The Fuzzy Mic
After retiring from a 30-year, major market morning radio career, I'm often asked what I miss the most about the job. I miss 3 C's...camaraderie, creativity but most of all, conversation.
The Fuzzy Mic is built around creativity and conversation to develop camaraderie. The 4 focus areas are: Mental Health, True Crime, Music and Sports.
So, while The Fuzzy Mic allows me to fill some professional voids, it's my sincere hope that maybe you'll find something personally fulfilling in it too.
The Fuzzy Mic
Navigating Rejection and Finding Your Path with Brande Roderick
What does it take for a podcast to hit the 100-episode milestone? We've got the answer and so much more as we celebrate this exciting chapter of The Fuzzy Mic with the fabulous Brande Roderick. From her Baywatch days to being named Playboy Playmate of the Year in 2001, Brande opens up about the journey that has made her a celebrated figure. She also shares a heartfelt experience of revisiting Baywatch's original filming location in Hawaii.
Brande takes us behind the scenes of Hollywood, from her first movie role in a blockbuster film thru Baywatch and now to her movie "Wineville", sharing what it takes to make it in entertainment. It's a motivating example of perseverence, adaptability and self-belief.
Balancing fame with a quest for normalcy comes with its own set of challenges. Brande reflects on her recent 50th birthday celebrations in Hawaii and Tahiti, sharing personal insights about the impact of public recognition and the importance of pursuing a career that brings true joy. We delve into strategies for overcoming rejection and negativity, emphasizing the power of self-help practices and maintaining a positive social media presence. Whether you’re navigating the tough world of auditions or seeking a fulfilling career path, this episode is packed with valuable advice and heartfelt stories to inspire and uplift.
Hello and thank you for joining me on this milestone episode of the Fuzzy Mike. What's the milestone? This is the 100th episode of the show and, before we get into today's very special guest, I want to quickly share some numbers with you. Maybe you're asking yourself why 100 episodes is such a big deal. Quickly share some numbers with you. Maybe you're asking yourself why 100 episodes is such a big deal. Let me answer that for you. There are over 4 million podcasts worldwide. According to statistics, 90% of podcasts don't get past episode three three. So that's 3.6 million who quit. Of the 400,000 that are left, 90% of those will quit after 20 episodes. That's another 360,000 gone To be in the top 1% of podcasts in the world. You only need to publish 21 episodes of your podcast. So you're listening to a top 1% in the world podcast, but statistically in number of episodes, definitely not in content, but I figured since our show, as far as episodes posted goes, is in the top 1% worldwide and we're airing our 100th episode.
Speaker 1:The guest needed to be someone special, someone who is synonymous with worldwide success and who is a member of an exclusive club, kind of like. We are a one percenter. Try these numbers out. Her TV show had 1.1 billion worldwide viewers every week, making it the most watched TV show in history. Yeah, and she's one of only 60 women to have ever worn the crown as Playboy Playmate of the Year, winning the title in 2001. Those are exclusive numbers. Our very special guest for episode 100 is Brandi Roderick. And yes, because I'm very weird around beautiful women. I started the conversation on an awkward and some might say, creepy note.
Speaker 2:Oh, here we go.
Speaker 1:There she is, hi. Hi how are you doing, Brandy?
Speaker 2:I'm doing excellent. How are you doing?
Speaker 1:Awesome. Thanks so much for joining me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 1:And if I sound a little nervous, it's because I am for two reasons. Well, for two reasons. Number one. I always want conversations to go perfectly Okay and so to that degree, I probably over prep and know more about you than you care Anybody to know about you. But also because I get to now check off a second thing on my bucket list, if you will allow me, yes.
Speaker 1:Okay, what I like to do is when I speak with somebody who is has been in playboy. Uh, I write poems for you. And I feel confident in doing this poem for you because I I love the video of you and your boyfriend robert when you were doing the zip line down the backyard and you said, oh my god, my lady parts just hit the, just hit the ground. Remember that.
