1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: All right, welcome back to car Stories with some King 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: and Amelia Hartford. Amilia, I have to ask you a question, yes, 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: before we get to our next guest. So my wife 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: and I we got in a pretty big argument, and 5 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: I want to hear another female's perspective on this. So 6 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: I was traveling for a few months, right, and during 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: the travels, I ran out of underwear, okay, And then 8 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 1: I was living out of a hotel. And I don't 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: know if you've ever done laundry at a hotel. It's 10 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: like highway robbery. What they charge you for it's. 11 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 2: Insane third prices. I usually try to find like a 12 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 2: local laundromat. 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I just didn't have the time to do that, 14 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: but I do. Just I have a problem paying that 15 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: kind of money to like. 16 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 2: It's like a five dollars repair underwars sometimes more. 17 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. So I just stopped wearing underwear, and my wife 18 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: thinks it's disgusting. But then I tell her, I go, well, 19 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: it's like I stop boring underwear, but I do wash 20 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: the pants and I think of it, and then I 21 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: thought about it. It's like, why does a guy I'm 22 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: just gonna speak for men. It's like why do I 23 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: need underwear? What is the point of it? So is 24 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: that discuss She's like, that's gross, that's disgusting, that's I 25 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: don't know. 26 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 2: I'm sitting here as your double story. I'm thinking, like, huh, 27 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 2: do guys even really need underwear exactly? What's the purpose 28 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 2: of it? 29 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: What are boxers? They're like shorts. They're like shorts at 30 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 1: the end of the day, right, So what do I 31 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: need underwear for? 32 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 2: Unless you're wearing sheer pants? This is gonna get gross. 33 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 2: But I know some guys just pull their boxers and 34 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 2: don't like white. 35 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, well look and all the guys, well, you 36 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: know guys that do that. I don't do that. I'm 37 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: not one of those guys. If you have that habit, sure, 38 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: I understand the purpose of underwear. But otherwise, would you 39 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: get in an argument with your like future husband or 40 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: significant other because he's not wearing underwear and he's clean 41 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,559 Speaker 1: an argument? No. 42 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 2: I want to be like, yeah, why wouldn't you wear underwear? 43 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: But as we're having this conversation, I'm struggling to see 44 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: the point. 45 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: Of what I mean, right, Because I was like, explain 46 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: to me why I need under It's like, well, that's gross, 47 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: and that's the that's the reason why I need underwork 48 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: because it's gross, Like who invented this thing called underwear? 49 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: Like? 50 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: Why, yeah, do I even need it? 51 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 2: Right? It's restrictive, especially if it's just like boxers, not 52 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: something to like support. 53 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, well I started doing a lot of running, right, 54 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: like like mid distance running. I don't wear underwear really, yeah, 55 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: because it's it's it's a constrictive. You're all like blushing 56 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: was a question thinking of the anatomy. 57 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 2: Of like, well, if you're running, wouldn't you want something 58 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 2: to support? Because I know, as a woman, I like 59 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 2: to wear sports bross. I don't need something bouncing around. 60 00:02:54,680 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I guess. But then yeah, I guess, but I 61 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: don't think I need that, Okay, Yeah, because I'm trying 62 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: to prove her point, I'm like le's laundry. 63 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, but then you're known as the guy who doesn't 64 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 2: want underwear. 65 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: Well, you don't know who's going to see. 66 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, anyone listening this podcast? 67 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, well I have nothing to hide. But seriously, yeah, right, 68 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: come on, listeners, like everyone like think about it. It's like, 69 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: I don't know, obviously, you're right. 70 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 3: I'm struggling to see the point of it, I understand 71 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 3: why a woman, a female would need underwear like this 72 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 3: if there's she's wearing a skirt or dressed like you know, 73 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 3: you don't what it's concealing things, right, But then what 74 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 3: does a dude need that for? 75 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: Right, It's like I'm wearing pants nine point percent of 76 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: the time. 77 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 2: Right, as long as you trust your parts, I guess. 78 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: What, it's going to spray things and you're wearing pants, 79 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? 80 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 4: Yeah? 81 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: All right, So you are you pro underwear. 82 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: Or I'm gonna say I'm pronorb but I agree that 83 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: you know, you agree. 84 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: With my argument that it's unnecessary depending on your level 85 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: of hygiene. 86 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, how long does you like wash your clothes? 87 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 2: I guess? 88 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: And yeah I want to smell. Look, there's no issues 89 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: with that, right, So okay. 90 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: Good, all right, God we got that out of the way. 91 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: Okay, So next on to our next guest. 92 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 2: Today, we have our good friend RJ. Devera. When I 93 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: think car industry, I think of Argent And it was 94 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 2: really cool to get to hear stories about the fact 95 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: that his mom had a turboed mini van that she 96 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:39,119 Speaker 2: used to drag race. 97 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 3: What. 98 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was really wonderful to hear how close he 99 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: is with his mother and how impactful she was to 100 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 1: where RJ is today within the car community. In the 101 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: car industry, RJ. 102 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 2: Was at the Guires for years and now he's at 103 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 2: SEAM of the nonprofit which if you guys don't know 104 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 2: about SEMA, they are basically the nation lorgest trade show 105 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 2: when it comes to automotive and they also helped to 106 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 2: keep the passion of motorsports alive. 107 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, I met RJ because he lent me his famous 108 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: essex way before the Fast and Furious days, and I 109 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: used a little bit of his swagger even in the 110 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: Han character because I was like, this guy is super cool. 111 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: But to actually sit down with them get to know 112 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: the man behind the myth was really awesome. 113 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 2: And he actually had a feature in the Fast franchise 114 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 2: as well. That's right aout further Ado, r jaa Vera. 115 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: RJ, Hey, r JA dea vera. 116 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 5: What's going on? Thanks for having me, Thanks. 117 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 2: For coming on. 118 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: When people talk about RJ, your mother always comes up. Yes, 119 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: And it's something that I've always like, admired and envied 120 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: about you that you have such a deep connection. Thanks 121 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: those relationship to your mother. 