I never met Harvey Weinstein. I didn’t need to. I’ve met plenty of other people who were just like him. They may not have had the power he did but they had the ability to make you feel like taking a shower after talking with them. The Kool-Aid Man combined with Mr. Clean couldn’t clear away that kind of grime.
I met Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion when I was forced to go to an industry party with my Hollywood neighbors. I didn’t like Hugh. I knew too many “ex-bunnies” around town with too sad of stories. Some things going on at these parties was hard to stomach. The girls knew “some” of what they were signing up for but mostly things they were blind-sighted once they moved in. There was so much emotional abuse going on at that place that it was time for me to leave before I even stepped foot through the front door.
It wasn’t for me. To each their own. My personal female empowerment comes from things I achieve that help other people. Whether it be saving them money or showing them some good old-fashioned DIY, there’s nothing like the personal satisfaction of knowing that you helped another person learn. What’s that bible verse? Teach a man to swim? Fish? When he sees his shadow? Well, it’s something about teaching!
It’s not just the Playboy mansion or Harvey Weinstein’s hotel that sees some action. A lot of sketchiness goes on at conventions. I find myself having massive anxiety whenever it’s time to go to one because I know I’ll be dodging bullets the entire time. In fact, I just Googled this song I wrote with Dale Oliver that became Trinity from TNA Impact Wrestling’s theme song. Check it out! It’s called… you guessed it, “Dodging Bullets.” http://bitly.ws/zCdB
The first day of a conference is always warm and fuzzy, the second gets a little blurry and by the third or recently the fourth, it’s like the in-laws that won’t leave or leftovers waiting to be kissed by the garbage truck. Benjamin Franklin famously said that guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days. Well, it’s the same for conventions except I didn’t invite the perpetrators!
Recently I had the chance to attend the prestigious Real Screen Summit held this year in Austin Texas. This is an unscripted television conference with broadcasters, producers, and network agents. It’s an incredible place to meet people and make things happen.
It’s also a really choice place to experience what I call the “Weinstein Effect”. If you didn’t learn anything from that whole scandal then pull your head out from under a rock. Any woman who did not get schooled from that whole situation needs to have me or Courtney Love knock some sense into them. We already know in our gut what’s going on in these instances. It’s called women’s intuition. If it feels weird then don’t proceed. And ALWAYS listen to what other women are saying especially in this 2005 clip clearly warning us all to just “don’t go.” https://www.tmz.com/watch/0-ka2jzxot/
Reel Screen started out flawlessly. I didn’t need to meet any man at his hotel door wrapped in a towel this trip although some tried. I can remember a few people I met who would email me through the inter-company platform you have access to when you register. My email notifications were blowing up like Friday night Instagram DM’s. They would say, “I’m in my hotel room” to which I would reply “yep, I’m in the hotel bar area. I’m wearing a bright orange velvet coat and you can’t miss me.”
These guys kept persisting and I kept telling them I would meet them down in the lobby. I just did the classic Goldy “deflect” and then said I’ve got some other people to talk to there. If they would have persisted any further Golden Peeps, then that would have been it. No more contact because that opportunity would have been a joke. Because that’s what it is and that’s what it always will be. Until females start ignoring the carrots dangling in front of them that are simply BS, The Weinstein Effect will continue to run a muck.
When the plane starts descending into a new city I say a prayer of thanks for a safe flight and also one asking God to wrap me in protection. I ask him to have me meet the greatest people possible on the trip. I pray to bump into outstanding women and extraordinary men. I guess God heard my prayers loud and clear because, within minutes of arriving at the hotel lobby bar, I met two of the coolest dudes I could ever hope to find.
Edward Peill, president of Tell Tale Productions and Paul Kemp of PKP invited me over to their table and offered me some dilapidated nachos that had seen better days. They began to ask me my story and we so were helpful. One was married and a complete gentleman and the other wasn’t married and STILL was a complete man of honor. It’s so important that I “put these guys over” which in the wrestling business means compliment because, for the entire conference, they would act as my shield. These guys were the biggest ____ “blocks” to anything suspect.
I showed them some of my pitches and they carefully and kindly critiqued them perfectly. They didn’t ruffle my feathers or insult my work. They just gave an honest helpful review. Not only did these men give great constructive criticism but they told me where to make changes. All coming from dudes who have been in the television business for years. I was blown away.
Shortly after this, I would meet Jay Sharman of Coaches + Media in a long line kind of like the ones you see to get into American Idol. It was a first come first serve to get the chance to speak to industry professionals. Jay told me to specifically go talk to a female network executive who he said was one of the most sincere females he met at this event. If it had not been for Jay I wouldn’t have really known about this woman or opportunity. I took his advice. I met one of the strongest women I’ve encountered in this business in years. She was funny, fun, charismatic, and a great listener. It was pretty obvious how she got into the position she was in. She was a born leader. My favorite kind of chick.
I soaked up every bit of the info she shared. This is exactly why I came all this way to the event. I was so grateful that post-talk because she suggested a contact back in Nashville and personally set up an introduction that led to a meeting. You don’t realize how tough making connections in our business can be and this all happened like butter. Not only did Jay help me connect with the right person but he went out of his way afterward to engage in third-party credibility completely unsolicited. I never asked him to “put me over” in an email to this executive but he did of his own will. Golden Peeps THIS is what love unconditional love looks like. Not the kind of fake it till you make it found at the Four Seasons Hotel. This was true love from one human being to another. That’s what happens when you have the right people in your corner. I’m eternally grateful for his insight & willingness to help.
I want to thank all of the people at this summit who weren’t creeps. There were so many incredible human beings who helped me. Thank you. Thanks to Joel “Joelle” Pinto for putting this great extravaganza on. You have some amazing team members making everyone feel so at ease and comfortable. Ben, JP Nguyen, John, Cathy and so many others made the trip a success.
And to the Canadians who welcomed me into their camp open-heartedly, thank you. Thanks from me and thank you for my father. So many times from our band shows, gigs, or events like this I’d call him from a restroom stall crying out of the “Weinstein Effect”. Not this trip. You didn’t give me one reason to worry. You were solid and just outstanding human beings.
Golden Peeps there are good people out there. There are guardian angels among us they just might be Canadian or live in Chicago, but they’re there. Thank you to everyone at this tremendous convention who helped point me in the right direction and connect me with tremendous people.
Let this article serve as a reminder that chivalry is alive and well. Ask who you believe in whether it be God, your angels, or the universe to send you the most magical unicorns possible. Never hope for success in your life expect it.
Stay Golden, Goldy Locks
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