WEBVTT - LARREN WONG - High Stakes & Mashed Ambitions 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:15.520 Hey, guys, welcome to another episode of Eating While Broke. 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:17.880 I'm your host, Coleen Wait and today we have very 0:00:17.920 --> 0:00:23.480 special guests Laren Wong in the building, recording artists. Laren 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:27.840 Wong is in the building promoting his fourth EP or 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:31.720 long and fourth, Long and fourth, fourth and long, fourth 0:00:31.760 --> 0:00:35.160 and long. We gotta throw it back to fourth and long. 0:00:35.200 --> 0:00:37.000 We have to throw it back to the NFL, of course. 0:00:38.520 --> 0:00:40.240 So what are you gonna have me eating today? 0:00:41.120 --> 0:00:43.680 I'm going to have you eat the Laryn Wong Classic, 0:00:44.000 --> 0:00:45.680 the Laryn Wong Struggle. 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:48.120 Special, the Struggle Special. 0:00:47.800 --> 0:00:51.320 Yes, ma'am, aka steaks. 0:00:51.159 --> 0:00:54.120 Steak and taters. That's what that is. You're gonna cut 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:54.720 those things. 0:00:54.600 --> 0:00:59.360 Up, oh for sure. Steak and mashed potatoes. 0:00:59.440 --> 0:01:05.120 Oh okay, okay? And then what are the ingredients for 0:01:05.160 --> 0:01:06.000 your dish? 0:01:06.080 --> 0:01:12.160 So here we have a cut of steak, baby spinach, butter, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:13.240 olive oil. 0:01:13.959 --> 0:01:16.240 And then what is the heavy cream? 0:01:16.760 --> 0:01:18.440 Heavy? I'm sorry, heavy cream as well? 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:19.280 And what's that for? 0:01:19.560 --> 0:01:20.600 Put the massed potatoes? 0:01:21.080 --> 0:01:23.920 You put heavy cream in there? Okay, we learn it, 0:01:24.000 --> 0:01:26.080 we learn it. He's a real cook, guys. He came 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:30.119 also with his handy dandy device. What is that right here? 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:32.240 Is a weight? I call it a meat pressure. But 0:01:32.319 --> 0:01:34.200 this makes sure you get an even sea or on 0:01:34.240 --> 0:01:34.680 your steak. 0:01:35.000 --> 0:01:38.479 Okay, now, do you eat your steaks medium rare? Or 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:42.400 is it gonna be bloody on the inside? 0:01:43.319 --> 0:01:44.840 It depends how you like it? You got to mal 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:45.320 you like it? 0:01:46.000 --> 0:01:46.840 How do you eat it? 0:01:47.600 --> 0:01:51.280 How do I eat it? It varies. But sometimes the blood. 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:52.880 I know you're not supposed to be eating blood, but 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:57.480 sometimes it makes it taste better. So medium, medium, well 0:01:57.560 --> 0:01:59.960 sometimes sometimes medium rare. Just depends on the cut. 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:02.520 I was scared you're gonna say medium rare. You look 0:02:02.600 --> 0:02:06.360 like a medium rare. Okay, go ahead, get in the kitchen. 0:02:06.760 --> 0:02:09.560 Okay, get you. But in the kitchen, let's see. Let's 0:02:09.600 --> 0:02:12.360 see what we got here. So we got the pre 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:16.760 boiled potatoes. Let me check on the consistency of them. 0:02:17.160 --> 0:02:17.640 Let's see this. 0:02:18.800 --> 0:02:23.880 Go for it like that. We already started to boil, guys. 0:02:24.280 --> 0:02:28.800 I know there's not a chance on earth that they already. 0:02:28.840 --> 0:02:36.480 It's okay, just watch this. It's another thing too, when 0:02:36.520 --> 0:02:39.320 you throw it in there like that. I didn't throw 0:02:39.360 --> 0:02:40.400 these potatoes in here. 0:02:40.280 --> 0:02:41.519 Like this, y'all, No I did. 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:44.840 I feel, and I appreciate you for that, But it's 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:47.720 a good teaching moment right here. When you throw it 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:50.080 in like that, it's not going to cook that fast 0:02:50.520 --> 0:02:52.480 because there's not as much surface area for the heat 0:02:52.520 --> 0:02:55.760 to even you know what I mean? So boom. 0:02:55.919 --> 0:02:59.920 Well they actually didn't do so bad either. You may know, 0:03:00.520 --> 0:03:02.240 how do you know all this cooking stuff? 0:03:02.560 --> 0:03:09.120 Because every adult should know how to cook, period. Okay, 0:03:10.280 --> 0:03:11.840 come on now, that's. 0:03:11.680 --> 0:03:16.760 Like you don't see a lot of men knowing their 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:18.960 way around the kitchen like this, No disrespect. 