Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Molly

Hello! Today I'd like to pretend I'm not sitting in my New York apartment while the temperature approaches 90 degrees. So I invite you all to take a trip with me around the world as I interview Paulyn, a flight attendant for an international airlines. Good timing? This girl is calm and collected and the only exit she is inclined to make is through an actual door.I met her a few weeks ago through a good friend over copious amounts of Indian food. So please, sit back, and enjoy the ride.Tell me a little bit about your background. How long have you worked as a flight attendant? And have you always lived in Singapore?

I love traveling. Will never get enough of it. I have been flying for almost 10 years. I have lived in Singapore all my life. I almost joined Emirates in 2004, but the thought of having to live in Dubai all by myself changed my mind. I prefer to live with my family.

What made you want to be a flight attendant and what about it has made you want to stay in the industry for all these years?

I have always wanted to travel around the world.  I didn't come from a rich family and I never got to travel much when I was younger. I met my ex-boyfriend 10 years ago who was a flight attendant. He always showed me pictures of his travels, so I decided that upon graduation, I would like to join the airline too - to travel for free and get paid at the same time!

What's a misconception about being a flight attendant that most people have? Is it glamorous? Does traveling to interesting places ever get boring?

The common misconception would be that they sleep around among themselves or with the pilots, which is totally NOT true. More misconceptions are that we are very materialistic. The female flight attendants only want to go for the rich guys, buy branded goods, etc. And worst of all, that we are Bimbos or Himbos - that we do not know the current affairs, except for shopping and eating!!! Some of us, including myself, are University Graduates. Some are working towards Masters degrees. I must say there are some black sheeps, but NOT everyone is like that.

The only glamorous part about the job is that you get to travel around the world every other day. But it is in fact NOT that glamorous when you have to clean the toilet, wipe the vomit, get scolded by unreasonable passengers and have to deal with jetlag ALL the time.

Traveling to the same places over and over again, without exploring newer places of interest, can get really boring. I used to be in a German speaking crew, and I flew to Frankfurt, Zurich and sometimes New York, once or twice every month. But I didn't even bother to go out. I only went out when I was hungry or I had something to buy. And the layover at the station can be very short, so I would not be able to explore other parts of Germany.

You fly with people from all over the world. Do Americans stand out? How are they different from other nationalities?

Hmmmm... How should I answer this question? I must say the Americans are just another passengers onboard. To me, I would say the Singaporeans are the hardest to please.  Though this is NOT always true, but at least 80% accurate. I would think that this is because the airline I work for is their national carrier. They expect a lot for the price they paid to fly with us. I love the Swiss. I think they are the most polite and they do not need to be told repeatedly about the safety regulations they have to follow, like fasten seatbelt during turbulence, etc.  And they only ask for water during the lull period (in between meal services)!!

What is your favorite route to fly?

To Europe. The Europeans are usually quite well behaved and they often listen to your instructions regarding to safety issues onboard.  Also, I love the rich history in Europe.  I love the castles, the old buildings etc.

Who is the most interesting person you've met on your travels and why?

Hmmm... another difficult question.  The ONLY famous person I ever met was Richard Quest from CNN. He is quite a famous person, yet he is so humble. He actually allowed the set of crew to take not just one, but a few pictures with him.  As for interesting person.... I can't think of any at this point of time.

Is there a country you haven't been to but would like to visit?

I would love to visit South America one day. Especially Chile and Argentina. I am learning about wines, and heard so much about the perfect weather conditions for wine-growing in Chile.  I would also like to know more about their culture and history, etc.

You have to pack light when you're traveling. What are some beauty products you never leave home without? How do you keep your skin looking fresh and moisturized during the long flights?

I will never leave home without my moisturizer, serum, eye gel, and my sun block. I’ve gone for a facial once a month, since I was 22. I also do my own mini facial at home or overseas. I bring along my facial masks, etc. It is important, no matter how tired you are, to remove your makeup before you sleep. Otherwise, that is the end of your skin in the long run.  Since I already have slightly dry-skin due to flying, I apply a moisture-sleeping mask, before I sleep.  Your skin absorbs the moisture, while you are sleeping.

