Dr. Lisa Gives a Sh*t
Lisa Levy
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DLG3125 Kevin Townley is many-sided in a remarkable way.
Kevin Townley Jr. is one of those fascinatingly multi-talented creative people who doesn't fit neatly into any box—he's an actor, filmmaker, writer, meditation teacher, and now author of "Look, Look, Look, Look, Look Again," a book that connects 26 artists to Tibetan Buddhist teachings about transforming negative emotions into wisdom. His upbringing was pretty wild: raised in 1990s Colorado by his father in a spiritual commune filled with tarot cards, alchemy experiments, and Native American rituals after his parents had a messy divorce (his mom literally punched his dad in the school playground). Despite growing up poor and dealing with instability, Kevin learned early on to embrace his theatrical, queer sensibility—dyeing his hair orange and wearing purple suits to middle school as an act of defiant self-expression that basically made bullies back off. He didn't formally start practicing Buddhism until his 30s, though it was always part of his world growing up in Boulder's spiritual scene. Now he's making independent films the DIY way, gathering NYC creative friends to shoot projects over months without traditional Hollywood budgets or gatekeeping. His approach to everything—from Buddhism to filmmaking—seems to be about creating nurturing, non-judgmental spaces where people can express themselves authentically. The whole conversation reveals someone who turned a chaotic childhood into a superpower: an ability to see possibilities where others see obstacles and to gather communities around creative visions without manipulation or cruelty. BIO: Kevin Townley is a writer, filmmaker, actor, singer, and meditation teacher. He began formally studying Buddhism in 2010 and currently practices with the Sokuko-Ji Zen community under the guidance of Kyoun Sokuzan. He has taught Buddhism and meditation for over a decade. His film and television work include appearances in My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Men in Black III, The Detour, and Law & Order. With his band, Bambï, Townley adapted Rossner’s Looking for Mr. Goodbar into the rock opera called GOODBAR, performed at The Public Theater. He has written extensively for the Waterwell theater company and Rookiemagazine. He has also led hundreds of art tours in museums across the United States, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.
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