Tlo what's poppin? We are on twitch. We are live by the time you see this we might not be so just leave a like comment subscribe turn on your post Notification bells. Let's continue to grow the family for Chicago to the UK man We might not need this warning screen, but just in case you get me Don't forget man if you miss a live and you want to catch the next live or catch up on previous lives Go to twitch.com enter this little information that I'm looking at them. I know was pointing to Don't forget we got patreon and we got merch The link for everything is down in the description as normal. This is HMP. Wait the channel is HM prison and Probation services The video is called a day in the life of a prison officer copyright disclaimer under section 107 of the copyright act 1976 Allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism comment news reporting teaching scholarship and research Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing Non-profit educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use no copyright infringement intended all rights belong to their respective owners Talk about it What they trying to do ease my mind that now that they're gonna put the females on here now They ain't gonna show no male prison officers. They still gonna get the same treatment.  That's when my alarm goes off It takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to get into work. That gives me some time sitting a car I see man. I had a whole attitude coming into the video now. She didn't sooth my attitude like come on now They knew what they was doing the way really thinking about what my day Internet is getting to work that gives me some time sitting a car on the way really thinking about what my day He's gonna entail and any sort of tests that are gonna arise and how I might deal with them Usually when I'm setting off to work or I'm on the way to work I'll be thinking about them things and how I can best manage it sometimes Some prisoners could become quite irate an argumentative and I sometimes have to think about how I'm gonna deal with them Conversations and get the best possible outcome So some some days I'm quite anxious When I know that there's something coming up it might resort to some sort of violence between prisoners or Assaults on each other. Let's think let's be real right now. Most male prisoners have no father figure in their lives Like there's a good percentage of them. So they don't respond Well to male authority so it now don't don't take what I'm saying wrong at all because Equal opportunity woman should have all the jobs that men should have and they should have equal pay Because let's be frank. They do jobs much better than us anyway like But at the same time, do you think the prison? Employees female officers because it's because of what I just mentioned Because of those reasons and things of that nature Because I know if I was locked up and a male was telling me what to do every day I'd be irritated, but if I was hearing it from a female, I'd be like, alright, that's fine That's that's fine with me ma'am. Absolutely. How's your day going? Ah, thanks for taking the time to come in and talk to me You feel me like that's the time energy out there a lot of times. I'm quite Lucky for coming to work quite excited I know if there's gonna be a good day I've got some good stuff on it's a good team and everybody works hard on Arthur wings So I like to be less. I'm on I'm in prison like for how many years You're part of that team and I like to know that we've done some good work Sometimes I work 12-hour shifts on this particular day. I'm working an early shift Most prisons work with a changing shift pattern of around 39 hours a week and the length of shifts may vary I arrive at work usually around what past seven the shift officially starts at half past seven It's quite a long process to get through security with all the checks that you've got to do When you're in a rush and you're busy and you know, you've got so many things that you need to start Sometimes you feel like it's a bit of a hindrance, but actually it gives me confidence Everybody that's coming into the establishment is safe and there's nothing Hopefully being conveyed in that is gonna cause any harm Walking through the prison onto the wing. It's it is a era.  I went to silent at that time You hear a lot of the gates clanging if there's anybody shouting or any noises the very prominent And you can hear them clearly so it can be quite daunting to people But you become accustomed to it you become used to it and climatized And it just becomes the norm for you So when I first come in I go to my office I check any emails or any updates from the night before there's been any incidents and I go to the staff room Which is where we hold our morning briefing So everybody in that room in the morning is part of a wing There might be a few other people that get redeployed on to our wing from other areas And that's what's imperative about the morning meeting It's because all the information that's passed on is relevant to that wing The book that I've got in my hand there is the observation book So there's like a voiceover and that is where any incident or any information is recorded. Yeah I used to work for When I worked at the hotel, I would work security sometimes and this is I guess almost exactly the same I'm really decoding this He knows what he does, but I think his frustrations lie with the fact that So that anybody visiting the wing can read it and be kept in the loop of what's going on So I got promoted after 18 months. I didn't expect To be successful. I was hoping just to get an interview and just to get experience of that so I've been in this role now for 10 months on AlphaWing and It's just keeps getting better really because every day there's a new situation that I've not dealt with So I know that I'm developing myself and that's what I need from a job I need to feel like I'm getting better I do enjoy giving the briefs because I feel like it sets the It gives me a chance to set my expectations and what I want to deliver each day To be fair the briefings are probably one of my favorite things about the job because it just gives us time to all come together And discuss any concerns or it gives us time to sort of have like a supervision time where if somebody does have a particular Incident or situation they want to discuss other people can offer advice and guidance with that and Then any tasks and jobs are detailed out to It says I was security at a hotel. I did not leave the back room Was not doing nothing Sitting there going to 7-eleven Back and forth Individuals of what role they're going to play in the day really whether that being the officer or a cleaning officer or Sorting out the applications from prisoners moving prisoners around the wing around the prison to workshops to education Do not repeat on London. So that's it from me. Have a good day Yeah, we're about everywhere. I'll be on the thing about it like I was I'm when I was working security I was six.  I'm like cool And I would just come to the front stand there and everything would just cease to happen. Nothing would happen no And so we're doing sending sewing off to work. I'm a second gym off depending on which one is gone We're going off to work. I'm a second gym off depending on which one is gone Just passion at this yeah, thank you Any person that's going anywhere within the prison will need searching They come down and they are given a rub down search and a wandering which is will pick up anything That's electrical or magnetic. They shouldn't have in their possession and this is done for safety for them for us When you've done this just stay on there so I can give you a rub down before you get off All right having a cat a function It's imperative because we want to make sure everyone remains safe and the prisoners are used to it So they're very you know happy to be involved and compliant And it's just part of the day-to-day bringing of the prison really Thank you Doing a normal a rub down search on the wing when you suspect somebody's got something I found quite a few things whether that be a Stanley knife recently in someone's pocket It was they hadn't been used but there was suspicion it was going to be used Which is a good find and it makes you feel confident again in your own abilities that you Have seen or had a suspicion and actually suspicion was right you've acted upon it in the right way And that's then out of the system really and not going to be used to harm somebody I don't think female Correctional officers can bet down male prisoners in America I Could be definitely wrong but I I don't think As a supervising officer you Supervise the shop move which is when all the prisoners are going from their residential area to the area they're working So whether that be the kitchens the bakery education the laundry The prison officers they will supervise the prisoners on the room up to their workshop or their area of work more education just to make sure that everyone arrives safely and Everybody gets to the area they need to be really and there's no one that's gone off in a direction Prisons have arrived in the bakery. They have an outside Contract making bread for an outside agency and that's that's productive and out But they also make some desserts a stress for the prisoners inside with this the one Gordon Ramsay, you know A meal times I quite like the fact that it's not brought in from outside And it's something that is made within HMP Manchester and it's provided to the prisoners The lads seem to really enjoy it There's a lot of perks have been in the bakery and it's time off the wing for them as well something to focus on the learning new skills They're getting used to working because some of the prisoners that come to prison have never worked and never had a full-time job It gives them some consistency in the life a routine to get to deal with people around them like you would in a normal workplace So I think they learn skills such as teamwork and a bit of independence a bit of initiative and you know if anything needs Did I get to take some to breathe pleat him they learn how to do it there and can work under their own guidance Every day on Alpha wing there's a period in which the prisoners come out of their cells and they can associate with each other They can get any cleaning done any lawn done that they need to do and part of my role And I guess as a prison officer is to engage with the prisoners on the wing and just fill that rapport and builds relationships And especially as a supervising officer you also have the point of call for any issues that may need escalating So some of the prisoners on here will be new to prison potentially for the first ever time potentially as a return Which both come with quite a lot she makes it sound like it's like this same every day like no let's cut the cat When it kicks off what happens because if it is your first time in prison, it's a daunting experience It's intimidating anxiety levels are probably high They're not sure of the processes or procedures the prisoner in question. He's asking about employment So he's telling me that he's got skills and qualifications Which he would like to use within prison and it's a positive thing it show well, sir If you use these outside of prison you wouldn't be here Those that they're wanting to improve and they're wanting to be rehabilitated This prisoner has been on alpha wing for as long as I have been on alpha wing, which is coming up to three years now I've got a really really good relationship with him and Never get too comfortable ready to be released because he's been in prison for so many years I think he's close to 40.  