violence in our cities | The Warm Milk Journal

What if violence in your community keeps you awake at night? An exclusive interview with American Guns’ reality TV star Kurt Wyatt

Published June 19, 2012 | By Debra

Wyatt PR

Kurt is the 22 year old son of Rich and Renee Wyatt. The Wyatts are featured on The Disovery Channel’s American Guns reality TV series. Kurt is just a few years older than my own son. He is busy helping his family run their business. I asked Kurt some tough questions and I am impressed with how this young man answered them. An excerpt…

Where I live, there is a high homicide rate in certain neighborhoods. Given the industry you are in, what could you say to people in my community who are concerned about all the violence (especially among young men)?

The only way to answer a violent threat is to know how to defend yourself. Violent people have no boundaries, the homicide rate in your area may be higher than that of another but the answer is the same; Get training! Get a gun! The concept is simple yet so convoluted because of the stigma around firearms. You have insurance on your house, your car, even your life…why not make that life insurance hands on? Most people are amazed, a little firearms training can make a huge difference for a complete novice.

I read that it is a goal of yours to one day take over your dad’s business and even make it better. What do you find to be the most gratifying about running your family’s business?

Its nice to be called on as a person of authority. I mean, its kind of a cool feeling to be pulled out of my engraving room to handle a situation the other sales guys cant or don’t want to. Anything from trying to calm down a steamed up customer or figuring out how much money to spend on someone’s 20 plus gun collection!

Your ambition and work ethic is quite impressive. I have a teenaged son who is just a few years younger than you. As a mother I worry about the availability of drugs that seem to be all around us. What would your advice be to young people about drugs?

Just know your(his) boundaries, everyone likes to have fun but its important to prioritize. Im sure my mom worried about me a lot growing up, I’m sure she still does but I’ve always known that i need to take care of business before i go cut loose. Its part of what i learned growing up, what mom and dad taught me.

What do you do to have fun and relax when you are not working at Gunsmoke?

I’m huge into extreme sports; I bike, skate, surf(obviously not in CO) wake board, you name it, I love it. And of course I love to go camping and shooting that type of thing, its always nice to camp out and do some shooting when you wake up.

Wyatt PR

My website is all about getting a good night sleep. Is there anything that ever keeps you up at night and if so, how do you deal with it?

Oh boy, if there’s one thing I do well, its sleep…if I could I’d sleep all day, some Sundays I do; not productive, but sometimes everyone needs a lazy Sunday.

Lazy Sundays are the best! Kurt, We also focus a lot on living the life of of our dreams by day. What advice can you give young people your age who have dreams but may be feeling discouraged by a tough economy, job market, student loan debts, etc.?

DON’T GET DISCOURAGED! one of my favorite quotes is, “fear not failure, fear only regret.” If you want something bad enough go out and get it, the only one who can stop you; is you. When my primary focus was skating I tried for what seemed like an eternity on this 15 stair gap, I fell so many times, so many scrapes and bruises, luckily no breaks but some serious gashes and I never quit. Sometimes I still go back and watch the clip of when i finally stuck the landing, you can see the relief, the joy on my face, there is NOTHING like that feeling, its inspiring.

Thanks so much Kurt!

Pleasure, Debra.

Coming attraction:

Teenaged daughter Paige Wyatt talks about taking care of yourself and staying safe in this big World.. An exclusive Warm Milk Journal Interview.