“Looking for Kermit” – Anne Lamotte
The wonderful painting behind the altar in the chapel was created by Kermit Oliver. A new podcast series about Kermit Oliver and his work has come out by Anne Lamotte.
It is available in French here: www.franceculture.fr/emissions/looking-kermit
In June 2019, I went to Texas to record a radio documentary on Kermit Oliver. Throughout those two incredible weeks in Dallas, Houston, Refugio or Waco, I met or speak to each one of you. And you, without exception, welcomed me so warmly and talked about Kermit – directly or indirectly – so well that I still don’t know how to thank you. It’s time for me to tell you what happened after that trip.
When I came back from Texas, I wrote, edited, produced a radio show called “Looking for Kermit”. It took me months. In 20 years of journalism, I had never worked so hard on a report. Finally, it took the shape of a series : 8 episodes of 15 minutes each. It’s like a road trip. While looking for Kermit, I meet people (you !) who tell me his story, speak about his art and the Texas in which he grew and became an artist.
The podcast was broadcasted by France Culture here in France. France Culture is a national public radio, part of the Radio France group (the equivalent of NPR in the States). It’s a big and prestigious radio, no need to say I was thrilled. “Looking for Kermit” is still available on our website and application. It’s had a great success here in France, has had loads of good reviews from professionals (Telerama, France Inter, Radio Television Suisse, Vanity Fair, Elle, etc…) and non professionals (I posted some on twitter and Instagram if you want to check them). You can listen to the podcast by clicking to the link below. I’m the narrator and I speak in French, the interviews are also translated in french but you can still clearly hear the original voices which was very important for me:
There are two reasons why it took me so long to write to you and keep you posted about that work:
The first one is that I was hoping to be able to send you the english version. But France Culture never succeeded to produce one. We never found the American radio which would collaborate with us. Therefore, I’m sorry but the project remains a french one. It is a great disappointment for me for I would have loved to make you that gift in return for all the time you dedicated to me on Kermit and maybe Kermit would have listened to it as well ! But still, I’m very pleased with the french version.
The second reason is that the search for Kermit Oliver has played a key role in my life and it is difficult for me to leave it behind. Summer 2019 was a tough one for me personally and professionally. Going to Texas to look for that incredible man and painter, meeting you all and a part of America, listening to all your marvelous stories about Kermit has changed a part of me much more than I can explain. Let’s say that it was the beginning of the healing :-). Therefore, it’s hard for me to say goodbye to that story. But now I have a second documentary to make for France Culture and it’s time for me to move forward.
I also wanted you to know that Hermes loves the podcast. They invited me for lunch in Paris and showed me Kermit’s scarves original paintings which was such a privilege. But again, it’s thanks to you.
Last thing : there are some interviews that are not in the podcast. It has nothing to do with the quality of those interviews. Every conversation I recorded in Texas was worth keeping. But I had to make choices and believe me they were hard to make ! I really want to insist on this point : you all helped me understand who Kermit Oliver was and everything important you said to me is either in the interviews or in the text I wrote.
Those are all the reasons why I really want to thank you all. Warmly, deeply, sincerely. Special thanks to Geri Hooks, Shelby Marcus – Shelby I still have the little bell you offered me when I left Dallas and I’m moved everytime I see it – and the people in Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church in Refugio.
I’ll go back to Texas one day and maybe knock on your door. If you come to Paris, please knock on mine ! I hope to see you all again.
MERCI,
Anne Lamotte