1 00:00:15,276 --> 00:00:27,876 Speaker 1: Pushkin, take a deep breath and go. So you're creating 2 00:00:27,876 --> 00:00:33,196 Speaker 1: those little accents from down here. Yes, that's it one 3 00:00:33,236 --> 00:00:37,276 Speaker 1: more time. This is the last episode of the show, 4 00:00:37,356 --> 00:00:40,796 Speaker 1: and I think I've got my takeaways. One takeaway is 5 00:00:40,796 --> 00:00:43,796 Speaker 1: that good coaches can have huge effects, and so it 6 00:00:43,876 --> 00:00:46,476 Speaker 1: really matters who gets them. Another is that the people 7 00:00:46,476 --> 00:00:49,196 Speaker 1: who get the best coaches aren't always the people who 8 00:00:49,236 --> 00:00:58,756 Speaker 1: need them the most. The people who most need a 9 00:00:58,796 --> 00:01:02,076 Speaker 1: coach are people in a position of weakness. Of course, 10 00:01:02,196 --> 00:01:05,916 Speaker 1: coaches can make the strong stronger, but the real magic 11 00:01:05,956 --> 00:01:10,316 Speaker 1: happens when a coach attacks a seemingly hopeless situation like 12 00:01:10,476 --> 00:01:25,796 Speaker 1: this one. That's it, you do. Oh. My strategy has 13 00:01:25,796 --> 00:01:28,916 Speaker 1: always been to hide my weaknesses, but it's hard to 14 00:01:28,956 --> 00:01:42,716 Speaker 1: hide this one. My voice this Yeah, I'm Michael Lewis, 15 00:01:42,876 --> 00:01:46,636 Speaker 1: and this is against the rules. This season has been 16 00:01:46,716 --> 00:01:50,636 Speaker 1: all about the rise of coaches. For this final episode, 17 00:01:51,396 --> 00:02:11,676 Speaker 1: I'm hiring myself a coach. It happens every time I 18 00:02:11,716 --> 00:02:14,796 Speaker 1: publish a book. I'll be three days into a speaking 19 00:02:14,836 --> 00:02:19,596 Speaker 1: tour and poof, I won't be able to speak. Last season, 20 00:02:19,636 --> 00:02:21,596 Speaker 1: the producers of this show tried to get me to 21 00:02:21,636 --> 00:02:25,076 Speaker 1: record two episodes in a day, only to find that 22 00:02:25,156 --> 00:02:27,676 Speaker 1: I was incapable of getting so many words out of 23 00:02:27,716 --> 00:02:31,116 Speaker 1: my mouth without my voice going. It's kind of funny 24 00:02:31,196 --> 00:02:33,476 Speaker 1: because my wife and children often say that I never 25 00:02:33,516 --> 00:02:35,636 Speaker 1: shut up, and I sort of wish that it could 26 00:02:35,676 --> 00:02:38,756 Speaker 1: be true. So take a deep, silent breath in and 27 00:02:38,916 --> 00:02:56,476 Speaker 1: hiss one. Two, he'd been strong, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, twelve. 28 00:02:56,796 --> 00:03:00,956 Speaker 1: All right for maybe a man in his nineties with emphzema. 29 00:03:00,996 --> 00:03:04,196 Speaker 1: I would say that was pretty good, But I'm not 30 00:03:04,236 --> 00:03:06,716 Speaker 1: going to allow that with you. You must build that up. 31 00:03:06,876 --> 00:03:12,596 Speaker 1: That's his name, is Eric Vitro. We're in his house 32 00:03:12,636 --> 00:03:15,196 Speaker 1: in La. If you were there, you could see that 33 00:03:15,356 --> 00:03:18,516 Speaker 1: Eric isn't just any old voice coach. His walls are 34 00:03:18,556 --> 00:03:21,916 Speaker 1: decorated with frame records that went platinum and thank you 35 00:03:21,996 --> 00:03:25,596 Speaker 1: notes from the singers who recorded them. I'm standing in 36 00:03:25,636 --> 00:03:28,876 Speaker 1: front of his piano. Behind it is a wall that's 37 00:03:28,916 --> 00:03:32,036 Speaker 1: more like a mural. The entire thing is filled with 38 00:03:32,076 --> 00:03:35,276 Speaker 1: snapshots of this coach, with the world's most famous people, 39 00:03:36,476 --> 00:03:39,076 Speaker 1: hundreds of them, lots of beautiful people taking on the 40 00:03:39,236 --> 00:03:42,956 Speaker 1: very spot where I'm standing. These are all SuDS. Yeah, 41 00:03:43,076 --> 00:03:45,956 Speaker 1: Cuba good. Yeah. Do you know Cuba. I don't know anybody. 42 00:03:46,236 --> 00:03:49,596 Speaker 1: I didn't know he sang anything. Yeah, he's done Chicago 43 00:03:49,676 --> 00:03:54,596 Speaker 1: Summertide or London and on Broadway one of the nicest 44 00:03:54,956 --> 00:04:00,196 Speaker 1: ariana Grande John Legend, pink Seawan Mendez. And they look 45 00:04:00,436 --> 00:04:04,156 Speaker 1: not just happy to be here, they look grateful, especially 46 00:04:04,196 --> 00:04:06,036 Speaker 1: the actors who came to him to learn how to 47 00:04:06,076 --> 00:04:09,636 Speaker 1: sing in a Broadway musical or a Hollywood movie. Emma 48 00:04:09,676 --> 00:04:13,476 Speaker 1: Stone and Ryan Gosling for La La land Renee Zellweger 49 00:04:13,636 --> 00:04:17,796 Speaker 1: for Judy, Natalie Portman for Everything. The Wall is an 50 00:04:17,796 --> 00:04:21,276 Speaker 1: Awards show speech waiting to happen? Well, Ferrell say, oh, 51 00:04:21,276 --> 00:04:24,836 Speaker 1: wouldn't he sing it? I worked on the movie with 52 00:04:24,916 --> 00:04:27,436 Speaker 1: the Stuck Brothers where he's saying at the end, all right, 53 00:04:27,516 --> 00:04:31,156 Speaker 1: all culminates with him singing time to sing by. I 54 00:04:31,196 --> 00:04:32,996 Speaker 1: can't believe I had the balls to call you up 55 00:04:33,036 --> 00:04:36,236 Speaker 1: and ask you to do this. I really can't. On 56 00:04:36,356 --> 00:04:38,556 Speaker 1: a whim, I'd call the agent who turns my books 57 00:04:38,556 --> 00:04:41,716 Speaker 1: into movies and asked him, who's the coach for actors 58 00:04:41,716 --> 00:04:45,036 Speaker 1: who need to fix their voices? Say actors who don't 59 00:04:45,076 --> 00:04:48,796 Speaker 1: normally sing but suddenly need to the answer came back 60 00:04:48,836 --> 00:04:54,556 Speaker 1: immediately Eric Vetro. Hollywood agents all know just how vulnerable 61 00:04:54,596 --> 00:05:05,236 Speaker 1: their clients feel. I was petrified. I didn't like singing 62 00:05:05,276 --> 00:05:08,076 Speaker 1: in front of people. I always loved singing, but privately 63 00:05:08,356 --> 00:05:10,796 Speaker 1: in my call in the shower, my own husband had 64 00:05:10,836 --> 00:05:13,716 Speaker 1: never heard me sing. Even stars need help to shine, 65 00:05:14,356 --> 00:05:16,796 Speaker 1: the brightest have a sixth sense of where to find 66 00:05:16,836 --> 00:05:22,556 Speaker 1: that help, like this actress Emily Blunt. Rob Marshall had 67 00:05:22,596 --> 00:05:25,116 Speaker 1: asked me to audition for other musicals he was doing, 68 00:05:25,116 --> 00:05:26,876 Speaker 1: and I'd always said no because I was just frozen 69 00:05:26,916 --> 00:05:30,236 Speaker 1: with fear about the thought. He eventually called my agent. 70 00:05:30,316 --> 00:05:32,796 Speaker 1: He said, she's coming in. I know she can sing, 71 00:05:33,796 --> 00:05:36,716 Speaker 1: She's perfect for this role. I really want her. Tell 72 00:05:36,756 --> 00:05:38,556 Speaker 1: her to come and I have to hear everyone sing. 73 00:05:38,716 --> 00:05:41,516 Speaker 1: What was the song? It was Moments in the Woods. 