Podcast
PIERSON TO PERSON
Hosted by Brent Pierson · EN
Longtime documentary and non-fiction TV producer Brent Pierson talks with a variety of colorful people about everything from living in Los Angeles and working in the entertainment business and other interesting fields to creative expression, pursuing one's passion, and the many nuances of the human condition.
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COP TALK
Apr 11, 202001:05:56Tap to summarizeBILL DUKE is a retired sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department. He spent 32 years "on the job" protecting and serving the citizens of LA -- a job that both fed his soul and satisfied the adrenaline junkie in him. Climb into the back seat of Bill's car as he drives Brent around Hollywood, DTLA and Chinatown and talks about his life on the beat. (1hr 6min)
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Nov 18, 201801:14:17Tap to summarizeJOHN T. LANG, Ph.D. is the chair of the Department of Sociology at Occidental College. Professor Lang devotes much of his academic research to the exploration of social relations surrounding the production and consumption of food. (EXTENDED EPISODE: 1hr 14min) EPISODE NOTES: Thanksgiving week is here and food takes center stage in America. So, too, on an extended episode of PIERSON TO PERSON as I talk with JOHN T. LANG, Ph.D. Professor Lang chairs the Department of Sociology at Occidental College and devotes much of his academic research to the exploration of social relations surrounding the production and consumption of food. Our wide-ranging conversation covers restaurant rivalries, fine dining, food trucks, small plates, family food budgets, meal kit delivery services, food TV, chain restaurants, the rise of Whole Foods, the fall of Fresh & Easy, the enduring cult of Trader Joe's, food worker wages, lobster, caviar, sushi, Pringles, Cheetos, "secret" off-menu items, Yelp, food rituals … and a problem we both have in common. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Many thanks to Lee Rosevere for the music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: 1. "As I Was Saying" 2. "Try Anything Once" 3. "4th Ave. Walkup" 4. "Curiosity" 5. "I'm Going for a Coffee" 6. "Southside" 7. "Keeping Stuff Together" 8. "Evening Glow" For more information on Lee Rosevere's music, please visit: leerosevere.bandcamp.com
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ORION THE ARTIST
Jun 22, 201800:44:14Tap to summarizeANDY GINER kept his passion for rapping under wraps for several years before finding the courage to step forward as his hip-hop alter ego, ORION THE ARTIST. Andy is serious about finding a place for himself in the competitive rap world -- not for fame and fortune, but for a higher purpose. (44:13) EXPLICIT EPISODE NOTES: ANDY GINER is one of the best production sound engineers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. I'd always seen Andy as a mild-mannered guy. Quiet and unassuming, but friendly. Then we became Facebook friends and I discovered, to my surprise, that Andy has a fast talking hip-hop alter ego he calls ORION THE ARTIST – a very different fella than the affable, low-key sound man I've been in the field with. Rapping, I've since learned, is a big part of Andy's life and he's serious about finding a place for himself in the competitive world of hip-hop. Not for fame and fortune, but for a higher purpose. For more information on ORION THE ARTIST and how to download his album IDENTITY LOST, please visit his website: oriontheartist.com Many thanks to Ryan Little for the opening/closing music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: "Falling Down" by Ryan Little - https://soundcloud.com/iamryanlittle
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MENSCHES and MENTORS and BABY BEARS, OH MY!