The cabin is very dry, so it is important that one have proper skincare, before any makeup. I also carry along my body cream so that I can apply them as often as time permits during the flight, to keep my skin moisturized.

What country makes the best beauty products? Hair products?

I found out that many products that I used are made in California, USA, but are patented in Europe. I.e. Sothys.  I think probably the best beauty products are from Europe. As for hair products, maybe from France and the USA.

And is there anything else you'd like to share with my readers about your experiences and beauty advice?

I think most people forget about their necks. You can do a face-lift, but can’t do a neck-lift?? Don't forget to take care of your neck as well. One can still tell your age, no matter how good your face looks, if you don't look after your neck. Apply some moisturizer over it and mask it as well.

Never leave your house without Sunblock!! Even if your office is just across the street!!  Sunblock is one anti-aging skin care you should never forget to apply!!!

Looking beautiful is not just about looking after your skin. What about your hair? Being properly groomed like going for a manicure and pedicure, dressing well, like color co-ordination, etc, having simple makeup whenever you are leaving your house, especially if you are going to meet someone, are just as important. It is the whole package. You can have the greatest skin, but if you are dressed terribly, or your hair is in a mess or your nails are all chipped, you still looked TERRIBLE.  Agree?? :)

Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Molly

photo by Emily Gilbert

Tory Williams and I went to Skidmore together and have gotten to know each other much better over the last few years. She's an award winner photographer - smart, talented, adventurous and seems to have a strong idea of what she wants in life. You can check out her website at www.torywilliams.com and hire her for your upcoming wedding at www.torywilliams.com/weddings. Tory is constantly on the move. To see what she's up to, check out her blog.

How did you get into photography and what was your first job out of college?

Out of college I was offered a job as a raft guide on the Hudson and to take pictures at a hotel in Mackinac Island, Michigan. It was a defining time – do I want to be a raft guide or a photographer? So obviously I chose the photography gig. It was kind of a cool situation, I lived on this island with no cars and took portraits of people at the hotel. I did family portraits and events. I learned a ton and made lots of friends who I then followed to New York City.

It definitely doesn’t sound like a loser job. Did you take photography classes at Skidmore? 

Skidmore didn’t offer too many photography classes so when I studied abroad in Paris, I was given the opportunity to do an independent study with an artist. She had a darkroom in her apartment. So I really picked up photography in Paris, which is kind of appropriate because photography was discovered there.

After coming to NY, did you work as an assistant?

When I came to NY I had no idea what to because it’s a daunting task to come here and be a photographer. You just need to meet people. Tavern on the Green was hiring event photographers so I took that job. I had to go around to each table on Valentines Day and such and ask them if they wanted their photo taken as a couple. It was kind of a humiliating job to some extent but it got me out there. Through that, I met a wedding photographer who I started assisting and also met an older man who became my mentor. I don’t work for him anymore but he's still a close friend. 

How long did you assist before landing your first assignment?

Around the same time I applied for an internship at a still life studio because I figured I needed to learn something about lighting. I interned there for a few months and they started hiring me as an assistant and then as a photographer. I fell into shooting stiff life through them but they also had connections to magazines and basically, everyone so I just built my network through them.

What are your thoughts on school versus working as an assistant?

I’ve always taken the approach of taking classes here and there but when I first came to New York, I didn’t have any cash. I went to ICP and TA’d a whole bunch of classes. So I got to essentially be a student but I also developed relationships with teachers so that led to more assisting jobs. School is just not for everyone. I’m a very hands on person so I didn’t want to go and sit in a three hour critique. I wanted to learn how to use a camera. So I feel like today I have a strong technical sense because of the way I started.

Do you have any overall valuable advice you can pass on to people starting out?