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:22.960 That's like a dependency thing, you know, mm hmm. Don't 0:03:22.960 --> 0:03:26.480 you want to be able to sustain yourself? Yeah, so 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:28.480 why wouldn't you know how to cook? 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:29.920 So who taught you how to cook? 0:03:30.760 --> 0:03:32.920 My mom? But also just myself. I taught myself how 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:36.080 to cook a lot of dishes. Okay, YouTube, that's what 0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:37.760 I'm saying. People be acting like you so hard you 0:03:37.800 --> 0:03:40.480 be looking it up on YouTube? Yeah, before like all 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:43.800 these other options, I was on YouTube. I learned how 0:03:43.840 --> 0:03:47.560 to do everything on YouTube. Okay everything. 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:50.160 Do you ever see a recipe on like Instagram where 0:03:50.200 --> 0:03:52.560 someone cooks it and then you go and you save 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:53.880 it and you actually try to make. 0:03:53.760 --> 0:03:58.320 It absolutely TikTok. Yeah, like the foody TikTok foody Instagram 0:03:58.880 --> 0:04:02.280 has has definitely up my culinary career. 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:05.280 Is that something you're really into though? Like, are you 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:06.560 into like cooking and all that? 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:10.040 For sure? Sure? Maybe not something I would do, like 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:13.440 actually pursue it right now, but just I enjoy doing 0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:16.320 it at home, like trying new I like a challenge, 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:19.240 a creative challenge, just like art. Cooking is art. 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:24.039 I one hundred percent agree. I absolutely love cooking, but 0:04:24.080 --> 0:04:27.960 I love watching other people come up with creative recipes 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:31.160 and stuff like that. But I have a bad habit 0:04:31.200 --> 0:04:33.280 of cooking something really cool, plating it well, and then 0:04:33.360 --> 0:04:34.200 not taking a picture. 0:04:35.080 --> 0:04:38.080 Need that you don't got to take a picture of everything. 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:39.560 I want to though I want to show people I 0:04:39.640 --> 0:04:40.719 can I can do it. 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:42.360 You should only take a picture of it when you 0:04:42.440 --> 0:04:43.920 master it. I mean, I mean, if you want to 0:04:43.920 --> 0:04:45.480 feel good about me personally. 0:04:45.279 --> 0:04:48.080 Hey, every plate, it looks good. 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:50.320 Okay, Okay, I believe you. 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:54.320 I'm a plater, you know. I like the whole presentation. 0:04:54.000 --> 0:04:56.680 Right so right here we got this steak. Thank you 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:58.880 for paring this. I remember I used to cook steaks 0:04:58.880 --> 0:05:00.160 all the time. And be like, damn, I can't never 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:01.960 get it right. Why can't I get it right? The 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:05.000 reason was it wasn't dry. Really, you got to pack 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:05.599 the steak dry. 0:05:05.880 --> 0:05:07.760 That's how you get That's why you're so anal about it. 0:05:07.880 --> 0:05:10.679 Yeah, that's how you get the proper see like proper crust. 0:05:12.400 --> 0:05:15.000 That's how you get the proper seer in the crust 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:15.719 on the steak. 0:05:17.200 --> 0:05:19.560 Laren, Just so you know, I've been with you for 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:21.720 less than like thirty minutes. You have to be one 0:05:21.760 --> 0:05:27.599 of the most polite people I've ever met. Really, Yeah, 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:31.840 does do other people say that to you? 0:05:31.880 --> 0:05:35.440 No? Okay, all right, all right, you're from New York though, 0:05:35.560 --> 0:05:37.640 so that's not really saying much. 0:05:38.560 --> 0:05:41.279 Okay, So you got to make it extremely dry? What greed? 0:05:41.360 --> 0:05:42.279 What are you doing next? 