May 19, 201800:43:38Tap to summarizeDAN ARDEN is a veteran non-fiction television producer with a reputation of being a very nice guy to work for – some say too nice. But for Dan, creating a positive and enriching experience for his production team is equally rewarding, sometimes even more so, than producing the show itself. (43:37) EPISODE NOTES: I've known and worked with a lot of nice and conscientious TV producers over the years, but DAN ARDEN is hands down the nicest and most conscientious. It's just who Dan is, and reflective of the way he leads his life. For nearly 40 years, Dan has belonged to Soka Gakkai International-USA, a Buddhist peace organization whose members are guided by the core principles of respecting the dignity of human life and the interconnect-edness of self and the environment. And whether he's producing a series or special for Discovery, Animal Planet, Nat Geo, HBO, NBC, AMC, Showtime, Fox or PBS, Dan strives to create a positive and enriching experience for the people on his production team: "There's the material, and the stories, and the outcome of the show you're working on, and that's really important. But equally, whether it's for six months, one season or if you're lucky enough to work on a show for years, it's almost like having this other family. And I think when you're producing, you're able to create that environment where friends are working together and where you learn from each other. That becomes equally rewarding, and sometimes even more so when you look back on a project, than the show itself." Many thanks to the composers of the music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: 1. "Airlift" by Poddington Bear - soundofpicture.com 2. "Bill Pickett" by Simon Mathewson 3. "True North" by Adam Selzer 4. "Associations" by Poddington Bear - soundofpicture.com
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GOTTA HAVE FAITH
Apr 20, 201800:48:05Tap to summarizeFAITH PRINCE won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role as Miss Adelaide in the 1992 Broadway revival of "Guys and Dolls." And while Faith was honored to be recognized for her performance, she says the baggage that came with the win messed her up for five years. (48:04) EXPLICIT EPISODE NOTES: And the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical goes to … FAITH PRINCE. The year was 1992. The show was "Guys and Dolls." The role was Miss Adelaide. And while Faith was honored to be recognized for her performance, she did not expect the baggage that came with the win: "It kinda messes you up for awhile because it puts you in this league and then people go, 'Oh, you can't take that. That's not worthy of you.' Suddenly I went from being a character actress to being a leading lady. And it took me about five years to shake all that and go back to my old self and start picking things that I liked and wanted to do." FAITH PRINCE starred as Miss Adelaide opposite Nathan Lane in the 1992 Broadway revival of "Guys and Dolls." FAITH PRINCE won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in "Guys and Dolls." FAITH PRINCE stars as Della in the 2018 La Jolla Playhouse production of "The Cake" by Bekah Brunstetter. Many thanks to the Blue Dot Sessions for the music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: 1. "The Zeppelin" - www.sessions.blue/sessions/ 2. "Heliotrope" - www.sessions.blue/sessions/
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MINDBODY AND SOUL
Mar 23, 201800:52:42Tap to summarizeBLAKE BELTRAM is co-founder of MINDBODY, the largest provider of cloud-based business management software to the boutique, beauty, health and wellness industry. The publicly traded company serves clients in over 130 countries worldwide. (52:42) EPISODE NOTES: It's been 20 years since BLAKE BELTRAM sat in my living room tinkering with a software program that he had recently created to help yoga and pilates studios manage their daily business. I should have paid more attention. Turns out, Blake's nascent software was the seed that grew into a mighty oak called MINDBODY. The publicly traded company is now the largest provider of cloud-based business management software to the boutique beauty, health and wellness industry serving clients in over 130 countries worldwide. Headquartered in San Luis Obispo, MINDBODY was co-founded by high school friends Rick Stollmeyer and Blake Beltram. Many thanks to the Blue Dot Sessions for the music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: 1. "The Zeppelin" - www.sessions.blue/sessions/ 2. "Cases to Rest" - www.sessions.blue/sessions/
