Full Transcript for Buzz Lear TALKS ‘House Detectives’ & Vertical Entertainment | JTWJE EP 451

00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:20.189 I mean, I was not one of these high school 39 00:02:20.909 --> 00:02:23.770 theater guys. I was an athlete growing up. I mainly, 40 00:02:23.789 --> 00:02:28.069 I had four brothers and we played all kinds of sports. 41 00:02:28.550 --> 00:02:32.550 I grew up in Minneapolis in Minnesota, but I went 42 00:02:32.569 --> 00:02:35.629 to school at the University of North Dakota. And when 43 00:02:35.650 --> 00:02:39.150 I went to school in Grand Forks, I had decided 44 00:02:39.210 --> 00:02:42.389 that I was going to be a speech teacher and 45 00:02:42.449 --> 00:02:44.969 I was going to be a coach. I wanted to 46 00:02:45.009 --> 00:02:48.460 coach baseball. That was what I wanted to do. But 47 00:02:48.500 --> 00:02:51.539 in one of my first year, my freshman year, I 48 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:56.340 found myself in a psychology 101 class. And the guy 49 00:02:56.370 --> 00:02:59.810 that was actually running the psychology 101 class said, also 50 00:02:59.849 --> 00:03:03.289 was part of the theater department, surprisingly enough. And he 51 00:03:03.409 --> 00:03:05.569 offered us an option at the end of the first 52 00:03:05.610 --> 00:03:08.669 year was we could either write a paper for our final, 53 00:03:09.229 --> 00:03:12.689 or we could try out for his play So at 54 00:03:12.729 --> 00:03:15.009 the same time, if we got cast in the show, 55 00:03:15.030 --> 00:03:17.960 we didn't have to write the paper. So I thought, well, 56 00:03:18.060 --> 00:03:19.759 I'm going to just try out for this play. I 57 00:03:19.819 --> 00:03:21.740 have no idea what it is. So I tried out 58 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:23.719 for the play. I got a role in the show 59 00:03:24.300 --> 00:03:26.090 and I didn't have to write the paper. And it 60 00:03:26.150 --> 00:03:29.810 also just sparked, it ignited something inside me that said, 61 00:03:29.830 --> 00:03:30.530 oh my. 62 00:03:30.389 --> 00:03:32.229 Gosh, I really love doing this. 63 00:03:32.930 --> 00:03:37.409 And I just continued to audition for plays. In my 64 00:03:37.449 --> 00:03:41.770 sophomore year, I shifted my degree to theater. 65 00:03:41.789 --> 00:03:44.129 And I never looked back. And that was how that 66 00:03:44.169 --> 00:03:46.909 all got started. And I just continued to do that. 67 00:03:47.550 --> 00:03:51.370 That's incredible. Because the thing is, I had theater from 68 00:03:51.430 --> 00:03:53.990 fifth grade to twelfth grade. So I've done a lot 69 00:03:54.009 --> 00:03:56.310 of that. And the thing is, the performing arts are 70 00:03:56.439 --> 00:04:00.789 so important. And I'm like, yeah, we can have 45 71 00:04:00.789 --> 00:04:04.310 minutes of PE, but we could also have 45 minutes 72 00:04:04.349 --> 00:04:05.990 of band, choir, and theater. 73 00:04:06.050 --> 00:04:08.909 That's right. That's right. And so I jumped into the 74 00:04:08.949 --> 00:04:09.610 theater world. 75 00:04:09.930 --> 00:04:15.189 I basically had abandoned my baseball

dream, but it was 76 00:04:15.229 --> 00:04:16.829 great because I ended up graduating. 77 00:04:16.850 --> 00:04:17.810 I ended up shifting. 78 00:04:18.589 --> 00:04:21.269 At that time, the University of North Dakota adopted a 79 00:04:21.930 --> 00:04:25.449 Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program, a BFA degree, And 80 00:04:25.500 --> 00:04:28.819 I was in the actually the first graduating class of 81 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:31.300 the Bachelor of Fine Arts program from the University of 82 00:04:31.339 --> 00:04:34.379 North Dakota, which was great because I got my Bachelor 83 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:36.860 of Fine Arts degree from there. I went on to 84 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:39.399 do every year while I was in college, I started 85 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:42.980 doing summer theater. So I did the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, 86 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.699 my between my sophomore, junior year. 87 00:04:46.529 --> 00:04:47.470 Yeah, I was in Boulder. 88 00:04:47.529 --> 00:04:48.810 I'm a CU Buff, so go Buffs. 89 00:04:49.250 --> 00:04:51.540 Oh, go Buffs. There you go. I love that. Yeah. 90 00:04:51.899 --> 00:04:54.660 So I went to Boulder and did the Colorado Shakespeare 91 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:56.779 Festival there one summer. And then the next summer, I 92 00:04:56.819 --> 00:05:01.060 did the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Oregon. 93 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:04.300 And I'm trying to remember where that was. What's the 94 00:05:04.339 --> 00:05:08.709 name of that? Ashland. No, yeah, Ashland. I think it's Ashland, Oregon. 95 00:05:09.110 --> 00:05:12.439 Something like that. I can't remember anymore. That's 100 years ago, Jake. 96 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:15.199 So what can I tell you? So I did that. 97 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:17.439 And then I graduated from college and I got my 98 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:20.899 first job as an actor. A paying actor was in 99 00:05:20.990 --> 00:05:23.990 Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I got cast in a show called 100 00:05:24.449 --> 00:05:28.350 at Dirty Jack's Wild West Theater in Jackson Hole playing 101 00:05:28.430 --> 00:05:30.889 Buffalo Bill and Annie Get Your Gun. And I did 102 00:05:30.910 --> 00:05:32.790 that for, oh my gosh, I did that. 103 00:05:32.689 --> 00:05:33.649 For the whole summer. 104 00:05:34.290 --> 00:05:38.310 We did 110 shows in a row, eight shows a week, 105 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:40.660 and it was phenomenal. And then I ended up actually 106 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:43.220 going back to Jackson every year for like five years. 107 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:46.110 In a row, I went back to Jackson every summer. 108 00:05:47.009 --> 00:05:49.509 And then in between that, I would go back to 109 00:05:49.550 --> 00:05:52.509 Minneapolis and there was a dinner theater. Dinner theater back 110 00:05:52.550 --> 00:05:55.810 then was really hot. If you remember dinner theater, that 111 00:05:55.850 --> 00:05:58.980 was a big deal. And so I did dinner theater 112 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.759 at Chanhassen Dinner Theater in Minneapolis. 113 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:04.360 And I would do that every winter. 114 00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:06.740 And then I would go back to Jackson Hole in 115 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:09.519 the summer. And that's kind of became my routine for 116 00:06:09.579 --> 00:06:11.610 several years in there, just doing theater. 117 00:06:13.269 --> 00:06:16.899 That's incredible because theater always has the best thing. And 118 00:06:17.379 --> 00:06:21.600 I got to say this, any actor, I played Sir 119 00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:23.000 Andrew in Twelfth Night. 120 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:24.319 There you go. 121 00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:27.579 And I got to see Dame Judy Jones reprise her 122 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:30.740 role of Titania when I studied abroad in England. And 123 00:06:31.139 --> 00:06:33.120 all I got to say is I give so much 124 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:39.000 credit to people who tackled Shakespeare because that test is 125 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:40.259 a real acting level. 126 00:06:40.860 --> 00:06:46.100 Yep. Well, listen, those years at Colorado and at Oregon 127 00:06:46.139 --> 00:06:49.600 were just phenomenal. I got to play King Lear. I 128 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:52.660 got to play, which was my actual last name, but 129 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:56.379 it's spelled differently. King Lear is L-E-A, and I'm L-E-E, 130 00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:00.529 but there you go. And I did play Father Time 131 00:07:00.589 --> 00:07:05.370 in Winter's Tale. I've done different Shakespeare roles, but Shakespeare was. 132 00:07:06.709 --> 00:07:09.629 I actually loved doing Shakespeare. I loved the rhyming. I 133 00:07:09.670 --> 00:07:10.129 loved the. 134 00:07:11.050 --> 00:07:15.420 the verbal context of what Shakespeare is all about. And 135 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:17.579 it would be fun, actually, when you think about it, 136 00:07:17.579 --> 00:07:18.860 it would be fun to go back and do. 137 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.279 A Shakespeare at some point in time. It would be great. 138 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:26.579 Absolutely, absolutely. It's always great to have Shakespeare. However, we 139 00:07:26.610 --> 00:07:29.009 got to move away from the Shakespeare of it all. 140 00:07:29.430 --> 00:07:33.910 And let's go talk about going and skiing on television sets. 141 00:07:33.949 --> 00:07:37.269 So we're on several different sets and two different projects. 142 00:07:37.709 --> 00:07:42.189 One in a non-fictional house detective's on HGTV. And then 143 00:07:42.410 --> 00:07:48.839 also you have MEC's Chicago franchise with Chicago PD and 144 00:07:48.860 --> 00:07:53.110 Chicago Fire. So I know those are two different animals 145 00:07:53.170 --> 00:07:54.730 on their own, but what were some of the lessons 146 00:07:54.750 --> 00:07:57.209 that you learned from both of those experiences that helped 147 00:07:57.250 --> 00:07:58.730 you grow as a performer? 148 00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:04.670 Well, particularly, I'll just

