The Haunting Humor of Mark Proksch
On a recent evening, actor Mark Proksch found himself captivated by the antics of a pirate ghost dancing across a video monitor. “I truly love their idea of what it means to be haunted,” he remarked with a wry smile.
Proksch, 46, is well-acquainted with the concept of haunting through his role as Colin Robinson in the FX supernatural comedy What We Do in the Shadows. As an energy vampire, Colin resides in a decaying mansion on Staten Island alongside three fellow undead roommates and one unsuspecting human minion. Unlike his companions, Colin roams freely in daylight, feeding off the energy of others by boring them with tedious monologues about mundane topics like zoning ordinances or car insurance. (Proksch, with a remarkable talent for tedium, often improvises these lengthy speeches.) His portrayal of blandness is so intense that he transforms ordinary normalcy into something strikingly bizarre.
Currently residing in Los Angeles with his wife, the talented TV writer Amelie Gillette, Proksch was in New York to promote the sixth and final season of his hit comedy at the renowned New York Comic Con. The first three episodes of the season are set to premiere on Monday on FX, followed by their release on Hulu the following day.
On a rare free night, Proksch decided to visit Shipwrecked, an ostensibly eerie mini-golf course located in the vibrant Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. As he approached the first hole, he took a moment to heft his club and swung at the bright green ball, achieving a perfect hole-in-one.
“Well, that was thrilling,” he quipped dryly, showcasing his signature deadpan humor.
Originally hailing from a small city in Wisconsin, Proksch never envisioned a career in the performing arts. His foray into theater began as a child when he participated in a community production of The Music Man, where he had the unremarkable experience of having no lines. Pale and unassuming in appearance, he possesses a unique ability to blend seamlessly into any setting. “It’s that Midwestern charisma,” he joked, embracing the charm of his roots.
As he continued through the mini-golf course, Proksch faced a challenge on the fourth hole when his ball veered around a tropical plant and landed in a sand trap. “There’s a reason I haven’t done this in 20 years,” he remarked, humorously acknowledging his rusty skills.