Name Kiki Valentine | Role Humorist | |
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Kiki Valentine is a writer, producer, humorist, and public speaker.
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Outside of the arts she is respected for her dedication to various non-profit organizations and causes. In 2016 Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams called her "a modern day Rosa Parks".
She is credited with assisting a population of 160 elderly and disabled evacuees and placed several Associated Press articles pertaining to the plight of elderly evacuees displaced by Hurricane Sandy which led to new protective legislature for displaced vulnerable persons following large scale disasters.
She frequently aligns with elected officials and community groups for a number of causes, including the normalization of public breastfeeding, the rights of lactating women, mass incarceration reform, drug reform, homeless issues, and refugee support and aid. She has been an instrumental civilian voice in the passing of several public health policies in New York City and New York State. In 2011, she became a wedding celebrant.
Journalism, Production & Public Speaking
On September 11, 2001, while living in Greenwich Village Valentine filmed the terrorist attacks and later produced a documentary that chronicles her fleeing New York City with a roommate only to have to return the next day to report to work as journalists. The film, titled "The Runaway Writers", was screened in New York City in Winter 2012 and with Stanford University alumni in San Francisco in May 2013.
In early 2003 she became the swing writer in the newsroom of Yahoo!'s Launch Radio Networks covering music and general news. The following year when the company's parent network, United Stations Radio Network, began developing its largest daypart radio program, Nights with Alice Cooper, she became Associate Producer and began writing scripts, news and comedy while appearing nightly alongside Alice Cooper on the program as the character "Mistress Kitty". She also wrote sketch comedy including Kitty and guests Nikki Sixx, Rob Halford, Def Leppard, Styx and others. For several years Alice Cooper proved to be an instrumental and influential mentor, guiding her not only in developing a persona but also nurturing her comedic acting, creative writing, and performance artistry.
During this time Valentine also began independently producing and emceeing her own live black box theater shows in Brooklyn, New York incorporating live music, dance, and art. Notable early collaborations span a variety of diverse artists including Afrika Bambaataa, Shepard Fairey, The World Famous Pontani Sisters as well as partnerships with companies such as Red Bull, Adidas, Tylenol and Gibson Guitars.
In 2007 and 2008 she appeared as a guest host on ABC News Now's nationally syndicated television program "The Mix" interviewing artists, including exclusives with musicians Iron Maiden and Tegan and Sara.
In 2008 she also debuted an underground avant-garde production called The Sunday Show, an acclaimed collective theatrical experiment she wrote, directed, produced, and emceed for four seasons often dubbed "the MENSA of variety shows" by critics. The uncensored show featured comedy, spectacle and variety acts, and celebrity guests. Although each program was filmed, Valentine's observational material and work has been intentionally kept from the Internet to "preserve the concept, integrity, and artistic value of the live audience experience".
Artistic Collaborations
In addition to work with the band CAKE, 2011 Valentine debuted a second underground live show discussing current events dubbed The Kiki Valentine Show that included creative collaborations with comedian and musician Reggie Watts, Matisyahu songwriter and guitarist Aaron Dugan, and a cast of New York City burlesque and variety performers, comedians, poets, and jazz musicians.
She has appeared in numerous creative collaborations with the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter JC Hopkins and the JC Hopkins Biggish Band consisting of a rotating assembly of musicians including legendary percussionist Warren Smith, saxophonist Julian Pressley and special guests Jolie Holland, Lea DeLaria, Martha Wainwright, Alice Smith, Ne-Yo, Brandon Flowers, Elvis Costello, Mose Allison, and Justin Vivian Bond.
Valentine also collaborated with Diamondsnake (Moby, Dave Hill, Tomato and Phil Costello) appearing as "Rhinestone Zipper", a parody groupie duo, with burlesque performer Calamity Chang. The two also appear in the band's video for "Woman, Yeah", filmed and directed by Moby. She has also appeared as a guest in several pilots, short and feature films, and television programs including Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and HBO's Bored to Death.
Director and artist Alex de Campi featured her in the Berlin-based English and German indie rock band Art Brut's music video for debut single ("Lost Weekend") from their fourth album, Brilliant! Tragic! and Candlelight Red's "Demons".
Valentine has modeled for artist, writer, and illustrator Molly Crabapple, American contemporary artist Ron English and Los Angeles-based Brian Viveros for his New York debut opening at Paul Booth's Last Rites Gallery in Manhattan.