122 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm my mama's boy for sure. You know, I 123 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 5: love her dearly. I wouldn't be who I am without her. 124 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 5: But yeah, in the nine you know, when my parents 125 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 5: got divorced, he decided to come hang out with with 126 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 5: her kids, me and all my friends that were in 127 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 5: the car club, to like drive us back and forth 128 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 5: from the car show. And then she used to go 129 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 5: to battle the imports with us. And then one day 130 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 5: she woke me up and she's like, hey, can we 131 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 5: turbo charge my van? And I was like, are you serious? 132 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 5: She's like, yeah, I'm getting bored just hanging out with 133 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 5: you guys, Like I want to go drag racing with 134 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 5: you guys. I'm like, okay, Sure, it was a Honda 135 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 5: Odyssey minivan, but the original. 136 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: It was still a minivan. 137 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, it wasn't a Siena, but it was a minivan. 138 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,720 Speaker 5: So anytime anyone turbo charges a minivan, I always kind 139 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 5: of get some nostalgic feelings, like Besi's Odyssey and stuff. 140 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 5: But yeah, we painted it yellow for her fiftieth I remember. 141 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: I'm sorry. I'm like shook. I didn't know your mom 142 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 2: had a turbo min yellow and used to race people. 143 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 5: It wasn't fast, but she was really good on bracket racing, 144 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 5: so I taught her how to power I can build 145 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 5: a boost up. 146 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 2: I want to meet your mom. 147 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: Let's have the coolest mom ever, right yeah. 148 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, so it was really fun. But yeah, she would 149 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 5: beat people because she was pretty good at dialing in 150 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 5: and running pretty consistent, and that she would always give 151 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 5: people a hug. So my friends would come like destroyed 152 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 5: and they're like, dude, I just last year mom in 153 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 5: your in her mini van. I'm like I'm sorry. They're like, 154 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 5: I will never raise my mom. She'll definitely beat me 155 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 5: because her dial in was like on the money, like 156 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 5: a tenth every time. 157 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 2: Amazing. 158 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, she's super cool. 159 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: I read that you guys started selling car parts out 160 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: of the condo. 161 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, she still lives in that. 162 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:37,119 Speaker 4: Yeah. 163 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, so she's just she's a great example of, you know, 164 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 5: any parent that's had a difficulty but decided to be 165 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 5: different for her kids, because some parents have a rough 166 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 5: upbringing and that kind of continues on and there's some 167 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 5: parents that kind of do the flip. Right. So I 168 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 5: really got it early into like wanting and modified cars. 169 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 5: I started buying parts for a car and have pretty 170 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 5: early on, and I was saving up for a Civic, 171 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 5: and then because my brother wanted to be a DJ, 172 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 5: she gave him the wagon, sold his car, and then 173 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 5: got me an Integra, which I started modding really fairly quickly, 174 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 5: even before I had my license actually, and then she 175 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 5: was like, son, it's a new car, like, I got 176 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 5: you a new car so you don't have to fix anything. 177 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 5: And I'm like, well, I'm not really fixing anything. She's like, 178 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 5: I don't get it, and I just needed an excuse. 179 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 5: So I'm like, well, there's this whole thing going on 180 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,439 Speaker 5: and people modding like import cars. I'm just going to 181 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 5: sell the parts. And she's like you're going to sell 182 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:38,199 Speaker 5: what parts? And I'm like, well, springs and rowbars and intakes, 183 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 5: and she's like, I don't get it. But if you 184 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 5: like doing it, sure you know you got to pay 185 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 5: for the stuff. When you're I'm not going to pay 186 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 5: for it. So that's how that started, and I learned 187 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 5: how to promote that stuff, kind of helping my brother 188 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 5: promote and his friends promote the clubs that they were doing. 189 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 5: So I just made flyers with car ports on it, 190 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 5: and I would put it at the different like fixed 191 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 5: up cars at the local college, Santamonica College, and that's 192 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 5: really how I started. Yeah, I guess I started selling 193 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 5: car covers before that, like right before that car covers. Yeah, 194 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 5: I worked at a little shop in Santa Monica and 195 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 5: they were like, oh, like, we're really interested in this, 196 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 5: like this thing that's happening with like you know these 197 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 5: you know, Japanese American cars. There was JDM wasn't even 198 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 5: a term. Then I'm like, oh, I could help with that, 199 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 5: and they're like, okay, we'll hire you. But all I 200 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 5: do is sell car covers. I was like, I don't 201 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 5: want to do that. I don't want to sell like 202 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,599 Speaker 5: all these like performance sports. And a guy worked with 203 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 5: he's like, oh, just get a business license and I 204 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 5: was like, well, how do you do that. He's like, well, 205 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 5: you go down to this state Board of Equalization office 206 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 5: and I was like, well, how old do you have 207 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 5: to be and he's like, I don't think you have 208 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 5: to be any age. 209 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: Wait. 210 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 2: That's so intimidating for so many people to do, and 211 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 2: it doesn't seem like that's anything that's prevented you in 212 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 2: your life. Someone you just went straight after it, because 213 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: at least as a child growing up. For me, if 214 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 2: someone want to tell me, oh, go to get a 215 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 2: business license, like I would be a little intimidated of 216 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 2: that process. 217 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 1: Hustle would go get it. 218 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 5: I think it's part Asian, but I think it's an 219 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 5: immigrant hustle, like when you're an immigrant, you know, so 220 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 5: I immigrated from Philippines with my parents. It's like, well, that's 221 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 5: what is needed to get done with. Okay, let's all 222 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 5: find out. And all they can say is no, right, 223 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 5: what else is going to happen? So seeh I was 224 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 5: really skeptical that I would even get it because I 225 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,679 Speaker 5: didn't know if there was this eighteen year old barrier 226 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 5: because I was sixteen and a half or seventeen. 227 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: That's crazy. 228 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 4: Yeah. 229 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 5: And so I would call these shops that I was 230 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 5: buying parts from. They're very few that sold parts, and 231 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 5: I'd be like, hey, I'm looking to start selling this stuff. 232 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 5: And I remember when I would walk in because I 233 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 5: was seventeen with like size thirty six, like khakis like 234 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 5: the bangs that were died, and they were like are 235 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 5: you the guy spoke on the phone. I'm like, yep, 236 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 5: that's me, and they're like do you own is it? 237 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 5: Like a real business. I'm like, yep, have my business license, 238 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 5: and they're like, where's your shop. I'm like, well, it's 239 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 5: in West LA. And then I wouldn't tell anyone. It 240 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 5: was just my mom's condo. And so it was a 241 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 5: lot of fun. It taught me a lot, and that 242 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 5: was kind of the time when like import car culture 243 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 5: was really like starting to move, Like the first import 244 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 5: car show was in ninety five. I mean I had 245 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 5: started this in ninety four, but the only place you 246 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 5: could really go if you had a fixed up car 247 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 5: was to these house parties that I talked we talked 248 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 5: about before we sat down, or these like eighteen and 249 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 5: over like dance parties. 