start with the house detective, the 149 00:08:04.870 --> 00:08:06.990 HGTV show that I did. 150 00:08:07.089 --> 00:08:08.629 I actually got cast in that. 151 00:08:08.990 --> 00:08:13.180 I was the host of HGTV's House Detective for five seasons. 152 00:08:13.660 --> 00:08:15.019 We did 65 episodes. 153 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:17.360 I actually fixed 65 houses. 154 00:08:17.980 --> 00:08:19.519 Oh, wow. On TV. 155 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:21.420 It was a long run. It was a long run. 156 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:24.430 And that was all based in the Bay Area. I 157 00:08:24.490 --> 00:08:26.370 raised my family living in the Bay Area. 158 00:08:26.389 --> 00:08:26.470 Yeah. 159 00:08:27.100 --> 00:08:30.120 San Francisco, and that show shot all the way up 160 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:31.899 and down the entire Bay Area. 161 00:08:33.700 --> 00:08:34.879 So I started on that. 162 00:08:35.259 --> 00:08:37.879 The lessons that that gave me, because that was reality 163 00:08:37.940 --> 00:08:41.669 TV in the very, very beginning, basically, is what that was. 164 00:08:42.029 --> 00:08:44.350 When you look back at some of those shows between 165 00:08:44.389 --> 00:08:50.490 House Detective and Curb Appeal, Landscape Smarts, the different shows 166 00:08:50.889 --> 00:08:55.460 at that time, we were really pioneering HGTV. 167 00:08:54.740 --> 00:08:55.379 At that time. 168 00:08:55.600 --> 00:09:00.299 I was one of the very first shows on HGTV. 169 00:08:59.899 --> 00:09:01.019 To kind of get recognized. 170 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:03.860 The only people that recognized me though, because the show 171 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:06.539 was not watched by a lot of people yet, the 172 00:09:06.580 --> 00:09:08.779 only place that people would recognize me would be in 173 00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:11.399 Home Depot on a Saturday morning. If I would walk 174 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:13.279 into Home Depot, they say, oh, that's the guy from 175 00:09:13.299 --> 00:09:18.330 House Detective. Because that was my consumer, which was really fun. 176 00:09:18.429 --> 00:09:20.509 It was really fun to at least get recognized on 177 00:09:20.549 --> 00:09:24.330 that level. But your question was how did that– what 178 00:09:24.350 --> 00:09:27.690 did I learn from that? What I learned was how 179 00:09:27.809 --> 00:09:31.370 to be an actual host of a show, but I 180 00:09:31.429 --> 00:09:33.690 really learned how to think on my feet because that 181 00:09:33.750 --> 00:09:34.970 was reality TV. 182 00:09:35.350 --> 00:09:36.549 And it was unscripted. 183 00:09:37.149 --> 00:09:40.139 So when you think– so when it was unscripted, it 184 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:43.549 really just– whatever the flow was, I happened to have 185 00:09:43.590 --> 00:09:47.740 an incredible director, an incredible producer that really helped me 186 00:09:47.940 --> 00:09:51.960 through that entire process. And I learned to really, really, 187 00:09:52.019 --> 00:09:55.169 really think quickly on my feet to be able to just, 188 00:09:55.850 --> 00:09:57.909 you know, kind of fit into whatever was going on 189 00:09:57.950 --> 00:09:58.389 at the time. 190 00:09:58.429 --> 00:10:01.659 If I was fixing a deck, and tearing out a. 191 00:10:01.659 --> 00:10:03.720 Deck and putting in a new deck on somebody's house, 192 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:05.500 if something went wrong, I. 193 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:06.919 Had to be able to improvise that. 194 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:08.639 I had to be able to understand what did I 195 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:10.870 have to do next? How did I have to grab 196 00:10:10.909 --> 00:10:12.629 that wood and put that on there and grab the 197 00:10:12.669 --> 00:10:16.190 nails and all that? It was a pretty intense process. 198 00:10:16.529 --> 00:10:18.549 And we shot all that on one camera. 199 00:10:18.929 --> 00:10:20.870 And that was back, and you got to think, that 200 00:10:20.889 --> 00:10:21.470 was back. 201 00:10:21.330 --> 00:10:25.909 In 2005, I think we started that series. So it's 202 00:10:25.970 --> 00:10:28.610 before digital. This was still shot on tape. 203 00:10:29.070 --> 00:10:31.740 So they were running. Yeah, we were running tapes every 204 00:10:31.769 --> 00:10:32.590 single night. 205 00:10:32.389 --> 00:10:34.600 To the studio for these guys to sit and log 206 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:37.519 all those tapes at night. So that show was shot 207 00:10:37.580 --> 00:10:41.860 on tape. We would shoot in the field three days, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. 208 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:45.740 We shot on location. And then Thursday and Friday, I 209 00:10:45.980 --> 00:10:48.659 would go into the studio and do all the voiceover 210 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:51.879 for anything that had. 211 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:54.259 To be voiceovered on the show. Because we used a 212 00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:55.559 lot of graphics. 213 00:10:55.580 --> 00:11:00.210 So I learned so much about every phase of television 214 00:11:00.309 --> 00:11:03.789 in that show. It just helped propel me onto the 215 00:11:03.850 --> 00:11:06.570 next stage, which was going to be the Dick Wolf 216 00:11:06.610 --> 00:11:10.679 stuff when I moved to Chicago after that time. Because 217 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:15.399 all the stuff that we did on HGTV was, again, reality, unscripted, 218 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:20.450 and think on your feet. And then just the knowledge 219 00:11:20.610 --> 00:11:23.529 and the understanding of what I learned to do voiceover 220 00:11:24.210 --> 00:11:26.850 in the studio to match up to what was happening 221 00:11:26.889 --> 00:11:27.529 on the TV. 222 00:11:28.970 --> 00:11:30.210 I can't even begin to tell. 223 00:11:30.070 --> 00:11:34.149 You how golden that was and how I've used all 224 00:11:34.169 --> 00:11:36.919 of those things that I learned then still today on 225 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:38.059 a lot of different sets. 226 00:11:39.730 --> 00:11:42.250 I got to say this. It's incredible because I