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WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Mar 4, 201800:46:40Tap to summarizeJEFF COPELAND is an author, screenwriter and non-fiction television producer whose close friendship with Andy Warhol superstar HOLLY WOODLAWN (immortalized in Lou Reed's biggest hit song "Walk On the Wild Side") dramatically impacted his professional and personal life in ways he never expected. (46:40) EXPLICIT EPISODE NOTES: Andy Warhol made her famous. Lou Reed immortalized her in song. And JEFF COPELAND wrote the book that chronicles the extraordinary journey of a 15-year-old runaway who, as Reed croons, "shaved her legs and then he was a she." As Jeff tells me in his PIERSON TO PERSON episode WALK ON THE WILD SIDE, he distinctly remembers the first time he laid eyes on the drag queen who would so dramatically impact his professional and personal life. JEFF: "I spotted this androgynous being, and I couldn't figure out if this was a man or a woman. I turned to my friend and asked, 'Who is that?' And he said, 'Oh, that's Holly Woodlawn. She's an Andy Warhol superstar. Don't bother with her. She's a mess!' And I was intrigued. That night, as I tried to sleep, I couldn't get Holly Woodlawn out of my mind. She just haunted me." Jeff was a 25-year-old aspiring screenwriter at the time, and his fascination with Holly Woodlawn quickly turned into action. He found Holly, then 42, listed in the phone book, called her up and said he was writing a movie that she'd be perfect for. He invited her to dinner and the two hit it off immediately. (Jeff would later move into the apartment next to Holly's.) JEFF: "We were extremely close. She told me her secrets. I told her mine. We shared the same insecurities. We were both misfits trying to fit in." Jeff finished his script and started shopping it around with Holly Woodlawn attached. Nobody was interested. However, an intern at a literary agency fished the script out of the trashcan it had been thrown into – along with some biographical information and photos of Holly that Jeff had also submitted – and thought her story would make for a good book. The intern's intuition proved to be right. A LOW LIFE IN HIGH HEELS: THE HOLLY WOODLAWN STORY was published in 1991 – a collaboration between Holly and Jeff, with Jeff doing the heavy lifting. Although Jeff didn't really want to write a book, he agreed to do it with the understanding that if the movie rights were sold, he would write the screenplay. CUT TO: A year later, Jeff reads in Liz Smith's gossip column that Madonna is going to star in a film based on Holly Woodlawn's book and that actor/playwright Harvey Fierstein is going to write the screenplay. JEFF: "It was devastating. It was such a painful experience for me to have my best friend turn on me like that. She, essentially, stabbed me in the back. But I ended up thinking, 'You know, Holly Woodlawn has only one story. Jeff Copeland has a million he can whip up. So, Holly, you take your story and go with Harvey Fierstein. Go with Columbia Pictures.' I wasn't going to stand in the way." Eventually, the Madonna/Fierstein/Columbia deal fell through. And, despite the script being optioned a few more times by other producers, no movie about the life of Holly Woodlawn was ever made. But Holly never gave up hope that one day it would be – even on her deathbed. JEFF: "Holly was like Norma Desmond, clinging to that dream. And it was very tragic. Holly was an alcoholic and she just spiraled out of control. It really bothered me to see her decline physically because of her alcoholism. And when I saw her last, she was living in a convalescent home and I actually brought her some gingerbread from Starbucks, and tried to make peace. I never stopped caring about Holly or her wellbeing." Holly Woodlawn died on December 6, 2015 at the age of 69. Jeff Copeland is now writing a new book about his many wild experiences with her called: Love You Madly, Holly Woodlawn. A LOW LIFE IN HIGH HEELS: THE HOLLY WOODLAWN STORY is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Woodlawn-Story-Life-Heels/dp/0312064292/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520148224&sr=8-1&keywords=holly+woodlawn Many thanks to Poddington Bear for the opening music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: "On a Wing" by Poddington Bear - soundofpicture.com
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#ELIZABETHTOO
