How I Get It Done: Danny Zuko on Balancing Track & Grease Lightning
When, in 1 year, Danny Zuko of Grease Lightning, lettered in track, won a Television dance contest, won a drag race, combed his hair, and sang in front of a giant hot dog we knew we had to interview him and ask the simple question: How does he get it all done? So we asked him.
On his morning routine
I wake up at 5:05 am and begin combing my hair. By 9:16 I’m ready and I drive to school.
On a typical day
Getting in my daily steps and hitting my 15 cigarettes a day to look cool, ‘cause it’s the '1950s quota, can be overwhelming. Mostly since competitive running and inhaling smoke aren’t very complimentary.
On balancing track and field and his motorcycle dance troupe, Grease Lightning
It can be hard to make it to morning track practices due to the aforementioned morning routine. I try to make it to the lunchtime and afternoon ones, that’s pretty easy cause my friends only go to school once a week.
When I decided to join a sports team to win over a girl I’ve been treating like crap so she’d immediately ditch the guy who was courting her, I didn’t expect to fall in love with the act of movement. Baseball wasn’t the right fit, gymnastics was pretty gay, and I’m already busy with my homoerotic leather dance team. The track team made sense, but I was determined not to let running become my entire personality; those people are insufferable.
On his favorite part of track and field
The clothes. Cotton is nice. It gets hard to wear leather every day in Southern California.
On the importance of journaling
When everyone expects you to always be Zuko, Danny Zuko, the ladies man, the leader of the T-birds, the guy who combs his hair a lot, it can be hard to find time for YOU. I’m only a 37-year-old 18-year-old. I’m expected to manage school, track, break hearts, drive cars, and make my hair do that thing where it curls but only at the front of my forehead. I have to put on his facade, this illusion that I’m okay, but I’m not; I’m constantly sweating.
On whether Kinicki is a student or just a man in that town
When he passed his 27th birthday junior year, we all sort of just stopped asking questions. He will graduate when he’s ready.
On the people who help him get it done
I’d say it’s mostly my mom, she’s had to do so much laundry for me.