remember 227 00:11:42.309 --> 00:11:45.809 going to back to Boulder and back to like tapes 228 00:11:45.850 --> 00:11:48.700 and everything. It was hard to log in digital tape, 229 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.559 but to get on, but to get the tape that 230 00:11:51.639 --> 00:11:54.120 to be played on that, it's still crazy. 231 00:11:54.179 --> 00:11:55.139 It's crazy. 232 00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:58.639 Segmented, Final Cut Pro. I give a lot of kudos 233 00:11:58.659 --> 00:12:02.159 to all those editors, especially who work in reality TV field, 234 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:03.679 especially reality TV. 235 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:04.860 No kidding. 236 00:12:05.100 --> 00:12:07.779 When did that take the like, not a lot of 237 00:12:07.899 --> 00:12:10.279 actors can say they've worked on a Dick Wolf production. 238 00:12:10.940 --> 00:12:16.710 So having that, having being on the Chicago franchise, that 239 00:12:16.769 --> 00:12:19.029 must be a huge feather in your cap. 240 00:12:19.730 --> 00:12:22.149 Well, it was, it took me several, you know, it was, 241 00:12:22.929 --> 00:12:26.179 it's interesting. I, when I jumped back into theater after being, 242 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:27.779 you know, I had done, I had done the house 243 00:12:27.820 --> 00:12:30.220 detective and then I went back into sales and marketing 244 00:12:30.259 --> 00:12:32.039 because the most of my career I spent in a 245 00:12:32.059 --> 00:12:35.259 lot of sales and marketing. And in between House Detective 246 00:12:35.299 --> 00:12:38.240 and jumping into Dick Wolf, I went back to sales 247 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:40.580 and marketing. So, and it wasn't until I got to 248 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:44.059 Chicago that I decided, no, I'd had enough with corporate 249 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:45.779 America and I was going to do what I've always 250 00:12:45.820 --> 00:12:46.700 wanted to do, which. 251 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:47.720 Was be a full-time actor. 252 00:12:48.179 --> 00:12:50.919 So once I jumped into that and I got cast 253 00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:53.259 on my very first Dick Wolf show, which actually was 254 00:12:53.299 --> 00:12:58.009 Chicago Med, that was my first foray back into Chicago, 255 00:12:58.190 --> 00:13:02.149 into the Chicago world. I went to audition after audition 256 00:13:02.210 --> 00:13:04.950 after audition because it seemed like it was a very 257 00:13:05.149 --> 00:13:08.690 closed group of people that got cast in those shows. 258 00:13:09.070 --> 00:13:10.710 But I got cast on my very first show, which 259 00:13:10.750 --> 00:13:14.220 was Chicago Med. I had like two lines in one 260 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:18.139 of the episodes. And I just remember that I got 261 00:13:18.539 --> 00:13:21.919 complimented very highly by the director, by the producers that 262 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:23.779 day and just said, oh my gosh, we're gonna definitely 263 00:13:23.820 --> 00:13:25.700 bring you back and put you on again. 264 00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:28.779 However, what would happen is is. 265 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:31.860 That if you went on a Chicago Med or any 266 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:34.860 of the Chicago franchise, didn't matter, Fire Med or PD, 267 00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:37.789 whatever show you went on, if you had lines in 268 00:13:37.850 --> 00:13:40.490 one of those shows, you couldn't be on another show 269 00:13:40.509 --> 00:13:41.669 until the following year. 270 00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:44.240 That's crazy. That's really crazy. 271 00:13:44.539 --> 00:13:46.879 You had to wait because they didn't want you to 272 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:50.940 just show up in another show. And somebody, they figured 273 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.480 that the audience was going to connect the dots and go, 274 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:53.960 wait a minute. 275 00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:56.379 I just saw that guy in Chicago Med. Now he's 276 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:59.299 on Chicago Fire. How does that all work? So they 277 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:01.980 were very protective of that. So it was like, okay. 278 00:14:02.419 --> 00:14:05.340 And then the next year, I did get a role 279 00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:06.220 that allowed me to. 280 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:09.159 Do two or three different episodes that season. with this 281 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.830 one particular character being a dad in a neighborhood I 282 00:14:11.870 --> 00:14:12.970 can't even barely remember. 283 00:14:14.289 --> 00:14:15.330 But that was pretty good. 284 00:14:15.389 --> 00:14:16.970 And then the biggest thing that I got to do 285 00:14:17.009 --> 00:14:19.409 with them is that I then went on to become 286 00:14:19.490 --> 00:14:24.799 Jason Bay, his stand-in on Chicago PD for an entire season. 287 00:14:25.389 --> 00:14:29.179 So I did all the episodes that year, but I 288 00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:31.440 was never on camera. 289 00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:32.720 I was his stand-in. 290 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.379 And stand-in work is really fun. I mean, the nice 291 00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:39.360 part about the stand-in work is that I got to 292 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:43.250 basically read all of Jason Bay's lines, stand in for him, 293 00:14:43.309 --> 00:14:46.690 do the scenes as they're setting lighting in different environments 294 00:14:46.750 --> 00:14:49.580 for sound and everything. But I got to meet the cast, 295 00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:52.159 hang out with the cast. I worked five days a week, 296 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:56.110 got paid pretty well to do that job. And it 297 00:14:56.370 --> 00:14:58.470 was just simply a lot of fun to be a stand-in. 298 00:14:59.210 --> 00:15:02.250 But what happened is it was like a full-time job. 299 00:15:02.669 --> 00:15:05.350 So I really couldn't do anything else because I was 300 00:15:05.549 --> 00:15:08.429 only doing that show five days a week. And then 301 00:15:08.450 --> 00:15:10.230 I was actually trying to do some theater at the 302 00:15:10.289 --> 00:15:13.049

same time, but it was really, it was killing me 303 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.299 because I was, I would be working all day on Chicago. 304 00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:16.919 Fire, Chicago med. 305 00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:19.200 Sometimes we would have a seven o'clock in the morning 306 00:15:19.259 --> 00:15:21.799 or six o'clock in the morning call. And then I would, 307 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:23.990 and then I was in a show at the same 308 00:15:24.049 --> 00:15:26.289 time at one of the small little theaters in Chicago 309 00:15:26.309 --> 00:15:28.490 and And so I'd be, I'd be going right from 310 00:15:28.590 --> 00:15:31.470 set that day, go to the theater, do my show 311 00:15:31.490 --> 00:15:33.309 that night, get home at midnight and have to be 312 00:15:33.330 --> 00:15:35.929 back up at four in the morning, starting all over again. 313 00:15:36.210 --> 00:15:39.519 But it was, but I listened, I loved every second 314 00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:41.820 of it. And I was so grateful to be able 315 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:42.419 to be working. 316 00:15:42.500 --> 00:15:43.179 Are you kidding me? 317 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:45.639 To be able to be working as an actor in 318 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:47.799 both television and theater, both at the same time. 319 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:51.059 Those were wonderful moments, but it was great. 320 00:15:51.830 --> 00:15:53.970 And not a lot of actors can say they've done 321 00:15:53.990 --> 00:15:54.789 that at the same time. 322 00:15:54.809 --> 00:15:57.889 Yeah, right. Exactly. So it was a lot of fun. 323 00:15:57.950 --> 00:16:00.529 And one of the last shows I did in Chicago 324 00:16:00.970 --> 00:16:04.809 on stage is I did get to do Enemy of 325 00:16:04.830 --> 00:16:08.250 the People, which was directed by Robert Falls. 326 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:10.899 And it was at the Goodman. And that was a 327 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:12.740 big feather in my. 328 00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:14.519 Hat to be able to work with Robert Falls, one 329 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:18.740 of the highly acclaimed directors in this country, on a 330 00:16:18.779 --> 00:16:20.100 show like Enemy of the People. 331 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:20.659 It was fun. 332 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:26.139 That's incredible. So you go from, for your career, you 333 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:29.000 go from reality TV, then back to sales and marketing, 334 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:31.950 and back to the world of Dick Wolf, and also 335 00:16:31.970 --> 00:16:36.470 the theater as well. But then you go into vertical entertainment. 336 00:16:36.690 --> 00:16:39.009 And for me, it's been taking me a while to 337 00:16:39.129 --> 00:16:42.950 hear about vertical entertainment. And for my audience, because sometimes 338 00:16:42.970 --> 00:16:47.360 they're so focused on the main networks, the cable, then. 339 00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:54.259 Then, of course, the streamers. Now, can you describe to 340 00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:56.870 me and my audience what vertical