Speaker 2:Well, no, I had to watch it on video because you know there was a 40 ounce beer involved.
Speaker 1:Yes, there was, and copious amounts of wine as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But anyway, I figured that you're game, you're fun. I want to share this poem with you. Okay, I'm ready. Miss Brandy, Miss Brandy, Miss Brandy, Miss Brandy, In 2001,. You had me feeling well, Brandy. Your pictures, my gosh, they were so titillating that very often I found myself masquerading in a dream world where I was your lover. And this was all based on that one Playboy cover. See, a vivid imagination I sure do possess, because game, well hell, I couldn't have been born with less. Oh, speaking of games, let me ask you about this. That time you were on Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump as the boss. So I wonder, did he ever try to grab you by the privacy? All this silliness predicated on your gorgeous looks, but no longer superficial. Since I've read your book While researching you so much for this chat a conclusion I've come to, which is that, Miss Brandy, Miss Brandy, Miss Brandy, Miss Brandy, you are way much more than just eye candy.
Speaker 2:Yay, oh there you go that was great Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:There you go, there you go, and I'm wearing a Hawaii shirt because I know that that's one of your favorite places. You have Baywatch After Baywatch. Now it's out on Hulu.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know which is so exciting and I almost put like a Hawaiian backdrop behind me, but then I didn't.
Speaker 1:And I almost put like a Hawaiian backdrop behind me, but then I didn't and I was thinking about it, so that would have been pretty funny.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, it's great. That's a four-part docuseries on Hulu, correct? Yeah, and I'm so excited I want to watch it. But my oldest son said, wait for me, mom, he wants to watch it too. So I'm kind of waiting for him, but I'm excited to watch it.
Speaker 1:True or false, the picture that you have on your Facebook page is you actually wearing the bathing suit from Baywatch that you wore during the series?
Speaker 2:The one that I just posted yesterday. Yes, yes, that was my actual bathing suit from the show.
Speaker 1:You know there are women out there who are cursing you. Right now you can still wear the same stuff you did when you were 28, 29 years old.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and one of the best things about that was I went back to the exact same place where we shot the show so that was taken in Hawaii, at the actual lifeguard tower where we shot the show, and I just happened to see there, just happened to be an actual lifeguard there with the red lifeguard truck and I was like, oh my gosh, can I borrow your truck and take a picture in front of it? Because I'm like I want to replicate the same picture I took, you know, 20 plus years ago and thankfully he was all happy to oblige. But that was kind of fun and exciting that I got to take um the same picks that I took many years ago.
Speaker 1:How physical was that show?
Speaker 2:Uh well, very physical. Yeah, we had lots of training, um, you know, and training in the ocean is, I mean, in my opinion, probably harder than just training in the pool. You know we would rock. You know, walk underneath in the ocean with big, holding big, huge boulders at the bottom of the ocean and um doing all kinds of crazy drills. So they definitely um prepared us and um got us fit and ready for all the tasks that we had to do.
Speaker 1:How soon in your life did you realize entertainment was where you wanted to be?
Speaker 2:Um, as far as back as I can remember, I mean when I was six years old, I was putting on performances in my living room and I would set up all the chairs and I would go around the neighborhood and sell tickets to my neighbors and invite them to come to the performances. So, always wanting to perform and be in the entertainment business. So with that, you know kind of had that, you know which is the producer in me, right, I went out and I sold the tickets and came back and set up the performance and then also performed.
Speaker 1:We're going to be talking. We're going to be talking about your role as producer and actress and director of Wineville, which comes out today, actually on September the 10th, today, on all of your streaming platforms. I want to get into that with you in just a little while, but I still want to talk about roles that you had and is being an extra on the Rock. Is that really what got you started?
