Dead for a Living

Bruce Spelman, Lead singer of Extreme Heat

I would take side gigs. My friend owns Whole Earth Provision Company. He would say, “Hey, I need somebody to do something.” One time, I was the store Santa Claus. Another time, I was a living mannequin. I did underwear ads for them too. They sold long underwear.

One day, a friend of mine says, “Hey! They need people to work on this television show about zombies - would you be interested?” I said sure!

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The show turned out to be Fear The Walking Dead.

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My first day on the job, I found out you have to go to zombie school. The guy who came out was not very happy about having to run zombie school.

He was short on patience. He said, “Whatever you do, don’t put your arms out in front of you. Zombies don’t walk like that. You should walk like you’re drunk trying to find your car after 2am. You definitely don’t say brains under any circumstance. Zombies don’t say anything, unless we ask you to.” One by one, he’d say, “Hey you, come here. Do your zombie walk. No No No!!! Didn’t I tell you not to put your arms out? THIS IS NOT SCOOBY-DOO! Next!” And the next person would come up.

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He was always walking back and forth in front of us…looking at me but always walking by. Finally, there’s only one person left, and it’s me. He sighs and says, “OK show us your zombie walk.” I get up there and do my zombie walk and he says, “Hey, that’s not too bad! The rest of you, watch this guy. Do what he does.” Then he left.

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So after all that, I ended up being the zombie instructor.