← Living Your Legacy
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- [00:00]
A
Welcome to a very special episode. We have someone that I've been a big fan of for many years and I'm sure you have too. You've probably seen him on the big screen.
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B
Thank you. Thank you for having me.
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C
Harold Perrineau is a true legend in film and television. Known for iconic roles in Lost, right.
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B
Out of My hands, they Took My Son and Oz, We Are Game Face.
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C
All Day, the Matrix trilogy, and so much more. He's doing this Superman thing beyond acting. He stepped into entrepreneurship as a co founder of Sable Bourbon, a premium whiskey brand created alongside longtime friends and co stars.
- [00:33]
B
I don't want to just sit through the rest of my life, you know what I mean? And I don't want to just keep doing things that I know how to do because then I'll be bored. And so, yeah, I like to try new stuff and just get out there and see it. That's why success isn't so straight line. And it's not like I'm so desperate to be successful. It's just like I just want to keep learning stuff.
- [00:52]
A
And your life story and the lessons, I know it's going to impact thousands or tens of thousands of people. That's why we do what we do here.
- [00:58]
B
Exactly right.
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A
What would you give to tips to entrepreneurs starting out that look up to you? They've watched you in Lost and all these movies.
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B
I would say to you, and I would say it directly.
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A
It spans the.
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B
Globe like a super high cold Internet.
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A
Elvis Presley. Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.
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B
It's not over until I win the Living youg Legacy podcast. For those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has happened. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan Open Chicago with the lead. Usain Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream.
- [01:50]
A
What's up, everyone? Welcome to a very special episode. We have someone that I've been a big fan of for many years and I'm sure you have too. You've probably seen him on the big screen. Harold sat with me today. Legendary from Lost from which is one of my new favorite shows.
- [02:07]
B
Good, good.
- [02:08]
A
My, my wife's very scared of it. We watch it late at night and lots of awesome movies. And we're going to talk today about, you know, the entertainment, acting, you know, career and industry and how it links to success and failure and resilience and what we go for as entrepreneurs. And so excited for this. So welcome.
- [02:27]
B
Thank you. Thank you for having me. And listen, before we even start, what I really want to know Is where'd you get those red Nikes from? Those are hot. I like them.
- [02:36]
A
So the funny thing about the red, right, is my personal brand. So all I wear is red.
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B
Okay.
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A
And when you can only wear red, that's all I wear. You find a lot of fascinating red things. Google in and like, it's a never ending search for crazy red things.
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B
When we were about to start, I was looking down. Damn, I like those.
- [02:57]
A
I'll get you a pair next time we see each other.
- [02:59]
B
Right? But let's talk about what you want to talk about.
- [03:02]
A
Okay? So, I mean, let's just start with your. I know we've been filming today and I know your life story very well at this point. Let's summarize it for people listening. Like, I love that, like, you know, it really is that, like from, from nothing. That, that story of just believing in yourself and defining the odds and just going for it. And one thing that I think people don't see in acting in Hollywood is it's not a straight line. Just like business. It's almost identical.
- [03:29]
B
Exactly.
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A
Can you just summarize that journey for.
- [03:31]
B
A couple of minutes? No, it's, it's, it's really easy to summarize. I come from these projects in Brooklyn called Cypress Hills. I do that all the time. Cypress Hills is in East New York. And you know, nobody in my neighborhood was an actor or anything like that. And, and it's been a long journey from, you know, Cypress Hills to, you know, the Matrix, Revolutions and Reloaded and all those things. And, and, and so, yeah, those things are filled with so many ups and downs and like learning new skills. For a long time I was a dancer. You know, I wrote some songs and so I was in the music part of it for a while. Always wanted to be an actor and had to keep struggling to do that. And so there are lots of twists and turns and pivots and in order to get to a place where you might call success.
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A
Well, the funny thing about success, and we'll come back to it, but it's like an ever moving target.
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B
Right.