250 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: Talk about what's this house party? 251 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:22,079 Speaker 4: Yeah? 252 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: So all at you? Yeah. 253 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 5: So a lot of the house parties were kind of varied, right, 254 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 5: there are people dancing, there's people getting in trouble. But 255 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 5: at a couple of us would end up in the 256 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 5: garage and because we had no money and we're like, okay, 257 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 5: well who's cars next, you know, and really all we 258 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 5: wanted to do is lower it and look, you know, 259 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 5: kind of gangster, right. So so we got really my 260 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 5: friends and I got really good at like popping off suspension, 261 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 5: and we didn't even have the spring tension really, so 262 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 5: we would just put a box and Dino exhaust box 263 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 5: and we would stand on it and we were like 264 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 5: one more, one more, like everyone get out of the way, 265 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 5: you know, and it would like pop off, you know, 266 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 5: and that's how I think we would cut it or 267 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 5: have it burnt somewhere, right, which was the worst ride. 268 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 5: I think someone was talking about like it was fun 269 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 5: to be bouncy, Like, no, that wasn't fun, But that's 270 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 5: what happened, right, because there wasn't a lot of stuff 271 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 5: that you could buy at the time. So yeah, I 272 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 5: ended up befriending a lot of Asian gangs because they 273 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 5: lowered a lot of their cars. But they're also like, oh, 274 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 5: that's Argen. He's into that street racing stuff. Like don't 275 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 5: need to mess you know, you don't need to mess 276 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 5: with him. He's cool, you know. But yeah, it was fun. 277 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 5: It was a lot of fun. It was kind of 278 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 5: that culture some time until Imports Show Off and Hot 279 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 5: Import Nights and Battle the Imports got really big, which 280 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 5: led into the movie of course, And yeah, it was 281 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 5: kind of a game changer at that time, but it 282 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 5: was already kind of getting bigger because there was this movement. 283 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: For those that you don't know speaking of the movie, 284 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,439 Speaker 1: RJ is in Fast and Fears. 285 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 5: Yeah, a little two seconds of thing. I still get 286 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 5: residual a little more than that. 287 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean. 288 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 5: There was three lines in the script. One got cut 289 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 5: where joh Rule and I were kind of bantering at 290 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 5: the line. 291 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: So just to give you context of how I know 292 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 1: RJ was starving actor. Like, I'm like a buck twenty 293 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: five starving. I have like twenty jobs just to like 294 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: you know, be able to eat. And I was like, 295 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: I have to just like make some type of money. 296 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:21,319 Speaker 1: I have to also be around like you know, production 297 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: and Stan I can't remember his name, last name, but 298 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: he was part of Yolk magazine and he was a 299 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: good friend, right. He was like an older kind of 300 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: like brother type, and he was like, hey man, you 301 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: know we got to do this like kind of cool commercial. 302 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: And you know, you have a camera which I didn't 303 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: because I could borrow it, right, And he's like, do 304 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: you want to shoot this commercial? I was like, what 305 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: do you mean you like shoot it? He's like you 306 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: want to direct it? And I was like yeah, I 307 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: had never directed anything, and he's like, you know how 308 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: to do that? I go, yeah, of course I did. 309 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: I was like yeah, and I'm like, so what is 310 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: it about. It's like, well, you know, you got to 311 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: come up with an idea and then you know it's 312 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: like like some car thing. This is way before fast 313 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: and fierous or anything. Right. So and then somehow I 314 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: think that the actress that was going to be in 315 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: the commercial, they stan already had picked her or they 316 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: were friends and she's was friends with you. So because 317 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: I was like, where do we get a car? Right, 318 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: it's like, well, we need like a dope car. I 319 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: go like what kind of car? It's like ideally like 320 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: an NSX something like that. Like that's crazy, that's that's insane. 321 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: Like who's gonna let us follow that? We have no money? 322 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: And then you showed up at your car okay, right, 323 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: and it's. 324 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 5: Starting to ring something. Remember I do that now that 325 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 5: you say? 326 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: And then he shows up and I was I tell 327 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: everybody the story. I was like, yo, man, that's like 328 00:14:55,720 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: Asian James Dane dude. It was because I'm not from right, 329 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: so I didn't grow up in that that culture, right, 330 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: like the car culture in Georgia. We didn't have that. 331 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 2: It was that's a nice car. 332 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, time that I had. Actually, there's a story about that. 333 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 5: I can get into. 334 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: What color was that car? 335 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 5: Like it was red, it was candy apple red, then 336 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 5: it was a color shift paint. Then it was. 337 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: Silver, silver, we got to win silver, and it was orange. 338 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 5: That was the last six colors. Too many. Yeah, I 339 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 5: would have kept it if I didn't paint it so 340 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 5: many times. 341 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: But he was the first like cool Asian car dude 342 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: I had ever met. That's to find this commercial. Yeah, 343 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: but it's so cool. 344 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 2: That was your That was your directorial debut. 345 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: You realized it and we finished it, like you know, 346 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: we cut it. It took forever because it was it was 347 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: an old ass computer, so I remember it was. It 348 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: was before final cuts and we had to like walk 349 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: away and go have dinner every time we rendered. 350 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 5: I remember those days. 351 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, you came and you were. 352 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 5: Actually because I always wanted and even me now probably 353 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 5: not as much, but anytime someone had a project like hey, 354 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 5: we're trying to do this, I'm like, let's go, Like 355 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 5: what do you need? You know, like you need a car, 356 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 5: you're a person. So that's how that Arco thing came up. 357 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 2: That's funny because that's how I know you today. You're 358 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 2: still very much like that. I try to make it like, 359 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 2: let's do this, make it happen. 360 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 5: Especially if it's like paving away or giving someone an opportunity. 