Jan 7, 201800:50:53Tap to summarizeELIZABETH COOPER SMOKLER has spent 40 years working as a Hollywood makeup artist, primarily on TV sitcoms such as Roseanne, The Ellen Show, Reba, Blossom, The Larry Sanders Show and Who's the Boss? It's been a wonderful career – except, that is, for all the sexual harassment she's had to deal with in the process. (50:53) EPISODE NOTES: Not long before allegations surrounding Harvey Weinstein jump-started an ongoing dialogue on sexual harassment in Hollywood, I talked with veteran TV makeup artist ELIZABETH COOPER SMOKLER about her experience working with lecherous celebrities. ELIZABETH: "These are people with a lot of power that nobody ever says 'no' to. Or, very rarely. And they're wealthy and entitled, and you're in their personal space. You're touching their face, touching their neck and so it can be a challenge at times because people take that as an opportunity to cross boundaries. That was a huge problem in my life." Elizabeth has spent 40 years making actors up, primarily for sitcoms (e.g. Roseanne, The Ellen Show, Reba, The Larry Sanders Show, The Naked Truth, The Geena Davis Show, Three Sisters, Blossom, Nurses, Who's the Boss?). And while she says most of the men who have sat in her makeup chair have been terrific, there are some men – and even a woman – she'll never forget because they made things extremely uncomfortable and difficult for her. ELIZABETH: "You know, it's progressive. People begin to harass you in a progressive way. It starts out light and joking, and then it segues slowly but surely into more pressure. And then when you turn them down, they start to get angry." On one particular show, things got so bad that Elizabeth's father came to a taping and sat in the makeup room while she made up the show's star: ELIZABETH: "I was so bothered by this one person that I told him about it. And he came in like he was coming to see the show. It was an audience show. But my father was thinking if he introduced himself to this actor, that the actor would recognize that this is the daughter of another man and that he should treat me with respect." Elizabeth and I also talk about the many positive aspects of her career, what she thinks the secret to her success is, as well as how her craft has changed over the years with the advent of high-definition television (HDTV). And be sure to check out the Bonus Material I've posted – a first for PIERSON TO PERSON. I recorded Elizabeth making me up as if I were going to appear on television (to better understand her craft) and, I have to admit, having all of one's facial imperfections pointed out and covered up is a little humbling. Not that Elizabeth wasn't nice about it. Quite the contrary. After all, she's a pro. Many thanks to Lee Rosevere for the opening and closing music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: 1. "Southside" by Lee Rosevere - leerosevere.bandcamp.com 2. "As I Was Saying" by Lee Rosevere - leerosevere.bandcamp.com
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DEMON DRUMMER FROM EAST LA
Oct 13, 201700:51:11Tap to summarizeMACEO HERNANDEZ is a professional Taiko drummer whose passion for the ancient Japanese form of percussion began in the 7th grade. Despite having no rhythm or musical experience, young Maceo was determined to play Taiko, leading him on a life-changing journey to Japan and inspiring a documentary film. (51:11) EPISODE NOTES: MACEO HERNANDEZ was in the 7th grade when he experienced an epiphany while listening to a Japanese Taiko group performing at a family friend's wedding. MACEO: "You could really feel the impact and the vibration of these Taiko drums. And it just blew me away. I went up to them and helped them load these drums into their car. I just wanted to touch and feel these drums. I knew then I wanted to play these drums, even though I had no rhythm. I never drummed in my life. I never played an instrument. But the Taiko drum drew me to want to play it, even though I didn't know anything about it." Having a Mexican-American teenager dedicate himself to the ancient Japanese form of percussion made Maceo something of a curiosity to many in LA's Japanese-American community, including documentary filmmaker John Esaki. John produced and directed a film called "Maceo: Demon Drummer From East LA." JOHN: "Here was a young person who was not Japanese or Japanese-American and he was really so passionate about playing the Taiko drum. It just fascinated me that someone outside of the Japanese culture would have this interest. With Maceo, I always thought he was very genuine about following his interest. He found something that gave him great joy to participate in and he was going to follow that path to see where it led." Where it led was to Japan. At the age of 15, Maceo was recruited by Ondekoza, a celebrated and highly athletic Taiko troupe that performs concerts around the world. MACEO: "One of the main things we did in Ondekoza was run. We were very famous for running a marathon and then performing Taiko afterwards. So running was a big part of our daily life. We'd wake up in the morning and we'd run. In the afternoon, we'd run again. Part of this training was to build up stamina for the shows that we would perform. One day, I was running and this truck was carrying metal pipes. They rolled off and landed on me. I woke up in the hospital after a seven-hour operation. A week later, they amputated my left leg. And there began a new journey." The