entertainment is? 341 00:16:57.870 --> 00:16:58.110 Sure. 342 00:16:58.769 --> 00:17:02.809 Well, here's the phenomenon is it's not really anything new. 343 00:17:03.070 --> 00:17:03.629 If you've had. 344 00:17:03.649 --> 00:17:06.650 I'm going to just talk to your audience here. If 345 00:17:06.690 --> 00:17:10.069 you have a phone and you watch things on your phone... 346 00:17:09.890 --> 00:17:11.829 Sorry about my... That's a picture of our cabin on 347 00:17:11.849 --> 00:17:12.890 our island there. 348 00:17:14.049 --> 00:17:14.549 If you watch. 349 00:17:17.430 --> 00:17:21.410 entertainment on your phone. This is called vertical entertainment. This 350 00:17:21.470 --> 00:17:23.789 is what that is. Anything that you're watching on your 351 00:17:23.809 --> 00:17:27.410 phone this way is vertical entertainment. So you're watching the news, 352 00:17:27.670 --> 00:17:28.430 you're watching sports. 353 00:17:28.690 --> 00:17:29.680 You have been for years. 354 00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:36.200 Well, where vertical filming, filmmaking got really popular, it started 355 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:39.980 actually in China back in like 2015. 356 00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:41.119 So it's been going on. 357 00:17:41.059 --> 00:17:44.670 For over 10 years and it got extremely popular in 358 00:17:44.730 --> 00:17:47.910 China during the pandemic. Because as you know, even here 359 00:17:47.950 --> 00:17:53.430 in America, we weren't creating any new content during that time. 360 00:17:53.730 --> 00:17:55.619 So there were a lot of reruns that were showing 361 00:17:55.670 --> 00:17:57.839 up on TV. There were a lot of reruns that 362 00:17:57.859 --> 00:18:00.500 were showing up on the streaming networks because no new 363 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:02.000 content could be shot. 364 00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:03.630 We just weren't able to go out and do it. 365 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:07.099 So back in those days in China, these kids were 366 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:10.960 actually running around the streets of Beijing and Shanghai, and 367 00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:13.359 they were shooting vertical content videos. 368 00:18:14.529 --> 00:18:16.460 Almost in gorilla-like fashion. 369 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:18.880 So they're just running around shooting content and they would 370 00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:22.990 start putting this content out online. And people were loving 371 00:18:23.029 --> 00:18:24.299 it because it was something new. 372 00:18:24.490 --> 00:18:25.859 It was fun. It was different. 373 00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:29.319 And it was nothing that was a repeat. So everybody 374 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:32.819 started watching these vertical films. Well, then they eventually worked 375 00:18:32.859 --> 00:18:36.079 their way over here to the U.S. And I don't 376 00:18:36.099 --> 00:18:39.309 know if you remember. Do you remember the brief moment 377 00:18:39.390 --> 00:18:41.509 of Quibi? There was a moment. 378 00:18:41.589 --> 00:18:42.710 Oh, absolutely. 379 00:18:43.150 --> 00:18:45.349 So Quibi was one of the first. 380 00:18:45.369 --> 00:18:48.460 They started to do vertical entertainment back in like 2018, 381 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:53.640 17 and 18. is when Quibi launched and it became 382 00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:57.500 this huge phenomenon. The guy, Jeffrey Katzenberg. 383 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:00.579 Oh, yes, absolutely. The former Walt Disney executive that worked 384 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:01.400 under Mike Leisner. 385 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:06.039 Right. And he raised a ton of money. And then 386 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:09.539 he put out all this vertical content. What he did, though, 387 00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:13.940 he started putting it out in 30-minute segments or 15 388 00:19:13.940 --> 00:19:18.460 and 30-minute segments, which we thought was revolutionary at the time. 389 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:21.710 But in China... They. 390 00:19:21.250 --> 00:19:24.710 Were doing the format that's being done now, which was 391 00:19:24.849 --> 00:19:27.200 every episode is one or two or three minutes long. 392 00:19:27.700 --> 00:19:31.460 And that's how they're keeping you going. But Katzenberg did 393 00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:35.140 it in a different way. Then the pandemic literally crushed him. 394 00:19:35.299 --> 00:19:36.099 That's what happened. 395 00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:37.200 I remember what that. 396 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.079 Yeah. He had a great idea. 397 00:19:40.099 --> 00:19:42.829 He was one of the first to jump into Vertical. 398 00:19:43.130 --> 00:19:46.250 But then the pandemic absolutely wiped it out. And he 399 00:19:46.289 --> 00:19:49.910 lost millions and millions of dollars on that deal. So... 400 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:53.099 now comes the pandemic. China's going crazy. 401 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:56.640 2021-22 is when Vertical Film started to come to America. 402 00:20:00.950 --> 00:20:03.599 I moved out here to LA in early 22. I 403 00:20:03.619 --> 00:20:05.700 was going to come out in 21, but the pandemic 404 00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:08.559 held me back. So I come out here in 2022 405 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.880 to pursue my career further and get more into film 406 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:15.500 because I love film. I loved being an actor in film. 407 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:18.980 I like TV, but I love film. So I came 408 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:20.759 out here to LA, start to pursue. 409 00:20:20.529 --> 00:20:21.250 My film career. 410 00:20:22.109 --> 00:20:25.329 One day in April of 23, I get cast in 411 00:20:25.390 --> 00:20:28.430 what I thought was just a normal short film. Well, 412 00:20:28.490 --> 00:20:32.200 I show up on set. There's only four actors, and 413 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:37.700 these guys show up. There's basically very little equipment, and 414 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.230 they've got these rigs, and they've got iPhones attached to 415 00:20:41.269 --> 00:20:46.849 these rigs. Three iPhones, and they shot this entire short 416

00:20:46.890 --> 00:20:48.210 film on three iPhones. 417 00:20:48.890 --> 00:20:49.789 That's incredible. 418 00:20:50.049 --> 00:20:52.529 We as actors are going, what are they doing here? 419 00:20:52.589 --> 00:20:55.349 Why is this happening? Then they explain, well, we're doing 420 00:20:55.369 --> 00:20:57.099 these vertical shows. 421 00:20:57.640 --> 00:20:58.359 Oh, okay. 422 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:00.970 So I do that first one. Then the next week 423 00:21:01.009 --> 00:21:03.069 I got cast in another one. Then I got cast 424 00:21:03.130 --> 00:21:05.750 in another one. And this whole thing starts to explode. 425 00:21:06.309 --> 00:21:08.099 And the next thing you know, by the end of 23, 426 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:14.190 I had done like 20 films. Well, to do 20 427 00:21:14.190 --> 00:21:16.710 films as an actor, are you kidding me? It was like, 428 00:21:17.069 --> 00:21:19.859 I wouldn't do, I'd never done 20 films combined in 429 00:21:19.910 --> 00:21:20.490 my whole life. 430 00:21:20.930 --> 00:21:21.579 So I've done. 431 00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:24.000 20 films and they're all these vertical films and they 432 00:21:24.019 --> 00:21:26.779 just got better and better and better. The sets got 433 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:29.259 bigger and bigger and bigger. The crew got bigger and bigger. 