Frequently Asked Questions
(a.k.a. interrupting your suspension of disbelief – SPOILER ALERT: Read no further if you want to cling to a delusion that Dr. Matt is a real person.)
Are you real?
If you’re asking if a human is typing these words, then yes. Unless, of course, this is the first successful pass of the Turing Test, in which case this is being written by a robot.
Well, then who is Dr. Matt?
Dr. Matt is a fictional character who interacts in the real world. He is technically a heteronym. Yes, heteronym, look it up. The most famous heteronyms were born from poet Fernando Pessoa, but some modern examples would be Stephen Colbert (the character), Sacha Baron Cohen’s characters of Bruno/Borat, and Glenn Beck.
Who are you really, then?
I’m an artist / humorist named Matthew. I love giving life to characters. Thus far, Dr. Matt is probably the most “living” character I’ve created.
But wait. If you’re named “Matthew”, aren’t you Dr. Matt?
No, no more than Sacha Baron Cohen is the same person as Bruno or Borat. Dr. Matt and I just happen to have the same first name.
But if Dr. Matt is not real, but calls himself a fake doctor, then doesn’t that demonstrate the character’s implicit awareness at his own non-reality, thus bridging your reality into the fictional universe you’ve created and establishing a mobius loop of constructed ego?
Imagine that you have two parallel universes. Now, imagine finding yourself in that other universe. On the count of three, punch yourselves in the face.
Done. Dr. Matt is from Texas. Are you from Texas?
Nope, I grew up in Indiana. I’m a midwesterner, where the accent is as flat as the land.
Is Midgie a real person?
No, Dr. Matt’s partner “Midgie” is not real nor are any of the characters that Dr. Matt tells stories about. However, Dr. Matt does respond to real questions in the “Ask Dr. Matt” section.
Is Dr. Matt just a vehicle for your ideas?
Not always. I don’t always agree with him. As a writer, I let characters speak for themselves.
Okay, just answer this: Where did you get the idea for Dr. Matt?
There are a few famous TV and radio personalities over the years who’ve seemed more talented at their ostentatious presentation than the quality of their advice. We seem to conflate the two, and often trust the advice given by people with doctorates more than we trust ourselves. Especially if they are sporting a giant mustache while dispensing said advice. Like Dr. Laura.
Some people who have helped Dr. Matt along the way:
Alex Rubin – Photography
Matt Kump – Design
Kimberly Plumley – Publicity
Nadine Andrie – Sales