1 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, business editor for Variety. When the coronavirus lockdown 4 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: began in March, w M E partner Richard Whites was 5 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: like any father looking for some way to celebrate his daughter, 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: Demi's seventeenth birthday amid the pandemic, so he called a 7 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: piano player friend of his to serenade her via Zoom. 8 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: From that humble start, Richard and Demi Whites have built 9 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:42,919 Speaker 1: the quarant Tunes franchise that has become a buzzy Hollywood invite, 10 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: featuring musical performances from an array of top stars. Along 11 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: the way, they've raised six point seven million dollars in 12 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: counting for coronavirus related relief efforts around the country. Here, 13 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: the veteran agent and Demi discussed the spark for the 14 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: fundraising effort, the hurdles they overcame, and how they recruited 15 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: partners such as Goldman Sachs and Alliance Bernstein to help 16 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: drive big dollar donations. Richard White's partner at w M 17 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: E and Demi Whites Thank you both so much for 18 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: joining us. Thank you. We're so excited. Richard, as I said, 19 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: as a partner at w ME, a very senior agent, 20 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: somebody who's one of these people that knows everybody in 21 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: town and knows how this town works. Demi is Richard's 22 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: seventeen year old daughter. And you too, have really been 23 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: a kind of a godsend to the Hollywood community because 24 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: you have spent your quarantine time assembling these incredible what 25 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: you have come to call quarant tunes webcasts with a 26 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: lineup of musical artists and special guests that would rival 27 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: any summer festival you know, were we able to have 28 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: such things. And you you YouTube the way to put 29 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: to put some of that fun festival spirit and unexpectedness 30 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: into into Zoom webcasts with an I mean, the the 31 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: array of talent, everybody from Randy Newman to Charlie Pooth 32 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: to Alan Mancon, Josh Groban, Michael Bolton, Billy Ray, Cyrus, 33 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: it and on and on. It does not get it 34 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: does not get more fun in the circumstances that we 35 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: are all living through right now than one of these 36 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: really fun foreign tunes. As a viewer, I can tell 37 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: you part of the fun is just going through the 38 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: all the Brady Bunch squares and figuring out who is 39 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: who is watching. And you've done all of this for 40 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: amazing causes and raised At this point, you've been doing 41 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 1: it for almost two months. You have raised more than 42 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: three million dollars for a range of causes. It's really 43 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 1: just it's a testament to people putting nose to the 44 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: grindstone and really making it happen. I want to unpack 45 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: that a little bit. So first of all, tell us 46 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: I know that there's a kind of a sweet story 47 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: about what sparked this whole thing. Tell us about the 48 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: initial spark of the idea to do a music themed webcast. 49 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: So I turned seventeen at the very beginning of Quarantine. 50 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: It was the beginning of spring break. Zoom was very new. 51 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: Everyone was very strict about social distancing. My dad wanted 52 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: to do something special for me, and this piano player 53 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: from Chicago reached out to my dad asking him to 54 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: help and find work. So my dad set up a 55 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: surprise party seventeenth birthday for me, which I actually did 56 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: know about, but I gave him some of my friends 57 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: phone numbers and about forty of us went onto Zoom 58 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: that night, and this piano player, Dario, started serenading me 59 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: and my friends with Don't Stop Believing, some Billie Eilish 60 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: songs and some other like new music. And I love Dario, 61 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: he's been amazing. This whole thing started with him, but 62 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: it wasn't really my friend's jam. It was very awkward 63 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: because Zoom was new. Like I said, it was just 64 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: someone singing to us and we didn't really know what 65 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: to do. Everyone was staring at me. It was like, Dad, 66 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: I love you, I love this, but like this is 67 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: so uncomfortable. My friends keep texting me, can we can 68 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: we turn this off? So my dad got together about 69 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: forty of his clients friends, high school friends and family 70 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: and Dario and they did another Zoom later and I 71 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: was still on because what else was I going to 72 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: be doing on my birthday in quarantine? So do you 73 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: want to take it from you? So for my good 74 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: friend Melvin Maher, he had signed up for Zoom, I 75 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: had no idea what it was. You know when I 76 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: did it was it was free for forty minutes and 77 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: the match with a hundred people. So he paid for 78 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: it because he was doing conference calls and so we 79 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: had about I don't know, sixties seventy people, and I 80 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: called my friend Debbie Gibson, who I've been friends with 81 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: from twenty five years, to say, hey, come on, what 82 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: have the piano player? You love this right? You also 83 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: didn't know that you couldn't simultaneously sing with two other people. 