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A
Because it's like in a lot of people's eyes, I think both of us sat here, have had a lot of success.
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B
Right, Right.
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A
But for us, it's still like, we're like, what's next?
- [04:33]
B
Exactly. Right.
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A
Do you think about that now?
- [04:35]
B
All the time. I wish I could stop thinking about that. Somebody asked me the other day, they said, oh, when did you realize that you made it? I was like, I don't know what you're talking about I made it. I'm still on the wheel. And it's not like I haven't done well. Right. We've done well. But still, there's always another new. A new step to keep you interested.
- [04:55]
A
I think that's the successful trade of, like, you know, I work with a ton of pro athletes, as you know, and get to meet so many amazing people. And I love what I do because of that. And we all have this, like, we're all connected somehow with this. Like, I say I'm a little delusional. And you said you still think you're normal. Your family tell you you're not exactly. You haven't cottoned on, you're not yet. But we have to have this level of like, just, we're out the box. We're not a normal person. We keep striving for more and we don't settle.
- [05:26]
B
Yeah, I'm really glad that when I started acting, I didn't know what it took because I would have never done it. I'm really glad that at this point I was just like, I just believe I can. And the truth was I probably shouldn't, but I did believe it. And so then you just keep going and keep working it out and keep working it out. But there is a real delusion. There's a real, like, no, no, no, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I know I'm weird. I'm weird looking and. But I'm still going to. I'm going to be an actor, and then here I am. So it's pretty cool.
- [05:56]
A
It's the same in business because it's like when you start, everything doesn't work. You have no money. And you think, oh, yeah. When I have, like, I have 100 employees roughly now, and you're like, oh, yeah. When you're at that level, everything's good. And it's like, no, you have like a million dollars a month in expenses. People try and, you know, employees will trip over something and try and sue you for no reason. You know, people you've never met will try and sue you, also try and copy you. That's really wild.
- [06:22]
B
I mean, that's wild. That's so. So many things are really the same as, like, an actor. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I have to take out insurance in my house because if I have a party and somebody does a thing, they could try to sue you, which has actually happened. So it's crazy. And I didn't realize so many things were. Until we were talking today. So many things were so similar with entrepreneurs. And I'm glad you're telling me about this because, you know, I just started a bourbon business, which we talked about, and so now I got things to look forward to. The ups and downs of bourbon.
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A
Yeah. Doing it all.
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B
Yeah, exactly.
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A
I'm kind of doing it in the reverse. I just started, you know, getting tv. Yeah, tv. So I was telling you earlier, you know, I. I struggle to memorize three lines. Right, right. So I'm like the beginner over there, you know, and. But that's also, I think, something interesting. Like, we always like to challenge ourselves. You're challenging yourself constantly.
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B
I do.
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A
You know, why is that?
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B
Why I do, like, because it's always like, it's really interesting. Every challenge is something new and interesting. You know what I mean? I don't. I don't want to be bored. I don't want to sit. I don't want to just sit through the rest of my life. You know what I mean? And I don't want to just keep doing things that I know how to do because then I'll be bored. And so, yeah, I like to try new stuff and just get out there and see it. That's why success isn't so straight line. And it's not like I'm so desperate to be successful. It's just like I just want to.
- [07:42]
A
Keep learning stuff, you know, this funny ups and downs of success. Very similar in my entrepreneur journey and entrepreneurs. I see. And the acting side. And I remember one thing that you were talking about earlier was being the tree in the back of a dance performance. I want to talk now about, like, your, you know, the summary of your success in this industry. Right. You're highly respected, very well known in some of the biggest shows and movies on the planet. How does it feel going from the tree in the back to now you're leading this amazing role in. From being in lost in matrix 28 weeks later. How does that feel to reflect on that?
