It always amazes me when I have the chance to pick the minds of influential individuals…their humility and humbleness seems to overpower the celebrity that their passions have awarded them. None more so than with Lauren Leto, influential creator and promulgator of all things texted last night. I personally rank Ms. Leto with influential women in entertainment like Carol Burnett,  Betty White or even Sarah Palin. These women are a rare find, (as unique as an honest politician), and Lauren Leto definitely ranks with the best of them.

Lauren Leto:

Texts From Last Night’s Unsung Heroine

Lauren Leto is a genuine cultural influence, with effortless charm and refined dry wit that would leave any pedantic lost for words; all wrapped in a twenty-something year old chick, who says, “People are highly unimpressed with me.”

Leto is co-creator and owner of the infamously popular, “Texts from Last Night” website and book, which came to start after Leto finished college when most of her friends moved away to seek employment. Leto, who now lives in New York City, recites what many in and out of their twenties all know too well,  “there are no jobs ANYWHERE!”

When Leto was in law school , she approached her friend, Ben, (who was also unemployed at the time) to help her out with a side project she was starting. The side project which now almost none of us can (or really want to), escape from in our daily-humor. Texts from Last Night.

We see the ubiquitous 3-digit area code, followed by a hilarious/raunchy SMS posted on our friend’s Facebook Walls, Twitter Feeds, Blogs, E-mails or forwarded to us via Text. Leto’s side project is an international hit, to which she claims people are still relatively “unimpressed” with her. (I think she was being sarcastic)

To a lesser degree, I’m sure the explosion of TFLN was something similar to the “Facebook Phenomenon.” Whereas Leto admittedly only expected for her “side project” to pay a bar tab or two, her success has brought a new level of wealth to which Leto boasts,  [enter sarcasm here] “I am surprised and grateful, everyday that Texts from Last Night now pays my phone bill!”

Of course in our modern world, where a few individuals can sit in someone’s living room and create a multimillion dollar company, Leto and TFLN do have to face some competition. She states that websites like “Fuck My Life” (FML) are competition and also are not competition.

Sites like FML are competition, in the regards that people might put TFLN & FML in the same online-entertainment category and say they are a bigger fan of one over the other.

However, FML may not be competition to Leto, because some TFLN fans have told her FML and other sites do not compare to the unique entertainment TFLN brings.

Personally though, Leto feels TFLN and sites like FML are in fact similar, as she feels most individuals who find TFLN entertaining will more than likely check both sites.

It is usually hard for content creators to pick favorite aspects from their sites when they discuss their own creation, but since Leto only hosts the content provided by others, she had no trouble talking about some of her favorite TFLN texts. Her favorite text she quoted was (from my home city of Atlanta):

(770): I got us kicked out of the bar because the waitress found me in the kitchen trying to make spaghetti

Continually sorting through some of the more raunchy and far-off-color text that come through the TFLN approval process has to be entertaining/a chore at the same time. Leto says that for the website, they choose texts which “strike us as unique and funny without being racist or sexist.” For the TFLN book however, the co-creators chose the funniest texts, including many, many texts that have never been posted on the site.

(So if you’re a TFLN fan, I’d highly recommend getting the book!)

Leto who is very excited about her book because she believes it will continue to make people laugh and says “confessing via text to a friend is our generation’s version of confessing to a priest. It purges the soul.” (However, unlike most of our friend’s, our local corner-Catholic establishments do not forward our confessions to Leto’s inbox…)

Of course, the internet is the playground for all ages, and though the site is predominately populated by the twenty-something, Leto says that plenty of “older people” also enjoy the  humor. “It’s relatable humor; everyone who has lived through their twenties can find something to laugh at on TFLN.”

For many like Leto who are in their twenties, and have faced unemployment call this time the, “Quarterlife Crisis.” She admits many of the texts submitted to TFLN do speak to individuals being unable to find a job or not knowing where their life is going, and she says “…so yes, I do believe they sometimes reflect a ‘Quarterlife Crisis.’”

And as far as Leto’s own quarterlife crisis, she admits that she is a “recovering” agoraphobic and she used to wonder if she would  be one forever. She said “I was scared I wouldn’t be able to have a normal life. Eventually, I got through the worst of it.”

Once you do some reading about all that is Leto, it is easy to become a fan of her personality (Her personal blog is a smart one to follow–as I have since I interviewed her.) She states she is the middle child in a large Italian family, and her snarky/sarcastic personality comes from having to be able to assert your opinion in order to be counted in that environment.

What may seem contradictory to her very strong personality, she self-proclaims herself as a “nerd.” A nerd, because outside of just taking many advanced placement classes in high school, Leto was able to graduate college in three years.

She worked in the science lab of her high school, instead of having a study hall & she’d gladly pass up a night out in favor of a good book. She has a severe internet addiction, studied Arabic “for fun” in college, loved law school & is a hotaku. (I have no idea what a hotaku is…)

Of course Leto is far from her nerdy “Sailor Moon Days” [pictured left] and now that she is paying for her own health insurance, she says that she is indeed “grown up.” Even though she’s grown up, one would imagine that fun and frivolity now runs Leto’s life since TFLN started. However, there is a very adult and genuine side to this wonderful woman.

Leto does state that in growing up, she noticed something about the majority of the Generation-Y population. She feels one of the main issues with the current set of twenty-somethings is “they hide behind the notion of not yet being a grown up.” She believes this to be a mistake many in their 20′s are making, as they are not fully embracing the fact they can finally grab hold of  their dreams & that it is a privilege not to be so young anymore.

