Rare archival photo taken during REHEARSALS for the "welcome back kotter" children's revue performance of "barbarino in love: part 2"
Raised by a collective of traveling vegan comedians, Matthew W. Thompson's youth was one of adventure and lentils. The boy, then known as Little Little Quincy (due to his striking resemblance to a man of small stature who looked a bit like John Quincy Adams), was discovered sleeping in a bag of beans. He quickly ingratiated himself to the vegans by viciously teasing their weakest and most disliked member. The collective's de facto leader, Edward Thistlebaum, in desperate need of tofu money and anxious to get in on the growing trend of juvenile sitcom re-enactments, saw something in Matthew and used him as the centerpiece of the soon to be world renowned "Welcome Back, Kotter" Children's Revue.
The WBKCR, or "Kot-Kids" as the press would lovingly dub them, traveling the country (and later another country) preforming to sellout crowds. The WBKCR appeared to be an unstoppable juggernaut. Sadly, this proved to be jugger-not true.
After Thistlebaum insisted on performing stories from the DC Comics Kotter issues, a rift grew within the troupe. Kotter purists Timmy Barnes (Woodman) and Cynthia DePaul ("Boom Boom") quit the group. After two dismal performances in which sock puppets were used to fill out the cast, the WBKCR disbanded forever. The Kot-Kids were no more. Their dreams may have been their ticket out, but a harsh reality had set in. So long, Kotter.
Thompson said of those days, "It was a shock, no doubt. It's like the whole universe had told me up your nose with a rubber hose. But what could I do? The show was over, the moustache was getting itchy and Robert Conrad wouldn't return my calls. It was clearly time to put Kotter to bed."
thompson (AKA DJ LI'L Little Quincy, AKA DJ KOT-KID) in early PUBLICITY photo.
The next few years were dark ones. But it is often through darkness where we find discovery. Unfortunately, this was not one of those times.
"The show was over, the moustache was getting itchy and Robert Conrad wouldn't return my calls. It was clearly time to put Kotter to bed."
Thompson tried to recapture the passion and admiration of the WBKCR through a variety of avenues. His forays into DJ'ing, semi-competetive lawn bowling, and attempts to launch a children's revue of "Maude" were extremely unsuccessful. Except for the lawn-bowling. He did okay at that.
But it was a chance encounter that proved to be the life-changing change he needed to change his life forever. And while the details of that encounter are lost to history, this much is clear -- his life was forever changed.
And with the hindsight of history, does Thompson have regrets? "Perhaps. But then again, yes." Strong words.
Today, still wanted by the government, he survives as a soldier of fortune.
@ThompsonThweets
SPECIFICATIONS
Eyes - 2
Limbs - 4
Length – 72"
Guest Cabins – 0
ACTIVITIES
Sleeping
Eating
Watching
Thinking
Pooping
Stretching
Land Excursions
Not fishing