- [08:24]
B
It's really interesting to like, think back in the whole journey, to think back on the time when you're like, damn, I'm just going to be stuck in the Bronx forever. So I used to live in the Bronx for a little while and to actually be here today, like, leading the show on from and stuff like that, and it just makes me, you know, it. It makes me really understand, like, the power of belief. Like, I can only say, like, you. You just really have to believe. Like, I'm fully living proof that that's how you move forward. You have to pivot you have to do all these things. You have to. And you have to be tree number three. Like, you actually have to go and do that because that keeps inspiring you to, like, not have to do it again. Do you know what I mean? You'll be tree number three, and the next time you're gonna be tree number one, and then the next time you're gonna be the dude. So it's. It really. When I think back about it, man, it's. It's been a long journey. And of course, when we look back, it's been really. It's been really interesting and cool, but at the time, it was all felt. Really. Felt really tricky and like, ugh. So it's just going to take forever and. But now here we are, we're like, I'm doing stuff that I love, and there's still hard times. There's still hard times, but I really am doing things that I love, and I can't. I couldn't be happier. I've been really lucky, dude.
- [09:40]
A
You had this idea of who you wanted to become, right? And it was very different to all your friends and your environment you were born in, Right? So talk about that. And also I'd love you to talk about if someone's in an environment right now and they're the odd one out. Like, I was in England, right?
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B
Were you the. I've been out in England, yeah.
- [09:57]
A
I was an entrepreneur, Very different, obsessed with money and. Yeah, and you. Very similar to me. You were totally different. Like, you knew you were different.
- [10:06]
B
Yeah. Yeah.
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A
Can you talk about that?
- [10:07]
B
Yeah. No. When I was in. When I grew up in Brooklyn, in Cypress Hills, I was just. I was just the cat that wasn't like, you know, I couldn't play any of the sports. I wasn't that cool to hang out with. You know, people used to do the dozens. Yo mama is so stupid. My yo mama jokes were the worst jokes you have ever heard. Like, you know what I mean? And anything that I could do wasn't really cool. Like, I was really good at math. That wasn't cool. And then I became a dancer, and that wasn't so cool. But like a ballet dancer, there's lots of people who can dance, but I was like a ballet dancer. And so all that stuff was really, really. Is really tricky to see yourself. To see yourself succeeding, even though the environment where you are, you're completely failing because it's just not where you belong. And you really just have to go, like, you know what? This is not for me, man. I'm not knocking anybody else. It's just. This is not for me. I don't belong here. I can't hustle drugs. I just can't. I don't know how to do it. You know what I mean? I don't have that kind of. I'm not that brave. I'm not. I'm not so. And I'm not interested in it. And so what I want to do is, I want to be. I want to go do Swan Lake. I really, really do. Like, I want to learn how to dance to Tchaikovsky. I really, really do. I do want to go read, like, you know, the great plays by Arthur Miller and, you know, and do those on Broadway. That's what I want to do. I want to do Shakespeare. And so it's been really tricky to be that goofy guy. But, like, just step into it and just be like, all right, then I'm just gonna. I just gotta be that goofy guy. And you're just gonna have to see where that goes. And it's taken me pretty far.
- [11:44]
A
And if someone's listening, they feel they're the.
- [11:47]
B
Yeah, man. Absolutely. And that's one of the things, again, we talked about this earlier. We talked about representation, right? It's really important to see different types of people who do all these things. To see women who are entrepreneurs and men who are dancers. Bisexual people who don't have to talk about their sexuality at all, but really succeed whatever field they're in. Representation is so important because if somebody is out there that feels like they're alone, they're the only person who looks like them, is like them, thinks like them. You know what I mean? You have to know that you're not the only person like that. And you need to see people who felt the same way and actually have been able to succeed in their own.
- [12:33]
A
Journey and following up from that. What would you say to someone that they're stuck in the environment? Because I meet a lot of entrepreneurs and people trying to get started, but everyone says they shouldn't quit their job, they shouldn't become an entrepreneur. Their idea is stupid. They're going to fail. What would you say to someone?
