Beautiful Machine Magazine Exclusive Interview by Mikey Eckstein
When creativity meets persistence, the result is often something unforgettable — and that’s exactly what Detroit’s own Stan “Detroit Swag” Allen has delivered with his upcoming film, These Damn Kids. Allen, who wears many hats as the writer, lead actor, producer, and executive producer, sat down with Beautiful Machine Magazine to talk about his four-year journey to bring this project to life, the inspiration behind it, and what audiences can expect at the film’s premiere.
BM: Tell us how long it took you to bring These Damn Kids from idea to final cut.
Stan Allen: It took about four years altogether — two years to write and develop the idea and another two years to shoot the film in its entirety. It’s been a long but rewarding process.
BM: The movie centers around someone who hates kids — is there actually a real term for that?
Stan Allen: Yes, there is! The condition is called misopedia, and a person with that phobia is known as a misopedist. It’s rare, but it’s a real thing — and it made for a great comedic concept to explore in this story.
BM: Is These Damn Kids based on a real-life event or situation?
Stan Allen: No, it’s completely fictional. There’s no true story behind it — it’s all from imagination.
BM: Was the entire movie shot in Detroit?
Stan Allen: Absolutely. Every scene was filmed right here in the city of Detroit. We wanted to capture that authentic Detroit energy — the people, the neighborhoods, the humor, everything.
BM: You star in the film as well. Have you acted before this?
Stan Allen: Yes, acting has always been part of my life. I was signed to the Morgan Agency in Los Angeles as a child actor, and later to Amstel, Eisenstadt & Frazier during my adult years. I’ve always loved performing, and this project gave me the perfect opportunity to bring all that experience together.
BM: What movies inspired These Damn Kids?
Stan Allen: I drew inspiration from some of my favorite classics — Uncle Buck, House Guest, and Are We There Yet. They all blend humor, heart, and family chaos in a way that I wanted to pay homage to.
BM: The premiere is right around the corner. What can people expect?
Stan Allen: The big night is October 18th at the MJR Theater in Troy, Michigan. We’ll have a red-carpet segment starting at 7 PM, featuring the cast, social media influencers, radio personalities, and fans. We’ll also have people interviewing guests before and after the film to capture their reactions. The movie itself begins at 8 PM, and it’s going to be an amazing experience.
BM: You worked alongside your partner Zaakir Kareem on this film. What’s next for the two of you?
Stan Allen: We’re already developing a TV show that serves as a prequel to These Damn Kids. It’s structured for five seasons, with ten episodes per season — and both pilot episodes are already written. Beyond that, we’ve got three more films in script form: Karaoke, The Garage, and Hired Guns.
BM: There are some familiar Detroit names in the film. Tell us about them.
Stan Allen: Definitely. We’ve got Angie Starr, who you’ll recognize from 105.9 FM. She was introduced to me by John Mason, who actually inspired elements of this film — kind of like how Martin was loosely based on Mason’s radio persona. He asked me to include Angie, and I found a role that fit her perfectly.
We also have Quin Walters, a Hollywood actress who’s appeared in Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and the BET series Churchy. Quin and I go way back — we took acting classes together in L.A. at Bobbie Chance’s studio in the early 2000s, and we’ve been friends ever since.
On top of that, the film features comedians Shanie D and Jackpot the Juice. I met Shanie years ago while doing a mini movie with Coco and Foolish from 97.9 WJLB — Foolish actually introduced us. Jackpot came into the picture through my brother Dennis Reed, who’s really leading the independent film scene in Michigan and across the country with his projects on Tubi.
BM: Finally, what do you hope audiences take away from These Damn Kids?
Stan Allen: I just want people to laugh, to enjoy themselves, and to see that Detroit can produce top-tier entertainment. It’s a feel-good film that reminds you not to take life — or these damn kids — too seriously.
Don’t miss the red-carpet premiere of These Damn Kids on October 18th at MJR Theater in Troy, Michigan.