It's much easier to see in a female in authority than a male in authority You'd be like, all right I'm telling you The thing that I want him to do and you know, it's hard work to get to a stage where Every single day anything that I want him to do and you know It's hard work to get to a stage where you do feel That you can trust prisoners and that there is confidence and they can trust you they do Sometimes see you as somebody just in a white shirt or a position of authority and it's hard to build that relationship But it's key to making sure your area of work runs smoothly and every day runs smoothly and people remain safe And that rehabilitation is possible The worst case scenario is people returning to prison and that's ultimately every day is what we're trying to avoid when people leave I say, I hope I never see you again Prison officers that come into the job now and start on an apprenticeship and they will have mentors or Experienced officers guiding them for their first 12 months Whoa of probation as a prison officer. So this is my x-men time. I Don't know why my stream keeps doing that Did it disconnect? I'll come and speak to me to ask if I will speak on the graduate scheme for thought and then this morning I need to make sure you know as I'm going so I've just thought I've not seen it yet Yeah, I've seven to laugh a I've seven to laugh a no pressure. Just chill Because they're actually sat down and met and popular like any other ace as well. Yeah. Yeah Every two weeks no group supervision and every week for Individual one-to-ones. I think it's really important to have that support and have that time to be supervised And bring up any concerns that you might not want to bring up with you to refresh And you might want some dues completely partial who doesn't know the prisoner or doesn't know the staff member that you might be talking about Lunch is around 1130 to 12 o'clock the prisoners serve the meals it comes over from the kitchen The food is made by prisoners it comes over to the wing and it's served by the prisoners behind the server The return to the cells For a period of about an hour or two of a lunch so that staff can get their lunch and then again in the afternoon Another domestic period is run or gym or work or education HMP Manchester is a very very large prison with around 750 prisoners now It's very loud. It's noisy. It's busy. It's active. There's a lot of things that are going on That need dealing with every day. What was that? He was eating. It's active Slow down now You got a whole pie and some ladies a lot of things that are going on That need dealing with every day It can be quite daunting sometimes you get a feeling when you when you think Something's going to happen and nine times that a tennis ride. It's like a sense that you develop You notice I guess something out of the ordinary a prisoner behaving a certain way And that comes with time it comes with being in the job and being involved in incidents What's that pie? All over bread. It's crazy working in a prison often has its downsides And one of them would be when a serious incident has occurred as a prison officer You are expected to respond to these and you'll first be alerted to that by the sound of a general alarm And that can be anything from a fight between two prisoners. It could be a staff assault It could be a cell palm incident where you need to make sure you can get staff there to the scene to help you with that It can be quite daunting when you hear the alarm going off And you do worry about your colleagues about yourself as well But you need to switch on quickly and you need to work out what you need to do You'll do your control and restraint training which provides you with techniques and skills to actively manage A situation where you might have to restrain a prisoner I don't, does that stuff actually work? A lot of the times the prisoners Are compliant And even if they're fighting with each other when staff arrive They will stop fighting and they won't harm you, but often you can get caught in the melee of an incident and be injured When you're managing an incident, it's important to not rush in there straight away You need to take in the entire situation and overall view of what's going on and don't get to no vision Often prisoners might play a fight trying to make it look like there's a fight to hide or mask something else going on Where somebody else has been assaulted let's say or an incident's going on You feel a bit guilty sometimes because you've missed it or you wish you could have responded a bit sooner That guilt can last a couple of days or weeks really Because I don't like the thought of anyone being harmed and it's all about learning It's all about learning from any experience that you've got that you can take forward and deal with things better next time You need to realize you're not going to stop every incident that happens You can't be there for everything but all you can do is respond the best you possibly can Oh, that looked like dig day After the prisoners have been served their meals, they are placed within the cells We then have a last minute brief of how the day has gone and any tasks that need to be completed the day after We count to make sure we've got the right amount of prisoners on our wing And they've all returned from their area of work or employment or education I sort of finish off last few emails Tied at the office for anything that's left over leave a long little shift on the next day All for myself of testing and completing tomorrow and then we walked the gate I remember when I was working at nine to five man, you got me for eight hours Oh, the next person that's supposed to come in after me called off Looks like you'll you as a manager will be staying not me I think if you were thinking about becoming a prison officer, you would need to be a people person definitely I'm not I'm not thinking about that You would need to be willing and eager to help everybody that you come across And I think it's a sensational cat by this lady Also important not to be judgmental Some people have had the worst uprearrings you can imagine or the worst start to life Not that it makes an excuse of why they've committed crime or they've ended up in prison You can help some dereability just by standing and listening to them talk about certain things that have Happened in their previous life. I was born in a council estate. I left school with gcs eds Um in maths in english I had to go back to college to do them again before I could apply for university I had a good upbringing I didn't have the Chose to be a prison guard Hey, ain't nothing wrong with that, but I mean hey listen to each their own You know the best start let's say to life which a lot of these men in prison Honestly, man, if you're applying to be a prison guard, you've got to really like This is what you want to do It's sound like this is what she wanted to do unequivocally Even I don't even know that's the right word for this situation, but probably And yes, that has gone very different to mine But what I like to tell them is that You need to use some things in your past life or things that I guess word you're the best start in life To fuel you instead of holding you back And all the skills that you learn from working within a prison are easily transferable into any job You ever want to go into definitely believe that working as a prison officer stands you in good stead But any job that you might ever find yourself in or come across or want to apply for I can kind of see that It was good on the resume. You could probably convert to like You got patients. You can organize a team. You're good under pressure. Like there's a lot to go on I don't know.  I'm going


What were some of the differences you saw in these different areas? Well, every place has its character. When I first moved to the U.S., I went to study English in California. That was the university that allowed me to learn English within three months. I was ready to actually apply for colleges, got all that TOEFL test off, and that was just great, just living in California and enjoying my time there. The weather was perfect, so it was a great exposure. It was a new universe to me. Coming from such a small town, such as mine, and going to California, it was just amazing. That by itself was great. Then I moved to Seattle, Washington, and that's where I went to community college first. I just went to that school because I just felt like I wasn't ready for a big school as of yet, although all my scores allowed me to go to university. I wanted something that would make me as a focal point. I wanted a professor to focus on me because I needed that attention at that time. Then I moved to a slightly bigger university. It was still a smaller relatively compared to other universities in the U.S., but it was a private and small because I still needed that one-on-one attention from professors. Going through engineering school was not an easy thing, but having my professors as mentors was key to me. Then off to getting my master's degree, and that's when I moved to the East Coast in the United States, that was completely something different. I did not expect the East Coast to be so different from the West Coast, and that also just gave me a completely different learning perspective on things. Just going through a variety of schools like this just shapes a person. It just gives you so many perspectives on how you, as I mentioned earlier, think about life in general.


Alrighty, I got a construction update for you guys today. It's a really quick one. As you can see in the parking lot, they've assembled a lot of Tundra twister, as well as they're pre-building some of the structures. I don't know if the structures are for Snoopy's Racing Railway or Tundra twisters, so we'll have to see there. They're pre-building a roof. Tundra, sorry, Snoopy's Racing Railway station is actually looking so good, like so good. I did find out the reason they haven't installed this piece is because they're actually installing parts inside there. So they've been working inside the actual piece, installing a lot of electrical and parts. And yeah, if you look really closely too, you can see the raising and lowering ramp for you to board Tundra twisters. That's really cool. It's a lot higher off the ground than you think. So I'm starting to think that electrical room there, you'll actually board on top of that building as well. So we'll have to see how that works. Clockworks was still being worked on. It's supposed to be running this weekend. So we'll see if it ends up running. They were working on it while I was there. If you actually look really closely, you can see a guy working literally up in the higher part of it. And yeah, rides were all testing. There's gonna be another video coming out with all the rides testing. So stay tuned for that. And I'm trying to think there was a couple more things to talk about, I think. Clockworks, Tundra twisters, Stimby's Racing Railway, parts in the parking lot building. No, I think that's all it. So thank you so much for watching today's construction update. Nothing going on at front gate yet either. So I think that's the other big one. But yeah, thanks so much for watching. Hopefully you have an amazing long weekend. Happy Easter, everyone. Bye.


The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has decided not to renew nearly 350 waterfront lot leases, meaning non-tribal cabin owners will have to vacate their cabins. Leech Lake Band members tell Minnesota Public Radio they want to reclaim the land as part of a plan to address the reservations growing homelessness problem. That means nearly 75 cabin owners will have to sell their cabins to a band member, move the structure off the property, or leave the cabin behind. Although the cabin owners lease the land, they still own the cabins. Leech Lake Natural Resources Director Levi Brown says lots will be consolidated and homesteaded by 80 tribal families. There are 500 homeless tribe members looking for places to live on the reservation. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.