Speaker 2:That was my first big blockbuster movie, right, and you know, being a young girl from Northern California, you know I was going into the big city which is San Francisco we just call it the city and I remember like I'd be there, I don't know, like four or five in the morning, you know, and I had to drive an hour and a half from where I lived and my mom and I were up all night packing the biggest, hugest suitcase, cause they said, oh, bring this or bring that. And I had no idea it was my first gig, right, I mean I must've packed my entire wardrobe. And here I come, rolling all heavy, this big old, huge suitcase, rolling, you know, into set, all excited, and you know, of course, I'm the only one that brought this humongous suitcase. Um, you know, you only end up wearing one outfit, right, and then I ended up being like cut from the whole thing.
Speaker 2:They didn't even show me, like you didn't even see me in any. If you did, it was probably so fast I didn't even notice. But I remember going to the theater when it came out, with my whole family. We were so excited, you know, to see me in the movie, and then we couldn't find me like wait, it's too fast, because I was on the streets when they were having the chase. But that moment I remember just so clearly because my mom and I were just so excited that I was going to be on in a movie with Nicolas Cage you know a Michael.
Speaker 2:Bay film.
Speaker 1:So how does the excitement from perhaps seeing yourself on screen for the first time, how does that excitement compare to your first directorial movie that is out now? That's got to be hugely exciting, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean honestly, they're both equally exciting. I love even when I'm doing a movie for someone else and I get to, you know, work on it and, like you said, see myself on the big screen. It's just as exciting, um, as it is with my own baby, you know. I mean my Wineville is my baby, um, and that was very exciting, but a little, maybe a little more nerve wracking because you want it to be received well, you know more than I guess the other a little bit, but still, you know, just as exciting. I'm so excited for everybody to see it.
Speaker 1:Well, here's the trailer right now for Wineville, which is out today on your streaming services and a limited theatrical release.
Speaker 2:A couple of days and we're out of here. I promise I am your grandfather's little sister. Walter, this is my Aunt. Margaret Joe is our jack of all trades. He was your father's right-hand man. Where'd they find you?
Speaker 1:Please just let me go.
Speaker 2:I heard a scream. We have another missing person.
Speaker 1:This place is my world and it could be yours too. Do not wait up.
Speaker 2:Ow, do not wait out. Ah, maybe if we show them what life is like here, they'll want to stay.
Speaker 1:What have you done? Now? It's me.
Speaker 2:Something right out of a fairy tale or the Bible. No, no, something right out of a fairy tale or the Bible.
Speaker 1:No, what could happen in a place called Wineville?
Speaker 2:It's a 70s slasher kind of movie, if'm not mistaken. I mean, is that an accurate description? Um, yes, it is a 70s thriller, horror, but I don't typically, I don't really call it a slasher. I mean, although there are serious, there is a serial killer, um, but to me slasher is like scream right, like just someone's, like there's someone just killing, like killing everyone. It's not like that type of slasher, you know, where the hot girl gets killed and slashed and all that. It's really a psychological thriller about a really fuck. Oh, you're fine, no, you're fine.
Speaker 1:It's my favorite word Go ahead.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'll just say a really messed up family.
Speaker 1:But yeah, they're really Is it based on the Wineville chicken coop murders.
Speaker 2:It is not based on that. However, we shot at Galeano Winery, which is on Wineville Road which happened, which was right next, not next door, but a little bit down from where the chicken coop murders happened. And we named the movie Wineville because, if you don't know the story, that town actually was called Wineville, but because the chicken coop murders were so bad and had such a bad rap to the town, they changed the name of the town to Mira Loma. So we decided to keep it Wineville, because that's where we shot was really Wineville and we mentioned it in the movie. We do talk about the chicken coop murders, but it is not by any means the same people, although they could have been.
Speaker 1:The Wineville chicken Coop murders. It was a dude named Gordon Northcutt Northcutt Northcutt and it was 1926 to 28. And he murdered and captured and murdered three people.