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:48.040 So right here, I'm going to classic classic steak. That's 0:05:48.080 --> 0:05:50.120 how I prepared. You know, a lot of people got 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:54.559 their ways. It's my way right here. So boom, patted 0:05:54.600 --> 0:06:00.400 it dry. I hit the steak with the salt, not 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:03.960 too much there. 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:05.920 Just make sure it's a healthy coating. 0:06:05.640 --> 0:06:09.200 A healthy coating. Mix it around a little bit, ingratiate 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:13.600 the salt into the fibers of the muscle, you know 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:18.000 what I mean. Boom. Then I throw some pepper on there, 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:27.520 and that's up. Yeah, I'll be busting. I'd be busting 0:06:27.520 --> 0:06:28.280 down a little bit. 0:06:31.680 --> 0:06:33.839 I always see people seasoning with your salt and pepper, 0:06:33.839 --> 0:06:36.200 and I'm always fascinated by it because I use so 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:37.240 many seasonings. 0:06:38.120 --> 0:06:40.120 It's like, okay, you know what, I will compare that 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:46.000 to what that's like somebody in music who isn't really 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:49.240 confident in what they actually do, so they feel like 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:54.120 they gotta put hella stacks and harmonies and just everything everywhere. 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:56.039 It's like, not just let it be. If it's a 0:06:56.040 --> 0:06:59.000 good cut, let it just compliment it and it will 0:06:59.040 --> 0:06:59.839 shine on its own. 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:03.040 We've had chefs on the show that say similar. They're like, 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:05.880 just simple so you could taste the flavors of the meat, 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:09.560 right for sure? And then why is time such an 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:10.760 important ingredient in this? 0:07:11.600 --> 0:07:16.800 I use time. I typically don't use time, but you know, 0:07:18.200 --> 0:07:20.560 I'm on eating while broke, so specially cadence, So I 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:22.080 gotta just garden it up a. 0:07:22.040 --> 0:07:24.040 Little bit, okay, And then are you going to do 0:07:24.080 --> 0:07:24.600 both sides? 0:07:24.720 --> 0:07:28.760 It's okay, So I do both sides. Put it on there, 0:07:30.240 --> 0:07:35.800 flip it, repeat the process. My layer is salt order operations. 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:39.360 I go salt, pepper, and then anytime or rosemary that 0:07:39.400 --> 0:07:44.800 I might add. 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:47.280 Now, do you have to make sure that the oil 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:48.360 is hop before you place it? 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:49.320 Yes? 0:07:49.720 --> 0:07:51.760 By the way, these are all genuine questions because I 0:07:51.920 --> 0:07:57.520 rarely ever, ever, ever, ever ever cook steak, never ever 0:07:58.800 --> 0:07:59.880 to learn today? Are you using? 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.960 But I mean something I was gonna use better? Typically, 0:08:03.520 --> 0:08:04.960 I like using avocado oil. 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:06.720 There's avocado oil right there. 0:08:06.640 --> 0:08:09.560 I know, but I'm gonna try it better. I'm gona 0:08:09.560 --> 0:08:10.880 try to better because I'm gonn want to baste it 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:11.440 and all that. 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:13.920 I love butter. I use butter and everything. 0:08:14.320 --> 0:08:17.080 But the reason why I like avocado oil is because 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:20.200 it has a higher burning point. You could put a 0:08:20.240 --> 0:08:23.920 higher temperature on it and it's not gonna burn and 0:08:23.960 --> 0:08:24.520 get smoked. 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:27.200 Oh really, Oh we need to do that because we 0:08:27.240 --> 0:08:28.320 have sprinklers. 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:31.720 In the building exactly, So we're butter. That's what I'm saying. 0:08:31.720 --> 0:08:33.520 I'm gonna just keep it at a low temperature. Okay, 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:36.679 but actually you know it, I'm gonna just use the 0:08:36.720 --> 0:08:40.520 butter for the spinach. I'm gonna do that. Yeah, right here, 0:08:41.720 --> 0:08:44.120 let me test this see where we at. 