361 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 5: I just loved to get involved. So being part of 362 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 5: this Asian American movement at that age, and then like 363 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 5: car culture being becoming somewhat of our platforms to be 364 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 5: kind of seen and recognized became a real fulfilling thing 365 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 5: for me. 366 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: Let's back up, how did you get involved in Fast? Yeah? 367 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 5: I was initially like casult with Craig Lieberman, the other 368 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 5: person that was consulting on the film. We were both 369 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 5: working at Peterson Publishing. Somehow somebody at Universal found Craig 370 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 5: gave him the script when it was still Redline. They 371 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 5: were like, hey, we're looking for some consultants. He jumped 372 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 5: on and they were like, hey, do you know any 373 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 5: Asian kids that grew up kind of six street racing 374 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 5: and stuff? And he's like, huh, funny you asked like, yeah, 375 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 5: I have this really young, y, happy twenty year old 376 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 5: that works for me, and I'm actually part of his 377 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 5: car club. We're gonna have a car show this weekend. 378 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 5: You should come meet him. And then they were like, hey, 379 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 5: what's your story? And I told my story. They're like, oh, 380 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 5: well you want to help us? And I literally thought 381 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 5: the movie was going to go straight to DVD. I'm like, 382 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 5: are you serious? You're going to make a film with 383 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 5: impoor cars? Sure? 384 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 2: Right? 385 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 5: And they're like, no, we're serious. I okay, you're sure. 386 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 5: If Craig's working on it, yeah, sure, I'll help. And 387 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 5: so what we first did was go through the script 388 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 5: and be like, well, this car progression doesn't feel right, 389 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 5: like was it. Paul's character initially went from like a 390 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 5: three thousand GT tony clips and We're like, well, that 391 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 5: progression isn't right. So we started to align cars to characters, 392 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 5: and then they wanted to go find some cars, so 393 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 5: we started to call friends for these like casting calls 394 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 5: for cars, and then started to figure out, like could 395 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 5: we afford it, because I think that initial movie was 396 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 5: like a thirty five or forty million dollar budget, So 397 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 5: there were actually a lot of cars that ended up 398 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 5: being the character car that weren't initially Selfishly, I was 399 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 5: trying to get Vin's character to drive the NSX, but 400 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 5: we couldn't afford six of them, let alone the kit 401 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 5: that was on my car, Like, they wouldn't give it 402 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 5: to us for free. So we ended up getting the 403 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,479 Speaker 5: RX seven because the Veil side guys were totally down. 404 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 5: They're like, yeah, you need kits, no problem, I mean, 405 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 5: you know what it's for. So there there's little funny 406 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 5: tidbits like that. Even the S two thousand that was 407 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 5: rick Yun's vehicle, which is the villain in the first movie, 408 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 5: that ended up being my S two thousand. We wanted 409 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 5: to use a ham and Z four, but we couldn't 410 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 5: afford four or five ham and Z four, so it's like, 411 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 5: what else do we got. I'm like, oh, I have 412 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 5: this thing S two thousand that looks kind of like batmobile. 413 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 5: They're like, that's good. Can you get the kit? Like, yeah, 414 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 5: I think I get that kit for us, which ended 415 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 5: up being Suki's car in the second movie, and now 416 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 5: it sits at the Pepo it's the. 417 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: Same car, same car. Well who made that kid? 418 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, you know Sacho, So yeah, well. 419 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 1: It's the same. 420 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 5: I didn't know that it was black in the first 421 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 5: movie with the Ninja Stars, which we made fun of 422 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 5: in Super Street and call them snowflakes. 423 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 1: But I didn't realize like vale Side was there from 424 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: the beginning. 425 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 5: In the beginning. 426 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, hopefully you get to meet him one day. 427 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:33,360 Speaker 1: Yoku Makusan, the owner of the site. It's like just 428 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: one of the angelic Cuman beings. 429 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, did see your z it toky It was there again? 430 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 5: Yeah yeah, yeah, he's one of the OG's from that 431 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 5: Japan tuning air, like Smoking Nagata, you know, Ada San, 432 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 5: Drift King, They're all the same circle. And I had 433 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 5: met him because I was working at Super Street. He 434 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 5: didn't have a booth at Auto Salon, so I got 435 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 5: some friends to rent a van to drive us out 436 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 5: to his shot and then I shot it for a feature. 437 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 5: And then the next year I came back and I'm like, hey, 438 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 5: remember me. I worked for the small little magazine in 439 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 5: the US. And people were already knocking his stuff off 440 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 5: in the US, and he was like RJ, like in Japan, 441 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 5: this is shameful, and I'm like I understand, but people 442 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 5: want your stuff and they can't get it. And they're like, 443 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 5: I'm going to fly to the US and you're gonna 444 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 5: help me. And I was like sure, Okay, so I 445 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 5: actually helped him start as US when he had the 446 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 5: US offices back here back then, which is how we 447 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 5: got all the parts for the movie, because I was like, Hey, 448 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 5: there's this movie that's happening. We need some parts. And 449 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 5: he's like, what do you need. I'm like, well, we 450 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 5: need RC seven kids and S two thousand kids. He's like, 451 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 5: do you need wheels. I'm like, yes, we need wheels. 452 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 5: Send that to and so that's how we ended up 453 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 5: in the movie. WHOA Yeah, but he was. 454 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 455 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 5: He was a mentor for me, and everyone talks about 456 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 5: their mentors, so he was definitely one of them. 457 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: That's so interesting. I never knew that. 458 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 5: Or Jay, he's super a jail. Like, there's so many 459 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 5: cars that I built that ended up on the covers 460 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 5: of magazines, and they did because he would always send 461 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 5: me the first so he'd like, Oh, here's my new 462 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 5: S two thousand, here's my new Millennium Edition S two 463 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 5: thousand kit. I'm going to send you on go build 464 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 5: a car. Or here's the m R two Fortune Model kit. 465 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 5: I'm going to send you one, and. 466 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 2: This while you were at Superstreight. 467 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 5: It was while I was kind of like a roving 468 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 5: editor at Superstreet. Yeah, and still doing you know, selling 469 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 5: body kits and other parts. And then started the wheel line. 470 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 5: I don't know if you know this. I had a 471 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 5: wheel line that was named after me for about seven years, 472 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 5: which is a lot of fun. 473 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 4: Really uh huh. 474 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: So those are probably collector items now, it's fine. 475 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,879 Speaker 5: I didn't keep it. I don't have one single wall right. 