Michael Sanchez, superhero 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"When I was 8 years old. Bullies at school kept trying to beat me up, but I'd show them magic tricks my dad taught me. I wasn't good at the tricks, but every time I failed, I made the bullies laugh and kept my ass in one piece."
2. Key influences?
"Superman, of course. And Batman, he's great. Also Rogers and Hammerstein. They were a wonderful musical team."
3. Other than you, who is the most talented person alive today?
"Usher. That guy's really good."
Kurt Liebert, entertainer extraordinaire 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"The other day, when I was melting cheese into my pool with a curtain rod."
2. Key influences?
"Exxon?"
3. Other than you, who is the most talented person alive today?
"The Beatles."
Dead Broke Musicians (featuring Alyssa Herbert, Helen Mallary, and DC Birdsell) 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
Helen: "When I stole a violin from my dad's room and played the ABCs by ear."
2. Key influences?
Alyssa: "Billie Holiday, Weezer, Nirvana, and Nerf Herder."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
Alyssa: "Orange Chuck Taylors and law school."
Helen: "Cleaning and fixing my mom's house."
DC Birdsell: "A giant golden toilet."
Blowdog 'n' Sneezy with Batman, performance-art trio 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
Batman: "A fat man ripped a megaphone out of my hands and smashed it against a wall."
2. Key influences?
Blowdog: "Freud, Elvis, Mr. Rogers, Andy Kaufman, God, Ween, Will Oldham, David Lynch, Picasso, and acid."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
Sneezy: "A sensory deprivation tank, with robotic Olsen twins dressed as pandas to dry me off."
Jeff McLean, 10-year-old karaoke master 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"When I was 5 or 6."
2. Key influences?
"My grandpa."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
"A new convertible Mustang for me and a boat for my grandpa."
Devioni Peppars, dancer 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"In grade school, when I'd stay up late to finish some drawing or poem I'd thought up."
2. Key influences?
"I admire everyone who has tried to make a difference in this seemingly doomed society we call humanity."
3. Other than you, who is the most talented person alive today?
"Lance Armstrong."
Tap Explosion!, tap-dance duo 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"At gunpoint."
2. Key influences?
"Flash Gordon, Shirley Temple, and Erik Estrada."
3. Other than you, who is the most talented person alive today?
"Mary Poppins."
Emery Carl, hula-hooping musician 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"When I was 4; I put together a puppet show and told my sisters that they had to come, and they had to pay me."
2. Key influences?
"God, whom I've always felt encouraged me to be who I am, and Michael Jackson, because he's bad."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
"A John Deere tractor and a field to drive it in."
Kaotic, rapper 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"I come from a family of singers and musicians, and was born into entertainment."
2. Key influences?
"My mother, along with my sisters Marian and Alishia. Life itself is an influence, and Bumbershoot influences us all."
3. Other than you, who is the most talented person alive today?
"Allen Iverson. He battles players twice his size and no one can stop him."
Sofia Echegaray, singer/songwriter 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"When people started asking me for recordings of my songs."
2. Key influences?
"Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Sandy Denny, Tom Lehrer, and Joss Whedon."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
"Buttery confections, decadent chocolates, and prime cuts of meat. And perhaps a private chef, to prepare them all to my liking."
Storme Webber, writer/ performer 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"According to my mother my first performance was at age 2, singing 'Hit the Road Jack' with diapers swinging."
2. Key influences?
"Ray Charles (of course), Etta James, Gil Scott-Heron, Sitting Bull, Harriet Tubman, Nina Simone..."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
"Land."
Manic D & Fogatron, beatbox/rap duo 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"When we took first place at The Portland Mercury's Pizzazz! and won this spot in the Seattle show."
2. Key influences?
Manic D: "The Roots, Hieroglyphics, Pete Rock & C. L. Smooth, and Grandmaster Flash."
Fogatron: "Gary Numan and reggae."
3. Other than you, who is the most talented person alive today?
Manic D: "Thomas Kinkade, painter of light."
Fogatron: "The guys that stole The Scream."
Savannah Fuentes with Ethan Deutsch, flamenco dance and guitar 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
Savannah: "In third grade, I heard a voice tell me so." Ethan: "When I was 15 and studying in Spain with renowned Gypsy guitarist Diego del Gastor."
2. Key influences?
Savannah: "El Camaron and my daughter, Maite."
Ethan: "Diego del Gastor, Sabicas, and Paco de Lucia."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
Savannah: "Travel."
Ethan: "I won't have time for extravagances."
Bill Lohse, singer/songwriter 1. When did you first realize that you have Pizzazz!?
"I was in an elevator in Belltown, and I caught a fly with my left hand. I set it free outside. It was my proudest moment."
2. Key influences?
"Slayer, Tom Waits, Ween, Ol' Dirty Bastard, GnFnR, Bob Dylan, and my mom."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
"Two girls at once, and a Lamborghini."
Christopher Bange, magician 1. When did you first realize you had Pizzazz!?
"When I was 9 I discovered that I could break a matchstick then magically restore it to its unbroken state."
2. Key influences?
"Harry Houdini, Cardini, David Copperfield, and Popeye."
3. When you get to be rich and famous, what will be your greatest extravagance?
