My First Blog

Well this is my first blog, but it mos def won't be my last. I have been inside the entertainment world for a few years now and I am beginning to see the good side and the bad side of the business.  The first thing that I want to say is that it takes so much more than talent to make it in this business.  It takes confidence, it takes humility, it takes hard work, it takes fortitude, it takes thick skin, it takes resilience, it takes excellence, it takes intelligence, it takes experience, and of course talent does play a part. 


The reason why I give so little credit to "talent" is because talent alone is just not enough, and not just in the entertainment world, talent is not enough in any field.  But you would think that in the world of entertainment "talent" would be the first thing that you would need.  I have seen so many people who have massive talent, but lack any confidence, resilience, excellence, humility or any of the other things that I have named. 


Many of you know that I just finished the second run of my play "The Retreat" and the disrespect and lack of humility (towards me THE DIRECTOR) that went on behind the scenes was almost suffocating.  However this is not my first "run in" with the lack of moral fiber that I encountered.   I've run into it so much that I do understand that it won't be my last. So I am learning to trust that people will be complete and utter assholes. 

But the confidence that I was speaking about............GOTTA HAVE IT.......people will try to make you believe that you KNOW NOTHING.  But when you KNOW that you know.  You have to be strong enough to withstand people's ignorance.  Why would I let you punk me when I KNOW that you know nothing about what it is that I am doing?

One of the first things that I learned in becoming a director and a leader is that in order to be a good leader YOU MUST BE A GOOD FOLLOWER.  You must be a good follower because things always look easier when you are in the follower position.  Many times you may think, "Why doesn't this person just do this?" Or, "If I was leading this thing I wouldn't make the same stupid mistakes." But it is so much easier to be the arm chair quarter back when it is not you who is in the game. 

A favorite saying of mine is this........."If you want to be a millionaire, find someone who has made a million dollars and follow what they did."  I love that........why would I take my queues from someone who is in as much debt or even more debt than me?   Why would I listen to someone who has never written a play, produced a play, directed a play, written an original song, or have the ability to sing an original song.  It's easy to point fingers at what I am doing when you don't have the balls to put it all on the line!  It's easy to be a great singer when you mimick what another great vocalist has already recorded.  It takes a true star to be able to put your own original swagger into something original.  It's easy to sing like Jennifer Hudson when you have Jennifer as a guide.  But what do you do when you have to pull from your own pool of talent.............and the pool is full of nothing?  You flop and you point fingers. 


I used to wonder why people with massive talent run lukewarm or even cold?  Ruben Studdard has a tremendous voice..........but his career is non existent.  What about Glenn Jones, Kelly Price, Rachelle Ferrell, Omarion and a slew of others that I could name.  Its not that these artists aren't talented, but something else in their personality, or management is keeping them from achieving greater success. 

So this is my first rant on the inner workings of the entertainment industry.........but trust me it gets deeper my friends.

Thanks for reading......I'll talk to you tomorrow.