476 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 2: If anyone's listening, who has what did you? 477 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 5: If you have a Roja Motorsport wheel, I would love 478 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 5: to like have one. 479 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:48,880 Speaker 1: Got to bring those back, man. 480 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 4: Yeah. It was. 481 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 5: It was a good era in my life. I was 482 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 5: very blessed, very fortunate. Like I remember the wheel deal 483 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 5: specifically where I had helped the company American Racing develop 484 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 5: their new import line which is still rounds called Multagi Racing, 485 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 5: and then they were like, hey, RJ like, have you 486 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 5: ever thought of having your own line? And they created 487 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 5: a mock up and the center caps at RJD wheels, 488 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 5: which I felt I just about fell like out of 489 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 5: my chair laughing because I was super into like the 490 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 5: JDM stuff like racing hard SSR and I could never 491 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 5: imagine someone like wanting to buy a wheel that had 492 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 5: like RJD. I remember driving home one day and I 493 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 5: was like, you know, even if it did suck, it 494 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 5: just be cool. And this is probably in the mid 495 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 5: early two thousands, right before the first movie. I got 496 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 5: back and I'm like, hey, guys, like I'm down, Like 497 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 5: you can't call it RJD because that sounds really lame, 498 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,400 Speaker 5: Like it's your it's your line. You make it whatever 499 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:41,880 Speaker 5: you want, you know, I'm like. 500 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 1: Okay, cool. 501 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 5: And that started that whole kind of line of wheels 502 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 5: for about seven years. 503 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: That's a long time. Yeah, it had a good run. 504 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:52,479 Speaker 1: I like what you just said. There was like self 505 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 1: doubt about like who's who, Who's gonna want these wheels? 506 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: But let's give it a try, right, you know, it's 507 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: like these for in our head. I'm very guilty of it. 508 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:07,479 Speaker 1: And that's something that I'm always conscious of and trying 509 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: to like overcome going I'd like to try this. I'd 510 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: like to you know, write this, or direct this, or 511 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 1: even my first, like you know movie I directed. Right 512 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: the whole time, it was all these voices like who 513 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 1: are you doing direct? 514 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 5: What do you know? 515 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: You have no talent? 516 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 2: Imposter syndrome. 517 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's gonna it's gonna bomb, it's gonna flop. It's 518 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: gonna you're gonna lose money and you'll never be able 519 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: to do this again. And even after I finished it, 520 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: it was like constant voices like it sucks, it sucks, 521 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 1: it sucks. And then it comes out and it's like 522 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: it sucks, it sucks, it sucks. And then all of 523 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: a sudden one day you like step back and you go, 524 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: you know, yeah, it didn't want to Oscar or it 525 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: didn't do all that, but you know, it sets you 526 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: up and you learn so much. Yeah right, And the 527 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: most important thing I learned was that even if it 528 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,959 Speaker 1: doesn't didn't win awards and doesn't have the same successes 529 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: as like the big block busters, it made me realize 530 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: that I have so much gratitude that I could just 531 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: even do that. Yeah, to be in a place to go, hey, 532 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: you know, you want to go make a movie, you 533 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 1: want to direct a movie. It actually happened, yeah right, 534 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: And then the voices kind of calm down and you're like, hey, 535 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: shut up, voices, just go and do. And the lesson 536 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: that I try to like convey here is that you 537 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: got to shut those voices down. You just got to 538 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 1: do it right. 539 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 2: I heard something this morning and I don't know who 540 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 2: it came from, so I don't want to misquote, but 541 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 2: it was one day or day one. 542 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: It's your choice, so simple. 543 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know, but like so much there at the 544 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 2: same time. 545 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, because if you don't start, it never happens. 546 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 2: But I hear that through line in your story. A 547 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 2: lot even you know, get in the business license of 548 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 2: just going after it and getting it. It doesn't seem 549 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 2: or do you have many thoughts that are similar to 550 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 2: what sung saying of imposter syndrome or maybe doubt? Do 551 00:24:58,560 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 2: you ever doubt yourself? 552 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 5: I definitely have the voices I think, like a lot 553 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 5: of people do, write down you know that doubt and 554 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 5: whether am I capable of doing this? You know what 555 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 5: gives me the right to try this? You know? Will 556 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 5: it resonate with anyone? I think that's a lot of 557 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 5: people deal with that, right. I'd like to say, probably 558 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 5: bury it pretty good. We're like, oh, wow, what's the 559 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 5: worst that can happen? And I think I was really 560 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 5: blessed and fortunate that at a at a fairly young age, 561 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 5: I was able to do that and things were somewhat successful, right. 562 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 5: The movie did well, Super Sheet did well, so I 563 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 5: worked on projects. I worked on forts and motorsports that 564 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,439 Speaker 5: did well, and so I was really like, oh to 565 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 5: your point, like you look back, You're like I did 566 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 5: pretty good, you know, and so you get you gain 567 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 5: more confidence, and it's kind of I'm sure your your 568 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 5: first YouTube video to the one you just posted, if. 569 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 2: You go back and watch huge growth, right yeah. 570 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 5: You know, yeah, because I mean it is it is 571 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,399 Speaker 5: day one, you know, and so I've I've been really lucky, 572 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 5: and I think thee of us, you know, to be 573 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 5: able to do things where then you can look back 574 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 5: in hindsight, so the second time you do it, it's 575 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 5: a lot easier, and the third time it becomes like, oh, 576 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,719 Speaker 5: I kind of know this cycle, you know, and so 577 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 5: you do have a lot more confidence, and then you 578 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 5: also fail, right I was, you know, I I after 579 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 5: the wheel line. I tried to do a whole performance 580 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 5: car line right around the one bubble bursts, and I 581 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 5: had investment and then I lost it. I was trying 582 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 5: to build a couple pro drag cars, went crazing a 583 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 5: debt on my mom's home equity and then had to 584 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,640 Speaker 5: shut everything down, and the dream came collapsing down. And 585 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 5: it was probably some of the toughest time in my life, 586 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 5: and it took me seven or eight years to kind 587 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 5: of pay back this this loan. Luckily it was a 588 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 5: home loan. So but this fear that I was going 589 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 5: to lose like our small little condo, you know, chasing 590 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 5: this dream and having this gratitude to my mom for 591 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:55,879 Speaker 5: even allowing me to like do that. But that was 592 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 5: an experience and you grow from it and then you 593 00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 5: learn like, well, failure's just a part of it, you know, 594 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 5: and just about getting up and getting back on the bike. 595 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: Right. 