“Put A Coin in the Jukebox and I’ll Do Anything”

There’s something about Toronto funnyman Donny Crosswell that transforms me into a giggling preteen girl. He has a warmth and openness that makes one feel immediately at ease. Maybe too at ease, considering he had me laughing so hard I snorted during our recent chat.

You can catch him in all his gay cowboy glory in the recent release “There’s Just Something About That Tennessee Whiskey”. The song, featuring Crosswell on vocals and friend Sandro Rocco on pedal steel guitar, is just about as country as you can get: Whiskey. Broken hearts. Neon signs. Closeted strangers with families at home, and the men who love them . . . Classic country. 

Crosswell’s music video leans even further into the genre, and unapologetically so! “It was always going to be a pure country video,” he says, “because I love country.” He lists Garth Brooks, Patsy Cline, Alan Jackson and Conway Twitty as his all-time favourites. When asked which of these legends inspired his performance in the song and video, he replies, “I don’t know, the song is kind of wacky. I guess they all just morphed into one.”

Shot on three separate locations in the Greater Toronto Area over a single day, “Tennessee Whiskey” features Crosswell living his shirtless country-superstar fantasy in a sequin rainbow suit and cowboy hat . . . and this is just one of the looks. Crosswell directed and choreographed his own scenes as friend Miguel Serrano filmed. “He pointed the camera, I danced,” he says of the shoot, “The whole thing was fun. Put a coin in the jukebox and I will do anything.”

As you may gather from the music video, or his vast archive of eclectic comedy projects, there is nothing subtle about Crosswell. I mean, look at that butt shaking to the rhythm in the tight Levis! Oh my God Becky, look at his butt! Although Crosswell may radiate absolute confidence and hilarity, he is reluctant to identify as a professional comedian. “I don’t know...I guess that is the end goal,” he reasons, still uncomfortable with the title. But what are labels anyway? He clarifies this spot of shyness: “I may not like to talk about myself or my work but I do crave attention. Anytime I can have all eyes on me I jump at the chance.”

And eyes are on Crosswell. Especially after his stint in the Philadelphia Cream Cheese angel casting call campaign. A portion of his audition tape (in which he is also shirtless!) made it to the final commercial. When I ask if his family considers this his “big break”, he explains that he actually didn’t tell them about it, and we have a good, deep belly laugh about that together.

For “There’s Just Something About That Tennessee Whiskey”, the response so far has been positive, and he’s gaining more traction as a country song comedian. Musical comedian is another title he is not so sure about. “Someone on twitter called me country Weird Al,” he laughs again.

Crosswell plans to release a synth remix of the song for Pride in the coming weeks. He also has a new country song on the agenda this summer, with Rocco back in action on the steel guitar. He beams with excitement about both songs, but remains elusive about the new country banger. What he does reveal is this: “It’s actually better than ‘Tennessee Whiskey’, I think.” I ask if this means there will be another music video coming our way soon. ”Yeah,” he fires back in reply, “I need to be seen!”

Agreed, Donny Croswell. Agreed. 

Follow Donny Crosswell at @donnycrosswell2