1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: So a few years ago a film came out called 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: Kiss the Ground and Woody Harrelson produced it, and it 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: was basically about the importance of soil in the fight 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: to stabilize our planet. And there's this new film directed 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 1: and produced by the same team as Kiss the Ground. 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: It's got some pretty big Hollywood names involved. It's called 7 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: Common Ground. I was lucky enough to get a special 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: screening of it, and let me tell you, it's very powerful. 9 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: Film just really really knocked me out and made me think. 10 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: Taught me a whole bunch of stuff that I had 11 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: no idea about, having to do with soil and farming 12 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: and food and the environment, etc. I really recommend it. 13 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: My guest today is Ian Summerhalder, who was one of 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: the producers on the film. So if you're someone who 15 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: is environmentally minded and looking for ways to weather this 16 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: moment in our planet's history, so to speak, you're going 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: to enjoy this episode. So I am glad you're here. Leaning. Hey, 18 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: it's good to see you man. 19 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 2: Good to see you man, Thanks for thanks for doing this. 20 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 2: Congratulations on this. These are these are cool, man. This 21 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: is like, this is a cool thing to be, a 22 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: worthy thing to be spending time on you. 23 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: Know, yeah, I I it's been it's been great to 24 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: you know, everybody and their mother has a podcast, and 25 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: it's been really really fun to to you know, connect 26 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: with people, but also to see the things that they're 27 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: interested in, and you know, it's it's often really really 28 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: inspiring and and and also I think the people are 29 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: are you know, getting a kick or or oftentimes being 30 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: you know, moved or or touched by some of the 31 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: stories that they've they've heard. But you know, you were 32 00:01:55,280 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: just talking about your roots, and I'm really curious about that. 33 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: He grew up in Louisiana, right. 34 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, deep, deep, deep, right outside of New Orleans. 35 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: And you were saying that your dad was of Cajun descent. 36 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: So my grandfather was born here. A great grandfather was 37 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 2: born here in seventeen forty seven, so I think his 38 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 2: parents had already been here for like twenty years. So 39 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 2: I think they got here in like the seventeen twenties. Man, Wow, 40 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 2: long time ago and all Louisiana. Yeah, my grandmother was 41 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: born in nineteen oh six. She didn't speak English until 42 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 2: nineteen thirty, so she was twenty four years old. And yeah, 43 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 2: so people don't realize like in until until like the forties, 44 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 2: you could live in the United States, Louisiana in particular, 45 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: and never have to speak English. It's so funny. It 46 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: was just looking up my grandmother's My birthday just passed 47 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: on the eighth, and my grandmother was on the seventh. 48 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 2: You know, my last birthday whatever three days ago was 49 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: forty five. And I called my mom and said, happy birthday, 50 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 2: is the day you gave birth to me. But I'm 51 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 2: now on the other side. I'm technically closer to fifty 52 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 2: than I am to forty. And at that point that 53 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 2: sound like, you know, like a morbid thought. This is 54 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: just I'm a numbers guy, so you're more than halfway through. 55 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 2: It's like whatever we consider a life cycle. But what's 56 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: crazy is because of our health situation in this country, food, medicine, healthcare, lifestyle, 57 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: all that stuff the United States. And don't quote me 58 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 2: on this data. I typically have so much data here 59 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 2: in front of me. We are the only developed nation 60 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 2: in the world where life expectancy is declining. Interesting, but 61 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: I always offer up this and I learned this twelve 62 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 2: thirteen years ago. So if you look at the planet right, 63 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 2: you look at trees, you look at water systems. If 64 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 2: you look at them, there's a reason that they're carbon copies, right, 65 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 2: They're coral in the ocean that look identical like a lung. 66 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: If you take a you take a pine tree, an 67 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,919 Speaker 2: oak tree, turn it on its side, it literally looks 68 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 2: like a lum. So if you would imagine just for 69 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 2: a second, like taking a step back, that the earth 70 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 2: is the same biological process as us for not any different. 71 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 2: Those river systems, I mean, those forests are basically our lungs, right. 72 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: Those river systems and oceans are those party of vascular 73 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 2: systems carrying all the vital nutrients and organ nutrients to 74 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 2: the organisms. So if you think about it, once you 75 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 2: dam and pollute all the waterways, than the organism can't 76 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 2: get all those vital nutrients. If you cut and destroy 77 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 2: all the forests, that organism can't breathe and recycle so effectively. 78 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 2: We you know, when you put it in those terms, 79 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 2: people start really looking and go, oh my gosh. And 80 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 2: then you go to the soil. Well, the microbiome of 81 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 2: the soil. The health of that depends on the health 82 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: of the soil and what grows out of it. The 83 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 2: same way we think about it from health perspective, the 84 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,280 Speaker 2: human body, the health of the human being is directly 85 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 2: related to the health of the gut microbiome. It's the same, right, 86 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: Without a healthy gut microbiome, there's no healthy human and 87 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 2: without a healthy soil microbiome, there is no healthy soil. 88 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 2: So you know, we keep forgetting that what we do 89 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,239 Speaker 2: to the earth, we do to ourselves. And that's why 90 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 2: going back to what you were just asking, diving into 91 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 2: I want to know where I came from, whom I 92 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 2: came from, and when I go back to my roots, 93 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 2: like way way way back, both on my mother's side 94 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: and my father's side, they were farmers. They were long 95 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 2: long lines lineage of farmers. That is who I am 96 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: in my. 97 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: Blood, maybe even before they got to this country. 98 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 2: Most likely in the forties. My grandfather was an agricultural inventor. 99 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: He was the first guy to introduce in Mississippi, like 100 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 2: nineteen forty. The idea was taking the manure from all 101 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 2: of his cattle, cow's, chickens, hogs, everything. He built the 102 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 2: press that took dried it out, took the manure and 103 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 2: pressed it into these little cups where he would then 104 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 2: germinate all of his seeds, and that's how he he 105 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 2: germinated all of his seeds to plant. So you know, 106 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 2: we've all seen those. I wish you would have patented those. 