74 00:05:41,596 --> 00:05:44,236 Speaker 1: It was her big song. This is ridiculous. What am 75 00:05:44,236 --> 00:05:47,836 Speaker 1: I doing here? I'm in the wrong story. Into the 76 00:05:47,876 --> 00:05:50,196 Speaker 1: Woods was the hit Broadway show that was then being 77 00:05:50,236 --> 00:05:53,836 Speaker 1: turned into a movie. Emily Blunt had no idea if 78 00:05:53,836 --> 00:05:56,196 Speaker 1: she could do the role, but she had a phone 79 00:05:56,276 --> 00:05:59,836 Speaker 1: number for Eric Vitro. Eric told her what he tells 80 00:05:59,876 --> 00:06:02,476 Speaker 1: everybody who calls, come to my house for the first 81 00:06:02,556 --> 00:06:10,956 Speaker 1: lesson and we'll see. I mean, Eric's how is always spotless, 82 00:06:11,036 --> 00:06:14,836 Speaker 1: it always smells heavenly, and he's sort of this weird 83 00:06:15,556 --> 00:06:19,276 Speaker 1: juxtaposition of someone who's incredibly sort of refined and elegant, 84 00:06:19,276 --> 00:06:21,836 Speaker 1: and then he wears sort of like rocker jewelry, like 85 00:06:22,636 --> 00:06:25,716 Speaker 1: real thick chains, and sort of he's sort of an 86 00:06:25,756 --> 00:06:28,316 Speaker 1: interesting image when you look at him. He's usually got 87 00:06:28,356 --> 00:06:31,276 Speaker 1: a fabulous shirt on. And I remember thinking how cool 88 00:06:31,396 --> 00:06:35,516 Speaker 1: this guy was and how how effortless he was sort 89 00:06:35,516 --> 00:06:38,036 Speaker 1: of be around. So I went into his kitchen walk 90 00:06:38,116 --> 00:06:41,476 Speaker 1: me through the first like fifteen minutes. We went into 91 00:06:42,156 --> 00:06:45,996 Speaker 1: his music room and he I think we did some 92 00:06:46,036 --> 00:06:49,356 Speaker 1: really embarrassing scales or something something that I was just 93 00:06:49,436 --> 00:06:56,036 Speaker 1: horrified by the idea of. And I felt embarrassed having 94 00:06:56,036 --> 00:06:58,716 Speaker 1: to do all of these strange mouth exercises, like he 95 00:06:58,796 --> 00:07:02,876 Speaker 1: makes you do things like ni like stuff like that. 96 00:07:02,916 --> 00:07:05,236 Speaker 1: Though You're like, how horrifying if someone were to see 97 00:07:05,316 --> 00:07:07,396 Speaker 1: me do this in your life? Had you had that 98 00:07:07,476 --> 00:07:12,116 Speaker 1: experience before it? Anybody ever, any kind of nothing, nothing, 99 00:07:12,116 --> 00:07:14,716 Speaker 1: Because I didn't go to drama school. I wasn't put 100 00:07:14,716 --> 00:07:17,036 Speaker 1: through the ring or of doing sort of trust games 101 00:07:17,196 --> 00:07:20,436 Speaker 1: or physical sort of warm ups or anything I've never 102 00:07:20,756 --> 00:07:24,356 Speaker 1: done it and or anything like that. Where did the 103 00:07:24,516 --> 00:07:28,076 Speaker 1: fear and the inhibition come from in you? I don't know. 104 00:07:28,796 --> 00:07:33,076 Speaker 1: Is it English? Maybe? Maybe it's like if you aren't 105 00:07:33,116 --> 00:07:35,636 Speaker 1: the very best, that you're supposed to just kind of hide. 106 00:07:36,476 --> 00:07:39,356 Speaker 1: Even if you are the very best, you're supposed to hide. 107 00:07:39,876 --> 00:07:42,676 Speaker 1: You're not supposed to enthuse about your own talents where 108 00:07:42,716 --> 00:07:46,676 Speaker 1: I'm from, you know, or try too hard. No, you can't, 109 00:07:46,836 --> 00:07:50,236 Speaker 1: you can't. So even having a voice coach, that's almost 110 00:07:50,276 --> 00:07:53,076 Speaker 1: like trying too hard. Well, that's interesting to me. Was 111 00:07:53,116 --> 00:07:56,076 Speaker 1: there a little part of you that resisted that in 112 00:07:56,156 --> 00:07:59,676 Speaker 1: any way? No? I feel like I desperately needed it. 113 00:07:59,836 --> 00:08:03,956 Speaker 1: I mean I really really needed it. Emily Blunt got 114 00:08:04,076 --> 00:08:07,076 Speaker 1: Eric Vitro's coaching for the next few years, and it 115 00:08:07,196 --> 00:08:12,076 Speaker 1: had magical effects. I mean she became Mary Poppins. Do 116 00:08:12,276 --> 00:08:19,316 Speaker 1: you ever lie awake at night just between the dark 117 00:08:20,036 --> 00:08:26,316 Speaker 1: and the morning light? Such? My problem is obviously not 118 00:08:26,356 --> 00:08:30,196 Speaker 1: the same as Emily Blunt's. I have no hidden talents 119 00:08:30,356 --> 00:08:33,596 Speaker 1: and no one suspects that I do. I don't secretly 120 00:08:33,636 --> 00:08:37,236 Speaker 1: hope to audition for Rob Marshall's next musical. On the 121 00:08:37,316 --> 00:08:41,476 Speaker 1: other hand, well, I'd better come clean here. My problem 122 00:08:41,516 --> 00:08:45,916 Speaker 1: with my voice isn't practical, it's spiritual. A long time ago, 123 00:08:46,036 --> 00:08:48,356 Speaker 1: I basically decided that the last thing I should ever 124 00:08:48,436 --> 00:08:51,876 Speaker 1: do is sing. Standing in Eric Vitro's house, I thought 125 00:08:51,916 --> 00:08:53,916 Speaker 1: how nice it might be to walk through the world 126 00:08:53,956 --> 00:08:57,396 Speaker 1: without being unsettled by the national anthem or terrified by 127 00:08:57,476 --> 00:08:59,796 Speaker 1: karaoke night. As you're gonna put the straw in the bottle, 128 00:08:59,876 --> 00:09:03,476 Speaker 1: you're gonna hum into the straw, which means air is 129 00:09:03,516 --> 00:09:05,276 Speaker 1: going to be coming through the straw and it's gonna 130 00:09:05,276 --> 00:09:16,836 Speaker 1: blow bubbles right into the water. Yes, now go, Yeah, 131 00:09:16,876 --> 00:09:22,556 Speaker 1: that's it. You want to send that Eric through the straw? Yeah, 132 00:09:22,636 --> 00:09:27,036 Speaker 1: sometimes out it's funny you feel like around my belly body, Yeah, exactly, 133 00:09:27,076 --> 00:09:30,916 Speaker 1: that's what I want. The first lesson at Eric's house 134 00:09:31,036 --> 00:09:33,036 Speaker 1: was just so that he could see if there was 135 00:09:33,076 --> 00:09:37,036 Speaker 1: any point in having a second lesson over the phone. 136 00:09:37,076 --> 00:09:40,076 Speaker 1: He said, I could come over, but then it also 137 00:09:40,236 --> 00:09:43,556 Speaker 1: might be a great waste of time. Now, by the way, 138 00:09:43,636 --> 00:09:47,156 Speaker 1: I am the most positive, optimistic and supportive people you 139 00:09:47,196 --> 00:09:50,716 Speaker 1: will ever meet. I really am supported with my students. However, 140 00:09:51,196 --> 00:09:54,396 Speaker 1: I really think that whole phrase you can be anyone 141 00:09:54,436 --> 00:09:57,076 Speaker 1: you want and achieve anything you put your mind to. 142 00:09:57,596 --> 00:10:01,796 Speaker 1: I think it should be followed by within reason, because 143 00:10:02,436 --> 00:10:04,076 Speaker 1: you know, that would be like me saying, all right, 144 00:10:04,076 --> 00:10:06,316 Speaker 1: I'm gonna quit teaching and I'm going to become the 145 00:10:06,396 --> 00:10:11,276 Speaker 1: greatest basketball player ever. Well, at my age, with my 146 00:10:11,516 --> 00:10:14,836 Speaker 1: hype and my body type, I don't think that's gonna happen. 147 00:10:14,996 --> 00:10:17,556 Speaker 1: I mean that would And if someone said you can 148 00:10:17,676 --> 00:10:19,956 Speaker 1: do it, Eric, you can put it in and you 149 00:10:20,036 --> 00:10:23,116 Speaker 1: put your mind to, they would be steering me down 150 00:10:23,156 --> 00:10:26,276 Speaker 1: the wrong road, right, It would be ridiculous. I was 151 00:10:26,316 --> 00:10:30,156 Speaker 1: waiting to hear how this story applied to me. Then 152 00:10:30,156 --> 00:10:33,756 Speaker 1: he told me about the famous actor, the actor who's 153 00:10:33,796 --> 00:10:37,356 Speaker 1: picture never quite made it onto the wall behind Eric's piano. 154 00:10:37,596 --> 00:10:39,396 Speaker 1: He made a movie and made a big splash, and 155 00:10:39,556 --> 00:10:42,236 Speaker 1: everybody wanted to hear him. You know, everyone's like, ooh, 156 00:10:42,436 --> 00:10:45,076 Speaker 1: this guy's us. That's a good looking and a good actor. 