Speaker 2:So yeah, well, three people that they found and he had admitted to, I think, a dozen more or something like that. So lots of oh wow, but yeah, it think a dozen more or something like that. So oh, wow, but yeah, it's horrible story, it's very, it's true story. So you know, obviously there's some. When you're creating a story and you have that right next to you, you know it's in your head, right? So when you're creating it, you know that is in the back of your head.
Speaker 1:So when you're the director and the star of the film, how does that work? Do you do the take? Then you go watch it and say you know what? I can do that better, we can do that better.
Speaker 2:Oh well, there is a little bit of that, but I was very lucky because I had my mentor, richard Shankman, who was also the writer and producer and who is an amazing director, so he was there every single day, for every shot. So, cause you know, I've never done this, I've never done this before, so as far as onsite type of stuff, he was there through through everything, which was fantastic to have that.
Speaker 1:Your attitude every single day. You're so positive. Where does that come from?
Speaker 2:I'm sure it probably comes from my parents to start right, but ever since because my mom's always the person that says you know you can do anything as long as you work hard enough and you know you set your goals and that's. I've always been taught that as a child a child. But ever since I can remember I have been a sponge for knowledge and for learning and for self-help. I read every I've probably read every freaking self-help book out there. There is right, read it all, done it all. And that's just me.
Speaker 2:I just love it, I love it and I definitely think by continuously reading these positive things it can only help to make you become a positive person. And for me, I get up every morning at 530. And I meditate, I do my affirmations, I do my visualization, I do my affirmations, I do my visualization, I do my gratitude list and you know, putting this whole routine together really sets the stage to have a really happy, productive day. When I don't get to do that, I feel like I'm a little on edge and not as happy and loving. So for me, that's really how my day starts with becoming a positive person.
Speaker 1:I think the acronym is SAVERS. Is that correct?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:What does that stand for?
Speaker 2:So SAVERS was started by, I think, his name's, ron Elrod I may be saying it wrong, but Elrod's his last name and he wrote a book and did a documentary called the Miracle Morning and he created what's called Savers. And the S is for silence, which is meditation and each thing you do for 10 minutes. The A is for the affirmations you do affirmations for 10 minutes. The V is for the visualization, the E is for exercise, R is for reading and the S is for scribing, which is your gratitude list. So that way you know, just so that you can remember, did I do my S, my A, my B? You know?
Speaker 2:You kind of go down the list and instead of the 10 minutes of exercise I go on a three-mile walk or run and I do 20 minutes of Pilates five days a week. So I add that in there because I feel like that's also that that helps your mind get right by being physical and active, and that's really, really important. I listen to my books. I read two books a month and I listen to them while I'm on my walk or my run, while I'm in the car, when I'm driving to L, to LA. I'm just like a sponge for knowledge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, as somebody who suffers from depression, physical activity is the cheapest medicine you'll have. Yep, yeah. So I run daily and you know that's it's one of the things that fulfills me is being able to run long distances.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, for sure Dopamine rush that you need, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and after and after a while you, your body just starts craving that activity, and if you skip a day or two, it's like what are we doing?
Speaker 2:Totally 100%.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I feel that about running and walking, but I don't feel that about my Pilates. To me it's like, okay, you got to do my Pilates, I pull out my mat, but I'm like it's only 20 minutes, Just get it over with.
Speaker 1:But I love my walking and I love my running Because with those two activities you're outdoors.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, and that's what you're right, and that is one thing that's really important is getting outdoors. I am not the type of person that's going to go to the gym and just run on a treadmill. I want to be outside. I want to see the birds, you know. I want to see the bunnies running across the street, the lizards the squirrels, the just everything like just being out in nature.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'll take pictures of flowers when I'm running by, that people won't see that when they're driving by on a car, you know, the only way you can see that is if you're on your feet walking past it, and I just I have such an appreciation for nature and for just being out in those elements. That's another form of medicine 100% yeah.