When she was asked what her one wish would be to change the world through her actions, Leto said…”Could I wish away racism? Dare I dream.” Her main point to this not so frivolous wish was to better education, because as she stated “…knowledge unlocks prejudice.”

To end, Lauren Leto’s “Good, Ambiguous and Profound Advice”:

Trust yourself

The other day, a great woman reminded me of a quote I’ve heard many times in my life, “Stand for something, or fall for anything.”  In light of the  BP oil spill, I have realized a lot of people are not “standing” for much, but really just doing a lot of talking. There’s one thing to say “I’m boycotting,” then to actively take a part in reversing or alleviating the passion point(s) you’ve spoken to so powerfully.

Updates: July 11, 2010
Link at the bottom to help inform those who want to help.

Boycotting the BP Oil Spill: A Fad?

It’s Monday morning, April 19, 2010, and you’re on your way to Starbucks when you noticed you are low on gas. Despite the perpetually unsavory price of gasoline, you pulled into whichever gas station was visibly cheaper than the next, filled up and went on your way without a second thought.

Fast forward a few weeks into the BP oil spill, and now you have awoken to your most passionate of passion points; boycotting BP.

Now, after your morning run to Starbucks, you are Tweeting your fury against the ignorance and atrocities of this oil giant; you share links and pictures on Facebook from CNN and MSNBC of oil covered fish and fowl. Your once inane status updates now lament the tragic environmental losses of the oil spill. All this while you “tsk, tsk” when you see someone pumping BP gas into their tank across the street, as though they were the ones pumping the oil out of the ground and letting it loose into the Gulf of Mexico themselves.

You’ve made your point, and now everyone knows…you’re an environmental advocate, right?

But have you really done anything…and why are you doing this now? Where were you on April 19,  or any other day prior to the spill? Were you angrily Tweeting/Facebooking and “tsk tsk-ing” about the multitude of environmental impacts oil drilling had on your planet on a few weeks ago? Or are you now concerned because dolphins are dying, Louisiana shrimp will cost more and your Pensacola, FL vacation is now in jeopardy, threatened by oil?

Well if this oil spill has got you so upset, what about open pit mining? Deforestation? Whaling or boycotting the disastrous process of making and disposing of rechargeable batteries for your electric Prius/SmartCar?

These intentional environmentally-destructive practices have been going on from before my parents were in their quarterlife, and yet no one seems to “tsk tsk” in tandem when they see large slates of granite counters in every celebrity’s kitchen and bathroom. Nor do we “tsk tsk” at the billions of Starbucks cups made every year. We only seem to stand up when something goes catastrophically wrong. And this “bad weather boycotting,” in my opinion, is just as ineffective as doing nothing at all.

There is no denying that we are witnessing an unprecedented accident, but personally, I am not planning on boycotting my local BP gas station.

I am not “for big oil” and neither am I a “tree-hugger” who wants us all to live like the Flintstones….however, I would prefer to see people be sincere about what they “stand” for and actually stand for something, rather than fall for the next popular passion point on “World News Tonight.”

Thoughts?

From Mashable’s “Are We Losing Interest in the BP Oil Spill”

Sloane Berrent’s Six Ways to Help the Gulf Coast Today. Berrent is a New Orleans resident and social philanthropist, and she has the 411 on how to do your part in the cleanup process, from donating your money to volunteering your time.

From a teenage boy’s harrowing fleet from a war torn Lebanon, to sleeping on a park bench in California; to the high school student who took a chance on his passion — the past of Said Faraj (Sy-eed Fair-ahge) has run the proverbial gamut of the modern human experience. Now

Said Faraj: From Hardship to Hollywood

Before actor Said Faraj took to the silver screen playing opposite of Matt Damon in the March 2010 film, “Green Zone,” there was a Said who lead a less conspicuous life. There was a Said of only 9-years-old who witnessed the deaths of close friends and family, including his 8-year-old brother when civil war took hold of Lebanon. And the teenage and quarterlife Said who escaped bombs and bullets to flee his beloved country to seek safe haven in America, and find a passion in entertainment.

When I spoke with Said, he began by telling me of how his parents worried over him after losing his younger brother. Said told me his family began to set into motion the steps needed to save him from an early death and the journey to remove himself from harms way; which ironically turned out to be a journey even more dangerous as the war itself.

To begin the process, Said needed to receive what was considered an almost impossible military grant to leave the embattled Lebanon. However, through an auspicious family connection a “favor” was granted by a military General who allowed Said to leave Lebanon for “10 days.” Said stated candidly that although he obtained this pass through a family connection, this particular General was known for liberally bestowing multiple day passes to move individuals out of Lebanon. With a mixed-emotional voice of joy and sadness, Said spoke about receiving his pass from the General just in time, as within a few days of being granted permission to leave, the General who helped Said was executed for his misuse of his power.

Said recalled how lucky he felt, but how this particular bittersweet circumstance was merely the foreshadowing of many dark situations he encountered while attempting to leaving Lebanon.

Relieved to have his pass, Said wasted no time to head to to the United States Embassy in Beirut with his father on April 18, 1983 to file for his visa to enter America. Said patiently waited at the embassy from about 3am on April 18, until early afternoon the same day for “a blessing” which nearly cost him his life. The visa was “a blessing” because Said was the last person to receive a visa from the US embassy on April 18, 1983, as Said was no more than 100ft (30m) walking distance from the embassy when a suicide-bomber exploded his car at the embassy, killing 63 people. (If you’re not familiar with recent history, you can read details of that day here)

Literally escaping with his life from the embassy bombing, Said repeatedly called his visa a “blessing from God,” and puts this experience above all, as you could hear the resonance of fear still within as he recalled this story with greater detail among all the others of his journey.

