Kat on the Loose – ZEN ARTS CEO DOUG MILLER

Host: Kat Zammuto
Guest: Doug Miller, CEO of Zen Arts
Date: December 18, 2024

Episode Overview

This lively and candid episode of Kat on the Loose features Doug Miller, founder and CEO of Zen Arts, a luxury entertainment company renowned for its extravagant, custom-made events. Kat and Doug dive deep into their unique platonic friendship, Doug’s fascinating life in the events world, the realities of dating in Los Angeles, and the contemporary challenges of relationships, dating apps, and personal growth after heartbreak. Full of personal anecdotes, laughter, and real talk, the conversation underscores themes of friendship, vulnerability, and relationship dynamics—all with Kat’s signature unfiltered style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Platonic Male-Female Friendships: Breaking the Stereotype

• Kat and Doug’s Unlikely (Non-Romantic) Bond (04:24 - 10:18)

  • Doug and Kat met at a Los Angeles social club and quickly became close friends rather than romantic interests. They humorously debate whether Kat initially expressed romantic interest, betting $100 on their differing recollections.
  • Doug: "I appreciate the women that are in my life that are friends that I can confide in, that I can, like, see a female perspective from. And I can just spend time with. It’s not me chasing them to try and have sex with them or date them." (11:14)

• Dismissing the Myth

  • Kat insists that not all male-female friendships have an underlying romantic or sexual element, despite common debate and skepticism.
  • Kat: “We are proof that guys and girls can have an amazing friendship. So I just wanted to dismissify this silly myth out there...” (10:03)

2. Doug’s Life as an Entertainment Visionary

• From Child Prodigy to Event Maestro (13:15 - 17:45)

  • Doug’s background as a lifelong artist, starting as a professional musician at 10, evolved into fire dancing and ultimately leading Zen Arts, which produces Cirque du Soleil-esque luxury events globally.
  • Zen Arts caters to private clients and celebrities, orchestrating multi-million dollar productions, from exotic weddings in the Canary Islands to New Year’s parties with star-studded performances.
  • Doug: "It’s like putting on a Broadway show at someone’s house, you know, for one night for a million dollars." (17:35)

• An Environment of Beauty and Trust

  • Doug addresses misconceptions about constantly being around gorgeous dancers and models, emphasizing professionalism and creative collaboration rather than romantic entanglement.
  • Doug: "A lot of the women I work with are half my age, first of all, and they're all super... It’s a very familial, safe environment." (18:25)

3. The Dating Scene in LA: Challenges & Realities

• Coming Off an Engagement and Re-Entering the Scene (22:17 - 23:01)

  • Doug discusses recent heartbreak after ending an engagement and his cautious approach to dating again.
  • Kat: "I think personally, that’s the best way to mend a broken heart...keep trying to find the right person for you." (22:36)

• Dating App Dilemmas (23:01 – 29:52)

  • Doug expresses frustration with dating apps’ “window shopping” mentality, noting how broad age ranges and swiping lead to mismatches and shallow connections.
  • Both share horror stories about matches seeking financial gain, dinner gifts, or outright sugar-daddy arrangements.
  • Doug: “The problem with the dating apps for me is that it's just this window shopping of like, swiping on women.” (23:01)
  • Doug: “I’ve had more situations where I’ve taken somebody out to dinner... and then she asks... ‘I am looking for someone who's gonna, like, support me and take care of me.’” (30:23)

• The Fakes and Frustrations (33:01 - 36:28)

  • Platforms like Raya are critiqued for encouraging hollow, fame-seeking matches. Both Kat and Doug agree these platforms draw the "wrong type" for genuine relationships.
  • Doug highlights that even high-fee matchmaking services seldom produce real compatibility, with most results being underwhelming despite exorbitant price tags.

• Matchmaking Rules: To Withhold or Not Withhold Sex? (40:11 - 44:02)

  • The duo debates matchmaker-imposed celibacy, criticizing the notion that withholding sex guarantees commitment and happiness.
  • Kat: “I think it’s just a bad game.” (43:18)
  • Doug: “I couldn’t be with somebody like, like for a long period of time and not, like, explore the physical connection either.” (43:56)

• Dating with Intention (45:17 - 48:53)

  • Doug emphasizes the need for selectivity and “dating with intention,” wanting more thorough vetting (including video calls) before investing in real-life dates.
  • Kat: “My time is so precious. I am never gonna go anywhere without, like, doing a video call and stuff.” (47:34)
  • Doug derides the concept of speed-dating coffee shop marathons as “horrible advice.”