84 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: So she's like, yeah, this is great, just sing something. 85 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: So she gets on her piano herself. So she starts 86 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: singing a bunch of the hints all in My Dreams 87 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: and Lost in your Eyes. And then who comes on 88 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: next is my friend and Melvin's best friend, John Mayer. 89 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: And I'm over here and just being like what because 90 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: I'm also very very big John Marathan. So this was 91 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: like the coolest birthday ever. I had to say that. 92 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 1: Debbie Gibson and John Mayer were just going back and 93 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,359 Speaker 1: forth with this piano player Dario, and we were just 94 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: all hanging out in our own houses, just like connecting, 95 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: and they were talking and playing music, and then they 96 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: sang Happy Birthday to me, and I was like, hey, John, 97 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:51,359 Speaker 1: can you sing New Light? So my dad's been this nickname, 98 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: the Sniper has been coined for my dad because he 99 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: always asked people to perform, but I'm the original Sniper 100 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: because I asked John to sing New Light. And from 101 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: this experience, it was very, very positive and just a 102 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: way to kind of clear your mind with what was 103 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: going on in the world and just have fun and connect. 104 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: So people in their beds, on their sofas, have some wine. 105 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: I mean, come on the beginning of Quarantine, when you 106 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: there's nothing on TV, you can't do anything, You're like, 107 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: how long is this going to be? It was just 108 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: the social kind of platform. Well instead of FaceTime a 109 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: bunch of your friends, it was like, here you go, 110 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,479 Speaker 1: here's a link, and everyone showed up, even ll cool 111 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: J showed up, my parents, my high school friends, a 112 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: couple of clients, a couple of ex clients. UM. Just 113 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: really about community. And so the next day I was like, 114 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: this was great, Daria, let's do it again. And so 115 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: an hour before I'm like, what what made it so fun? 116 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:50,239 Speaker 1: And um? And so it was really the Debbie Gibson 117 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,600 Speaker 1: and John Mayern. Here's a couple of celebs. It wasn't 118 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: meant to do anything else. So I called up my 119 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: friend p K. Kemsley, who manages Boy George, and said, 120 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 1: I don't We're boy George is um, He's like, he's 121 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: in London. It's gonna be four in the morning. Okay, 122 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: Well I was just thinking if he was here, why not? 123 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: And then I called Rick Springfield and his manager Wayne 124 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: Sharp and and Gil holding his agent but we represent 125 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: and I work with Rick, and we finally gone and goes, yeah, 126 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: I'll do it. So we get on on Saturday and like, 127 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: within the first two minutes of people coming, there's georgeo 128 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: down and like, who was that? I couldn't see him. 129 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: It turned out that boy George actually was the first person. 130 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: I was like, are you kidding? And then all of 131 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: a sudden people started sending the links to other people 132 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: and we maxed out at a hundred and so he 133 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: was trying to sing Karma Chamillion with the piano player, 134 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: and that's when I realized, you can't, you know, assimulate them. 135 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: They don't think you jy. I were actually in fairness 136 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: and we were really doing like a Tonight Show thing 137 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: where we were just like co host. But then what 138 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: happened was it started to become more than that. And 139 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: so what what really happened was the next two zooms, 140 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: which were casual, we had Josh Groban he did to 141 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: Um Simon garf Uncle songs Um I had Clive Davis on. 142 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: He started talking about how great that was, which was 143 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: America and Bridge over Trouble Water. Clive I asked, how 144 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: did you signed Somon and garfuncily gave some stories. Tina 145 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: Fey was putting her daughter in bed and was watching 146 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: or listening and then on the chat grobing, you're killing 147 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: me singing America, And so it just started to have 148 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: a casual, very private vibe. It wasn't until I decided 149 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: to invest in Zoom and go to the five person 150 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: level that Friday night people started getting ahold of me, 151 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,439 Speaker 1: saying we'd love to participate. And that was also the 152 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: night the day that that Bill Withers had died, and 153 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: so I was like, well, I know Michael Bolton, Let's 154 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: get him to do lean on Me. And then Billy 155 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 1: ray Cyrus did five or six songs Alt and we 156 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: did I Am, I said, and and he did Old 157 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: Town Road and we started to go and it got 158 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: deeper in Blink one, eight twos, Mark Hoppiss and the 159 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: War in Treaty and it was like yeah, it was like, 160 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: oh my god, Madison Love. There were like singers and 161 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: songwriters too, that we're on go ahead. And then the 162 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,719 Speaker 1: next day, which was Saturday, So that really was our 163 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: fifth zoom and what I considered to be the first 164 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: of what became quarantined. I just want to say that 165 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: the the r W Quarantunes was not named by myself 166 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: for me. It came by Jeff ross Um, the comedian. 