Hi y'all, she was seven. So I hope everyone had a good Halloween. It is now November. So welcome to November and Everyone knows like I do readings, right? I do card readings tarot readings Oracle readings all that kind of stuff. Okay, and also do relationship advice as well now I had a reading over the weekend where one of the ladies Who I was reading cards for she wants to know if her husband was on the DL or gay And they have two kids, you know, they're like, you know young children not not very old but like probably in elementary school and She's been having issues in her marriage and she feels like he's not into her anymore and that he treats her bad And this this this and that and she's was very unhappy. So She got a reading at first to see, you know You know, what was it in store for her and the reading the first reading said that he was most likely cheating the second reading said that That she asked about him being gay it confirmed that and so she went to You know talk to him and she was like, you know, I just really want to talk to you I'm not judging you. I just want to know the truth blah blah blah Have you ever been with a man and he was and he he broke down and he admitted the truth. He said yes, I have and You know, I feel that way about guys and you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah And so she you know, she confirmed that he was in fact Interested in men and now she's been in this marriage for a while She has two kids by him and she's kind of stuck now because she you know, invested into her marriage and Let me tell y'all remember what I told y'all about Getting with those pretty boys. He's a pretty boy. Okay.  You're gonna have issues with him not being interested in you with him cheating Because he gets so much attention from both sexes. He can get attention from a woman. He can get attention from a man because he is Very very attractive and some men have a price on them.  Some guys are just gonna take it Okay, now I'm not trying to scare y'all or anything, but this is the stuff that happens on a daily basis So be careful with those pretty boys Okay, don't I wouldn't even go near one anymore because I'm already suspect like I'm not I'm married, but You know before I was married.  He's gay, you know, or he could easily turn, you know So now Especially if they're broke if they're broke and pretty they easily be turned gay, okay?   Okay, because it happens every day Okay, so moving on Moving on from that Someone asked me to do a video on how to tame your man Like once you get married once you're in a relationship How do you make your husband do right and do all the good stuff that you want husband to do?   I'm going to hire a lawyer the same day He won't even know Keep put that in the back of his mind. Okay. Also, like just give him scenarios of what you would do and what you wouldn't do But don't be mad.    This is for your warning And you got to put it out there and if and if you're already married and you haven't put the rules out there You got to put them out there now. Okay? Let's just say you want them to do the dishes or cook or help you out around the house and You know, he doesn't feel like that's his responsibility Well, just stop doing the housework don't wash any dishes let them pile up see what he does You know, if he doesn't get up and clean it up, then let it stay like that get some paper plates Let it go as long as he lets it go. And if he doesn't ever get up to clean it or anything You know, just keep doing the paper plates I know it's gonna bug you if you're like a clean freak, but this year it's a don't it's a war You have to prove the point you have to say, you know what? I'm not cleaning those dishes I'm tired as you return if you don't clean them dishes They're gonna stay there and gonna be there tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day You will get up and clean them.       I love doing this kind of stuff. I love it when you wash dishes I love it when you help me with laundry. You're just like the perfect man I can I couldn't ask for a better man.  Okay Note to self so next time he'll probably suggest it You know and even if you have to do it a few times more, you know with the cable and the wi-fi Just do it. You know, it's it's worth it and he's not gonna figure it out And if he does just say, you know what? That's the only way I could tear you away from the TV.  Maybe I did it for us Dr. Phil said You know blame it on Dr. Phil. Don't blame it on me. Okay So Yes, you almost have to trick people in order to get them to do right, you know But they don't know they're being tricked and it's basically their own decision So you're just kind of nudging them in the right direction without, you know getting upset, you know And the going on strike thing without cleaning and stuff That's something that you know, not everyone's going to be able to do because they have too much You know going on in their house and they have to keep it clean But if you can afford to do that if you have the you know If you have the time you don't have enough going on and you can actually do that I would do it because I did that I my husband He he he was like the king of piling up dishes and not worth it. I'm out or washing him out or putting him The dishwasher he would just throw it on there. Leave it wherever it was except me to do all the dishes One day I just got sick and tired and that stopped. It's like I'm gonna do any more dishes I'm done and I didn't do dishes for a month And it didn't pile up because he would wash it every now and then he would he would wash a few plates Or he would wash all the dishes and I washed this is I washed dishes But he was not appreciative of it because he would not rinse the dish out He would just leave it wherever it was. He would just pile stuff up. He wouldn't care So now I gave him a taste of his own medicine and Then he started washing dishes and I started piling him up to show him a lesson, you know I was like, yeah, how does it feel? This is what you did to me And then he made the rule. Okay, no dishes in the sink Everybody has to rinse out their dish and put it in the dishwasher Because I don't want dishes in the sink anymore. Now he took over the dishwashing rules and responsibilities So now whenever there's dishes in the sink You know, they'll either be rinsed out already or put up Or it'll be just a few that only one of us has to tackle So y'all have to like make it seem like it was his idea. Okay It's like I'm tired of dishes. I'm done with dishes.  It's your turn You know, stay in your ground. They're not going to fight you over dishes. They're not going to Argue with you over dishes. They're not going to say anything over dishes.  So he's not going to try her. Okay Okay, so I have another one. I'm gonna try to wrap it up real quick.    Don't give up. Don't give it up um This is a way to guarantee you not having any Have brothers and sisters for your kids. Okay um And I'm not saying your husband's gonna cheat but just in case he does or You know, whatever happens happens He's not going to you know, his income is not going to be affected by another woman trying to get child support from him So it's not going to affect your household. So if you can convince your man to get a vasectomy do that. Okay, um Yo, I I treat my husband into getting one because I had actually I had my tubes tied and uh Even if you have your tubes tied there is a Like small percent chance that you can still get pregnant um Or it or have like a what they call an ectopic pregnancy, which can kill you and the child So, you know, I I was not gonna risk that so I told him he didn't know he didn't know He did not even know I had my tubes tied So I told him that he had to get a vasectomy before we ever did anything else because I did not want to You know risk this this isn't that So he finally did it and then like a year later. I told him why my tubes tied too But we already have our kids and we don't want anymore. So, you know, he was like, well, why didn't you tell me? I was like, well, you needed a vasectomy I said he said you just did that so you so I wouldn't be So you couldn't risk me going out and getting anybody else pregnant. I know how women think I'm like, well, they say when you have a I say they say to spade and neuter your animals Basically, you know, because we joke like that with each other because that's how open and sarcastic I am I joke with him a lot, but I get him to do what I want because I put all tomatoes out there, you know, I was like, I'm not doing this until you do that, you know and I make it known because a lot of women fear losing their men And they fear this and they fear that but when you don't have any fear of losing anybody Because you know the law and you know how to put the fear of Whatever into him if he does leave and all the repercussions He's going to have to deal with and legal matters and how much money he's going to lose.  Okay, and they know once a woman is scorned It's over for them. Okay. They know that so you got to put that in their mind You have to scare them away from leaving you, okay And that way when you want to tell them something or suggest something You don't have to fear them leaving because they already know what's going to happen if they do, you know I told you it was immoral, but it works. Okay So A lot of men will be upset about this a lot of women will say I don't think that's right Well, if you want a firm handle on your husband, if you want, uh To go to sleep at night without fear and he's leaving you are going to cheat or bring kids into this world With a side chicken all this stuff you have to put all those things into consideration And weigh your options, you know So a lot of women Will Be able to do this because the type of man they marry.  You can just suggest things. Let them know that you know things knowledge and Joke around with them, but be serious at the same time, you know Um And you can get it done a lot of women will nag Nagging is not the way to get something done from a man. You have to either make them fear losing you Or let them know that you know How to handle your business if he leaves you. Okay um so Yeah, that's all So ladies Stay away from pretty boys Unless you look better than him way better Uh You know But your husband know you know How to get what you need if something ever goes south The ends and the outs the laws and if you don't know go study right now Your state laws um for divorce pending divorce separation child support and all that stuff Because if he knows that you know all that stuff and knows how to get it where to go and just this Is this is that and that you don't have to be divorced to get it.  She knows how to get half my money You know Okay, so I'll let I will leave it at that and if you'll have any questions Put them in the comments and I'll try to answer them. All right