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:48.560 I feel like it's gonna be ready just based on 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:49.440 everything you just did. 0:08:49.600 --> 0:08:55.120 Is it almost so? I could do that? Time? Put 0:08:55.120 --> 0:09:01.720 that right there? Yeah? 0:09:01.840 --> 0:09:06.120 So is olive oil have the same process over avocado. 0:09:06.160 --> 0:09:07.280 It's just avocado's better. 0:09:07.320 --> 0:09:12.760 Avocado specifically has a higher burning point. You see what 0:09:12.760 --> 0:09:13.160 I'm saying. 0:09:14.800 --> 0:09:19.319 I'm learning, chef, how do I You got it? Don't 0:09:19.600 --> 0:09:23.679 get ill turn red? You'll see it. We have a producer. 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:25.959 She's gonna hate it every time. Every time someone does 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:28.040 something remotely like this, I have to tell the story. 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:30.120 But we asked if we had told her to be 0:09:30.120 --> 0:09:31.959 careful because the stove was hot, and I swear to god, 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:33.719 she put her hand like directly on it. 0:09:34.040 --> 0:09:35.800 And we see how I just went. I love it. 0:09:35.880 --> 0:09:39.120 I wouldn't do that. She did it, she put it. 0:09:39.280 --> 0:09:40.680 I was like, that's why I signed. That's why I 0:09:40.679 --> 0:09:42.800 signed that waiver. Exactly got you. 0:09:43.200 --> 0:09:47.320 I'd be like, yo, guys, insurance, it's fake here, Okay, LARRYN. 0:09:47.360 --> 0:09:50.240 Wong was able to cook the entire meal for us. 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:52.199 We did shoot it all. But now we're going to 0:09:52.240 --> 0:09:56.240 start the interview a little reverse backwards, so let's get 0:09:56.280 --> 0:10:00.360 into it. So go ahead, and play our beautiful meal. 0:10:00.640 --> 0:10:02.480 Do you want me to help do some of the plating? 0:10:02.640 --> 0:10:05.400 Sure be? Could you just put the potatoes on each plate? 0:10:05.800 --> 0:10:08.439 Okay, I want to do that. This is and these 0:10:08.480 --> 0:10:11.720 are from scratch mashed potatoes by the way, guys screach 0:10:12.760 --> 0:10:15.160 and I already sample them. They're really good. I feel 0:10:15.160 --> 0:10:18.720 like I'm on a date, like a real nice date, 0:10:19.800 --> 0:10:21.360 and then I think it's only because of the meal 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:23.600 you cooked. Do you want more mashed potato? 0:10:23.800 --> 0:10:26.080 Yes? Please? Actually gotta say something for the team. 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:28.320 No, we're not going to save any for you because 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:32.840 they they only had your back and you know what 0:10:33.000 --> 0:10:33.200 was it? 0:10:33.320 --> 0:10:33.520 Crew? 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:39.320 Crew? Stick together? Shout outs to your crew. Okay, so 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:41.360 we're gonna do. Do you want me to play the spinach? 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:42.240 Yes? Please? 0:10:43.000 --> 0:10:44.640 Do you mind if we use my fork? 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:45.920 No? I don't care. 0:10:46.520 --> 0:10:47.040 I don't care. 0:10:47.240 --> 0:10:49.480 I am not of course or not. 0:10:50.960 --> 0:10:53.960 Okay, So take me back to what was going on 0:10:54.320 --> 0:10:58.360 during the steak and mashed potatoes and spinach era. 0:10:59.400 --> 0:11:04.120 That was the time in my life where I was 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:07.160 just trying to get my money right, moving around La, 0:11:07.360 --> 0:11:09.840 trying to see where the studios are, trying to meet people, 0:11:10.520 --> 0:11:14.720 and I was very patriotic at the time, because e 0:11:14.800 --> 0:11:17.959 b T because eb T. Yeah, the government was giving 0:11:18.000 --> 0:11:20.880 me four hundred dollars every month for groceries. 0:11:21.960 --> 0:11:24.720 Okay, So growing up were you middle class? Poor? 0:11:24.880 --> 0:11:25.120 Rich? 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:28.400 What was going on in your home life growing up? 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:29.200 I was? 0:11:29.559 --> 0:11:31.080 I feel like that's enough cut steak. 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:34.560 Okay, but I'm I'm not sure. Yeah, you're right, you're right. 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:38.400 That's you're not worried about your crew. Right now, I'll 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:38.800 take some. 0:11:39.280 --> 0:11:41.839 Okay, I'll give you this to back end. 0:11:43.120 --> 0:11:48.199 It's done so well. Okay, my goodness, guys. 0:11:48.520 --> 0:11:49.320 That look like something. 