Richard Washington
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Richard Washington, born July 26, 1965, is the creator and perpetual performer of the fictional Sorcerer turned occasional eccentric, Blackwolf the Dragonmaster — the self-proclaimed "Unofficial Wizard of New York City."
Notorious for his noted encounter with Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog (who refers to him as "The Nerd of the Rings") in May 2002, Master Blackwolf has dedicated himself to embarking on a continuing Quest to encourage his fellow New Yorkers to, in his own words, "imagine responsibly!"
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[edit] Origins
Washington's first significant exposure to the media took place in April 2001, when, performing in character as Blackwolf in the studios of Brooklyn, New York radio station WNYE-FM, he recorded his commentary on the subject of "Why New York Needs Wizards," airing Tuesday, September 4, 2001.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Washington/Blackwolf found himself facing a new self-proclaimed quest: to encourage his fellow New Yorkers to take stock in their City's previously ignored population of eccentrics in a positive and more understanding way; and to inspire those inhabitants of his newly adopted "Byg Appyl" to imagine responsibly and meaningfully. Eventually, aided by the proclaimed wisdom and attitude of a burly faux-Barbarian calling himself Thor, and guided by the will of his seven Wizardly bosses, the "Grand High Istari" (also conceived in Richard Washington's mind's eye), the hilarious Wizard continues his new "Quest."
[edit] National celebrity
It was not until 2002, however, that Washington, as Blackwolf, achieved an unexpected cult status. On a Saturday in May, several Star Wars fans, dressed as their favorite characters, from Darth Vader to Obi-wan Kenobi, from Padmé Amidala to young Anakin Skywalker, had gathered in front of the famed Ziegfeld Theater, where they had formed a line to purchase tickets to see Attack of the Clones. At the time, the NBC show Late Night with Conan O'Brien had assigned Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog (Robert Smigel) to cover the festivities for a comedy bit. The resulting 10-minute segment was a highly-regarded massive success for the show. Suddenly, Washington, who had only made the pilgrimage to the Ziegfeld simply to see what all the fuss was about, had gained an amount of celebrity.
In August of that same summer, the Wizard and the "fresh hound" soon found themselves on the red carpet at Radio City Music Hall, for the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards. On November 21, 2002, Smigel, as Triumph, staged a live performance at the Bowery Ballroom, featuring several of his Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Saturday Night Live colleagues, along with Washington as Blackwolf. That performance featured on Triumph's debut album, Come Poop with Me, which was later nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
Today, Blackwolf/Washington continues to share his wisdom with those who are willing to stop to take a moment to notice him; as he has been known to tell his listeners: "If I can inspire others to at least smile or bring happiness to someone else, I've done my job. Otherwise, I know not what to tell ye."
[edit] Where to see Blackwolf
Washington often makes his public appearances as Blackwolf across New York City, with particular emphasis on its parks and public spaces, specifically Central Park, Bryant Park, Fort Tryon Park and Washington Square Park; as well as Times Square. He is a regular participant in the Easter Parade, the New York Renaissance Faire Sterling Forest, the Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival and New York's Village Halloween Parade. Until late 2004, he made occasional appearances on Public Access Television, particularly the non-profit, four-channel Manhattan Neighborhood Network.
[edit] What next for Blackwolf?
Washington's future plans consist mostly of bringing his own story, as well as Blackwolf's, to the big screen, in an in-progress project called Blackwolf the Dragonmaster's First Movie; however, since late February 2006, the Mage of Talisker has been continuing a series of negotiations with the videogame-inspired cable network G4 to produce and star in a series of one-minute comedic vignettes following the Dragonmaster's current adventures in New York City. The concept, if successful, could result in Blackwolf hosting his own weekly television series.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Blackwolf's Dark Chambers
- Blackwolf's Diary of Magecraft
- Blackwolf's notable encounter with Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog and the world at large.
- A phone prank played on The Dragonmaster by people identifying themselves to be from the Upper State of New York Mages Guild, inquiring on his credentials.
