Latest / Going The Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast / Robin Schomberg-Nicholls Interview
Transcript
- 0:00Welcome to Going the Distance, the Rocky series. 00:13 --> 00:16 This is episode 15, I think. 00:16 --> 00:17 Yeah, episode 15. 00:18 --> 00:19 So, welcome. 00:19 --> 00:20 Welcome to the 15th round. 00:21 --> 00:27 We have an interview today with Robin Schoenberg-Nichols. 00:27 --> 00:32 She is the daughter of the Sculptor-Nichols, who was commissioned to do the Rocky statue. 00:33 --> 00:36 And I think it's a really great interview. 00:37 --> 00:40 Unfortunately, we had two interviews that day. 00:41 --> 00:44 And one was at 3, and the other one was at 4. 00:45 --> 00:47 And I called the 4 o'clock interview at 3. 00:48 --> 00:52 So, you're going to kind of hear my mistake during the interview. 00:53 --> 00:53 Take a listen. 00:54 --> 00:55 You'll hear the mistake. 00:55 --> 00:56 Have a good laugh at myself. 00:56 --> 00:59 So, kudos to Robin for rolling with the punches. 01:00 --> 01:09 And even more so, after the interview, she emailed us, she thanked us, and she sent both Ryan and I these Rocky posters. 01:10 --> 01:12 There's Mr. Stallone underneath the Rocky statue. 01:12 --> 01:13 Very cool. 01:13 --> 01:14 Very nice of her. 01:14 --> 01:15 You're going to enjoy this. 01:15 --> 01:18 She's got some stories with Mr. Stallone. 01:18 --> 01:20 So let's roll the tape. 01:41 --> 01:42 Hello. 01:42 --> 01:43 Reuben here. 01:44 --> 01:44 Hi, Reuben. 01:45 --> 01:46 It's Robin Nichols. 01:46 --> 01:47 Good to speak with you again. 01:47 --> 01:47 You too. 01:48 --> 01:48 You too. 01:48 --> 01:50 And right here is my brother, Ryan. 01:50 --> 01:51 Hi, Robin. 01:51 --> 01:51 It's Ryan. 01:52 --> 01:53 Hi. 01:53 --> 01:54 Nice to speak with you. 01:54 --> 01:55 Nice to speak with you. 01:55 --> 02:00 We are very happy that you've taken the time to talk to a couple of ham and eggers. 02:02 --> 02:03 I highly doubt that. 02:03 --> 02:05 I've listened to your podcast. 02:05 --> 02:07 You sound fantastic. 02:07 --> 02:08 You've got a great program going on. 02:09 --> 02:10 Oh, thank you very much. 02:10 --> 02:10 Thank you very much. 02:11 --> 02:11 Yeah. 02:11 --> 02:16 Well, thanks for listening and doing this because, you know, you could have listened and then just... 02:16 --> 02:21 Yeah, you could have listened to our podcast and said, I am not going to go on this podcast with these two clowns. 02:21 --> 02:24 But we appreciate it. 02:24 --> 02:24 Not at all. 02:24 --> 02:25 Not at all. 02:25 --> 02:30 Well, again, I apologize about the misunderstanding with the time zones. 02:30 --> 02:31 I had said 4 p.m. 02:31 --> 02:33 Mountain and then 6 p.m. Eastern. 02:33 --> 02:39 I had thought you were on the eastern coast of Canada, not the western coast. 02:39 --> 02:42 So, too many time zones to keep track of. 02:42 --> 02:44 But I'm glad we finally got to connect. 02:44 --> 02:45 So, that's great. 02:45 --> 02:46 Ditto. 02:46 --> 02:47 Yeah, thank you so much. 02:47 --> 02:48 Oh, you're welcome. 02:49 --> 02:53 Well, probably like everybody else, I'm a fan of the Rocky series. 02:54 --> 03:01 I remember as a kid first seeing the Rocky statue being presented and thinking, like, wow, how cool. 03:01 --> 03:08 Like, even though I knew I was watching a fictitious movie and seeing the statue there, somehow it made it more real. 03:09 --> 03:09 Does that even make sense? 03:10 --> 03:16 Seeing a prop of a character made, for me, the character more real. 03:17 --> 03:17 Mm-hmm. 03:17 --> 03:18 Does that make sense? 03:18 --> 03:19 That made sense to me. 03:19 --> 03:19 Definitely. 03:20 --> 03:21 The embodiment of the character. 03:22 --> 03:38 So, having something that's a tangible representation of that individual, that character, that people can continue to visit and see, is, I think, one of the highlights and one of the reasons the statue has really remained popular throughout the year. 03:38 --> 03:49 And we're very, very gratified, my father, my mother, and myself, that Rocky really does continue to resonate for individuals and have a lot of meaning. 03:49 --> 03:59 So, I completely understand what you're saying, and I think it's, like I said, I think it's wonderful that it's available for the public and it can be seen and visited. 04:00 --> 04:04 So, what is your role with the Rocky statue? 04:06 --> 04:08 I'll start from the very beginning. 04:08 --> 04:15 My father being the sculptor of the Rocky statue, A. Thomas Schomburg, I grew up with Rocky. 04:15 --> 04:23 I was in middle school when Mr. Stallone came to my father's studio to model for the statue. 04:23 --> 04:34 And so, I remember when it was being cast at the foundries, many long trips up to the foundry and watching my father sculpt the statue. 04:34 --> 04:40 And it was really something that was part of my childhood and into growing up. 04:41 --> 04:45 As most adults do, young adults, I went my own way. 04:45 --> 04:51 I had my own corporate career in information technology of all things. 04:51 --> 05:02 Three years ago, my mother, who is my father's agent, and she's the business head of the Schomburg Studios organization, 05:02 --> 05:04 came to me and had said, 05:05 --> 05:14 We're getting a lot of inquiries from clients and fans of Rocky that they aren't able to get the 12-inch statues any longer. 05:14 --> 05:15 We've sold out. 05:15 --> 05:17 We've been sold out for many years. 05:17 --> 05:27 And we would like to re-offer the statue to people who are fans, but it's just too much work for your father and myself. 05:28 --> 05:30 How would you like to come into the family business? 05:30 --> 05:43 At the time, I thought about it, and I was at a turning point in my life where I think I'd gone as far as I really had dreamt to go in a corporate IT career. 05:44 --> 05:53 So, I switched gears, and I came into the family business in 2013, and I've been working as part of the organization ever since. 