- [12:51]
B
Listen, at the end of the day, I'd say what I've been saying the whole time. You really just have to believe it. I don't know if you should quit your job. I don't know. Like, I had a lot of jobs that I didn't quit, and I just kept going. I met everybody that I could who was, like, doing plays. And I would do all these readings, like, A place for no money at all. And then I would go to my bartending job or my, you know, my waiting job and then come back. And I just did everything I could to stretch myself to be in the place where I wanted to be. I started treating myself as if I was already there. Like, if I had to do a bartending gig, I do my bartending gig. And it's like, oh, hold on, I gotta go meet this director. And it really is just a friend of mine who's directing a little play. And that's all good, but that's really the place I want to be. Like, you have to try to put yourself in those places where, you know, where you will find your community. Every one of us will find, you know, the community of people that. That vibe with us, and you'll be able to really sale when you. When you find those people.
- [13:51]
A
Well, why not admire that about you? You've got that hustle, right? And you always had that hustle. And we were just talking now. You still got that hustle. You know, you're about to leave, you know, amazing California. You got your family here. You're set here, right? You go into Nova Scotia, which isn't quite the same. It's far away, and you're gonna be there for many, many months filming from, like. You don't have to probably go and do that.
- [14:17]
B
Right? Right. But I. But I do, because I'm still hustling, right? I'm still trying to make. I'm still trying to make great art. I'm still trying to make a name for myself, even, as it were. And, you know, my daughter just turned 12, and I'm just gonna miss this part of her 12, which is going to be really. I'm gonna try to do everything I can to. To see her as much as I can, but, you know, I'm sacrificing that thing because, you know, I have this desire. I have this desire to. To succeed. It's. My success isn't more important than my daughter, but I want her to see that, you know, you have to be able to work hard, and sometimes you have to do a little sacrificing right now to get what you want eventually. Do you know what I mean?
- [14:58]
A
And how is that, you know, on the family side, like, you know, you're a role model, right? Like, I think it's so important too, because especially, you know, I'm not a parent, but I have a lot of friends where their kids, you know, their parents are worth 10, 20 million, right? Or the, you know, you're obviously a successful actor. How important do you think that is for them to see you hustling still and that. That role model, like, figure, Like, I think it's.
- [15:22]
B
Look, I think it's important about. To raise, like great human beings. Right? And so being a great human being means you're active in your own life as well. And so I like them to see me do things that I succeed at or that I work really hard for. And because they're not going to see the part that's really hard, which is parenting. Parenting is really hard. They're not going to see that part, but they're going to see the other things that I do and realize that even within that, I still try to incorporate them as well. And I think it's going to help make. Help them be really great, rounded human beings and find their own passions and figure out like, oh, my dad, he used to work really hard. I remember those times he would go away. So, you know, I might not have to. I mean, I might not be able to be with my friends tonight, but I, I do want to go and do this thing because it's really going to serve me in whatever it is I'm looking for. And so hopefully they'll see those things happening with me and, and, and that'll inspire them in some way. I hope, I hope.
- [16:23]
A
And just last couple of questions we come to wrap. I'd love to reflect on some of your biggest highlights. Right, so, you know, you're in obviously Lost now from Romeo and Juliet, you know, Matrix. Was there any one moment in all of those or a different show or movie where you got the call or you got the role and you're like, you reflected and you're like, wow, that's crazy.
- [16:46]
B
I gotta say that, you know, in my career, I've had a lot. I've been really successful. Lucky is what I mean. Not just successful, but, like, there are a lot of actors and there are a lot of great actors and like, not only working hard, but it takes a little bit of luck, you know what I mean? And luck is almost where you make it. You put yourself in the position to be lucky. So. But I do remember when I got William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and I had the dreads and I was just, you know, and I was like this dancer who was weird and wacky, and I didn't think I had a shot in hell to get it, but I kept going back and going back and going back, and Baz was like, let's try this. Let's Try this. And then I wound up being there. And I remember when I got it, I was just like, oh, snap, I'm about to do Shakespeare. Shakespeare with, you know, some of the greatest actors on the planet and this amazing young director, Baz Luhrmann. And it was one of those times when I was just like, this is wild. Like, this is wild. We shot in Mexico City, and it was really, really amazing. It felt like. Yeah, yeah, it felt really good to have to do that.