Welcome everybody, I am so excited about today's web show.  So today we're doing a little move from movies today to television. This actor, obviously you know from the opening, Pat Mastriani, Joey Jeremiah, best known for Joey Jeremiah of Degrassi series. And who doesn't love zit remedy? I was all the way for Stephanie K. I wanted to be Spike's friend. I love Degrassi. I grew up with Degrassi. So I was very very excited about this interview. Without further ado, Pat Mastriani. Joey Jeremiah. Pat Mastriani joins me on the web show. How are you today? Good. Thank you. How are you doing? I'm so good. So good. I will start with a non-Degrassi question. Going right back to the beginning. You were born in Canada, but you do have Italian heritage. I'm curious how much of that Italian culture was ingrained in your childhood growing up? Oh, I'm going to so disappoint you here. I am the most manja cake Italian. And for those who don't know, manja cake is how Italians refer to Canadians who are non-Italian because bread is so sweet when they first came to Canada. They say all these people, all they do is eat cake all day long. And so manja cake is a reference to a non-Italian. And really, I grew up in parts of Toronto that were very diverse multi-culturally. I didn't hang out with a lot of Italians. I lost my ability to speak Italian as soon as I started elementary school. I still understand it a little bit, but really the only ties I have to my culture is the food that my mom still makes for me. And also the traditions of family and friendship and loyalty and all those things that were instilled in me. I think that has a lot to do with my family's upbringing, my parents, the way they are, and has done me well for my whole life.  She makes veal with ravioli on the side and then a house garden salad that she grows in her backyard. And I just, I can't replicate it. I can't find it anywhere else. And that is almost my weekly tradition when I go over there to visit. So I'm looking forward to that tonight actually. Well, they do say you can never beat your mother's food. So I don't think you should try and replicate it. Just enjoy it. Exactly. Was acting always in your blood? I know you obviously acting from a very young age. Did you always want to act? Did you know about it really being a career when you were super young? No, not even close. It was really just a way for me to break out of my shell. I was very insecure, very shy. You know, people would almost call me a nerd. I didn't have any friends growing up in elementary school. So starting off in the school choir was a way I would try to integrate myself. And I sang in school choir for almost four years. And then I found a flyer in the newspaper that said acting classes. No experience necessary. Come on down. I did this workshop session for nine weeks. Where it basically just taught me to have some self-confidence. It really didn't teach me how to act. But it gave me some self-confidence that looking back, if I didn't have that, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to eventually audition for Degrassi Junior High, which was, again, a flyer that I picked up at my own high school in grade nine. And at the time, I really didn't think of it as a career or as an opportunity. I just thought, oh, this might be a fun gig for the summer when school isn't happening. And who would have thought that all these years later, we would have done five seasons and then the school's out movie and a documentary series. And then for the show to come back again in 2001, who could have expected that? When you responded to that flyer, what was the audition process if it wasn't, I guess, the usual route to getting apart? Normally in the industry, you would have a casting agent reach out to talent agents and those talent agents would look at their roster and say, okay, I think these kids would be a good fit for this show. Let's submit them and get them an audition. The way they did it for this series, because it was a non-union show, they couldn't hire union actors. So they went out to the public, to local schools all around Toronto. And around 500 kids came in and auditioned for the show. I don't know how many hundreds or thousands of submissions, but from all those submissions, there was about 500 people initially that auditioned. And again, I had just been at the right place at the right time, picked up the flyer. It said kids wanted for new CBC TV show, and that's our local Canadian broadcasting service channel here in Canada. And I thought, well, you know what? I don't really watch the CBC. It's kind of an old person's channel, but the idea of being on TV sounded fun. So literally, I went down, filled out the paperwork, submitted it, got a phone call a day or two later. They gave me an audition time. I went in and I had a paragraph that was written exclusively for the role of Joey Jeremiah. That was already a character that they had in their mind, had created, along with a few others like Stephanie Kay and Arthur Kowalowski and Yikyu. Those were the four characters that they had in mind. And the other characters like Spike and Snake evolved after the fact. Once they had chosen what actors they wanted to have on the show, they sort of created characters based on some of the actual actors' personal traits. But I auditioned for Joey Jeremiah and somehow they, I wasn't very good, but they somehow saw something in me that reflected the character's spirit, its soul. And they said, you know, we can make him a better actor, but he's got just enough of what we're looking for, that sort of twinkle in his eye, that little conniving character trait that we're looking for, but with a good heart. So they, after weeks and weeks of workshops with all the cast, they started handing out characters and saying, okay, you know, this is who you'll be playing in the first season of Degrassi Junior High. Don't feel bad if you don't have a character because we will be developing more as we go. Was it overwhelming when you first arrived on set? What was the atmosphere like? What was the experience like?  You've got a Superman complex. Nothing really phases you until maybe you reflect on it later on in life. I think if I had looked back then, the way I feel today, I would have been anxiety-ridden, stressed, so nervous. But I think at the time, I was just excited. I was excited at the idea of playing someone larger than life, someone, you know, a little bit more extravagant than myself, because again, I was still that shy kid inside, but now I was playing this very bravado and very, you know, boisterous character that got away with anything and everything. And that was kind of fun. I think one of the first scenes I remember filming was the first episode was called Kiss Me Steph, where Stephanie Kay runs for school council. And in the hallway, Joey slides on his knees towards Stephanie Kay and proclaims his love for her. And I remember that being such a fun little scene to do because, well, first of all, I had an infatuation with Michael J. Fox. I idolized him. I tried to emulate him. And in my little autobiography book that I wrote this year, I talk about how every scene that I approached in filming in the first season, I'd often say to myself, how would Michael J. Fox play this scene? Like, what would he do? What would his mannerisms be? Because I had no idea how to act. I just wanted to try to pretend like I knew what I was doing. As many of the other kids on the show were doing at the same time. But I looked to Michael J. Fox as sort of the person I wanted to emulate the most. And you'll see the resemblances in my character and his, you know, with the skateboard and the way I kicked the skateboard was very much like how he did it in Back to the Future. I tried to always have something in my hand to sort of, it was a safety net to have an object, something, anything in my hand. And I learned that from watching Michael J. Fox. So, you know, was it intimidating? Yes, but I don't think it got to me as it would today. And now that I'm older, I'm a little more nervous when I'm on set. It's a little bit harder to do, to memorize stuff. But back then I think I was just fearless. Now you mention it, the Michael J. Fox thing makes total sense. You can see it. I think so, yeah. Have you ever met him? Believe it or not, a couple of years ago I got to meet Michael J. Fox at a comic convention here in Toronto called Fan Expo. And he was appearing with some of his other castmates from Back to the Future. And I was there with some of the cast of The Grassy the Next Generation.  And I got to meet him backstage really briefly. And I just wanted to say thank you for inspiring me and for being someone to look up to. And I'm sure he's heard it a million times. I had to mention the fact that I was on a show called The Grassy. And he blew my mind when he said, I've heard of this show, The Grassy. I know that show. And literally he just legitimized my entire career by just saying the word The Grassy. So it was a wonderful moment. It was my little micro fan girl moment. And I think I carry that with me. And that is why when I created The Grassy Palooza, I wanted the fans that grew up watching our show and grew up watching our characters to have that same connection with us when they had their micro moment of meeting us for the first time. So a lot of people that came from different parts of the world to The Grassy Palooza, it was a pilgrimage for them. And it was something important for them. And I could relate. I could understand what it meant to connect to something important from your past. And I carry that with me at all my events and all my appearances that I make, that I know that when I do meet a fan, and even if it's just for 30 seconds or a minute or two, they're going to walk away with that memory of meeting me or Caitlyn or Spike or Snake. And we need to try to do our part and to do our best to try to give them an amazing moment. Because it only happens once and you want to leave a good impression, right? That's so nice to hear because so many times it's that cliche of be careful meeting our idols because some people do take it for granted and it is quite crushing if that experience happens. So as a fan, it's incredibly appreciated from outside that you would have that kind of approach. The way I see it is in my industry, I've been a celebrity at a comic convention. I've been a manager of celebrities that go to comic conventions and I've also created and run my own convention. So I kind of, and I've been a fan. So I understand every aspect of that experience. And when I say micro moment, I do mean it, that you do only have a short period of time with each person. And even though you're tired and even though you've been up all day and you've signed maybe 100 or 500 autographs and taken a thousand selfies, but at the end of the day, that person is meeting you for the first time and it's their moment. And that's important to them. And I've seen other celebrities not really do their part and people walking away going, wow, I just, you know, I drove all this way. I paid for parking. I paid to get into this event. I paid to meet this gentleman and get his autograph and his selfie with him. And he didn't even look up at me or shake my hand or anything. And that breaks my heart because I know how important that moment means. So I definitely try to reiterate that to my fellow cast members when we do make appearances. And I do tell my clients when I'm representing celebrities, especially up and coming young celebrities, that, you know, there is a certain responsibility that they have to be gracious to the people that have dedicated their time to watching you and your shows. Well, you mentioned the paloosa. That was your idea, my understanding. You created it. Blood, sweat and tears went into it. Why did you choose to do that and what went into actually making it happen?  Long story, long. Because it is a long story. I've been doing appearances for almost a decade at conventions, pop culture events and what not screening events. I've even been a motivational speaker at times. And so when I discovered the world of pop culture and comic conventions and all these things, it was amazing because not only did I get to go and earn a little bit of a living by making appearances, but I also got to meet my childhood heroes at these events as well. And it was a lot of fun. I understood it. I understood what nostalgia meant and I understood what looking back fondly at your past and reconnecting with your past needs. We're all at that age now where things are so hectic, life moves so quickly, and especially these days, I think we're looking back fondly at a simpler time. And I think the 80s and 90s for my generation is definitely a time that we all miss and look back fondly.  