4. The Luxury Events World: Wildest Requests & Extravagant Budgets

• Craziest Events & Big Spends (51:08 - 52:54)
  • Doug recounts organizing a $10 million Indian wedding where the entertainment alone cost $1.5 million, and designing wild party requests like flying performers and (less tastefully) champagne glass antics.
  • Doug: “I mean, we've done some pretty lavish weddings, but I think the Indians are the most lavish that I've experienced.” (51:35)
  • On outrageous client requests: “Can we have, you know, six girls peeing in champagne glasses? I get kind of a little bit of everything, you know...” (51:59)

5. Playful Chemistry & Real Talk on Relationships

• Moving Past “Crumbs” (49:17 - 50:03)

  • Kat and Doug joke about hosting a “No Crumbs Party,” a metaphor for refusing subpar treatment in love.
  • Doug: “No crumbs. No crumbs. Can we do like a no crumbs party?” (49:56)

• Dating Solutions: Dinner Parties > Apps (50:24 - 50:46)

  • The friends agree personal connections—like dinner parties where singles bring other singles—can be a far better way to meet quality people.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I really do appreciate the women that I’m friends with. And I think as I get older, I just can’t have every woman in my life be someone I’m trying to pursue or date.” — Doug (11:14)
• “We are proof that guys and girls can have an amazing friendship... I just wanted to dismissify this silly myth out there...” — Kat (10:03)
• “It’s like putting on a Broadway show at someone’s house, you know, for one night for a million dollars.” — Doug (17:35)
• “If they think every single time you’re doing this multimillion dollar event, you’re going to be banging a dancer, it’s never going to work.” — Kat (19:29)
• “My time is so precious. I am never gonna go anywhere without, like, doing a video call and stuff.” — Kat (47:34)
• “No crumbs. No crumbs. Can we do like a no crumbs party?” — Doug (49:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:24 | Platonic friendship debate and how Doug & Kat met | | 11:14 | Doug on appreciating genuine, platonic friendships | | 13:15 | Doug’s artistic roots and Zen Arts’ origin story | | 17:35 | Behind the scenes of luxury events | | 18:25 | Addressing rumors about dating performers | | 22:17 | Doug on heartbreak and re-entering the dating scene | | 23:01 | LA dating challenges, pitfalls of dating apps | | 30:23 | The financial side of modern dating (gifts, sugar daddies) | | 33:01 | Raya and matchmaking disappointments | | 40:11 | Dissecting matchmaking rules regarding sex | | 45:17 | Dating intentionally and screening matches | | 47:34 | The necessity of vetting via calls/social media | | 49:56 | “No crumbs party” idea and relationship standards | | 51:08 | Most extravagant party requests and budgets |

Tone and Energy

The episode is energetic, irreverent, and honest—full of quick-witted back-and-forth, friendly teasing, candid confessions, and practical advice. Both Kat and Doug maintain a supportive, comedic rapport while sharing profound insights and hard-won wisdom from lives lived both in and outside the spotlight.

Takeaways

• True male-female friendships are possible and valuable—as exemplified by Kat and Doug’s mutual support and camaraderie.
• The world of luxury events is as much about discipline, artistry, and professionalism as it is about spectacle.
• Dating today—especially after heartbreak and in cities like LA—is fraught with pitfalls, but authenticity and intention are key.
• Both friendship and romance rely on honesty, clear standards (“no crumbs”), and a willingness to both give and expect respect.
• The “window shopping” culture of dating apps can be draining; personal connections and in-person networking still reign supreme.

Find Doug Miller’s work at: Instagram @zenarts.la

Connect with Kat:
YouTube: Kat on the Loose Show
Instagram: @realkatontheloose

To see video snippets and connect further, visit Kat’s podcast social channels. If you're a single lady interested in meeting Doug, Kat is taking DMs—and jokingly, so is the Zen Arts Instagram.