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This Just In

‘A good experience if you’re a sociopath’

MIC’ED Pierce makes a point.

The “Golden Mic” crew isn’t bitter.

For the first time in four years, the group’s television show failed to garner “best comedy” honors at Rhode Island’s annual public access awards. But this, it seems, was failure with benefits.

“First there was frustration, then tears, then holding — and then it got sexual. But hey, we woke up naked and happy,” said Brad Pierce, creator of the show.

“Golden Mic” is a simple affair. Pierce and co-host Doug Silva get out on the street and engage in various shenanigans with unwitting pedestrians. During one summer episode, the pair asked beachcombers to drink a cup of eggnog on a 95-degree day.

“We’re being assholes, but people will do anything when on camera,” said Silva. “It’s a good experience if you’re a sociopath.”

The crew took to Thayer Street on a recent Wednesday to shoot fresh footage. Pierce asked passers-by for their favorite holiday songs, then passed the mic to Silva. One girl asked to hear a song from Disney classic The Little Mermaid. The crowd stepped back as Silva adjusted his stance — and belted out a Guns N’ Roses tune.

“Nailed it!,” Pierce shouted.

“Thanks a lot,” said the girl, as she walked away.

Soon after, the hosts stopped an elderly couple walking out of retail store Spectrum-India Inc. Pierce put the mic to the man’s face and asked the couple what type of inventory the store stocks. The old man replied “everything.”

“So they sell ostriches and hand grenades?” Pierce said into the camera. “Ladies and gentleman the store sells the entire contents of the universe.”

The crew spotted a WPRI-TV van on the corner of Angell Street. And Pierce asked the reporter for her favorite Christmas song. She didn’t take the bait and instead asked Pierce if he attends Brown University.

“Only to use the bathrooms,” he answered.

The crew followed the anchor and attempted to intercept her interviews, but backed off after she told them she was “going to kill” them.

It was not the crew’s first experience with confrontation. During one episode, Pierce put Silva’s cell phone number on screen as a joke. The co-host received belligerent calls for weeks after — one from a Rhode Islander holed up in an Ohio gas station bathroom. After the two slung verbal insults, Silva said they would meet up to hash it out.

“I told him I would be there in 20 minutes,” said Silva. “He didn’t believe me.”

For one episode, the Golden Mic gang drove down to Newport, dressed cameraman Chris Allegretta in tight red shorts to imitate the Flash, and challenged Thames Street walkers to race him. One man did not find the stunt amusing.

“He said he would throw a harpoon at me,” Allegretta said.