Speaker 1:So you were talking about books. I know you're in a book club, but let's talk about your book. It is a fascinating read. Brandi Roderick Bounce, Don't Break. It is life lessons and self-help that you actually provide. Because you've experienced this stuff, I think it should actually be a must read for any woman that's graduating college.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 2:I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:Definitely it was created because and me being you know, when I was a playmate or am a playmate, but I was an older playmate and playmate of the year, so a lot of the playmates coming in were a lot younger and they saw my successes and they would always come to me and ask me for advice. You know, no matter what it might be, whether it's career or relationships or family or whatever it might be. And I just started thinking to myself I'm given all this advice. I really I should put it down on paper. You know all my experiences and what I had to go through and what, um, what worked and what didn't.
Speaker 2:Um, and, and you know, it was kind of exciting because Hef and the promotions department at Playboy called me and said Brandy, we love your book and we're going to give it to every new playmate that comes in as the must read for them when they become a playmate. We're going to gift this to them. So they purchased, you know, hundreds of books too, so they could do that, and I thought that was really flattering, because that is really who I wrote it for is young girls, you know, hoping to give them some advice on what they can do to help fulfill their dreams.
Speaker 1:Well, not only women, but I was also reading it, and at the end of each chapter, when you have those quizzes, I was testing myself too. Now I'm probably a little bit more seasoned than the person that you were actually writing the book for, but still you're talking about finances, you're talking about not being in debt, you're talking about being motivated and working hard, and it's all things that people need to hear.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:How long did it take you to write?
Speaker 2:it. It took a good full year and I did it when I was pregnant with my first son. So I took that time, you know, cause I couldn't really work um took that time to to write the book and then when he was born at that point, you know, the book had had just come out and then I was out touring um for the book, you know, with baby on in tow, you know, out there, you know, wait, hold on, I gotta go breastfeed. I'll be right back and do the autograph signing. But yeah, so it took a year.
Speaker 1:How did you know it was done?
Speaker 2:Because writers are notorious for not knowing when to put the pen down. Yeah, and that's probably why it took a little bit longer. But no, I just feel like if I, it never was going to be perfect, because every time I would go and read it, there was something else that I needed to fix or add or take away, and it was constant and that kept happening and finally I was like this will be never ending. I am done because if I keep reading this, I'm going to always find something. Not to mention, things are always changing in your life, right, so you're always going to keep finding changes. So finally I just had to put the pen down and be like okay, this is it.
Speaker 1:Would you consider writing a follow-up to it, as you with age?
Speaker 2:I said no for a very long time. I was like that was one of the hardest things I'd ever have to do. That was one of the hardest things I'd ever have to do. But now that I am getting older there might be a point where I would consider doing another one. But right now no, because I'm just all about my movies and my TV shows right now. But there might be a time where I do want to do a follow up.
Speaker 1:By the way, you mentioned getting older. Happy belated birthday, big one for you this year, how'd you?
Speaker 2:celebrate 5-0?
Speaker 1:Yeah, How'd you celebrate?
Speaker 2:Well, I went to Hawaii, which is why I got to take that picture in the Baywatch bathing suit because I wanted to go back and reminisce all of the times in my life that were so special to me, and of course, hawaii is one of them, because Baywatch was the best job I've ever had in my life and one of the best experiences I've ever had with with, with the people that I met and the cast, and we became this wonderful family right, and the place is so spiritual. It was just such, you know, like almost like a spiritual awakening for me to live there and work there. So I went back and went to all the old stomping grounds and all my favorite hotels and restaurants and where we shot the show, and so I did that, which was amazing, and then went to Tahiti, bora Bora which was on my bucket list, nice, and really enjoyed that for the second half of the trip and that, you know, got to check that one off.
Speaker 1:When you're on a television show that has one billion viewers, are you able to go out in public and enjoy yourself, or is it just constant fans coming up to you and no, it's fine.
