Vidkid Timo

Early years

Timo was born in Baton Rouge to a middle-class family of Scottish, Cajun-French and Sicilian ancestry. Even though he grew up in St. Francisville, he attended Silliman Institute in Clinton for eight years, and then went to West Feliciana High School for the remainder of his Junior High and High School years. He also attempted several semesters at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, but did not feel comfortable with that type of education. During that time, he lived both in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Nicknamed "Vidkid" because of his early short films, made with a borrowed video camera and featuring outrageous characters played by himself and university bar-buddies. It is during these low-budget collegiate productions that Timo developed his unique style for visual storytelling.

Comedy writer

At nineteen, he started writing dialog and plot summaries for music videos and comedic skits used in cabaret acts by his college chum, Jeff Roberson, who portrays the character of Varla Jean Merman. The pair went on to produce over 14 live shows (such as Infant Road Kill and If An Entertainer Falls in the Woods Does Anyone Hear Her Scream?) and dozens of short films (including Sex in a Bathtub of Pasta and An Erotic Eruption of Skim Milk at the Superdome).

During the late 1990s, Timo branched out and started producing adult films as well, at first with Rico del la Playa, then on his own. Timo has teamed up with such performers as Jim Buck, Aaron Lawrence, and Brandon Baker.

Film career

Vidkid Timo has an extensive (but hard to find) adult filmography.

In 1997, he shared the award for "Best Supporting Actor" with Drew Andrews for his performance in Mardi Gras Cowboy (All Worlds Video) at the Adult Erotic Gay Video Awards.

Selected adult filmography

Early films

His first video production was He Knows You're Old which was a horror spoof, about a serial killer who targets elderly couples.

Timo's first directorial effort was Connie Lingus's Winning Star-Search Video starring Jeff Roberson in the first of many camp drag shorts which culminated in the creation of the "Varla Jean Merman" character.

1980s

Most of his late 1980s films, even the comedies, have somber and philosophical undertones. Many, like The Varla Merman Story and Varla Doesn't Live Here Anymore, are said to be influenced by the early films of John Waters.

1990s

In the mid 1990s, he began working with Roberson's alter-ego Varla Jean Merman less and less when Roberson moved to New York City.

During these years Timo moved to Missouri where he continued to make comedic films with students from the University of Missouri, such as The House on Haunted Hill and The Schwartz Family Christmas.

In the late 1990s, Timo moved back to New Orleans and began working on adult films. He also traveled to New York City and Provincetown and resumed his work with Varla Jean Merman. Their musical short subjects include 24 Hours from Tulsa, If You Go Away, I Who Have Nothing, and Mockingbird Hill (a parody of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds).

It was at this time that Timo was approached by another videographer from New Orleans (Rico del la Playa) to write, co-direct, co-produce, and co-star in the erotic cult classic Mardi Gras Cowboy. Timo also began producing his own independent adult films which lead to numerous nominations and critical acclaim for their creativity and refusal to follow established formulas.

Timo not only appeared in most of his own films, but also performed in videos for other directors such as Shawn Gustavson (Jizz Boys 1), Wash West (Naked Highway), and Aaron Lawrence (Aaron's American Tour 2, Aaron's Adventures in Amsterdam 1, and Aaron's Adventures in Russia 3).

2000s

Vidkid Timo continued his occasional collaborations with Varla Jean Merman, traveling to Los Angeles to film footage for All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You. Timo also portrayed "Charles Manson Reilly" in a musical interpretation of Varla's Lookin' For Love in All the Wrong Places.

Timo also traveled to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, St. Petersburg, and Moscow to film segments for his adult videos. He also flew to Amsterdam and Bangkok to assist his colleague, Aaron Lawrence.

Timo and his boyfriend (credited in some films as "Philip Eric") moved to a remote location in Alabama in 2004 (which marked Timo's retirement from making and selling adult films).

Even while enjoying the peace and quiet of country life, Timo returns to the bustling city to film with Varla at least once every year. These short films (such as Jew Don't Know My Name and The Best Things in Life Are Free) are used in Varla's touring cabaret shows all over the United States. Timo considers his friendship with Roberson to be one of the most worthwhile relationships he has ever experienced. Timo also professes that his involvement with the Varla Jean Merman comedies remains one of the most creatively satisfying endeavors of his life.

In July 2006, Vidkid Timo and Philip Eric celebrated their fifth anniversary by flying to Toronto and getting married (since same-sex marriages are legal there).

2010s

In November 2010, after being together nearly nine and a half years, Timo and Eric separated amicably. Their friendship remains strong.

After an invitation from former model (and long-time friend) Christopher Harding, Timo has lived a quiet life in the Lakeview area of Chicago since December 2010.

Awards and nominations

In addition to nominations (some denoted in the "Film career" and "Adult filmography" sections above) for writing, directing, producing, and art direction (in three of his films), Vidkid Timo has also won two "best supporting actor" awards (from the GVG Awards and Gay Chicago magazine) both for his role in Mardi Gras Cowboy.