Vito Fun got his start in music as an intern for a producer, eventually making his way up to mixing engineer. Today he plays Pride celebrations across the country and at the biggest music festivals, including Lollapalooza, SXSW and Bonnaroo. He is also the most popular DJ on Fire Island.
“I was born a DJ,” he laughs. “I DJ’d my first party in the fourth grade. I was introduced to the dance floor in 1995 at Roxy, then graduated to a residency at The Tunnel. I am too feral to have a real job at this point. Music is all I know.”
His newest project is “Less Talk, More Art,” an art installment set to hypnotic music. He calls it a labor of love and enlisted some of his closest friends to bring it to life. Javier Medina, who vogued in Madonna’s Super Bowl half time show, choreographed the video, and Cesar Ramirez, best known for his work with Jennifer Hudson, styled it.
“Less Talk, More Art” is more than a music video, he insists. It’s a movement that encourages self-expression through the creative process. It releases worldwide this month. We took the opportunity to sit down with the Fun DJ to discuss his work that, in truth, is really lots of play.
You have been spinning the Fire Island Pines Tea Dance party for over a decade. How did you first land the gig?
I was brought in 10 years ago in the middle of the summer, and the party took off right away. I was offered a residency that first year. After that, they kept giving me the residency, because every other DJ kept playing too hard when they were in the room. It’s tempting to try to go really circuit-y in a big room. People forget that it’s still light out.
How has the island changed through the years?
[laughs] The only thing that has changed is the song of the summer: a different one every year.
What was the song that first year?
The big Mary J Blige Moto Blanco remix. The hands up one – you know which one I mean. And Madonna’s “Hung Up.”
What’s this summer’s most popular track?
Sam Feldt’s “Show Me Love (EDX Endless Summer Remix)” is the sweetest summer anthem I’ve ever heard.
What do you enjoy most about the Tea Dance party?
That it’s done early. Tea Dances make sense. People have been drinking all day, and they want to dance while the sun is setting.
How many Planters Punches can you down in an afternoon?
In Manhattan? Five. But on Fire Island, probably a dozen or more. Something about that island really brings out the wild side.
Robyn Bird is a regular at your party.
I masturbated to her television show in high school, but who didn’t?
Who else have you spotted recently?
The cool thing about gay celebrities is that they may not always be the face of entertainment, but they are largely responsible for the art that the world sees. So while you may not get star-struck over Justin Beiber, you are still amongst some of New York’s most elite creatives.
How has the political drama surrounding the new Pines owners impacted the summer on Fire Island?
It’s what my friend calls “slacktivism,” meaning it’s really just on Facebook. It hasn’t actually affected the island.
What was your inspiration for the “Less Talk, More Art” video installment?
It was really about getting some of my most talented friends together and giving them no limits. A lot of these people are big in their field, and I said, “Bring your wildest ideas to the shoot. I’m not going to tell you no.”
Do people need to appreciate art more?
Definitely. We’re in an age where it is easy to emulate the artist without being one. People just copy things they see on the internet. I really think people need to appreciate artists more. They are the ones who do things differently.
Did you film the video on the island?
Yes, at Reflections. If you’ve ever been to the island, you’ll recognize it, unless you were in the sex dungeon. Oops, did I say that out loud?
You appear naked in the video. What is it with Vito Fun and nudity? Not that we’re complaining.
Fire Island is the first place I felt like I could be 100% myself without having to look over my shoulder, so why not be naked? It’s time people overcome their social anxieties about nudity.