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:51.760 It looks so official. I hope this look at. 0:11:51.600 --> 0:11:53.480 This like a referee whistle. 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:56.800 And you don't need a gravy, gravy or anything on this, 0:11:57.360 --> 0:12:05.880 use this knife. It's it looks tender, has the seer. Okay, 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:09.040 here we go. Looks official. You're gonna you're gonna sit 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:13.480 down with me. Let's try this. It's gonna be the 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:15.480 best meal I've ever had on this show. I know it. 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:24.280 Cheers t B E in the E T B or 0:12:24.320 --> 0:12:27.520 e B T e B e B T t b 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:29.280 E the best ever. 0:12:35.000 --> 0:12:38.880 Going crazy, right, I'm gonna eat the whole thing, and 0:12:38.880 --> 0:12:42.359 I hope, please God, please please please protect my stomach. 0:12:43.440 --> 0:12:43.880 Be a right. 0:12:44.520 --> 0:12:51.120 Oh my god, the searing on this, it makes a 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:58.000 big difference on it. Laren Wong, you can really cook. 0:12:59.120 --> 0:13:00.720 How do we not eat this whole thing? 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:03.040 I'm about to do it? Then? 0:13:04.360 --> 0:13:08.120 All right, take me back. Do you want to break 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:08.480 to eat? 0:13:11.440 --> 0:13:11.720 Okay? 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:14.680 Take me back to your parents, your home life, growing 0:13:14.760 --> 0:13:15.800 up rich? 0:13:15.880 --> 0:13:23.240 For So I grew up, oh say, middle class, middle class. 0:13:24.280 --> 0:13:32.080 M My father was you do it for himself? My 0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:36.800 mother was an accountant at NASA and NASA. 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:38.000 And what did your father do? 0:13:38.640 --> 0:13:41.160 My father worked in law enforcement? 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:46.560 In law enforcement. Okay, I wrapped the po pose, but 0:13:46.640 --> 0:13:49.960 you know I had to go there. Okay, So you 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:53.440 started doing musical interestments at a young age. Where did 0:13:53.440 --> 0:13:54.120 that come from? 0:13:54.880 --> 0:14:01.840 So? My grandpa was a jazz musician and he gave 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:05.320 the music bug to my dad as well. My father 0:14:05.400 --> 0:14:09.000 was a producer DJ. Never got a chance to spend 0:14:09.040 --> 0:14:12.120 too much time with the instruments, but they gave it 0:14:12.160 --> 0:14:14.760 to me. And that's where the music comes from. 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:17.680 Wow. And then how many instruments did you end up 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:21.160 picking up before you were graduated high school? 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:26.240 For high school, I pick up the guitar, piano, bass, guitar, 0:14:26.480 --> 0:14:35.680 electric guitar acoustic like computer software production, and you. 0:14:35.920 --> 0:14:38.880 All started doing that in school while you were at 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:40.280 home with your parents while you were young. 0:14:40.400 --> 0:14:44.960 Yes, so from like sixth grade to high school is 0:14:45.000 --> 0:14:47.200 when I learned how to do all of it. 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:49.360 And then while you were doing all of that, where 0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:50.400 does football creep in? 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.160 It was there the whole time? Yeah. I started playing 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:57.880 football when I was eight in the second grade, and yeah, 0:14:58.000 --> 0:14:58.960 never it was kind. 0:14:58.800 --> 0:15:02.640 Of just now was it a love for it or 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:05.560 was it like you were just god gifted in football too? 