107 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 2: We would probably have been a very different family. Anyway, 108 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 2: The long im was short of it is people always 109 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 2: say like, how and why is this like your you know, 110 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 2: you left acting, you literally walked away. 111 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: From Let's talk about that's let's talk about first why 112 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,799 Speaker 1: it is that you got into it, because I'm guessing 113 00:06:55,880 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: that probably you were at least in the mind already 114 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: of people in your family who who who found at 115 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: least at least initially a life in the theater. So 116 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: what was it do you think that pushed you in 117 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: that direction? 118 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 2: Since I was a kid man, since I was a 119 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 2: little kid, and I hear this, you know, I'm sure 120 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 2: it was the same for you and a lot of 121 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: people I talked to. It was just in me from 122 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 2: the beginning, you know. And I started doing local theater 123 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: when I was six or seven, and it was my 124 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: mom that brought me to all the auditions and read 125 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 2: everything with me in the car and singing and helping 126 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 2: me through it. And then and we were we had 127 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 2: a very intimate relationship with the poverty line. So we 128 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 2: didn't you know, like I wanted to play the sacks. 129 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 2: We couldn't afford a saxophone. I wanted to play the trumpet, 130 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 2: couldn't afford. So we were going to school and it 131 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: wasn't like it was disappointing. But my mom was so 132 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 2: great at explaining things. It's such a great you know, 133 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: we were just so tight bros. And but yeah, one brother, 134 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: one sister. They're seven and eight years older than me. 135 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: And it was my mom's foresight that when she it's 136 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: like that, it's like, you know, it's so funny. Man. 137 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 2: I'm a huge Malcolm Gladwell fan, and I know that 138 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 2: when Outliers came all came out. When Outliers came out, 139 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 2: we all read this book and we looked at society 140 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 2: and we realized, oh my gosh, she broke it down 141 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 2: in such a beautiful way. But in all of our lives, 142 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 2: we have those outlier moments that allowed us to get 143 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 2: to whatever we got to do right. And my mom 144 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 2: received She worked at a state hospital, a mental hospital, 145 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: but she wanted to be a massage therapist and do 146 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 2: actipressure and roam the therapy stuff. She couldn't get out 147 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 2: of that rut. She got laid off and the state 148 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 2: gave her a severance check. I think it was ten 149 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,679 Speaker 2: thousand dollars, and no one in my family had ever 150 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 2: seen that amount of money in one piece of paper. 151 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 2: And it's crazy, dude. You know what she spent every 152 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 2: single dollar of that on and in a borrowing money 153 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 2: from my aunt Nancy on top of it, was to 154 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 2: send me to modeling and acting classes in New Orleans 155 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 2: when I was ten years old. Every dime of that 156 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 2: plus some went into me getting a contract with Ford 157 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 2: for three years when I was ten. 158 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: Well, were there ever moments when you thought this is 159 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 1: something I'm not sure I want to do this, this 160 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: is something that you want to do for me? 161 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 3: No. 162 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 2: I loved it. I was already I was already doing 163 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 2: theater and stuff, you know, like the head of like 164 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: the young theater department at school and going to all 165 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 2: these local playhouses and not getting the roles for the 166 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 2: most part, the ones at school because I think they 167 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 2: had to. They had to, you had to have like 168 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 2: a level of participation. But it was that moment she 169 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: came to me and she goes, look, I have a 170 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 2: I have a deal. I have a proper position for you. 171 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 2: You know, we don't have a lot, but I can 172 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 2: give you this opportunity if you really want it. But 173 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 2: you gotta want it. She literally said that, She's like, 174 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 2: this is not for me, and I want absolutely no 175 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 2: way get me in. And so she would slept me 176 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 2: back and forth from you know, the North Shore to 177 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 2: New Orleans every week so I could train and train 178 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 2: and train. And then there was a model scout, you know, 179 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 2: a lot of it. It's like people did get a 180 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 2: lot of people did find contracts out of it, but 181 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 2: it was a huge, big money grab for these people. 182 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 2: They made a lot of cash. So when I was ten, 183 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 2: I got this contract with Ford because I went to 184 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 2: this big convention and model convention and like a talleentn. 185 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 1: Ford modeling right not for motors, yep and. 186 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 2: Hillton Head, South Carolina, dude, in nineteen ninety you can 187 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 2: believe that. And I got this contract and so we 188 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 2: would she would take some you know, she would take 189 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 2: off work and we'd go to New York for the 190 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 2: summers and and that's how I started working, you know, 191 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 2: and doing Ralph Lauren and Gap and all these cool things. 192 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 2: So you're ten years old from the bides Louisiana. All 193 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 2: of a sudden you're thrust into you know, these huge 194 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 2: sets with art directors and photographers and you know, all 195 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 2: these just super cool people. And by the way, this 196 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 2: is nineteen ninety, right, so like everyone is, you know, 197 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 2: it was a very different time. People are in these studios, 198 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 2: they're you know, they have big mood layer mood boards 199 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 2: laid out, and everyone's around tables and they're smoking cigarettes 200 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 2: and drinking coffee. And the French are like, you know, 201 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 2: boring Bordeaux at noon and you know, we're sitting there 202 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 2: eating like steaks and lobster and shit, and you know, 203 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:55,839 Speaker 2: at lunch on this job. And I looked at it. 204 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 2: I remember looking at my mom once she goes, this 205 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 2: isn't so bad as a kidd and I said, not 206 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 2: at all. Along this is pretty this is pretty awesome, 207 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 2: and so I and so anyway, that was three years 208 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 2: of that. I went home for two years back to 209 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: Louisiana and did normal stuff, played football and sports and 210 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,319 Speaker 2: rode my horses and you know, did stuff. And then 211 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 2: at fifteen I realized, like, wow, this is not exactly 212 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 2: what I want to be doing. Mom, I want to 213 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 2: get back to doing what I was doing. I think 214 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 2: this is like where I want to be. So again, 215 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 2: we did another convention on my sixteenth birthday and then 216 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 2: that was it. I met agents and three days three 217 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 2: days later or five days later, get a call that 218 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 2: they had taken a bunch of polaroids from me and 219 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 2: this photographer Stephen Myzell. So if you remember Stephen Myzell 220 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 2: in the nineties was the biggest photographer pastiptographer in the world. 