Actor/writer Peter Fox has written a companion piece to Eve Ensler's much-loved "Vagina Monologues." His is called the "Testicle Monologues: If These Balls Could Talk" and has been recorded with professional actors and is being live-streamed at Santa Barbara's Center Stage Theater as a fund-raising event. Much like Ensler's feminine tour de force, Peter's play is a set of loosely woven, hilarious, touching and poignant reflections on man's distinctive pair of characteristics.

We talk about Fox's pandemic-induced creativity, the role of the arts in culture, the tremendous hardship, and also opportunity, faced by arts organizations - as imperiled as they are, the human hunger for the nourishment of the creative arts has reached a fever pitch. We talk about how this pent-up enthusiasm, following a fallow period for artists, could lead to a cultural flourishing not seen since the Roaring '20s.

Fox grew up in the Chicago area as second of eight children, and was introduced to show business at an early age, doing modeling for department stores as well as television commercials. He went to Harvard University on a scholarship, where he participating in the famous Hasty Pudding shows. Despite his fancy degree he did not have a post-college plan, drifting into acting through bartending, where he was discovered through a very Lana Turner-at-Schwab's Deli-esque moment.

He first came to acting fame through a lead role as Otter on the "Delta House" television show, then made the move into writing with a script for the show "Simon & Simon" and has written for stage and screen, including "Acts of God," which played for months in Los Angeles and was picked up by script publisher Samuel French, one of Peter's most glorious moments.

Peter grew up in a cultural milieu that included his high school "frenemy" Bill Murray, as well as John Hughes, Charlton Heston, Gilda Radner and Ann Margret. In fact, a couple years ago he attended a fundraiser at Fordham University with John Prine playing, then hopped in a limo to go to Bill Murray's Christmas party further up the Hudson River.

We had a surprise visitor show up during our call, who challenged the veracity of many of Peter's family stories. We did not talk about the Inuit diet, anarchist hero Nestor Mahkno or the Mississippi flyways.

Further links: www.centerstagetheater.org. The show will be up til January 31 and all proceeds go to the Center Stage Theater.

Candid Camera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mGlQeSbou0