157 00:10:45,396 --> 00:10:47,516 Speaker 1: So he was getting a million offers, and one was 158 00:10:47,516 --> 00:10:49,796 Speaker 1: a Broadway musical and they said, here's the deal, of 159 00:10:49,876 --> 00:10:54,356 Speaker 1: the producers will pay for unlimited voice lessons. They just 160 00:10:54,476 --> 00:10:57,476 Speaker 1: want you to prepare him for this. They trust you. 161 00:10:57,476 --> 00:10:59,996 Speaker 1: You know, money's no object. How often do you really 162 00:11:00,036 --> 00:11:02,956 Speaker 1: hear that? You know, money's not you. So I was like, oh, 163 00:11:03,076 --> 00:11:06,276 Speaker 1: this sounds like a great gig. That was until he 164 00:11:06,356 --> 00:11:08,836 Speaker 1: got here. And when I met him, he was actually 165 00:11:09,156 --> 00:11:11,196 Speaker 1: very nice, So that was ices on the cape. Oh, 166 00:11:11,276 --> 00:11:13,396 Speaker 1: a great guy and just seemed fun to talk to. 167 00:11:14,436 --> 00:11:20,276 Speaker 1: Then he started singing, Oh my, I was like, ah, 168 00:11:20,276 --> 00:11:22,596 Speaker 1: it was a terrible and it's worse than what I 169 00:11:22,636 --> 00:11:25,996 Speaker 1: just did. As he's telling me this story, I'm wondering 170 00:11:27,116 --> 00:11:29,276 Speaker 1: what else is he trying to tell me? But here's 171 00:11:29,276 --> 00:11:31,756 Speaker 1: the thing. You know, what are the qualities that you 172 00:11:31,796 --> 00:11:34,476 Speaker 1: really need to possess to, you know, to be a 173 00:11:34,556 --> 00:11:37,196 Speaker 1: successful artist and to have a long career. One of 174 00:11:37,196 --> 00:11:39,636 Speaker 1: them is some kind of self awareness of who you 175 00:11:39,676 --> 00:11:43,596 Speaker 1: are and what you should be doing. I kept waiting 176 00:11:43,596 --> 00:11:46,916 Speaker 1: for him to elaborate. He didn't, But at the end 177 00:11:46,916 --> 00:11:49,076 Speaker 1: of the session, Eric looked at his schedule and asked 178 00:11:49,076 --> 00:11:52,076 Speaker 1: when I wanted to do the next lesson and whether 179 00:11:52,116 --> 00:11:55,596 Speaker 1: it should be at his house or over FaceTime. So 180 00:11:55,636 --> 00:11:58,316 Speaker 1: I had myself a coach and a new way to 181 00:11:58,396 --> 00:12:17,916 Speaker 1: deal with what was a complicated problem. Who you got trouble, 182 00:12:18,036 --> 00:12:20,396 Speaker 1: my friend? Right here, I say, trouble right here in 183 00:12:20,476 --> 00:12:23,796 Speaker 1: River City White, Sure, I'm a billiard glare certainly. The 184 00:12:23,916 --> 00:12:26,796 Speaker 1: Music Man was a musical turned into a hit movie 185 00:12:26,836 --> 00:12:30,276 Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty two. There are actually plans right now 186 00:12:30,276 --> 00:12:33,516 Speaker 1: to revive it on Broadway, and you can see why. 187 00:12:33,636 --> 00:12:37,156 Speaker 1: It's both from another era and totally of the moment. 188 00:12:37,756 --> 00:12:40,756 Speaker 1: It tells the story of a con man played in 189 00:12:40,796 --> 00:12:44,436 Speaker 1: the movie by Robert Preston. He rolls into a small 190 00:12:44,476 --> 00:12:47,556 Speaker 1: town in Iowa and sells musical instruments to parents by 191 00:12:47,596 --> 00:12:50,996 Speaker 1: persuading them that their kids are prodigies. He promises to 192 00:12:50,996 --> 00:12:54,076 Speaker 1: teach them how to play, only he doesn't know a 193 00:12:54,276 --> 00:12:57,836 Speaker 1: thing about music. The only person in town he doesn't 194 00:12:57,876 --> 00:13:02,116 Speaker 1: fool is marrying the librarian played by Shirley Jones. She's 195 00:13:02,116 --> 00:13:05,036 Speaker 1: a prim and proper beauty who teaches piano and sees 196 00:13:05,076 --> 00:13:08,756 Speaker 1: through the Khan. But the music Man persuades her that 197 00:13:08,836 --> 00:13:11,596 Speaker 1: he has this magical system. Oh, I now have a 198 00:13:11,636 --> 00:13:14,556 Speaker 1: revolutionary new method called a think system. Well, you don't 199 00:13:14,596 --> 00:13:17,196 Speaker 1: bother with notes. The music Man has found a new 200 00:13:17,196 --> 00:13:20,116 Speaker 1: and better way to coach, not how to sing or 201 00:13:20,156 --> 00:13:23,316 Speaker 1: how to play, how to get yourself into a state 202 00:13:23,316 --> 00:13:26,916 Speaker 1: of mind in which all you want to do is 203 00:13:26,956 --> 00:13:31,436 Speaker 1: sing and play. Oddly, this musical had exactly the opposite 204 00:13:31,436 --> 00:13:37,556 Speaker 1: effect on me. A single song, did it? I tell 205 00:13:37,556 --> 00:13:39,436 Speaker 1: you my phobia, I tell where it comes from it 206 00:13:39,916 --> 00:13:43,516 Speaker 1: and it's that the latter Rose song. Oh, I couldn't 207 00:13:43,516 --> 00:13:45,636 Speaker 1: figure out from your text what you were lucky about. 208 00:13:45,676 --> 00:13:49,076 Speaker 1: So here's what happened. When I was in the third 209 00:13:49,156 --> 00:13:52,196 Speaker 1: and fourth and fifth grade, I had the leads in 210 00:13:52,196 --> 00:13:55,236 Speaker 1: the school players, and it was just I think it 211 00:13:55,276 --> 00:13:58,356 Speaker 1: was more willingness to get on stage and sing, but 212 00:13:58,476 --> 00:14:01,756 Speaker 1: I had them. And in fifth grade they cast me 213 00:14:01,916 --> 00:14:04,676 Speaker 1: in the leading and without telling me that I was 214 00:14:04,676 --> 00:14:08,716 Speaker 1: supposed to marry on stage a little girl, and there 215 00:14:08,796 --> 00:14:15,516 Speaker 1: was this It was this awful sequence of events. Childhood 216 00:14:15,596 --> 00:14:19,196 Speaker 1: is a fun house mirror. Everything in it gets distorted. 217 00:14:20,236 --> 00:14:22,756 Speaker 1: I know a woman who became a meteorologist because a 218 00:14:22,796 --> 00:14:25,076 Speaker 1: storm dropped a tree onto her house when she was 219 00:14:25,116 --> 00:14:28,516 Speaker 1: ten years old. That tree kicked a little pebble off 220 00:14:28,516 --> 00:14:30,756 Speaker 1: the top of a hill in her mind and started 221 00:14:30,796 --> 00:14:34,196 Speaker 1: an avalanche. That kind of thing happened inside my head. 222 00:14:34,996 --> 00:14:38,076 Speaker 1: Only my tree was a song called Light a Rose, 223 00:14:40,236 --> 00:14:49,516 Speaker 1: Light a Rose, I'm home again, Rose, dude, get the side. 224 00:14:50,116 --> 00:14:52,636 Speaker 1: Our fifth grade class was going to stage a version 225 00:14:52,676 --> 00:14:56,276 Speaker 1: of the music Man. I thought I'd been duped into 226 00:14:56,316 --> 00:14:59,756 Speaker 1: singing the musical's one love song to a girl in 227 00:14:59,796 --> 00:15:04,876 Speaker 1: front of basically the entire world. But then these extremely 228 00:15:04,916 --> 00:15:08,756 Speaker 1: ancient teachers told me who the girl was, the new girl. 229 00:15:10,876 --> 00:15:14,236 Speaker 1: She had a birth effect, no fingers on her hands 230 00:15:14,316 --> 00:15:18,436 Speaker 1: or toes on her feet. She was also wildly bizarrely aggressive, 231 00:15:18,916 --> 00:15:22,796 Speaker 1: grabbing it boys, pitching fits. I knew I was meant 232 00:15:22,796 --> 00:15:26,676 Speaker 1: to be kind to her, and I tried. A ten 233 00:15:26,756 --> 00:15:28,716 Speaker 1: year old boy with a better character than mine would 234 00:15:28,756 --> 00:15:32,116 Speaker 1: have just gone along with the whole thing, but I didn't. 235 00:15:33,116 --> 00:15:36,236 Speaker 1: I told them that I wouldn't do the song, and 236 00:15:36,356 --> 00:15:39,356 Speaker 1: instead of telling me that I couldn't sing, they wound 237 00:15:39,436 --> 00:15:41,916 Speaker 1: up telling that poor little girl she couldn't have the 238 00:15:42,036 --> 00:15:46,836 Speaker 1: role in the play. The teachers had exposed a weakness 239 00:15:46,836 --> 00:15:49,716 Speaker 1: in my character. Of course, when I was ten, I 240 00:15:49,716 --> 00:15:51,756 Speaker 1: wouldn't have put it that way, or anyway at all. 241 00:15:52,676 --> 00:15:56,516 Speaker 1: I just suddenly had this ugly new feeling a combination 242 00:15:56,556 --> 00:16:02,036 Speaker 1: of anger and self loathing. There and then I refused 243 00:16:02,316 --> 00:16:05,956 Speaker 1: ever again to sing in school plays. I told the 244 00:16:06,036 --> 00:16:09,076 Speaker 1: music teacher I would never again meet her after school. 245 00:16:10,076 --> 00:16:15,036 Speaker 1: It's funny how phobias start. It was a short skip 246 00:16:15,156 --> 00:16:18,876 Speaker 1: from refusing to sing to feeling that I shouldn't sing 247 00:16:19,956 --> 00:16:25,956 Speaker 1: to almost being afraid to sing. I know it's a 248 00:16:26,076 --> 00:16:29,316 Speaker 1: very strange story and it's got no happy ending to it, 249 00:16:29,836 --> 00:16:32,276 Speaker 1: but I'm done telling that story to my new coach. 