Interview with a Leprchaun
The Current got an exclusive, pre-St. Patrick's Day interview with Luis as he was stuck on the ferry with his chauffeur, Capt. Carl Olshenske, a.k.a. Bigfoot, who was happy to introduce Luis to me. Carl was dispatched early Thursday morning to pick Luis up at the Norfolk airport, and bring him back to lead the parade and party as the O'Bar Leprechaun. Carl told my daughters that he spent the whole drive reeling off St. Patrick's Day jokes*, which made them instantly sympathetic with Carl's passenger.
Luis hails from Manhattan, and says he's familiar with the Staten Island ferry, etc., but today was the his "first time on a ferry that the car is part of the journey." He was happy to take the Ocracoke gig because he enjoys traveling and was interested in visiting North Carolina for the first time. ("I love the Charlotte Hornets," he said. "They are one of my favorite teams." I didn't want to tell him that he's almost as close to Charlotte in NYC as on Ocracoke!) He's also an urban dweller and referred to Ocracoke as "the city." "Um, it's not a city," I said breaking it to him gently. "We call it a 'village' – but don't think of Greenwich Village!"
The bright sunshine was sparkling on the blue water while we sat in Carl's van and chatted. It was finally warm-ish – in the 40's. I mentioned the cold and Luis smiled. "It's much warmer here than it is in New York," he said. "This trip is a time out for me. I love my wife and kids, but it's nice to get to come by myself." In an act of wishful thinking, Luis brought swimming trunks just in case.
He's looking forward to the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Party at the O'Bar. "This is fun work – I love to entertain," he said.
Luis isn't a fulltime Leprechaun; more often he plays Mini Gene Simmons in "Mini Kiss" – a KISS tribute band. Last weekend, he was an Oompa-Loompa for a Willy Wonk-themed food trade show. He works with other little people for an agency called Mini Acts, which provides entertainments at parties and events. President Clinton was once an audience member!
"My father was also a little person," Luis told me. "He was the lead Ewok in 'Return of the Jedi.' I met George Lucas when I visited my father and he offered me a role, too, but my mother said I was too young and I needed to come home." Luis was seven at the time.
He acted in high school and college, and was part of a South African dance company called Juxta Power, where he played a Johannesburg gold mine keeper. He worked as an exotic dancer, but his wife didn't really like that, so he gave it up. Luis has also had small roles in TV shows such as "NYPD Blues" and "Law and Order," and movies such as "Die Hard 3" and "City Hall" with Al Pacino.
It's not his day job, though. Luis works at Samaritan Village as a substance abuse counselor. He also works for a New York night club as their supervisor of promotion.
I asked if he felt a conflict with his various jobs. Doesn't he see a lot of substance abuse at the events and night clubs? Not to name names, but there's sure to be some overindulgent green beer drinking at the O'Bar party.
"I don't judge," Luis said. "[In counseling] I deal with people who ask for help, who are ready to change."
He likes to tell his clients who fear what that change may bring to their lives, "Don't fear change. Let change fear you."
He also talked a little about being a little person. (In case you are wondering, that is the politically correct term and the one Luis prefers.) "A lot of people make fun of us or are scared of us," he said. He told me that sometimes women will scream and run away, and when that happens, he likes to chase them. "I say 'I'm not gonna hurt hurt you, nothing's going to happen to you if you see me' and sometimes I make them give me a hug," he said. "If you get to know us, you know there's nothing wrong with us. We're people. We're just short, that's it."
Luis was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in New York City. Of course I had to tell him that Ocracoke is roughly half the size of Manhattan (Ocracoke is longer, but Manhattan is fatter.) I made Capt. Carl promise to stop at the beach on the way into town so Luis could see Ocracoke's best feature. He told me about some of the beaches he used to go to in New York that are dirty now and I promised ours would be pristine. Then I saw several plastic bottles and bags along the side of Hwy. 12 on the way home and hoped he didn't notice. Sigh.
Luis will lead the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Friday, March 17th. It starts at 4:15pm at the Ocracoke Station and runs down Hwy. 12 to the O'Bar. Anyone can join in the fun! You could even win $550! A party with Irish-themed food and, yes, green beer, will follow at the O'Bar. Luis will hang out until 8 or 9, or even longer if he's having fun. "Why not enjoy it?" he asked. Then he has to hop in the van for Carl to carry him back to Norfolk for an early morning flight home.
O'Bar and Ocracoke Station owners Sean and Laurie Death are hosting Luis with a room at the Pony Island, free meals, and a complementary golf cart. Wave if you see him!
*my favorite: What's Irish and sits in the backyard? Paddy-O Furniture!
