Khris Francis The Interview

I recently caught up with Khris Francis in Ogunquit ME on a rainy afternoon, in his well appointed apartment. “This is so different from my upbringing in California.” Khris was raised in the Monterey Bay area in the produce belt on the central coast. “There was always fresh fruit, and veggies on the table.” His family was full of very colorful people that Khris calls “smart asses. I got my sense of humor through genetics; we were all very funny people in my family, even though some of us didn’t know it.”

Khris showed Musical talent at an early age ‘I was always picking out songs by ear on the piano, so my mom found me a piano teacher. Then I took up guitar on my own, but I wouldn’t sing unless I was alone. The singing came later. I was in high school when my music teacher heard me. I’ll never forget the look of shock on his face. That was very funny to me.” Funny indeed, Khris has a very rich tenor voice, and most people can’t believe that voice is coming out of a very funny comedian.

Khris began performing at the tender age of fifteen. “I was so young when I started I think I knew maybe five songs by heart. I was just singing, and playing back then. I was not being funny at all, that came later.’ The comedy act was born at Club St. John in San Jose California, one of the biggest night clubs in the bay area. “That’s where I cut my teeth in comedy. I was so mean, and vicious that people were afraid to walk by the piano for fear they would be my next target.”

Word got around about this funny vicious man, and the bookings started pouring in. “I started getting booked all over the country including Dallas, Chicago, Key West, Seattle and Los Angeles. It was a crazy time. The first act I opened for was The Weather Girls, that was totally fun, what nice people. Khris was booked next as opening act on an oldies rock, and roll tour with The Platters, The Coasters, Bobby Freeman, and Little Richard. “The history on the stage was awe inspiring. Those people taught me some great lessons about being nice to people on the way up, because you meet the same people on the way down. The people on that tour were very nice to me especially Zola Taylor of The Platters. I’ll never forget her humor, kindness, and warmth for me. She’s a real member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

After that tour, Khris started performing in Provincetown Ma. in the summer of 1991. “P-town was very good to me, and very bad to me. It’s a hard place to work. The first summer was very hard for me, the club owner was a total &^%@, and I felt like I was not being treated well by my own agent, heads had to roll. I eventually found my way in P-Town and had a very long run in that town. I found my home at the Town House, which turned into The Alibi, and worked for people I consider family. Some well known people came to see me. I met Margaret Cho, Bruce Vilanch, Rex Reed, Sam Harris, and many famous artists like my dear friend John Dowd. It was the most social time of my life so far.”

In the year 2000 Khris Francis worked for nine months in Lake Tahoe NV at Harvey’s Hotel and Casino, as a headliner in the show Passion 2000. “It was always my dream to play Tahoe. When I was a kid my parents took me to see The Supremes in Tahoe, and here I was playing the same room.” The show was very adult, and very sexy. Needless to say it was a perfect fit. Passion 2000 was picked review of the year, and Khris was given incredible reviews. “I’m very proud of that show, the cast was the best, and the producer Breck Wall is a Las Vegas legend. The highlight of the show for me was meeting Janet Leigh, what a great movie star she was.

Next came a big shock for Khris, he was booked to play the comedy room at the Rivera Hotel and Casino on the strip in Las Vegas. “What a thrill. I thought I was going in as an opening act. I had no idea I would be a Las Vegas Headliner with my name in lights on the strip.” I asked Khris what it was like to perform in Vegas for the first time, “you would have to ask my Dad he remembers more of it than I do, I was in shock, and scared to death. When my Dad saw my name on the sign he made me take a picture in front of it. He told me this what he gets for putting me though private school, and music lessons, ah guilt.

In 2004 Khris went back to Tahoe again, this time at Caesar’s Palace in the 1100 seat Circus Maximus Show Room, in a show called Passion Extreem. Once again the reviews were uniformly great. “The show was a sister show to Passion 2000, the cast was wonderful, and getting to use Frank Sinatra’s old dressing room was a thrill. Working that big room is a challenge to any comedian, and to hear that laughter in such a big room is the best reward.”

In the summer of 2005 Khris Francis brought his show to Ogunquit Me. for the first time. He started at Club Inside Out working for Wayne Wescott. When Wayne bought the Front Porch, Khris followed to great results. “Oh my god we’ve had lines out the door at The Front Porch. I always tell people to get there early to get a seat because it is standing room only every night.” When asked about living in Ogunquit Khris always says “It’s the best. The beach is incredible, the people are nice, and I love living in the woods. The only things I don’t like are the raccoons knocking over my trash cans.”

Over the years Khris has recorded some great music CDs that he sells at his shows. “Right now I’m selling three. The first is called Sessions, and its all music I’ve written myself, the next is called Learn to Say Goodbye, a concept album of goodbye songs, and the last is Make Your Own Kind Of Music, a collection of pop songs. “I love recording and singing songs, it such a fun process. Mixing music and comedy gives people a well rounded show. It balances out my dirty mouth, with something pretty to listen too.

What’s next for Khris Francis? “I’m working on a comedy CD, and a new live DVD. I’m hoping to get things started by the end of summer 2007. Then there’s my new website www.KhrisFrancis.net that should be up and running any day now, and look for me on YouTube.

What can people expect from the Khris Francis Show? ‘I do a very adult show. It is very funny. Don’t think you are just going to sit there. There is a lot of audience participation. Songs will be sung, questions will be asked, and the answers will floor you. If it’s a corporate show it will be tailor made for your company, all I need is a list of your employees you want killed. You will get a ribbing you’ll never forget, and laugh about it for years.” Let’s hope Khris Francis comes to a town near you, his show is not to be missed.