250 00:16:32,876 --> 00:16:37,676 Speaker 1: He has an idea. So it's possible that my voice 251 00:16:37,716 --> 00:16:39,516 Speaker 1: is so bad that you're not gonna be able to 252 00:16:39,516 --> 00:16:42,396 Speaker 1: do anything at all. So let's see how it goes. 253 00:16:42,836 --> 00:16:48,476 Speaker 1: I think conquering that song that gave you such anxiety 254 00:16:48,796 --> 00:16:52,596 Speaker 1: would be fun, would be buzzing conquer, you know. So 255 00:16:52,836 --> 00:16:54,676 Speaker 1: what I want to do is I want to have 256 00:16:54,836 --> 00:16:59,236 Speaker 1: you sing the melody, but instead of on the words, 257 00:16:59,276 --> 00:17:16,516 Speaker 1: you're going to do it on wah wah wah. And 258 00:17:16,636 --> 00:17:19,676 Speaker 1: I have known a lot of singing teachers, and some 259 00:17:19,716 --> 00:17:22,836 Speaker 1: of them are just playing nuts. I talked to a 260 00:17:22,836 --> 00:17:27,156 Speaker 1: lot of Eric's students. This is Bette Midler, another famous 261 00:17:27,156 --> 00:17:29,076 Speaker 1: singer on Eric's wall. And there are a lot of 262 00:17:29,116 --> 00:17:32,116 Speaker 1: quacks too. So you have to be very careful because 263 00:17:32,156 --> 00:17:34,716 Speaker 1: you could be led down the garden path by people 264 00:17:34,756 --> 00:17:37,556 Speaker 1: who say that this is the way to do it. 265 00:17:38,036 --> 00:17:40,276 Speaker 1: When Bett found Eric, she was in a funk. It 266 00:17:40,396 --> 00:17:42,676 Speaker 1: was two thousand and eight. She was about to open 267 00:17:42,716 --> 00:17:45,956 Speaker 1: a new show in Vegas, at Caesar's Palace. The dry 268 00:17:45,996 --> 00:17:48,276 Speaker 1: air was getting to her. But it wasn't just the air. 269 00:17:49,036 --> 00:17:53,876 Speaker 1: Something wasn't quite right. She felt more than usually vulnerable. 270 00:17:55,036 --> 00:17:58,916 Speaker 1: Her backup singers were called the Harlettes. One of the 271 00:17:58,956 --> 00:18:02,236 Speaker 1: Harletts told her about Eric, so Bett called him up. 272 00:18:02,596 --> 00:18:06,396 Speaker 1: He started coming to Vegas to help me, and he 273 00:18:06,436 --> 00:18:08,876 Speaker 1: would come once a week or so and we would 274 00:18:08,916 --> 00:18:10,796 Speaker 1: warm up, or he would call me on the phone. 275 00:18:10,796 --> 00:18:12,316 Speaker 1: We would warm up on the phone, and he gave 276 00:18:12,316 --> 00:18:13,996 Speaker 1: me the taps to warm up with it. And I 277 00:18:14,076 --> 00:18:17,396 Speaker 1: was religious about it. She didn't just get through the 278 00:18:17,436 --> 00:18:22,436 Speaker 1: show's run. She went two years without missing a single performance. 279 00:18:22,956 --> 00:18:25,636 Speaker 1: The staff at Caesar's Palace told her that that had 280 00:18:25,676 --> 00:18:28,596 Speaker 1: never happened, so they invented an award to give her. 281 00:18:29,196 --> 00:18:32,796 Speaker 1: It's still Bette Midler's favorite award, and it's sort of 282 00:18:32,916 --> 00:18:36,076 Speaker 1: changed her ideas about the value of a coach. There 283 00:18:36,076 --> 00:18:39,796 Speaker 1: are some songs when I can hear him in my head, 284 00:18:40,476 --> 00:18:43,356 Speaker 1: I can hear his voice, I can hear certain things 285 00:18:43,356 --> 00:18:47,596 Speaker 1: that he said in my head. And if I can 286 00:18:48,636 --> 00:18:52,996 Speaker 1: keep myself from dismissing it, if I can believe it, 287 00:18:53,596 --> 00:18:56,356 Speaker 1: I just thank God for him every day. First of all, 288 00:18:56,356 --> 00:18:59,756 Speaker 1: He's a sunbeam in the world. And I do think 289 00:18:59,796 --> 00:19:03,756 Speaker 1: that a coach has to be You can't have someone 290 00:19:03,756 --> 00:19:06,436 Speaker 1: who's going to be abusive. Yeah, they have. They have 291 00:19:06,556 --> 00:19:09,596 Speaker 1: to You have to know they care about you. Yes, yes, 292 00:19:09,996 --> 00:19:14,876 Speaker 1: you have to trust them. And trust is absolutely imperative. 293 00:19:14,956 --> 00:19:18,116 Speaker 1: If you don't trust your coach, you're not gonna make 294 00:19:18,116 --> 00:19:35,956 Speaker 1: it ready to take deep breath. Okay, Nope, but that's okay. 295 00:19:36,116 --> 00:19:40,476 Speaker 1: That's why you're here to improve. So yes, we're not listening. 296 00:19:40,996 --> 00:19:43,476 Speaker 1: We're not listening to a friend who was standing in 297 00:19:43,476 --> 00:19:46,716 Speaker 1: our guest copie and he heard me practicing. He I 298 00:19:46,836 --> 00:19:49,236 Speaker 1: came a piece that I thought that was the garbage truck. 299 00:19:49,556 --> 00:19:53,556 Speaker 1: No he didn't. It wasn't just the odd house guest. 300 00:19:54,116 --> 00:19:57,436 Speaker 1: It was the Amazon delivery lady, the guys on the 301 00:19:57,476 --> 00:20:02,316 Speaker 1: recycling truck, the neighbors. Anyone who came within about thirty 302 00:20:02,396 --> 00:20:06,676 Speaker 1: yards of me singing assumed a worried expression. One day, 303 00:20:06,716 --> 00:20:08,676 Speaker 1: I looked at my office window to see a deer 304 00:20:09,196 --> 00:20:13,476 Speaker 1: staring back at me with a look of concern. Then 305 00:20:13,516 --> 00:20:17,836 Speaker 1: there's my children. In happy families, children don't want their 306 00:20:17,836 --> 00:20:20,756 Speaker 1: parents to change. They really don't want to see them 307 00:20:20,796 --> 00:20:24,276 Speaker 1: trying to change. One day, my thirteen year old son 308 00:20:24,356 --> 00:20:27,676 Speaker 1: Walker wandered in with his skateboard under his arm. He 309 00:20:27,796 --> 00:20:31,076 Speaker 1: grabbed a tape recorder and supplied a running commentary just 310 00:20:31,156 --> 00:20:33,956 Speaker 1: out of my earshot, and then I just walked down 311 00:20:34,036 --> 00:20:48,916 Speaker 1: unless my dad going, and he's just run. Okay, it's 312 00:20:48,916 --> 00:20:54,716 Speaker 1: going to be a next Michael Jackson. Somebody wants to 313 00:20:54,716 --> 00:20:59,956 Speaker 1: steal kids. It's hard at the same time to be 314 00:21:00,036 --> 00:21:03,036 Speaker 1: both a comic character in the minds of everyone around 315 00:21:03,116 --> 00:21:07,716 Speaker 1: you and also a slayer of childhood demons. But something 316 00:21:07,756 --> 00:21:09,996 Speaker 1: about this coach made me want to keep on going, 317 00:21:10,436 --> 00:21:12,956 Speaker 1: just to see where he might lead. So you figure 318 00:21:12,956 --> 00:21:15,316 Speaker 1: out what they have, You expanded the best, the best 319 00:21:15,316 --> 00:21:18,436 Speaker 1: you can try to work, and then you worked all 320 00:21:18,436 --> 00:21:21,836 Speaker 1: about funny out who you are. Isn't that life in general? 321 00:21:21,956 --> 00:21:24,796 Speaker 1: But it's it's really true. But it's and I think 322 00:21:24,796 --> 00:21:27,956 Speaker 1: it's the key to life, you know, and finding, you know, 323 00:21:27,996 --> 00:21:30,436 Speaker 1: that combination of what you do best and what you 324 00:21:30,516 --> 00:21:32,996 Speaker 1: love the most, right, what you enjoy the most, because 325 00:21:33,036 --> 00:21:34,876 Speaker 1: that's what you're going to want to practice right. If 326 00:21:34,916 --> 00:21:37,036 Speaker 1: you're doing a style of music that you don't like, 327 00:21:37,436 --> 00:21:39,516 Speaker 1: you're not going to want to practice it right. So 328 00:21:39,556 --> 00:21:42,596 Speaker 1: it becomes meaningless, like like they'll tell me, oh, so 329 00:21:42,716 --> 00:21:44,316 Speaker 1: and so tried to get me to blank blink, Like 330 00:21:44,676 --> 00:21:46,636 Speaker 1: I go, that's not what you want to do. Then 331 00:21:46,996 --> 00:21:49,756 Speaker 1: you're you're really trying to fit up a square pain 332 00:21:49,836 --> 00:21:52,876 Speaker 1: around the whole. Right, you've got to have some kind 333 00:21:52,916 --> 00:21:57,196 Speaker 1: of love or passion for it, right has to. This 334 00:21:57,476 --> 00:22:00,596 Speaker 1: entire season has been mainly about the effects that coaches have. 335 00:22:01,476 --> 00:22:03,996 Speaker 1: We haven't talked much about why they do what they do. 336 00:22:04,996 --> 00:22:07,476 Speaker 1: There's lots of reasons someone might decide their passion is 337 00:22:07,516 --> 00:22:11,316 Speaker 1: to sing, but passion for helping others learn to sing. 338 00:22:11,636 --> 00:22:16,876 Speaker 1: It's hard to explain sometimes, but you know, you feel 339 00:22:16,916 --> 00:22:20,636 Speaker 1: like you are getting as much as you are giving, 340 00:22:20,796 --> 00:22:24,076 Speaker 1: like to see the improvement, to see people get excited. 