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American Morning

Look at Unconventional Musician Thoth

Aired April 23, 2002 - 08:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: He takes his name from a Greek god, and he looks pretty God-like in his gold loincloth.

CNN's Jeanne Moos has a follow-up about a story she did a while back about a far from main street street musician who has gotten a chance to go mass media. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): remember this guy? He's hard to forget. We introduced you to him almost a year ago. The last guy to look this good in a loincloth was Tarzan, but all he could do was a jungle call.

Back then, he was just another New York street performer. Now he's the subject of an Oscar-winning film.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the subject of my documentary, "Thoth." T-H-O-T-H.

MOOS: Before he hit the Oscar stage, Thoth performed in a picturesque tunnel in Central Park, singing in a made-up language while playing the violin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who the heck is that?

MOOS: Thoth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thoth?

MOOS: Now, millions will know who the heck he is. Thoth is scheduled to appear on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't know what he's in for, either.

MOOS: Thoth was an unknown until the documentary won an Academy Award for best short, not quite as short as the loincloth he wore to the Oscars.

THOTH: I made this loincloth especially for this event.

MOOS: In the documentary, we meet Thoth's parents, an interracial couple. His father is dead, but his mom is alive and drumming for various orchestras. Though Thoth describes himself as bisexual, the documentary introduces us to his fiancee.

THOTH: In San Francisco, I have a dear one who I am deeply in love with named Susanna (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He says, "I want to marry you." And I said, "Yes."

MOOS: A truly mass audience got its first glimpse of Thoth on the red carpet at the Oscars, mingling with stars like Sissy Spacek. Though he had permission to circulate, security stopped him three times. Thoth serenaded celebrities like Jodie Foster.

THOTH: Jodie Foster didn't know what to do with me. She was extremely s scared of me.

MOOS: She kept asking her friend, actor Ethan Hawke, "Is he with you?" Thoth's Oscar appearance led to a parody on "Saturday Night Live." We showed Thoth the tape for the very first time.

(LAUGHTER)

THOTH: That is so cool.

Thoth still doesn't have fortune, but he's tasted fame. Spirituality, rather than celebrity, is his driving force. Nevertheless, his PR rep says he's talked to Nike about using Thoth in a commercial, though most folks aren't looking at his feet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's he doing wearing his skivvies?

MOOS: They sure are thought-provoking.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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