There were a few months in between Said receiving his “blessing,” and his departure date for America. However, with all the trips Said had made to government buildings and military officials, he had left a “paper trail” of passes and embassy visits which was just enough for ill-hearted individuals to notice him; and unfortunately, Said’s plan was found out.

Over the months leading up to his October departure, unbeknownst to Said and his father, these ill-hearted individuals were setting out to capture Said and his family in his attempt to leave Lebanon.

Early one October morning, with the combination of an early flight and Said’s father knowledge of snipers on the route to the airport, Said and his family were on an predawn dash to the airport, much earlier than anyone had anticipated. So early, they left literally minutes before his would-be captures entered his hotel room, with a furious intent, that same morning.

Unaware of the capture they inadvertently escaped, an en route to the airport, as Said retold the near cinematic encounter he and his father endured after just missing the captures at the hotel, they fell victim to the sniper fire they tried to avoid.

The bullets came down from the hillsides, upon Said and his father’s car, who were on the one road many trying to flee Lebanon via the airport took. Said recalled the moments in the car as bullets flew past him, pinging off the car’s fender, that it all seemed like, “something from a movie.”

With the “hand of God” protecting him, Said and his father made it to the airport, with rattled nerves yet untouched, they emerged from the car and rushed to his terminal, where he was finally bound for New York City.

As Said stood amongst the rest of the passengers in the Lebanese airport, he noticed something more pronounced than the bullets he had just experienced, he was the only male over 10 in the entire airport.

Starkly contrasted amongst children and women, Said was a lone male his age boarding a flight, and he was not missed by the scrutiny of the airport staff checking passports. Before he boarded his flight Said recalled, with agitation in his voice, how he was let into an hour interrogation which annoyingly analyzed the minutiae of his life…tirelessly trying to find inaccuracies in his story and disloyalty to his country.

Since Said had obtain military approval, US Visa and proved his patriotism in his native language, he was free to take his flight; and on October 17, 1983, a day that Said will never forget as “freezing,” he landed, unceremoniously, in New York City.

When he landed, he underwent a customs interrogation in America. Said couldn’t really expound on this experience stating, “My English was so bad back then, that till this day I have no idea as to what I told them!”

After his interrogation in New York, customs put him on a flight to a relative in North Hollywood, California, only giving him 10 days to stay in the country; and he needed every minute to make his stay in America permanent.

What should have been a simple plane flight, phone call and pick-up for the 16-year-old Said headed to California, turned into an almost 2-week ordeal of sleeping on a park bench and eating one hamburger a day. To completely understand how this happened, you have to have a deeper knowledge of Said’s thought process.

In Lebanon, there were only so many people with certain surnames in the country, and those names are specific to a certain cities, and certain parts of town. With this interconnected and tight-knit community in Lebanon, if you were to show up and ask a stranger for someone with the surname “Smith,” someone would point you in the direction where they lived.

With this mentality, Said landed in LA and knew his uncle lived in North Hollywood. So he got in a cab and asked for his uncle by last name in North Hollywood. Naturally, in the classic cab driver fashion, the driver dropped him off in the middle of North Hollywood, and told him, “that not really the way it works here…”

With no way to contact anyone, poor English and no where to go; Said saw was a park bench and a hamburger stand.

So for almost two weeks, at the age of 16, slept on a park bench and ate one hamburger a day (except on Saturdays, he had two, because they were closed on Sundays) and tried day-in and day-out to find his uncle. Running out of money and time, he began asking around and eventually ran into a ESOL school and a Lebanese employee. They exchanged stories, and midway through their conversation Said realized that if they were both back in Lebanon, they would not be speaking to one another, as the ESOL teacher would have been on the “enemy side” firing from the hillside on Said and his father’s car.

However, this was America, and the “enemy” was able to help Said in his quest to find his uncle in North Hollywood; and as Said says, “to get to the best part, it turns out my uncle was only 2 blocks away from the park bench!”

Understanding Said’s journey makes understanding Said’s unbreakable passion to pursue acting in his quarterlife very easy. However, before we began to speak about how he got into his career in Hollywood, he backtracked to talk about the war, outside of the bullets, bombs and interrogations. He described the atmosphere of Lebanon during the war as, “warm,” with so much love and camaraderie between neighbors and families during war. He said families and communities became closer when they were huddled into homes together and moving about to gather supplies. But what Said thinks is best is how after the war. when dispersed family members came back to Lebanon, they had a chance to shared their worldly experiences from all around the globe, and this has helped Lebanon, in his view to become a better country.

Said particularly spoke of the main aspect which brought people together, it was entertainment. He said, “people were truly one,” most notably, during Soccer games. Said states, “Soccer was what really brought everyone together, and was the only time when everyone just stopped shooting, and everybody watched the game.”

But more close to Said was the theater.

When I asked Said about his interest in acting, and if he had not fled Lebanon would he still be an actor, he told me how deep his passion and interests for acting went.

Despite starting life in war time, where it was difficult to look to the future as you only “lived to survive.” However, Said enjoyed the escape of the theater and the sense of euphoria he captured when seeing movies (Starting with “Tarzan” being the 1^st movie he ever saw) and with a great national appreciation for classical theater, he knew he was meant to be on stage and film.

By the time Said was entering the “quarterlife”, he had a bigger crisis than most. Fleeing his home land, flying to America and now graduated from North Hollywood High, Said began a few odd jobs, but knew he wasn’t truly enthralled with the idea of “working.”

He always loved acting and wanting pursue acting.