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:08.320 No, early on, I was forced to play football. Why 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:09.920 you say four, I was forced. I didn't want to 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:13.040 do it and forced my dad. My dad forced me 0:15:13.040 --> 0:15:16.200 to play football, and I'm glad he did because there 0:15:16.200 --> 0:15:20.520 are certain qualities that football kind of drills into you, 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:26.720 like what like overcoming adversity, like especially for me. When 0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:29.440 I started playing football, I was a big kid, so 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:32.200 it goes by weight limits. So I was playing with kids, 0:15:32.240 --> 0:15:33.840 I'm eight years old playing with kids that are like 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:35.160 eleven and twelve. 0:15:35.880 --> 0:15:38.160 So was that because you were bigger? 0:15:38.360 --> 0:15:41.160 Because I was bigger. So I'm just the youngest one, 0:15:41.200 --> 0:15:43.880 but I'm just as big as them. So like my mind, 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:46.640 just my body development and everything wasn't even there. So 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:50.600 football teachers you to stick with it and overcome challenges 0:15:50.800 --> 0:15:53.600 even though it might be hard. Just understand the just process. 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:54.440 It taught me like. 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:57.720 Process, okay, and discipline. 0:15:57.240 --> 0:16:04.000 And discipline, commitment, team working within the team, leadership, all 0:16:04.240 --> 0:16:05.160 the intangibles. 0:16:05.480 --> 0:16:09.080 So then you were about to graduate high school, and 0:16:09.440 --> 0:16:12.560 where do you start to I guess envision you going 0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:14.880 into the NFL. How does that whole play come about? 0:16:15.960 --> 0:16:19.200 The NFL wasn't even initially my goal. My goal in 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:23.400 high school was to go to college. Okay, yeah, I 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:24.440 wasn't even thinking that far. 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:26.680 Honestly, Where did you go to college? 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:28.360 Northwestern in Chicago? 0:16:28.680 --> 0:16:29.760 And then what did you major? 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:31.520 In? Communication studies? 0:16:33.120 --> 0:16:38.520 Okay? So you're doing communication studies and you're playing football? Yes, okay, 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:40.440 So then what happens from there? 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:46.040 So then I'm playing, I get to Chicago sign up 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:48.400 for I wanted to do pre med actually, but it 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:53.520 was class was hard hard. I ain't gonna lie hard 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:56.320 like that organic they make you do a prerequisite for 0:16:56.360 --> 0:16:59.520 pre med is like organic chemistry. I don't know if 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:01.760 it's because I have a good foundation in high school chemistry, 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:04.480 but that wasn't it. That was so I said, I'm 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:07.280 gonna do communications because eventually one day I could become 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:10.600 a master of the art of communication, you. 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:16.000 Know, and of the art of communication. Really you thought. 0:17:15.800 --> 0:17:20.040 About that, you know what that is, right, master art 0:17:20.080 --> 0:17:28.320 of communication. I'm mac that's a that's a cent went 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:31.800 over her over my head. Not supposed to get it. 0:17:32.080 --> 0:17:34.120 We're not supposed to get it. It's okay, But yeah, 0:17:34.200 --> 0:17:41.800 I was just communications, being able to transfer ideas and everything. 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:44.719 Yeah, that's what I thought. You meant. The joke obviously 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:50.520 went over my head. Okay, So you're going to school, 0:17:50.560 --> 0:17:53.920 you're doing that, and then where does the NFL opportunity 0:17:53.960 --> 0:17:54.399 come along? 