I think it’s taken me a really long time to realize that I should just be myself. And that also goes into man different areas of life. But I think in photography there are so many photographers out there and essentially it’s just your point of view of the world that you’re capturing. And if you just be yourself, you’re unique. For a long time I was so desperate to get jobs I was trying to be like everyone else. Now I understand that if you’re just yourself and believe in what you do, of course, you’re going to do well. Another good advice that someone gave me a long time ago is that you’re working for yourself. So it’s who you are that they’re hiring. Your skills, a lot of times, are secondary. You’re spending a lot of time with this person. It’s a collaboration. Treat everyone like they’re your clients. That is the best advice that anyone has ever given me. Conversations on subways can bring you jobs. Great example is that I became friends with the studio intern. She became a photo editor and hired me for a job.

Does your blog get you jobs?

I don’t know if the blog has gotten me jobs. I think the blog has helped me create a voice and be myself. You have your website and try to be commercial to an extent but with a blog you can just be yourself. And that’s where I really found this path of being really open and honest about my process. I bet most of the people who comment on my blog are people who are interested in the industry and not direct clients.

Tell me about the challenges of going from photography to film and video editing. 

Video is so hard. That was the first thing I discovered. A year ago I had a video camera put in my hand and created the worst thing ever. Crazy images. Then the teacher told me “would you ever take that picture?” “No.” So I started to think about it more in terms of pictures which is kind of obvious but when you have it in your hand it’s not so obvious. It’s a natural progression in the sense that the industry is going that way and since the web is such a great platform for showing full stories – it’s one more way of story telling. It’s a new challenge and I always need new challenges.

When you’re leaving for a shoot, what do you pack?

Always bring a backup camera. Always! Always! Always bring lots of memory cards. Double of everything. Two battery packs, two flashes, I always bring a reflector and never use it. Lots of lenses. Tripod. I sometimes experiment a little with hot lights, etc.

What are your thoughts on freelancing versus working 9-5? Is it harder? More fulfilling?

Well that’s the thing about freelance is that you’re going to work so much more than everybody else. But mainly it’s all in your head because you’re working all the time thinking about things, doing these things and everything in your life is work. I wake up early or try to. I work a lot from home because a lot of my stuff is post-production or returning emails or stuff like that. I respond to clients at 2 in the morning sometimes. I’m always working. But at the same time I dictate the terms of my work and now that I have more consistent work, I can turn things down that are not appropriate for me. That’s a huge difference because now I’m not breaking my back for things I don’t believe it.

What do you like most about being a photographer?

I just like freedom. I really do. It’s a perfect medium for me because I’m interested in so many thing and if I was just to do one thing it would be really hard for me because I’m always so curious about everything. As a photographer I get to slip into the life of a ski patroller for a day, of a psychologist for another day, of a non-profit. I get to travel the world. I get to live so many different lives and appropriate people’s experiences constantly. So that’s what I like about it.

Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Molly

Since Father’s Day just passed, and you happen to be my father, I thought it would be appropriate to interview you. Jack Aaker started out at Wells Rich Green worked at JWT, Grey, BBDO and had his own business. He is currently a senior creative at the Kaplan Thaler Group.

Can you tell me a little bit about where you’re from and how you got into advertising?

I’m from a small town in Minnesota and went to college in Minnesota. During my Sophomore year, I saw a picture of a beautiful woman on the cover of my father’s Business Week: Mary Wells Laurence of Wells Rich Green. They were creating the best advertising at the time; Benson & Heges, American Motors, Alka Seltzer, etc. So I wrote her a love letter and got an airmail special delivery reply. She didn’t train juniors and advised me to stay in school. Then she me gave a piece of advice that I tell every creative person who wants to get into advertising -“When you see a bad ad, how would you make it better? Just think what you can do in every single way to improve it.” And I started noticing advertising around me and re-writing it. After college, I came to NYC with $300 and got a job as a mail clerk at Wells Rich Green. Three months later, I became a writer by submitting my work to writers at the agency who also taught at SVA and Parsons – but back then there were very few schools for advertising – and people actually had the time to mentor me.

You’ve worked in advertising for over 30 years. Can you give my readers some advice on how you’ve dealt with the ups and downs of the business?