At this time in his early 20′s, Said remembered his favorite teacher Ms. Haber, who told him — “If you are passionate about something, why don’t you just go out and make it happen.” When he went back to visit her, she recommended an acting agency for him, gave him a card, with which Said jumped right in without doing any research or asking any questions. He set up an appointment, and lacking any experience, he was cast in extra roles, and began to do some minor work alongside actors like Gene Hackman.

Enjoying his growing experiences and his drive for “just wanting to be in FRONT of the camera,” his persistence gave him opportunity to learn some tricks of the trade and shortly after found a new manager who had him auditioning like a fiend.

I asked him if he ever wanted to give up, and he said without hesitation “No — I just enjoy being here, and even the thought of getting the “small roles,” I would just get so excited!” He continued,  “I never thought of them as small roles, but saw it as a challenge and accomplishment.”

Said knows that God allowed him to have the focus he needed to stay true to his passion, and give him the focus and positive mentality to get him where he is today.

Today, though out of his quarterlife, Said still carries the war torn childhood memories and the years of minor “Cabbie and Clerk” roles, typical for Arab actors, and has made a productive career for himself. Though Said is working along side Matt Damon, flying across the country to movie premiers and meeting heads-of-state, Said still does have his role models. Said looks to actors like Tony Shalhoub, who as another Lebanese-American, as a great artistic role model for Said, as well as for Said’s young children.

While on the subject of Arab actors, I asked Said how he felt the portrayal of his characters in previous movies, and if those roles were helping the stereotype of Arab-Americans, and additionally if he had noticed an overall sentiment change towards Arabs in Hollywood.

Said had to pause, and explained how although it was empowering to have some representation on screen as an Arab in America, he said the common portrayal of a Middle Eastern characters such as, clerks, terrorists or minor roles of that nature can limit artists in their career.

He said, “It has certainly become more of a stereotype for us Arab artists to play those roles. If you’re not taking your acting seriously, you can take whatever they give you you just to be on screen. However, when you go to acting class, read books and study the artistic nuances and theories, you feel almost incapable of playing those roles, because they put you in a box, and limit you your artistic creativity.”

Said added “…if you want to establish yourself as a credible actor, you have to get out of that box and use film and independent film to give you the chance to do more creative and even “normal” roles.”

Creative and “normal” is what Said Faraj had the chance to portray in Green Zone. Playing a high ranking military father, Said was able to be someone normal and not the “Cabbie and Clerk” as he had been previously.

Consistently reiterating his great appreciation for the “Green Zone” team for providing him the opportunity to help popularize the portrayal of Arabs in Hollywood, Said wants to thank Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon for being great supporters.

Of course, he thanks God for the blessings of allowing to even be alive to experience this, and for protecting him and his family over the years to allow this dream to come to fruition.

Though this is not the typical story of “Rags to Riches,” Said’s life has holds the story of an unsung potential behind a passion too many would have ignored. Despite facing the perils of war, Said beat incredible odds to make it where he is today, and every time we speak, he continues to thank God, each time sounding more and more surprised by the things that are happening around him.

Said Wants to Thank:

Acting Coach: Candy Kaniecki

Director: Paul Greengrass

Co-Star: Matt Damon

Be sure to watch “Green Zone”!

It is a rarity these days to find an individual in the entertainment industry who is influential, responsible, humble and under the age of 30. Moreover, one who neglects the trappings of life’s successes and turns their trying past experiences into a genuine positive message. This rare culmination of positivity only begins to illustrate the elemental character which is Nina Brown.

“Be creative with your hustle, committed to the grind & fearless of the world”
- Nina Brown

Images by: Allen Cooley (@AllenCooley)

Self-described as “God’s Girl 24/7,” Brown is the successful radio and television producer of Atlanta’s V-103 “Frank and Wanda” morning shows. Leaving the corporate world behind at a young age and entering the entertainment world as an underpaid broadcast intern, Brown, through her “hustle and grind” mantra and blessings from God now radiates the self-confidence and passionate drive many in their 20’s dream of.

However, like most in Generation-Y and previous quarterlifers, Brown was not immune to her own self-doubt and has turned the lessons of a rambunctious teenage rebellion into a professional and inspirational path.

So when does one go from being the epitome of a rebellious teen, to an accomplished 29-year-old with a sense of purpose?

Brown always thought she was “late and behind in her professional development,” claiming if she had only completed “x, y and z” earlier, then she would be further along in her profession at a younger age. However, she has come to realize her quarterlife maturation is just on time.

Brown says maturity is a recent event for her, occurring only in the past 5 years, and it has been a spiritual awaking…

“I didn’t find real peace within and wasn’t truly comfortable with what God created in me until now. I no longer have the feeling of needing to compete, or being insecure about my life experiences…or even feeling guilty about mistakes I’ve made. I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by my mistakes – because I now realize it has played a huge role in who I am today.”

It is ironic, because when we were “growing up” (I use the term loosely) we all probably thought “maturity” happened somewhere in between puberty and high school graduation. However for Brown and many others, we now realize “growing up” is a continuous process, including the time period of your quarterlife, which most people call it becoming “responsible.”

Brown, who has called Atlanta, Ga. home since 1994, says she loves this city because she can be the inspiration to the youngest of Generation-Y by culminating her “cool factor” with the importance of her inspirational messages. Brown says, “…there’s no place in the world where you can see so many successful people from the same background as you, and be leaders and trendsetters for success, especially in media.”