596 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 5: So I think that's that's where that imposter syndrome can 597 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:09,440 Speaker 5: really hold you down, if you hold on too much 598 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:12,479 Speaker 5: to the things that didn't go well, yeah, you know, 599 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 5: versus like, well that didn't go well, what did I learn? Okay, 600 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 5: that hurts. I'm gonna let it hurt, and then I'm 601 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 5: gonna move on. 602 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 2: And just because it didn't go well last time doesn't 603 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 2: mean it's not gonna go well again. 604 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 5: So so I think that's if I could impart anything 605 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 5: on anyone, you know, I would agree with you. Just 606 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 5: they want to just go just go for it, you know, 607 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 5: and no matter what happens, it's not the end of 608 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 5: the world life goes on. 609 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, thanks for sharing that. I mean, I think a 610 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: lot of people look at you. He is a dude 611 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,879 Speaker 1: that every that everything goes right. And then to just 612 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: share that you had to take like a loan out 613 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: from your mom's condo where it all started. 614 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 2: It all. 615 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, well obviously, I mean all that wealth of knowledge 616 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: is you know, valuable to the industry, the car industry 617 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 1: too today because now you're at SEMA. 618 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,719 Speaker 5: Yeah yeah, yeah, so it's it's come around full circle, 619 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 5: you know. Like my first two main events that I 620 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 5: went to outside of the import car shows were Autoslon 621 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:16,199 Speaker 5: and SEMA back in ninety six. I had so I 622 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,119 Speaker 5: took you Autuslan for those listening, which is there's a 623 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 5: couple events that I think if you're a car enthusiast 624 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 5: you have to go to Tokiautoslan is one of them, 625 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 5: Festival of Speed is another, SEMA Show is another, and 626 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 5: Monterey Carweek. It was like to me those four like 627 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 5: if you love cars like you gotta go to those four. 628 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 5: But SEMA, I haven't missed one since ninety six except 629 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 5: for the one that we didn't have, So this one 630 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 5: will be twenty seven years. So when I came to 631 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 5: work for the organization. It kind of felt like a homecoming. 632 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 5: The only the only thing that I had not done 633 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 5: going to the SEMA show was be part of the 634 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 5: team that put it together. I'd been you know, a builder, photographer, 635 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 5: small company host, bigger company hosts for like so many 636 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 5: things around the show. That just felt like natural that 637 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 5: I would be part of the team that helped, you know, 638 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 5: kind of puts it together and helps evolve it. And 639 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 5: just the organization, right, because many people think about SEMA, 640 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 5: they just think about the show, but the organization does 641 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 5: so much more for just the aftermarket companies and the 642 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 5: people that are involved in the industry. 643 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: So for the listeners that don't know what SEMA is like, 644 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 1: how would you describe it? 645 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 5: For Layman Tern, Well, it's some membership based organization or association, 646 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 5: but it also really looks out for the industry and 647 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:33,120 Speaker 5: advocating for the industry. 648 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: Right. 649 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 5: We're doing a lot of work on the government front, 650 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 5: you know, to really advocate for, as an example, a 651 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 5: technology neutral future. There's a lot of proposals that by 652 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 5: twenty thirty five, everything that's sold news is going to 653 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 5: be ev and we feel and personally for myself too, 654 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 5: that it should be technology neutral. If people should be 655 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 5: allowed the choice to choose whether it's a synthetic fuel 656 00:29:55,320 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 5: or hydrogen or biofuel or EV or hybrid. That yeah, 657 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 5: the customer should have the choice, right, it shouldn't be mandated. 658 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 5: So let like innovation kind of you know, it's it's 659 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,760 Speaker 5: the American story, you know, Let innovation like win over. 660 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 5: So we're doing things like that, and we do a 661 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 5: lot of product development testing and EPA and card compliance 662 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 5: for a lot of companies. 663 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: You're making it too too complicated organization to help and 664 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 1: support aftermarket. 665 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 5: Companies, yes, and the industry, yes, the automobile. Sorry, so 666 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 5: I got too deep. I just love it. I just 667 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 5: love what we stand for. We love working here, and 668 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 5: it's really really interesting to see like car culture like 669 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 5: move beyond just like national borders, right, and I think 670 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 5: Fast kind of did that too, you know, where like 671 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 5: it created as phenomena and just to be part of 672 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 5: that for me was was very fulfilling, really really fulfilling. 673 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,320 Speaker 5: And so that's that's all I want to do now 674 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 5: is do things like that. 675 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: So do you think because of social media car culture 676 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: is going strong? Because you know, with ev sure, coming in. 677 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: There's always this argument, this notion about car culture dying, 678 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: but it seems like, you know, anytime I looked at it, 679 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: like Instagram or yeah, it's just it's all like maybe 680 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: it's my it's all I see. 681 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 5: I think I was on the brink of disappearing, to 682 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 5: be quite frank, after the recession. It felt like my 683 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 5: nephews as an example for me being who I am 684 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 5: and my nephew is not caring about cars is a 685 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 5: little bit crazy to me. But it's just not their deal. 686 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 5: Older they they're twenty five and twenty three, a super 687 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 5: into sports, super into gaming, but that's their deal. 688 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: They don't care about cars at all, not at all. 689 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 5: But it felt like during the risk, after the nine recession, 690 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 5: there's this debt, and then right around like twenty thirteen 691 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 5: or fourteen, I started to see young people again at 692 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 5: car meets and it would rattle off like car names 693 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 5: and horsepower, like the people that grew up in our 694 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 5: generation that played grants Arismo actually oddly enough and found 695 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 5: out about cars and come to find out because of 696 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 5: social media, because of mobile games like CSR Racing and 697 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 5: things of that nature. It was kind of coming back 698 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 5: in a different way though, you know, do I think 699 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 5: things will change. Absolutely if things become really all new 700 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 5: cars are evy, that's going to change things, you know. 701 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 5: But I think the love to personalize thing isn't and 702 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 5: I think that's where the difference is. Like maybe some 703 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 5: of the performance stuff changes, but this idea that you're 704 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 5: always going to want something that's personal in yours, I 705 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 5: think isn't going to go away. So that's what gives 706 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 5: me hope. And then of course what everybody's doing, you know, 707 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 5: the stuff that Emilia is doing, Dustin TJ, you name it, right, 708 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 5: all these people that are young and really diving into 709 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 5: it and showing that next generation. It's really cool to 710 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 5: see and I think it is helping at the end 711 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 5: of the day, Like I don't think we'd have as 712 00:32:55,320 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 5: much interest from the younger generation if people like Chamelia 713 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 5: weren't making her content and breaking the barriers that she's 714 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 5: braking early. 