It’s all about resilience. Realize you’re going to have setbacks and rejections as well as victories. Don’t ever give up. It sounds trite but it’s the truth. I have been fortunate to have a creative partner for over 20 years. We’ve formed a strong bond so we can balance and motivate each other to keep trying. We’re hard on each other, but always supportive. The great thing about advertising is that there’s always a new problem or situation. Because things change so quickly, usually bad situations pass. (And great situations can disappear overnight!) I’ve always worked with great people and always try to be honorable. We keep our promises and deadlines. We care very much. When you have that sense of professionalism, it reflects back on you and you get to work with people who are professional and honorable as well. People become more important than the situation.

Describe the most exciting, unique, crazy and interesting shoot you’ve been on aside from recording and directing Antonio Banderas on Nasonex.

Going to New Zealand for Flomax. We had to cast a line of 90 men with 15 principals and 9 of them had to speak on camera. The concept was a long line of men stepping forward in an airplane hanger to show that they’re not alone with their disease, not afraid to talk about that they were going to the bathroom all the time. We couldn’t find the right location in the USA so we had to choose between Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand. It turned out there was a brand new hanger in the Auckland airport built for the richest man in the country. It was beautiful and a perfect half circle. We cast in Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Wellington and Auckland trying to find people who could speak on camera in an American accent. It was a casting epic. The talent was great. When you go out of the country, it’s incredibly important surround yourself with people you can trust because there are always unexpected problems. You have to prepare for every possibility of what can go wrong – and then something happens that you couldn’t have imagined. You have to be flexible, but more importantly, you have to remember clearly what you want and stick to it when everyone is trying to compromise on money, talent, legal, etc. My partner and I also shot a memorable commercial for Puerto Vallerta tourism – but I can’t give that story away. We’re going to turn it into a movie. Let’s just say that we nicknamed the commercial director, who was mandated by certain officials, Juan More Tequila. Crew call was at 7AM. Crew showed up at 9. Tequila break was at 10:30. You can’t make this stuff up.

Well, I for one will never forget being on the set of a Duncan Hines commercial at 4 years old with chocolate chips raining from the ceiling. Maybe that’s why I chose a career in advertising. What other careers have you considered?

I was going to be a clinical psychologist – but I fell in love with advertising. After I came to New York, I was a volunteer for a suicide hotline and was trained in active listening. It’s been vital to my career.

Aside from getting a creative brief that includes a basic guideline of what you should create, you’re basically starting from a blank page. How do you start the creative process? Is there a certain time of day you find you’re more creative?

I work as part of a team and I tend to focus on all the details and see if they lead to something big. My partner (art director) focuses on the big picture and ignores the details and we just start talking. We talk about things that intrigue us, questions we have about the product, questions consumers might have. We try to fit into their shoes whether it’s a product or service. And we always start with the idea. What’s the end line? Key visual? The feeling that we want to leave people with? How can we be unique? Clever? Get people’s attention and persuade? The idea has to work everywhere - not just in television and print, but all executions in all media have to flow from it. I like getting up really early and hitting the computer instantly. It’s when my ideas aren’t affected by my rationality and come straight out of my brain without second thoughts or editing.

A lot has been said about how advertising has changed over the past 30 years with the inclusion of digital, social media, and other forms of advertising. What has stayed the same?

What has stayed the same is that there’s always a connection to humanity. There’s a connection to peoples’ likes and dislikes. And even though those likes and dislikes change over time, you’re always trying to connect to them and get an emotional response from people, from peoples’ humanity.

And finally, how do you feel about your daughter(s) following in your footsteps?

Well I think it’s an interesting career. Unfortunately, the whole model of making money has changed. The media has fragmented and the internet has reduced costs and therefore, fees. So, the question to ask is how we’ll all support ourselves in 5 years. On the other hand, advertising is always changing. That’s why it’s interesting. Every day is something different. There’s a new competitor, a new app, a new way to influence people. It’s constantly being on your toes. And I’ve learned about things that I never expected to learn about - everything from computers and phones to pharmaceuticals and peanut butter. I’ve become a more interesting person because of it and I spend time with some of the most delightful, engaging and intelligent people one can imagine.

Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Molly

Margaux Zion is a Social Media Consultant, specializing in interactive customer experience. She works with retailers in the Fashion, Cosmetics, and Home Products industries to make shopping as easy and FUN for people who don’t love shopping as much as she does.

When not glued to her Tweetdeck feed or Tumblr dashboard, she works as a makeup artist, painting some of fashion’s freshest faces. Follow her on Twitter @margauxz or catch the occasional blog update at margauxzion.tumblr.com for a little insight into the world of all things Margaux!

To introduce you to my readers - we met last year at my birthday party via a mutual friend but then didn't have a quality introduction until a few months ago. And it was all uphill from there.

Can you give me a brief introduction of what you do for MAC?

I am on the Online Product Team- a position that is synonymous with “mystical psychic wizard.” I use social media to assist customers with cosmetic product selection that they cannot touch or see in a physical store. I cannot see them, and they cannot see me, [hence] the mystical psychic wizardry. I worked as a freelance makeup artist and in a MAC retail store for years previous to this promotion- the product knowledge I’ve amassed in combination with my loquacious personality and savvy for social media was logical next step.

This is only what I do for MAC, though not at all what I do in my secret alter ego as a Social Media Consultant.

Talk to me about your background. You were a costumer for a Soap Opera. How in the world did that happen?

That was my wildcard career. When I was in college for Textile Science before I worked for MAC, I volunteered my services as a dresser at New York Fashion Week. My uncle, who is a Broadway Producer, caught wind, and decided I needed to be in the Theatrical Wardrobe Union. He literally walked me directly into the President’s office where I registered on the spot. The President, a well-poised, elegant woman, phoned the supervisor at the now defunct Guiding Light soap opera, and in her best showbiz voice:

“Heeeeeeey! I have a GREAT new girl here, MARGAUX! She is so ENTHUSIASTIC, and has a GREAT SMILE; you’ll just LOVE her! She just registered; she’d be GREAT for the show! I can’t talk now, but let’s do lunch! Bye babe!”

I went to work on the show the very next week, and the rest is history. This is where I decided I needed to embrace Social Media for my livelihood. I used to sit in hair and makeup in between shooting and sign the actors up on Twitter and made Facebook groups for our adventures making the television show. Then soap fans started to follow ME, and I knew I had something.

The show was very dear to me. We were cancelled last year, (ON APRIL FOOL’S DAY!) and I miss it very much. It was a privilege to work with such an outstanding group of people.

Switching gears here -what are your three favorite MAC products at the moment?

Three products I wear no matter WHAT the look, are Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, (Buffed with the #182 brush) Opulash Mascara, and Fast Response Eye Cream. I have over 1,500 individual MAC Cosmetics products in my “stock" so choosing color would be a very hard decision to make.

Over the last few weeks, we've attended a TON of techie networking events and I've noticed that you're the social media, networking, friend-making queen. When did you enter the Twittersphere? What are some tips for quality networking? And how do you keep track of all your contacts?

I just really like meeting new people. I’m a really talkative person and this reflects both in the real world, and online. Twitter is actually a very evolved form of social media for me- I used to regularly post and moderate on Ezboard communities and LiveJournals as early as 1999, and still keep in touch with friends I made then, today.

Quality networking doesn’t mean you have to reach the widest audience by talking to a million people. It means that you have to meet the right audience by talking to people who want to know more about what you already know a lot about. It's also helpful to be somewhat interesting, friendly, and approachable. This attracts people’s interest in your character, and lets them know that you’d be a super awesome/knowledgeable/hardworking member of the team. I naturally smile a lot both online and off- it's a lot like dating.

As for keeping track- I have Oompa Loompas. That was a joke. I have FIT interns. Also a joke. (I’D LOVE TO HAVE ONE, THOUGH!!!) I have a special cheat sheet and a little black book, nothing too fancy. I also have a bookmarks folder titled: “REALLY AWESOME WEBSITES” for all the new utilities I liked at NYTech Meetup, etc.

Interns... not a bad idea. Inquiring minds want to know - i.e. ME. While at the last Tech Meetup, I noticed that you often managed to add someone via Twitter, Tweet, and reference a presenters comments within the Tweet before they were finished talking. What Twitter program do you use? And how do you do this?