341 00:22:24,156 --> 00:22:27,756 Speaker 1: All of that it comes back at you like a rush, 342 00:22:27,796 --> 00:22:32,076 Speaker 1: like a rush of adrenaline. Really is what it is. 343 00:22:32,316 --> 00:22:34,716 Speaker 1: Or to see someone complimented, or if you read a 344 00:22:34,716 --> 00:22:38,076 Speaker 1: good review. I would never say, oh, I take credit 345 00:22:38,156 --> 00:22:40,716 Speaker 1: for that. I don't feel that, but I know I 346 00:22:40,756 --> 00:22:42,556 Speaker 1: had something to do with it. I was a part 347 00:22:42,596 --> 00:22:45,196 Speaker 1: of it, and that just and it makes me so 348 00:22:45,276 --> 00:22:49,556 Speaker 1: happy for that person. One day I asked Eric how 349 00:22:49,596 --> 00:22:53,036 Speaker 1: he became a coach with a completely straight face. He 350 00:22:53,076 --> 00:22:55,396 Speaker 1: said that it had all started in the fifth grade. 351 00:22:56,676 --> 00:22:58,876 Speaker 1: This show can't seem to move on from the fifth grade, 352 00:22:58,956 --> 00:23:01,716 Speaker 1: but such as life. By the time he got to 353 00:23:01,756 --> 00:23:04,876 Speaker 1: the fifth grade, Eric loved music but didn't get much 354 00:23:04,956 --> 00:23:08,996 Speaker 1: encouragement from his parents. Then his class stage of music, 355 00:23:09,716 --> 00:23:12,636 Speaker 1: just as mine had. The most popular boy in aris 356 00:23:12,676 --> 00:23:16,036 Speaker 1: class wanted to play the lead, but he didn't know 357 00:23:16,076 --> 00:23:21,356 Speaker 1: how to sing. He knew because I was playing the 358 00:23:21,396 --> 00:23:24,556 Speaker 1: piano in the morning, you know, for the kids to 359 00:23:24,596 --> 00:23:28,836 Speaker 1: sing the Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, And he said, 360 00:23:29,516 --> 00:23:31,916 Speaker 1: I want to audition. And meanwhile, by the way, we're 361 00:23:31,956 --> 00:23:34,276 Speaker 1: talking at like a ten minute skit. It wasn't a 362 00:23:34,276 --> 00:23:36,676 Speaker 1: big thing. But to us, you know, when you're that 363 00:23:36,836 --> 00:23:40,036 Speaker 1: age and you're in a school, you're surrounded by people 364 00:23:40,036 --> 00:23:42,956 Speaker 1: who really matter to you, all those classmates, and there's 365 00:23:42,996 --> 00:23:46,436 Speaker 1: so many hierarchies and levels and all of that going on. 366 00:23:47,156 --> 00:23:50,716 Speaker 1: So he was popular, he was athletic, he was, you know, 367 00:23:50,876 --> 00:23:53,836 Speaker 1: all the positive things you could be for boy in 368 00:23:53,876 --> 00:23:56,996 Speaker 1: the fifth grade, and or I guess in any grade really, 369 00:23:57,396 --> 00:24:00,316 Speaker 1: And so he said, can you teach me this song? 370 00:24:00,396 --> 00:24:04,516 Speaker 1: And I said sure. So we walked home. My house 371 00:24:04,716 --> 00:24:08,156 Speaker 1: was probably twenty five minutes from the school. He walked 372 00:24:08,156 --> 00:24:11,596 Speaker 1: home with me and I sat at the piano and 373 00:24:11,596 --> 00:24:14,156 Speaker 1: I taught him the song and we went over and 374 00:24:14,276 --> 00:24:19,836 Speaker 1: over and over it. That bonded us forever. You know what. 375 00:24:20,276 --> 00:24:22,436 Speaker 1: We didn't sit at the same table and lunch whatever, 376 00:24:22,996 --> 00:24:25,596 Speaker 1: but whenever I would see him from that time on 377 00:24:25,676 --> 00:24:28,836 Speaker 1: until graduating high school, we were walking down the hall, 378 00:24:28,876 --> 00:24:30,916 Speaker 1: he'd give me that nod, I'd give him that nod, 379 00:24:30,996 --> 00:24:33,796 Speaker 1: like we had that bond. It was amazing. It was 380 00:24:33,796 --> 00:24:37,156 Speaker 1: a really special thing we had between us. And so 381 00:24:37,276 --> 00:24:39,836 Speaker 1: Eric just started to help other kids who needed to sing. 382 00:24:40,516 --> 00:24:42,476 Speaker 1: He didn't really think of it as a job until 383 00:24:42,556 --> 00:24:46,676 Speaker 1: one day when he was in college, a classmate auditioned 384 00:24:46,716 --> 00:24:49,956 Speaker 1: for a Broadway show. She offered to pay Eric to 385 00:24:49,956 --> 00:24:53,636 Speaker 1: help her. After that, he built an entire career on 386 00:24:53,716 --> 00:24:57,116 Speaker 1: word of mouth. People just heard about this guy's rare 387 00:24:57,156 --> 00:25:00,676 Speaker 1: coaching gift and called him up. He never really had 388 00:25:00,716 --> 00:25:04,196 Speaker 1: to market himself or push himself on others. They found him, 389 00:25:04,596 --> 00:25:07,396 Speaker 1: what did it feel like You're gonna yawn? Credible space 390 00:25:07,436 --> 00:25:19,836 Speaker 1: to back your throw all these strange sounds. I spend 391 00:25:19,876 --> 00:25:22,796 Speaker 1: an hour every day making them. I ask him why 392 00:25:22,836 --> 00:25:25,396 Speaker 1: I'm doing them, and he sort of explains but sort 393 00:25:25,396 --> 00:25:29,076 Speaker 1: of doesn't, or rather all of his explanations boiled down 394 00:25:29,116 --> 00:25:33,076 Speaker 1: to a single persuasive sentence. Just follow my lead the 395 00:25:33,116 --> 00:25:35,236 Speaker 1: way everyone else is done, and I'll get you there. 396 00:25:36,316 --> 00:25:42,196 Speaker 1: Practice really truly, bet Middler again, my fellow singer. This 397 00:25:42,316 --> 00:25:44,516 Speaker 1: is ther only piece of advice to me. The more 398 00:25:44,596 --> 00:25:46,356 Speaker 1: you do it, the better you're going to get. There's 399 00:25:46,356 --> 00:25:50,916 Speaker 1: no question. There is absolutely no question you will improve. 400 00:25:51,476 --> 00:25:53,876 Speaker 1: The more you do it, the better you get, and 401 00:25:53,996 --> 00:25:57,276 Speaker 1: you find the secrets you find. Well, he told me 402 00:25:57,316 --> 00:25:58,756 Speaker 1: to do it that way. I can't quite do it 403 00:25:58,796 --> 00:26:00,356 Speaker 1: that way, but I can do it this way, and 404 00:26:00,396 --> 00:26:02,236 Speaker 1: it's a pretty good sound, So I like him. My 405 00:26:02,396 --> 00:26:04,636 Speaker 1: question to you is, how do you sound? How do 406 00:26:04,676 --> 00:26:12,996 Speaker 1: you like yourself singing? That was a good question, and 407 00:26:13,076 --> 00:26:26,596 Speaker 1: I was still avoiding the answer. Let's start with a tongue, 408 00:26:26,716 --> 00:26:28,796 Speaker 1: making sure to connect to your breathing muscles. You're gonna 409 00:26:28,796 --> 00:26:35,916 Speaker 1: take deep ruts in and you're gonna sing that. I 410 00:26:36,036 --> 00:26:38,836 Speaker 1: try it. I try everything very good. Now try it 411 00:26:38,836 --> 00:26:45,636 Speaker 1: with the lip bubbly and see if you can do it. Yeah, 412 00:26:45,636 --> 00:26:47,716 Speaker 1: don't worry about it. Don't worry about it, I promise. 413 00:26:47,836 --> 00:26:50,876 Speaker 1: But I kept thinking of Bette Midler's question, how do 414 00:26:50,916 --> 00:26:55,356 Speaker 1: I like myself singing? The truth is I feel totally 415 00:26:55,436 --> 00:26:58,956 Speaker 1: disconnected from my own voice. I sing the way people 416 00:26:58,996 --> 00:27:01,476 Speaker 1: talk when they're trying to get a foreigner to understand them. 417 00:27:01,636 --> 00:27:03,876 Speaker 1: When it isn't working, I just do it again, louder. 