Kirk Cameron is one of the very few former child actors to not only make acting his career into adulthood but also stretch creatively and continue to thrive within the very fickle and often unforgiving world of entertainment.
Cameron’s latest project is the second season of “Iggy and Mr. Kirk,” a children’s show that is something of an homage to the early incarnations of “Sesame Street” and “The Muppets.” Episodes can be viewed on YouTube, Pure Flix, and Brave Plus.
Michael Clark of The Epoch Times recently spoke with Cameron and discussed projects old and new.
The Epoch Times: You were one of the pioneers in modern faith-based movie and TV programming. What was it like being such a small minority at the time?
Kirk Cameron: It makes me feel like an early explorer, kind of like Davy Crockett. I didn’t realize that that’s what was happening at the time, because I grew up having no faith. I didn’t believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, or Jesus. I was simply excited to have something new in my life that I felt was important. When I had the opportunity to be a part of movies that embraced those themes, I was thrilled.
The Epoch Times: Do you recall when you had your aha moment?
Mr. Cameron: Yes. At the time, I was an 18-year-old atheist. I went on a date with a girl and she took me to church, which was kind of the last place I wanted to go. I was intrigued and had a lot of questions. As I began to find answers, I became intellectually and morally compelled. It eventually led me to want to follow Jesus, to become a Christian.
The Epoch Times: From my perspective, it looks like the entertainment industry has spent the last year or so “self-correcting,” meaning the pendulum is swinging back to the right from the left. What is your slant on that?
Mr. Cameron: I think there’s a natural back-and-forth like a flag on a pole. One day it’s one direction, the next another. I don’t know what causes the wind, but what often controls the political or moral shifts in Hollywood is based on what the audience is buying at the moment. The question isn’t whether we go left or right, but rather up or down. History tells us when we go up to heaven’s principles of truth, beauty, goodness, self-control, kindness, and patience, that leads to blessing.
The Epoch Times: At first glance, I thought “Iggy and Mr. Kirk” bears more than a passing resemblance to the early incarnations of “The Muppets” and “Sesame Street.” Is that correct and was that your intent?
Mr. Cameron: You nailed it, Mike. That is spot-on. This was the cry from parents when I was reading books in public libraries to children. Parents were saying, “We need more of this. Where’s Mr. Rogers?” We set out to make a show that would not only embrace traditional family values but was edited in the way of those older shows. Get rid of the flashy lights and the non-diegetic sounds coming out of nowhere and not matching anything on the screen. The fast 1 1/2-second cuts to get children’s attention, the kind of stuff that makes Attention-Deficit Disorder worse and dumbs kids down. The reaction from viewers has been great.
The Epoch Times: At this point in your career, what is it you’re most proud of?
Mr. Cameron: I’d love to be remembered for a movie called “Fireproof” because it impacted people in such a positive way, particularly married people or those looking to marry. It dealt with the issues of infidelity and pornography and how faith can work to help save marriages. I think it would have great appeal to subscribers of The Epoch Times.
I’m a subscriber of The Epoch Times and receive the paper every week, and use it as a key source for my streaming show (“The Kirk Cameron Show” on YouTube). The show came under scrutiny recently for an episode I made with my son about the origins of hell. A hornet’s nest exploded within Christian circles about the nature of the fate of the wicked. (Cameron’s follow-up to this episode was recently uploaded to YouTube.)
The Epoch Times: You pushed back on the COVID-19 lockdowns by organizing legal outdoor faith-based events in California. Given the recent retrospective reassessment of the actual low severity of COVID-19, do you feel somewhat vindicated?
Mr. Cameron: Yes! Many of us knew that because we were paying attention. We were thinking critically, not just being dumb sheep. I’m all for people making informed decisions, but many did not. They just said, “I’ll do whatever you say because I don’t want blowback.”
I was realizing, wow, not only is it not unsafe to do home remedies and over-the-counter medications, such as ivermectin, they’ve been vindicated as well. There are many people who have been horribly injured by vaccines, masks, and protocols that were forced on the entire country, particularly children and elderly people. It also resulted in a spike in homeschooling as parents finally saw what their children were learning, and parents were horrified.
The Epoch Times: You’ve appeared in two “Growing Pains” reunion movies. Can you describe the experience and how it felt seeing your co-stars again?
Mr. Cameron: It was a great experience. When you spend so much time with people and then you don’t, Alan Thicke for instance. He was like a dad to me as was Joanna Kerns as my mom, and my TV siblings.
When [I was] working every day and celebrating birthdays and holidays together, my co-stars become a second family. After we grew up, got married, had kids, and moved away, it was wonderful to see everyone again—kind of like a high school reunion.
The Epoch Times: You worked with your sister Candace on “Growing Pains.” What are the chances you’ll collaborate on future projects?
Mr. Cameron: I think the chances are good. I’d love to do it. Candace is so busy these days over at the the Great American Family channel. She’s currently working on her 900th Christmas movie.
The Epoch Times: Can you give our audience an overview of “100k Strong”?
Mr. Cameron: I brought together 100 men who would each donate $100 every quarter, which would be dispersed to a local charity. Then I thought how about I get 100,000 people to donate just $10 each for a total of $1 million and donate it to worthy charities. I’d like people to go online and hit the link and watch the video that explains it in more detail.
To find out more about “100k Strong,” visit Cameron’s social media links on X: @KirkCameron, Facebook: @kirkcameron, and Instagram: @kirkcameronofficial.
Episodes of “Iggy and Mr. Kirk” can be viewed on YouTube, Pure Flix, and Brave Plus.
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