Speaker 2:I mean there's times when people do say stuff or, you know, come up and want to take a picture, but for the most part I mean I'm yeah, it's fine, I'm living a good, normal life. I mean sometimes, you know, if I'm out and my boyfriend gets up to go to the bathroom, that's when the people will come up. Friend gets up to go to the bathroom, that's when the people will come up. But no, it's totally fine. I enjoy it when people do want to talk and share their stories with me of maybe how Baywatch might have affected their life or anything else I've done. I always love hearing the stories.
Speaker 1:So how does reality differ from the dream of a six-year-old girl?
Speaker 2:I feel like I'm living a dream.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's good, and I think that it's mainly because of my children right, that's really the dream but also that I get to do what I love, you know, and I don't think that a lot of people can say that. So I feel very blessed that I am able to do the career I love and, you know, be with my family. I mean, I love being a mom and being with my kids and being able to do what I love.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, one of the quotes that I read about you said I would rather be a soccer mom than famous. Yeah, oh yeah, because it's not about being famous.
Speaker 2:I don't want to be famous. I like going to places like you're saying you know and doing what, and eating dinner and not having people staring at me when food drops out of my mouth. You know what I mean. I don't want that's not what I want. I want to continue to work and do what I love, which is producing and acting and and being a present mom and giving my kids um, everything that I did get as far as knowledge and tools, but also all the things I didn't get. So, and I couldn't do that if I wasn't living my dream and doing what I love.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if you're not doing what you love, you're doing yourself a disservice, you're doing yourself a disjustice, and if you're, you have to find that. So if somebody is out there listening right now and they're not doing what they love, how do you, what's your advice to them, how do you put them in that right direction?
Speaker 2:I mean I wish I could have gotten them when they're kids, right? Yeah, that's what I'm trying. I instill that in my kids all the time. You need to figure out the thing that makes you happy. I just want you to live your dreams and pick a career that you love and that you're going to enjoy doing.
Speaker 2:So if someone's not doing what they love, sit down and write down you know what. What am I really good at? What do I really enjoy doing? What makes me smile? And just see if you can try and figure out a career that is maybe wraps around, that you know, something that you can be happy at. And even if it's, you know, it's not something you can just do right away, but maybe you can do it part time for a while and still have your other, you know job until you can get to the point where you can quit the other job. But it's really about figuring out what makes you tick and what makes you happy, and that doesn't mean it's going to be easy just because you love it. Like what I keep saying about my career, it's freaking hard but you love it. So you find something that fulfills you. It's fulfilling.
Speaker 1:That's the thing. If you love it, you'll go through the hardship. You know, I worked my dream job for 30 years, you know, and the first two years I didn't get paid a penny. But I knew it's what I wanted to do and so I stuck with it and I had a couple of people who believed in me, made some breaks for me and then I went with it. But people are going to be sitting there going well, yeah, Kev, you know you were successful for 30 years in radio Brandy. Look at you, You're on the cover of a Playboy magazine, You're an actress, You're a producer, You're a writer. I just, you know, I don't have that kind of talent. It's not about the talent you don't compare to other people, compared to where you want to be and how you're going to get there, and you saying writing it down, that's so important.
Speaker 2:So important. And you know, thinking about that thing, what would you do for free? You know, and and I remember hearing that like what, what would you do that for free? And I'm like, well, yeah, I've done acting jobs for free all the time because I love it. So find that thing in that job or that career that you love so would love so much that you would even do it for free. You know, like it's, it's fine, just you just got to find it.
Speaker 1:That's how you know you found it. That's how you know you found it.
Speaker 2:If you'll do it for free just imagine how how awesome it is if they'll pay you to do it. But if you do it for free, just imagine how how awesome it is if they'll pay you to do it.
Speaker 2:But if you do it for free, you just have to get to that point Right. Like, um, you know, like, with my movie, with Wineville, I um, you know, made the movie, funded it, did everything you know, and I still haven't paid, my, I haven't gotten paid yet. You know, I'm waiting, I'm waiting, I'm hoping it's going to be a success. You just never know, but you're doing. You just sometimes you have to take risks and if that risk didn't work, you know what you maneuver, you pivot and you go do something else that still is in line with your dream. But if you figure something else out and you learn from your mistakes and you bring in the things that are good and keep going, Brandi Roddick is talking about learning from mistakes.