221 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 2: It was like Steven you know, Bruce Weber, any Legal, 222 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 2: It's you know, a couple of Richard Avedon, Like those 223 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 2: guys are still around. So anyway, two days after that, 224 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: I was on a plane. So one week after my 225 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 2: sixteenth birthday, it's December fifteenth, I think I land in 226 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 2: New York City to shoot like they Stephen myself booked 227 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 2: me for like twelve pages of at the time, the 228 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 2: Warmo Vogue, which the time was the biggest men's magazine 229 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 2: in the world. And that was it. And you know 230 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 2: what's crazy is because it was just the the sixtieth 231 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:30,680 Speaker 2: anniversary of fiftieth anniversary of CBGB's and they were going 232 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 2: to do it at the store because it's a John 233 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 2: Breveta store. Now I was going to go for that, 234 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 2: but they put it into the Grammy Museum. I went 235 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 2: to CBGB's that night. I was, you know, I was 236 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 2: a week out of having like my emancipation paperwork done 237 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 2: and anyway, so that's like that started to imagine you're sixteen, 238 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,199 Speaker 2: you're one week over sixteen, you fly to New York City, 239 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 2: you land drop your stuff at the hotel. You know, 240 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 2: the other people you're shooting with, like, Hey, come down 241 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 2: to the lobby. We're going to this place. CBGB's cool, 242 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,679 Speaker 2: let's go listen to some music. You walk in and 243 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 2: it's like Patti Smith is there and Debbie Harry are there, 244 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 2: and you know, you're just like, what the hell is 245 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 2: going on? And so that was my that was my childhood. Yeah. 246 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, and then you obviously you were doing it sounds 247 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: like you were doing a lot of modeling as well 248 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: as having the roots in the acting. But then that 249 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: pretty quickly turned into, uh, you know, an acting career 250 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: with television and movies, and you know, we always thinking about, 251 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: you know, connections, we have the connect I mean, I 252 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: know there are paths have crossed in the past, but 253 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: we have the Kevin Williamson connection, and. 254 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 2: That guy changed my life for sure. Man. 255 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: How long were you on that show on Vampire. 256 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 2: Diveris We did eight years? 257 00:14:54,680 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: Eight years in what was the town Atlanta? Atlanta? Right right, yep? Right? 258 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: Were you? Were you mostly right in the center of 259 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: Atlanta or did you there was a I feel like 260 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: I feel like I was recently in a small town 261 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: shooting something, and they they it was almost like a 262 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 1: like a Vampire Diaries museums or of thing. I mean, 263 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: is there a town Covington, Yeah, Georgia, that's it, Covington, Georgia. 264 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: I was down there making a movie and living in Covington, 265 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: and it's it's like they practically have like statues in 266 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: the town square, you know, for Vampire Diaries. 267 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 2: They call it Coveywood, and it's a that was the 268 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 2: fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. Was Covington, Georgia as 269 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 2: wild because I was born in Covington, Louisiana. 270 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, and then that's weird. 271 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 2: Now I'm in Covington, Georgia. And obviously, you know, when 272 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 2: you first started shooting and show, you think, oh man, 273 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: this thing is probably gonna go five years cut to 274 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 2: eight years later. But people in Covington, the police, the friends, 275 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 2: the business owners, is we're all so tight it now. 276 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 2: The Covington You know, if you go back and you 277 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 2: look at the Chamber of Commerce numbers, Vampire Diaries brings 278 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 2: one hundred and sixteen million dollars a year to that town. 279 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: Still, yeah, every year. 280 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 2: Wow, that's how much. You know, because the show has 281 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: been seen by over a billion people now, so at 282 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: that time point is just a numbers game, right, you 283 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 2: figure one in eight people in the country or in 284 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 2: the world have seen interface understand or know or have 285 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 2: heard of this ip and so it's just a testament 286 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 2: to the power of story and how story can bring 287 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 2: us together and shared experience. Right, That's what bonding is, 288 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 2: and that's it's actually where the reason you know, Paul 289 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 2: and I actually built this brand, Brothers bond over that 290 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 2: same ethos, which is this is about bringing people together. 291 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: And I think you can argue right now, actually not 292 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 2: argue right now, we need togatherness more than ever and 293 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 2: so and so whether it's sitting sharing a dram of whiskey, 294 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 2: or your health and wellness journey or your meditation, whatever 295 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 2: it may be, we need that connection and Paul and I, 296 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 2: you know, I might not be the smartest guy in 297 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 2: the room, but I'll I'll try and outwork everyone in there. 298 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 2: And I realize, like, I might not be the smartest 299 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 2: guy in the room. I don't even have a college degree. 300 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 2: But the one thing I realized I could do is 301 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 2: leverage entertainment value to create quantifiable change in the world, right, 302 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 2: whatever that may be. And we've the data don't lie, 303 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 2: you know what I mean, We've shown that in a 304 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 2: couple of different instances. There are definitely some use cases 305 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 2: for it, and it's been un you know, it's unbelievable. 306 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 2: As you know, He's like, how long were you guys 307 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 2: on The Following? 308 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: We were only on The Following for three years, three years, 309 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: and and that's the longest that I've ever done a show. 310 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: The last series I had was three years as well. 311 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: You know, it's it. I got sort of secondhand knowledge 312 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: of this eight year cycle from Kira because she was 313 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 1: on the on The Closer. 314 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 2: For those years. 315 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that was you know, it was an interesting 316 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 1: it was an interesting thing to watch from Afar. I mean, 317 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 1: up until that point, I I often used to say that, 318 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: and this just shows how different. How things have changed 319 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: so much in terms of you know, what we call television. 320 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: I used to say that if my agent called me 321 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: and told me that they had a series for me, 322 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: I would fire my agent because there was such a 323 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: division between being a movie star and being on television. 324 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: It was like something you would never ever ever do. 325 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 1: That's all gone completely, you know, I mean just it's 326 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: it's dissolved into this other world that we have. You know, 327 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: I'm I'm fascinating you. You you have the Brown liquor, 328 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: and yeah, I'm incredibly successful, and you also just do 329 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: so much sort of charitable. The charity is not even 330 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: the right word. I mean, it's more awareness and very 331 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: very hard work on all kinds of things having to 332 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: do with excute and the environment. I mean, I watched 333 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: this movie Common Ground that you Oh. 334 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: You saw the film. 335 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's spectacular, I mean spectacular. But you know, I 336 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: guess my question is is that you're you're not really 337 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 1: doing too much acting right now, am I right? It's 338 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: mostly producing and doing other kind of stuff. 