Today we’d like to introduce you to David Chapman.
Hi David, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
If you told me five years ago that I’d be sitting on stage at MegaCon Orlando, I’d call you crazy. If you told me 10 years ago, I’d be working in the tabletop game industry and co-hosting a show about Doctor Who, I’d call you crazy. If you told me 20 years ago that sports, of all things, would have me travelling all over North America (you guessed it) I’d call you crazy. My entire life there has only really been one permanent thing, impermanence.
I was always a creative child; I grew up on the stage for as long as I can remember. Singing, acting, dancing, and eventually behind the scenes as well. Growing up in a small rural town as an artistic soul wasn’t easy. So, after graduating high school, I moved to Edmonton, Alberta in order to upgrade a few classes at an arts-focused school before moving into postsecondary. From there I spent a year on tour with Up With People, travelling the world and getting involved in the communities we visited before putting on a Broadway-style show.
After returning home, I got my diploma in Theatre Technology and a certificate in Arts & Cultural Management and proceeded to work in the arts for several years. Family commitments eventually pulled me away from my chosen career path, and I was okay with that. It was around this time I fell into the sport of roller derby and I found myself back on the road working events across Alberta and almost all four corners of North America as an official, an announcer, and a photographer. For someone who generally disliked most sports, that was odd. I eventually retired and found myself once again with time on my hands. I started focusing more on my photography. For better or worse, my “hobby that sometimes made me money” had become a job around this time. One of those jobs was as a staff photographer for geekorama.net, were in an effort to fill my time, I also started writing reviews on comic books and board games.
Jump forward a hair more and I fell into playing quidditch. (Yes, really.) I connected with the local team at a convention and decided to take some photos at their practice. Well, it was awkward just standing there so I jogged a lap with them. Okay, I’ll toss the ball around. Darn it know I’m playing quidditch and having to keep up with college kids half my age. Since then, I’ve gotten to play in three countries (maybe four depending on when this interview happens to go out to the world.)
Not long after starting quidditch, I made another significant life choice. I left Geekorama and started TheRatHole.ca to focus on reviewing tabletop games on my own terms. Soon after I found myself nominated and a finalist for a Spacy Award, to be awarded at that year’s Space Coast ComicCon. Lil’ ol’ me against Florida powerhouses like The Hangin’ With Web Show and The Legend of the Traveling TARDIS.
Well, I lost the award. BUT I gained something even more important. I was asked by host and showrunner Christian Basel to be a guest on TLTT and chat about Doctor Who board games. I put my head down and reached out to a few publishers, and started prepping for that show. I actually came onto the show a few weeks earlier than planned for an episode on “Doctor Who’s Scariest Villains” and evidently made a good impression because now I’m a regular co-host.
After getting a taste of the Orlando life, I’m planning to come back in the spring, and pretty well anytime I can.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m Bipolar. Like, ridiculously bipolar. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was in my 30s and suddenly so much of my life came into focus. If you read My Story and thought to yourself, wow he does a lot of stuff, you got the abridged version. I’ve spent my entire life self-medicating with activity. At the end of the day, that’s not the worst way I could have handled things. I still have mental scars from the bullying and abuse I endured as a youth and even into adulthood, so between those things my mind can be a very Dark place.
One of my most important friendships to grow out of my time with The Legend of the Traveling TARDIS has been with Neisha T Mulchan, APRN, FNP-C, the founder of Diversely Geek, and the Diversly Me Foundation. Their fundamental principles of “Embrace Your Inner Geek, “Express Your Inner Geek,” and “Transforming Your Fandom Passion into Positive Action” are incredibly enheartening.
I try very hard to look past my own challenges, especially when one of them is me, and bring a little happiness to the people I can. There will always be people who derive their pleasure from the pain and suffering of others, and I will no longer back down from those would-be bullies. I have no illusion that I can change them or their ideals, but I can stand in front of them and take the abuse so that hopefully someone else can see that they don’t always have to hide who they are from others. That no one should have to be scared of walking their path without support.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Like most things in my life, my creative endeavors have always been all over the board. As a result, I never know what I’ll be recognized for. From Megacon Orlando I flew to the UK for MCM London Comic Con and the UK Games Expo and had people approaching me that recognized me from The Legend of the Traveling TARDIS. I’ve had people know my work at TheRatHole.ca and that boggles my mind. I’ve been recognized as a photographer at events, either from my work at conventions or from the photos I’ve had used everywhere from magazine covers to Archie Comics. I recently had a pro wrestling historian approach me to use a bunch of my photos in an upcoming book.
Of all the things in my career that will always mystify me, it’s being complimented for my writing. My 12-year-old self-wanted to be a comic book editor, but I was a straight D student in most English courses. But somehow my writing at TheRatHole.ca is being read and enjoyed, and I’ve been asked to contribute other places as well. Getting my thoughts from my head to my hands is still often a challenge, but it has been a strangely rewarding challenge.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I suppose the thing that surprises people the most is just how many things I do and have done. I truly am a jackass of all trades. I’ve worked in burlesque, as a DJ, I’ve sold wrestling pay per views, I ran a carpet cleaning company, my family were all very disappointed when I decided not to become a chef, the list goes on.
Contact Info:
- Website: TheRatHole.ca
- Instagram: instagram.com/therathole.ca
- Facebook: facebook.com/TheRatHole.ca
- Twitter: twitter.com/TheRatHoleDOTca
- Youtube: YouTube.com/TheRatHoleDOTca
- Other: linktr.ee/TheRatHole.ca
Image Credits
David ‘Papa Razzo’ Chapman
Stephen Kim
Christina Markwart