Haha! I did do that, didn’t I? As I said before, I am a very chatty person- tweeting instead of talking keeps me from interrupting people who are supposed to be talking!

I like Tweetdeck for personal use- it's a very easy dashboard to control my two Twitter accounts, Facebook profile, two Facebook Pages, and Foursquare account. (C’mon Tweetdeck! Integrate Tumblr and Wordpress next!) I also monitor updates with MAC related hashtags; MAC fans are pretty much really nice people, with a lot of artistic insight and brand enthusiasm. Social Media is exactly how to find conversations about things you really like and want to discuss with others.

For my professional clients, I am currently discovering Postling, a web-based social media management tool for brand management. It allows me to keep track of all my blog posts, tweets, status updates, comments, and all return correspondence. I met the Co-Founders through NY Tech Meetup and they are really smart guys with a great product.

You interact with people from all over the country. How do you think the soccer mom from the middle of Wisconsin will benefit from the technological revolution?

I think she has it better than us New Yorkers. Media consumes our space like none other. She can sit in her nice quiet SUV, waiting for the kids to come out of practice, and choose what types of media she wishes to take. She may use her shiny new tablet device to coordinate recipes and prepare dinner later in the evening, read her Cosmo mag in a digital reader, or order groceries from her local market to be assembled for pickup or delivery…. The possibilities are endless! I wouldn’t be surprised if a new wave of tech startups are designed and marketed as productivity apps by and for busy moms!

Hmm. I think you're on to something. Any developers out there DM me @missmolls. Tell me more about using technology and social media in retail. How do you think our retail experience will evolve over the next few years?

I think that phase one is over now and that most companies integrated e-commerce in the late 90’s. Many e-tailers now provide Live Chat services- a great service for shoppers who cannot experience products using their 5 senses and must rely on an expert.

With the explosion of social media, the virtual shopping experience is going to be huge; filled with rich content, more useful, personalized services. Even advertising will be smarter and less annoying because it will be properly targeted and more interactive in nature. I don’t want to reveal too much, because building the e-commerce experience is one of my current projects. My specialty is landscaping the customer experience for virtual retailers. There is so much work to be done, but most retailers understand that this dynamic shopping experience is essential to keeping loyal customers.

As far as physical stores and retail events are concerned, Diesel had an amazing promotion a few weeks ago, inviting traffic into the store with a free t-shirt for the first X number of foursquare checkins. Heavy store traffic is what makes a store seem cooler so this was a brilliant idea. Also, aside from the brands that users may follow on Twitter or Foursquare for great tips and shopping guides, there are great networking apps like FoodSpotting and Fareshare. There are even apps for retailers to use geo-tagging apps to drive customers into stores.

And finally, dream big. What's your next upcoming project?

Ah! I can’t talk about it! I’m always working on my dreams, I’ll be sure to let you know when they come true.

Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Molly

I'm starting a new weekly interview series, Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Molly. I'm interviewing people from all sorts of backgrounds who I feel have taken a unique career path, are finding success and who can offer advice and insight. So here it goes..

Introducing Matty Goldberg, comedian, writer, actor and recent L.A. transplant. You can find him on his own site and if you're looking for a little piece of his magic - you can email him @mattygoldberg.net

Hello Matty! So to give my readers some background - we first met summer of 2009. You were opening for a friend's improv group and I was there photographing their show. Aside from making fun of me for being alone (I was photographing my ex and just met his new gf!), you found out I was from New Jersey. So I basically handed to you on a silver platter half of your show. Your stand up routine was pretty funny, although like many comedians, you've gone through some serious $hit like beating a brain tumor at 18 that included two ten hour surgeries. Holy Cow. Your story of perseverance intrigues and inspires me. Tell me what you're doing now.

Right now I'm answering these questions. Sorry, bad joke. I'm doing lotsa standup and trying to develop a TV show around me in Hollywood. Everything is based on my life, my struggle, my pain. It's a beautiful, cathartic release.