339 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,719 Speaker 2: I you know, man, I walked away from acting. The 340 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 2: last time I was on SHOWM. I can tell you 341 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:58,400 Speaker 2: it was October, sorry, August nineteenth, twenty nineteen. 342 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: Okay, so this is what I've I want to know 343 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: about it because. 344 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 2: I know the day. 345 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:05,439 Speaker 1: I mean, that's when I walked that's my wife's birthday, 346 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 1: by the way, August nineteenth. Yeah, you you as you 347 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 1: walked away on Curious abtects birthday. You know, so I 348 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: would say. 349 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 2: That, which, by the way, was one of my biggest 350 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 2: crushes ever. I used to watch singles over and over 351 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:23,479 Speaker 2: and over again. And obviously, you know, we we've had 352 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 2: the same pubblicist for you know, Anik Mueller has been 353 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 2: with me. We've been I've been with her for eight 354 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 2: nine almost nineteen years, so it's like I've always we've 355 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 2: always been in the same sort of like ether. She's 356 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 2: such a special you guys are such a what an 357 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 2: inspiration you are to a lot of people. 358 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: You guys have really thank you. 359 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:44,679 Speaker 2: It's pretty amazing. 360 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, she's she's a lot of fun to hang out with. 361 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: But you know, you there's not that many people. Uh, 362 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: people will leave the film business of acting. I'm mostly 363 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 1: talking about acting, Yeah, because they retired, because they get old. 364 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 1: People will believe because they just don't have any money. 365 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: A lot of people leave mysteriously because of you know, 366 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:12,880 Speaker 1: drugs or alcohol, or or scandal or getting cancer. There's 367 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: a million ways to leave, but there's very few young 368 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: actors who are willing to just stop and say I 369 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: don't want to I'm not gonna do this anymore. So 370 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: I'm I'd like you to just kind of And I 371 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: can tell you that at the point, Well, first of all, 372 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: I don't think I'm ever gonna stop. It's just I 373 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: know that it's just too If it's too much, I'm 374 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,919 Speaker 1: too I'm too wrapped up in it. In terms of 375 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 1: my own ego, my own sense of self worth is 376 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 1: so so completely tied to being a performer and being 377 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: I know, but still so one of the most. 378 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 2: Well known actors in the world period ever. 379 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 1: So I'm just wondering what that was like, how how 380 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: did that how did that feel? And and and do 381 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: you ever do you ever miss it? Or or or 382 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:12,400 Speaker 1: are you completely satisfied and happy doing what you're doing. 383 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 2: I loved what I did. You know, I didn't have 384 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 2: a lot of success in films, and that I did 385 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,719 Speaker 2: not like you did. I My success came from television. 386 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 2: There was some life changing moments on film, like doing 387 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 2: life as a house when Hayden Christiansen was a baby 388 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 2: and I was a baby, and uh, you know, Kevin 389 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 2: Kevin was just Kevin kleinb was obviously just you know, 390 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,679 Speaker 2: it's just one of the greatest. He's like you you 391 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 2: just you watch him. You believe every second of this man. Anyway, 392 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 2: I had a couple of really great film experiences, but 393 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 2: TV was the bulk of that success. And I think 394 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 2: what I realized was it came as no surprise to 395 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 2: anyone in my inner circle except my management team that was. 396 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:19,120 Speaker 1: Like, it's like, that's a definition of a spit take 397 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 1: when they they're just sitting there drinking their coffee and 398 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:23,879 Speaker 1: they get the call from you before you know. 399 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 2: And but I, you know, I had, I had in 400 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,959 Speaker 2: that time when I had completely stopped. They convinced me 401 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,120 Speaker 2: to put myself on tape for two things that were 402 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 2: just absolutely mind blowing. One was the dope sick that 403 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 2: won the thing with Michael Keaton, which is amazing. And 404 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 2: then there was another one. Jessica Chastain like, look, we 405 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 2: know you don't want to do this. Just do it. 406 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: You're too good in this, Just make it happen. So 407 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: I did it, and it was all very close, and 408 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 2: but the roles were they needed to scan a big 409 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 2: a little older, and so it was all fine. But 410 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 2: I've never felt more at peace with the decision ever. 411 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 2: But it's scary, man, because when you walk away and 412 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 2: I have a wife and children, and when you walk 413 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 2: away from the only thing you've ever known that supports 414 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 2: your life. And also too, you know, I had gone 415 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 2: through a really wild financial mishap, which is during Vampire Diaries. 416 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 2: I was using all the money I was making to 417 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 2: finance and build companies, right that was, And so being 418 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 2: an entrepreneur versus being on a successful being an actor 419 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 2: on a successful television show is very different. And I 420 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 2: used a lot of that cash to finance a company 421 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 2: that should have been worth a fortune that I owned 422 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 2: a third of. At the time, we had the most 423 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 2: powerful LED light system in the world, right and we 424 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 2: were saving lives in the oil patch because of our 425 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 2: safety mechanisms and all sorts of cool stuff. Only to 426 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 2: find out that our biggest customer was stealing from us, 427 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 2: Like to the tunes of Like Millions, the CEO was 428 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 2: embezzling its that old famous story, young actor person gets 429 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 2: into a business they don't necessarily know, and they just 430 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 2: get posed. The big problem was I had made personal 431 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 2: guarantees on all of the loans, which. 432 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: Is so stupid. 433 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 2: What are you thinking? You know, you're like, you're in 434 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 2: your early thirties, you feel like you're invincible, super idealistic, 435 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 2: you know you've got this, and then one day you 436 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 2: find all this stuff out as you're transitioning out of 437 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:44,159 Speaker 2: a television show, a successful one where you should be retiring. 