Brown, who gives more than her fair share back to the community, reiterates this point to her youth audiences, telling them mistakes made earlier in life are not the end all of life, but a beginning to show you a better path. Brown stated she was once an out of control 16-year-old who, in order to “find herself,” went against authority. Her passion for working with at-risk-youths, who are crying out for attention in high schools is close to heart, because as she stated, “it wasn’t that long ago that I went through the same things, and I can show them the light at the end of the tunnel.”

When she visits those students and listens to them detail their trials of peer pressure, sex, drugs and being lost without a stable home life, Brown is more than willing to jump in and spread her wisdom.

Brown said lightheartedly, “I tell them, ‘Yeah! I know Rick Ross!’ and ‘Yeah! I know Young-Jeezy, we hangout, we kick-it, we talk’…” but she doesn’t say this to boast or self-promote her own agenda. Brown uses it as a tool to connect with and illustrate to these kids how you can be a responsible adult and at the same time live within your passions and be successful.

Now, success and passion are things we all hear about a lot, usually as two separate entities, however Brown has her own definition of success that includes passion. She defines success as your personal drive to obtain the peace of mind of knowing who you are, and your worth and value as an individual.

Brown said, “You can have as much money as you want in the world and be very unhappy – and I don’t want to be in a position where I have the buco amounts of money and not the family or friends who I can trust, because that’s a lonely world.”

When Brown spoke about leaving her “Corporate-America Job” to become an underpaid intern in broadcast, she said “Look, I’ve always had a passion for radio and television, more along the lines of radio for the love of music…and I am a big proponent of finding your passion; this is one life you have.”

Finding your passion to obtain success sounds great, but some believe you have to do what needs to be done, no matter what. Brown said some of us have our mind set early in life that “this” is what we were meant to do, or “this” is what I have to do to make money, but “this” may not be your passion. We may have a dream or at some point in our lives realize we are really prolific at something, and that becomes your passion. However, because of fear of failure, Brown says, we give up on our passions, and ultimately our success.

“Fear is or worst enemy, it keeps us from being unable to succeed, because you allow that fear to hang over your head for the rest of your life.”

Brown states, you need to go for what you would do for free, and this is your passion, and fulfilling your passion is where you will make your money. Plainly put, she said “I mean, who wants to spend the rest of your life at a job that you hate – always watching the clock and saying ‘ugh – I have HOW many hours left‘?”

It seems simple enough, “do what you love, to make you happy,” but many still do not know when their passions have led to “success” or if it ever will. Brown said she has been able to gauge her level of success, not through paychecks, cars, houses or fame but through the e-mails, tweets, Facebook messages and face-to-face interaction she receives from her listeners.

Brown said, “I have people tell me I made them want to do better in life, and through them, I know people are watching and listening, and if I know I can improve one person’s life ,then I have succeeded at what I’ve set out to accomplish.”

Brown’s mantra to completing her success is, “Be creative with your hustle, committed to the grind and fearless of the world.” As she further explains to her teen audiences, this means you essentially have to be quick on your feet and never give up – and that when people tell you “no” or you face rejection and adversity, that those obstacles are not the end of the line – they are just a part of life. In summary, Brown believes you have to believe in yourself and your path, because no one else will, and if you believe in you, you can have everything you want.

Though Brown said she had the “American Dream” of the suburban house, the SUV, revolving credit and cash in the bank – she states personal success is not achieved through these monetary and material keepings – but by finding your inner passion and God given path in life.

“When I die, do I want to be known for this nice house I own, or to I want to be known for this legacy I am creating, because I was able to change people’s lives by setting the example?”

Tony Besson: Young Hollywood

Tony who? You know Tony Besson –  the young Hollywood actor from “Spider Man III” and “Jumper” you’ve never heard of, because you were too busy watching reality TV the past 10 years.

We’ve all been guilty of it – mindlessly engrossed by The Hills, Paris Hilton’s crotch, Tila Tequila’s MySpace Fame, NeNe from the Real House Wives of Atlanta, the mom with 8 kids, the mom with 12 kids, the short mom, the swapped moms… etc. etc. Because all these new “celebrities” whom have multiplied by exponential numbers and garnished our attention, the people with talent, you know actors like Tony Besson, have been subjected to being treated like 2^nd rate citizens on red carpets.

All though they are part of cast and crew, they are placed on roll call lists at Hollywood events and charity functions, because the photographers no longer know who is who, or what they are supposed to be “famous” for, because anyone with a MySpace can become a celebrity.

So how does a young Generation-Y actor in their quarterlife cope in a world where “entertainment” means turning over a table on Bravo?

According to Tony Besson, he finds the ultimate feeling of success from his acting career in the smallest events and accomplishments; and as far as the reality “stars” – he simply turns a blind eye to them in knowing they’ll soon fade away.

To understand how Besson came to be of this mature mindset, or as Samuel L. Jackson told him, his “swagga,” you have to understand the essence of him. The bold headed 17-year-old who moved out from his parent’s house, to the 24-year-old who sold his successful business to move to LA to pursue his passion of acting.

When most people Besson’s age were having their “quarterlife crisis,” or as Besson prefers to say the, “Oh shit moment,” he was stable in his life and learning to accommodate the ups and downs of his passion of a Hollywood career.

Besson says, “most people our age wake up one day and realize that, ‘oh shit – my friends are out of college, my friends are starting successful careers, my friends are getting married and starting families…and I’m not.’ That’s the ‘Oh Shit’ moment.” And as far as having an “Oh shit moment” of his own, Besson says it’s not for him. He did describes how for him, his life was an inverse of how most people would view the natural progression of one’s profession.