167 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: The comedian, he's been on there with us. But it 168 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: was that Saturday where this pivoted from h okay, let's 169 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: have fun, let's sing songs. This isn't that too, Let's 170 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: do good, let's make a change. We're raising money for charity. 171 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: So that morning, my dad does a sound check, or 172 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: my dad and I do our sound check now with 173 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: the artists. And I was sitting in the kitchen with 174 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: my dad and I was like, we have this platform. 175 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: There was some traction on this. We have a group 176 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: of people. It's gone a bigger and bigger and bigger. 177 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: I understand my privilege. I am living in a dream. 178 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: This is not normal. The people I'm speaking to, what 179 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: I am experiencing. I am so privileged and so humbled, 180 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: and I'm so grateful. That's what I meant. I'm so 181 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: grateful and I'm so privileged. And I was like, you 182 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: know what, like, we're gonna raise ten thousand dollars, We're 183 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 1: gonna do this. So I switched the narrative and I 184 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: was like, I made a go fund me. I sat down, 185 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: I was like, okay, Dad, like what should I write? Like? 186 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: How much information do I write? And we chose us 187 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: the Bond Community Clinic that was um party known as 188 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: the l A free clinic and my wonderful organization that 189 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: helps a lot of a lot of people. Indeed, I've 190 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: had journalist friends that between gigs, you know, but for 191 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: the Sabbat or that, but for the free Clinic, would 192 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 1: have really had a hard time. It's a wonderful organization. Well, 193 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: I've been the president of it for for six years. 194 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: And in fact, um we're having a r W Quarantine 195 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: Collaboration slash no gala on Sunday that is going to 196 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: be great. And we raised and we're gonna raise more 197 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: money for that. But DEMI wanted to raise ten thousand dollars, 198 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: and I said, DEMI put the goal at thirty thousand dollars. Okay, 199 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: let's just go for it, spoken like an agent. Well, also, 200 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: I just figured ten thousand. Okay, I mean, I don't 201 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: know if we're gonna get that far. And Demi and 202 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: her charm started, you know, showing a sign we didn't 203 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: know how to do. In the chat, she figured it 204 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: out and then tell what happened. I made also an 205 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 1: Instagram account. I was like, you know what, like, I'm 206 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: gonna put the link there, We're gonna go for it. 207 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: We're gonna raise ten thousand dollars. And by the end 208 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: of the call, so three hours later, they're now like 209 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: four to five hours of the zooms. They're a bit lengthy, 210 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: but um, we raised thirty three thou dollars. And then 211 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: the next day we had raised forty eight thousand dollars 212 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: and someone called my dad and was like, hey, I 213 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:04,079 Speaker 1: want to be anonymous, but if you reach fifty k, 214 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: I will match it. So within I had to say this, 215 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: but it wasn't the next day. It was five hours 216 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: later that we had gotten That same day he had said, 217 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: if you reach fifty thousand, I'll give you, I'll match it. 218 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: So it was within six hours that we started that 219 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: we ultimately raised a hundred thousand dollars, so that that 220 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: answers one of my questions, which was the you know, 221 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 1: sort of the spark of the desire to make it charitable. 222 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: You obviously have a have a long connection with the Saban, 223 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: the Saban Clinic, so that it sounds to me like 224 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 1: DEMI that you know Saban is something that you've been 225 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: aware of and that you probably worked worked out. I 226 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: know they have a lot of they have a lot 227 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: of events. Um so, but but again, you did the 228 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: go fund me. You didn't really talk about it with 229 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: your dad. You just decided we're going to do that. 230 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: I the spark for that to to now several weeks, 231 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:05,839 Speaker 1: you know, so many weeks later, to be at three 232 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: million dollars, that must feel, that must feel fantastic. It's 233 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 1: been surreal and so eye opening. And we every every 234 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,119 Speaker 1: year our family will buy they have this like adoptive 235 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: family thing, and we've been seeing the same family every 236 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: year where we hang out with them, we get them 237 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: basic necessities and fund presents for Christmas. So that's why 238 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 1: we chose the Subon Community Clinic because it's very near 239 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: and dear to my heart. My dad's are and my 240 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:37,959 Speaker 1: mom and brother as well. So then the next weekend 241 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,679 Speaker 1: we chose Cedar Sinai because um yeah, which we were 242 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: doing it for l A. We wanted to do it 243 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: for the front line workers and other employees, and we 244 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: kind of got this momentum to turn it into an 245 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: informative piece as well to know where the money is 246 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 1: going to. The first one was a learning curve and 247 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: the next weekend I interviewed Artocho, who it's a very 248 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: high position at Cedar Sinai, and that was amazing, and 249 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 1: we had some nurses on with us, and it got 250 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: a little bit bigger and bigger. But never in a 251 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: million years when I made the go fund me that day, 252 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: I just wanted to do something good and try and 253 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: do a little part. I thought I was dreaming when 254 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: I said ten thousand dollars, I didn't think that was possible. 