And it made me realize that I had a connection with a lot of people because we didn't have social media in the 80s and 90s. I had no way of connecting with the fans. I might get the odd fan mail once in a while, but it's not like today where you could literally tweet and have a celebrity like or comment on something you've posted. You can reach out to celebrities on social media, but we didn't have that. So for the first time, I was actually meeting the fans of the show and they were telling me their stories about how the show connected with them and what it meant to them and the things that they were going through at that time and many of them would say, well, what's Wheels up to? What's, I'm sorry, not Wheels. What's Snake up to? What's Spike? What's, you know, what are the other characters up to? And I'm like, I don't know. I haven't seen them in 10, 15 years and some I hadn't seen in 25 years. So Pelusa came out of my experience in the industry, knowing that there was a market out there for people that wanted to reconnect to the old show, that wanted to maybe meet some of the old cast. I wanted to reappoint myself with many of the old cast and some of the crew that worked on the original series. And for me, I didn't want to get overshadowed by the next generation and Drake and all those other things that came out of the next version of Degrassi. I wanted to protect our legacy and what we created, which was the foundation to everything that came afterwards. My co-creator and director Kit Hood who hadn't spoken publicly about Degrassi in almost 25 years, I literally had to like beg him and pull him to come to this event. And ultimately he did and thank God he did because unfortunately we lost him seven months later. Unexpectedly, he passed away. You know, it was his opportunity to shine and to have a moment in the limelight. And I'm very proud that I was able to give him that experience. And for many of my cast, you know, many of them went on to different lives. They became teachers or whatever. And they never revisited their history with the show and many of their friends were like, I didn't even know you were on that show. So it was a nice celebration. It was a nice weekend event. We had people come from all over the world to visit and be part of that event. And I'm very happy that we were able to document it. I just wish I had someone like you, Lisa, that I could have brought on board to take over for me and actually produce it the way it should have been done. But I'm very happy that at least we have something on tape and that something exists of that weekend for the people that were there and also the people that couldn't make it. Well, I would have been there in a heartbeat, had I known. So next time, just give me a call. I'll be there. So the documentary is an obvious guide to being a broom head. Was that part of your initial vision when you were setting up the event or did that kind of stem from starting to film? And then you just kind of snowballed. The documentary was an afterthought. I had put all my energy and effort for two years into creating the Degrassi Gluza event. That was where all my energy and my focus was put in on because it was such a huge undertaking. I was so stressed and so overwhelmed by putting it on by myself. I had no support from the people who own the Degrassi trademark now. They had basically said, don't ever do this again because you didn't have our permission to do it. I'm like, okay, but I'm trying to celebrate the show. Why are you giving me grief over that? So I was under a lot of pressure and a lot of stress and I didn't expect it to be like that. So the documentary was never even on my mind. I just knew that I had a nice gentleman that was helping me with the AV aspect of the event, the audio-video aspect of it. And he said, I can put two cameras on this stage and I can have one camera just floating around the event, shooting some behind-the-scenes stuff. I said, okay, whatever you get is gravy. I wasn't thinking of, well, maybe I could make a nice documentary. After the fact, at the beginning of 2020, I thought, oh, maybe I can go back and re-interview some of the cast one-on-one, get their insight into what the event was like for them. And then COVID hit and I couldn't actually do the follow-up stuff that I wanted to do. I wasn't able to utilize or use any copyright footage from the show, obviously, because I would need permission for that. I was lucky enough to have some behind-the-scenes footage that we as cast filmed with those giant cameras that we had back in the 90s. We had some of that footage that I was able to incorporate. But ultimately, it was the stories. It was the content that the documentary was all about. It was about the cast sharing their experiences of being on the show and what the show meant to them. And it didn't need to be any flashier than that. I mentioned to you in an email that it was a glorified podcast. Well, maybe it was. Maybe it could have been more slick and sharper and a better producer could have done a better job. But for me, it's a nice keepsake and I'm really proud of what it is and what it says about the people that were involved in the show back in the day. And we were all... It was an emotional weekend for everybody. And I'm glad that I was able to capture some moments of that entire weekend. It's been really special to see you and you, Jan and Kate. And I seriously do think we have the best fans ever. Well, I had a terrible time. I watched the documentary and as a fan, you don't care that it isn't flashy because you're so engrossed in the stories and you're so engrossed in these relationships and reliving the first moment you found out so and so was pregnant and fearing zip remedy for the first time. And it just takes you back to when you're a preteen or teenager watching the show. So it was a fascinating documentary. And one of the biggest takeaways was just how much love the cast and crew still had for each other after all these years. And is that quite a rarity when you get a production that people still have that love and support for each other all those years later? Well, I can only speak from my experience and the fantastic friends I've made from the Degrassi series over the years. I think what the Palooza, the reunion event made us all realize is that too much time had passed that we hadn't really stayed in touch. Like maybe we should have on a larger scale. I was meeting spouses and children for the first time of some of my cast member friends and I'm like, I should know who your husband or wife is. I should know the names of your children. Like we shouldn't let this happen again. And then COVID hit and now we're all on lockdown. So social media has allowed us to try to keep in touch since the event, which is really nice. And we have a giant chat room on messenger that we all talk to each other on. Boy, would we really like to get together and see each other now. We haven't even had the opportunity to properly memorialize Kitt Hood, who passed away in January. So we really wanted to do all these things in 2020 and we couldn't. So I've been basically reaching out to people from time to time saying, hey, if things loosen up and we can get together, I really do hope we can have a barbecue over at my house and have everybody come over with their families and see each other again. Because I would like that just because I would be under no pressure the whole time. I was doing the event. I felt like it was a wedding. You know what I mean? How you feel at your wedding when it just goes by so quickly, so many things are happening and you almost miss the moment of being in that. And that's how it felt for me. So for me to watch Palouse of the Documentary or the Narbo's Guide to Being a Broom Head, it allows me to enjoy everything that took place that weekend without the pressure of it all happening at that time. But yeah, boy, what I really like to see these guys and just sort of catch up with them on a more relaxed environment. In the documentary, you had this really sweet moment where you're talking about Neil Hope who played wheels, who sadly passed in 2007, I believe. Why was he so special to so many people? Well, you know, his character was beloved just because he was that every guy.  So everyone could relate to the character. When people say, was Neil like his character? Yeah, I think a lot of aspects of the wheels character were taken from Neil's life. He had lost his father to cancer early on. And that was one of the main reasons why the producers asked Neil if he wanted to portray a character who loses his parents to a drunk driver and passes away. Because Neil was basically going through that emotion in real life that same year.  I obviously have that experience. And any actor will tell you, they tap into the real life experiences when they portray a character. But, you know, I don't know what happened to him after Degrassi. He went his way. We all kind of went our own ways. We did have a mini reunion on Degrassi the next generation where wheels comes back and talks to Snake. But, you know, when I found out about his passing, obviously I was very, very shocked. I was surprised that it took so long to find him, that his family had been looking for him. Obviously the fans are a little bit confused as to what happened. I also am confused as to what happened. I knew a little bit about his final days and what had happened after the fact. But when people wanted to celebrate him at Palooza, it was definitely a moment that I was surprised, overwhelmed me. I think, you know, we were all under a lot of pressure and a lot of emotion was coming to the surface as we all reunited for the first time on stage in 25 years. And I think for me, it was just like, wow, we're missing an important part of this cast. We're missing somebody that really should have been here and would have loved being here. And that's what kind of broke my heart when we started talking about Neil, was that it would have been great to have him here because we'll never have a Zit Remedy reunion because he's just not here with us. It's a tragic story. And I'm sorry that, you know, we lost him so young. Every time I talk about him to fans, I say, at least he's here in spirit and he's here on the show and he'll always be a part of that legacy and he won't be forgotten because of his contribution to the Degrassi legacy. I mean, he was also on the kids of Degrassi. So he had been around for years prior to me coming onto the show in Degrassi Junior High. So it's nice that fans can remember him. We had a nice memorial table set up for him where people signed a book and that was just a really nice place for people to go and have a moment with him. So, yeah, did I want to get emotional? No, but I did.  It was those storylines in particular you were talking of wheels and his father and as a teenager, preteen, teenager growing up, it was the storylines of Degrassi that were really revolutionary at the time especially me watching it because you see all these teenagers like me going through all these real-life situations. When you were filming those scenes and going through those storylines, were you aware of how impactful they were going to be on the viewers? Yeah, I mean, we all knew how important these stories were and that they needed to be told and we knew to a certain degree that we were one of the first shows that were tackling these topics. We knew that there was a responsibility on the writer's part to tell the story in a way that the people watching didn't feel that they were being preached to that the adults weren't just going to show up and solve the problems that no matter what a choice was made that there's a consequence for that choice for a character. And so we maybe didn't appreciate the skills that the writers had in writing all these stories. I do look back now and go, man, how did they do that week after week after week? And for every episode and all those characters, there was a lot of great storytelling there. I think that's why the show remembered so fondly, not because it was a 90210 slick, polished, good-looking people with nice clothes and the cool cars and the posing. We were that grungy, real downtown, almost ghetto kind of reality where people didn't have money. They didn't have the nice clothes. In one of the early episodes, I go to a guy's house to buy his jean jacket because I didn't have money to go buy a new one. I wanted a tattered old-looking jean jacket and I find out that his dad is abusing him. So I think a lot of people, you may not relate exactly word for word what that episode was about, but you could go, wow, this is a crazy situation. I can only imagine what I would do in that situation or I have a friend that did have something similar like that happened to them. And also what fans told us at Palooza was that it gave them permission to talk about a topic. A lot of people, there's a young lady that spoke at Palooza and you may remember this. She said she grew up in a small town where people didn't talk about homosexuality a lot and they didn't certainly talk about it in school or to their parents. But because it happened on Degrassi, they could talk about it amongst themselves because it happened on the show. And it was okay to talk about it because it was on the show. So I really like the fact that people used Degrassi as an opportunity to have an engaging dialogue. Even if they weren't aware that they were being taught something, they found it entertaining enough that they'd come back week after week and, and man, I can't even tell you how many times people break down in front of me when they talk about a specific storyline or a specific character and what that meant to them. And it's amazing. Like I don't know too many shows where people are that attached to it.  