I’m not for everyone.

I know it.
You know it.
The whole internet knows it.

I’m blunt, I’m loud, I say shit.

(I also yell shit.)

But … isn’t that better than nothing? No feedback, no callback … no communication at all?

Or worse, the ol’ “Thankyousoooomuuuuuch!” Or, “That was fantassssssstic!” And then? Crickets.

I hated that when I was an actor. So I won’t do it.

But isn’t it kinda nice to have someone in your corner who will tell you that the color you’re wearing is maybe notsogood on you and you should maybe go to @JillKirshColor to learn what colors will enhance your look?

Isn’t it sorta reassuring that someone out there sees your potential and will not let you send that tape in until you’ve nailed it?

Isn’t it rather pleasant to know that the accent you’re working on is – well let’s just go with “not quite there”? And that a somewhat loud person you know will (a) tell you about it, (b) help you with it, (c) give you all kinds of resources for further help with it, and (d) push you until you’ve perfected it?

Isn’t it nice to know you’re not alone in this freaking nightmare of a career?

Or … am I wrong? Would you prefer to keep running around town displaying your mediocrity in all of its glory?

YOU
Yeah, but Les. Do you have to be so …
loud? Aggressive? Pushy about it?

“Hey!” She said loudly, aggressively and pushily. “I’m not ALWAYS that way! I only get super spicy when

1. 1. it appears that you somehow didn’t hear me the first three or four thousand times I repeated a suggestion,
   2. I know you KNOW better, or
   3. I need to break through your totally understandable, incredibly powerful defenses. You know, the ones that are currently operating at full strength in a misguided effort to protect you. (NEWSFLASH! Those defenses are NOT HELPING YOU! They’re actually making it impossible for you succeed! I’m yelling at THEM! Not you!)

I’m yelling to try to be louder than the OTHER voices in your head – the ones that are holding you back. I’m yelling because I’m trying to convince you to do what you need to do to get great at acting so you can book fabulous acting jobs and shoot them in cool locations with amazing people while telling a remarkable story, having an incredible time and making a great deal of money. And then telling me alllll about it (I love details). A reasonable tone of voice just doesn’t cut it.

I’m yelling ‘cuz I’m a coach, for God’s sake, and I freaking want you to WIN!

GO!

FIGHT!

WINNNNN!

(They never let me be a cheerleader. I was too klutzy.)

This industry is tough.

I don’t say shit to make it harder on you or to toughen you up. I’m not a bully. And you take enough crap from everyone.

I say shit because I will do whatever I have to do to get you so good at your job that you book with alarming frequency. And if you don’t book it, you know for a FACT that it wasn’t because of your ACTING. You KNOW you rocked it. They just went another way, which happens all the time. So it’s easy for you to get back up and do it AGAIN.

They’re allowed to be dumb.

And you’re allowed to move on.