we all do? Or do they kinda weird you out since it's your face?

BrettAmbler19 karma

Mostly I enjoy them. But then it get's creepy. Then back to enjoyable.

Skissorion10 karma

Would you rather fight 100 kazoo-sized partners or one partner-sized kazoo?

BrettAmbler28 karma

fight? no way. Let's jam.

421continueblazingit9 karma

Had you forgotten about this until seeing it on the internet? How does it feel watching yourself at that age in the video?

BrettAmbler16 karma

I hadn't forgotten about it per se. But it was pretty weird to see it pop up like that. I've seen a clip of it here or there over the last several years and I've had a few people contact me on Facebook. It's funny watching 8 y/o me performing, especially since I'm still performing. I think it's pretty cool, it makes me happy.

CaspAAAA8 karma

Do you still collect money from it?

BrettAmbler16 karma

I don't. I got royalties for a while though. Lucky little kid.

mgrimm5198 karma

How did you learn your Kazoo skills so quickly?

BrettAmbler4 karma

Must have inherited them.

egobenjy7 karma

Would you be open to going on a kazoo tour in the future?

BrettAmbler10 karma

Why would I say no to such an opportunity?

coolproblems7 karma

Rumor has it that there may be another kazoo video out there, can you confirm?

BrettAmbler18 karma

There are actually THREE videos out there. The first one came with a Kazoo shrink wrapped to the side. Special Friends: Starring You On Kazoo. The next one was called Let's Sing Along and came with a fake plastic microphone. Those two are on Youtube now, in full. The last one was called Ring Along Sing Along and came with jingle bells. I don't remember much of that one. But it's out there somewhere.

RichCreamy7 karma

Haven't seen that video in forever. Brett, we went to elementary school together. My brother is in Let's Sing Along.

BrettAmbler4 karma

Hi RichCreamy!

Cyinical6 karma

Did you actually play the kazoo?

BrettAmbler5 karma

absolutely.

nmgreddit5 karma

How where you chosen for the part? And what do/did your parents think then/now?

BrettAmbler11 karma

Went to an audition at the producers place with my parents. Sang some songs, pretended to be different animals, stuff like that. My parents have always been so incredibly supportive of my career. They supported me then and continue to do so now. No matter where I'm performing theater they always come see me twice. They rule.

nmgreddit5 karma

Do you keep in contact with the other kids (now adults)?

BrettAmbler7 karma

Nope. I'm friends with Carolyne on Facebook. That's about it. I'd love to know what they're up to but I couldn't find too many of them last time I looked.

edgeorge925 karma

Are you worried that people finding out you are the 'Kazoo Kid' might affect your career at present?

And also should you have a partner, did they know about this!?

p.s. Big fan, best video to surface for a long time!

BrettAmbler10 karma

I doubt the kazoo kid will do me any harm. He seems so nice.

My girlfriend Amanda found my copy of You On Kazoo early in our relationship. She was surprised. Thank goodness I used to be cute.

Skissorion5 karma

How exactly did you find out that you were discovered again? Which video did you see?

BrettAmbler14 karma

I got on twitter after being off it for a few months and found a bunch of people had tweeted me. Someone connected my name to my twitter account. Not a streatch, since my twitter handle is my name. So I responded to some tweets and that seemed to fan the flame.

A day or two later I was in rehearsal for a children's theater show I'm doing (Junie B. Jones) and someone came in and said "Hey did you know you're on Buzzfeed?". Just like that.

Dovahkiwi4 karma

Would you object to me sending my friend a picture of your face captioned 'special friend' for her to frame on the wall? You may think this is a joke but I swear I'm serious.

BrettAmbler7 karma

No objections. Send it.

Ghostaey4 karma

What's your favourite kazoo song?

BrettAmbler14 karma

They're all kazoo songs on the kazoo. So - maybe Bohemian Rhapsody?

bm130844 karma

How much of this was dubbed? I don't believe for a second that those kids are kazooing... I also feel like someone re-did all of their voices. Yours is believable, though.

BrettAmbler7 karma

Tons of it was dubbed. The writer/producers Melissa & Doug (yup, of that toy company) dubbed lots of the kazooing and Melissa and I dubbed lots of voices. The sound on set wasn't always awsome and some of us in the cast weren't awesome kazooists.

the-real-reptar4 karma

What are your plans for National Kazoo Day tomorrow (January 28th)?

BrettAmbler6 karma

Rock out?

BrettAmbler3 karma

Quick break. If there are more questions later, I'll answer them.

LeonCloud113 karma

What do you do now as a profession besides kazooing?

BrettAmbler5 karma

I'm an actor!

BrettAmbler2 karma

Back in an hour! Thanks guys!