And what we do on social media, what you're doing with your documentaries and with your podcasts is you're trying to educate people.  And that's a good thing. And we should be doing that constantly. You have a culture now where people are divided and there's so much separation right now. You're either on this side or on this side. You know, if people had a little bit more education of what's going on on either side, maybe we wouldn't be so divided. I'm not trying to get preachy or anything like that, but I am aware that knowledge and education is important. And I think for our generation, growing up and learning about all these topics and these storylines enlightened us and made us more aware of things than, you know, I know before Degrassi, I was a very naive kid. I didn't know much about a lot of things, but the show helped me learn as I went along that journey of being a character on that show. I learned a lot about life and people and issues and learning how to respect people and be kind to people and that people go through their own journeys and they're very different from you and to respect their journey as well. Yeah, it's an amazing little show that came out of small ideas from a few people and it blew up into this worldwide phenomenon and I'm very, very proud to be a part of it. And I think that's why today I still celebrate it. I celebrate the show. I'm not embarrassed about it. I've sort of embraced my attachment to it and my legacy to it. I'm on social media almost daily reminding people, hey, you know, OG Degrassi, I'm very proud of it. I sing it from the rooftops, but as long as people still want to talk about it and engage us, I will continue to do that with them and remind people that Degrassi started from very, very humble beginnings. Was there a time perhaps maybe early 20s or when the show had finished, a series had finished that you didn't want to have that association with Joey Jeremiah or have you always really embraced it? Oh, no, you're bang on. I refuse to talk about Degrassi from, you know, my entire 20s, a good chunk of my 30s. You know, I went through a phase where I was over it and I didn't want to be associated. Especially in my 20s, I was a young actor. I wanted to break out of that whole thing. And, you know, let's not talk about Joey Jeremiah. I'm an actor. And then in my 30s, I came back and I did five seasons of the next generation. And then when I finished that, I went through another decade of, I don't want to talk about Degrassi again. About five years ago, six, seven years ago, was when I started to do these appearances and I really started to appreciate what that show meant to people. That's where I really kind of went, okay, look, I really shouldn't be knocking something that was so important to a lot of people. And the fact that my character is fondly remembered, I should be embracing that. And so I allowed myself to appreciate my involvement and to be grateful for being a part of that legacy. Every time I meet a fan, it's almost like I get this flush of emotion. It's just like that gratitude. It's that instant gratification that we never got when we produced the show back in the day. So I do get a kick out of meeting the fans. I do get a kick walking out on stage and having hundreds and hundreds of people applauding and being happy that you're there. Stacey Mystician who plays Caitlyn and I, we do screenings all across the country. And every city we go to, it's a packed venue and we're just so grateful that people remember their show fondly and that they're willing to come out and meet us. Some on a cold winter night, we went to Winnipeg at the beginning of 2020 before COVID got crazy here in Canada. And there was minus 30 degrees and people had stood in line for an hour to get into this screening room to watch schools out, the series finale. And I just couldn't believe it. And we were late. Like we literally were running on stage with our suitcases going, hey guys, we made it, we made it. So it's a big love fest when we do these appearances. I really, really appreciate it. It makes us feel like we did something good with our lives that one day people will watch this show and go, wow, those kids in the 80s and 90s were crazy. But hopefully it's a show that generations down the road can watch and still relate to. I do know for a fact that kids that grew up watching the next generation are now finding the classic series and they're going back and watching the classic series. And they can still relate to it, even though it's a little weird and nobody's got cell phones and there's no internet and all that kind of cookie stuff. But a kid is a kid. And it's nice that they can still understand the angst and appreciate it for what it is. Yeah, it's a really interesting phenomenon which I don't think has happened too often in television. You may have answered this already with your Michael J. Fox and Back to the Future, but obviously Degrassi, people have connected to their childhood. What is a film or a TV series that you grew up with that is your Degrassi now? Well, like I said, as a young actor, I looked up to Michael J. Fox so much so that eventually I bought a DeLorean. So people and their fascination for their childhood heroes, sometimes meeting them, getting an autographed picture is enough. Sometimes you got to buy a DeLorean. So I had the opportunity to buy one and I had it for seven years. And boy, oh boy, did I feel cool. You know, every time I drove that thing, because it literally made me feel like Michael J. Fox and Back to the Future. And I think any guy my age who enjoyed that movie and that trilogy will tell you that's just the ultimate feeling. Reliving your childhood in that way is the ultimate stepping back in time, so to speak, right? And I think that's partly why I bought the vehicle was just because I wanted to feel what Michael J. Fox felt in being in that movie. Just like somebody who loves Star Wars or wants to be, hold the lightsaber. It's all about touching something that meant something to you when you were younger, right? And I think that's why celebrity is such a weird thing. William Shatner, for example. I met William Shatner eight years ago. Grew up watching him on Star Trek. I touched him, shook his hand, I said, thank you very much for putting on a great character and all that stuff. He's, oh, thank you very much. And it was like, wow, I just connected to something larger than who I am. And it acknowledged my existence a little bit more because somebody who's so big and so famous recognized me for a second, it elevated me. And I think that's kind of the weirdness of celebrity is that people are also looking to be elevated and raised up and acknowledged that they exist and that they matter. And when somebody who has a little bit of notoriety acknowledges them in that way, it lifts them up and it gives them like a euphoria sort of experience. And I think that's why people keep going to conventions and keep going to pop culture events and follow celebrities and elevate these people. Now, some people deserve it and some people don't deserve to be elevated. It's what you do with that celebrity that's important. It's what you do with that luxury of being recognized and being in people's minds and thoughts and hopefully you do something good with that. Now, I am not a celebrity in the sense of superstardom. And I know that I have a small niche family of fans that love Degrassi and I think that's awesome. But I'm going to make all of them feel the best way I can because I know how important the show meant to them. And that makes me feel awesome that I can have a small influence on people. Aside from Degrassi, of all your acting roles, what are you most proud of? Oh boy. You know what? I look at every experience I've had, the opportunities that I've had to be an actor on different shows.  Like what I've been doing on Instagram is I've been posting old parts that I've played over the years in chronological order from my IMDB to show people that I've actually done quite a bit of work outside of Degrassi because people are so fixated that they don't know that I've actually done other shows and so I've done voice work on animation shows. I've worked on movie the weeks and I've done tons of television and I've hosted my variety show and little by little, I'm putting out all these different things.  That was a lot of fun and I got to work with Brooks Shields over here or Taylor Leone over here. And, you know, it's amazing because every experience is unique, every experience is different. It's almost like talking to a musician and saying what's your favorite song, right? Each song is a different experience for that artist and has a different meaning to them and it's almost like saying, pick your favorite child, right? As much as I love Degrassi and I love my experience on Degrassi and that's what I'll be remembered for, I've enjoyed this whole ride and even though I'm not acting anymore, I definitely enjoyed that 30-year journey and it was definitely something that I never thought would have happened when I filled out that audition form 30 years ago for Degrassi. If there's anyone out there watching that wants to be an actor, maybe a child actor, what advice would you say to them? Oh, boy. Unfortunately, there is no rule book. I wish there was an A. If you do A, B, and C, you'll be a successful actor. Unfortunately, you have to do it because you are passionate about it, something that you love. It's something that grows in you as you do more and more of it. I never had the opportunity to do theater. I kind of fell into acting on a television series right off the hop and a lot of people, especially young people, start off in school theater, high school theater. After school, they maybe will do something in off-Broadway stuff. That's where they kind of get their chops and learn about their craft. And you have to treat it as if you were trying to educate yourself to be a doctor or a lawyer or you just don't become an actor overnight. And I think a lot of people, especially in today's instant gratification world, they think, well, if I decided to become an actor, I should be a successful actor in six months and be a superstar because they've seen other people do it on YouTube. They don't realize that there are some people out there that struggle for a lifetime. And then they finally break into something and they get an opportunity, which people will, wow, where did that guy come from? That was an overnight success. No, because you didn't see the 20 years that that person struggled to get to that part, to get to that point. So people who think it's a quick thing to become a successful actor that can make actually a living is rare. I think 1% actually can do that. But if it's in you, if it's something that you need to do because you love it, then absolutely follow that passion.  