Stop Drop and Rawle

TRAINING DAY

The name Deon Williams is a common one but there is nothing common about this particular human. Deon has risen to the ranks of a super trainer. However, this physical trainer’s obvious display of skill and competency in the fitness game pales in comparison to his philosophical guru-like personality. I think this is why he has hordes of clients beating down the door to be trained by him. Deon Williams has a myriad of life interest and doesn’t hesitate to throw these experiences into his teaching techniques. He has worked with Hollywood royalty, beauty queens, models, prince and paupers...lions & tigers & bears, oh my! Deon treats them all with the same level of respect and interest. When clients go to see Deon, it’s like going to see “The Wizard”, except Deon’s wizardry is the real deal.

Aisha Alfa, is a Canadian, comedian, actor, writer, host, wife and a recent mother of two beautiful children. Her role of mother is the one she is most proud of. I am equally proud to call Aisha my friend. She has pursued a life in show business in multiple countries beginning in Canada and now good ol Ameerka. Despite her many success in all these various fields in show business she still manages to put her family first. Aisha and I had a candid conversation about what it means to be happy and the art of pursuing a well balanced fulfilled life.

Jean Franzblau is occasionally viewed as some sort of a sex police at her current job as an Intimacy Coordinator. That could not be further from the truth. Jean takes the “awkward” out of shooting uncomfortable sex scenes. It would appear that Jean has stumbled into one of most recent occupations on a Hollywood movie set. The newness of such a position has created confusion by some who cannot fully yet grasp the concept of such a position and what the job entails. Jean is often caught in a position of performing her job whilst simultaneously explaining her job to the necessary parties involved. It also seems as though she inadvertently has to dispel misconceptions and false narratives in order to put others at ease.

It light of the #metoo movement and the sudden awareness of Hollywood’s sexual assault cases and various indiscretions towards women, an Intimacy Coordinator on a set seems like a job position that’s long overdue. Jean appears to be very well trained and does more than a thorough job explaining in a fun way, the protocol and the nuances of what this job requires. Intimacy is her superpower.

Domestic violence or abuse is no laughing matter but somehow Vanessa Fors is able to use levity as she recounts the details of her 10 year long abusive relationship. She emerges from that ordeal a new woman, an enhanced version of her former self. She now uses her experiences to help others overcome their traumas through her Life Coaching business. Now raising two young daughters, she is currently focused on becoming a positive role model for them before unleashing them into the world.

At first encounter, Ramon Garcia comes off as a mild mannered citizen but as he keeps talking we soon get a sense that he’s a deeper ocean of complexities. Ramon was both kind and candid in relaying his experiences in Afghanistan. Mr. Garcia was a Counter Intelligence Agent for the US army who served in Afghanistan. He was initially deployed there just a few months after 9/11 in early 2002. He then returned in 2005 and 2008. So needless to say he’s had ample experience and exposure to the Afghan social and political climate as a “Boots on the ground” US soldier. Ramon was extremely honest as he recounted various incidents during his interactions with the various Afghan character types, ex-Taliban commanders, tribe leaders, civilians etc…

Ramon’s amazing anecdotal stories are not just filled with candor but also a surprisingly vulnerable insightful take on war and it’s effects on us humans. One of my favorite soul enhancing moments during this interview was getting Ramon Garcia’s take on PTSD. Hearing this made the entire interview a worthwhile endeavor.

Abdul-Malik Kashie Yoba aka Malik Yoba, is a tour de force humanitarian, musician, writer, actor, director, social justice warrior, with a list of achievements and accolades as long as an orangutans arm. The list of his numerous achievements in show business dwarfs in comparison to his numerous kind acts and compassion towards his fellow human beings. Malik and I met a little over 25 years ago on the set of our feature film debuts. That film was called “Cool Runnings” released by Disney. Film costars don’t always get along but we hit it off right away. I can remember screen-testing with Malik doing a now famous mirror scene from “Cool Runnings”, thinking to myself, our friendship feels real. This doesn’t feel like acting at all. I have always been drawn to Malik’s realness and kindness. In a world of great pretenders, this quality sticks out like Pinocchio’s nose.