Speaker 1:When you had $100,000 from your Playboy Playmate of the Year, you had somebody tell you invest that, you lost it, lost it all. How do you rebound from that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know you have to start from scratch and you pivot and you learn that Listen, you know what. I'm going to listen to my instincts and not listen to someone who's going to tell me what to do. And next time, you know what, if I had that kind of money, I might still invest, but you know what? Maybe I'll only invest 10%, you know, and I'll put the other money into other things. You know, like you. Just you learn from your mistakes and you take that in to life with you and you hope to not make the same mistakes. But guess what? You might make the same mistakes again and you just keep learning until it's finally like, okay, I'm not going to make that mistake again and you just have to get back on the horse.
Speaker 1:But how do you not let it psychologically affect you?
Speaker 2:I would say read self-help books.
Speaker 1:Mm, hmm.
Speaker 2:Listen to subliminals, meditate, do affirmations every day, look yourself in the mirror I am smart, I am strong, I am wealthy, I am loved. Whatever it might be for you, you need to do the work. You have to turn it around.
Speaker 1:I love that advice, you know, because it but it's hard to do. It's so easy to give up, but it's hard to it's hard to keep pressing forward. It's not easy, but you have to do it's so easy to give up, but it's hard to keep pressing forward.
Speaker 2:It's not easy, but you have to do it. But life isn't supposed to be easy, is it?
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I wish it was supposed to be easy, right, but it wouldn't be worthwhile If everything just came to you on a silver platter and you didn't have to work for it, what appreciation would you have?
Speaker 2:Oh, I can't imagine any.
Speaker 1:So how do you because both the career that you chose, the career that I chose, it deals heavily with rejection how do you not internalize that and take that personally?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I think that when you've been doing it as long as I have, you know you've heard no so many times I think you just have to have so many irons in the fire and do so many auditions I guess that you don't even think about it. You really have to do the audition and then throw it away. You cannot think about it and worry about it and wonder it and worry about it and wonder. And I know from experience, and just you know from being on both sides of the camera, that rejection is not about your performance, like because now that I've cast, you know so many different films and you see all the tape.
Speaker 2:They could have all been fantastic actors, but as a writer, director, producer, you have someone very specific in mind and a vision right For that role. And just because you're not that vision that person had does not mean you're a bad actor, you know. So you can't look at rejection as if it's a rejection for you, your abilities, because I will tell you, when I watched all those acting tapes, I didn't see any shitty actors. You know what I mean. It was just we had something very specific that we wanted and so it was good to be on that side to really learn that as well. So you can never take it personally and you could also be auditioning and the producers already had someone in mind that they're waiting on a contract and waiting for that agent. You know that actor to say yes, but they still had to read all these other actors just in case that one actor said no. So again, it's not because of you and your job.
Speaker 1:So, but in that review that we read earlier, it says that you coaxed solid performances from your actors and actresses. So, as a director, what is your job?
Speaker 2:Let them be themselves, let them portray the character that they already portrayed to me. Let them, you know, be the character and let them do it.
Speaker 1:I just think you have to have an immense amount of confidence, self-confidence, to be behind the camera and to be in front of the camera.
Speaker 2:Yeah, or a lot of years of experience. We won't say how many, but yes.
Speaker 1:Do you read negative comments on social media?
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Okay, no, but you're very active on social media, so how do you stay away from that?
Speaker 2:I, yeah, I well, I'm really lucky because on my I don't I can't even remember the last time there was a negative comment. I mean, I knock on wood, my fan base are so loving and so supportive and so wonderful. I am just really really blessed. And I hear horror stories from women, um, where people are just awful and mean and I am just so blessed again that I don't have to deal with that. And if there was I, I if somebody ever left a negative anything, I I block them and delete them right away, cause I am in this space in my life where I want to be happy and positive and loving. I don't want any negativity in my life. So I and I'm I feel like I'm really lucky that my again, my fans are just awesome.