What was the impetus to move to LA? Was there a last straw? A sign? A coincidence that made you realize it was time to get the hell out of NYC?

My sister moved out there 8 years ago. I'd visit and book some stand-up shows. Every time I was on stage I'd do awesome. Comics were like "move out here. No one is like you." So I always wanted to. Opportunity came, and things in NY were slow. I was happy as hell to move.

From what I've seen, it sounds like LA has been treating you well. Can you tell me what motivated you to keep going in the ridiculously trying world of stand up comedy?

MG: Stand-up comedy is such competitive, crazy business. People ask me if I'm nervous about the crowds. That's the easy part. The business is the hard part. It's this endless game of marketing yourself and self-promotion. It's something I don't like doing but must be done. What keeps me going is people saying I suck or I can't do it. Then I'm inspired to stick it in their face. My way of winning is succeeding on stage and with [other] projects.

What would you say is the number one skill to being a stand up comedian?

LIKABILITY. Right there. When I started, I wasn't likable. I came off awkward. So I kinda learned through psychological warfare to be lovable and creepy at the same time. Some comics succeed who aren't that funny. But no doubt they are LIKABLE.

Creepiness and likability. Who knew it was a recipe for success? How are you using social media to expand your career?

I'm on Facebook all the time promoting gigs, putting up videos. YouTube is big too. Can't tell you how many people from around the country stumbled upon one of my videos on YouTube and now loves me. Again, everything has changed, cause comedy is everywhere. So you have to keep up.

How has doing stand up helped you in other areas of your life?

Before I started, I was a complete mess. I really was depressed, worked at animal hospital sweeping cat shit. So doing it gave me purpose, gave me passion. I became confident and determined. It also made me love myself more and yes, got me laid. Confidence is sexy. And many girls dig a brave dude. Funny is sexy too. I still believe hot guys are more desirable than funny guys, but there certainly is a market for a guy like me.

I agree. Humor is major attraction for women and sometimes being "just hot" is boring. And cleaning up cat shit does kill a little part of your soul. I digress. When you were a kid, did you think, "I want to be a stand up comedian" or did you have another life-long dream?

When I was younger, I was into music and sports. I thought comedy was for dorks. A big misconception about nerds is we don't bask in our nerd glory. Truth is we want to be the bad ass or cool guy at the party, so I wanted to be an athlete.

What?! I totally bask in my nerd glory. Tell me a secret. What's the biggest misconception people have about you?

Two contradicting things. Because I'm very self deprecating, some people think it's all an act and that I'm smart and normal. And some think I'm a complete perverted, freak. I'm somewhere in between. My comedy is a real extension of me. I'm just not that all the time.

So you're only creepy some of the time. Good to know. In your observation, what are some of the biggest differences between LAers and New Yorkers?

LA gets a bad rap that it is superficial. I think NY is actually more. LA girls dress in tee shirts and flip flops. Everyday for a girl in NY is a fashion show. In NY, girls wear the best shoes. In comedy, NY is traditional and kinda sticks to its roots. In LA, you have lots of guys doing Dane Cook.

Well some of us need to upgrade our shoe collection. Or just move out of NYC.. How has your life changed since moving to LA? Are you healthier? Do you have a tan? A porche? A girlfriend?

I love the weather here. I went through lots of personal shit in NY so LA is fresh breath of air. If you wanna know what I have, come to a show. Oh, I love fast food in LA. In n Out is the real deal.

What are some projects you're working on now?

I wrote a pilot about an 80's metal band's manager. I am also developing a show based on me. Rest of it is a secret. It will be funny. I guarantee it. But I just love performing. If it's 2 people or 1000 people in the crowd, I'm ready to rock.

And finally, any advice you can pass on to my readers who want to make a drastic career change in their life?

EAT SHIT. If you want to do anything in this life you must pay your dues and eat a lot of shit from people. Nothing comes easy. I plan on writing a book about my journey. To get where I am today took so much failing, working for free, and doing awful gigs it was insane. But you just know it's for something bigger in the future. And truth is I'm succeeding now, cause for years I ate shit.