February 13, 2025

Creative Expressionism In All It's Forms & Spiritual Healing Through Buddhism with Alexander Polinsky

1 hour 22 minutes

Alexander Polinsky began his showbiz career on stage, at seven, and soon landed a role on one of the 80s’ biggest sitcoms, Charles in Charge. From there, Alex followed his imagination into working as a toy maker, a magician, a chef, a clown, a musician and a voice actor. Alex joins us to share stories about his Universal backlot adventures, his spiritual healing journey and his new album!

Alex comes from an acting lineage. His parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were performers and by age ten, he had acquired more fame than anyone yet in the Polinsky acting dynasty. But the pathway to happiness has been more circuitous.

Alex played Adam Powell (who had Charles in Charge of him from ages 10 to 16.) Not the best supervision. Alex stepped forward during the #MeToo movement, along with his co-star, Nicole Eggert, to allege that he was persistently bullied, tormented and sexually harassed by the star of the show. Charles in Charge was not a safe set for children but Universal had recently turned their backlot into a theme park and Alex enjoyed the run of it… to the point where his adventuring through attractions triggered lasers that awakened floods and giant apes!

He had the opportunity to learn from veteran actors and special effects masters. Lessons and wisdom that informed his future endeavors.

Alex transitioned from actor to toymaker, designing the molds that shaped icons of creative play… Polly Pocket and the talking Pee Wee Herman doll. But he dreamed of becoming an action figure and his voice over work has shrink wrapped exactly that! He voices Control Freak in Teen Titans, Argit in Ben 10 and Darington in Blaze and the Monster Machines. All now action figures!

Alex's parents valued spirituality, and when he was ready to begin his healing journey he turned to Buddhism and its tenets of mindfulness and self-discovery. His fascination with the Theravada school of Thai Buddhism recently brought him to a monastery in Chiang Mai where he studied its history and is planning on recording the audiobook version of the biography of influential monk Ācariya Mun Bhūridatta Thera!

Alex’s band with Johnny Vallone is called Make Magic. Their new album is Before Your Very Eyes and they describe their music as evocative, emotional, impressionistic, alt rock/pop with a theatrical flair.

All that plus a rousing round of IMDB Roulette!

In recommendations --

Fritz: The movie Conclave, Streaming on Several Platforms

Weezy: The PBS Series Funny Woman

Path Points of Interest:

Alexander Polinsky

Alexander Polinsky on IMDB

Alexander Polinsky on Wikipedia

Make Magic

Make Magic on Spotify

Make Magic on Apple Music

Ācariya Mun Bhūridatta Thera biography