- [17:51]
A
That's a great one. And I also know you talk about another one where, like, some of the maybe actors you looked up to or some of the big famous ones along, you know, that you've seen in other big movies, right? They come up to you on red carpet.
- [18:03]
B
Yeah, yeah. I had done this movie also. I did this movie called the Edge, and it's me, and it was Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins, which is already mind blowing. Like, it's mind blowing. It's crazy. And we go to the premiere, and we walk at a premiere, and somebody goes, young man, that bear ate you up. And I look up to see who it is, and it's Morgan Freeman. And I stop. I'm just like. I was like. I can barely say a word. Like, you know, it's crazy. Or like, I did this play and Denzel Washington came backstage. He's like, man, you a tough dude. And I was like, oh, Scott, that's Denzel Washington. You know, like, these are people who I've looked up to my whole career and sort of tried to emulate part of my career. Like, they're amazing, amazing artists, and they work really hard, and I've tried to emulate them. Them. And it's just such a wild thing when. When they come up and they're talking to me. It's crazy. It's crazy.
- [19:04]
A
I always love. I ask these questions because I personally, like. I love those, you know, And I always say it's the ones that you go home and, like, tell your wife about. Yeah, what's funny with my wife is she's, like, busy in the kitchen, and I'll tell her this crazy story, Right. Denzel came up to you or whatever. Oh, yes, the great baby. I don't know if you ever get that.
- [19:23]
B
I get that all the time. Like, oh, yeah, that's really cool. My wife isn't impressed by mostly anything. The only thing my wife wants to do, and I've never been able to do it, is meet Larry Bird. That's her whole. Like, her whole. I could tell her I met anybody I could say Nelson Mandela came back and was talking to me, and she'd be like, oh, that's interesting.
- [19:43]
A
Well, I actually can make that intro.
- [19:45]
B
You can make it if you're a little Larry Bird. All right, man. If you can, we'll do it. Because that's all she wants to do. Okay, well, there you go. And then she'll be.
- [19:54]
A
I thought you were gonna say it was you doing a triathlon.
- [19:57]
B
No, no, that would be me. I'd be like, oh, snap. You did that? Yes, I did.
- [20:03]
A
We gotta get you on. Get you on one of the sprint ones.
- [20:06]
B
Okay. Okay. I gotta learn to swim, though. I really do.
- [20:08]
A
So, last couple of questions I always like to ask this at the end of these sort of interviews is. And I already asked you earlier offline, but someone's listening. They're inspired by your work.
- [20:19]
B
Right.
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A
And all the amazing things you've done. Talk to them as an everyday entrepreneur, because you are now, you know, an entrepreneur, right?
- [20:26]
B
Yeah, that's right.
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A
Especially now, the new business. Right. But even I think, as an actor, like, you don't get a salary. You have to go out there.
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B
Yeah, yeah.
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A
That's an entrepreneur.
- [20:36]
B
Yeah. Every time I get an application. But it's like, who's your employer? I am.
- [20:41]
A
And you write the I.R.S. nice, nice checks.
- [20:45]
B
Exactly.
- [20:46]
A
Right? So you're an entrepreneur, and you have been for many, you know, many years. What would you give to tips to entrepreneurs starting out that look up to you? They've watched you in Lost and all these movies.