715 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 4: So absolutely, yeah. 716 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 1: I was watching this YouTube video but this car meet 717 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 1: in Texas, right, and this guy asking car owners like, hey, 718 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 1: you know, what do you think about this car? You 719 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 1: should show a picture of like somebody's and a sex 720 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 1: and you know, give it a brating one to ten 721 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 1: and you go, that's a nine, that's a ten, And 722 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: there was you know the ten people I saw. There 723 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 1: was I think one Asian dude. Everybody was like Texan 724 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:52,560 Speaker 1: like you know, good old boy like Americans, but everyone 725 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:54,960 Speaker 1: was driving. I think I saw one hell cat. Everybody 726 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 1: was driving JDM. Yeah, and it made me realize something. 727 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 1: It's like through the car culture, this thing of like inclusion, diversity, right, 728 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 1: understanding other cultures, like for us to be accepted people 729 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 1: that you that look like you and I. The cars 730 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: are taking care of that for us because you know, 731 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 1: when Japanese cars are so beloved, it's not a thing anymore. 732 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 1: There used to be this term called rice rocket. Even 733 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 1: five years ago. Man, there was like these Maverick guys 734 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: from good old boys, and they kept calling my Maverck 735 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:35,440 Speaker 1: like a rice rocket, and I was like, what is 736 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:38,399 Speaker 1: that term? Rice rocket? Right? The thing has gone now 737 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 1: they're just like heay man, that's a dope ass car, 738 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:44,919 Speaker 1: right right, And it's pretty beautiful to see that that, 739 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:49,759 Speaker 1: you know, the car culture JDM culture becoming so like 740 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 1: global actually helps like people get along better, you know, 741 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 1: and it fights racism. It was just like fascinating, like 742 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: you know, likezation I had's. 743 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:01,880 Speaker 5: I never thought of it. 744 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 1: Ten years ago, these good old boys would be in 745 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: like you know, American Iron and they look at a 746 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: in the hegra type bar is like a rice rocket. 747 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 1: They're like, why would I drive that? Or they look 748 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 1: at that Corolla. It's like why would I drive that 749 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: little Corolla? But now that is like pretty cool everybody's pocket. Yeah, 750 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: it's it's changed for sure. I think for bring a trailer, 751 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 1: Like the fastest growing segment is eighties and nineties JDM cars. 752 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:31,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, Like there's this bond that people start to have 753 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 5: when you're like, oh you're you're a carn thesist. Like 754 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 5: we're the same people, you know. And it happens in 755 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 5: different cultures, right, I are other things like food or 756 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 5: sneaker culture or whatever, but car culture is one of them. 757 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 5: You travel around the world and it could be completely different. 758 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 5: Like I've never seen this car, like I used to 759 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:50,320 Speaker 5: go to France. I'm like, what is that poujo? 760 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 1: Like? 761 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:53,040 Speaker 5: But it's tuned in the same way. It's got deep 762 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:56,320 Speaker 5: job and stereo and wheels, and you're like, you're my people. 763 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:59,600 Speaker 2: I called out my found family because I always say 764 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 2: wherever travel. I know, I have a family there, and 765 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 2: you don't even need to speak the same language. Like 766 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 2: when I was at Tokyoto San, I was using the 767 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:10,239 Speaker 2: translator app to just communicate about the modifications that have 768 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 2: been done to certain cars, and I at one point 769 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 2: I took a step back and screenshot it because I 770 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 2: was like, this is pretty cool. Yeah, we don't speak 771 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 2: the same language, but at the same time, we do 772 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:22,520 Speaker 2: and we're talking it. And that's cars. 773 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:25,160 Speaker 5: I am curious, like, what are you guys looking to 774 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,919 Speaker 5: do next car wise? But you got Project Base, Yeah, 775 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:29,319 Speaker 5: you got your thirty four. 776 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's probably going to be my next project. 777 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 1: Okay. 778 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:38,320 Speaker 2: I also have this Replica Superbird that it came across 779 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:40,799 Speaker 2: that I'm kind of going through the planning stages of 780 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:44,640 Speaker 2: right now. And yeah, a few few cars on my horizon, 781 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 2: but my biggest focus right now is getting the FTR 782 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 2: on a container and back out here to the States. 783 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 2: What about you. 784 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: I have a it's actually a eighty five Grand National 785 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 1: roller found in the desert. I have a stock which 786 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 1: you have a Grand National team. I love this. I 787 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 1: love wow you sold it? Yeah, well so I just 788 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 1: love the Gea bodies. And then Nissan they're supporting us, 789 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:15,120 Speaker 1: and they send over enough car for me to take 790 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:18,960 Speaker 1: all the pieces out. So Nissan sent me a R 791 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:22,920 Speaker 1: thirty five with a v R thirty eight motorow So 792 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 1: that imagine a R thirty five g t are having 793 00:37:27,239 --> 00:37:31,319 Speaker 1: a baby with a Buick Grand National and the King 794 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:32,439 Speaker 1: Kudo comes out. 795 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:38,319 Speaker 5: I think you're so good. And Daniel like best names 796 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:38,880 Speaker 5: for cars. 797 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 1: So hey, I'm doing it with Daniel because we have 798 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 1: students Ordan together. Yeah yeah. So then it's actually just 799 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 1: sitting in the garage now, so we just got to 800 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:50,719 Speaker 1: get to it. It's been a busy last year. I'd 801 00:37:50,719 --> 00:37:54,200 Speaker 1: love to send it to Tokyo Auto Salon and just 802 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:59,600 Speaker 1: leave it there because you know, Japanese love American cars, yes, right, 803 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 1: and then as an egent, a real Grand National and 804 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 1: the heart is Japanese car, which is like so awesome, right, 805 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:12,520 Speaker 1: So King Kudo that's sweet with like watanabase. Imagine like 806 00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: the vision is like big fat waase right with the 807 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 1: rocket bunny kid on it, right, and it's all these 808 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:23,080 Speaker 1: little like the door handles are from the gtr okay, right, 809 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:25,279 Speaker 1: you're gonna use it a little bit yeah together yeah, 810 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:28,799 Speaker 1: so it's like it's like if a Grand National and 811 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:32,359 Speaker 1: a GTR had a baby, the King Kudo would come out. 812 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:33,920 Speaker 1: So it's a biracial car. 813 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:37,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm excited for this project. Yeah, that's a really 814 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 2: rad Is yours going to be the S two k? 815 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 1: Yeah? 816 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:43,080 Speaker 5: It's almost done actually for us for what I wanted 817 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:43,520 Speaker 5: it done. 818 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:45,520 Speaker 2: What were you doing to it? You just got this 819 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:46,439 Speaker 2: car a couple of months ago. 820 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 5: No, no, it's been two years almost. It's pretty stoked 821 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 5: about it because I kind of the thought was if 822 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,319 Speaker 5: I was going to make an S T thousand, if 823 00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 5: Fast and Fears was just coming out, Now, how wide 824 00:38:57,440 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 5: I build it? And so that's what this car is. 825 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,439 Speaker 5: It's kind of a little bit of a tribute building. Yeah. 826 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:04,960 Speaker 5: So I've been driving it around a lot of about 827 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,799 Speaker 5: four months ago. I just haven't taken it to track, 828 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:08,920 Speaker 5: which will be the next thing. 