Speaker 1:Wineville comes out today on all of your streaming services. You can get it on Amazon, you can get it on Hulu, you can get it on Apple TV. Very, very much looking forward to being able to finally watch it, more than just seeing the trailer. It looks like it's a fantastic movie and I can't wait for it to do really well for you.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Yeah, I'm really excited about it, and one thing I just decided to do is, on the WinevilleMoviecom website, I'm going to be selling autographed DVDs. So we decided to do a DVD and you'll be able to go on there and I can personalize it to you and you know, and send off a really fun autographed DVD.
Speaker 1:Very cool. So if you're watching this on YouTube right now, that web address is right down to the bottom of the screen and I promise that I will move it as low as possible so that it doesn't cover any of Brandy. Are there jump scares in it or is it more psychological?
Speaker 2:It's more psychological. So there's really it's not a jump scare kind of movie, so it's more like holy shit, I wasn't expecting that. What that's? Who did that? You know, like there's just that really happened to her. Like there's just a lot of plot twists in terms that unexpected things that are kind of fun Because I don't know about you, but when I'm watching a movie I love trying to figure out what's going to happen. Who did it? And you're going through and then when they throw you for a loop, you're like what the heck? I wasn't expecting that and that's what our, that's what my movie does.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Well, now I really really can't wait to see it, because that's right up my alley. Yeah Well, continued success to you. Thank you so much for joining me. I apologize if the poem was out of line, but I really okay, okay cool.
Speaker 2:It was great, kevin, I loved it.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Brandy. Tell all of your family and all of your friends that we said hello and thank you again for joining me.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Kevin.
Speaker 1:So there you go, episode 100 in the books. Confession. I record these conversations sometimes weeks in advance, and then I go back and I edit them, and after I recorded this conversation with Brandy, I let it sit for a few days because I really didn't have a good feeling about it. I thought that my anxiousness and enthusiasm had gotten the better of me and that the poem that we started the episode with may have been so over the top creepy that it bred some discomfort. I thought about not including the poem in the episode. Boy, wouldn't you have felt cheated? But when I watched the conversation during editing, it didn't come off as badly as I thought it did, so I kept it in See, that's the kind of stuff that goes on in my head. In See, that's the kind of stuff that goes on in my head. I have such a deep desire to be liked, but I lack the confidence to believe that I'm likable, so I let my mind run with the perception that if someone isn't jumping up and down or laughing hysterically at my creativity, they just don't like me. If you have similar thoughts and feelings to that, then you definitely want to listen to next week's episode, because my guest and I tackled this exact idea, using me as the case study. My thanks to Brandi Roderick for joining me and, yes, for playing along with my idiocy. Her movie Wineville is out now. And my thanks to you for downloading the episode and listening. You know I sure could use your help promoting and growing the show. I mean, yeah, we're in the top 1% of worldwide podcasts as far as episodes posted, but in all honesty, we're probably in the lower 1% of audience size. So if you'd be kind enough to tell your friends about the Fuzzy Mike, maybe get them to download an episode or two, I sure would appreciate that.
Speaker 1:Don't forget the Tuttle Kline show every Wednesday. It's where my longtime radio partner, tim Tuttle and I well, we bat topics back and forth, we share personal stories and anecdotes and we guarantee that you'll be laughing Guaranteed, or your money back. The Fuzzy Mike is hosted and produced by Kevin Kline. The show voice guy is Zach Sheesh from the Radio Farm Social media. Director is Trish Kline. I'll see you next week for what is an insightful and educating episode on overcoming trauma. Thank you for sharing your time with me. I'm grateful. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Fuzzy Mike with Kevin Kline. Check back often and stay fuzzy friends. Fuzzy Mike is a presentation of the Kevin Kline Fuzzy Mike Industry Incorporated LLC.