- [20:55]
B
Look, I would say to you, and I would say it directly, you have to stay engaged with what you do. Like, things may change or you'll find different pivot points, but you have to stay engaged because you have to stay interested in what you're doing. And the more interested you are, the more success that you'll have. You'll just have to keep going. And your interest will be the thing that drives you to keep going. So stay in there, keep trying, keep working on it. Keep building. Every time you get someplace else, you want to get another place. Right? So just keep doing it. But you really have to, like, enjoy what you're doing. And I don't mean like, I'm laughing and giggling. I mean, you have to really enjoy the process, right. Of creating and building and doing something new all the time.
- [21:42]
A
Okay? And one final question. Probably the most important one.
- [21:45]
B
The most important question. Okay, everybody, listen up. Here you go.
- [21:48]
A
You've maybe been asked it before, too.
- [21:50]
B
Okay.
- [21:51]
A
Where's Walt?
- [21:52]
B
Right. Okay. So here's the this is the thing. Walt is out here in California. He's a rapper. He's so good. He got off the island. Malcolm Kelly. I love Malcolm Kelly. Malcolm's a rapper now.
- [22:08]
A
You guys stay in touch.
- [22:09]
B
We have seen each other now and again throughout the years. In fact, we did one of these Comic Cons where we signed things and I had him there and also the young man who plays my son now. And so it was really kind of dope to have them both there. And we just took pictures together. So I see him once in a while. I follow him on social media. I'm really proud of him, Javi, for all the stuff that he's doing.
- [22:33]
A
And I guess just lastly, tell us about the new, you know, what you're working on, the big projects. Right now.
- [22:38]
B
I'm going back to the fourth season of from and that's been a really amazing journey. We've been producing a film called Slay the Dreamer that we've called Finally, I think got fully greenlit. My buddy Laurence Fishburne is going to be in. Jeremy Irons, Anthony Hopkins, We've got all these really great talent that's going to be in it. We are on tour with Sable Bourbon that I'm doing with my buddy Taye Diggs and Morris Chestnut and Malcolm D. Lee. And we are just in the mix, just like doing a bunch of new things, like putting new projects together and just like I said, staying creative. It's not easy, but we just staying in.
- [23:13]
A
Yep. I think From, I mean, is that blowing up more than you expected?
- [23:17]
B
Like, I feel it's from has blown up way more than I expected.
- [23:20]
A
It's doing really good.
- [23:21]
B
It's doing really, really good. When we first shot the show, you know, we were like, I don't know, this is really scary to me. And it's kind of cool. But, like, I don't know, I mean, people might like it. And then people just started loving it and I was like, woo. I thought I was crazy. Which I. We've talked about already. But, yeah, lots of people are really digging it now. I was at the doctor's office the other day and the doctor came out of the door to get somebody else. He goes, boyd is in the house. Oh, that's weird.
- [23:51]
A
It's so good, the hook, like the storyline. And I'm like, I don't watch TV that often. I watch a lot of movies, but it takes a lot to get me in a TV show.
- [24:03]
B
Right, right, right.
- [24:03]
A
But it's like, I gotta know, where's this going?
- [24:06]
B
Got it. Got it, Got it.
- [24:07]
A
Where's this going?
- [24:07]
B
And that's the thing we were talking about earlier about connecting with people. We have a lot of characters in that thing, and. And they connect with different people at different points. So many people can see themselves as Boyd or as Sarah or as Donna or any of the characters, and that's what keeps people coming back. It's not just, oh, this is scary, but because you can see yourself. It's really. It's really good writing. Really, really good.
- [24:31]
A
Very good. Well, it's been an honor and a pleasure to have you here today. You've been amazing, and your life story and the lessons. I know it's going to impact thousands, tens of thousands of people. That's why we do what we do here.
- [24:42]
B
Exactly right.
- [24:43]
A
So thank you so much for coming in, everyone. Go, go watch from if you've not already. I promise you, it's one of the best shows I've seen probably ever, especially in this space. It's awesome. And thank you so much for your time.
- [24:57]
B
Thank you, sir.
- [24:58]
A
That's a wrap. Keep working hard. Have an impact. Build a legacy. I'll see you guys soon. Take care.