418 00:27:04,636 --> 00:27:07,236 Speaker 1: I also sing with the feeling that something's about to 419 00:27:07,276 --> 00:27:10,836 Speaker 1: go drastically wrong, like I'm a five foot point guard 420 00:27:10,916 --> 00:27:13,356 Speaker 1: driving for a layup with a pair of seven footers 421 00:27:13,436 --> 00:27:22,556 Speaker 1: right behind me. So you're gonna go memo, memo, memo, memo, memo, memo, Mimo, memo, Mimo, Mimo, Mimo, memo, memo, Mimo. 422 00:27:22,596 --> 00:27:26,516 Speaker 1: Now rolling your head, memo, Mima. The music Man is 423 00:27:26,516 --> 00:27:29,556 Speaker 1: about a con man. He knows he's a fraud, but 424 00:27:29,636 --> 00:27:35,156 Speaker 1: he's happy in the role. I'm less. So wow, even 425 00:27:35,156 --> 00:27:37,436 Speaker 1: though Eric agrees to take me on as a student, 426 00:27:37,716 --> 00:27:40,196 Speaker 1: I start with one foot out the door, and I 427 00:27:40,236 --> 00:27:49,476 Speaker 1: think he kind of knows it. Okay. Good. Looking back 428 00:27:49,476 --> 00:27:51,796 Speaker 1: on all this, I see our relationship had a bunch 429 00:27:51,796 --> 00:27:57,076 Speaker 1: of stages. I can count five. You've already heard stage one. 430 00:27:57,836 --> 00:28:00,116 Speaker 1: He was just feeling each other out to decide if 431 00:28:00,116 --> 00:28:04,276 Speaker 1: there was any point of spending time together. Stage two 432 00:28:04,796 --> 00:28:09,356 Speaker 1: was Eric gradually taking control. But I only notice this 433 00:28:09,436 --> 00:28:12,836 Speaker 1: happening after I went back over the recordings of all 434 00:28:12,876 --> 00:28:18,116 Speaker 1: our sessions. It sounded better, Yeah, really really noticeably sounded better. Yeah. 435 00:28:18,116 --> 00:28:21,196 Speaker 1: I mean from a low baseline, but I noticed the difference. No, 436 00:28:21,596 --> 00:28:24,436 Speaker 1: that's great. I didn't give you the acid reflux diet. 437 00:28:24,476 --> 00:28:27,836 Speaker 1: Hot to look at you did? He had given me 438 00:28:27,876 --> 00:28:31,956 Speaker 1: the acid reflux a diet the first session. This long 439 00:28:32,076 --> 00:28:35,396 Speaker 1: list of stuff I was now encouraged to consume, plus 440 00:28:35,436 --> 00:28:39,236 Speaker 1: a longer list of things I shouldn't touch. No spicy foods, 441 00:28:39,396 --> 00:28:43,996 Speaker 1: no coffee, no alcohol. It seemed excessive. I mean, no 442 00:28:44,196 --> 00:28:48,516 Speaker 1: carbonated beverages. You did? Then? Why are you drinking carbonated 443 00:28:48,516 --> 00:28:51,276 Speaker 1: water in front of me? Oh my god? You caught it? 444 00:28:51,716 --> 00:28:54,396 Speaker 1: So because you know it's all I have. It's I'm 445 00:28:54,636 --> 00:28:56,676 Speaker 1: drinking up the remains. I hadn't bought any new ones, 446 00:28:56,756 --> 00:29:05,196 Speaker 1: but it was what, Okay, your family can't drink the perree? Allright? Busting. 447 00:29:05,836 --> 00:29:08,156 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. It won't happen again. Could always take a 448 00:29:08,196 --> 00:29:10,356 Speaker 1: bath in it. Yeah, that's what I'll do. I'll take 449 00:29:10,396 --> 00:29:12,756 Speaker 1: a back, right, I'll send it to you. Do you 450 00:29:12,756 --> 00:29:14,436 Speaker 1: have a dog, You could wash the dog with it. 451 00:29:16,676 --> 00:29:19,556 Speaker 1: I found that once I got my coach talking, I 452 00:29:19,556 --> 00:29:23,196 Speaker 1: could encourage him to keep going. Please do tell me 453 00:29:23,236 --> 00:29:25,676 Speaker 1: how to wash a dog in sparkling order. Yes, I 454 00:29:25,756 --> 00:29:28,116 Speaker 1: do very much want to hear what Joan Rivers once 455 00:29:28,156 --> 00:29:31,236 Speaker 1: said about her dog. So long as he was talking, 456 00:29:31,356 --> 00:29:34,276 Speaker 1: I didn't have to sing. I was creating a kind 457 00:29:34,316 --> 00:29:38,436 Speaker 1: of alibi that crime against music. No way I could 458 00:29:38,436 --> 00:29:41,076 Speaker 1: have committed it. I wasn't even present at the scene. 459 00:29:41,116 --> 00:29:45,556 Speaker 1: Feel like you're sighing. Make sure you support by using 460 00:29:45,556 --> 00:29:47,956 Speaker 1: your breathing muscles on that first note and put a 461 00:29:47,996 --> 00:29:52,356 Speaker 1: slight cry so to be more of a mey memai 462 00:29:54,036 --> 00:29:58,516 Speaker 1: may good. Now, I guarantee you if you start doing 463 00:29:58,556 --> 00:30:00,876 Speaker 1: it every day, that will get better and better. How 464 00:30:00,876 --> 00:30:06,356 Speaker 1: could it get worse? That is not true? All right now, 465 00:30:06,996 --> 00:30:09,476 Speaker 1: I want to do one keeping a nice and forward, 466 00:30:09,556 --> 00:30:12,796 Speaker 1: keeping your mouth loose and relaxed. Say yum yum, yum, 467 00:30:12,836 --> 00:30:19,036 Speaker 1: yum yum yum. Actually, before we go out further. I 468 00:30:19,156 --> 00:30:22,076 Speaker 1: know you're being funny, but I know there's always a 469 00:30:22,076 --> 00:30:24,796 Speaker 1: little truth in every little bit of humor. What I 470 00:30:24,876 --> 00:30:27,916 Speaker 1: want you to do is stop thinking of it as 471 00:30:28,036 --> 00:30:31,516 Speaker 1: not good, because as long as you do that, you'll 472 00:30:31,636 --> 00:30:33,516 Speaker 1: kind of keep it there, you know what I mean, 473 00:30:33,916 --> 00:30:35,876 Speaker 1: You'll always have a little bit of a sense. While 474 00:30:35,916 --> 00:30:38,036 Speaker 1: I'm not really a singer, I'm not really good. I 475 00:30:38,116 --> 00:30:41,636 Speaker 1: want you to start just thinking to yourself as a singer. 476 00:30:41,676 --> 00:30:45,836 Speaker 1: You're putting in the time, the effort, you're practicing. Why 477 00:30:45,876 --> 00:30:49,716 Speaker 1: wouldn't you get better? You know right? Anybody will get 478 00:30:49,756 --> 00:30:52,636 Speaker 1: better is something they put effort in, time and energy, 479 00:30:52,636 --> 00:30:54,556 Speaker 1: And so I want you to just start thinking to 480 00:30:54,676 --> 00:30:59,636 Speaker 1: yourself like a singer. He didn't miss much. He was 481 00:30:59,676 --> 00:31:02,436 Speaker 1: onto me. It's a defense mechanism, I know, but I 482 00:31:02,476 --> 00:31:05,316 Speaker 1: want you to drop it, all right. I want to 483 00:31:05,316 --> 00:31:08,436 Speaker 1: break through that defense because I really do think when 484 00:31:08,516 --> 00:31:11,596 Speaker 1: someone feels a little bit better and they tell themselves, 485 00:31:12,036 --> 00:31:16,596 Speaker 1: you know, self affirming thoughts, it really does make a difference. 486 00:31:17,036 --> 00:31:19,476 Speaker 1: All right, I won't do it anymore. Yeah, I want 487 00:31:19,476 --> 00:31:24,636 Speaker 1: you to really just think, yeah, this is better. His 488 00:31:24,836 --> 00:31:28,476 Speaker 1: will was just stronger than mine. At some point I 489 00:31:28,556 --> 00:31:32,036 Speaker 1: gave up and accepted that he was in charge. And 490 00:31:32,156 --> 00:31:36,196 Speaker 1: at that point I entered stage three of the coaching relationship. 491 00:31:37,076 --> 00:31:42,996 Speaker 1: Buy in actual, honest, buy in very good. And I 492 00:31:43,076 --> 00:31:47,236 Speaker 1: heard by Groat on that first note, whoa to do 493 00:31:47,316 --> 00:31:52,636 Speaker 1: that again? Who wa wa? Wa wa wa. Now aim 494 00:31:52,716 --> 00:31:54,596 Speaker 1: high on that last note, though, don't let it fall 495 00:31:54,636 --> 00:31:57,436 Speaker 1: back from your throat. I mean, who knows if I'm 496 00:31:57,476 --> 00:32:01,356 Speaker 1: actually getting better? I can't tell, but he's giving me 497 00:32:01,396 --> 00:32:05,676 Speaker 1: a feeling of movement. May may May May May may 498 00:32:05,796 --> 00:32:11,556 Speaker 1: may may May. So far, that's the briant, the best 499 00:32:11,556 --> 00:32:14,276 Speaker 1: you've sounded. Does it feel good? It feels really good. Yeah, 500 00:32:14,356 --> 00:32:16,996 Speaker 1: and I want you to really embrace it. Feel what 501 00:32:17,076 --> 00:32:19,556 Speaker 1: it feels like, listen to it because it sounds really good. 502 00:32:24,396 --> 00:32:27,436 Speaker 1: At some point into all of this, like after maybe 503 00:32:27,516 --> 00:32:30,996 Speaker 1: three months of weekly lessons and almost daily practice, it 504 00:32:31,076 --> 00:32:34,476 Speaker 1: occurred to me that one anxiety had been replaced by another. 