Don't compare yourself to somebody else because they have their path and their journey. The hardest thing ever I had to learn when I was a young actor or my teens and 20s was like, why is that person getting all these great roles? Why am I not getting that really cool part? I could have done that. Never compare yourself. You have your journey because there's somebody looking at you saying the exact same thing. Why is Pat getting that part? I could have done that. So be grateful for the opportunities that you have. Be grateful for the things that you get to do. Don't compare yourself to anybody else and be in it for the long haul because it is a career like anything else. You have to treat it as such and you have to look at it with an incredible amount of effort, energy. You have to educate yourself, constantly strive to become better. And life, you have to live. If you want to be a really good actor, you have to be able to reach deep into your soul and find those moments in your life that bring out emotion that a lot of people may not have had in their real life. So you can't just fake that kind of stuff.  You know what I mean? And I mean that in a good way. I mean that they've been able to tap into some experience that they've had in their life and bring it to the surface and share that with the audience and the character with the lines that we're given to them. I remember Jake Epstein who plays my son on Degrassi the next generation. In his audition, he has a moment where he cries and we're in the scene and we're being very emotional. And it's an audition. Remember, we're not actually shooting the actual scene. It's just an audition. And he's getting emotional and he's building up to this climax of the scene. And he turns around and he looks at me and he literally just has one tear come down his cheek.  And they obviously gave him the role of my stepson on the show. But we always joke about that moment when we were working together on set.   I mean, he's now got a reoccurring character on the Umbrella Academy, which is an amazing series. Watch it if you don't know what it is.  And I'm just trying to keep up. You know what I mean? He was 14 when we casted him as my stepson. I was 30 years old and I was like the William Shatner of Degrassi walking on set going, I'm the bad guy here. I'm the cool guy. And he just blew me away. And he literally kept me on my toes whenever I was working with him on set. So that's when you meet somebody that's just on another level. That's rare when you meet somebody like that. But yeah, I mean, to answer your question, acting, it's a wonderful idea. It may not be right for everybody but you have to approach it as if you were doing a business, a career. In your life today, what inspires you? What do you wake up excited about? That changes year from year to year, right? Sometimes you wake up and you're just grateful to be alive. You know, 2020 was a very difficult year for everyone because we were just trying to get through it. And I think that was one of the hardest things was saying, okay, what do I do to justify getting up? What do I do not to sink into a depression or to just sit on the couch all day? How I did that was I wrote a book and I created the documentary and I engaged people online and created the digraseetour.com website that people can keep in touch with us that way as well. That helped me get through. And at the end of last year, I thank the fans for helping me get through 2020 because I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have the fans and the engagement and the back and forth with them online because normally how I would keep myself busy is I would do appearances. I would go do screening events. I would represent other actors who were making appearances at comic conventions and whatnot or I would audition for stuff. None of that was happening last year. Absolutely nothing. So it was a tough one and I relied on people. I relied on friends, I relied on family and I relied on the fans. And that's why I call them my narbows. I call them my broom heads because they are special. They're part of this family, this digraseet family that we have.  But I'm grateful for those fans. I'm grateful for the ones that come to these events and cheer us on and thank us. And it's something I look forward to moving forward when things do open up again and venues open up and we're able to gather and we're able to get together. I'm looking forward to doing screenings of the documentary in a large venue where we can talk about it more in depth because every time we do a screening event, we go on stage and we talk for an hour afterwards with the fans and we do a Q&A and it's a lot of fun. And I miss that. I really look forward to engaging the fans once things open up again and boy, oh boy, I hope it happens soon.  I'm very excited. I will put the website URL on the screen. There'll be a link below. It's been an absolute pleasure to talk to you so I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity and this platform. I wish you all the best. What a great interview. Fantastic. What a lovely man. I was a little schoolgirl crushy when I was talking, have to admit. I hope you enjoyed it too. Buddy, Meg had a great time. They haven't stopped talking about it. Make sure you comment below, subscribe. And we've got another great web show coming for you soon. So stay tuned and have a great week. Where do you guys want to be in 20 years? I want to be successful. I don't know where I want to be. I want to be successful, have a great relationship. And just live comfortably. Sounds pretty boring. I don't know where I want to be when I'm 40. I want to be 20 again.


Jimmy K here, Metal Voice. Look at this. The Metal Voice shirts are now on sale. Just go to the video description to find out on how you can purchase one. Metal! Welcome to the Metal Voice today. Great guest. You've never been on the show, the Metal Voice. It's Richie Cotson. Am I pronouncing your name right Cotson? Cotson, yeah, there you go. Cotson, K-O-T-Z-E-M. Richie with no T-R-I-C-H-I-E. All right, good stuff. March 26th, the debut album by Smith and Cotson on BMG. Very exciting stuff. Right off the bat, I'm sure you've been asked this question like, you know, so many times now, but for the people who watch this show, tell me about how you and Adrian met and whose idea was it to put together this, this great new album. Well, we met years ago. Now, actually, I met Natalie, his wife, first, and that's how I met Adrian. We were out one night, me and a friend, and... Just to interrupt you one sec, just so you know, Natalie's actually from Montreal. I'm from Montreal, so she's local here. That's right. So yeah, so my friend was talking to her and then said, you know, I play the guitar, this and that, and then she said that her husband played the guitar in a band, and then she said it was Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden.  I mean, that was one of my first concerts when I was a kid was Iron Maiden. Just saw them in the Allentown, Pennsylvania, on the peace of mind tour. And so I saw a man, I said, I got to meet Adrian. And she said, well, he's coming to town. You know, when he gets here, we'll set something up. And so I ended up, you know, they would have these like holiday parties. You know, they have a house out in the LA, not too far from where I live. And so we get to have these get-togethers and there's a room there where all the guitars are and the amps. And it would turn into a jam session. And my wife Julia would be there playing the bass and, you know, we'd switch instruments and just play covers. And it was always just a great time.  We're both sitting around. I wasn't touring. He was here. And so yeah, it's a great idea. So we got together and thought, well, this might be interesting. And then one thing led to another. And we thought, well, let's go, let's go make a record. And now here we got this album that for me, I'm really excited about this. It reminds me of one of those classic rock albums that I would have had back in the day. You know, I would have been playing my Ozzy record or my Scorpions record and then just pop this one on. And it just kind of brings me back to an era when people made records, you know, like actually playing real instruments and guitar forward, you know, guitar driven rock albums. So I'm really happy with what we did. If you were to describe the musical direction, okay, rock, hard rock, I mean, what would you say the musical direction for the people out there who've never heard anything?  But I just think it falls into a, you know, a classic rock vein, maybe a little heavier, you know, a little on the heavier side, definitely blues driven. You know, I think that's kind of a common ground with Adrian and I that we, you know, Adrian loves the blues and knows a lot about blues. I grew up outside of Philadelphia. And so I was exposed to a lot of traditional R&B and soul music, like the first concert I ever saw with Stevie Wonder. And then right after that was George Benson. So I have that kind of influence, you know, from when I was a young boy, you know, but at the same time, I like the hard rock stuff like the who and, and all those bands from that era, which, you know, Adrian and I always talk about Paul Rogers being one of our favorite singers. So we have a lot in common musically. And then there's a little bit of an outside thing where he has the experience of being in a band with multiple guitar players. That changes things a little bit. You know, I kind of come from a little bit of a fusion background from when I was playing with Stanley Clark and some other guys like that. So, you know, I just think we kind of have a nice blend, you know, there's enough common ground there. And then there's enough uniqueness there to make something really cool. Yeah, I agree. Did you ever like come up to him saying, look, listen to this maiden riff I came up with and try to deviate that way? No, no, I don't know.  And, you know, Adrian would come in with something and I've got this idea and then I'd immediately, you know, set up a template, put a click track up and basically what would happen is, I'll give you a really good story. Adrian came in the studio one day with that riff to take in my chances with that opening riff. And I said, well, that's a hot riff. We need something like that on the album. So I put up a click track and I said, let's try and experiment. I'm going to get behind the drum set.  I'll record everything we do. And then we'll play that riff for a few rounds. And then I'll go off into a different thing. And just follow me. You follow where I go. And then I'll always come back to that riff, you know, and then we'll just do it again and see what happens. So I hit record, I'm going to count it off and we start jamming it. And I recorded everything. And so in the end, some of that very first recording ended up as part of the song, like part of that groove and part of that guitar riff. And then from there, you know, we were able to come back and listen to it. So, okay, cool. That sounds like that could be a chorus, what we just did there. And then, you know, we wrote, you know, that way. So that was a different approach to writing a song. And then in some instances, you know, I'd have a concept for a lyric or a melody and we build chords around it. So it was just a real open kind of session, almost like a friendly tennis mask where you bounce, you know, try to get a volley going, you don't want to defeat anybody, but just kind of, you know, keep the ball in the air, so to speak. What about the lyrics? Did you go 50-50, or is it who was in more weight on you or more weight on him? Or how did that come out? No, I think it was pretty much an equal collaboration. I mean, it wasn't planned any one way or the other. But, you know, in general, there was certainly a small element involved of whoever thought of it would probably sing it. So for example, you know, Scars, you know, he's got that verse that he comes in with. And I remember he did that vocal. He initially did a rough pass. And then I said, well, let me try something for the pre-chorus. And I remember coming in just kind of freestyling, you know, that section. And then that led me to the chorus melody. And I know the lyric, you know, somehow that came out when I kind of started singing stuff. And suddenly, you know, the lyrics are there. And then other times, you know, I remember Adrian had Glory Road was a song that he had a concept for and had a chorus. I remember he left one night, and I was messing around. We had assembled the lyrics. And there was a melody that he had an idea for that I was trying to... There? I think I lost you. It really was a collaboration. I can say this.  