255 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: And now it's be at three million at a blink 256 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: of an eye. It was like each week I was shocked, 257 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: like I couldn't even imagine how much money we were making. 258 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: It was so powerful and it's been so powerful. And 259 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: that second week when we had cedars, I had also 260 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: chaired the gala the last two years from them, so 261 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: again it was it was an organization that I had 262 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: direct relationship with but also being one of the premier 263 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 1: hospitals in the world, especially in Los Angeles, and what 264 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: they were doing, and when you found out that the 265 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: employees and then nurses are putting themselves in danger. And 266 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: remember this is the beginning of it, where everyone was scared, 267 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 1: their intense happening, We couldn't go anywhere. Okay, this is 268 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: not where we are today, although it's still brutal, it's 269 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: been we people have figured out ways to to to 270 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: to minimize. Yeah, but this is remember where we were 271 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: at um that that time that Demi interviewed m R 272 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: Chow right before ten minutes before marre Garcetti said I'll 273 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:28,479 Speaker 1: come on, and he came on, and that really pivoted 274 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: us from a fun kind of family zoom with friends 275 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: to Wow, this is becoming legitimize a show. And so 276 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: we had that and then to be followed by Randy 277 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: Newman singh I Love l A. And then have James 278 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: Bay and then to start having all these unbelievable artists, 279 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: both modern or legacy. We had Liam Payne, We've had 280 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: Charlie Pooth, We've had Um Barry Manelu and Barry Gibb 281 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: and n A day later, to rise up. We've we've 282 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: really programmed it to to be around the theme of 283 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: kind of what we're doing, and um, we're producing basically 284 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: a live aid a concert every week. We would do 285 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: to two concerts or productions every single weekend and a 286 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: kind of turned out to be a lot, and we're 287 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: so happy to be doing it. So now we put 288 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: all of our energy to make one amazing show for 289 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 1: the weekend. Well well, well one, we're starting it that way. 290 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: But we've had such support. I wanted to say that 291 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: the money that we've raised, and and and Demi her 292 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:50,479 Speaker 1: enthusiasm and her questions and her passion by interviewing Mary Garcetti, 293 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: we've interviewed or Demi has Mayor Keisha Bottoms, who over 294 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: the last clearly quarantine and what's been happening in our 295 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: life right now, has had such startup. She is such 296 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: a wonderful and giving and smart and articulate Mayor of Atlanta. 297 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 1: And we've had Mayor Cooper from Nashville. We've started to 298 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: have ye, Governor Newsome was on that's what it's that's 299 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: really what cynthy when it really started to change. And 300 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,439 Speaker 1: what I was going to say is the money that 301 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: people have given have been anywhere from five dollars to 302 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: some substantial money. This is not a gala that we're 303 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: used to where each each studio and network are giving 304 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 1: fifty dred thousand. In fact, I didn't even ask any 305 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: of them. This is individuals, brick by brick, dollar by 306 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: dollar giving and mostly people doing it every time UM 307 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: to participate. It is not elitist, It is not UM 308 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: supposed to be anything more than if you get on it, 309 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 1: We've invite you and if you've asked, We've done it. 310 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: Like I've had I've had different agents from agencies, I've 311 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: had managers. It is we have not picked and show show. 312 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 1: We've not chosen or not chosen people due to where 313 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,679 Speaker 1: they work. This is a community and this has really 314 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: been meant to help people's state of mind. You have 315 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,360 Speaker 1: to remember so many people have been isolated, so many 316 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: people have not gone out of their house. Okay, they 317 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: do not have a favorite, as you know, and that 318 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 1: is what if you start to go week by week 319 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: where it's been, it really built up and I think 320 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: it really became appointment television to be honest with you 321 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: for people and still is let me ask you how 322 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: so especially early on before because you you know, as 323 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: this grew and you've got these amazing names, you know, 324 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 1: not surprisingly you had you had, you know, press coverage 325 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 1: about it, so that so that the you know, there's 326 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: social media coverage, there was traditional news coverage. But before 327 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: that started, how how was it for you when you 328 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: were calling people, when you were calling Josh Groban and people, 329 00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: you know, excuse me, how was it for you before 330 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: you had kind of the the buzz and you were 331 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: just starting and you were calling people like? What was 332 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: that conversation? Josh? Can you come on and sing a 333 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 1: few songs on this thing called Zoom? Like? Did you 334 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: have to explain what you were trying to do with people? 