If you missed the live broadcast of my chat with Mr. Christopher Coppola, you can download the podcast now. Mr. Coppola and I have been corresponding for almost seven years through his blog and via email, and I admittedly was a little nervous to finally speak with him on the phone. It wasn’t because of who he is. It’s more the anticipation of finally getting to hear the voice of someone you feel like you know and respect. It’s almost surreal and you don’t want to disappoint when someone has a picture of you painted in his/her mind. Also, I have a very strange aversion to telephones. I’m a little old fashioned in that way. We’re surrounded by all this amazing technology intended to keep us plugged in at all times, but it also lends to us being cold and disconnected. Instead of someone right beside you saying “I’m pretty sure you shit your pants because that fart just summoned The Pale Horse,” they send you a text “OMFG. U STNK.” Anyway, as expected, I was a bit apprehensive at first since I’m more of an “in-person” kinda guy. But we settled in and got down to brass tacks after about 10 minutes and it was great fun!
Just to clarify, I did leave L.A. the first time because of a bad break-up. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. It just seemed bad at the time. But I actually returned a year later for six months. I decided to move back home again because my grandparents needed someone to help care for them. So I have no ill-will toward the entertainment industry whatsoever and I definitely haven’t given up on carving out a niche for myself. I very much enjoyed all my experiences in L.A., positive and negative. But family comes first for me.
Life is ebb and flow. Constant flux. Expect the unexpected, but always be moving forward. If it’s time to come back to L.A., it’s time. If not, that’s okay, too. You can’t rely on a location to make you happy. You live in your skin. If you’re happy, you’ll be happy anywhere. I know this sounds kind of morbid, but my entire family bought plots at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, CA. So dead or alive, I’m going back! It’s sad that only in death can we afford a piece of Southern California. But what the fuck can you do, eh?
Back to the radio show. I meant to expound on this cult of celebrity thing. I spent a lot of time around famous people. Interacted with them quite a bit. So I guess I don’t see them the same way a fan does. Not to say that I’m not also a fan because sometimes I am. But people are people. We all have different talents. This just so happens to be their day job. I absolutely feel for some of the things celebrities go through. You can’t go anywhere with your family without being disturbed. Even if you try to stay out of the limelight or stay out of trouble, some asshole with a camera is baiting you, harassing you, trying to make news when you’re just trying to walk down the street like everyone else. You can’t tell if people are trying to be polite or if they want something from you. So you close yourself off from the “everyman” and only associate with others who can relate. It’s an extremely difficult life and I can’t imagine why anyone would want it.
But some people do. They want the power. The fortune. The fame. And they want it at any cost. When I mentioned my distaste for some celebrities, this is the breed I’m talking about. They create a bubble SO exclusive that they end up hurting others in the process. In Christopher Coppola’s case, people want a piece of him because of his last name or because he’s so-and-so’s brother. They completely disregard that he is his own person, a very talented man in his own right. He just has a different agenda. I really respect his humanity. He’s a family man. A husband. A father. A nephew. An uncle. A brother. A friend. He’s not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and say, “Look, I hurt just like you.” He doesn’t mince words. “You are who you are. I am who I am.”
Hollywood is a lot like high school. People run in different circles. You have the popular kids. The bullies. The science geeks. The nerds. The jocks. It’s all there. Even people in the same family run in different Hollywood circles. Blessed are those who can move freely from one circle to the next with respect, dignity, and the courage to live the truth.
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