438 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 2: On that faithful day, I get a phone call, Hey, 439 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 2: are you sitting down money chance? Uh huh from my 440 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:57,680 Speaker 2: team for my lawyers. When you literally get that phone call, Hey, 441 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 2: I know you're wrapping one of the biggest TV shows world, 442 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,680 Speaker 2: but I just want you to know you're in an 443 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,159 Speaker 2: eight figure hole that you're gonna have to get out of. 444 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,119 Speaker 2: And my wife is really a gangster and spent eighteen 445 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 2: months negotiating us out of this, figuring out how to 446 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 2: do it. But it was I mean, obviously life changing 447 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 2: right throws you upside down and so you pivot. And 448 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 2: I would have never been able to do that without her. 449 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 2: It's her genius and tenacity and finesse that allowed us 450 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: to do it. But I had to rebuild on top 451 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 2: of walking away from the one thing I knew. So 452 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 2: it was bizarre, but I've never felt better. And I think, 453 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 2: what when you step away from acting, what it does 454 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 2: is it gives you the clarity to focus on what's real, 455 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 2: which is your family, your children, your health, because I 456 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 2: lost my health, you know, going through this. And I 457 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 2: looked at my wife and I just said, she said, 458 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 2: is this something you really want to do. I'll support 459 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 2: you in every way you need. And I left. I 460 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 2: left the entertainment business to build my companies, raise my kids, 461 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 2: and launch these films, which there's three of them. 462 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: And I want to talk about the films, but I 463 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: also simultaneously want to bring on Mea Vaughan's who is 464 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: the CEO and founder of Good Neighbor Gardens. Hi Mia, 465 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: good to see you. Thank you so much, Kevin, thanks 466 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: for joining us. 467 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 3: Hi Maya, it's my honor, it's my privilege. Really, thank 468 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 3: you so much for this blessing. 469 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: Hey, you know, first off, well, you're you're living on 470 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: a farm. Is that correct? You live on a farm. 471 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 2: Now we are we're in we're in the city right now. 472 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 2: We're actually I'm going to go back out there in 473 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 2: just a little while. 474 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: I was so knocked out by by the film. 475 00:27:58,840 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 2: Thanks you. 476 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:05,400 Speaker 1: It's really it's simultaneously. For those of you that haven't 477 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:07,680 Speaker 1: seen it, it's it's it's it's a little bit hard 478 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: to pitch. It's a it's a lot about food. It's 479 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: a lot about soil. It's a lot about farming. It's 480 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: a lot about uh, you know, uh, chemical companies. It's 481 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:26,680 Speaker 1: got conspiracies, it's got the government. I mean it's you said, 482 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 1: so Common Ground is the one that I watch, and 483 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,920 Speaker 1: it's part of it. It's it's part of a trilogy. 484 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 1: Is that right? 485 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 2: There's three of them. 486 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 1: Okay, so what's the first one called. 487 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 2: It's called Kiss the Ground. 488 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 1: Kiss the Ground. 489 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 2: I gotta go by the way that that's on Netflix. 490 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 2: You can find that right so easily. I don't know 491 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 2: what Harrelseon narrates for us. So it's like that great 492 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 2: melodic you know, it's. 493 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: Like he's got a great voice. 494 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 2: What do you It's it's such a great voice, like 495 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 2: guys like what do you Harrelson or McConaughey, Like you 496 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:59,479 Speaker 2: could just listen to those guys all day long. And 497 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 2: so we're really grateful that what he did that and 498 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 2: me and much too. You know what, the amazing work 499 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 2: that me has been doing. Kiss the Ground was the 500 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 2: beginning of this. And I and I think you know Mia, 501 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 2: like remember when we all saw that film cut together. 502 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 2: It changed, it changed, It changes your life, right, you 503 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 2: can't unsee it. So kiss the ground and common ground. 504 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 2: Kiss the ground was the promise of regeneration. Common ground 505 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 2: is why it happened and how we can get out 506 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 2: of it. Ground Swell is going to be the international 507 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 2: version and why and how it can spread globally and 508 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: the economic value of it. 509 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: So me, for those of us that don't know this 510 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: this term, can you please describe to us what regenerative 511 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: farming is in a nutshell so to speak. 512 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 3: Well, you know, to be honest, there's not one one 513 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 3: definition of regeneration my mind and in my spirit. But 514 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 3: essentially what the utilitarian use of the word is that 515 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 3: we are doing what we can to benefit the earth 516 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 3: in our practices here on the earth, Okay, instead of 517 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 3: taking away from the earth, depleting the earth, you know, 518 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 3: I mean I have to borrow from my own African 519 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 3: roots in that. You know, in the Western world, you're 520 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 3: taught that the earth is yours, you know, and that 521 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 3: you're the master of it. But you know, in African cultures, 522 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 3: you're taught that you're the Earth's you know. Yeah, And 523 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 3: so you know, not to get caught up in the language, 524 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 3: but to understand, like Ian was saying in the beginning, 525 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:51,880 Speaker 3: you know, your composition is so much like the composition 526 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 3: of the earth. And that's what I teach the children 527 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 3: in the schools. You know that you are a living organism, 528 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 3: so as a plant, so it's a bug. Then I 529 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 3: ask them what else and they say, a tree, you know, 530 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 3: and you need five things to thrive and not just survive. 531 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 3: You know, you need water, you need air, sunlight, nutrients, 532 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,560 Speaker 3: and you gotta have love in order to really thrive. Right, 533 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 3: And so does a plant. Plant needs that too. The soil, 534 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 3: the soil needs that, you know. And so regeneration is 535 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 3: really about for me, it's about teaching the next generation 536 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 3: so that we have the opportunity for sustainability to truly 537 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 3: give back to the Earth, to become engaged with the Earth, 538 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 3: to understand it, to start to identify with it in 539 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 3: such a way that you're motivated to develop a conscious 540 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 3: relationship with it. That's really for me what regeneration is 541 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 3: about and you know if you put if you pick 542 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 3: up a handful of soil, there's more living microbes, more 543 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 3: living organisms in that handful of soil than all the 544 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 3: human beings that were born on the face of the earth. 545 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:06,360 Speaker 3: And I don't think they're completely unrelated. And it's my 546 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 3: it's my passion, it's my developed, it's my cultivated passion 547 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 3: to make sure that that I get that out there. 548 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: Okay, So now I want to know before we get 549 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,479 Speaker 1: into the details of the work that you're doing, I 550 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: want to know what it is that you think drew 551 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 1: you to this. Have this as a passion, right, Some 552 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: people are passion about music, some people are passionate about 553 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: acting or politics or whatever it is. What was the 554 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 1: connection to the earth. Do you think in your life 555 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: or your child that or your upbringing them? 556 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 3: Well, you know, it's a great question. Some things are 557 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:44,880 Speaker 3: known and some things are unknown, right Because my mother 558 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 3: would say, do you really think you lead your own life? Honey? 559 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 2: You know? 560 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 3: And so little did I know that I have a history? 561 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 3: Like Ian was saying, his family come, they were farmers. 