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Yago: How did you get involved with Michael Moore and doing "Bowling for Columbine"?
Castaldo: Well, he saw me in the paper the day before, and he called me up and just [asked] if I would let him talk to me and it sounded cool.
Yago: Did you like being involved with that project or...
Castaldo: Umm, yeah. I didn't really know what to expect. He just kind of showed up and I didn't really know who he was — actually, I knew who he was from the Rage Against the Machine videos more than anything. And my parents were talking about [his film] "Roger & Me." So I kind of knew who he was, and then he showed up and started talking about interviewing me, and then he started asking me [if] I knew the bullets [used in the Columbine shootings] came from Kmart. I didn't know that, and he's like, "Do you want to go and do something about it?" And I said, "Umm, OK, that sounds like a good idea."
Yago: Well, that's a big reversal from testifying with [Senator] Orrin Hatch [on Capitol Hill that further gun legislation isn't necessary if current laws are properly enforced].
Castaldo: Yeah, well, I'm not entirely against gun laws, necessarily, but going into Kmart and buying thousands of rounds of ammunition, I don't understand how you could not ask a question about that. It seems a little scary to me. But I don't have anything against hunting or anything.
Yago: Is there a day that goes by that you don't have to confront what happened five years ago?
Castaldo: I don't really think about it too much anymore, except lately, a lot of people have been contacting me about it. But as far as everyday stuff, it doesn't really cross my mind all that much.
Yago: Do you find that a lot of people recognize you?
Castaldo: I think that mostly is from the "Columbine" movie. Actually, somebody just came up to me today and was like, "Aren't you Richard Castaldo?" And he said "You're an inspiration," or something like that. I never really know what to say, just thanks, I guess.
Yago: Do you feel like an inspiration?
Castaldo: Umm, yeah, I guess, sometimes.
Yago: How has your perspective changed in the last five years?
Castaldo: At first, finishing up school there, it was kind of hard not to think about it, but it doesn't really cross my mind too much anymore.
Yago: Do you ever go back, do you ever drive by?
Castaldo: I do sometimes, when I have to, but it's not like, "Oh, I'm going to go drive by the school now."
Yago: What do you think when you see it?
Castaldo: Umm, I don't know. It's just weird, more than anything.
Yago: Weird, how?
Castaldo: When I drive by it now, it's more of a reminder, I guess. It's kind of hard not to think about what went down there.
Yago: Do you find that Littleton has changed at all?
Castaldo: Littleton, ahh, nothing has changed much, really.
Yago: Has anybody learned anything from it?
Castaldo: Oh yeah.
Yago: Is there anything fundamentally different about this place now, five years after?
Castaldo: I think people sort of made an effort to be nicer to each other, but I think that went away pretty fast. I guess kids will definitely continue to be picked on and all that, I think that pretty much goes on anywhere. I hope people do learn that they shouldn't pick on other people, but I'm sure there are still kids out there that do it without really thinking about the consequences.
Yago: Did you go down to that exhibit where they put up all the evidence from the school?
Castaldo: Yeah, they had a ton of evidence there, it was kind of amazing how much evidence they had.
Yago: What did you feel when you saw all that stuff?
Castaldo: Basically, it was just hard to believe how they got away with all that evidence. It just seems like somebody could have done something, but....
Yago: Did you see any of the tapes?
Castaldo: You know, I think I have to call them about that. They said they were going to send them to me, but...
Yago: Do you want to see the tapes?
Castaldo: Umm, yeah, kind of. I'm sure there's really nothing to learn from watching them but I'm sure it'll be kind of interesting.
Yago: One of the things that really struck me was the last time you spoke with us, you said you weren't angry. Do you still feel the same way?
Castaldo: Well, umm... I don't know. I guess, honestly, I don't really know how to feel. I don't know how to react, I don't know what the appropriate reaction would be. I guess it's anger, but I think part of my problem would be: What am I supposed to be angry at? I don't really know. It's hard to be mad at them because they're dead, or wherever they are. It's kind of stupid to be upset at that, I guess.
Yago: I'm sorry to keep hitting on that stuff, but it's tough to grow up in general, and you've had an exceptional few years. How did you work it out? Are you still working it out?
Castaldo: Yeah, probably still working it out.
Yago: Who do you talk to about it?
Castaldo: Actually, I just started writing a book with my friend not too long ago. I don't really know where that's going to go yet, but I think that we'll probably help, and maybe help other people.
Yago: Can you make any sense of it?
Castaldo: I don't know. I don't think there is any sense to make out of it, really.
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Photo: MTV News
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The Columbine Tragedy And Pop Culture
04.30.1999
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DECEASED
Cassie Bernall, 17
Steven Curnow, 14
Corey DePooter, 17
Kelly Fleming, 16
Matthew Kechter, 16
Daniel Mauser, 15
Daniel Rohrbough, 15
Dave Sanders, 47
Rachel Scott, 17
Isaiah Shoels, 18
John Tomlin, 16
Lauren Townsend, 18
Kyle Velasquez, 16
INJURED
Brian Anderson
Richard Castaldo
Jennifer Doyle
Stephen Eubanks
Nicholas Foss
Sean Graves
Makai Hall
Anne Hochhalter
Patrick Ireland
Joyce Jankowski
Michael Johnson
Mark Kintgen
Lance Kirklin
Lisa Kreutz
Adam Kryler
Stephanie Munson
Patricia Nielsen
Nicole Nowlen
Jeanna Park
Kasey Ruegsegger
Valeen Schnurr
Danny Steepleton
Mark Taylor
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