Didn't know what to do with it. You know, everything, at least to my knowledge, that we did was a true collaboration. I know I didn't bring anything in that I had worked on previously. It was all stuff that we kind of worked on together. Cool. What was the most unexpected thing working with Adrian Smith? Or a surprise, or oh, wow, I didn't realize this. Well, I guess one of the things that I noticed that was a cool thing was that his ear for a harmony counterpoint and melody as a guitar player. And so there were a couple instances of some of these songs where I remember thinking, okay, we're done. Let's move on. And I said, oh, that sounds good. We're done with that. And he goes, wait a minute, I've got an idea here. Let me try something. And then he'd come up with these kind of counterpoint guitar parts that were very melodic, almost like a hook within themselves. And he's got one that he put in Taking My Chances and Scars has this cool call and answer thing. So his ability to hear that sort of secondary part, something that really struck me as something very special, which probably stems from years of being in a band with another guitar player. So I've always been in my endeavors, the only guitar player. So it's a different approach. So that was pretty cool. Did you have to like pinch yourself? Man, I'm doing an album with Adrian Smith. Wow, I can't believe this. Yeah, it hits me from time to time. When I look at this album, I got sitting here in my office and I look at the cover and his name and my name. And it's something real special for me, like I said, growing up. What tour did you see? What tour did you see Iron Maiden on? I saw them on Piece of Mind. Yeah, me too. Do you remember who opened up? Was it Coney Hatch or I can't remember who it was in the US? Fastway. Fastway, that's it. Yeah, it was a great tour. I saw that. It was amazing. Yeah. And there he is. What about Nico? So Nico plays on Solar Fire. What was your experience like with Nico? Well, that involved very interesting.  And on that track, I had done like a basic loop. So we had something to write. And so we were overdubbing parts and figuring out choruses. Actually, it's very funny how that chorus happened. I was singing that melody. I do this all the time. A lot of guys do it when they write. And I was singing like phonetics, like not real words, but it sounded like it could have been words. But I was singing it with a proper tone in my voice. To get that melody going. Yeah, exactly. And then so Adrian heard it and said, oh, wow, it sounds like you're saying Solar Fire. I'm like, really? Well, what does that mean? And so we started talking about it. We came up with some lyrics, came up with a story. And we wrote those lyrics together. And so he said, you know, I could really hear Nico on this track. And then, of course, I said, well, that'd be great. That'd be excellent. So Nico came in and played on it. And just really, to me, just took it to another level. He has a style, you know, that identity and personality on the drums where he does a certain kind of fills that they're kind of like these machine gun fills that go right around the kit. And it's something that I don't, I can't really do it. And so, you know, he just kind of set it off. You know, that is what I'd say, just brought it to another level. So I was real happy and honored to have, you know, to be in a position to have him on the album. Did you meet him before? No, no, I didn't. Well, actually, casually, I met him when made and played Los Angeles. I was backstage and, you know, I met some of the guys, but no, no, not like a nothing really. Not like this. Hello. Was it file sharing where you put it together with Nico? Or did he actually come in and, you know, you work with him in the studio? No, in that instance, that was a sharing situation because he's got a spot down in Florida somewhere. And so that was a file situation. But all the other stuff, you know, Adrian and I were together for that. Yeah. Is he a funny guy, Nico? I was saying that again. Is he humorous? Is he funny? You know, he seems to be like a funny guy. Like I said, I wouldn't really know his personality because we sent him files, you know, I sent files to Florida or wherever he is. And then he sent them back. But the only time I met him was real brief backstage. So I don't really know. Okay. I thought maybe you talked on the phone, you're talking about the songs, but it's okay. How do you compare this album? Well, I don't know. How do you compare this music that you're doing with agent right now to sort of like the previous work you've done in the past? I know you said this is a hard rock, blues oriented, and it does sound a lot like that. Absolutely. But I mean, do you think you're sort of evolved into this direction? How does it compare to everything you've done in the past? Or maybe everything you've done in the past has led to this moment? Well, you know, there's definitely an argument to make that your past leads you to where you are now. I mean, obviously, you make decisions and you end up in a spot. Now, I'm lucky that I have a long history of working, you know, with great people. And obviously the bulk of my work, I'm working alone. But I have those spots where I've been able to do some collaborations here and there with people and pick up things, you know, learn stuff or whatever it is. So I think one of the things that makes this even work is the previous experience of, you know, it's like you get a certain kind of confidence.  So if you were coming into something like this, and you didn't have the experience, you might get caught up in how you're represented and worried about, you know, this guy did more solos than me or I'm not getting to show what I can really do.  So, you know, for me, at no point did I think of any of that other than the song. That's the only thing that I really, really concerned myself with was is the song working? Does it make sense? Does it sound like a song? Is there a story there? Are we being represented artistically, you know, with the lyric? Does it make sense? You know, it was all about the song. And then once we knew and agreed that the components for the song were there and that they were working, that's when we get into the, you know, the fun stuff deciding, oh, we're going to play the strat here. I'm going to do something with the telecaster or, you know, whatever, all that other stuff. But, you know, I think the fact that we've made enough records in the past, you know, I personally feel like I've been well represented as far as who I am, as an artist, and what I do, especially after making 50 for 50. I mean, at that point, you know, I probably never make another record again, and not really worry about it. But, you know, I always have new ideas, so I'll probably always make records. But, you know, it was just really easy, real simple to make. Like you said, probably because of all that stuff that we've already done in the past. Yeah, that's good to know. Is it, and just on the last question, in regards to the Winery Dogs, is there any album you'll be working on in the future? Or is that, is that pretty much it? Well, that has kind of been left in a little bit of a limbo stage because a lot to do with the pandemic coming. We had done a tour in 2019, and I remember wanting to do that because, you know, we hadn't worked together in a while. There was, you know, talk of a new record, but we didn't have the timing together to really get in the room. So, we did do that tour, which was really fun, and we really did get along great. Not that we never did. We always do. But it was, I walked away from that tour with a really good feeling about the future of the band. And, you know, I knew they had plans with their other group that they have and tour dates. So, you know, pursued my 50 for 50 record and also knowing that Adrian and I were going to do something. So, in the back of my mind, with all that stuff going on, I figured at some point in 2020 that the three of us, the Winery Dogs, would get together and maybe throw some ideas around and do some writing. Because the reality is with that band, we have to be in the same room at the same time. Otherwise, it's not really the Winery Dog record. It becomes something else. So, you know, the pandemic kind of just messed everything up for us. And especially now, you've got, Mike is in Pennsylvania, Billy's in Nashville, I'm in California. So, you know, it makes it a little difficult. I'm not really ready to jump on an airplane just yet. But at some point, what I've been saying is that, you know, we did the first record at my house in California. We've done pre-production for tours and written a couple songs at Mike's house in Pennsylvania. So, maybe this time when the schedules line up, we can go down to Nashville and take over Billy's house and do some work down there. Did you get your vaccine ready to go? Well, I'm not ready yet. You got to let the people that really need it get it first. But as soon as I can get that, I'm going to do it. And, you know, I have a feeling that in order to do what we do, pretty soon, you know, they're going to make it that you have to have it. So, I have no objection to getting it. You know, we had a bout with COVID here. My wife tested positive, and then I ran out five, six days later and got a test, and I was negative. But then, no sooner than I got the test, I got sick with all the same symptoms. So, I can only assume that I had it as well. So, you know, I've been way sicker in my life, but it's not like that for everybody.  So, you know, I think people got to be responsible, and now that we know how serious it is, obviously, you know, got to do what you got to do to stay safe. I heard that one of these companies, though, has a pill that they're working on that, like if you get, if you, when you first get sick, I think it's Merck, they're one of these medical companies, if you take this pill, it'll knock it out of you. So, that would be great if that happens. Yeah, I haven't heard that, but who knows? Yeah. Yeah, Google it. It's there, yeah. It's a company called Merck, and that's a story that they're developing this pill. That's amazing. But, you know, I just want to get out there and play again.  I really did, you know, embrace it, and I liked being home and spending time at home. But now at this point, I'd like to get out there and play some shows. Actually, this is my last, last question. You can make it quick. If you play live, are you going to play in the Iron Maiden tunes, or is there maybe one song you go, I love this song I'd like to play? Yeah, you know, that's a good question. And that's something that we have to think about, because we only have nine songs on the album. And so, I would imagine probably what we'd do is play the entire album, maybe add in one or two covers, maybe just for fun, put in one or two covers that we would play at the jam sessions at Adrian's house, just to kind of tie it together. You know, here's where it started. And then, you know, maybe we do one of Adrian's songs from Maiden and maybe pick one of my songs for one of my records and put a set together. You know, it's something we've got to think about. I mean, you need time, right? You need to perform. You need performance time. I would think wasted years would be a good one for you and your voice. Yeah, I know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That would be the one. Write it down, take notes. All right. Yeah, I know. Well, hey, if we're out there and we're good, if we're out there and you hear us doing that, then you can take credit for that. I told him to do that. March 26. I've heard it. Sounds great. If you love hard rock and blues, classic rock, this is the album, Smith Cotsen. Thank you so much for being on the show and we will talk soon. All right, thank you. Bye.