Kit interviews Elle Haley
“Many people know me as ‘The Pizza Man’ or the ‘Earl of Pizza,’ but before that, I was a young fashion designer and frustrated musician from a small town in southeast Georgia. I moved to Key West in 1986 after I graduated from Troy University. Two years later, I crossed over to the dark side and took stewardship of Angelina’s Pizzeria on Duval Street.
When I founded Angelina’s in 1988, my goal was to have a fantastic place to work where I could listen to rock ‘n’ roll, play pinball and have fun. And, oh yeah, eat a lot of delicious pizza. I’ve been knocking that goal out of the park ever since and I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I get to hang out here on Duval Street in beautiful Key West listening to great live music, eating pizza with my friends and meeting some of the craziest and nicest people on the planet. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been fun. I’ve served more drunk slices than most people can imagine. Just when you think you’ve heard and seen it all, in walks the next customer.
A year ago, with the invaluable assistance of ‘TV Tim,’ I started a YouTube channel called ‘Sit with Kit’ and it’s really taken off. There are so many unique and interesting characters on our island and I want to hear their stories. So each week, in front of Angelina’s under the ‘Reserved Parking for Sit With Kit’ sign, I sit down with the rock stars, heroes and gods of Duval Street. We learn all about them and their outlandish adventures. No two stories are the same and I never know what’s going to happen.”
The following conversation is an excerpt from a podcast episode featuring musician Elle Haley.
KIT: Hello, and welcome, everyone, this is Kit Carson, your Duval Street pizza man. I’m hanging out here in the 200 block of Duval with a lovely young guest.
ELLE: My name is Elle Haley, I’m a musician in town.
KIT: You made quite an impression on me when I saw you singing. And you have been nominated for a Key West Music Award — which category?
ELLE: Rising star.
KIT: I don’t think I have a vote, but if I do, you’ve got mine.
ELLE: I do appreciate it.
KIT: Are you going to attend the music awards?
ELLE: Oh yeah, I’m excited to get dressed up all fancy.
KIT: I’ll be there. I can’t wait to see everybody all dressed up and I want to see you get some awards, too. What’s new that you would like to tell me about? Are you playing gigs around Europe?
ELLE: We’re going overseas to the UK and we’re doing Scotland and Dublin, Ireland.
KIT: How many gigs?
ELLE: I think we’re there for three months, about 38 shows.
KIT: Are you going to be gone the whole summer?
ELLE: I’m gone March to May.
KIT: I thank you and have a great evening. Remember if you’re planning to visit Key West, you’ll have to check to see where our new rising star is performing. Best of luck to you and thank you for sitting with me. I appreciate it.
ELLE: Thanks for having me.
For more Reggae Lou:
Kit Carson Smith, founder and Pizza Master of Angelina’s, started out in a rural Georgia town before paying his way through college by bartending and working in hospitality. He ended up in Key West, working at Rick’s and loving the island life. When the opportunity arose, he decided to open his own pizza joint, Angelina’s, which is now known as “The Best Piece in Town”.
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“Sit with Kit” is filmed every Thursday night from the front porch of Angelina’s Pizzeria from 6-9pm. “Everyone wants to Sit with Kit,” a local Key West video podcast!
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