Extremely independent, Besson has been doing his laundry before he was 10, and this is not what you’d assume from a kid who comes from a successful family. Yes, his parents had money – $75,000 cars and all, but he was not privy to a blank check like on TV. He says, “They never just handed me cash, I was around it, I grew up and had everything I needed, but I never just had cash. I chose to work 40-hours a week scooping ice cream so that I could buy the things I wanted.” Besson appreciates this upbringing because he attributes his independent trait to this.

His independence truly came to fruition when he decided to leave his parents home at the age of 17, not because he had bad blood with his family, but because he had his own plans.

Three days after moving out, he had his own apartment and rented furniture, because his parent’s would not allow him to take their furniture with him. Shortly after, through professional connections, Besson was managing one of the quintessential businesses of the late 90s – early 2000’s: A cellphone accessory kiosk.

Jokingly Besson says, “Dude, you know everyone was into those things – you were, I was…we all did it!” (Guilty, I couldn’t resist those ‘Dolla Billz’ Nokia Covers!)

He was doing well, managing then owning 4 Kiosks in the Southwest, living the life in Las Vegas, engaged for marriage…all this the age of 20. Things were picturesque to the eyes of this man, until he went to collect the money envelopes from one of his kiosks one night, and through a series of events came to learn his best manager and friend had been literally robbing him blind.

Now, although this would seem like the perfect time to have a quarterlife breakdown – Besson took this downtime and turned into a defining moment for himself. He received the summer itinerary of his best friend who was studying abroad, hopped a flight to Spain and knocked on the door of his friend’s hostel room at 2am and said “I heard we’re backpacking through Europe.”

We all know an escape is all good and fun until you have to go home. Upon his arrival back in Las Vegas, he remembered what his father always told him, “you have to figure out what you love doing in life, then figure out how to make money doing it.” Besson didn’t enjoy selling light-up antennae to 13-year-old-girls, he loved acting.

Besson says, “acting is a gift – and a privilege, and it’s what I enjoy.” So, when he decided this is what he wanted to do he, as spontaneously as his European trip, broke off his engagement, packed a bag and over the course of a few trials, finally moved to LA permanently to pursue his passion.

For Besson, the passion to become an actor is not about the women, clearly not the money nor the notoriety, he says there is only one reason he acts and it’s, “to be able to take someone, anyone; someone who just got an A on their Geometry test, or someone who’s mom just died, and put them in a movie theater or in front of a stage and remove them from whatever emotional state they are in and make them feel what your character is feeling – that is why I am here, and I am extraordinarily thankful for that.”

Upon hearing this, you have to wonder what the reality TV “celebs” are really out there for? Do they want to move people with their work, or sell their clothing lines? Besson says because of the economy from the early 2000’s investors weren’t into shelling out millions for quality actors when you could pay a few grand to some nobody to be on reality TV, and this is what is hurting the drive of many young actors today.

The recognition of the talent of young actors, according to Besson, is diminished due to what we as a generation have accepted and reflected as a entertainment; leaving the quality actors high and dry with no work, killing their chance to show their talent.

However for Besson, his drive comes from knowing he will do something amazing and receiving respect for his hard work; and he has received that respect from the best sources.

One of the coolest moments Besson has had as an actor, was when he was when he was taking any work to get him on set. He was playing as a stunt double on the film Jumper and while working closely with the stars, had the opportunity to chat with Samuel L. Jackson about various topics unrelated to the current project. Besson recalled in the middle of one of their conversation, Jackson said, “Can I just say something real quick?” Besson interjected, “…Really, you’re Samuel L. Jackson! Do you have to ask permission to speak?!” After a quick laugh, Jackson said, “You gotta cool little swagga about you – I like it.”[Check Out Tony's IMDB]

A boost like this is what keeps Besson going despite the flood of competition he faces for his character type. He says it’s not uncustomary to hear of thousands of auditioners coming for the same role, of which ultimately 5 are shown before the producers for roles.

With a classic comedic persistence, Besson continuously strives to achieve his goals of landing roles similar to the “asshole/cool guy” parts of Ryan Reynolds, but he ideally would like a dynamic career like Leonardo DiCaprio, of whom he greatly respects his career and personal style.

Though he has not made the headlines yet, with that proverbial game changing role, Besson says in reality it’s hard to find the “game changing” role these days, due to the dynamics of the entertainment world. Besson referenced films likes “Capote”, and actor Philip Seymour, who stepped away from his regular character roles and made a brilliant film. However, people outside the academy didn’t take it seriously; so as Besson says, you have to go for what your passionate about, because you never really know which role will be “the best role” ever, or which will lead to debatable reviews.

As a young actor, Besson has come to realize the change in entertainment from quality performances to questionable housewives, and he has gained more respect for up and coming actors and says people should give more support to these people for their hard work.

He says, “unless you can afford a great publicist or you’re a rockstar, no one cares about you in the Hollywood limelight and events. It shouldn’t be where at movie premieres, you have the cast and crew of 150 people in a venue for 500, that is then filled by paid seat-fillers, radio contest winners and other random people. Those seats should be reserved for those of us in the industry who care about what has taken place.”

So, is acting for anyone who appreciates a good film? Can we all move to LA and gain the respect of the public and academy by leaving behind our lives? “Probably not,” Besson says, and rightfully so – despite people stressing too much on the rules of life and settling for what will pay the bills, people need to pursue their passion, even if that doesn’t mean the “ultimate success.”