05:53 --> 06:05 And we've really done a lot of different types of activities now with the second edition of the Rocky statue that we're offering online for sale. 06:06 --> 06:12 And I'm trying to bring the statue and its identity to a younger fan base. 06:12 --> 06:24 So, I started bringing the Rocky statue to events like the Philadelphia Comic Con, and we also incentivized some runs. 06:25 --> 06:37 So, my role has really been to come into the organization, revitalize it, keep it going, get the word out that Rocky is still alive and well and relevant today. 06:37 --> 06:43 It's been an incredible journey, and I could never look back with any kind of regret. 06:43 --> 06:51 It's actually been really one of the most exciting and interesting things I've done in a career, that's for certain. 06:51 --> 06:53 It definitely sounds quite interesting. 06:54 --> 06:58 Hey, Robin, I've made a big embarrassing mistake. 06:58 --> 07:06 The reason why I called you at the wrong time is we were supposed to call somebody else. 07:06 --> 07:08 And while you were talking, that somebody else just called. 07:08 --> 07:10 Oh, okay. 07:11 --> 07:15 Is it okay if we pause and call you back at the time that you thought we were going to call? 07:16 --> 07:17 Yes, that would be fine. 07:18 --> 07:19 Thank you so much, Robin. 07:19 --> 07:22 Yeah, how about I'll do this. 07:22 --> 07:25 I can call you from my landline. 07:25 --> 07:32 Again, we're currently having the phone forwarded, and so I will call you at 4 o'clock if that's good for you. 07:32 --> 07:32 Perfect. 07:32 --> 07:33 That'd be awesome. 07:33 --> 07:34 Thank you so much. 07:34 --> 07:34 Okay. 07:35 --> 07:36 All right, I'll talk to you then. 07:36 --> 07:36 Okay. 07:36 --> 07:37 Thank you. 07:37 --> 07:37 Talk to you very soon. 07:37 --> 07:37 Bye-bye. 07:37 --> 07:38 Bye-bye. 07:38 --> 07:40 Hey, this is Ruben. 07:40 --> 07:41 Hi, this is Robin. 07:42 --> 07:43 And this is Ryan again, Robin. 07:44 --> 07:45 Hi, how are you? 07:45 --> 07:46 Is this a good time? 07:46 --> 07:48 This is a great time. 07:48 --> 07:49 Apologies for the mix-up. 07:49 --> 07:50 No worries. 07:50 --> 07:54 What was funny is, so we were talking to a man named Michael Vitez. 07:55 --> 07:57 He wrote a book called Rocky Stories. 07:58 --> 08:01 There's all the people running up the steps at the museum there. 08:01 --> 08:09 Long story short, he got Stallone to do the foreword for his book, but he kept on missing Stallone because there's a mix-up in the time zones. 08:09 --> 08:10 Oh. 08:10 --> 08:14 And I thought that was apropos because that's what happened to us as well. 08:14 --> 08:22 So if a Pulitzer Prize winning author, an actor who has many people handling them can get time zones mixed up, so can we, I guess. 08:24 --> 08:26 It happens, certainly. 08:26 --> 08:31 It's a very busy and frenetic world, so it certainly can happen to anyone. 08:32 --> 08:38 I had a question that you mentioned earlier about Mr. Stallone modeling for your father. 08:38 --> 08:45 Sometimes when I think of somebody that's modeling for art, I picture them just standing there for a long time, like for a painting. 08:45 --> 08:45 Was that the case? 08:45 --> 08:48 Well, he did do some standing poses. 08:49 --> 08:59 My father also had taken some photographs in order to be able to continue to work on the piece when Mr. Stallone wasn't there. 08:59 --> 09:13 But one of the most interesting aspects of when he came to model for my father in his studio is that my father took a life mask, a plaster life mask, which I'm not sure if you're familiar with the process. 09:13 --> 09:19 It's not a particularly comfortable process to go through. 09:19 --> 09:32 You usually need to have a breathing mechanism, usually straws in your nostrils, so that you can breathe while plaster is placed on your face so that an exact mask of the face can be taken. 09:32 --> 09:34 Mr. Stallone did it for that. 09:34 --> 09:35 He did a fantastic job. 09:36 --> 09:36 He was very professional. 09:36 --> 09:48 So that was one of the things that I always recall, like being a famous individual, a famous movie star going through this process and really went through like a champion. 09:48 --> 09:50 It was very interesting. 09:50 --> 09:53 Now, did you meet him at that time at the studio when you were younger? 09:54 --> 09:55 Yes, I did. 09:55 --> 09:57 I don't want to gauge your age. 09:57 --> 09:59 I know that's not polite to do, but I don't know. 09:59 --> 10:00 How old were you? 10:00 --> 10:03 Did you know quite what you were experiencing? 10:03 --> 10:05 Well, let me be honest. 10:05 --> 10:11 I was a middle school teenager when Mr. Stallone came up to the house, which is also my father's studio. 10:12 --> 10:12 Right. 10:12 --> 10:15 I recognized him certainly from the films. 10:15 --> 10:18 I had seen the original Rocky film in the movie theater. 10:18 --> 10:22 He was a little bit shy, as certainly teenagers are. 10:22 --> 10:26 He was just such a very normal person. 10:26 --> 10:27 He was a very genuine person. 10:28 --> 10:31 You really didn't feel like you had to be awestruck. 10:31 --> 10:40 But it was certainly something that, as a young person, I had an idea of what the ramifications were and the impact was. 10:41 --> 10:44 And I think that that was something that certainly I remember to this day. 10:45 --> 10:48 So you won't insult me with my age. 10:48 --> 10:51 Did you call your girlfriends and say, he was here? 10:51 --> 10:52 He was here? 10:52 --> 10:53 Yes. 10:53 --> 10:53 Yes. 10:53 --> 10:54 Yes, I did. 10:54 --> 10:55 I hope so. 10:55 --> 10:57 Because that would have been terrible if you did it. 10:57 --> 10:58 Because I know I would have. 10:58 --> 11:01 And I probably would have sounded like a teenage girl if I, even today. 