Rockporter plays cook in music video
Jul. 30—SALISBURY — A Rockport man who has a soft spot for 1950s got a chance to play a role in music video set in the era.
Warren Boutchia of Rockport said he grew up watching 1950s television shows. And he wanted to be part of the fun when a music video was shot earlier this week for friend and Salisbury singer Terri Lee's song "Nasty But Nice."
So there he was, looking very much like Mel the cook from the television show "Alice," at the defunct Pat's Diner in Salisbury Square as the camera rolled.
"Nasty But Nice" is the title track for Lee's newest CD recorded in Seabrook, New Hampshire, and due to be released in September.
Starting just before lunchtime Tuesday, Lee, and Boutchia and four other actors— took their turns in the makeup chair so they could be transformed into James Dean era waitresses and a cook.
As this was going on, the actors were busy brainstorming ideas for their character's name. One came up with Ruby, another Lucille, all of them eventually coming up with monikers befitting the vibe.
"It's going to be amazing," Lee said, during a hectic interview that lasted mere minutes before she was whisked away by the videographer to discuss the first scene to be filmed.
Lee said she was able to shoot the video at the diner, renamed Junior's Diner for the shoot, thanks to her connection with former owner Pat Archambault, who closed the business in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19 restrictions and then put the diner on the market months later. The one-acre property features a landmark 1950s era Worcester Lunch Car.
"I'm nasty but nice so you better think twice before you pass me by with your nose in the air," a line from the song goes. "I'm nasty but nice I've paid the price to earn your respect though I really don't care cuz I'm nasty but nice."
Lee called herself a "crossover" artist, a term she said is reflected in the album, which features, rock, pop, blues, country and even some folk influence.
She said it made sense to shoot the video in a diner considering she had been a waitress for more than 20 years, including a short stint at Pat's Diner right before COVID-19. The video, she said, includes a food fight and a final scene where she makes her escape from the diner in a Corvette.
Lee and her fellow "waitresses" all wore black-and-white saddle shoes, turquoise miniskirts, black satin blouses with "Junior's Diner" on the back, and matching blue pillbox hats.
"I'm really excited," said Yaxin Han of Boston, moments before the model began her first acting gig.
Lucy Douchesne of Dracut and Charlene O'Brien of Billerica have been singers for decades as well as friends of Lee. They jumped at the chance to be in her music video.
"The '50s, I love the '50s," Douchesne said.
And Boutchia, who played the cook?
"A lifelong dream to be in a video like this," he said.
Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.