As Besson says success varies for each person. For him, it’s clearly not the six-figure income he was making in Las Vegas but more the sense of accomplishment from reaching certain milestones. He said, “if I could shoot 4-episodes on a hit TV show like, “How I met you mother,” “Two and Half Men,” or “Dexter” tomorrow, and not work for 6months, the momentum and sense of accomplishment it would give me would be success in itself”

If everyone went after their passions with an unabashed intent like Besson, some of us would probably go hungry; but for him, his passion to achieve his success feeds him, and is what keeps him landing better roles and auditions. He said, “I’ll quit trying to ‘be an actor’ probably the day I die” I asked him, if everyone should live by that mantra, he said, “no, that’s crazy.”

###

Since we last spoke, Tony was cast in a role for a national commercial for Pizza Hut. In the grand-scheme of things, it may seem like a minor step, however after a dry spell at the end of 2009, Tony says this is a great start to the new year. You can find Tony on Twitter at @TonyBesson where he likes to keep in contact with people who are outside of his “circle of friends” and gives him support.

As a more “social user” of Social Media, I’ve had the chance to interact with some Generation-Y peers who’ve been willing to share their insights and lives with me at the most candid of depths. It is a very humbling experience to have people confide and entrust in you their personal feelings for you to share. I’ve had the opportunity to become to become acquainted with Twitter user, Brandy Weber (@Brandy3216) over the past few months. One day she sat down and, on her BlackBerry,  she wrote into Quarterlife Magazine detailing how she came to be where she was in her quarterlife.

Brandy’s Entry to Quarterlife Magazine:

It’s naptime so I have time to write you!

I am a preschool teacher at a private preschool on Johns Island, S.C.! I’ve taught here since the end of May, teaching 2-year-olds and I love it! But, it wasn’t always as nice as nap time –my story is as follows:

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, since I was about 5 years old. I wasn’t really “amazing” in school, just an average 3.0 kind of gal – I was much better at socializing, Haha! Every year at the end of the school year, my mom had a scrapbook she put my school picture in and asked some questions such as, “Who were my friends,” “What I wanted to be when I grow up”…etc. and every year I answered “A Teacher!”

I always wanted to teach Child Development 4-year-olds or Kindergarten, so when I graduated high school in Burgettstown, Penn. I went to Mercyhurst College in Erie, Penn. for “Early Childhood and Elementary Education” which technically means I’m double specialized to teach from Birth to 6^th Grade!

I had always said I was going to move south to the beach after I graduated college. My best friend’s sister lives here in Charleston so I came to visit for two weeks and decided this was the place for me!

I worked at the Charleston Crab House as a server while I looked for teaching jobs here. I had an interview for and ended up landing the “ideal” 1st Grade Job. I was a little nervous about teaching – but excited to start my journey!

However, it was a tough year for many reasons. I had 14 students, all who had a rough family life – but I was determined to make a difference! As the year went on, I found most of the parents there didn’t even care about their children…or their education; it was so heart breaking for me! The most memorable example of this lack of interest was shown in the simplest of tasks, picking up your your child’s report cards; they only had to meet with the teacher to receive. I told multiple families I would come in any day or time…and to show how little they cared, I STILL have some of their first report cards to this day.

As I said it was a tough year for me and not a good placement.

Several of the teachers there were very unwilling to help me with my first year of my teaching journey and often found myself lost and asking for help which I wasn’t receiving!

At one point I had EIGHT kids suspended and by the end of the year most people commended me for not quitting – but I refuse to quit on a class (most of the other teachers said with my class they would have quit by Christmas.).

So at this point I didn’t know if I ever wanted to teach again.

My roommate at the time worked at the children’s center and told me to apply for teaching 2-year-olds sounded like it would be like babysitting, not teaching but I learned I was very wrong.

The job I got there was “Lead Teacher,” and I began to love teaching all over again! My students, families, and coworkers were excellent!

Teaching 2-year-olds is so special and people always say,

“They are only two what can you possibly teach them…”

Well, lets just put it this way – because of me you learn to go potty, eat with a fork, use your manners, letters, colors, shapes!

A lot of exciting things as well as life skills you use forever when you’re “only two!”

My job requires a lot of patience, hard work, planning, dedication, and passion for children!

Well, thank you for listening – I am glad to share, because I know I am always interested in learning about people’s journeys  – because I constantly wonder if I’m on the right path! If you know me in real life I have such a well-rounded, sociable, networking, bubbly, happy personality and I wonder if I should be using my gift in some other career or if I am in the right place because I love my job! In the end, I just want to be motivated and love to go to work each and everyday and do what I do best!

– Brandy Weber

###

All can I say to Brandy is, with a personality and passion you have – do not give up on the two-year-olds! If not, when we are well past our quarterlife, there will be a lot of angry, undereducated and under-loved adults – who don’t know how to use the potty…

Know someone in Generation Y who is making a difference or a shining example of what it means to be part of the world’s largest global generation?

Then share it with us!

E-mail Quarterlife Magazine (contest@quarterlifemag.com) and tell us why your friend is an ideal Generation-Y individual and win them an iPhone – and if your nomination wins, you get an iPhone, too!

You can highlight the individual based on philanthropy, educational achievement, career notoriety, talent proclivity – just something that makes this individual standout amongst the wash of Generation-Y amazingness.

Your nominee has to be born between the years of 1980 and 1995. (I know, some of you feel really old right about now)…However to nominate, you just have to be alive!

All the Technical Stuff:

When should I nominate?
E-mail “Generation Nomination” CONTEST from 12:00:00 a.m. EST December 1, 2009 to 11:59:59 p.m. EST December 31, 2009.

What is EST ( Eastern Standard Time)?
Quarterlife Magazine is located in Atlanta, Georgia – we are going off of LOCAL “eastern” time. We are NOT the International Time Keepers, so ask Google for all time difference questions.