first steps of Maceo's new journey began with long, dark nights far away from home in a Japanese hospital. He says it was difficult for him to reconcile his newly altered physical form with his intense desire to be a professional drummer. But over the next couple months, Maceo's Taiko drum helped him find his way out of the darkness. MACEO: "It might sound strange, but I used to talk to my drum and try to have a communication with it on a different level than other members had. Hitting this drum, gave me all this energy back and gave me the will to continue on with my goals. It pretty much took over me and helped me not be sad all the time and not feel discouraged. This drum was my friend. It was my therapy." Less than a year after his accident in Japan, Maceo Hernandez returned to the United States and ran the New York City Marathon on a prosthetic leg. Moments after crossing the finish line, fellow members of Ondekoza carried him to a nearby stage where he performed a 15-minute Taiko solo. The spectacular moment epitomized Ondekoza's principle of Sogakuron – that running and drumming are one, and a reflection of the drama and energy of life. BP Many thanks to the Blue Dot Sessions for the opening and closing music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: 1. "Cases for Rest" by Blue Dot Sessions - sessions.blue/sessions/ 2. "Thannoid" by Blue Dot Sessions - sessions.blue/sessions/
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YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU
Sep 22, 201700:50:27Tap to summarizeLLOYD GORDON is one of the top estate liquidators in Los Angeles. Nearly 30 years in the business, Lloyd stages and presides over estate sales in some of the city's most affluent neighborhoods. He says just because an item is valuable doesn't mean it will sell. (50:26) EPISODE NOTES: Next year LLOYD GORDON will celebrate his 30th anniversary working as an estate liquidator in Los Angeles. It's not something the exuberant song and dance man set out to do. But a funny thing happened to Lloyd on the way to a musical theater career – he made a real name for himself staging and managing estate sales in some of the city's toniest neighborhoods. As Lloyd tells me in his PIERSON TO PERSON episode YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, when he first started liquidating the earthly possessions of the recently departed he did not feel good about himself: LLOYD: "I felt a little bit like a creepy undertaker -- no offense to undertakers. But then a friend of mine said, 'You know, what you're doing is actually helping people when they're in a difficult situation.' And that never occurred to me, and the fact that he said that was great because then I didn't feel like this sleazy undertaker guy anymore." The success of an estate sale depends on several factors, including how well the sale is advertised, presentation, weather and, of course, the price of the items being sold. Lloyd says if prices are set too high, shoppers will turn around and leave without looking in any of the other rooms of the house. LLOYD: "Most people go to estate sales to get a fair price, and that's my job – to sell things at a fair price. That's the operative term: fair. It's not a steal, because if it's a steal then I am not doing my job. And in the middle, somewhere between retail and a steal, there's a compromise where both parties are happy. And that's what I aim for." Crowd control is another important factor in running a successful estate sale -- and Lloyd runs a pretty tight, no-nonsense ship. In fact, he posts an armed guard at the front door to help maintain order throughout the day. LLOYD: "Typically, we'll have 60 people or more at the door. I don't like to make people wait because people get grumpy, but you have to. I went to an estate sale once where the guy let 40 people in and I hated it because the house was so crowded. Literally, people were fighting. Two people had their hands on the same thing and they were pulling it. It's just ugly when there are too many people in the house. They get really abrasive, they get pushy and they, seriously, fight. You don't want to create a situation that allows that to happen." I recorded this episode with Lloyd at a house in LA's Miracle Mile as he and his team worked feverishly to turn the 3,000-square-foot home into, essentially, a pop-up department store. Until seeing it for myself, I had no idea how much effort goes into liquidating an estate. As Lloyd reminded me: "It's NOT a garage sale!" Many thanks to the composers of the music featured in this episode royalty free through Creative Commons licensing: 1. "As I Was Saying" by Lee Rosevere - leerosevere.bandcamp.com 2. "Farsical - Thematic" by Blue Dot Sessions - sessions.blue/sessions/
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