11:02 --> 11:03 I was never a teenage girl. 11:03 --> 11:09 But when I was a teenage boy, I, long story short, I was at a funeral with Jason Priestley. 11:09 --> 11:12 I remember telling people, hey, I saw Jason Priestley. 11:12 --> 11:16 And there's a different wattage, star power, between Mr. Priestley and Stallone. 11:17 --> 11:20 So I would imagine you would have shouted it from the rooftops. 11:21 --> 11:23 Well, I certainly did. 11:23 --> 11:30 Although I think at my school at the time, people were a little dubious and thought I might have been having a tall tale. 11:30 --> 11:30 Sure. 11:30 --> 11:33 But I had the photographic evidence. 11:34 --> 11:35 So that served me in the long run. 11:35 --> 11:44 But it was really being part of my father's business and seeing the business as he operated and working with his clients. 11:44 --> 11:47 It was, in some respects, it was business as usual. 11:47 --> 11:52 But then again, you still had that feeling that something very special was happening. 11:53 --> 11:56 And I think that that was, that's, again, what I've really carried through with me. 11:56 --> 12:06 And when I did come back into the business, as I mentioned before, after many years, I really wasn't sure if other people, if it would really resonate with them. 12:06 --> 12:19 And it was surprising how quickly that was made evident to me that it really is still something that people enjoy, believe in, identify with, experience on a day-to-day basis. 12:19 --> 12:24 And I think that that's really what carried me forward and which inspired me as being part of the business. 12:25 --> 12:25 It's been great. 12:26 --> 12:28 I have a few questions about the statue. 12:29 --> 12:31 There's three Rocky statues, according to your website. 12:32 --> 12:40 The one that's at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which is, of course, the famous one a lot of people take pictures with at the bottom of the stairs there. 12:40 --> 12:41 Myself included, by the way. 12:41 --> 12:42 Oh, wonderful. 12:42 --> 12:43 Yeah, Ruben has had that opportunity. 12:44 --> 12:44 I have not. 12:44 --> 12:53 One day, if I have a bucket list, it probably just involves all things Rocky, which is to visit Philadelphia and to walk in the Rocky steps. 12:54 --> 12:56 The other one's at the San Diego Hall of Champions, correct? 12:56 --> 12:57 Yes. 12:57 --> 13:00 And then the third one is, it says it's up for sale. 13:01 --> 13:11 So I went to Wikipedia, and there's some discrepancy from your website and Wikipedia's information, which, of course, that's going to happen on Wikipedia because it's user entered. 13:11 --> 13:21 But it would be interesting if we could resolve Wikipedia, and we would love to do it for you because according to Wikipedia, it says that it is unknown if a third one has been cast and or sold. 13:22 --> 13:22 Okay. 13:22 --> 13:26 Well, I can resolve both of those issues for you. 13:26 --> 13:29 Yes, the third statue is cast. 13:29 --> 13:38 The third statue is also currently located in a gallery space, which will be unveiled at a point sometime this summer. 13:39 --> 13:39 Okay. 13:39 --> 13:44 Which is in Colorado, which is where my father's studio is located. 13:44 --> 13:48 And yes, that third statue is available for purchase. 13:48 --> 13:48 Okay. 13:49 --> 13:49 Well, that's awesome. 13:50 --> 13:53 So with your permission, can we update Wikipedia's website? 13:53 --> 13:54 Yes, please. 13:54 --> 13:55 I've never done it before. 13:56 --> 13:57 To be honest with you, I don't know how to do it. 13:57 --> 13:59 Maybe Ruby, my brother, knows how to update it. 13:59 --> 14:00 I don't know. 14:00 --> 14:00 Okay. 14:00 --> 14:03 Because you don't want to always say citation needed or what have you. 14:03 --> 14:05 So we're going to cite our podcast. 14:07 --> 14:14 But at the very least, that we can at least let the listeners know who might go to Wikipedia to read about the statue. 14:14 --> 14:16 They'll at least know that that is the case. 14:16 --> 14:18 So thank you for sharing that with us. 14:18 --> 14:18 You're welcome. 14:19 --> 14:22 The specs on the statue, did I understand they're about two tons each? 14:23 --> 14:23 Yes. 14:23 --> 14:24 It is cast bronze. 14:25 --> 14:27 So it is a cast metal statue. 14:28 --> 14:30 It is not solid, but it is hollow. 14:30 --> 14:30 Right. 14:30 --> 14:36 It's approximately a little over 12 feet with its pedestal. 14:36 --> 14:46 It is a patinaed bronze, which, again, you can see from many of the photographs that are probably up on our Facebook page or on our website. 14:46 --> 14:50 Various wearing of the metal is naturally occurring. 14:51 --> 14:56 And it's very interesting to look at the statue outside the art museum. 14:56 --> 15:01 I think people touch Rocky's boots or knees for good luck. 15:02 --> 15:05 And so some of the weathering is a little different, as it appears. 15:05 --> 15:08 And that's all part of the natural weathering process. 15:08 --> 15:11 And have you ever seen a bird sit on the statue? 15:12 --> 15:14 I have never seen a bird sit on the statue. 15:14 --> 15:20 Because according to the movie, Rocky said, as long as that statue's there, there'll be a place for birds to sit on. 15:20 --> 15:23 Yeah, pigeons still have somewhere to sit. 15:23 --> 15:24 That's right. 15:24 --> 15:25 I've heard the quote. 15:25 --> 15:27 But no, I've not seen any pigeons. 15:28 --> 15:41 I understand there have been a number of different types of sporting jerseys, everything from, I guess, flyers jerseys to eagles jerseys, which have adorned the statue at various points in time. 15:41 --> 15:42 Both college students. 15:43 --> 15:46 College students and various visitors. 15:46 --> 15:51 Yeah, so it's very popular, at least down in Philadelphia, for people to stop by. 15:51 --> 15:58 In Rocky 3, after Mickey's death, the character Rocky throws his motorcycle helmet at the statue. 15:58 --> 16:00 Did he actually hit the statue? 