434 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:32.099 And then it just became this phenomenon that once 24 435 00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:37.920 came around, this thing just went nuts. It literally went crazy. 436 00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:41.220 I was at one point, I was in three films 437 00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:42.440 at the same time. 438 00:21:42.859 --> 00:21:43.240 Wow. 439 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:47.980 I would draw, I was literally driving to my called time, 440 00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:50.680 not really remembering what role I. 441 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.619 Was playing that day. 442 00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:54.039 Cause it was like, wait a minute, is this the 443 00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:56.960 role of Richard or am I doing Henry today? 444 00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:57.720 Oh yeah. 445 00:21:57.980 --> 00:22:00.480 I had to really focus on what I was doing 446 00:22:00.500 --> 00:22:02.339 because I was in three films at the same time. 447 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:05.440 So I, That's when it really was exploding. And it 448 00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:09.000 went even bigger in 24. Then it just went crazy 449 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:14.400 in 2025. And as 2025 started to come around, by 450 00:22:14.430 --> 00:22:16.849 the end of all that, at this point, I've got 451 00:22:16.890 --> 00:22:20.710 more stories in between. But to date, I've done now 452 00:22:20.710 --> 00:22:22.609 42 vertical films. 453 00:22:22.910 --> 00:22:24.869 In three years. That's amazing. 454 00:22:25.109 --> 00:22:27.759 And I just got cast in three more that are 455 00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:29.019 coming up throughout the fall. 456 00:22:29.319 --> 00:22:32.759 Congratulations. Yeah, it's a pretty exciting moment. 457 00:22:34.390 --> 00:22:37.190 I definitely say there's a lot of stuff going on. 458 00:22:37.349 --> 00:22:40.609 And then you're also one of the most important people 459 00:22:40.789 --> 00:22:45.299 in the vertical podcast world because you started Vertical Buzz. 460 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:49.859 So let's talk about it. And then also how, because 461 00:22:49.900 --> 00:22:53.240 you and I both know the podcasting world, everybody and 462 00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:57.640 their sibling has one. Everyone and their parent has one. 463 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:01.240 So with me, Jake's Take with Jacob Elliott shares my 464 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:04.609 take with people and interviews with people from all across 465 00:23:04.630 --> 00:23:10.599 the entertainment and lifestyle industries. So how does the Vertical 466 00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:13.839 Buzz stand out in our podcasting communities? 467 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:17.000 Okay, so I'll go back to the beginning of where 468 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:17.759 we started this. 469 00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:22.180 The Vertical Buzz, we launched January 29th of this year, 470 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:25.480 of 2026. So I've really only been out there for 471 00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:28.700 almost a little over seven months we've been on the air. 472 00:23:29.549 --> 00:23:32.009 And I had this idea. 473 00:23:31.730 --> 00:23:33.930 About a year and a half ago that as I'm 474 00:23:33.970 --> 00:23:37.269 doing all these vertical films, I'm realizing there's nobody that's 475 00:23:37.329 --> 00:23:38.190 talking about this. 476 00:23:38.210 --> 00:23:39.670 There's nobody documenting this. 477 00:23:40.069 --> 00:23:44.619 There were no podcasts about vertical filmmaking or vertical entertainment 478 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:47.460 for that matter. So I started poking around and then 479 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:50.519 I had decided that I didn't want to do just 480 00:23:51.099 --> 00:23:54.900 a normal podcast or an audio podcast. I didn't want 481 00:23:54.920 --> 00:23:57.039 to do any of that, that I wanted to create 482 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:01.480 a premium podcast almost network television type look and. 483 00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:04.599 Feel to what we were doing. And that's what I 484 00:24:04.660 --> 00:24:05.400 ultimately did. 485 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:08.119 I went out and I knew that, but I also 486 00:24:08.180 --> 00:24:11.339 knew that I didn't have the resources. 487 00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:12.769 To do it the way I wanted to do it. 488 00:24:13.309 --> 00:24:16.470 So I got very fortunate and found a wonderful investor 489 00:24:16.970 --> 00:24:19.410 that is on board with me. And he's really, he 490 00:24:19.490 --> 00:24:22.250 believes in it. They believe in it. completely. And we 491 00:24:22.269 --> 00:24:25.950 just continue to ramp up and scale up because I, I, 492 00:24:26.230 --> 00:24:26.970 I do believe that. 493 00:24:27.289 --> 00:24:28.839 And I know, I mean, I

know this, that the 494 00:24:28.859 --> 00:24:32.359 vertical buzz is one of still the only true podcasts 495 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:35.700 that are premium podcasts, because I'm more of a media 496 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:39.619 platform than anything is what I've become. We shoot our 497 00:24:39.660 --> 00:24:44.529 show on three cameras, a full studio, full sound, full lighting. 498 00:24:45.529 --> 00:24:46.950 And if you go there and see. 499 00:24:46.809 --> 00:24:50.279 It at the vertical buzz.com, Just go at the vertical buzz, 500 00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:53.480 you go vertical buzz.com, wherever you want to find it. Um, 501 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:56.740 we're on all platforms from a YouTube, go to the 502 00:24:56.779 --> 00:24:59.440 YouTube channel. All the episodes are up there. Uh, we 503 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:02.079 have an episode that comes out every week, but what 504 00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:05.619 on Thursdays, by the way. Um, but what, what, but 505 00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:07.759 so I decided that I wanted to do this premium 506 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:11.200 podcast and then it took me probably another eight months, 507 00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:13.519 nine months to find the money. And once I found 508 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:17.119 the money, we shot a few episodes and, The investor said, yeah, 509 00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:17.900 let's give it a go. 510 00:25:17.980 --> 00:25:18.619 Let's do this. 511 00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:20.859 So the next thing you know, I shot my first 512 00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:25.970 season and now we're halfway through season three of this show. 513 00:25:25.970 --> 00:25:27.069 And we're just flying. 514 00:25:27.589 --> 00:25:30.490 But what's happened along the way is that, and I 515 00:25:30.529 --> 00:25:33.390 talked about this very early on, that I also didn't 516 00:25:33.430 --> 00:25:36.730 want to be a podcast that just talked about vertical 517 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:41.289 filmmaking because vertical entertainment is is more what I really 518 00:25:41.329 --> 00:25:44.130 zero in on because there is more to vertical than 519 00:25:44.190 --> 00:25:48.750 just filmmaking. Filmmaking is definitely a lane for vertical film 520 00:25:48.769 --> 00:25:51.529 because you're watching a lot of films. There's over 300 521 00:25:51.529 --> 00:25:53.390 apps now that show these films. 522 00:25:54.829 --> 00:25:55.619 Of vertical films. 