505 00:32:35,116 --> 00:32:38,636 Speaker 1: I used to be anxious mostly about singing. Now I'm 506 00:32:38,676 --> 00:32:42,876 Speaker 1: anxious mostly about letting him down. I think we'll call 507 00:32:42,916 --> 00:32:48,396 Speaker 1: this stage four. So have you ever taken a ballet class? No? 508 00:32:48,596 --> 00:32:52,396 Speaker 1: I haven't, but I've been close to one. Okay, So 509 00:32:53,356 --> 00:32:57,396 Speaker 1: in ballet class quite often, you know, they talk about 510 00:32:57,436 --> 00:33:03,436 Speaker 1: getting in touch with and what's the word of connecting 511 00:33:03,476 --> 00:33:07,636 Speaker 1: to your center? Yep. We'll leave your abdominal muscles then, yep. 512 00:33:08,196 --> 00:33:13,436 Speaker 1: I'm kind of tight and squeezing your butt cheeks together yep, yep, 513 00:33:13,556 --> 00:33:16,116 Speaker 1: clanking in the back holding it. Ye, so that's why 514 00:33:16,156 --> 00:33:20,676 Speaker 1: they stand so straight. Yep, yep, Okay, that's clenching in 515 00:33:20,716 --> 00:33:24,076 Speaker 1: the bus and pulling your abdomino muscles can help you 516 00:33:24,116 --> 00:33:26,876 Speaker 1: with support. Now, I prevertical in front of back to 517 00:33:26,876 --> 00:33:28,596 Speaker 1: support because I don't want to be known as the 518 00:33:28,636 --> 00:33:32,036 Speaker 1: butt teacher. And I'm not recording it. He wasn't recording it, 519 00:33:32,076 --> 00:33:35,036 Speaker 1: but I was, Oh no, no no. So I can 520 00:33:35,116 --> 00:33:36,836 Speaker 1: tell you if I if I was able to sing 521 00:33:36,876 --> 00:33:41,876 Speaker 1: with my ass muscles, I'd be on Broadway, right, there's 522 00:33:41,876 --> 00:33:44,196 Speaker 1: ever going to be a Broadway again. Yeah, well that's 523 00:33:44,196 --> 00:33:47,516 Speaker 1: a that's a good point. Yeah. Anyway, Okay, getting back 524 00:33:47,556 --> 00:33:49,996 Speaker 1: to your bus. So I want you to put one 525 00:33:50,076 --> 00:33:52,356 Speaker 1: end on your abdominal muscles and you're gonna go to 526 00:33:52,516 --> 00:33:55,996 Speaker 1: a normal hiss pulling your abdomino munz of it, and 527 00:33:56,036 --> 00:34:00,116 Speaker 1: then you're going to add clenching your butt cheeks together. Okay, 528 00:34:00,196 --> 00:34:04,596 Speaker 1: so I'll so. But it just hissed and clenched my 529 00:34:04,636 --> 00:34:06,636 Speaker 1: butt cheeks while I'm doing it. You're going to do 530 00:34:06,756 --> 00:34:18,276 Speaker 1: normal ping of your abdomino muscles. Then you're gonna okay, gotcha, wow, 531 00:34:19,756 --> 00:34:24,116 Speaker 1: oh my god, it was like a howitzer. That's what 532 00:34:24,196 --> 00:34:27,036 Speaker 1: you're gonna do that behind us, You're going to seats 533 00:34:27,036 --> 00:34:30,596 Speaker 1: together and pulling your domino was gonna be liker. That 534 00:34:30,716 --> 00:34:35,076 Speaker 1: was like a nuke. It was also extremely weird, but 535 00:34:35,156 --> 00:34:38,996 Speaker 1: it was working, and it got us eventually to stage five. 536 00:34:40,156 --> 00:34:42,876 Speaker 1: I still didn't really like the way I sounded, but 537 00:34:42,956 --> 00:34:45,316 Speaker 1: I could see how one day I might like the 538 00:34:45,356 --> 00:34:49,036 Speaker 1: way I sounded. I was starting to have this entirely 539 00:34:49,116 --> 00:34:52,316 Speaker 1: new feeling because of this coach, and I sort of 540 00:34:52,356 --> 00:34:56,156 Speaker 1: confessed it directly to Bette Midler. I don't know if 541 00:34:56,196 --> 00:34:58,476 Speaker 1: you feel this way, but I found that once you 542 00:34:58,596 --> 00:35:04,036 Speaker 1: start singing, it's really hard to stop. That's great, you know, 543 00:35:04,196 --> 00:35:05,956 Speaker 1: do you know? You know you start saying you kind 544 00:35:05,956 --> 00:35:09,036 Speaker 1: of don't want to stop. So I find myself one 545 00:35:09,156 --> 00:35:11,596 Speaker 1: undering the streets after I've been doing a lesson singing, 546 00:35:11,596 --> 00:35:13,756 Speaker 1: and then I realize people are staring at me. Oh really, 547 00:35:13,876 --> 00:35:16,676 Speaker 1: Oh that's a sweet story. That's fantastic. I'm going to 548 00:35:16,756 --> 00:35:22,396 Speaker 1: try that. Now. How has your progress been with you 549 00:35:23,076 --> 00:35:26,996 Speaker 1: mentally thinking of yourself as a singer? Not bad? Good? 550 00:35:27,236 --> 00:35:30,556 Speaker 1: So that interference is gone, and I'm trying to talk 551 00:35:30,596 --> 00:35:35,116 Speaker 1: myself into this great great because I think that, you know, 552 00:35:35,156 --> 00:35:38,116 Speaker 1: then it becomes I don't want to say, an experiment, 553 00:35:38,236 --> 00:35:42,036 Speaker 1: maybe an exercise in not just singing in general, but 554 00:35:42,476 --> 00:35:46,076 Speaker 1: how powerful the mind can be to creating what it 555 00:35:46,156 --> 00:35:53,556 Speaker 1: is we want to create in our life. I agree. Okay, so, 556 00:35:53,676 --> 00:35:55,396 Speaker 1: but one hand on your chest, one hand on your 557 00:35:55,396 --> 00:35:58,236 Speaker 1: abdominal muscles. Take a deep, low breath and a long 558 00:35:58,276 --> 00:36:02,636 Speaker 1: steady It's not often that someone persuades you that you 559 00:36:02,636 --> 00:36:06,756 Speaker 1: can go to a place you've never been. It's intoxicating, 560 00:36:07,756 --> 00:36:10,996 Speaker 1: even for people who've been on most everywhere. And actually, 561 00:36:10,996 --> 00:36:15,276 Speaker 1: the most free thing about Eric is that he encourages 562 00:36:15,316 --> 00:36:19,116 Speaker 1: you to not make it sound beautiful and perfect, just 563 00:36:19,196 --> 00:36:22,516 Speaker 1: makes sense of it, like Emily Blunt makes sense of 564 00:36:22,556 --> 00:36:26,436 Speaker 1: the song. Let me hear the story, Tell me a story. 565 00:36:27,116 --> 00:36:30,476 Speaker 1: This is what's so elusive about coaching. How a gifted 566 00:36:30,556 --> 00:36:32,596 Speaker 1: coach can get you to shift the focus of your 567 00:36:32,636 --> 00:36:37,116 Speaker 1: attention so you're no longer singing a song. You're sort 568 00:36:37,116 --> 00:36:40,716 Speaker 1: of exploring who you are or might be. It hit 569 00:36:40,756 --> 00:36:42,956 Speaker 1: Bette Midler right away. You know what I have to 570 00:36:42,956 --> 00:36:45,796 Speaker 1: tell you this, This is a good story. When I 571 00:36:45,836 --> 00:36:48,596 Speaker 1: first care to Eric, I would come to Eric and 572 00:36:48,636 --> 00:36:51,356 Speaker 1: you don't know me, Michael, but I am. I'm a 573 00:36:51,436 --> 00:36:55,156 Speaker 1: very sad person. I mean, I can be hilarious, but 574 00:36:55,396 --> 00:37:01,516 Speaker 1: like many comics I am, I am like a tragic soul, 575 00:37:02,036 --> 00:37:04,956 Speaker 1: and I can be very hard on myself and very 576 00:37:04,956 --> 00:37:07,836 Speaker 1: hard on people around me. I'm sorry to admit that. 577 00:37:07,916 --> 00:37:12,236 Speaker 1: People I'm telling I'm letting you in. This coach knows stuff. 