16:00 --> 16:03 Or is that like a mini prop or a side prop? 16:04 --> 16:06 Did he actually strike the statue with his helmet? 16:06 --> 16:08 I was under the impression that it did strike. 16:08 --> 16:14 And I know that Mr. Stallone had auctioned off a number of artifacts from Rocky. 16:14 --> 16:18 And that helmet did sell recently. 16:18 --> 16:24 Whether it was an actual prop or an actual motorcycle helmet, I honestly can't speak to that. 16:24 --> 16:28 But as I do recall, it was thrown at the statue. 16:28 --> 16:31 And I think that that did go at auction as well. 16:31 --> 16:38 And there is someone, luckily, out in the marketplace who purchased that motorcycle helmet that struck the Rocky statue. 16:38 --> 16:40 Did it mark the statue at all, I wonder? 16:41 --> 16:44 It would actually have to hit pretty hard. 16:44 --> 16:53 And it would probably have to be another metal in order to make any kind of real, either any kind of nick or any kind of impact into that patina. 16:53 --> 16:56 Again, it's a metal statue. 16:56 --> 16:58 And it's fairly hardy, as we've seen. 16:59 --> 17:05 During Rocky III as well, when the statue was, of course, unveiled to the movie public and to the Rocky character. 17:05 --> 17:12 And you see, of course, Rocky's facial expression of complete awe and humility about the statue. 17:12 --> 17:21 How much of Mr. Stallone's dialogue in the movie and his reaction in the movie do you think represented his real-life feelings on the statue? 17:21 --> 17:24 Oh, well, I hope that that's truly the case. 17:24 --> 17:27 I think he's very pleased with the product. 17:27 --> 17:35 He specifically selected my father to be the sculptor of the statue because he had been a collector of my father's work. 17:35 --> 17:35 Okay. 17:36 --> 17:39 My father has been a sculptor for... 17:39 --> 17:42 Now I'll be dating him. 17:42 --> 17:44 He's been a sculptor for over five decades. 17:44 --> 17:45 Wow. 17:45 --> 17:50 He's been out in the professional art market for many, many years. 17:50 --> 17:51 And it's very well established. 17:51 --> 17:56 And he had actually been specializing in sports bronze pieces. 17:56 --> 18:02 And he had a gallery exhibit in Las Vegas, which Mr. Stallone saw him at. 18:03 --> 18:08 And that's how Mr. Stallone connected with possibly having my father do the Rocky statue. 18:08 --> 18:13 He approached my father and asked him if he would like to take on that commission. 18:13 --> 18:17 And again, he had also purchased some of my father's other boxing pieces. 18:17 --> 18:23 This isn't my father's first memorial-sized, monumental-sized statue. 18:23 --> 18:30 He has done a large boxing memorial for the U.S. Olympic team that was killed in a plane crash in Poland. 18:30 --> 18:30 Yes. 18:31 --> 18:32 At the Amateur Olympics. 18:33 --> 18:37 So he has been really in that sphere for a number of years. 18:37 --> 18:42 And Mr. Stallone appreciates his work and appreciates him as an artist. 18:43 --> 18:47 And I think that that, if there's any reaction, I hope that that's really what's coming through. 18:47 --> 18:49 I personally like to believe that. 18:50 --> 18:51 I think so. 18:51 --> 19:00 And I think it's not much of a mystery that a lot of the dialogue in the Rocky films does reflect Mr. Stallone's feelings on life in general. 19:00 --> 19:03 His life as an actor, his life with his family, with his son, things like that. 19:03 --> 19:09 I think a lot of it is a reflection to the audience, almost like a semi-autobiography on his actual life. 19:09 --> 19:13 So I think seeing that statue was probably, he probably in his own right was like, 19:13 --> 19:16 I can't believe my life has gone this far in this way with this character. 19:16 --> 19:17 There's now a statue. 19:18 --> 19:22 But with his own self-appreciating humor, that's where that line for Burr is to sit on. 19:22 --> 19:23 Because that's just the way he is. 19:23 --> 19:26 He seems to be that way, very self-appreciating in a humorous way. 19:26 --> 19:32 He's very aware, I think he's very self-aware of what the Rocky has done for the world, the character Rocky. 19:33 --> 19:37 There couldn't be a more humble and gracious actor to create this. 19:37 --> 19:43 Because I hate to say it, there's people in the industry who kind of rebel in their celebrity. 19:43 --> 19:44 I don't think Stallone is one of those people. 19:44 --> 19:51 I think he always seems to be, from what I can see, very gracious and humble of the effect that the Rocky character has done for the world. 19:51 --> 19:53 I believe that as well. 19:53 --> 19:55 Mr. Stallone is a very, very intelligent man. 19:56 --> 19:56 He wrote the script. 19:57 --> 19:58 He's very articulate. 19:58 --> 19:59 He's very professional. 20:00 --> 20:02 But again, he is a very humble person. 20:02 --> 20:12 And he is really just someone who has let that genuine idea and that very genuine character come forth. 20:12 --> 20:15 And he's shown a lot of respect for that character over the years. 20:15 --> 20:21 And I think that that's just, that's why, again, 40 years of Rocky and it's still going strong. 20:21 --> 20:23 And I think that that's what's just fabulous about it. 20:24 --> 20:26 I can't imagine a time when it's going to fade away. 20:26 --> 20:27 I don't know. 20:27 --> 20:29 Maybe that's just my projection of myself. 20:29 --> 20:32 But I don't see it going, oh, no one's talking about it anymore. 20:33 --> 20:35 Well, I certainly hope not. 20:35 --> 20:39 And I hope that the statue is in Philadelphia for perpetuity. 20:39 --> 20:48 I think it's so popular and it's an inspirational piece that I think that that's something that people around the world really revel in. 20:48 --> 20:59 And again, in coming into the business at this stage, really the amount of international recognition is pretty amazing as well. 20:59 --> 21:08 There's a couple, I'm not sure if you're familiar with them, but they did a blog for Philadelphia Inquirer 21:08 --> 21:15 and had been going around the world with one of the 12-inch Rocky sculptures that we produced. 