335 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: Did they get it right away? Again? I want to 336 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: go back to the beginning. First of all, as um 337 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: as far as the press is concerned, the two or 338 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 1: three people that started it off were invited to the 339 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 1: birthday post birthday, just hang out right. I happened to 340 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: know them. I didn't. I didn't ask to have pressed. 341 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: I didn't ask for articles the e news thing. The 342 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 1: two of people are are are good friends of mine 343 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: that have we on it, Their kids loved it, and 344 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: I can we do something about it. So everything has 345 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: been authentic. I didn't go out or DEMI has not 346 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 1: gone out to do anything more than to raise awareness. 347 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: And because there was nothing else like this going on, 348 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: it just was something to write about to answer the question. 349 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: Josh Groban is a friend and client, and because he 350 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 1: has a piano, I just said, hey, just do it right, John, 351 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: there's a guitar. I didn't ask people to do it 352 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: to make it be a concert. That wasn't where it started. 353 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: It was just dropped by We're still gonna have Dario 354 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 1: seeing you know, Billy Joel and Hall of notates and 355 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: don't stop believing and have people kind of have a 356 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: good time. It wasn't until it started to get past 357 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: Josh when people that I knew said, hey, you know 358 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 1: my friends was so and so and friends with this person. 359 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: And I will give credit to my partner at W 360 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: and ME, Kirk Summer, who really put me in touch 361 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: with some incredible artist like Tim Booth of James and 362 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 1: and and and Hosier and and James Bay and some 363 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: younger people. But before that, during the time when it 364 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: was hard today to get people, I wasn't doing it 365 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: for anything more than a good time. And then when 366 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: it started as a charity component and DEMI started to 367 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: really show a clock countdown on how much we've done, 368 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: like we started ten thousand, forty yeah, five hundred thousand, 369 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: eight hundred thousand, one million, one million, like each week 370 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: the number one up, and that was really really cool 371 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: to see. Can I ask you are there any UM? 372 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 1: I'm assuming everybody does it? Does it for charity, for 373 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: charitable all the artists, nobody is being compensated, and then 374 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: have an asked. They just want to be part of it. 375 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: They know. The narrative now is we've changed UM the 376 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 1: charity every week from the l A Food Bank, United 377 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: Way locally for greater Los Angeles than nationally. The hospitals 378 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 1: we didn't left the eleven public New York City hospitals 379 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: that have no money, no development costs. These are this 380 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,199 Speaker 1: is the worst of the worst from Bellevue, which is 381 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: the you know, one of the well known names UM 382 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: to those in Queens and the Bronx UM We've had. 383 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: We had these doctors and nurses. Come on, you should 384 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: tell what we did a Mother's Day. We we wound 385 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: up UM giving a rewarding six UM frontline workers because 386 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: they weren't all all all. They were not all females, 387 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: they weren't all nurses. We did too from New York. 388 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: We did one from Sabond, we did three from Cedars 389 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: and and we partnered with the Four Seasons Maui who 390 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: was giving them five days to be able to have 391 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: a vacation when this is over and and put them 392 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: up and fly them. And one of the frontline workers 393 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,360 Speaker 1: started crying, saying, my husbands been passed away twenty years ago. 394 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: I haven't been on a vacation in twenty eight years. 395 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 1: You don't know what this means for me. I can 396 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 1: never really afford it. And so for that to see 397 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: that happen and to have community, and that came from 398 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:49,880 Speaker 1: inviting people to be on That was from my friend 399 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 1: Julie Freeman said, we need to do something. I mean, Cynthia, 400 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: you've been on these zooms as a friend, not even 401 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: as a reporter. You see how genuine it is. We 402 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: own you want people to enjoy, to raise some money 403 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 1: and participate, and to see where Demi started and her 404 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: growth as a teenager to what this has become as 405 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: a father. I couldn't be more proud of that. But 406 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,919 Speaker 1: we are still humbled by it, and we still have 407 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 1: a ways to go, because this COVID is not is 408 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 