829 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 1: So since I have you here, this is a good 830 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:14,240 Speaker 1: good person to talk. 831 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 2: Not the underwear thing. 832 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:25,480 Speaker 1: No, no, no, okay, that's past topic. So since you 833 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:32,359 Speaker 1: were part of the first Fast and now we're at Fast, Yeah, 834 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 1: where do you think the Fast franchise can go or 835 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:38,760 Speaker 1: should go? Or should it even go any longer? Because 836 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 1: I mean now that we're literally in space. 837 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 5: You're all avengers at this point. 838 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, so how do we make it better? If 839 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:47,959 Speaker 1: you were too? 840 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,480 Speaker 5: I don't know if it's better. I mean I do feel. 841 00:39:50,239 --> 00:39:52,400 Speaker 1: Like, what's it what? What does it need to to 842 00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 1: put some gas in the tank? 843 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:57,080 Speaker 2: I mean what you did there? 844 00:39:57,280 --> 00:40:02,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, unintended? And you've got cars in a piero in space, 845 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,920 Speaker 5: which is pretty hilarious actually, and cars getting picked up 846 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:07,319 Speaker 5: by jets. It's like, okay, Like it feels like it's 847 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,239 Speaker 5: run its course as that, and it almost feels like 848 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:13,320 Speaker 5: a prequel could be an avenue, but it's a completely 849 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:15,799 Speaker 5: different story, and it's back to cars, you know, at 850 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:17,520 Speaker 5: least as a car fan, Like I still watched the 851 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 5: franchise knowing like it's gonna be a spy movie, you 852 00:40:22,120 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 5: know at the end of the day, right, and with 853 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:26,160 Speaker 5: a lot of explosions and cars that flip over and 854 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:29,040 Speaker 5: keep driving like fifty million times, which is funny because 855 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:30,440 Speaker 5: we used to make fun of the first one like 856 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 5: oh there were like twelve thousand. 857 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:34,120 Speaker 2: Shifts, granny shifting not double. 858 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:36,840 Speaker 5: And all the words right that they had us actually 859 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:39,399 Speaker 5: like a side tangent. Craig and I created a bunch 860 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:41,320 Speaker 5: of words on a sheet and they just started putting 861 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:44,840 Speaker 5: stuff in spoonoaterer with like these six turbo was like 862 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:47,400 Speaker 5: those those don't don't go together. No one's gonna know, 863 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:49,640 Speaker 5: No one's gonna know. But it just feels like it's 864 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 5: it's just so over the top. Now, like how do 865 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:54,240 Speaker 5: you bring it back? Like kind of like Bond. Bond 866 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:57,120 Speaker 5: got super over the top when I forget who the 867 00:40:57,160 --> 00:41:00,800 Speaker 5: action director was, where like you were people were shot 868 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:02,560 Speaker 5: at and they were like ever getting hit and then 869 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:04,879 Speaker 5: you went to the like the current version of Bond, 870 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:08,319 Speaker 5: which was way more raw, right physical, and I feel 871 00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:11,080 Speaker 5: like the franchise could do that. And so that that's 872 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:13,640 Speaker 5: just Party of one if it was going to go anywhere, 873 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:16,799 Speaker 5: and maybe it needs to sunset and something else come up. 874 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:20,360 Speaker 5: The Grand Tourisma movie was a great movie. It approached 875 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:22,719 Speaker 5: car culture in a different way. I mean, yeah, it's 876 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:26,359 Speaker 5: gaming culture and car and more racing culture, right, but 877 00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:29,359 Speaker 5: Grand Sarisma was such a big part of why car 878 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:32,080 Speaker 5: culture became what it was because like, no one knows 879 00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:35,839 Speaker 5: what the hell spoon Civic was until they paid grants 880 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:39,120 Speaker 5: risk or earth GTR for a lot of young people. 881 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:41,920 Speaker 5: That's how they got introduced. You know, So that's my 882 00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:43,880 Speaker 5: that's my thoughts on I'd love to see it be 883 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:44,680 Speaker 5: something different. 884 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:46,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean when I when I you know, when 885 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:50,120 Speaker 1: I think about Emilia and you know, the TJ's and 886 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:54,160 Speaker 1: the Dust and right, there's such a like lack of 887 00:41:54,239 --> 00:42:00,440 Speaker 1: representation and movies today for this demographic, right, I mean 888 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:05,560 Speaker 1: Fast is kind of our generation, right. And it's interesting 889 00:42:05,560 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 1: because you know, when we did Tokyo Drift, I mean 890 00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:12,440 Speaker 1: after it came out, you know, people just kind of 891 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:15,360 Speaker 1: pooped on the movie. They're like, what is this drifting nonsense? 892 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:19,680 Speaker 1: Isn't that fast? And now kids, the kids today are like, hey, 893 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:22,120 Speaker 1: that's the movie I connect with, right, and that's. 894 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:22,520 Speaker 5: What started it. 895 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:24,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, a lot of it's interesting, right, It's like. 896 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:27,680 Speaker 5: And not like Fast won because they were okay. 897 00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 2: Drift was the first one for me, and then I 898 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:30,360 Speaker 2: went back and watched the others. 899 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:33,400 Speaker 5: I think there's this opportunity, to your point, to you know, 900 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:35,759 Speaker 5: have the next generation be a part of something that 901 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:39,759 Speaker 5: becomes the next Fast. I mean, it's car culture I 902 00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:41,560 Speaker 5: don't think is ever going to die. I think the 903 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:45,319 Speaker 5: love for cars and going fast and breaking barriers and 904 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:47,920 Speaker 5: all the things that it stands for is part of 905 00:42:47,920 --> 00:42:50,560 Speaker 5: the human spirit, So how do you capture that in 906 00:42:50,600 --> 00:42:51,160 Speaker 5: a new way. 907 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:56,840 Speaker 1: I think there is a hunger for car centric like entertainment. 908 00:42:57,560 --> 00:43:01,799 Speaker 1: You know, yeah, there's still a big interest. I mean, 909 00:43:02,239 --> 00:43:04,239 Speaker 1: this is a good question. Then to gauge that is, 910 00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:07,319 Speaker 1: like it Seema growing or dying or not dying? 911 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:11,240 Speaker 5: It is, so then that kind of change things. Okay, sure, 912 00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:14,520 Speaker 5: So we're growing from what the pandemic was. I think 913 00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:16,000 Speaker 5: like last year we had like one hundred and forty 914 00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:18,560 Speaker 5: thousand people. Year before we had one hundred and thirty 915 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:21,040 Speaker 5: year before, we had one hundred year before, we didn't 916 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:23,840 Speaker 5: have it. So we're getting close to some of the 917 00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:24,960 Speaker 5: pre pandemic numbers. 918 00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:26,800 Speaker 1: Or were those numbers, Yeah, what were those numbers? 919 00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:29,880 Speaker 5: I think the biggest was like one seventy. 920 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:32,800 Speaker 2: I would love and this is my unwarranted or unasked 921 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:36,399 Speaker 2: for opinion, but I would love to see Seema doing 922 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:38,680 Speaker 2: I know there's always it's Vegas, so there's the parties 923 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:40,839 Speaker 2: and all that afterwards, but I'd love to see it, 924 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:42,839 Speaker 2: to see a carshoon in one of the garages one night, 925 00:43:43,239 --> 00:43:45,879 Speaker 2: and I'm sure you got to talk about doing that, 926 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:46,800 Speaker 2: but yeah. 927 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:47,959 Speaker 1: It's a good I noted. 928 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:50,400 Speaker 5: We're hatching an idea. 929 00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:53,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, thank thank you J. This was a great conversation. 930 00:43:53,600 --> 00:43:54,399 Speaker 2: Thank you so much.