21:16 --> 21:16 Oh, wow. 21:16 --> 21:30 And they said the only two places in the world where the statue and the character hadn't been recognized was the Gobi Desert and North Korea. 21:31 --> 21:32 North Korea. 21:32 --> 21:43 Yeah, so Rocky is really very identifiable and not just here in the States or in Philadelphia, but as you can tell, you folks are up in Canada. 21:43 --> 21:53 And we have a lot of fantastic fans in Canada that patronize our website and purchase from us as well as a number of folks around the world. 21:53 --> 22:03 So it's, you know, the fact that this character is just so identifiable to so many individuals really speaks to the human condition 22:03 --> 22:09 and identifying with the struggles that one person goes through and gaining inspiration from that struggle. 22:09 --> 22:15 And I think that's, you know, again, it's just a fabulous thing for me to have been able to be part of. 22:15 --> 22:20 Robin, you just really succinctly articulated the draw of Rocky. 22:20 --> 22:24 I just was curious to know your viewpoint of the Rocky story. 22:24 --> 22:26 Oh, well, I'm honored. 22:26 --> 22:27 Thank you. 22:27 --> 22:27 Well, thank you. 22:28 --> 22:28 Yeah. 22:29 --> 22:35 Well, let me, I can probably articulate it from a few different angles. 22:35 --> 22:42 From a, perhaps a more simplistic angle, I'm an athlete. 22:42 --> 22:45 I've been an athlete for a number of years. 22:45 --> 22:56 And certainly you can identify with someone who's training to really accomplish something that's important to them in an athletic event. 22:56 --> 23:01 And so that is something that I think whether you're a male or female, you can certainly identify with. 23:01 --> 23:04 Certainly then, Rocky has hardships. 23:04 --> 23:08 Rocky has been, perhaps, looked down on. 23:08 --> 23:12 And he hasn't been able to really reach his full potential. 23:13 --> 23:17 And he's working through, I'm going back to the very first movie. 23:17 --> 23:20 He's working through to realize a dream. 23:20 --> 23:24 And again, I think that's something that can certainly identify with. 23:24 --> 23:35 I have, I would say, a fair amount of our clientele are female patrons who are, if they're not purchasing for themselves, they're purchasing for a friend. 23:35 --> 23:54 And I just recall my very first sale when I came to work in the Rocky business was to a lady in the Pacific Northwest who was purchasing a Rocky statue for her girlfriend who had just overcome breast cancer. 23:55 --> 23:55 Oh, wow. 23:55 --> 24:07 And I was so blown away by, and very honored that this was something that she wanted to share and bring to her friend. 24:07 --> 24:21 That that was, it just made so much sense to me that, again, everyone can really identify with overcoming struggle, with overcoming adversity, with persevering through trying to reach a goal or a dream. 24:21 --> 24:24 And I think that's the universal appeal of Rocky. 24:24 --> 24:30 Well, it's funny that you mentioned that, because yesterday I went to, I guess, a place of business. 24:30 --> 24:33 And they had a very tall set of steps. 24:33 --> 24:35 It's just on the second floor, but it's a commercial building. 24:35 --> 24:41 So it was taller than, you know, instead of more than a flight of stairs, a typical flight of stairs for one story. 24:42 --> 24:44 I kind of just ran up the stairs, I guess you could say. 24:45 --> 24:50 When I got to the top, I felt very euphoric, and I almost started, almost like tearing up on my eye. 24:50 --> 24:54 And the reason why that is, is I had cancer in my hip a few years ago. 24:54 --> 24:57 And so there was a point where I couldn't walk unaided. 24:58 --> 24:59 I needed crutches and that sort of stuff. 24:59 --> 25:02 And the idea of going up stairs was very daunting. 25:02 --> 25:08 Then going up stairs without crutches, and then going up stairs, you know, kind of quickly, like everybody else. 25:08 --> 25:09 And then just kind of running up. 25:10 --> 25:16 I kind of felt that, that little rocky, you know, like, I felt the soundtrack. 25:16 --> 25:17 I felt that accomplishment. 25:18 --> 25:23 And so when you mentioned the woman getting the statue for the friend, I'm like, yeah, I can relate with that. 25:23 --> 25:28 You know, I congratulate you on your recovery and that you are running up the steps. 25:28 --> 25:29 I think that's wonderful. 25:29 --> 25:33 And again, I wish you all good health in the future. 25:33 --> 25:33 Thanks. 25:33 --> 25:36 And many more rocky steps to run. 25:38 --> 25:43 And again, yes, I think that is the most basic universal appeal of what rocky is. 25:43 --> 25:51 It's that feeling of overcoming your own personal downfall or demons or limitations in order to keep moving forward. 25:52 --> 25:58 And I just think that that part of the rocky legacy will probably never dim. 25:58 --> 26:07 And I certainly hope not because I think, you know, you look at some of the things that, you know, people are faced with, the adversity, the difficulties. 26:07 --> 26:14 And hopefully this will always be something, you know, the movies, the character will always be something that people can look to. 26:14 --> 26:15 I hope so, too. 26:15 --> 26:17 And I agree with everything you said, Robin. 26:17 --> 26:19 I did have a few other questions about the statue. 26:20 --> 26:23 On your website, you said, or not you, I don't know, sorry. 26:23 --> 26:24 I don't know who wrote the website. 26:26 --> 26:30 The pose that, the rocky pose is called the contra-aposto pose. 26:31 --> 26:31 Am I saying that right? 26:32 --> 26:34 Yeah, contra-aposto pose. 26:34 --> 26:36 It's a Greek term. 26:37 --> 26:42 My father is a very classically trained sculptor. 