What exactly do we submit?
Submission are to be written nominations, (250-1000 words) highlighting the great things your Gen-Y friend is doing in life. You can add pictures or link a video if you care; just don’t write us a novel.

Can I nominate myself?
…seriously? No, you cannot – and split personalities do not count either.

When will you announce the winner?
The iPhone winners will be announced January 10, 2010 at 9 a.m. EST.

The Prize:

Am I winning an iPhone with Service?
No. You are entering to win an Apple Gift Card equivalent to the price of a new iPhone 3GS & 3G IF you were to enter into a 2-year-contract with AT&T.

• The person you nominate will win an iPhone 3GS gift card!
• You will win an iPhone 3G gift card!

We are not providing you with an iPhone or service ONLY a gift-card.

All services and eligibility for service is between you and your carrier you chose.

There’s no iPhone service where I live.
Wow – consider moving.

I don’t want to buy an iPhone.
You can do what you want to do with the gift card once we give it you. It’s your money – but seriously, why would you NOT want an iPhone?

Do I need to be a fan/follower?
Being a Facebook fan and Twitter follower isn’t necessary – but we’ll enjoy the company.

How about cash bribes?
You can try and bribe me – but I’ll just think less of you.

What if I’m affiliated with Quarterlife Magazine?
No, mother, I won’t give you the gift card, sorry…same goes for all Quarterlife Magazine contributors and henchmen (i.e. family members, interviewees, advertisers, guest posters and sanitation engineers).

Holiday Generation Nomination: iPhone Giveaway]]> http://www.quarterlifemag.com/2009/12/holiday-iphone-giveaway/feed/ 5 http://www.quarterlifemag.com/2009/11/frozen-pumpkin-ice-cream-pie/ http://www.quarterlifemag.com/2009/11/frozen-pumpkin-ice-cream-pie/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:54:19 +0000 Paul Eulette http://www.quarterlifemag.com/?p=1566 Frozen Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 quart Breyer’s Vanilla Bean ice cream
• 1   9″ baked graham crust
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup whipped cream (canned, tub or make your own!)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• candied nuts for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ice cream, pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg and sugar (quickly and thoroughly).
2. Once mixture is uniform, spread into baked pie crust.
3. Place pie into freezer for at minimum 2 hours before serving.
4. Garnish the pie edge with whipped cream and top with candied nuts (optional).

Kei Yasuda: “I am not your grandma!”

Japanese singer and former second-generation member of “Hello,” a great dancer and vocalist Kei Yasuda was the main host of “Hello! Morning” and is a reoccurring host periodically. Being referred to as “the ugly one” Kei has a spirit of most in Generation Y and took the teasing in stride as Yasuda was one of the most talented Momusu girls ever. She continues to work in dramas and musicals. Because of her skill with several instruments, she often accompanies herself or others in acoustic performances.

References & for more information:
Hello! Kei Yasuda

Wikipedia.org

MadeMan.com

Know someone in Generation Y who is making a difference or a shining example of what it means to be part of the world’s largest global generation?

Then share it with us!

E-mail Quarterlife Magazine (contest@quarterlifemag.com) and tell us why your friend is an ideal Generation-Y individual and win them an iPhone – and if your nomination wins, you get an iPhone, too!

You can highlight the individual based on philanthropy, educational achievement, career notoriety, talent proclivity – just something that makes this individual standout amongst the wash of Generation-Y amazingness.

Your nominee has to be born between the years of 1980 and 1995. (I know, some of you feel really old right about now)…However to nominate, you just have to be alive!

All the Technical Stuff:

When should I nominate?
E-mail “Generation Nomination” CONTEST from 12:00:00 a.m. EST December 1, 2009 to 11:59:59 p.m. EST December 31, 2009.

What is EST ( Eastern Standard Time)?
Quarterlife Magazine is located in Atlanta, Georgia – we are going off of LOCAL “eastern” time. We are NOT the International Time Keepers, so ask Google for all time difference questions.

What exactly do we submit?
Submission are to be written nominations, (250-1000 words) highlighting the great things your Gen-Y friend is doing in life. You can add pictures or link a video if you care; just don’t write us a novel.

Can I nominate myself?
…seriously? No, you cannot – and split personalities do not count either.

When will you announce the winner?
The iPhone winners will be announced January 10, 2010 at 9 a.m. EST.

The Prize:

Am I winning an iPhone with Service?
No. You are entering to win an Apple Gift Card equivalent to the price of a new iPhone 3GS & 3G IF you were to enter into a 2-year-contract with AT&T.

• The person you nominate will win an iPhone 3GS gift card!
• You will win an iPhone 3G gift card!

We are not providing you with an iPhone or service ONLY a gift-card.

All services and eligibility for service is between you and your carrier you chose.

There’s no iPhone service where I live.
Wow – consider moving.

I don’t want to buy an iPhone.
You can do what you want to do with the gift card once we give it you. It’s your money – but seriously, why would you NOT want an iPhone?

Do I need to be a fan/follower?
Being a Facebook fan and Twitter follower isn’t necessary – but we’ll enjoy the company.

How about cash bribes?
You can try and bribe me – but I’ll just think less of you.

What if I’m affiliated with Quarterlife Magazine?
No, mother, I won’t give you the gift card, sorry…same goes for all Quarterlife Magazine contributors and henchmen (i.e. family members, interviewees, advertisers, guest posters and sanitation engineers).

Holiday Generation Nomination: iPhone Giveaway]]> http://www.quarterlifemag.com/2009/11/holiday-iphone-giveaway-2/feed/ 0