1: not you know, ending anytime soon, know though people it's 409 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:27,399 Speaker 1: the summer start and people think that it has in 410 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: different things in the news have really kind of put 411 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:32,400 Speaker 1: it to the back burner. But now you're seeing Dr 412 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 1: Fauci and your talk about how how in many cities 413 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:41,400 Speaker 1: it's now spiking. So when you ask if they're different charity, 414 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: they're doing because they want to be part of it, 415 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: and because they're trusting and because the people around them 416 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: know that it's good. And that's been the most rewarding 417 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 1: for me to get people say, yes, how have you 418 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: because clearly with the as they get longer and you 419 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: have more artists, I mean, Richard Endemi, are you producing it? 420 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 1: Are you saying okay, you know, Randy Newman is gonna 421 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,120 Speaker 1: come on and then the mayor will speak. I mean 422 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: somebody must because it's it's it's pretty you know, um, 423 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 1: it's pretty well done. It's not everybody trying to jump 424 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: in and talk at the same time, which we all 425 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 1: know is that is not a productive process. Well, Cynthia, 426 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:23,159 Speaker 1: to answer that, first of all, Coco Weaver, my assistant 427 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: and our executive producer, the best person ever. She helps 428 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 1: running with us, so she's on the side like muting people, 429 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: letting people in the waiting room. So that's been really 430 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: really helpful. But we kind of have a rhythm now. 431 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,360 Speaker 1: The beginning is kind of like an in possession. We 432 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 1: give a little speech introducing the new people that are on, 433 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 1: just saying hi and to what and like what we're doing, 434 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 1: and then after that I will have a conversation with 435 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: someone from the organization that we're doing. So for example, 436 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 1: when we did the United Way, the national one, I 437 00:24:55,080 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: interviewed Susan McCormick and Mayor Bottoms, which was in doable. 438 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: So I would say, hey, guys, we raised this amount 439 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:06,360 Speaker 1: of money. Today we're shifting to the United Way for 440 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:10,880 Speaker 1: seven different cities. And then I asked them what there. 441 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: It's a conversation, I asked them. It's a different question 442 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 1: for each organization, but basically along the lines of what 443 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:20,640 Speaker 1: their work is and what we can do and how 444 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: we can help and how COVID has affected them. And 445 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 1: then it will just be a conversation. And then we 446 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: get into the music and my dad will call them 447 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: people and be like, hey, Charlie Pooth, are you there? 448 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: And then he'll come in and they'll have a conversation. 449 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 1: But he might pique someone's interests and some little kid 450 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,199 Speaker 1: might scream, Charlie, I love you so much, or some 451 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,640 Speaker 1: other artists might be like, hey man, nice to see you. 452 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: It's like to answer your asked, but to answer your 453 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 1: question there was not It was random. I would just 454 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 1: call on people about how I felt. It is now 455 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:57,120 Speaker 1: a little more structured. When we did the last show, 456 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 1: which we'll get to, um, it was very much you 457 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: knew where you are in line. Now I give you 458 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: a window of a half hour because it always winds 459 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: up going longer. Um. I have produced it. Producing it 460 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:12,360 Speaker 1: is like me and my bad look at my Spotify 461 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: saying okay, what's the feel and when do we need 462 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: this song? And and also because we have artists from 463 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 1: London and New York and Nashville. I've been making it earlier. 464 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: We do Saturdays at once so that I could get people. 465 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 1: I've kept people up till two or three in the 466 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: morning from the UK Rick Astley or so we've we've 467 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: kept them up. I'm trying to be a little more 468 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: um um uh controlling and also I think a little 469 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:44,440 Speaker 1: a little more organized. But no, it even even when 470 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: you get a compliment from Kenna Erlick, who has been 471 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: doing the Grammys for forty years, who says, you know, 472 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:52,160 Speaker 1: you're doing a great job, I think it's a compliment. 473 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 1: I've really enjoyed it. But it is free flowing and 474 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: it is not it is not like a TV show. 475 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:00,199 Speaker 1: So no, and I think I know the answer to this. 476 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: But the business reporter and me is curious, do you 477 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: have any um rights issues? You know, we all know publishing. 478 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,120 Speaker 1: You know that that that you know people people get 479 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: paid for their songs and their I P. Is there 480 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: any people kind of just grant you kind of a 481 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 1: waiver for that because it's private. That was our issue. 482 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 1: We really wanted to do something public, but also because 483 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 1: it's private, people are more open to telling stories and stuff. 