26:42 --> 26:49 That particular pose is very much adopted by very much part of the Greek classical sculpture tradition. 26:49 --> 27:07 And so when he wanted to sculpt rocky in his victory moment, it became very clear that he wanted to have him with that pose, a very classical pose, a very strong pose that really conveys that level of success, the level that he overcame. 27:07 --> 27:08 It was very much by design. 27:08 --> 27:19 And my father, and he's also an instructor, a professor of art, and he could certainly give you a much longer distance on that particular pose than myself. 27:20 --> 27:23 But that was by design, yes. 27:23 --> 27:23 Oh, awesome. 27:23 --> 27:26 And I guess I could have Googled it, but it's nice that you explained it for me. 27:27 --> 27:39 And I remember when this was happening, and I remember feeling very offended by this, that the statue went through some debate, as you know, of not being considered art, that it was considered a movie prop by some people. 27:39 --> 27:44 And thus, it was removed from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and went to the spectrum for a while. 27:45 --> 27:46 What was your father's thoughts on all this? 27:47 --> 27:51 To me, and I'm not an artist at all, I can appreciate something that looks good. 27:51 --> 27:57 But to me, art is just literally taking something that doesn't exist and making it exist because you did that. 27:57 --> 28:02 And I don't know why something that was used in a movie to tell the story could not be considered art. 28:02 --> 28:08 And I'm just curious what the arguments were and how it eventually ended up back at the bottom of the steps in 2006. 28:09 --> 28:09 Sure, sure. 28:09 --> 28:13 I won't go into too much detail with the debate. 28:14 --> 28:24 I'm certainly, I'm not particularly familiar with a number of the actors who may have been for or against the statue being in Philadelphia at the museum. 28:24 --> 28:25 Okay. 28:25 --> 28:30 Suffice it to say, my personal opinion is that beauty is in the eye of the polder. 28:31 --> 28:36 If you wish to consider something a piece of art, it is certainly a piece of art. 28:37 --> 28:40 Something that is art is something which you derive meaning from. 28:41 --> 28:46 You derive pleasure from viewing it or an emotion that it provides you. 28:47 --> 28:53 And so if it's not art to certain individuals, that's not necessarily an incorrect assertion on their part. 28:54 --> 28:59 If it is art to someone, then it's not particularly correct for someone to say that it isn't. 28:59 --> 29:04 Again, I think it has to be a very individual approach to what one considers art. 29:05 --> 29:18 My father has always wanted any of his art to produce meaning for an individual, to produce an emotion that is pleasurable, that they derive personal meaning for. 29:18 --> 29:25 For him, whether it's Rocky or any of his other sculptures, it really isn't any different for him. 29:25 --> 29:27 He and we have always seen Rocky as art. 29:27 --> 29:29 We derive great pleasure from it. 29:30 --> 29:31 It's a beautiful piece. 29:31 --> 29:37 It's a fabulous character that, as I've said before, a lot of individuals can identify with. 29:37 --> 29:45 In having the statue come back to the museum, again, with great appreciation to Mr. Stallone 29:45 --> 29:50 and also Jimmy Binns, who's the former boxing commissioner in Philadelphia, 29:50 --> 29:56 who really worked a position to have it brought back to the museum. 29:56 --> 30:02 Since the spectrum was being torn down and the placement at the spectrum was then up for debate, 30:02 --> 30:07 and then it did come back to the museum in 2006, I think is fantastic. 30:08 --> 30:12 I think its location where it currently is, not at the top of the steps. 30:12 --> 30:15 It's just down near the Rotunda Drive. 30:16 --> 30:18 More accessible. 30:18 --> 30:23 The thing that I appreciate about where it is now is that it's very visible. 30:23 --> 30:24 It's very accessible. 30:25 --> 30:28 It's something that people can get to very easily. 30:28 --> 30:33 The Rocky Steps, they are fantastic and beautiful in and of themselves. 30:34 --> 30:37 It's nice that they're the steps that people can climb. 30:37 --> 30:45 It's also nice that the statue is down below that's more accessible for people to get and see and have their picture taken with. 30:46 --> 30:52 With regard to the museum, the museum have been wonderfully supportive of us. 30:53 --> 31:01 They actually are one of our very few distribution partners, and they actually distribute the 12-inch resin sculpture. 31:02 --> 31:03 Which are beautiful, by the way. 31:03 --> 31:08 I showed my wife, and I said, hint, hint, wink, wink, birthday, Christmas, sometime in the near future, please. 31:09 --> 31:10 Oh, thank you. 31:10 --> 31:10 Thank you. 31:10 --> 31:14 Yes, and they actually carry them at the art museum as well. 31:14 --> 31:16 And again, they're one of our very few distributors. 31:16 --> 31:23 And they were very supportive of us when we did make the decision to have our second edition run. 31:23 --> 31:28 Because, again, we had been sold out since, oh my, I believe it was 2009. 31:29 --> 31:31 We had sold out of the 12-inch resins. 31:32 --> 31:35 And it was a question whether or not we would even produce them again. 31:35 --> 31:37 We just don't produce these in mass quantities. 31:37 --> 31:44 So having their backing and their support, and really that they saw the demand for it, 31:44 --> 31:49 and were also willing to act as a distributor for us, it was lovely. 31:49 --> 31:51 It was really like we came full circle. 31:51 --> 31:55 And the support of the people of Philadelphia has just been outstanding. 31:55 --> 32:01 And any piece of art, you can look through history, there are always controversies. 32:02 --> 32:07 And the Rocky statue is certainly not the first, and the Rocky statue will probably not be the last. 32:07 --> 32:11 I have to say, I wouldn't be surprised with the naysayers. 