523 00:25:56.410 --> 00:26:01.180 But vertical entertainment is really what has taken over. Everything 524 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:06.700 from branding to to sports, to, I mean, I've even 525 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:08.380 got a guy coming on my show in a week 526 00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:12.759 that's going to talk about where the political campaigns have 527 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:18.049 gone in this year and moving forward. Going forward, political campaigns, 528 00:26:18.309 --> 00:26:20.869 all those campaigning dollars are going to come right here 529 00:26:21.509 --> 00:26:23.369 so that they're not going to be fighting for those 530 00:26:23.390 --> 00:26:26.109 30-second spots on TV anymore. They're going to be fighting 531 00:26:26.150 --> 00:26:30.380 for time and watchability on your phone. because all that 532 00:26:30.420 --> 00:26:33.089 campaign money is gonna go here. Because this is where 533 00:26:33.130 --> 00:26:37.109 people watch films. As I say all the time, I go, 534 00:26:37.410 --> 00:26:42.950 this screen, this is the biggest screen in entertainment today 535 00:26:42.990 --> 00:26:49.190 is right here. There's one screen, 450 billion people watching 536 00:26:49.390 --> 00:26:53.559 this screen every day, all day. And so this is 537 00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:56.779 where people watch everything. And this is where they will 538 00:26:56.819 --> 00:27:00.730 continue to watch everything. So that was kind of the 539 00:27:01.250 --> 00:27:04.309 start of the vertical buzz was just understand we started 540 00:27:04.349 --> 00:27:07.970 with vertical filmmaking, but I have actually, I still talk 541 00:27:07.990 --> 00:27:10.059 to actors. I still talk to a lot of vertical 542 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.579 filmmakers and that is the bread and butter of what 543 00:27:12.619 --> 00:27:16.380 the vertical buzz is all about. But as the vertical 544 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:19.920 format continues to get bigger and bigger and bigger, what 545 00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:23.950 is happening is that vertical entertainment is creating a. 546 00:27:24.069 --> 00:27:28.109 New language, literally a new language in media. 547 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:30.779 That's what's happening and if you look at it that 548 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:34.140 way it's what it's done it's not competing with. 549 00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:36.599 Anything to do with horizontal film and when. 550 00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:38.880 We talk about that you guys anybody out there listening 551 00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:41.339 this is what your horizontal film would look like if 552 00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:43.000 you're watching on your phone you know how you have 553 00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:45.140 to turn it like this and you don't turn it 554 00:27:45.180 --> 00:27:47.289 like this so this is that this is what it 555 00:27:47.309 --> 00:27:49.369 looks like if it's horizontal this is what it looks 556 00:27:49.410 --> 00:27:54.079 like if it's vertical So anybody that's watching anything on 557 00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:56.619 your phone is just going to get bigger and bigger 558 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:58.710 and bigger and stronger every single day. 559 00:27:59.029 --> 00:28:01.950 And that's the new language of what entertainment is all about. 560 00:28:02.950 --> 00:28:06.740 And that's incredible, too. The thing is, it's going to 561 00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:09.339 be interesting to see everybody fight for vertical space. It's 562 00:28:09.380 --> 00:28:10.640 going to be very interesting. 563 00:28:11.099 --> 00:28:13.940 Jake, let me tell you one

that's right in your backyard. 564 00:28:14.119 --> 00:28:17.450 The Kansas City Chiefs. Okay? Are they not your favorite 565 00:28:17.470 --> 00:28:18.630 football team? Probably. 566 00:28:18.650 --> 00:28:19.339 Absolutely they are. 567 00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:22.359 Of course they are. So the Kansas City Chiefs just 568 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:27.109 finished doing a microdrama series. And it's called Off Season. 569 00:28:27.910 --> 00:28:30.000 And they are about to do two or three more 570 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:32.720 where they did these little, and this is becoming very 571 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:37.779 popular on the corporate level. Crocs did it. Maybelline did it. 572 00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:40.539 Chipotle did it. And they're all starting to do these 573 00:28:40.599 --> 00:28:44.460 little series that are more about telling stories than it 574 00:28:44.529 --> 00:28:48.910 is about pushing your product. So it's very subtle in 575 00:28:48.970 --> 00:28:52.109 talking about your product, but it's very prominent in being 576 00:28:52.150 --> 00:28:55.309 able to tell a story. so that it's capturing your imagination. 577 00:28:55.690 --> 00:28:59.019 So like on the Chipotle one, what they did was, 578 00:28:59.319 --> 00:29:01.779 it's about a bunch of guys laying around on a 579 00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:04.279 Friday night. They've all been out having a few drinks 580 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:06.359 and they all decide to come home and they go, hey, 581 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:09.859 we're hungry. Let's go get something to eat or let's 582 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:12.549 order in some Chipotle. And they ordered that Chipotle in 583 00:29:12.589 --> 00:29:15.190 and they're just, it's basically, it's almost like a Seinfeld 584 00:29:15.230 --> 00:29:18.990 thing where they're just having a good time talking about nothing, 585 00:29:19.609 --> 00:29:23.079 but they're eating Chipotle and that's the ad, but it's 586 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:25.259 not looking like an ad. It's looking more like a 587 00:29:25.339 --> 00:29:29.059 fun story. So that's a lot of the transition that's 588 00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:32.680 starting to happen with vertical branding. So this is now 589 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:36.109 being called vertical branding and that is becoming bigger and bigger. 590 00:29:36.549 --> 00:29:38.029 I just spoke to the. 591 00:29:37.990 --> 00:29:39.890 Guy and I'm knocking on wood that I'm going to 592 00:29:39.910 --> 00:29:42.250 get him on, General Mills, okay? 593 00:29:42.430 --> 00:29:43.529 Your favorite cereals. 594 00:29:44.230 --> 00:29:44.910 Absolutely. 595 00:29:44.990 --> 00:29:47.089 Frosted Flakes, Cheerios, the whole world. 596 00:29:48.309 --> 00:29:52.200 They just have brought on and created an entirely in-house 597 00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:55.599 production team that is going to be creating all their 598 00:29:55.660 --> 00:29:58.740 brand content in-house, and they're all going to be doing 599 00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:00.799 it vertically. So they're going to be just starting to 600 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:05.680 tell stories about Cheerios. And because General Mills and Pillsbury 601 00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:08.240 are one company now. So they're going to do an 602 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:13.640 entire micro-drama series using the Pillsbury Doughboy as their main character. 603 00:30:14.450 --> 00:30:17.789 So think about that. Think about what the branding content 604 00:30:17.829 --> 00:30:22.019 could be for basically any company. And that's what it is, 605 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:26.799 is that the companies in the corporate America is understanding 606 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:31.960 that that phone is in everybody's hand every day, all day. 607 00:30:32.339 --> 00:30:35.000 And that's where they need to communicate. 608 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:38.849 So the communication through the vertical effort, and I know 609 00:30:38.869 --> 00:30:41.190 we just call it vertical, but it is the phone 610 00:30:41.230 --> 00:30:46.890 screen is that next language of communications. Wow. 611 00:30:46.920 --> 00:30:51.049 That's incredible. That's incredible. I didn't like the thing is 612 00:30:51.069 --> 00:30:53.549 I am picturing Seinfeld and Chipotle. 613 00:30:53.670 --> 00:30:57.430 I'm like, but think about that. 614 00:30:57.529 --> 00:31:00.329 I mean, it is, it's such a, it's a wonderful 615 00:31:00.759 --> 00:31:02.579 phenomenon to know that it's going. 