578 00:37:12,636 --> 00:37:16,116 Speaker 1: Stuff you never know that he knows. He knows what 579 00:37:16,276 --> 00:37:18,956 Speaker 1: you might be capable of. If you allow him to help, 580 00:37:19,756 --> 00:37:23,076 Speaker 1: you might already be world famous and headlining a Vegas show. 581 00:37:23,716 --> 00:37:26,636 Speaker 1: You also, at the same time might be hating yourself 582 00:37:26,636 --> 00:37:43,836 Speaker 1: and making life miserable for your coach. And he came 583 00:37:43,876 --> 00:37:46,516 Speaker 1: to my opening night, and you know what he told me, 584 00:37:46,556 --> 00:38:04,236 Speaker 1: Like years later, he said to me, when that curtain 585 00:38:04,276 --> 00:38:10,436 Speaker 1: went up and you came up, I didn't reckon you 586 00:38:10,476 --> 00:38:14,076 Speaker 1: are you were so full of joy as life and 587 00:38:14,236 --> 00:38:28,636 Speaker 1: color and fun and you're such a bust. Recognize she's 588 00:38:28,756 --> 00:38:31,076 Speaker 1: laughing so hard that you might not have heard what 589 00:38:31,116 --> 00:38:33,636 Speaker 1: her coach said to her. You were so full of 590 00:38:33,836 --> 00:38:36,716 Speaker 1: joy and life and color and fun, and you're such 591 00:38:36,756 --> 00:38:40,476 Speaker 1: a bitch. She loved that he said it then and 592 00:38:40,636 --> 00:38:47,556 Speaker 1: obviously still loves it now. Oh my god, the poor guy, 593 00:38:49,356 --> 00:38:54,636 Speaker 1: because I am intense and he is he just never 594 00:38:54,756 --> 00:38:58,716 Speaker 1: let me go? So yes, he helped me over. He 595 00:38:58,716 --> 00:39:02,076 Speaker 1: helped me, He helped me over an enormous he helped 596 00:39:02,116 --> 00:39:06,836 Speaker 1: me climb an enormous mountain, an enormous mountain. You've given 597 00:39:06,876 --> 00:39:09,636 Speaker 1: me something. That's why I had to come. I don't 598 00:39:09,636 --> 00:39:15,156 Speaker 1: recall giving oh, yes, something beautiful. That's why I came back. 599 00:39:15,196 --> 00:39:18,596 Speaker 1: In fifth grade, after Eric Vitro realized he had this 600 00:39:18,676 --> 00:39:22,076 Speaker 1: gift for helping people learn how to sing, he began 601 00:39:22,116 --> 00:39:26,036 Speaker 1: to collect voices. They were a gallery in his mind. 602 00:39:26,956 --> 00:39:31,196 Speaker 1: He recalls the first acquisition when he saw a movie 603 00:39:31,756 --> 00:39:38,636 Speaker 1: called The Music Man, Oh B on the huge but 604 00:39:38,836 --> 00:39:44,516 Speaker 1: I never I didn't see it in the movie theater, 605 00:39:45,116 --> 00:39:47,996 Speaker 1: but it was on television one night, and I had 606 00:39:48,036 --> 00:39:50,836 Speaker 1: this little real to real tape recorders before there was 607 00:39:50,916 --> 00:39:54,956 Speaker 1: VHS tapes or anything, and I recorded the whole thing 608 00:39:55,636 --> 00:39:58,676 Speaker 1: so I could listen to it again. I thought Shirley 609 00:39:58,756 --> 00:40:01,796 Speaker 1: Jones had such a beautiful voice. I used to play 610 00:40:01,796 --> 00:40:04,676 Speaker 1: it over and over, her singing till there was you, 611 00:40:04,876 --> 00:40:07,876 Speaker 1: the songs she sings at the end and at the footbridge. 612 00:40:07,916 --> 00:40:13,076 Speaker 1: I thought it was so beautiful that was you. It 613 00:40:13,196 --> 00:40:16,396 Speaker 1: may have been Eric's first experience of paying really close 614 00:40:16,436 --> 00:40:20,596 Speaker 1: attention to someone else's voice, just studying it, and it 615 00:40:20,676 --> 00:40:24,316 Speaker 1: was ironic that you became It was her teacher for years, 616 00:40:24,356 --> 00:40:28,036 Speaker 1: for like ten years, you know, and we became very close. 617 00:40:28,956 --> 00:40:32,156 Speaker 1: That was a rare false note for Eric Vitro. It 618 00:40:32,196 --> 00:40:36,116 Speaker 1: doesn't feel at all ironic to me that Shirley Jones, 619 00:40:36,516 --> 00:40:39,636 Speaker 1: star of the Music Man, would one day call Eric 620 00:40:39,676 --> 00:40:43,596 Speaker 1: and ask for his help. It feels like his destiny 621 00:40:43,636 --> 00:40:47,116 Speaker 1: to help her and maybe me too. So before we 622 00:40:47,236 --> 00:40:52,156 Speaker 1: sing Lyda Rose, You're chosen song to heal the wound 623 00:40:52,196 --> 00:40:57,556 Speaker 1: of your child? What are you going to think? What 624 00:40:57,676 --> 00:41:02,196 Speaker 1: am I going to think? Well? I think probably the 625 00:41:02,236 --> 00:41:08,556 Speaker 1: best spirit to sing it in is a slightly comic seduction. Okay, 626 00:41:08,596 --> 00:41:13,676 Speaker 1: it's like an ironic seduction. Okay, So that's the tone. 627 00:41:13,876 --> 00:41:16,996 Speaker 1: That's good, that's the overall tone, and and it's it's 628 00:41:18,996 --> 00:41:21,276 Speaker 1: it's sort of like, yeah, Light of Rose, I could 629 00:41:21,316 --> 00:41:22,876 Speaker 1: understand if you don't want to get married at the 630 00:41:22,916 --> 00:41:25,516 Speaker 1: end of this, but I'm giving him my best shot. Okay, Great, 631 00:41:25,916 --> 00:41:30,036 Speaker 1: So it's an irresponsible, uh love song? Great, all right, 632 00:41:30,076 --> 00:41:41,156 Speaker 1: So let's sing through Light a Rose, Light a Rose, 633 00:41:41,356 --> 00:41:45,116 Speaker 1: I'm home again Rose to get the sun back in 634 00:41:45,156 --> 00:41:50,756 Speaker 1: the sky, Light a Rose, I am home again Rose, 635 00:41:50,876 --> 00:41:58,916 Speaker 1: about a thousand kisses shine ding dong ding. I can 636 00:41:59,076 --> 00:42:06,476 Speaker 1: hear the chapel bill chime, ding dong ding at the 637 00:42:06,596 --> 00:42:12,356 Speaker 1: least suggestion, Oh up the question, light a Rose, I'm 638 00:42:12,436 --> 00:42:18,996 Speaker 1: home again Rose, without a sweetheart to my name, Light 639 00:42:19,076 --> 00:42:25,156 Speaker 1: a Rose? How everyone knows that I'm hoping you're the same. 640 00:42:26,396 --> 00:42:33,436 Speaker 1: So here is my love song, not fancy or fine, 641 00:42:34,436 --> 00:42:51,196 Speaker 1: Light a Rose. Oh, won't you be mind? I'm Michael Lewis. 642 00:42:51,476 --> 00:42:54,636 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to Against the Rules. Against the Rules 643 00:42:54,716 --> 00:42:58,116 Speaker 1: is brought to you by Pushkin Industries. The show's produced 644 00:42:58,116 --> 00:43:02,076 Speaker 1: by Audrey Dilling and Catherine Girodo, with research assistance from 645 00:43:02,156 --> 00:43:06,636 Speaker 1: Lydia Jeancott and Zooe Wynn. Our editor is Julia Barton. 646 00:43:07,276 --> 00:43:11,196 Speaker 1: Mel o'bell is our executive producer. Our theme was composed 647 00:43:11,196 --> 00:43:15,276 Speaker 1: by Nick Brittell, with additional scoring by Stellwagen Siphonette. We 648 00:43:15,356 --> 00:43:18,356 Speaker 1: got fact checked by Beth Johnson. Our show was recorded 649 00:43:18,356 --> 00:43:22,196 Speaker 1: by tofur Ruth and Trey Schultz at Northgate Studios in Berkeley. 650 00:43:22,796 --> 00:43:28,476 Speaker 1: As always, thanks to Pushkin's founders, Jacob Weisberg and Malcolm Gladwell. 651 00:43:46,916 --> 00:43:49,676 Speaker 1: So my last question and then we can get onto 652 00:43:49,916 --> 00:43:51,836 Speaker 1: the lesson. If you want to get into the lesson, 653 00:43:52,436 --> 00:43:57,436 Speaker 1: Is any anyone you ever worked with ask you so 654 00:43:57,516 --> 00:44:03,676 Speaker 1: much about yourself as you Most of the time people 655 00:44:03,676 --> 00:44:06,276 Speaker 1: are here just to learn, so they don't really ask 656 00:44:06,356 --> 00:44:09,476 Speaker 1: that much about me. Yeah, the dury, little big You're 657 00:44:09,516 --> 00:44:11,676 Speaker 1: always the most interesting person in the room, but you're 658 00:44:11,716 --> 00:44:14,276 Speaker 1: paying attention to everybody else. I don't know if that's true, 659 00:44:14,396 --> 00:44:17,756 Speaker 1: but I am paying attention, and you know, I'm sure 660 00:44:17,836 --> 00:44:20,596 Speaker 1: you find this too. It's really more interesting to be 661 00:44:20,756 --> 00:44:23,956 Speaker 1: the person listening to the other people because I know 662 00:44:24,076 --> 00:44:33,476 Speaker 1: my own story. I've gotta feel the same way.