32:11 --> 32:12 I'll say it. 32:12 --> 32:14 You don't have to say it, because I'm just, you know, who am I? 32:14 --> 32:20 I'll just say that I got a feeling that some of the naysayers are just a couple of bah humbuckers. 32:20 --> 32:23 Like, oh, we can't have this Rocky fiasco on earth. 32:23 --> 32:25 That this is for prestigious art. 32:25 --> 32:28 And they kind of viewed me, Rocky, as cartoonish. 32:29 --> 32:32 And not in the light that the Rocky character was created in. 32:32 --> 32:33 That's my feeling. 32:34 --> 32:40 I don't know what the age groups were that these people, or, you know, how they truly identified with the Rocky character, or if at all. 32:40 --> 32:47 Because I think once you know who Rocky is as a character, and how cool the statue really is, that it is art. 32:47 --> 32:49 Just because it was used in a film, it's not a movie prop. 32:50 --> 32:50 It actually is an art piece. 32:51 --> 32:52 So that's just me, you know. 32:52 --> 32:53 Well, thank you. 32:53 --> 32:54 I appreciate that. 32:54 --> 32:56 I'll speak honestly. 32:57 --> 32:59 Well, thank you very much. 32:59 --> 33:01 And again, we all appreciate that. 33:01 --> 33:09 And honestly, we're also very appreciative of the people of Philadelphia, and the institutions of Philadelphia that have embraced the statue. 33:09 --> 33:14 And number two attraction in Philadelphia. 33:14 --> 33:15 I believe it. 33:15 --> 33:18 Independent center in Liberty Hall, and the Liberty Bell. 33:18 --> 33:19 And we're very, you know, very happy. 33:20 --> 33:23 It's an identifiable piece for Philadelphia. 33:23 --> 33:30 Every day on Twitter, I do a Rocky hashtag search just to find people to talk to, or just interact with people about Rocky. 33:30 --> 33:33 And there's always somebody posting a picture of the statue. 33:33 --> 33:33 It's really cool. 33:34 --> 33:34 Yes, yes. 33:34 --> 33:41 And we like them posting on our Facebook page, and certainly sending them to us via our webpage. 33:41 --> 33:50 And that's really, that's what it's, for us, the most important thing, is that the people derive the meaning, and the pleasure, and the excitement out of the statue. 33:50 --> 33:55 Are you aware of the statue replica that was done in Serbia? 33:56 --> 33:56 Yes. 33:57 --> 34:12 We have recently been contacted by one of the individuals who had been one of the strongest proponents and fundraisers and activists for getting the replica that is over in Serbia. 34:13 --> 34:16 And hopefully we're going to be meeting with him sometime over the summer. 34:16 --> 34:19 We're hoping he's going to have an opportunity to come and visit. 34:19 --> 34:22 So, yes, we are aware of it. 34:22 --> 34:22 Okay. 34:23 --> 34:38 And, again, it's unfortunate that, you know, they couldn't perhaps afford the third of the statue, but that the Rocky meant so much to them that they did something similar. 34:38 --> 34:47 It's obviously not an exact replica, because it's a copywritten product, and you can't, unfortunately, do something like that. 34:47 --> 35:02 But the fact that it did mean so much to them, and regarding all of the hardships that, obviously, that country and the people of the country had gone through, that that was something that gave them meaning and hope, I think is really fabulous. 35:03 --> 35:06 Well, they say copycatting is a form of flattery. 35:06 --> 35:07 I think I... 35:07 --> 35:10 Imitation is a form of flattery. 35:10 --> 35:10 Imitation. 35:10 --> 35:11 Yeah, yeah, that's right. 35:11 --> 35:12 That's right. 35:12 --> 35:13 Definitely. 35:13 --> 35:14 That's right. 35:14 --> 35:15 Within reason. 35:16 --> 35:18 Yeah, as long as you don't break any copyright. 35:18 --> 35:18 Right. 35:20 --> 35:25 In 2006, they had that big ceremony to put the statue back at the museum. 35:25 --> 35:27 Were you a part of the ceremony, or were you there for that? 35:28 --> 35:32 I wasn't part of the ceremony, but, yes, I was there for that ceremony. 35:32 --> 35:36 And that's when the mayor announced Stallone as the city's favorite adopted son. 35:37 --> 35:37 Yeah. 35:38 --> 35:44 And Mr. Stallone was there, and we have some lovely pictures of him with the statue. 35:44 --> 35:47 And it was really... 35:47 --> 35:51 It was pretty amazing, the number of people that came out for that unveiling. 35:51 --> 35:53 It was a very popular event. 35:54 --> 35:54 So... 35:54 --> 35:57 You know, I'm surprised, not surprised, that a lot of people were there. 35:58 --> 36:01 Like, I guess it's weird that there's a lot of people there, but at the same time, are 36:01 --> 36:02 we really surprised? 36:02 --> 36:06 Because I understand, according to some of the DVD extras I've seen, Sylvester Stallone 36:06 --> 36:12 talks about how when he's walking around filming in his Rocky outfit, people will speak to him, 36:12 --> 36:13 talk to him as Rocky. 36:13 --> 36:16 And they're not doing it to be funny or glib. 36:16 --> 36:17 They're actually serious. 36:17 --> 36:19 We're talking to Rocky right now. 36:19 --> 36:19 Yes. 36:20 --> 36:27 Well, and I know that you recently interviewed Mike Kunduz, who's a very good friend of ours. 36:27 --> 36:28 Oh, great. 36:28 --> 36:33 And he came down to support us when we were at the Philadelphia Comic-Con. 36:34 --> 36:40 And just, it was so wonderful seeing the people interact with him and literally talking with 36:40 --> 36:45 him as if he's Rocky and with the accent and the way of speaking. 36:45 --> 36:49 And people were just so excited and just wanted their photo taken with him. 36:49 --> 36:53 And we had a booth there for the sculptures. 36:53 --> 36:57 And the people that just, they just wanted to have their pictures taken with the sculpture, 36:58 --> 37:00 with Mike, with the banner we had. 37:00 --> 37:01 It was, it's amazing. 37:01 --> 37:04 People identify with the character. 