0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:58.720 It comes along. I start thinking NFL, probably towards like 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:02.160 my second year there, third year, just because every year 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:05.119 we have guys trying their hand at the NFL, like 0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:07.760 the seniors of every year. So I just seen it, 0:18:08.600 --> 0:18:15.440 obviously desired it. It's a lot of money. So yeah, 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:17.600 it came into the picture towards the end of my 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:20.760 time there. So I'm in my fifth year there. I 0:18:20.800 --> 0:18:23.000 spent five years in college, I spent four years undergrad 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:25.399 and then the last year I did a master's in 0:18:25.440 --> 0:18:29.520 communication in the school calm as well. But right after 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:31.240 that is when I started. Towards the end of that 0:18:31.280 --> 0:18:33.679 is when I started getting calls from my agent saying 0:18:34.200 --> 0:18:37.080 other teams are calling them looking for me and just 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:40.360 meet a phil fulfill a role. So yeah, that's when 0:18:40.359 --> 0:18:42.399 I Right after I graduated from there, I flew to 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:45.119 Seattle and started playing football in the league. 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:47.120 Okay, and then how long were you there? 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:49.639 I was in Seattle a couple of months. I was 0:18:49.640 --> 0:18:51.440 in Seattle a couple of months. I played a couple 0:18:51.560 --> 0:18:54.760 couple of games there. Then after that I went to 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:58.240 New York. I lived in East Rutherford shout out East Rutherford. 0:18:58.840 --> 0:19:00.960 My girlfriend at the time went to Columbia Med School. 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:03.879 So it's right across the GW Bridge. So I was 0:19:03.880 --> 0:19:07.639 in like Washington Heights like every day. So that was 0:19:07.680 --> 0:19:09.400 a good time. Got cut from New. 0:19:09.320 --> 0:19:13.080 York And what was that roller coaster ride? 0:19:13.200 --> 0:19:13.280 Like? 0:19:13.600 --> 0:19:15.879 Can you tell me the highs and then the lows? 0:19:16.320 --> 0:19:21.080 For sure? The highs are what you could expect being 0:19:21.119 --> 0:19:25.760 an NFL player. I'm young, I'm attractive, I got money 0:19:25.760 --> 0:19:29.960 in my pocket like girls, girls, status like all that. 0:19:30.080 --> 0:19:31.760 So it's what you could expect from that. 0:19:31.760 --> 0:19:34.000 You know, did you get a lot of instant gratification 0:19:34.119 --> 0:19:34.720 during that year. 0:19:35.280 --> 0:19:38.440 For sure. It's a mix. Though, it's a mix because 0:19:38.880 --> 0:19:41.320 you're only there because you've put in a long time 0:19:41.840 --> 0:19:44.000 working on what you do or getting good or building 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:46.480 your body up or whatever, you know, So it's like 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:49.679 a mix. It's a mix. It's an interplay between like 0:19:49.800 --> 0:19:53.440 the long term and the short term. 0:19:53.520 --> 0:19:54.640 What was the downside? 0:19:54.840 --> 0:19:58.360 Downside of what football? Football? Oh man, it's a lot 0:19:58.400 --> 0:20:01.119 of It's a brutal game, you know. I feel like 0:20:01.119 --> 0:20:05.400 it's normalized football. We see, you know, family football day, Like, well, 0:20:05.440 --> 0:20:07.800 if you were to see what's actually going on in 0:20:07.840 --> 0:20:11.240 the trenches and like in the game, it's so vicious. 0:20:11.520 --> 0:20:13.439 People are really trying to hurt you and take your 0:20:13.480 --> 0:20:16.640 head off, and it's like, actually, the I like hurt. 0:20:16.720 --> 0:20:20.040 Like I've seen I'm too as I'm in the world 0:20:20.080 --> 0:20:22.000 now and I'm talking to people and talking about like 0:20:22.040 --> 0:20:26.200 injuries and surgeries I'm too familiar with, like, oh, yeah, 0:20:26.280 --> 0:20:28.760 she just got her labor and replaced whatever. Like I've 0:20:28.760 --> 0:20:32.320 seen a lot of Yeah, I've had I've had hip surgery. 0:20:33.680 --> 0:20:38.040 Really, who is a dangerous game? It is so you 0:20:38.040 --> 0:20:40.480 you're riding this roller coaster. But while you're riding it. 0:20:40.560 --> 0:20:46.800 Music is still prevalent. Yes, okay, so now you leave 0:20:46.840 --> 0:20:49.719 the league now carrying me through this area and this 0:20:49.760 --> 0:20:51.879 is where steak and mashed potatoes kind of start to 0:20:51.880 --> 0:20:55.720 come in, right, yes, okay, take me through that transition. 0:20:56.440 --> 0:20:59.920 Okay. So after I stopped playing, I was a kind 0:20:59.920 --> 0:21:02.520 of decision by me. I could have kept training and 0:21:02.560 --> 0:21:06.360 waited for a call, possibly got called. I just decided 0:21:06.480 --> 0:21:09.560 I didn't want to live my life like that anymore. Yeah, 0:21:09.640 --> 0:21:11.600