484 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: But due to copyright reasons with the song with songs 485 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,479 Speaker 1: and like that issue, that is why it is not 486 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 1: a one of the reasons why it is not a 487 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: public one of the reasons why again I go back to, 488 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,159 Speaker 1: it's not that it's elitist. If what it is is 489 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 1: there's a max it was five now a thousand and 490 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 1: when we we just had one thousand people on the 491 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: other day or zoom crashed. Yeah. So what happens to 492 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 1: you is is that the business part of it is, 493 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: I can't because so many people to answer what you asked. 494 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: They haven't written it. Some of are a songwriters, some 495 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: of them were in bands where where there's been some 496 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 1: bad blood and um, and so I have been asked 497 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 1: by several people, not many. This is private right, um. 498 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: And by the way, a lot of people do covers 499 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:16,360 Speaker 1: of songs. We're not. It's privately recorded. We don't put 500 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: it out there unless there's a little snippet for you know, 501 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 1: five seconds, but that's it. Certainly reasons and we asked 502 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: people not to instagram, um or put on Facebook at 503 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 1: least with sound the performers m hm hm um. And 504 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: tell us about you know you kind of before you 505 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: took a little bit of a break because of because 506 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 1: this world just can't does not seem to be able 507 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: to calm down. Before you took a break, you hit 508 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 1: another new I uh. You gave people a glimpse at 509 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: at a venue that a lot of us wish we 510 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: were sitting in with a nice salad and a nice 511 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 1: glass of wine. Tell us about how you how you 512 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: arranged for a performance of sorts at the Hollywood Bowl. Yeah, 513 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:03,480 Speaker 1: well that that really came jokingly with Kirk Summer again, 514 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: as these zooms were becoming more popular and we were 515 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 1: getting bigger names, like real headliner names. Um, he said, 516 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 1: what's next for you? The Dodgers Stadium, the Greek Theater, 517 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: the Ohiowa Bowl and uh, that week the announcement to 518 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: come out that that the Bowl was gonna be closed 519 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 1: for the first time in years, and I go, we 520 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: should do in the Bowl and he ran with it 521 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: and connected me to Joanna Reese, who runs the l 522 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 1: A Phil and who's incredible. She loved the idea. But 523 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: the Hiddo Bowl is controlled by the County Okay, so um, 524 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: she's in charge of Disney Hall, she's in charge of UM, 525 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: the Ford Theater and the Bull But she loved it, 526 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 1: and we figured out a way that we could maximize 527 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: um raising funds for YOLO, which is the Youth Orchestra 528 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: of Los Angeles, and for the l A Phil. And 529 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: then that got Gustavo Dude amount to say yes. And 530 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: then we wanted to partner with h a charity that 531 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 1: would be appropriate for for Yola and that was no 532 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: kid Hungary and once that we asked the mayor to 533 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: come back, but we had some issues. We had some 534 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 1: union issues. We couldn't plug things in um and I 535 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 1: was like, well, who's supposed to play here? Who can 536 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: we get? And it was Kenny Loggins. And I've been 537 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:24,280 Speaker 1: asking Kenny Loggins for weeks via his agent to do it, 538 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: and I didn't realize that Kenny doesn't do it alone. 539 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: He has to do it in a trio. And he's 540 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: been working with uh, these two guitar players and it 541 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: kind of in his band, and so he's like, we've 542 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 1: we've been doing it. So we wound up having Kay 543 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: Loggins be the only performers next next to I guess Carsetti. 544 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: Gustavo did him ount and then for trumpet players who 545 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: opened up with the Raiders of the Lost theme. That 546 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: was the most incredible experience ever you walked in. No 547 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:58,959 Speaker 1: problem with parking quarantoons live from the Highway Bowl on 548 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 1: on the Marquee. We're all there on different sides of 549 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 1: basically the arena, like Garcetti's on the left hand side 550 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: and Kenny Loggins is up at the top on the 551 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: right and because Fabo dodomels up on the top of 552 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 1: the left and the trumpet players on the stage, it 553 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: was the most surreal and incredible thing. Every we're just 554 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 1: thinking to ourselves, how did we get from the kitchen 555 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: to the Hollywood Bowl? What have we done? This started 556 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 1: with my birthday. I do want to say that we 557 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: you know, we had a really um some really great 558 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: partnerships that came around. One was Goldman Sacks. They came 559 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 1: around for the second time, as you know you're the 560 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: first time. Let me ask you, though, what what brought 561 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: them in? What was the connection there? It was a 562 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: friend of mine who I know, that was on the 563 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: zoom saying these are so good, UM, I want to 564 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: try to get you to raise some more money. What 565 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 1: about if we connected UM through our charity UM department 566 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: and they talked to David Salomon. He said, let's give 567 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 1: m a grand and great and I said, invite more 568 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 1: people because I wanted to