This podcast is about me giving the audience a chance to see the real Malik. Through our conversation you get to sense and feel the man, his philosophy, his concerns, his passions, humor and vulnerabilities. In a world of salacious soundbites and click baits it becomes increasingly difficult to tell who any of us we are. Listening has become my remedy for this. By allowing individuals to share their stories while refraining from judgements, I learn more about the truth and the world. Enjoy Malik’s story. I think you’ll find his world an interesting one.

My friend D’Lo is a writer/actor/comic and activist. He is often referred to as a transgender performer. To me, D’Lo is way more than just those categorical labels. He’s an energetic force moving amongst us reminding us to stay in-sync with our own humanity. He does it all by using the various artistic tools he inherited upon arrival to this planetary plain. I have seen several of D’Lo’s solo shows and they are often sold out and packed with an eclectic group of humans spanning many cultural and class enclaves. His audiences often resemble a gathering at the United Nations. The content of these shows are filled with charismatic anecdotes, taken from slices of D’s life which go from humorous to heart warming to thought provoking. He gives his audiences an emotional workout and they seem to love it. His shows challenges us to break down our barriers built by bias and tempts us to love without conditions.

D’Lo was kind enough to carry on this casual conversation with me giving us a light into his world of being a Transgender person of color. Plus as friends we got a chance to play catch-up.

To say Robert Cortes has lived a colorful life is to blatantly under state the obvious. Mr. Cortes is a retired public defender who has battled it out in California courtrooms for over 30 years. Battled is precisely the word he has used to describe his approach to the numerous amount of court cases he’s had over the past years. Robert is extremely candid and paints clear pictures of his world and what it was like to be a Public Defender handling criminal defense cases. Mr. Cortes openly relays his truths about defending alleged murderers, sexual predators and many of his ex clients who were charged with heinous crimes. He was great at sharing tidbits and insights about the law. Plus it was fun hearing his humorous anecdotes about all the shenanigans that takes place in the courtroom.

This is the second installment of my continuous conversations with my friend Doug E Doug. Whenever I long for a truthful and honest conversation, a dialogue with no veneers, I turn to Doug. You may know him as Doug E Doug the actor and comedian but I look to him as a conversational breath of fresh air. There is very little hindrance or hiding within these conversations. Therefore I find our dialogues freeing and well needed for my soul, especially in a world filled of pseudo-pleasantries. Recording these talks felt less like a podcast and more like wire tapping a phone conversation between two friends. This podcast episode would make Edward Snowden uncomfortable. Doug and I have been having these type of conversations since lounging on the set of “Cool Runnings” back in the mid 90’s. We discuss many things, our lives in show business, woke-culture, Queen Latifah and so much more.

Doctor Reverend Lamonte Taylor is one of the most dedicated practitioners of the Christian faith that I have ever seen. He walks the streets of Santa Monica, CA with his belongings in tow, duffle bags being wheeled on a wagon. The first thing one notices about Mr. Taylor is his incredibly pleasant nature, greeting by passers with a wave and a smile. I have never actually seen Doctor Reverend Lamonte Taylor sleeping on the streets and he is hesitant to mention such things, on the other hand he is open to receiving offerings and donations from strangers. He can be consistently seen at specific corners around the city, surrounded by various bags and baggages. He flashes business cards presenting his title as Doctor Reverend and his founder status of “The Holy Ghost Club”. This was the very card in which I attempted to contact Mr. Taylor regarding this podcast interview. I was prompted to leave a message by a pleasant sounding voice. These efforts were unnecessary for I simply just approached Doctor Reverend at one of his various sidewalk locations and asked him to have breakfast with me and conducted this interview. I found it interesting that he accepted no food but just drank a bottled water.

Doctor Reverend Lamonte Taylor comes off as a mysterious man. His optimism and pleasantries often feel like a barrier or shield from getting to know the real man. Nevertheless he is a man filled with sincerity and kindness plus an intense dedication to his faith.