616 00:31:02.339 --> 00:31:03.339 There and it is. 617 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:05.740 And the other side of it is, is that Hollywood 618 00:31:06.339 --> 00:31:10.849 just back up here, Hollywood is, fights this every single 619 00:31:10.910 --> 00:31:13.829 day they are in they are still believing that they're 620 00:31:13.849 --> 00:31:15.950 in the old school and that they're going to do 621 00:31:15.970 --> 00:31:18.220 this and they're going to do that i just had 622 00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:19.019 on my show i had a. 623 00:31:19.019 --> 00:31:21.059 Guy on that by the name of larry namer do 624 00:31:21.079 --> 00:31:24.180 you know that name the name sounds familiar. 625 00:31:24.059 --> 00:31:27.319 Okay well larry namer started e entertainment and we're all 626 00:31:27.380 --> 00:31:30.369 familiar with the entertainment he's the guy that started that 627 00:31:30.849 --> 00:31:33.150 so we know what that is you know uh what 628 00:31:33.170 --> 00:31:35.369 did he what was that big show that he did 629 00:31:35.410 --> 00:31:38.369 with um What's that guy, that actor's name? 630 00:31:38.869 --> 00:31:39.289 Kinnear. 631 00:31:41.190 --> 00:31:42.690 Greg Kinnear? Oh, Soup. Yeah, Greg. 632 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:45.279 Yeah, Greg. Soup. Yeah, that's Soup. Soup Talk. 633 00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:47.079 Because that was Joe Mahal's baby afterwards. 634 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:49.759 Yeah. So Talk Soup, and that went on for years. 635 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:50.960 That's all Larry Namer. 636 00:31:51.960

--> 00:31:54.240 And Larry Namer, if you go back through his history, 637 00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:55.880 he's always been a leader. 638 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:57.220 He's always been a visionary. 639 00:31:57.259 --> 00:32:00.930 He's always kind of been out in front of most things. 640 00:32:01.230 --> 00:32:03.769 I just had him on my show because he's also 641 00:32:03.829 --> 00:32:07.960 jumped into Vertical Entertainment. He's launched his own network called 642 00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:14.440 Verza TV, V-E-R-Z-A or something, Verza TV. Anyway, he came 643 00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:18.519 on and his comments were very, he's a very outspoken 644 00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:21.710 guy and doesn't hold back. And what he basically said was, 645 00:32:21.750 --> 00:32:24.309 he goes, look, the difference is the people that are 646 00:32:24.349 --> 00:32:30.069 creating vertical content and vertical entertainment today, they're listening to 647 00:32:30.089 --> 00:32:33.009 their audience. The audience is telling them what to do 648 00:32:33.529 --> 00:32:37.509 and they're doing it. The problem with Hollywood is that 649 00:32:37.549 --> 00:32:42.150 they continually have basically their head up their, you know what, 650 00:32:42.490 --> 00:32:44.170 head up their ass, and they. 651 00:32:44.049 --> 00:32:46.190 Don't listen to the audience. They think that they can 652 00:32:46.230 --> 00:32:49.349 tell the audience what they're going to watch. And that's 653 00:32:49.849 --> 00:32:50.849 a lot of the problem. 654 00:32:51.309 --> 00:32:54.710 Because if you're not listening to your audience today, you're 655 00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:57.480 not going to get ahead. Because it's one thing he said, 656 00:32:57.519 --> 00:32:59.839 it's one thing that I always did at E! Entertainment, 657 00:33:00.200 --> 00:33:03.940 is I listened to what my audience wanted. And I 658 00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:08.240 gave them what they wanted. Hence, they became my consumer 659 00:33:08.579 --> 00:33:10.309 and they became my listener. 660 00:33:10.849 --> 00:33:11.809 Because if you. 661 00:33:11.690 --> 00:33:16.549 Try to force something down a consumer's throat, they're not 662 00:33:16.569 --> 00:33:21.589 going to respond. Not anymore, because there's just too many options. 663 00:33:22.210 --> 00:33:24.470 There's so many more options that they can turn to. 664 00:33:25.180 --> 00:33:27.299 So you have to listen, listen to your audience. That 665 00:33:27.339 --> 00:33:28.339 was his basic message. 666 00:33:29.140 --> 00:33:31.710 That's incredible. That's incredible. And the thing is, you've also 667 00:33:31.730 --> 00:33:34.869 had some incredible guests for just a short while. Some 668 00:33:34.950 --> 00:33:38.690 of your long-form interviews have been really booming. And I 669 00:33:39.059 --> 00:33:40.299 picked out a four of them because we're going to 670 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:41.920 be talking about all day, and I don't think 120, 671 00:33:41.900 --> 00:33:44.619 and I don't think two hours is, we're not ready 672 00:33:44.660 --> 00:33:46.220 for that conversation level just yet. 673 00:33:48.140 --> 00:33:50.420 No, but some of, I mean, I do know that 674 00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:52.359 my actor, I mean, when I have the actors on 675 00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:54.680 from the vertical world, that's when I get spikes on 676 00:33:54.700 --> 00:33:54.920 my episode. 677 00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:58.970 Absolutely. I'm like looking at Jackson Tiller, then Chase Madsen, 678 00:33:59.049 --> 00:34:05.210 Noah Fernley, seven, as of this recording, guys, 7.5, 7.5K, 7,500 679 00:34:05.210 --> 00:34:08.849 views on YouTube. And it was published August 13th, so 680 00:34:08.889 --> 00:34:11.469 almost a month ago. Then followed by Chase Madsen, 9,000 681 00:34:11.469 --> 00:34:18.250 in July, 9,000. And then Noah Fernley, had 19,000, your 682 00:34:18.289 --> 00:34:20.610 most viewed podcast. 683 00:34:20.710 --> 00:34:22.869 Right. And you know who Noah Fernley is. 684 00:34:22.989 --> 00:34:25.469 Noah Fernley is one of the highest, one of the 685 00:34:25.510 --> 00:34:31.349 bigger actors in Vertical. However, he's also crossed over into 686 00:34:31.369 --> 00:34:34.150 the horizontal world, because we call it now horizontal and vertical, 687 00:34:34.550 --> 00:34:37.949 but he became a big Ryan Murphy guy. And he 688 00:34:38.030 --> 00:34:39.690 was in that series called. 689 00:34:40.809 --> 00:34:43.719 JFK, the JFK. 690 00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:47.599 Story with Carolyn Bessette, the JFK Carolyn Bessette story. He 691 00:34:47.639 --> 00:34:51.980 played Michael Bergen, the boyfriend of Carolyn Bessette before she 692 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:52.739 met JFK. 693 00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:54.360 And that series just ended. 694 00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:57.320 And now Noah has just gone on to do two 695 00:34:57.380 --> 00:35:01.280 more series with Ryan Murphy. So he's, he, that guy 696 00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:02.900 is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. 697 00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:03.960 He will explode. 698 00:35:04.619 --> 00:35:08.239 And Ryan Murphy has done wonders with people. 699 00:35:08.280 --> 00:35:08.539 Yes. 700 00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:13.250 Leah Michelle, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley are some of the big, 701 00:35:13.550 --> 00:35:15.929 I remember them from Glee. And then of course you 702 00:35:15.949 --> 00:35:19.789 have Emma Roberts and, and oh my God, I blanked 703 00:35:19.849 --> 00:35:22.429 on her name. She was part of, she's part of 704 00:35:22.449 --> 00:35:26.929 the coven. She is, she's really good. She plays one 705 00:35:26.989 --> 00:35:28.780 of the head witches. I can't remember her name. 706 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:32.260 Can't remember. But yes, it's a real honor to work 707 00:35:32.280 --> 00:35:33.420 with Ryan Murphy on his shows. 708 00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:35.119 Absolutely, yes, absolutely. 709 00:35:35.260 --> 00:35:38.679 And once you're, it's like being part of