invite different people all the time, 569 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 1: so it wasn't just the same because there's only so 570 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 1: much you can raise. And I think by extending that 571 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: the first time, we wound up raising five hundred thousand 572 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: dollars for Team Rubicon, which we didn't discuss. And then 573 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 1: through Ken Levitan, who is an amazing friend and manager 574 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,959 Speaker 1: out of Nashville here since John Hyatt and Seawan Colvin 575 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: and so many other people in so well respected. He 576 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: then connected to me to the guys from Reliance Bernstein 577 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: who not only dedicate a hundred thousand dollars to the 578 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: United Way for Tennessee, but brought the brought the Vanderbilt 579 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: Hospital Medical Center Okay, and we raised money for them. 580 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: We raised money for the CDC, which they gave another 581 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 1: hundred thousand. And then they brought in UM crow uh 582 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 1: to other yeah, two other UM organizations to give money 583 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,719 Speaker 1: for the American Campa Society Hope Lodge in Nashville. So 584 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: when they started to connect to other people, that's how 585 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: we got a big jump UM from a bunch of 586 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 1: these organization sations. And it really has that that that 587 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 1: really propelled us. What has kept you guys going? Well, 588 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 1: I have more artists that I love that I need 589 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: to talk to and meet and have them on UM. 590 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:18,000 Speaker 1: I think that UM, we love it, Yeah, we love 591 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 1: doing it and we love raising money. And I also 592 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:27,280 Speaker 1: I also feel that we have to balance where we 593 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 1: are in the world and not be tone deaf to 594 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: what's happening. And I think as as there are people 595 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 1: that have lost their jobs that have been furloughed, now 596 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 1: production and is starting to come back, we'll see what's happening. 597 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: We are very sensitive to that. But I know that 598 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:47,680 Speaker 1: there are a couple more in me that I want 599 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 1: to do, and there's there's a couple more organizations that 600 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: really still need it, and we want to make sure 601 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: we've spread it out. What's important to note, although I 602 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: said it was that we started l A based, but 603 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:02,080 Speaker 1: we have done really throughout the United States. I would 604 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:04,840 Speaker 1: like to give back so to our friends at the 605 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:08,239 Speaker 1: NHS in London. We would like to do music cares, 606 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 1: We would like to do UM something with pride. We 607 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: like to make sure that we've covered all bases for people. 608 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: Of course, black lives matters and what's happening with the 609 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 1: justice system now we have to figure out a way 610 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 1: to incorporate that. But we are a COVID related UM 611 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: quarantines and I think that's what's most important. So how 612 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:30,759 Speaker 1: it can help is what we need to is what 613 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 1: we need to make sure that we continue doing. I 614 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:37,160 Speaker 1: don't think we're done yet, but also who knows what's 615 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: going to happen. If there's a second outbreak, we'll do 616 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,399 Speaker 1: a holiday edition in December. I don't think we're going 617 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 1: to stop doing it. I think that we're going to 618 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 1: continue in some sort of way. Demi and I have 619 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:52,640 Speaker 1: some plans if the world comes back to to take 620 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 1: this to another level where it becomes an organization that 621 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 1: she can run. That might be live concerts, that might 622 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 1: be zooms. I think people are getting used to this, 623 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: and I think that in a year from now, if 624 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 1: we said, hey, it's our year anniversary, we're gonna do 625 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 1: it for people would love to come back and do it. 626 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 1: I think. I think what's so inspiring is that at 627 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:15,720 Speaker 1: a time when people felt like they couldn't do anything, 628 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:19,600 Speaker 1: we couldn't leave our houses even YouTube, by your passion 629 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: and your your passion for music and your desired to, 630 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 1: you know, to do good for the world, really have 631 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: made a you know, three million dollars in counting impact. 632 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:31,520 Speaker 1: It's really impressive. If I know, Richard Whites, You're gonna 633 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:34,399 Speaker 1: find a way to scale this and make this, as 634 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:38,359 Speaker 1: you say, you know, and even more permanent legacy. And 635 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:41,360 Speaker 1: it's just it's just damn impressive. Thank you for talking 636 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 1: us through it, because again it's you know, ideas are great, 637 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:48,479 Speaker 1: Execution is what it's all about, and it's really great 638 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,719 Speaker 1: to talk with you both. Clearly, Miss Demi Whites is 639 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:54,920 Speaker 1: one to watch. We will, we will stay tuned for 640 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,080 Speaker 1: This industry is seventeen year old. Thank you so much 641 00:35:58,080 --> 00:35:59,840 Speaker 1: and thanks for all the good that you do in 642 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: the world. Well, thank you for having us. We are 643 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,320 Speaker 1: honored to have done it and this has been incredible. 644 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 1: Thank you m hmm. Thanks for listening. Be sure to 645 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: tune in next week for another episode of Strictly Business. 646 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:16,320 Speaker 1: H