37:04 --> 37:06 People want to interact with the character. 37:07 --> 37:09 And he's their native son. 37:09 --> 37:11 That's definitely the case. 37:11 --> 37:15 How many times have you gone to Comic-Con for the Rocky Statue exhibit? 37:15 --> 37:17 And how do you say, we're doing this? 37:17 --> 37:18 Like, are you invited? 37:18 --> 37:19 Do you apply for it? 37:20 --> 37:24 Comic-Con is, it's a convention event. 37:24 --> 37:29 So we have a booth space that we purchase a booth space. 37:29 --> 37:33 And we've been at Philadelphia Comic-Con for three years now. 37:33 --> 37:36 We don't go to San Diego. 37:37 --> 37:39 We did go to New York once. 37:39 --> 37:42 We really feel that our native clientele is Philadelphia. 37:42 --> 37:44 We want to support Philadelphia. 37:44 --> 37:45 We want to be in Philadelphia. 37:45 --> 37:47 So we've done that for three years. 37:47 --> 37:51 Going forward, we're not certain if we will do that again this coming year. 37:51 --> 37:55 But we definitely will continue to do that in the future. 37:55 --> 37:59 And it's been overwhelming, fantastic success. 37:59 --> 38:06 Not only for us from getting the realization out that we do have smaller statues that are available, 38:07 --> 38:14 but also just it's a realization every time I go to Comic-Con that the fans are getting younger and younger. 38:14 --> 38:22 I've met a gentleman who was one of the kids who ran behind Rocky when he ran through the streets of Philadelphia. 38:22 --> 38:22 That's awesome. 38:23 --> 38:27 And so you get to meet all of these individuals that have a specific story about Rocky. 38:27 --> 38:39 I wish I had all of their stories and I had had the foresight to write them down because there's so many different avenues and different views of the statue and the character and being part of Philadelphia. 38:39 --> 38:41 It's a fantastic experience. 38:41 --> 38:44 Well, your story's happening right now, Robin, so I wouldn't feel too bad. 38:46 --> 38:52 Before we wrap up, I actually had a question about your father's project that he's working on right now, the 9-11. 38:52 --> 38:52 Okay. 38:52 --> 38:57 Do you want to speak to that a little bit, what that is and what's involved in that or what's going to be shown? 38:58 --> 38:59 It is a work in progress. 38:59 --> 38:59 Right. 38:59 --> 39:05 We're hoping that it will be completed in 2016, possibly into 2017. 39:06 --> 39:10 It's very meaningful for us, my family, for me, myself. 39:10 --> 39:14 I had been living on the East Coast during the time of 9-11. 39:14 --> 39:17 We knew individuals that perished. 39:17 --> 39:20 My husband was working in the city at the time. 39:20 --> 39:23 It's a very poignant topic for us as a family. 39:23 --> 39:35 My father's working on a series that we hope will be a traveling exhibition that we can be taking around to various sculpture gardens or galleries around the country. 39:35 --> 39:42 And it will be to memorialize various emotional points in the experience of 9-11. 39:43 --> 39:47 It's a more avant-garde style than perhaps Rocky is. 39:47 --> 39:51 There's no specific individual being depicted in other words. 39:51 --> 39:54 But it is something that we hope will continue to... 39:55 --> 39:57 People will see it and they will derive meaning from it. 39:58 --> 39:59 The emotion will resonate with them. 40:00 --> 40:01 Maybe they'll find healing. 40:01 --> 40:02 Maybe they'll find closure. 40:03 --> 40:06 These pieces are extremely close to my heart. 40:06 --> 40:06 Very beautiful. 40:07 --> 40:10 He's not completed the entirety of the series. 40:10 --> 40:13 But again, we're hoping that that will be in 2016, 2017. 40:14 --> 40:18 Look more on our website at schaumburgstudios.com. 40:18 --> 40:22 It's my father's website that is exhibiting his work. 40:22 --> 40:25 And we'll hope that it will be out very shortly. 40:26 --> 40:27 But thank you for asking about those. 40:27 --> 40:30 Those are very near and dear to all of our hearts. 40:30 --> 40:36 And we would like to have that series recognized and hopefully as recognizable someday as Rocky is. 40:37 --> 40:38 Well, that's wonderful. 40:38 --> 40:42 And Robin, we couldn't thank you enough for taking the time and speaking to us. 40:43 --> 40:46 I know you've shown your support through Twitter when we release episodes. 40:46 --> 40:47 We thank you for that as well. 40:47 --> 40:52 And also just for those listening, check out the official Rocky statue on Facebook. 40:52 --> 40:55 And rockystatue.com as well. 40:55 --> 41:02 We do have an audio cast with my father, A. Thomas Schaumburg, with the Museums Without Walls, 41:02 --> 41:06 which gives a little more information about the Rocky statue as well. 41:06 --> 41:07 Awesome. 41:07 --> 41:07 Yes. 41:07 --> 41:09 And thank you, gentlemen, for having me. 41:10 --> 41:12 I'm very honored to be the first female guest. 41:12 --> 41:14 And thank you. 41:15 --> 41:16 Fantastic. 41:16 --> 41:17 Thank you so much. 41:18 --> 41:20 I appreciate your work and I appreciate you having me on. 41:20 --> 41:21 And thank you so much. 41:21 --> 41:23 And have a great, great weekend. 41:23 --> 41:26 And all the best to you on the northern side. 41:26 --> 41:31 Yeah, just on the last thing here, Robin, can you just pass it along to your father that we appreciate his work? 41:31 --> 41:32 Yes, absolutely. 41:32 --> 41:34 And thank you for sharing this time with us. 41:34 --> 41:35 Have a great weekend. 41:35 --> 41:36 Thank you. 41:36 --> 41:36 Thank you. 41:36 --> 41:37 I'll pass that on. 41:37 --> 41:38 And thank you so much. 41:38 --> 41:38 All right. 41:38 --> 41:39 Bye-bye now. 41:39 --> 41:39 Bye. 41:39 --> 41:39 Thanks. 41:39 --> 41:40 Take care. 41:40 --> 41:40 Bye-bye. 41:40 --> 42:10 Thank you. 42:10 --> 42:11 you 42:11 --> 42:12 Thank you. 42:12 --> 42:12 Thank you. 42:12 --> 42:13 Thank you. 42:13 --> 42:14 Thank you.