Taylor Sheridan's library. 710 00:35:38.699 --> 00:35:40.000 You know, once you get into that. 711 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:41.380 Or Shondaland. 712 00:35:41.860 --> 00:35:43.739 Or Shondaland. I mean, that too. 713 00:35:43.820 --> 00:35:46.250 So there's, once you get in with somebody like that, 714 00:35:46.309 --> 00:35:48.510 you really, you're really going to explode. 715 00:35:48.570 --> 00:35:50.889 Your career is going to do just fine. Alrighty. 716 00:35:50.929 --> 00:35:52.730 Have you thought about any of your dream guests? 717 00:35:53.650 --> 00:35:56.369 Oh my gosh. My dream guests. Yeah. 718 00:35:56.469 --> 00:35:56.690 Yeah. 719 00:35:57.590 --> 00:35:59.500 I want to have Mark Cuban on. That would be 720 00:35:59.579 --> 00:36:00.380 one of my main guests. 721 00:36:00.739 --> 00:36:05.360 Because he's just launched an entire micro sports group that's 722 00:36:05.400 --> 00:36:09.340 going to do vertical sports on your phone. So I'd 723 00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:12.309 love to have Mark Cuban on. Who did I write 724 00:36:12.329 --> 00:36:13.510 down here to be one of my other ones? 725 00:36:14.190 --> 00:36:18.730 Oh, Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow just launched. 726 00:36:18.750 --> 00:36:22.940 He's part of a group that launched an entire faith-based 727 00:36:23.699 --> 00:36:26.550 vertical network. So you can imagine, I mean, that's almost 728 00:36:26.590 --> 00:36:29.250 like Hallmark. So that's going to be unbelievable what he 729 00:36:29.269 --> 00:36:31.070 does with that one. That one is supposed. 730 00:36:30.829 --> 00:36:34.230 To be really big. We've all seen what Hallmark has done. 731 00:36:34.269 --> 00:36:37.719 And by the way, Hallmark is the Kansas City project. 732 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:39.500 Yes, they are. Yes, they are. 733 00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:40.079 For Hallmark. 734 00:36:40.599 --> 00:36:41.199 Yes. 735 00:36:41.500 --> 00:36:44.179 Listen, I used to, back in my sales and marketing days, 736 00:36:44.360 --> 00:36:44.820 I used to. 737 00:36:44.780 --> 00:36:47.320 Call on, do you remember Hall's department store? 738 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:50.010 Oh, yes, absolutely. Hall's is still standing crown center. 739 00:36:50.610 --> 00:36:50.809 Yep. 740 00:36:50.969 --> 00:36:52.960 Well, I used to call on halls when I would 741 00:36:53.000 --> 00:36:54.920 come to Kansas City. That's what I used to do 742 00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:59.079 back in the day. But Hallmark, I mean, Tim Tebow, 743 00:37:00.349 --> 00:37:04.030 my biggest dreams are to interview these guys that are 744 00:37:04.070 --> 00:37:08.860 at the forefront of this entire vertical entertainment world. So 745 00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:11.440 anybody that's in that genre, I want to meet with 746 00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:13.500 the Kansas City Chiefs. I want to meet with the 747 00:37:13.539 --> 00:37:16.010 person that put that whole thing together. And I finally 748 00:37:16.070 --> 00:37:19.030 tracked the guy down. So I'm working on making that happen. 749 00:37:19.469 --> 00:37:21.469 So we'll get there. 750 00:37:22.050 --> 00:37:24.789 Fingers crossed. Fingers crossed for you, Buzz. All right. So 751 00:37:24.829 --> 00:37:29.130 we got to wind down our conversation. So, Buzz. Where 752 00:37:29.170 --> 00:37:32.710 can my audience connect with you on social media? And also, 753 00:37:32.969 --> 00:37:36.309 more importantly, where can they find The Vertical Buzz? 754 00:37:36.769 --> 00:37:39.579 All right. Well, they can find me personally on social media. 755 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:47.179 My Instagram is at buzz, B-U-Z-Z underscore leer, L-E-E-R. That's 756 00:37:47.340 --> 00:37:51.969 at buzz, B-U-Z-Z underscore L-E-E-R. The Vertical Buzz is simply 757 00:37:52.210 --> 00:37:55.590 at The Vertical Buzz. And that's on all social media platforms, 758 00:37:55.630 --> 00:37:59.949 whether you're on Instagram, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, anywhere. It's at 759 00:38:00.269 --> 00:38:03.329 The Vertical Buzz. You can find us there. So check 760 00:38:03.369 --> 00:38:07.010 us out. Brand new show every Thursday. This Thursday we've 761 00:38:07.050 --> 00:38:09.130 got– well, I don't know when your show is. 762 00:38:09.090 --> 00:38:09.489 Going to air. 763 00:38:10.909 --> 00:38:13.849 But every Thursday there's a brand new episode of The 764 00:38:13.889 --> 00:38:17.489 Vertical Buzz. We're about halfway through season three. The things 765 00:38:17.510 --> 00:38:19.489 that are coming up for season four are going to 766 00:38:19.530 --> 00:38:20.780 be absolutely. 767 00:38:20.429 --> 00:38:24.599 Over the top. Incredible. I'm very excited about where we're going. 768 00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:28.320 And in addition to this, I've also where we've also 769 00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:29.579 expanded the vertical buzz. 770 00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:31.900 I've been doing many, many, many red carpets. 771 00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:34.239 I'm now going on to the red carpets and interviewing 772 00:38:34.280 --> 00:38:37.179 people as the vertical buzz. Just finished doing my very 773 00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:38.280 first verticon. 774 00:38:38.699 --> 00:38:39.300 How do you like that? 775 00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:42.340 There's a new vertical. 776 00:38:42.889 --> 00:38:46.050 Verticon just happened in LA. Uh, we've got a big, uh, 777 00:38:46.090 --> 00:38:50.150 the first ever vertical film festival is happening in New 778 00:38:50.190 --> 00:38:54.280 York city in October. It's called all the film festival. 779 00:38:54.579 --> 00:38:58.079 And the guy that launched that festival, um, was the 780 00:38:58.119 --> 00:39:01.460 former COO of the Tribeca Film Festival. 781 00:39:01.019 --> 00:39:01.960 For 18 years. 782 00:39:02.409 --> 00:39:05.710 And now he's launched his own vertical film festival and 783 00:39:05.769 --> 00:39:08.650 it is going to be spectacular. And the Vertical Buzz 784 00:39:09.210 --> 00:39:12.349 is the official media sponsor for that event. 785 00:39:12.670 -->

00:39:14.010 And we're really excited about that. 786 00:39:14.329 --> 00:39:18.269 And then there's an international micro drama market happening in India. 787 00:39:18.789 --> 00:39:23.119 in January of 27. So, Jake, stay on top of 788 00:39:23.159 --> 00:39:26.050 this because this is going to get bigger and bigger 789 00:39:26.139 --> 00:39:29.150 and bigger as we grow. The actual estimate for vertical, 790 00:39:29.289 --> 00:39:32.280 just vertical 3%, this year, is that the vertical film 791 00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:35.360 world will generate close to $ 150 billion. 792 00:39:35.429 --> 00:39:40.030 Wow. This year. That's how big that industry is getting. 793 00:39:40.429 --> 00:39:44.929 And still, nobody in Hollywood is really grasping it and going, oh, yeah. 794 00:39:44.949 --> 00:39:51.980 Let's do this. Absolutely, absolutely. It's going to get interesting. Absolutely. 795 00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:56.239 And I cannot wait to see how you evolve over this. 796 00:39:56.260 --> 00:39:59.559 So please come back. However, guys, before we go, I 797 00:39:59.599 --> 00:40:02.000 want to say this. If you missed an episode of 798 00:40:02.019 --> 00:40:04.550 the Jake's Take with Jacob Ellington podcast, visit our channels 799 00:40:04.590 --> 00:40:09.250 on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Spreaker. Jake's 800 00:40:09.269 --> 00:40:14.380 Take with Jacob Ellington, J-A-K-E-L-L-Y-A-C-H-A-R. Now, are you on social media? 801 00:40:14.500 --> 00:40:16.900 I'm on social media too. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter 802 00:40:16.940 --> 00:40:22.659 and YouTube. Jacob Elishar, J-A-C-O-B-E-L-Y-A-C-H-A-R. Now, but head to the 803 00:40:22.679 --> 00:40:27.440 reason why we're celebrating 15 years in the entertainment industry. jakes-chick.com. 804 00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:31.159 Once again, jakes-chick.com. And I want to say a huge 805 00:40:31.219 --> 00:40:33.300 shout out to my friends at the Greater Kansas City 806 00:40:33.440 --> 00:40:36.119 Chamber of Commerce for naming me and Jake's Take with 807 00:40:36.139 --> 00:40:39.909 Jacob Elishar a small business superstar for 2026. It means 808 00:40:39.949 --> 00:40:44.000 the world to me to be recognized by my hometown. Buzz, 809 00:40:44.179 --> 00:40:47.360 this was a pleasure meeting you. You are going to 810 00:40:47.400 --> 00:40:50.820 be our important person when it comes to the vertical, 811 00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:53.219 keeping an eye on the vertical world. So I cannot 812 00:40:53.260 --> 00:40:56.449 wait as the vertical world evolves and how you guys, 813 00:40:56.690 --> 00:40:58.429 you grow as a content creator. 814 00:40:59.449 --> 00:41:02.110 Great, Jake. Anytime you need anything, give me a shout, man. 815 00:41:03.250 --> 00:41:06.969 Happy to talk. I love talking this world. It's great. Absolutely. 816 00:41:07.010 --> 00:41:09.719 And guys, thank you so much for watching. Thank you 817 00:41:09.800 --> 00:41:18.530 so much for listening. Until next time. Have a great one, everybody. Goodbye.