Barats & Bereta: Masters of mirth
Thuy-Dzuong Nguyen
Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: Features
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Awesomely enough, Luke Barats is a Gonzaga senior and Joe Bereta is a 2005 Gonzaga alumnus.
Most of their known work exists as comedy videos like "Ninja Rap," "Gonzaga Love" and "Aaron Patinio," clips now cross-posted on many popular Web sites such as CollegeHumor.com. Much of Barats and Bereta's work has been filmed at recognizable locations on campus. They write, produce and appear in their videos.
Barats, 22, and Bereta, 23, have been collaborating as a duo in different forms of humor. Their work includes music video clips, film making, skits, lip sync contests, stand-up and improv comedy.
Their collaboration hinges on individual specialties. Barats is a senior double-majoring in theater arts and history, while Bereta received his bachelor's degree last spring in broadcast studies. Barats is involved in the writing aspect and Bereta has been involved in video production. Their combined talents result in a fun and unique form of media convergence.
The collaboration began when Barats and Bereta met in Gonzaga University Theatre Sports (GUTS) in spring 2003. They became part of the GUTS council and eventually became close friends.
B&B Productions got started with an awkward first video about alumnus Aaron Patinio.
As a joke, Barats and Bereta took clips of Patinio's freestyle rap and used it in a B&B song. Barats and Bereta sing in "Aaron Patinio" as Clint and Todd, rapping about Patinio's sex appeal. The "Aaron Patinio" song and video has circulated around the Gonzaga community. It has been extremely embarrassing for Patinio, according to Bereta, but Patinio has been a good sport.
Following "Aaron Patinio" were other clips such as "Ninja Rap," "Suburbanites" and "Two Scoops," among others. The latter two won first place on Filmfights.com. Patinio himself performed vocals for another B&B rap video, "Gonzaga Love," a parody of Tupac Shakur's "California Love."
Having branched off from videos, Barats and Bereta are committed to finding as many ways as possible to make people laugh. Bereta wrote in a recent e-mail, "You love the way laughing makes you feel and you want to spread that joy to everyone else, like a happy meth dealer."
They joined alumnus John Stevens to form the three-man lip sync group Body Massage. Notable Body Massage performances include Madonnastock 2004 and the Homecoming lip sync contest in 2004. The group later became Wanna Massage when Gonzaga senior Brian McCarthy filled in for Barats.
The duo also got involved in stand-up comedy, and in fall 2005 they won the local Brickwall Amateur Comedy Competition. Barats and Bereta also won awards in the Spokane 48-Hour Film Festival while collaborating with senior Ben Mallahan and alumnus Tyler Jacobson.
Through all their forms of humor, a recurring theme in B&B Productions is "de-masculinization." They are most inspired by their fathers. As Barats wrote, "We respect our fathers more than any other men on the planet. I just can't help but think that somewhere deep down my dad is recalling how he was branding cattle at age 22, whereas his son is off rapping about ninjas."
Barats is originally from Eagle, Idaho. Lee Barats remembers when Luke successfully bribed him and a second brother to dance naked in front of a window at home. Luke was "always the best at everything he tried," and his younger brothers looked up to him, Lee said. He also said Luke owned a pair of purple jeans.
Overall, Bereta believes "comedy and performing has always kind of surged through" Barats and Bereta's blood.
Marty Bereta remembers one of his son Joe's lip sync performances as a grade-schooler - a song called "The White Stuff" by Weird Al Yankovic. It took the audience a while to understand that the song was about Oreos and not cocaine. He also recalls when Joe was escorted out of Wal-Mart for filming "Mullet Hunter," a parody of the documentary-style television show "Crocodile Hunter" in which Joe "hunted" and described the lifestyle of the elusive mullet.
Originally from Columbia Falls, Mont., Joe Bereta continues to be involved in the Spokane comedy scene after graduation. He performs professionally with local improv troupe ComedySportz. Bereta has also been working as a writer and editor for Cornerbooth Productions, a film and video production company.
Barats has also had a busy season. He is one of six semifinalists in a 10-minute play contest. The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival hosts the regional festivals in January and February every year. There will be a staged reading of his three-part play on Feb. 25, at Columbia Basin Community College in Pasco, Wash.
Barats is in the final stages of a full-length original film for his senior thesis, working with senior Paul Wildermuth. The trailer has been posted on the Barats & Bereta Productions homepage.
As a friend and participant in Barats and Bereta's work, junior Colin Murphy said, "Sometimes they don't realize how good they are" and serve as their own "biggest critics."
Barats and Bereta still collaborate as a duo. B & B Productions videos and music can be found at www.baratsandbereta.com.