562 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 3: You know, little did I know that I really have 563 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 3: a history of that, Because most families don't necessarily. I 564 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 3: don't know. My family didn't really talk about that too much. 565 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 3: We were just dealing with the day to day. 566 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: But to be honest, where you grow up just out 567 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: of curiosity, and. 568 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 3: You know, I was a military brat, so we grew 569 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 3: up everywhere and I didn't really have a place to 570 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 3: call home until I moved to San Diego in eighty 571 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:20,320 Speaker 3: three and I've been here ever since. But in two 572 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 3: thousand and eight, after being a financial planner for more 573 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 3: than twenty years, I was kind of I started dating 574 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:28,239 Speaker 3: a new guy and we both were praying to live 575 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:29,959 Speaker 3: in our purpose. We were like, what, you know, what 576 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 3: were we really put here to do? You know, whatever 577 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 3: that is, that'll be our form of worship, that'll be 578 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:38,000 Speaker 3: how we live, you know, what is it? And little 579 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 3: by little, you know, when you ask that question, it's 580 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 3: almost like, did I really ask that question? Now? I'm scared. 581 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 3: But my old life started to pass away and I 582 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 3: found myself digging in the dirt and I remember I 583 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,239 Speaker 3: had a hoodie on, you know, a raincoat over that, 584 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 3: and I was it was actually raining in San Diego, 585 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,360 Speaker 3: which is rare, and because I was losing so much 586 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 3: of my prior life, I was crying while it was raining. 587 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 3: But I was digging in the soil at this garden 588 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:07,360 Speaker 3: that we had planted together, and I was feeling depleted. 589 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 3: But the soil was just wriggling with worms and the 590 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:13,839 Speaker 3: nutrients that we had just hoped for the plant. I mean, 591 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:15,920 Speaker 3: we were I was pulling up turnips and I couldn't 592 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 3: believe how plentiful and bountiful. And I just felt like, 593 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:21,280 Speaker 3: this is what I want to do. I can hear 594 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 3: what I'm doing this. There's something in this that is 595 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:28,279 Speaker 3: compelling me, you know, And so I thought, you know, 596 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:32,480 Speaker 3: we've got to do this for other people. Because the 597 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 3: very first gift that this gentleman had offered me, he said, 598 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 3: can I build you a garden? And I thought, oh that's. 599 00:34:39,680 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 2: Hey, that's the best pickup line ever. Hey, could I 600 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 2: build you a garden? 601 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:49,840 Speaker 3: Well, you know, three hundred and fifty home garden installations. 602 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: Later, I tell us about that, tell us about good 603 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: neighbor gardens. I want to hear. I want to hear 604 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:57,319 Speaker 1: how that, how that goes, and how you do it. 605 00:34:57,239 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 3: And what Okay, Well, you know, I remember one day 606 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 3: we're on the phone, we were arguing, and I said, 607 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 3: you know, I don't think we're supposed to argue. You know, 608 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:06,560 Speaker 3: we just harvested this garden and it was more bountiful 609 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 3: than we could ever imagine. We prayed over every seed 610 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 3: we put in the ground, and it was just so productive. 611 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 3: But the sad thing is is that we ended up 612 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 3: well it's not so sad now, but we composted two 613 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 3: thirds of it because we just didn't know who to 614 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 3: share it with, because we were in a new space. 615 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:22,759 Speaker 1: And get that one giant zucchini that could feed you 616 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 1: for the rest of your life, and you don't know 617 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 1: what to do with it. 618 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 3: And so I thought, you know, this would be much 619 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 3: sweeter if we were able to share it, you know, 620 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:34,879 Speaker 3: And I said, I think I'm hearing something. I think 621 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:36,839 Speaker 3: we're think we're supposed to start something, and I think 622 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 3: it's supposed to be that we share this act with 623 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 3: others and we generate food for each other. You know, 624 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 3: people were so adamized at that time, and I just 625 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 3: felt like neighbors really needed to open up and love 626 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:49,800 Speaker 3: each other and this will be a loving my neighbor 627 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 3: and neighbors feeding neighbors thing. And so there was a 628 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:55,399 Speaker 3: garden across the street I could see the raised beds. 629 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:57,439 Speaker 3: They are completely full of weeds and the people hadn't 630 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:59,279 Speaker 3: done anything with it, and I thought, I'm gonna go 631 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 3: knock on the door and see if they'll let us, 632 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,759 Speaker 3: you know, farm that land. I mean, I'm living in 633 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 3: a neighborhood here in San Diego, two blocks north of 634 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 3: the San Diego Zoo. You know, craftsmen's and Spanish style homes. 635 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,359 Speaker 3: There's small yards, but man, there's twelve raised beds right there. 636 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 3: And sure enough they were like, do you really do 637 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 3: this for us? We've been looking for you, and you know, 638 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:22,560 Speaker 3: it's a front yard garden. So we didn't have to 639 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 3: put out the word. Everyone's like, I want that, you know. 640 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:28,840 Speaker 3: In the moon COVID hit, it was like, Wow, everyone 641 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 3: wanted a garden. Everyone wanted to learn that. Yeah. Every 642 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 3: so we you know, have installed over three hundred and 643 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:38,840 Speaker 3: fifty gardens in people's yards in the last ten years. 644 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 3: And I haven't done much social media because I've been 645 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 3: in it, you know. But what happens is the gracious neighbor, 646 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:49,439 Speaker 3: the person who allows us to grow food in their yard. 647 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:51,920 Speaker 3: It's their garden. They get to eat their fill. But 648 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,640 Speaker 3: if and when there's ever too much because we're maintaining 649 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:58,400 Speaker 3: it weekly. We basically hire and train people how to 650 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 3: do it. Call those people the urban farm hands, and 651 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 3: they they will ask the homeowner, Hey, there's a lot 652 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 3: of holopanos there. I don't know if you can eat 653 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:11,319 Speaker 3: all that? Would you like to share it? So it's 654 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 3: really about the ask and please share it, take as 655 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:17,840 Speaker 3: much as you'd like. So every other Wednesday, we aggregate 656 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 3: all the harvests from all of the surplus from all 657 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,160 Speaker 3: these yards and we bring it to our urban barn 658 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 3: which is on the alley, and we make harvest boxes 659 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:29,440 Speaker 3: that other people subscribe to, so they get a box 660 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 3: that's got ten items in it from all the aggregated 661 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 3: gardens and local regenerative farmers. So that way we're connecting 662 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 3: these local regenerative farmers with the homeowners, the people that 663 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 3: are patronizing them with you know wherever at the farmer's 664 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:48,880 Speaker 3: markets or whatever. We're driving their business hopefully. And so 665 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 3: really what this is is this is a community development project, 666 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 3: right because those people that get that harvest box, a 667 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:00,800 Speaker 3: portion of the proceeds goes to support school garden education. 668 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:04,160 Speaker 3: So we've taught in sixteen schools. I wrote my own 669 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:09,319 Speaker 3: curriculum eight lessons that we administer in schools, elementary schools, 670 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:13,440 Speaker 3: and you know, that's really regeneration to me when we 671 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 3: can inspire the children to develop that relationship with the 672 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:19,919 Speaker 3: earth in such a way that they're willing to care 673 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 3: for it and to understand that when they do that, 674 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:23,879 Speaker 3: they're caring for themselves. 675 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:30,839 Speaker 1: You know, that's awesome and is a So is there 676 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 1: the possibility I would think that something you know, this 677 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:37,080 Speaker 1: is in San Diego, but something this kind of plan 678 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:40,239 Speaker 1: or this kind of structure could could be started all 679 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:41,720 Speaker 1: over the country, all over the world. 680 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:44,440 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, that's my goal. I mean right now, you know, 681 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:48,400 Speaker 3: I'm trying to flush out what I consider this regional 682 00:38:48,719 --> 00:38:51,440 Speaker 3: co op here in San Diego. Even though we've installed 683 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 3: over three hundred and fifty gardens, and we've installed gardens 684 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:57,280 Speaker 3: and schools and we had the opportunity to teach children, 685 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,920 Speaker 3: we want to be able to dim and straight to 686 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:05,000 Speaker 3: schools and to policymakers that this is critical. Every child 687 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:08,440 Speaker 3: should have the opportunity to learn outside. And if we 688 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 3: are given the opportunity to demonstrate that here in California, 689 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:15,000 Speaker 3: then we can replicate this in other areas. You know, 690 00:39:15,239 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 3: Package it because the program works because it's regional. It's 691 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 3: neighbors feeding neighbors. The harvest boxes are picked up at 692 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 3: the local yoga studio or the local you know, wherever. 693 00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 3: We've got a bagel shop, you know, and that way, 694 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:32,279 Speaker 3: people walk in, they buy bagels, or they walk in 695 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:35,040 Speaker 3: they pick up a yoga class. You know. Again, it's 696 00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:38,280 Speaker 3: a way to feed one another, not just with food, 697 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:42,040 Speaker 3: but other ways. I can't tell you the stories. 698 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:44,000 Speaker 2: But the big word is is connection. 699 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:45,839 Speaker 3: Connection. That's it. 700 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:51,480 Speaker 2: That's and now, because these things are so prevalent, what 701 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:54,640 Speaker 2: you're doing, Mia is you're You've created a form of 702 00:39:54,719 --> 00:40:01,640 Speaker 2: connection that is untouchable. It's like that is more powerful 703 00:40:01,719 --> 00:40:04,880 Speaker 2: than pretty much anything, you know. And the states or 704 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:08,480 Speaker 2: municipal governments, we can spend billions and billions of dollars 705 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:10,920 Speaker 2: a year, but if people don't have a way to connect, 706 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:14,480 Speaker 2: you know, or kids don't have things to do after school, 707 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 2: then we lose them. We lose that connection. 708 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:26,799 Speaker 4: If you are inspired by today's episode, please join us 709 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:29,759 Speaker 4: in supporting six degrees dot org by texting the word 710 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:33,959 Speaker 4: Bacon to seven zero seven zero seven zero. Your gift 711 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:37,120 Speaker 4: empowers us to continue to produce programs that highlight the 712 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 4: incredible work of everyday heroes well also enabling us to 713 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:43,520 Speaker 4: provide essential resources to those that need it the most. 714 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 4: Once again, text b a con to seven zero seven 715 00:40:49,200 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 4: zero seven zero or visit six degrees dot org to 716 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:53,719 Speaker 4: learn more. 717 00:40:56,239 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: You know, I want to ask you Ian about uh 718 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:03,799 Speaker 1: An and please me and feel free to You've had 719 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:07,040 Speaker 1: your fingers in the dirt quite a bit. So my 720 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:11,680 Speaker 1: question is, you know, I'm watching the film Common Ground 721 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:19,400 Speaker 1: and and it is at times really overwhelming in terms 722 00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:25,440 Speaker 1: of the problems that exist in our food chains, with 723 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:29,279 Speaker 1: with the chemicals, with the lobbying. You know, there's a 724 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:33,600 Speaker 1: lot of big, big issues there that are existential to us. 725 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:38,439 Speaker 1: And and then you I kind of think to myself, well, 726 00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:44,800 Speaker 1: I have you know, a small farm. And I started 727 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:48,880 Speaker 1: kind of going, you know, online and seeing how to 728 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:53,320 Speaker 1: approach this just on a personal basis. And I'm wondering 729 00:41:54,040 --> 00:42:00,799 Speaker 1: if either one of you have any direct sources resources 730 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 1: in terms of how people can either get involved with 731 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:08,440 Speaker 1: a community garden or if they do have farms farmers 732 00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:11,640 Speaker 1: or small farmers or gentlemen farmers or whatever happens to be, 733 00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:15,120 Speaker 1: you know, actually start to start to do this, to 734 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:17,880 Speaker 1: try to embrace this regenerative idea. 735 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:20,400 Speaker 2: If you're in San Diego, you're going straight to me. 736 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:24,840 Speaker 2: But if you're not, you know, one of the things, 737 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:27,640 Speaker 2: so Mia one of also the things that just blew 738 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:31,320 Speaker 2: our mind. So we released, we released Kiss the Ground. 739 00:42:32,160 --> 00:42:35,520 Speaker 2: We cut a forty five minute educational version that we 740 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:41,560 Speaker 2: released to thirty five million students globally for free that 741 00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:45,319 Speaker 2: changed the way kids saw the world. But Kiss the 742 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:49,600 Speaker 2: Ground the website, because it's also a nonprofit, the Common 743 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:51,920 Speaker 2: Ground is not tied directly to the five oh one 744 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,480 Speaker 2: C three as Kiss the Ground was. But you can 745 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:58,600 Speaker 2: go on our Kiss the Ground website and you can 746 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 2: find people well, first of all toolkits, but then find 747 00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:05,759 Speaker 2: people in areas where you are that all of a 748 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:11,200 Speaker 2: sudden directly connect you not with just tips, but with 749 00:43:11,280 --> 00:43:16,160 Speaker 2: actual toolkits and people. And I think that is the 750 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:19,279 Speaker 2: big thing, because you know, and I know because and 751 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:21,160 Speaker 2: I know people ask me of this all the time too. 752 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:23,920 Speaker 2: But people literally look at me and and and a 753 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:29,200 Speaker 2: lot of journalists and and they're they're they cut through 754 00:43:29,239 --> 00:43:32,160 Speaker 2: the bs because they don't want to. They don't. Everyone's 755 00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:35,960 Speaker 2: sick of like greenwashing. Same, what is this regenerative agriculture, 756 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:38,919 Speaker 2: and why should I care? One of the biggest things 757 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,839 Speaker 2: is not just bringing people together. No matter what side 758 00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:48,279 Speaker 2: of the aisle you sit on, regeneration, regenerative agriculture not 759 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:50,960 Speaker 2: only will stop climate change in its tracks. The greatest 760 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:55,120 Speaker 2: existential threat to humankind is climate disruption, right, because it's 761 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:57,120 Speaker 2: going to disrupt our food system. It's going to cause 762 00:43:57,560 --> 00:43:59,880 Speaker 2: a whole lot of issues that we're staring down the 763 00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 2: But not only that, Regenerative agriculture produces higher yields, which 764 00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:15,399 Speaker 2: produce bigger profits when used. Because so money talks bs walks, right, 765 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:21,719 Speaker 2: regenerative agriculture produces more money. So you can't argue with that. Right. 766 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 2: So when people say why regeneration, what is it? It's 767 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:28,720 Speaker 2: just the use of planned grazing methods and using living 768 00:44:28,760 --> 00:44:32,840 Speaker 2: growing plants literally agriculture at scale to sequest the enormous 769 00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:35,400 Speaker 2: amounts of carbon dioxide, store it safely back in the 770 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:37,880 Speaker 2: ground belongs. Now, when you do that, you feed all 771 00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:41,240 Speaker 2: the vitaminal organs in the soil. Healthier soil, healthier plant, 772 00:44:41,640 --> 00:44:45,200 Speaker 2: healthier planet. But then higher yields, more money for farmers, 773 00:44:45,239 --> 00:44:48,760 Speaker 2: higher tax bases, school districts get better, and rural area 774 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:50,520 Speaker 2: water districts gets better, you know what I mean, It's 775 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:54,520 Speaker 2: like we're doing it together and that's the beauty of regeneration, 776 00:44:55,239 --> 00:44:55,440 Speaker 2: you know. 777 00:44:56,120 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, I wrote a poem. I mean, yes, you know, 778 00:44:59,160 --> 00:45:02,080 Speaker 3: we tend to relate to one another sometimes in terms 779 00:45:02,120 --> 00:45:05,200 Speaker 3: of the dollars, the potential dollars, but I think on 780 00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:09,080 Speaker 3: a spiritual level, you know, we're really disoriented as it 781 00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:11,960 Speaker 3: relates to the earth and how we are the earth. 782 00:45:12,760 --> 00:45:14,799 Speaker 3: And I want to make sure that the children don't 783 00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:17,279 Speaker 3: get missed because they are the next generation. They're the 784 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:18,920 Speaker 3: ones that are going to inherit whatever it is that 785 00:45:18,960 --> 00:45:23,000 Speaker 3: we're doing. And so you know, I wrote a poem 786 00:45:23,520 --> 00:45:27,920 Speaker 3: about it that kind of guides me. And it's essentially, 787 00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:29,640 Speaker 3: I don't know if I have time to read the poems, 788 00:45:29,719 --> 00:45:32,879 Speaker 3: very short, but you know, making sure that if we 789 00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:35,359 Speaker 3: do amass these dollars, that we put it back into 790 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:39,160 Speaker 3: educating the youth, you know, so that they can carry 791 00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:41,600 Speaker 3: this torch forward. You know, that would be the most 792 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:43,520 Speaker 3: responsible and sustainable thing we can do. 793 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:44,760 Speaker 1: I think that's great. 794 00:45:44,840 --> 00:45:48,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, all of this, Yeah, this is all for them. 795 00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:53,360 Speaker 1: It is yeah, exactly exactly, and we you know, we 796 00:45:53,400 --> 00:45:55,960 Speaker 1: haven't done so well, so let's let's hope that they 797 00:45:56,000 --> 00:45:58,879 Speaker 1: can they can do a little do a little better. 798 00:45:59,400 --> 00:46:01,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, they're great ambassadors, you know. I mean they believe, 799 00:46:02,160 --> 00:46:04,120 Speaker 3: you know, they still have the ability to imagine and 800 00:46:04,120 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 3: believe that seed that looks nothing like what it's destined 801 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:09,520 Speaker 3: to become can actually become that thing that we're telling them, 802 00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:12,479 Speaker 3: you know. And so they're great ambassadors. And if they'll 803 00:46:12,520 --> 00:46:14,560 Speaker 3: eat it, they can. Their parents will eat it. But 804 00:46:14,600 --> 00:46:16,080 Speaker 3: if you try to offer it to the parent, they 805 00:46:16,120 --> 00:46:18,520 Speaker 3: might just say, oh, I'm good, but hey mom, I 806 00:46:18,560 --> 00:46:20,200 Speaker 3: grew it. Okay, I'll try it. 807 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:24,439 Speaker 1: There you go, there you go. Well listen, I want 808 00:46:24,719 --> 00:46:26,640 Speaker 1: I thank you guys so much for saying here common 809 00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:29,800 Speaker 1: ground film you really need to see and kiss the 810 00:46:29,880 --> 00:46:33,160 Speaker 1: ground I'm going to watch and what are and and 811 00:46:33,320 --> 00:46:37,799 Speaker 1: also uh, where are the websites that that we can 812 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:40,440 Speaker 1: uh find out about the work that you're doing? Me 813 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:43,680 Speaker 1: me and and uh and as well as the films 814 00:46:43,719 --> 00:46:45,920 Speaker 1: and where this is the call to action? How can 815 00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:47,960 Speaker 1: people get involved and how can people check out the 816 00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:48,439 Speaker 1: good work? 817 00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:49,520 Speaker 2: Tell Mia? 818 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:53,759 Speaker 3: Okay, well, my website is good neighborgardens dot com and 819 00:46:53,800 --> 00:46:58,080 Speaker 3: it's plural gardens, uh single singular neighbor good Neighbor Gardens 820 00:46:58,080 --> 00:47:01,239 Speaker 3: dot com. We've got a couple calls to action right now. 821 00:47:01,239 --> 00:47:03,360 Speaker 3: We're trying to raise money to put more gardens in 822 00:47:03,480 --> 00:47:06,719 Speaker 3: schools so that we can, you know, create this opportunity 823 00:47:06,719 --> 00:47:09,400 Speaker 3: for kids to learn outside. So we have a donate 824 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:12,120 Speaker 3: button on the bottom of our front our home page 825 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:14,920 Speaker 3: of our website. We're trying to raise a substantial amount 826 00:47:14,920 --> 00:47:17,719 Speaker 3: of money. I'd like to see this these gardens be 827 00:47:17,800 --> 00:47:21,360 Speaker 3: established in different states, not just here in California, because 828 00:47:21,400 --> 00:47:24,239 Speaker 3: the school is really the hub of the flower of 829 00:47:24,280 --> 00:47:27,240 Speaker 3: the home gardens, which are the pedals that will drive 830 00:47:27,320 --> 00:47:30,600 Speaker 3: this big garden of us all being interconnected in this country. 831 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:34,360 Speaker 3: We also, you know, we're always looking to be familiar 832 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:37,719 Speaker 3: with who is our local farmer, who wants to grow 833 00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:39,560 Speaker 3: food in this town, who wants to get food in 834 00:47:39,600 --> 00:47:41,080 Speaker 3: this town. So we have a button for each of 835 00:47:41,120 --> 00:47:44,360 Speaker 3: those things on our website because our goal is to 836 00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:48,560 Speaker 3: connect all of these people together. People who build good composts, 837 00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:50,600 Speaker 3: we want them to be a part of our co op. 838 00:47:51,040 --> 00:47:52,759 Speaker 3: You know, anyone who wants to grow food in their 839 00:47:52,840 --> 00:47:55,920 Speaker 3: yard and it just continues to ripple outward. So it's 840 00:47:55,960 --> 00:47:57,200 Speaker 3: all there on our website. 841 00:47:57,640 --> 00:48:03,320 Speaker 1: I love that. Well, maybe as a way to close 842 00:48:03,400 --> 00:48:06,040 Speaker 1: this episode out, you could read your poem. 843 00:48:06,520 --> 00:48:07,920 Speaker 2: Oh, you gotta read that poem. 844 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:11,760 Speaker 3: All right, we go. We're following the path of little feet, 845 00:48:11,800 --> 00:48:14,680 Speaker 3: that's what it's called. It says. Most adults are feeling 846 00:48:14,719 --> 00:48:17,759 Speaker 3: it now, although the promise of spring is here. I 847 00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:19,799 Speaker 3: wrote this a while ago, and the weight of the 848 00:48:19,880 --> 00:48:24,360 Speaker 3: unpredictable virus seems profound in our environment. Thankfully, the children 849 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:27,040 Speaker 3: keep it light and are eager to plant new seeds 850 00:48:27,120 --> 00:48:30,640 Speaker 3: in fresh soil. Let's be like them. Every time I 851 00:48:30,760 --> 00:48:33,040 Speaker 3: tend to one of the sharecrop gardens, I heed the 852 00:48:33,120 --> 00:48:36,920 Speaker 3: call for childlike submission. My questions are elementary. Did I 853 00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:39,759 Speaker 3: water the kale enough at the root level? Well? Well, 854 00:48:39,800 --> 00:48:43,040 Speaker 3: the aph it's take over my broccoli or wild mind astursium? 855 00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:46,600 Speaker 3: Trap crop and prayers prove effective. If I prune this tomato, 856 00:48:46,960 --> 00:48:49,200 Speaker 3: will it yield good fruit? And where exactly should I 857 00:48:49,280 --> 00:48:52,920 Speaker 3: cut it to direct its energy? Plainly put, I'm seeking 858 00:48:52,960 --> 00:48:56,240 Speaker 3: spiritual guidance, and these are my humble conversations with God. 859 00:48:56,800 --> 00:49:02,080 Speaker 3: It's grounding. It's where I express my curiosity and intelligence, hope, creativity, 860 00:49:02,080 --> 00:49:07,160 Speaker 3: and patience. It's divine relationship. No one not Sandra Bose 861 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:10,960 Speaker 3: or even George Washington Carver ever uncovered all the sensitive 862 00:49:10,960 --> 00:49:15,239 Speaker 3: secrets of mother nature. But they were compelled and they 863 00:49:15,320 --> 00:49:18,360 Speaker 3: prove that as your birth mother, she just wants your love. 864 00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:21,239 Speaker 3: So come spend time with her. She will nurture your 865 00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:24,680 Speaker 3: inner child and reward you dearly. If not with food, 866 00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:28,799 Speaker 3: then at least with practical wisdom for trying. How much time, 867 00:49:28,840 --> 00:49:31,640 Speaker 3: that's your choice and how will you spend it. That's 868 00:49:31,719 --> 00:49:33,880 Speaker 3: up to you as well. Just follow the path of 869 00:49:33,960 --> 00:49:35,200 Speaker 3: little feet and get in there. 870 00:49:36,520 --> 00:49:40,560 Speaker 1: That's amazing for sharing us with that and someone Halder, 871 00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:43,440 Speaker 1: thank you guys so much for being here. Thank you, 872 00:49:43,880 --> 00:49:48,239 Speaker 1: thanks for having it fascinating and insightful conversation and I 873 00:49:48,320 --> 00:49:50,520 Speaker 1: appreciate the great work that you guys are doing, so thanks. 874 00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:56,120 Speaker 1: Thanks for doing this. Hey everybody, thanks for listening to 875 00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:59,560 Speaker 1: another episode of six Degrees with Kevin Bacon. And if 876 00:49:59,560 --> 00:50:02,480 Speaker 1: you want to learn more about the Common Ground Film 877 00:50:02,680 --> 00:50:06,600 Speaker 1: or Good Neighbor Gardens, head to Comicgroundfilm dot com and 878 00:50:06,760 --> 00:50:10,200 Speaker 1: Good Neighborgardens dot com. You can find all the links 879 00:50:10,200 --> 00:50:12,360 Speaker 1: in our show notes, and if you like what you 880 00:50:12,440 --> 00:50:15,799 Speaker 1: hear here, make sure you subscribe to the show and 881 00:50:15,840 --> 00:50:17,960 Speaker 1: tune into the rest of our episodes. You can find 882 00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:23,280 Speaker 1: six Degrees with Kevin Bacon on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, or 883 00:50:23,320 --> 00:50:24,960 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcast