In Search Of Excellence - Lele Pons: Her Funny Vines, Music Career, and Staying Relevant Over Time | E110

Episode Date: May 8, 2024

My guest today is incredible, Lele Pons. Lele is an actress, writer, producer, director, singer, model, brand ambassador, and is one of the most important content creators of all time. She has 54 million followers on Instagram, 39.1 million followers on TikTok, and as 18 million subscribers on her YouTube channel. She stars in "The Secret Life of Lele Pons" – a YouTube Documentary series that provides a look at our personal life, – and is the host of the podcast "Best Kept Secrets with Lele Pons" on Spotify.00:00 - Introduction01:47 - Dancing with the Stars Experience05:12 - Realizing and Handling Fame10:01 - The Pressures of Fame12:11 - Staying Humble23:59 - Risky Adventures and Sharks34:18 - Meeting and Falling in Love49:12 - Idols and Meeting Shakira59:52 - Work Ethic and PreparationSponsors:Sandee | Bliss: BeachesWant to Connect? Reach out to us online!Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Here's part two of my amazing interview with the amazing Lele Pons. I threw meat and blood, waited until I saw tiger and bull sharks, and jumped in for two hours. Look, it's a freaking bull shark. Let's talk about the growth of your career. Because at some point, you're're switching now you're on different platforms at some point you got to say to yourself hey this is really working it's going to be my career yes i'm i'm sort of a big deal oh when that's okay um you know i and i feel like with you too you don't get there's not like a limit like you don't get this far just to get this far you

because you love what you do so you keep on going you know so i can say right now i made it and then next year i'll be like i made it and then next year be like i mean you know so um i feel like every year every single step in my career has been my peak you know um everything everything has been different every day when i my first song my peak in that sense 300 million views on your first song I think on YouTube or something yeah so like you say that for me was a peak um another peak meeting my best friends peak in my personal life meeting Gwaine in my song peak um when I have kids might be my peak you know so um I think in my career wise it was very different it was music, it was very different. It was music. It was... God, I judged Miss Universe. I don't know what the F was that,

but I'm so grateful. I loved judging Miss Universe. It was speedy cool in 2017. Dancing with the Stars. 32nd season. That was a peak for me. It was just different. I always wanted to dance,

and I did it in that way of learning how to do it. It was beautiful. Dancing with the Stars was the best experience of my life. The best experience? Why was that the best? You've done so many amazing things. Why? Because actually it's really weird. Dancing with the Stars gave me discipline, structure in a way that like in a way that it's different you know? Every single day you had to wake up at this hour, like you go here, you work out, you dance, you go back home, then you go here, you go to the, it was like a structure, it was discipline,

it was, you made a lot of good friends, and a lot of people that were not in the same category as you, not influencers, it was Ariana Maddox, reality TV artist in Broadway, there's Harry Jowsey, reality TV show, there's Sochi, you know, Marvel movie star, incredible. There's Jason Mraz.

Everybody was so different. It was no competition. Everybody was actually happy for your success. Everybody was trying to help you. It's weird. It's like Dancing with the Stars was probably the best experience

because it was the most wholesome. It was the most supportive. Gave me all the tools that I needed to actually be able to do the executive functioning that I needed. I became so much more mature. I came back from Dancing with the Stars and I loved myself way more than before I was on Dancing with the Stars, especially because it was the first time in my career at Dancing with the Stars that I actually got maybe more love than hate on a project that I had that's absolutely insane to think about but I think people don't know what's involved when you go on on that show so are you there for two weeks so you have to commit each day and you're dancing every day or what what's the program so um it's a month before it's a month before and he just um Brandon was my partner I love him he was teaching me how to actually do like ballroom.

It's different than reggaeton. They give you your partner or you choose your partner? Apparently, listen, apparently some people chose. I didn't, but I would have chosen him.

I love him. It was perfect partner. I loved him so much. I'm so grateful they gave me Brandon. I would have choose him again and again and again um so when he they chose me with him when i put me with him i was super happy we clicked

immediately he taught me ballroom everything and it's so crazy because i went into dancing with the stars because i really wanted discipline and i really wanted to um i wanted to um to um i wanted to do dancing a lot, always. I was like, I love dancing, okay, cool. Win or lose, I wanna learn something. So I learned how to do ballroom. A month later, after learning for a month, that's when you start the show.

You learned one dance and then you start dancing. You start learning one dance a week. It's crazy. You learn two dance one month and then every week one dance because you start getting more used to it you know it's like working out your body just remember steps easier um faster so um it's five hour four hours a day every single day for almost three months yeah you're out of everything else you have no project except dancing and posting you're posting every day that's beautiful because you're so distracted and when you work out also like that

and you're working out something that you love it's like it gives you like it just makes you even a better person i don't know i love working out i don't like working out by the way but i love dancing so it was like the first time that I actually loved working out. And that helped me mentally. Workout helps you mentally. So I was in a great state. When was the first time that you realized, I'm really famous? I mean, super famous.

I'm going to tell you, like, there's three times in my life where I know that I'm I've known that I'm very famous my first meet and greet in New York from vine my first vine meet and greet I saw all the people that noticed me and wanted pictures of me huh I'm famous holy shit or I'm known for sure um like what what number of people showed up there's's so many, like 300, something like that. 300, 400, that's a lot for me. Like back then, the hell? What?

More than in my class, that's better. Okay, cool. So I think that meet and greet was great for me. It was in New York, long time ago. 2015 or 14. I think it was 2013 or so. I don't know, like that, like that. Then I think another time that I thought that

oh my god I'm I'm famous um is um when Brandio started seeing like wanting to pay me to do stuff I'm like my god like like you do you trust me so much you think I have so much power you know I mean I could but like damn um that's crazy I have so much power? You know, I mean, I could, but, like, damn. That's crazy. I think, actually, no, I think the time that I thought, I was like, wow, I'm actually famous, is when my song was in the top global charts, 25th, for, like, weeks.

Like, damn, that's a different level of famous, you know? Every single thing, winning the Teen Choice Awards, providing, like, things, I'm like, wow. But the time, the Teen Choice Awards, providing, like, things. I'm like, wow. But the time, the moment that I was like, I'm actually not only famous, but I've made history somehow, is now.

So on TikTok, there's like a trend with my song Celoso. They put it on there. And it's about how I'm everyone's childhood. It's so weird. They put a picture of like, oh, this is my childhood. Swipe and it's me, Hannah, Juanpa, and Tuan as their childhood.

And they see it. Lelepon's my childhood. Lelepon's raised me. Lelepon's this. And I was like, that's when I know I made a mark. I made a mark on these kids' lives. And the people that are saying this, they're big, though. Some of them are really, really big, and they texted me and DMed me.

I pushed them to become these people. And I'm like, how? Thank you. I'm super happy, but it just blows my mind. So I think that's this year. This year. This year. 2023, 2024. I think you were famous well before that. This year, this year, this year, 2023, 2024. I think you were famous well before that. I mean, at some point you're the leading Viner ever.

And then early Instagram, I mean, 54 million followers. By the way, there's 1.4 billion Instagram accounts today. Do you know what number you are in terms of the top? 100 something. 114. That's insane. 55 million followers, that's crazy. Do you know what number you are in terms of the top? A hundred something. A hundred and fourteen. That's insane. Thank you. Fifty-five million followers.

That's crazy. Thank you, thank you. I mean, there's only, what, three hundred and fifty million people who live in the United States now. I know you have fans from around the world, Latin America. It's crazy. My biggest fan base is Indian. Interesting.

Yeah. It's crazy. I had Danielle Vecinova on my show last week, actress, model. I gained after the show a ton of followers, most from India, actually. We can't really figure it out. All my reels go to India. It's insane. It's great.

I love India. And they have a song about me that has, like, 166 million views. I don't know what the name of the song is, but it literally says, set the note there, and then Lelepon's in it. I don't know what the song is. It's an Indian. It's an Indian song.

It's an indie song. Yeah, independent song. And it talks about me. So it's cool. Did you want to be famous, and do you like being famous? did you want to be famous and do you like being famous do i want did i want to be famous well no because vine wasn't a thing you know what i mean so it's like i didn't it's not like now like i didn't i'm not going to tick tock me because like you know

tick tock would you know it's potentially what it's like it's trendy it'll make you famous vine vine back then in my school people would make fun of me like people like what is this app what is an app so it's like no i never wanted to be famous am i happy to be famous now yes because i'm not gonna be ungrateful it has given me the friends that i have has given me um the people that i know the opportunities guayna my dog everything i like, you can't, like, yes, it's hard. It's really hard, but I... There's, like... I would never take back anything.

Every single thing that happened in my life, it led me here, and I have to be grateful for it. So I'm happy that I am. When you're famous, I mean, again, it's good and it's bad. I mean, some people, movie stars can't leave their house. They can't go to a restaurant. I mean, Tom Brady can't go to a restaurant and go out to eat.

But I think when you're famous as well, it's hard to have normal relationships because people kiss your ass. And there aren't a whole lot of people around you saying, hey, you know, Lele, you're... The thing with me is I've had, I have an uncle that's really, really famous in Latin America.

But he's a singer, he's not a Viner. He didn't show me how to do that. But he has, his whole life, I've seen how he has coped with fame. So growing up for 20 years with this man who has literally never had a scandal, he's been perfect. He's handled it very well It's taught me many things, you know, there's a way to you know, we can't like listen you cannot It's hard to be famous and there's many downs, you know, but who chose this

You know, I you chose this. You know what I mean? You can leave. You can leave. You know what I mean? Like, it's hard, but you love to sing, you love to dance, you like to perform, you like to, you know, create and do that. People love you.

People like what you're doing, so you're famous because of that. Keep it going, you know? And if you don't like something, take a break. Take breaks. That's what I do. When I don't like to be famous and I don't like something, take a break. Take breaks. That's what I do. When I don't like to be famous, and I don't like the fact that I'm famous, I take breaks all the time.

And then I come back stronger and I'm like, okay, how do I, I'm known, I did this to myself. Let's embrace it. So many successful people I know. I know a few famous people. Some of them are really full of themselves. How have you managed to stay so incredibly humble after all the amazing things that's happened to you?

I mean, you are a real authentic person. Oh, thank you. Are you saying that because it's in the script? I'm just kidding. No, we've gone way off script. Oh, sorry. 30 minutes ago, we've gone off script. Sorry.

How did I become humble? Um, well first of all, my family. My family is so freaking honest. They're like when I moved, I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't humble. I was the most bratty, not humble, mean person in the world seven years ago when i moved to l.a yeah when i moved to l.a i thought i was the i thought this is this is this of me i'm the top of the world even people saw it they're like full of herself yeah 2021 is like there right i come back to miami for a birthday my family is there and they look at me and they're like, hey.

Literally, like there's a saying like, something, well, I love you in a piece of no, no, but I know is that don't live in the clouds. Put your put your feet in the ground like you're acting like this. This is we don't recognize you. You're doing this is this is this. Oh, they kind of sat me down and told me, hey, you are not allowed to disrespect the people here

because you are, you know what I mean? Like we are this, we are like, we know who you really are. Go back to that. Like they basically, I don't know exactly what they told me but I came back from LA to Miami, sat down with my family because they saw a change in me. Like I was full of myself and everything. They sat me down and they told me this, this, this and this.

They like made me feel like shit you know they told me you're ungrateful you're this you're that you're this you're not gonna go anywhere with this damn attitude i don't care if you're talented you have to respect you have to be on time when people want you to be on time you're not allowed to you know some people are like oh i'll be two hours late no you gotta be on time so they they grounded me and then i mean like you're an adult at this point you can't leave your room like grounded you don't come out no they grounded me by like not giving me the attention that i always wanted you know like like they're not like oh my god they're like so they're like like it's different when your family like Your family grounds you in a way that, like, because they see you the way that you were before.

You know? They know you more. They know you. They know you very well. And I stopped taking my pills. And I stopped going to therapy when I went to L.A. And a lot of shit went down. I was a workaholic, that's for sure.

But a lot of shit went down. I was not proud of the person that I was. Those three years, I went back to Miami, talked to my family, they told me who I was. They reminded me where I came from, the people that have supported me, that have been there for me, they're reminding me who they are, and they're reminding me of things

that could happen if I continue my life like this you know and then I started seeing people go away from me people my family started you know distancing themselves until I cleaned up my act and then I went back to therapy did my medication I listened to my family and I have become the person that I am today because of that. I didn't lose myself. Yeah. When we become successful and our company, my company. Very young age.

Yeah, at a very young age. Very young age. So our company, a tech company that I co-founded for founders of the company, Went public when I was 33 years old. Within two months of going public, our company was worth $35 billion. Wow. And it was reported in the press. And don't believe anything that you read in the press because it's not true, especially when they're talking about people's net worth.

But people said they wrote I was worth a few hundred million dollars. And everybody kind of knew. It's a big story big story I'm from Detroit and there was a profile about this kid who grew up and was bullied stuttered and then he moved to Los Angeles hit a big in the tech world so everyone's talking about it and people hold you up on a pedestal right and they're just waiting to shoot you down you know you're watching every word And if your hair is out of place or you accidentally offend somebody, even if you don't try, I mean, it's a lot of pressure on you.

And I know you've experienced the exact same thing. So talk to us about that. Even when you're in a restaurant, you've talked about people commenting on how much you tip the waitstaff. Mm-hmm. I always ask. I suck at that. I'm always I always give like They're like I'm always like what do you want? When they went out to tip I was like, I don't know whatever you want. Hey, what people say $1,000 I

Just the manager, huh? You guys the manager There's usually something on the machine 25 yeah 25 percent but but but what about the pressure i mean everyone's looking to take shots at you right i mean there's a lot of people who aren't happy for you and they're just waiting for you to offend somebody i mean you you've experienced that everyone everyone i mean i don't think um that's why you only have like five good friends in your hand right there because and you have many many friends but there's five that you can see that genuinely want the best for you you know um but that's why i um that's why when i came back and i met i was with my family or with the even with the friends that i was with before i trust them

i trusted them whatever they said they told Whatever they said, they told me. They're going to, they even told me, you continue like that, someone else, another Lele Pons, another person's going to come and take your spot because that person's nicer. That person has more respect. It is on time and everything. And you're going to be replaced

if you don't change your act and actually give people a side that's more human. This is not you they said to me and i was just like whatever come back to la shit happened many many mistakes i lost friends and then right there i was like my therapist i'm so sorry i have not talked to you in like four years i need to change i want my family to be proud of me it's's not about, like, oh, you're successful, but my family's proud. My family's proud of the person that I am as a human. I can be in my house not working.

Am I good, though? Am I a good person? You know, am I healthy, good? That's the most important. And I saw that. And I was like, I came back to Miami. But I changed before, but I came back to Miami 2019, 20. I changed completely. but I came back to Miami 2019 20 I changed completely people saw it I was like started working on myself a lot more when when you do something that's high

profile in my case it was making money at a young age and of course people are taking pot shots I had all these new friends right everyone wants to have lunch people that wouldn't even give me the time of day. There was some famous movie producer, and I won't say his name. He's produced some of the biggest movies in the world, who just came up to me one day. A couple of his friends invested in our tech company. They had made more than $100 million each.

And the guy comes up to me and says, hey, Randy, what's up? And I had core friends, and I wanted, number one, to stay who I was, be myself, stay humble. But it's hard at some point, you know, to stay humble. When you're alone, when you're away from,

when you're 16, 17, 18, and you're away from home in another world that you're becoming famous, you're number one in something. Huh. In L.A. Dark hole. You got all these new friends,

but how do you make friends at this point in your life? Now? Yeah, because people want something from you, right? You're rich, you're famous, you're beautiful, you're glamorous. I'm sure you have amazing things, and I'm sure you got lots of people. I mean, how do you know people are real or authentic or want to be your friend for the right reason?

I'm more private. I really don't go out so much. I keep the ones that I've... I don't really make new, new, new friends that much, you know? Um... I love meeting people, but those new people that I know, I don't really put them in my life so much. I'm super social with everybody. I really do have the best friends, and I know everybody.

I had a wedding, and everybody came. I love socializing. However, not all the people that were at my wedding are really let in my life. They're colleagues. They're people that were at my wedding are really let in my life. They're colleagues. They're people that I love and I share. But the people that I let in my life, barely anybody. Nobody, almost. You're social.

People recognize you. You have to. Yeah. They come up to you on the street. Yeah, yeah. And you have a reputation of being nice to everybody. Does it get annoying? No.

No, no, no. I'm going to be honest with you. I don't, like, when somebody comes up to you in the street and they're a fan of you, how would you want your idol to react to you? That's how I react. If Shakira or Taylor Swift was right there and I go up to them, how would I want them to react to me? So That's how I react. If Shakira or Taylor Swift was right there and I go up to them,

how would I want them to react to me? So that's how I react. What's the strangest thing that's happened to you of someone coming up to you on the street who didn't know you?

That didn't know me? Yeah. What's the strangest thing that's happened to you on the street where someone has come up to you and said something that was either outrageous or did something that's just crazy outrageous? Crazy outrageous.

The thing is, like, I've done so many crazy things that I think that the crazy things that you're thinking, like, I don't know. Probably not one of my eyes. Something crazy that someone has done to me hmm i feel like i i do it before they even do it like i don't know like one of my my son was on melrose he was 16 years old um he had his phone he ran into some influencer and said uh hey you know can we shoot a video and he says hey, what's it like to be my girlfriend? And the influencer was fucking pissed. And he, I mean, it's, I understand why she was pissed,

but it's sort of hilarious. And he posted it online. It got like a million views on TikTok. And he was a hero with his friends for, I don't know, some short period of time. Um, I think, um, no one's ever really done that. I mean, maybe one time. Because I don't clap back, but I'm so honest.

You know what I mean? So somebody was like, oh, how does it feel? I remember, how does it feel that Vine died? And I was like, oh, pretty sad, but it happens. And he didn't expect that. You know what I mean? Like, something super real. And I'm like, oh.

Like, so I don't think I've ever, there's a video of, like, somebody coming up to me and me being, like, super pissed. Nope. You mentioned you've done some crazy things. What are the three craziest things that you've done? I think online. Don't try this at home ever, ever. I was dragged by a car.

I think online, yeah. You were what? Dragged by a car. Dragged by a car. Yeah. That was a stunt you did. I think I'm lying, yeah. You were what? Dragged by a car. Dragged by a car. Yeah. That was a stunt you did. A stunt I did. You were on your back or on your side or you wore, you know, bulletproof Kevlar clothing?

Dragged by a car. That's probably the craziest thing I've ever done. But were you standing up? Were you just lying down on the ground? Lying down on the ground. Yeah, it was so fast. Get a little back massage on the pavement while you're doing it? Yeah.

Oh, yeah. You were cut out? Yeah. That was probably one of the most crazy stunts I've done is that one. Well, oh, actually, one of the craziest things I've ever done is, this is really, this is really, this is not good. I mean, I will never do this ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever. I think this is the craziest thing I've ever done.

I will never do this again, and I will never tell anybody to ever do this again. Ever. Don't. I had broken up with someone, and I just decided to grab a boat with a person, get meat and blood, go to Jupiter, get meat and blood, go to Jupiter, very, very far, drive four hours away from Miami in the sea,

and I threw meat and blood. Person's not professional, and it's my two friends, waited until I saw tiger and bull sharks, and with no help, nothing, jumped in for two hours and just like started like Trying to touch them guys. That is that's actually like so Yeah, yeah like for two hours trying to touch them like two hours Drunk drunk. Yeah. What what were you thinking? Um, I I don't know. That's the thing that's really scary.

This was a long time ago, but that's horrible. I look back at it in the pic. Do you want to see the pictures? Yeah. Got to see this photo. This is insane. You know, and while you're looking for the photos, it's amazing how many people, especially young people, Instagrammers who are sitting on cliffs...

This wasn't even to post. I never posted this. This was for me. That's the worst part. Not even content. There are so many people, especially young people, Instagrammers who are sitting on cliffs doing crazy things. This wasn't even to post. I never posted this. Yeah. This was for me. Yeah. That's the worst part. Not even content. Yeah, but for all of the influencers that are there who are sitting on these cliffs, 300 feet up, I think there were 84 deaths last year

for Instagrammers who are doing dumb shit, sitting on a cliff, to get a photo, to get followers. It's just... It's risky, it's not cool, it's stupid, and it's just so sad people are ruining their lives for doing stupid shit. That's insane. No, that's what I'm saying, like, don't do that. Like, that was the dumbest thing,

the craziest thing I've ever done was that. It's me, I did it to me, like, I didn't do it to anybody. It was like me. It was really bad. I'm terrified of sharks, so. I'm horrified. I'm terrified. I don't know what happened to me. Terrifying. Well, I got, I got this like camera person. It was me, my camera person and a friend.

Like a camera person. Like my friend, my friend, we had an underwater camera. Did the, your friend was in the water with you? Yes. Having a death wish as well? Yeah, she's crazy. It wasn't Hannah, but she's crazy. She's crazy.

Wait, so... Okay, June... I'm afraid of being eaten by a shark when I'm in a lake. That's how bad my fear of sharks is. When someone's gonna... Some big fish is gonna eat my legs. Yeah. Like, what am I doing? I do it.

What am I doing? Oh, my God. No, no. No, no. Like, I'm alone. I'm not even in a cage. I'm not in a cage. Okay, let's show that photo.

Can we get a close-up of that on the screen there? And... Oh, sure. Can you see us a close-up of that on the screen there? And, um... Oh, sure. Can you see it from there, or do we have to bring it in? So my friend's like a really good photographer, like, whatever. Can you show... I never posted...

So I never posted these. Yeah. Ever, because I was never to pose. I just... Yeah. I didn't. So it wasn't for content. So this is me and my friend right here.

And then this is me and my friend. Can you see these on the camera? And then this is, look, I'm trying to touch the freaking, look, it's a freaking bull shark and a tiger shark. That shark's like eight feet long, ten feet long. Huge! Oh my God. Wait, wait, go back to that one.

Can you see that on the camera? Can we, I just want to make sure people can see that huge me it was three people me my friend i'm gonna say her name sandra me my friend sandra and uh my friend who took pictures yep we were all we were but we're not in cages like did you have a a close call? I mean, did the sharks. I never posted these. I never took a video.

I never did anything. No, but I'm just saying, did you have a close call in terms of being eaten? Did any of them start to nibble at your feet? They would come. And then what I learned is that when they come, you push them away or something like that. That's what I learned. So my friend, Sandra, knew that. And she did that.

Nobody touched me, though. They didn't touch me. Because they were throwing food. No, it came here that role like that was Nobody and I don't tell this story because I don't want anybody to know or anybody to say it or do it you shouldn't It was just I you know The story here though is and don't do it This is something that you should tell people by the way because there's so many people I know who have a breakup with somebody, and then they do something stupid.

They drive drunk. I know someone very close to me that she broke up with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend actually broke up with her. She went driving. She hit a pole, thankfully. I'm not kidding. Didn't kill anybody, but don't. Don't do that.

Okay, so, like like I broke up with they broke up someone broke up with me I was drunk for a week and then one of the drunk nights I was like let's go out and swim with sharks not in cages bull sharks with no protection don't ever do that that is as I said that's because someone breaks up with you please don't I was very naive it was a long time ago not now I'm happy no married but no don't do that so a lot of people in business who are famous don't like hanging around with people in the same business you've said similar things I know you have friends that are influencers Hannah but are most your friends now not in the business and why why do you want to have more friends not in the business than in the business?

Depends. I mean, for example, like Dancing with the Stars, they were in the business, but they were different because they're new friends. So they just met me now when I'm established. However, like the people that I keep are the ones that knew me before I was here, and they are in the business, like Hannah, you know, or Juanpa or Tuan. They're all in the business. They're my best friends.

But they knew me before I was as I am now. So right now I like to be friends with, I actually, I don't like to be really friends with like just like people. I mean, I love to hang out with them. And obviously I go out and people will see a post and everything. One person in particular who I love and I know she's famous, but she's actually so humble, became actually a really good friend. And I don't, people are very shocked that I'm friends with her because we don't really post so much together, but we're really together all the time, is Paris Hilton. Paris Hilton is amazing. And I've shared many moments with her that are incredible.

And I love her. Another person that I've shared many moments and nobody really knows that I hang out with her and she is famous is Tini. Tini's brilliant and I adore her. She's a very famous Argentinian singer. She's been there when I cry when I love when I'm drunk I call her out my it we have a lot of stories and we never we never nobody knows so nobody knows and Anita

Anita is amazing so Paris Hilton who I am dying to have on my show a lot of people think she is a ditz Did see not very smart airhead blonde nobody. Nobody thinks that. Nobody can think that. Dumb blonde. Well, they do. I mean, if people don't know her. So she spoke at a conference doing a keynote called the SALT conference.

It was a financial conference. We'll see men there in suits, I'd say 75% men. And she got up there to talk about her career, entrepreneur, businesses, investment, marketing plan. She's amazing and I think a lot of people don't don't know. Tell us something about Paris Hilton that people don't know. Something about Paris Hilton that she doesn't know is that she didn't really have, it's not all happiness. She actually, well, she's probably talked about this, actually.

She's had a dark childhood. Like, she had dark moments in her life. And I was in one of them. I mean, things that people don't know about Paris Hilton is that she will do the best she can to make you feel accepted wanted welcomed you know I mean doesn't matter who it is she will do it she actually cares like to make you feel good what was the darkest moment that you shared with her we were both going through a really bad relationship. And just like, you know how, you know, bad, bad, bad relationship. And yeah, I think we got close because of that.

She's happily married now. Happily married now. To a successful venture capitalist. Great guy that I've known a long time. And I remember when she got engaged, I cried and I told her, you found the Prince Charming, the person that you deserved. And same with me. I want to talk about how much of your life is public versus private.

I mean, you share a lot of things that are real, but there must be a lot of things that are private behind closed doors that you don't want to share. What are those things, and why don't you make everything public? Things that I don't make things um i think i don't make public how intense and how how much um i think i don't make public um how much comments and hate haters make me feel like what happens to me with the breakdowns that I have, you know?

I don't really show that. I'll show, like, a picture of, like, me crying or something, like, but not, like, there's a difference of you crying and there's a difference of, like, what actually, like, how intense it could, the toll that it can get on you, right?

That's what you say, the toll? Yeah, the toll, emotional toll. Yeah, yeah. Mental toll. Yeah, the toll, emotional toll. Yeah, yeah. Mental toll. Yeah, the mental toll. Yeah. I don't think, because you know what? I don't want, like, let's say someone makes a bad video of me or does something, I don't want people to see how I'm reacting while seeing that video.

You know? It's a different thing. But it's still real. It makes you real. I mean, do you post if you get in a fight with your husband or you get in a fight with your family? Because that's real. We all do, right? I never posted when I got into a fight with Guayna. So I guess there.

I never post when I get into a fight with Guayna or a fight with Hannah or a fight with my family. No, I don't post that. So, all right, we'll talk about your husband. You met him at a Universal Music video. Tell us what you saw when you met him and why you're in love with him and why you met him at a universal music video tell us what you saw when you met him and why your love with them and why okay so so this is a very controversial story actually controversial very very very okay so

they cut this story in half so I'll show you I'll tell you what happened so this is what happened I met why not because I was doing a music video with liano his one of his best friends i was doing los putis that's the call the the song he came to meet me he knew who i was i made videos of um i made a video of of um of his song rebota and i made a video of his song and i posted it whatever he came to the music video he met me it was super cool he was super nice he was sad i think i don't know why he was he was that he was sad so I was like let's go out let's have fun let's go to Florida this place in in LA we did nothing happened I mean we stayed in contact and we talked a lot a lot a lot and what

happened is like he fell in love with me like really really bad like he would like come to LA and get in going into, like, places where I was. Like, he did a lot, you know? Like, he would, like, you know, like, he would come to L.A., make it seem like he was coming for work, but he was coming for me. He stalked you? No, he didn't stalk me. A little bit. No, not really.

Okay, followed you? No, he did, like, two times when he was, like... Okay. Yeah, no. Like, he didn't really stalk me, that's the thing. Like, he... By the way, I don't mean that in a creepy way i mean in a loving way yeah yeah i mean for me stalking is like you're following me around i'm walking no no i mean like he would like go to la

when he had the chance and like try to get like a hotel near where i live just in case like and be like hey i'm here like let's do something like you know what i mean like he actually like really wanted to hang around and go on dates with me. Right. Because he lives in Puerto Rico. Right. You met him.

You exchanged cell numbers. We'll see what happens. I met him. Okay. I met Guayna. Hey, here are my digits. Here are my digits. I met Guayna, and he did a lot to, you know,

to be with me because he loved me, and he was in love with me. However, I told him I didn't love him. He said, I love you, and I said, thank you. Yeah. That must have made him feel great and I said, thank you. Yeah. That must have made him feel great. Yeah, yeah. Ouch.

Yeah, I told him thank you, and he was like, okay, and he left. Never saw him again. And then we had recorded a song before that happened, and it was at the Nota. And then he left, and um i saw him again and when i saw him i was like i saw him for the first time and i was like hey how are you and he was so indifferent with me he was so cold i didn't like that and i was like okay cool whatever and my friend started being like i think you like him maybe you like the attention you know at the beginning i was like i like the fact that you know he doesn't care you know he's like he's like, like, okay, okay.

Maybe he's a little thing that I have, whatever. So we made the music video, and in the music video we were just laughing and whatever and everything, and he was still super indifferent, hated me. And I was like, oh, like, I'm seeing him differently and I don't like that. And I got into fights with my friends because they were like, you like him,

you're starting to like him. You're starting to miss him. You're starting to miss the things that you he used to do send you flowers he did this and this you're starting to miss it because he left and you don't have it anymore and i was like no i don't like guayana i don't like him you like i don't like guayana and then we started to get to know each other more gwen and me and everything and my god i started to miss him and i was like oh my god i miss him and i told him I was like yeah I think I really like you and he was like well I don't um you're gonna have to prove to me that you actually do like me I guess you love me I don't want I don't want to get something with

you Lele and then you're gonna leave he doesn't have time for that you know so he's like if you really love me like I want to see that you love me not because you say because you like I'm ignoring you and I did everything in my power to prove to him that I loved him That I wanted to win him. He's having win me back He said and I did everything possible to bring him back like what I would do parties Hoping that he would come to the parties, you know, like and and see me there You know like, you know like in high school like you wouldn't there's there's no high school So now you have to make the parties, you know in high school. You're like, and see me there. You know, like, you know, like in high school, like when there's no high school, so now you have to make the parties. You know, in high school, you're like,

oh my God, I hope he's there, I hope he's there, I hope he's there, maybe he'll, you know, to run into each other. I would do that. I would, I would be like, hey, have you ever talked to Guayna? Like, like, like, you know, say something nice about me or something.

Say I'm pretty. You know, like when everyone in high school has done it, like if he asks about you, like say that I am, that I'm nice or something. Say I'm pretty. You know, like when everyone in high school has done it. Like if he asks about you, like say that I'm nice or something. Working it. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So I said all that stuff and then what else have I done? I did many things.

I mean, I, yeah, like all that stuff. I never like went out to look for him. I don't know where he was, but I did. I try to find moments where I can see him you know so I can actually talk to him or flirt with him because he he blocked me so there's no way of me even being with him so I did everything I guess that I could have and then he still didn't like me and I left to LA and then a month later he came and he was like let's try it and then everything was more calm and good and collective everything was more calm and good and then we became where we become now we were in love we

were really good to each other but there was obviously that so when i when i said this story many people cut the part that he wanted me and all that stuff and cut to i i met him that way like i did all this stuff to meet him you know what i mean people thought that the way that i met guayna was by me doing like by stop by doing all this stuff and that's how he met me but no i didn't meet him like that i that was like me getting him back you know what i mean he came first left and then i did everything but who cares about the other one what's wrong with that you you like a guy you do things that you're gonna yeah i think it's great the thing okay it's fucking great that's the difference that's the

problem i was too honest with what i did and when you're too honest and you're not private people will get into you and be like she stalk stalked him. She manipulated him. She did all this stuff. She harassed him, told me. I was like, but I never, I never like, I never did this. He's a grown man. Like, he knows I did parties for him. He knows I told his friends that,

to please like talk good about me. He knows I did everything. My God, I don't know what else my god what else did I do that I don't remember what I said in the interview um yeah I did a lot so here's a guy who's straightforward with you who likes you who tells you he likes you and then he tells you he loves you I was single seven and a half years before I met my amazing wife Madison we've been together now 10 years most amazing wife in the world but when I was single for seven and a half years before I met my amazing wife Madison. We've been together now 10 years. Most amazing wife in the world.

But when I was single for seven and a half years, if I liked a woman, I would send her a note that night. I'd say, I really enjoyed meeting you. I'm looking forward to a second date. If you'll go out with me, I'd send them flowers. And you know what? The advice I got from people is, dude, what are you doing? This is stupid, you know? Yeah, people were like, oh my God,

like it wasn't authentic. Authentic? Yeah. Bro, let me tell you something. Yeah. People say, hey, you know, lay off, you know? Like women don't like it when you are, in this case, a nice guy.

I was getting advice, don't be a nice guy. Women like bad boys. And obviously, a lot of them don't, but some of them do. There's a lot of people there who are your followers who like what would be known as bad guys, right? I mean, not bad human beings, but, you know, hey, man, don't come after me. I need you not to tell me right away how much you like me. So the thing here is, yes, we love bad boys. I love bad boys, and Guayna was so nice to me.

Guayna was amazing. Guayna was not a bad boy, and that's why I was like, eh, you know? So a couple months later, after, you know, moments, I was like, my God, I deserve a nice guy. What the hell am I my god i deserve a nice guy what the hell am i doing i had a nice guy right here and i let him go because i told him thank you when he loved me you know and then i met him and i i realized what i had and i did not you know cherish it and then that's why i was like i have to do everything that i can in a in a in a not illegal way you know like in a legal in a legal way way, to win him back,

because I had him and I did, I did all that stuff. And honestly, people were like, wow, she's crazy. She did all this. And I was like, yes, I did a lot, but look at me now. I am happy. He's worth fighting for. I would 100% do the same thing because I have the best man I could have ever asked for.

And all of my friends, sorry, are breaking up. And me and Gwen are super in love. Like, you know, so then we have very, very, very stable. We're good. We're really good to each other. And it's hard to find, I'm sorry, it's really hard to find in this stage, like a really stable, like everything, you know,

like best friend almost relationship. Like it's hard. Why do women and why did you like bad guys? Oh, me? Okay. I like what I can't have. You know what I mean? Oh, that's so good.

So many people. Yeah. If you're a bad guy, I'm like, ah, makes me feel like I need to win him over. You know, like, he's bad to me. We like the thrill. We like the going after someone. You know what I mean? We don't like it easy. Many girls don't like it easy, you know?

We don't like that. We don't like too much attention. We like to fight. So he was amazing. And he actually didn't become a bad guy, but he did become. He was a nice guy who became hard to get there. So that was perfect. But I liked the worst.

I liked the worst guys. I really had a horrible, horrible relationships. Horrible, horrible relationships. Really bad. And then at some point you said, okay, it's time. And by the way, all the women who didn't want to go out with me, who didn't like me, and there were tons of them, you know, you're too straightforward,

you're clean cut, whatever and I I dated the wrong women while I was looking for the right woman and then when I found that's and I met her I flew to New York you know take her to dinner I lied I'm coming out there for the freeze art fair I wasn't coming out there for the freeze out fair and we we went out two nights I stayed the weekend and then we got engaged three months later so I think I think you you gotta go after what you want. And I remember the night before. They always ask me.

Oh, keep on going. The night before, I'm at a dinner at Giorgio Baldi, amazing restaurant in Santa Monica, and I'm with very interesting group of people. Famous director next to me, we're talking about dating in Los Angeles, he said, hey, what do I do this weekend? this weekend I said well I'm actually going to New York to take a woman to dinner and he looked at me he said dude you're a fucking loser

you have to go to New York to go out on a date and I said well I you know I met her a few years ago we became texting friends I mean I texted her three times then she made a post in and on Facebook going to Hawaii with my boyfriend. And, you know, I can't wait two weeks. And I said, oh, is this the engagement trip? And she wrote back, hardly. And then I sent, you know, a text. Oh, God, you know, you're too great.

You know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I checked in with her four days later. And she said, I said, how's your trip going? Oh, we broke up. I'm like, all right, great. I said, I'd like to come to New York and take you to dinner. And so do it now because if you miss it by a second, if some guy gets in there first. I had insider information, right?

In the corporate world, you go to jail for this. But in the loving world, it's like first in time. And I got really, really lucky. I saw that guy four years later, the director. I'm like, hey, so you know the dinner we had four years ago at Giorgio Baldi? He said, yeah, well, I gotta tell you, he's like, I fucking know. I heard it. Congratulations.

Oh, my God. You see? I think that one of the things that Guayna liked about me, I never lied about any of this stuff to him. He knew everything I did. And he liked me because I worked so hard to get him, to win him back. I did a lot.

Crazy shit. Crazy shit I haven't even said but he knows them all and he loves them and you know like it's good to know that somebody fought for you it's good to know yeah and i feel like your wife is so lucky like oh thank you i'm luckier than she is by the way you know it's good oh yeah it's you know what it's something that people say and i'm like no i'm very against it like People are like, oh, you got married, you're good. That's when it starts. That's when you have to work the hardest. When you get married, it's a lot.

It's not like, oh, I'm married. I got married, I made it. No, no, no. When you get married, you have dates, you try, you give details, you do stuff, you continue. It's not because you, oh, check, I got married. All good now, we're all good. You're not because you, oh, check, I got married. We're all good now. We're all good.

You're not good. This is where it starts. And me and Guayna have something that we have, like, every single day we try to not seduce. How do you say it? We try to not conquer. How do you say it? To make each other fall in love with each other again and again and again,

every single time. New ways. At my wedding, an amazing rabbi named Steve Leder gave great advice. He said the two most important words in any marriage are, I'm sorry. And it's very, very profound when you think about it. Because you have to put your partner's needs above your own that's one of the most important ingredients of a successful marriage yeah and and the ability to say i'm sorry not only in a marriage but in a life is just so important it's a team you gotta stop

pretending like you're not involving the other person the person's involved your team. Like you have to think for him too, or for her, you know? So in all of our lives, we have role models, idols that we want to meet one day. You had a few, Sofia Vergara, Shakira. And at some point after one of our concerts, you met Shakira, you posted, this is the best night of my life. Still is.

I waited 20 20 years to meet her wait it's the best night of your life more more more than your wedding night probably yeah more than your wedding night i was drunk uh i don't remember you were drunk i love my wedding night but yeah why why was it so great 10 uh ten. Okay top ten. I mean, that's what no top top three. No top ten Top ten for sure. Like I can tell you that's for sure Okay, well so great about meeting her I mean, it's like meeting someone that like it's like a manifesting thing Like I've always wanted me here years years years of it at the patient in the moment arrives and everything that you ever wanted

You know, it's very rare Usually people meet their idol and it's very rare um usually people meet their idol and it's not what they think and i it was everything i thought everything was perfect she's amazing um as i said she has helped me many many times with my mental health so meeting the person that has helped me it's like that's when you know i made it i'm famous i made it i made it that to that room i'm famous i'm'm good. I'm done. She's great. She's such a great role model, and I need to take advantage that she's alive.

You've kept in touch with her? You've become good friends with her? No. No? No. Okay. No! You only met her once? One and done?

Two times. Every single time I black out. I don't know what I said. You black out? I black out every single time. I don't know. I'm actually very passionate about things when I love them. So I'm very passionate about being, like, a Shakira's fan. So I'm a very passionate fan.

Have you met Sofia Vergara? Yeah, yeah, she's great. But it's more, I love Sofia Vergara, but I would, like, actually do something with her. Like, I would, like, a friend. You're a friend with her? No, no, I'm not. But I'm just saying, like, Shakira's more of, like, I put her on a pedestal. Right. You know? And Taylor Swift. no, I'm not. But I'm just saying like Shakira is more of like I put her in a pedestal. Right.

You know? And Taylor Swift. Like I'm obsessed with Taylor Swift. Wow, that's your cover photo. Taylor Swift. People don't really know that that much because Taylor Swift has the best fan base, such a big fan base. And I just like I feel like I don't want to just like intrude.

So I'm like a huge Taylor Swift fan, but I'm not like I don't want to just like intrude so I'm like I'm like a huge Taylor Swift fan but I'm not like I'm not gonna like Like because you know like it's it's very like it's like a club, you know And I'm like, I really want to join the club I've been a fan for a long time, but I really don't want to get rejected by the club So I don't say did you meet her at one of our concerts didn't go backstage? Did you buy tickets on Ticketmaster? Yeah No. You didn't go backstage? No.

Did you buy tickets on Ticketmaster? Of course I did. Of course I did that. Yeah, but you probably knew somebody, right? You said, hey, get me some good ticks? No, I bought them. My husband bought them. Okay.

Okay. Yeah. I met Sofia Vergara once. Yeah? Yeah. I haven't told this story before. I've told parts of it, but I'll, you know, we've shared a lot of things with each other and I've shared some things that I've never shared before so here we go so I have a nice home in LA I was very fortunate young

age to build my dream home I'm very lucky very lucky and by the way there isn't a day that I don't drive in my long driveway with a gate and just say gosh you know I'm so lucky to live here and I'm so grateful. So Modern Family wants to do a photo shoot at my house. Yeah. So we have a girl that's coming. Oh, my God. And I'm pumped.

Yeah. And I'm single. And I can't wait to just, you know, take my shot. Yeah, of course. Right? I mean, why not? Right? There's another celebrity and I'll tell this story as well. So she comes comes and you know they have a makeup, we have a guest house, she's in there doing the makeup and then she does the shoot.

And then she's taking a break and said, oh I'm Randy, I'm the homeowner here. And I said, would you like to have dinner sometime? And she looked at me and she said I I can't believe I'm gonna say this but this is exactly what she said she said sure I'd love to it's not like you're gonna rate me or anything I could just why do I see her saying that what how excuse me I love so she gave me her phone number and you know how many What? How? Excuse me? Oh, my God. Excuse me? I love... So, she gave me her phone number. And do you know how many great dinners we had?

How many? Zero. None. Zero. Ghost. Oh, my God. Ghost. But, hey, you know, you gotta take a shot. Yeah.

So, so many celebrities, influencers I know, you know, they meet people who they date, they slide into their DMs, right? Yeah, of course. It's tough because how else are you going to meet someone? You can't call CAA or Endeavor and say, oh gosh, I'm Randy Kaplan, I'm a nobody, hey, I'd like to date this movie star. That's not going to happen. So I'm sure a lot of your friends and maybe when you were single, people were sliding into your DMs.

I never checked any. Never? I swear to God. You don't check any of your DMs? I don't check my request stuff. Like, I don't, I don't, I've never, I can't tell you. I've had a DM from a guy, a famous person. No.

And if I have, I haven't seen it. Not a famous person. Well, okay. Or even people. I don't. You don't read your DM from a guy, a famous person. No. And if I have, I haven't seen it. Not a famous person. Well, okay. Or even people. I don't mean to. You don't read your DMs? No, not really. No?

I sure, I don't. Oh. I don't. I don't know why. I guess I forgot that part of the app. All right. Yeah, it's interesting. I mean, I, when I was single, I wanted to meet people who I was attracted to.

Yeah. You know, because I think you can't have a good relationship unless you are. And, you know, sometimes you meet people. I take very nice vacations. I'm very grateful. I can afford them. And sometimes there's interesting people. You go to Four Seasons. And, you know, by the way, Kristen Bale was at the Four Seasons, by the way, one time.

And I had gone to the resort, the one in Kona. I'd been there 20 times, right? Two times a year. Kids vacation. Kids love it. We love it. And I'm the guy that takes 1,000 photographs of my kids, right? We have pictures of us jumping in into the pool, you know, with our feet up in the air, whatever.

So I'm taking photos. Security guard comes up to me and says hey you know uh you know no photos and he's he works there i mean and i said well what do you mean he said well you know there's um someone here who's uh very well known and i said yeah i i i know and he said and uh he doesn't mind taking photos i said i don't give a flying fuck if he doesn't want me to take i said i've been here a bunch of times and i'm gonna take photos all day long and if he doesn't want me to take it. I said, I've been here a bunch of times, and I'm going to take photos all day long, and if he doesn't like it, he can get the fuck out of here because my money is just as good as his money.

On that same trip, there was an actress who I had seen in a movie. She had won a whole bunch of things. She was married, and, you know, sometimes you look at someone for a little extra second, and you say, all right, well, for a little extra second and say all right well now is that like extra second right I'm married she's married nothing weird going on and then I see her a few years later at Soho House in LA you've been to Soho House yeah yeah a million times right I'm sure you hang out there I mean it's like a it's a very cool spot. So I see her there and I and again like

She didn't recognize me. I don't think but again it was She was with a guy. Yeah, I wasn't I was single and I I gave her an extra long look Yeah, and she didn't look away. So I said, okay, whatever and I didn't know I Went up to her and I said, oh by the way, you know, we met at the Four Seasons You know a long time ago and said, OK, and the guy's there. Maybe he was four feet away, so he didn't hear what I was saying. I said, So good to see you again. So I said, All right, well,

how am I going to get a hold of her? I know people at CAA. I know senior people there. My first wife, Laura, used to work for Ron Meyer, who ran a CAA for a long time. So I said, gosh, how am I going to do this? So I found out her production company, right? They've got a number. So I sent over, I don't know if it was, it was like two dozen roses.

And I said, it was so nice to see you last night. And I'd love to take you to see you last night and I'd love you know take you to dinner nothing right all right well you know that didn't work keep going so two two months later I get a call yeah I just said hey I I know I sent these I don't check my messages no one told me that you sent these roses and I just said hey I'm I'm flattered she said I'd love to go out with you but the guy I was with is my boyfriend I said well okay great I said how did you meet him I'm just curious that I'm walking down the street in France and he came up to me and he asked me for a cup of coffee oh that was crazy I thought it was crazy an Oscar Oscar winner, award winning actress, some dude in France.

By the way, who has no job. He doesn't work. And he goes out. I found that very interesting. So I think it's interesting to be an influencer, actor, actress, musician. Because it's hard to meet high quality people. I think that's the message of my story. You probably don't know any of my boyfriends.

Because they're not famous. Yeah you said that life is like a fight and it's like a great boxer what does that mean? Um I think I said that? Yeah. I said that what oh yeah, I did yeah, oh Yeah, life is like a fire and it's like a great boxer Well, I feel like boxers get a lot of obstacles not just one You know, it's a lot of obstacles and how and some knock you down and some you win So I think you know like it but you're you're stable You're in one place and then you keep on going in and out and you know And there's people that help you and give you advice and whether you take them or not So it's like life. I feel like life is like that, you know, it's all about obstacles. It's all about the fight It's all about you win or you lose

And when you win, it's amazing and if you and you lose everyone knows and everybody's around everybody remembers and everything it's like a it's like a boxing match and It's tough and but at the same time, at the end, it all kind of like sorts out. You know how the boxers are like, you know, it all sorts out. It's all and it's only for like one night. Got to get up again. Got to get up again. Get up again.

Let's talk about success and work ethic, which I believe is the most important ingredient for success, hands down. Yeah. Talk about your work ethic. You're a is the most important ingredient to our success, hands down. Yeah. Talk about your work ethic. You're doing it just seven days a week. Do you ever take a day off?

What's your work day like? I have. It's annoying because, like, the ideas that I give, I don't really like to, like, I like to do ideas that no one else has done, like my videos. I really, really try. So it's like if it if it comes it comes if it doesn't it doesn't might be a week i don't post because i don't i didn't get an idea it might be

a day that i get five ideas and i shoot them all you know so it's very it's a wave it's a big wave um so i think um it depends on what's going on i am actually right now better than before because before it was just every single day every single day and now i'm more calm i've done that i've lived that and i'm more and now i have a calm. I've done that, I've lived that. And now I wanna start a family, I wanna be with Gwaine, I wanna be calmer. Like, yeah, that's what I want. One of the things that's made you very successful

is something I call extreme preparation. So that means preparing more than anybody else, always being the most prepared person, step foot in any room. How has extreme preparation led to your success i think it's because well vine was gonna die i was prepared to go somewhere i already had that platform spot instagram to go to evolving and transitioning before anybody else that's preparation you know same with you know like tiktok right let's say that if tiktok gets banned or whatever you have six months what are you gonna

do prepare yourself when that happens you have six months what are you gonna do for example you know you don't wait on the last minute to do stuff if i have a video idea if i have if i want to do something start now thinking about it for next year if you know next year you want to be in a movie or you want to i don't know make an album go to singing classes years prior you know what i mean like preparation you gotta you everything that's but and i also don't do things that i'm not prepared in i don't like it i will not go to anything that i'm not prepared i don't do that i'd rather not go than if i'm not prepared so your team has told you drink tea in the morning hot tea in the morning don't do that. I'd rather not go than if I'm not prepared. So your team has told you, drink tea in the morning, hot tea in the morning.

Don't scream at concerts. Yeah, actually, yeah. And not my team, myself. Yourself. So those are extremely important. But that's an example, though. Most people don't think about that. You know, you've got to save your voice, your singer, your content creator.

Don't smoke, don't do drugs. Don't smoke, don't do drugs like don't smoke don't do drugs yeah what are the let's let's um shift gears for a second to talk about money yeah you ever been motivated by money never i really bad money i'm bad with money but but did you ever say shit you know this is my first million dollars oh yeah no i'm super grateful. Money is one of the most important things. But I want enough to be stable and good. I'm not here trying to get, like if I had a lot of money, right? I would use it, for example, to travel.

No, but the world. I just went to Iceland. I want to go to Africa. I probably wouldn't use it for a car. I'm good with my Toyota. I just want transportation. You have a car. I'm good with my Toyota. I just want a transportation. You have a Toyota right now? Yeah. What model? I don't even know. I have a picture of it. You don't know what model you have? No, I don't. I'm not so materialistic.

How old is your car? I don't know. Can you tell by looking at it? I'm not a car guy, but I'm going to have a look. Okay. This model? I think, yeah, it's a little kind of mini hatchback, mini SUV. Yeah, something like that. Not fancy? No, no. I mean, I have a house because it's a good investment. And I love that for sure. But I'm not like, I don't have anything on. Like, even my wedding ring is in a box because I don't want to, like, lose it. And it's not, I don't really, like, you know, like, this is my pajama.

But I put it like this. It's a good-looking pajama. It's a beautiful fucking pajama. And I wear it all the time with a heel. It looks like it's not. You sleep in that pajama? It's got some things that could fall off. I don't sleep in it, but it's, like, very comfortable.

It's, like, something that you would sleep with. I'm very comfortable. I do like to use money for like, travel, my family, the future of my kids, stuff like that. But I don't, and I've used it in really horrible moments too, like for parties. I should have not used it for fucking parties. But I'm trying right now, I'm more mature, to use it for the future if i

want to make a movie for example saving it you know i think people would be shocked that that was your car i think most people would think you have a a very nice car do you fly first class you fly coach yeah i there should be people out there who have seen me in coach and why taking pictures of me but sometimes i fly in first class, but no, not really. But you make a lot of money. Yeah, yeah, but I want to save for like other things. What's your financial goal in the next three, five, 10 years? I want to, my financial goal, does it have to be a number?

My goal was I want to be a millionaire by the time I was 30 years old. At some point I said, God, I want my net worth to be $10 million. And at some point in LA, a minimum nice house and a nice suburb is $5 million. So as you keep getting a different lifestyle, the number gets higher. I would love 10 million, but why though? Not for me. I would love it for the future of my grandchildren and my kids

yeah so you're saving for the future yes and you have people who are advising you yes save your money

and you have good financial advisors yes explain how the money works on when you're an influencer you get paid

CPM certain I mean everybody gets like a percentage you know like you get a brand deal everybody gets a percentage right so it's views on the platforms they fill them with ads yeah sponsors yeah brand partnerships yes brand

partnerships appearance yeah yeah appearances yes so if you have a million views on YouTube yeah what does an influencer make I don't know I went with a million views right now snapchat is going crazy snapchat is like amazing they're paying more because they want to track the the content creators really good but it all honestly it all depends like I I have never been really good with money like I'm really like when I say good I've never been really I should have been more on top of it. I usually have someone on top of it

because I just create, create, create, create, create. And then like, I'm someone that like, I probably got fucked over many times. But now I know better. How old were you when you made your first million dollars? 19. 19, yeah. I think so. Did you say, holy shit, I'm a millionaire at 19? 19? Yeah, I think so. Did you say, holy shit, I'm a millionaire at 19?

I literally was just like, mama, like, what do we do with it? Like, what do you want to do? And I saved it. I was like, okay, I don't know what to do with it. I don't know. I don't know because I don't want to be stupid. I've been stupid with it, you know? I've been stupid. So, like, now every time I get money or everything, I'm like, okay, how much do I, you have to know what goes in, what goes out. Like, that's very important. Before, it was like my mom took care of everything because I had no experience, nothing. But I was actually, I wanted more money because I liked the look on my mom's face. She was so happy. She was, like, very proud. And I was like, I like that. I like that. The feeling of making my parents proud. My parents were proud when I made money too. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. I was like,

it's a great, it was like, okay, that's keeping me. Yeah. It, it, it feels, it feels nice. Was, did you buy yourself one or two extravagant things, a new watch, or obviously you didn't get yourself a new car? No, no, I didn't. no no you should smell the car I need to change that maybe get like a another car not not not a big one uh but let's see I um what did I buy a house a house that's nice in Miami Miami Shores and you bought it before you were married yes okay and then how's it moving in your house with you? Yes, yeah. Is it big enough for kids?

Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. Are you excited to have kids? I would love to have kids. How many kids do you want? Three. And boys, girls? Boys. Boys are for the mom and the girls are for the dad.

I love it. Girl, dad? You know, like daddy's little girl, mom, a mama's boy, you know like those little things like because like boys like protect the mom a lot I got another you with your mom. You have a good relationship, but like I have a great relationship Yeah, it's so different and then girls with dads. It's just like it's different. It's like I don't know Five kids four girls. Oh wow when girls you're amazing you're happy to why no one's a girl Yeah, I mean, it's the best thing.

You know, someone told me they gave me great advice. My friend Rick Rivera who had four kids under five when I met him 20-something years ago, 30 years ago. And he said,

you'll find out the meaning of life when you have kids. And boy, that was an understatement. That's the most incredible thing. You take away all my money, my two homes.

I love that feeling. Yeah, I mean, it's great. Take my card. You're going to be in for something amazing. As we get near the end of the show, I want to talk about the importance of giving back. You have a huge platform. You can influence a lot of people.

Talk about the charity concert you did and Richard Branson setting yeah yeah I mean honestly in that moment like that was a very intense moment because I kind of felt well tell people tell people what it is who Richard Branson is if you don't know and then he just call you up live eight yeah yeah the Venezuelan live yeah Richard Gere is like a billionaire. Richard Branson. Yeah. Richard Branson is like a billionaire who helped do a charity event in Venezuela.

What year? 2018? I think it was 2000. No, it wasn't. Yeah, 2018, 19. 17 or something. And it was in the border between Venezuela and Colombia. And it was a concert that we did, many people, me and other two,

raised awareness of what was going on with Venezuela at the time. And it was a live video. It was like, what was it? It was like to give, yeah, to raise money. Yeah, to raise, I mean, Venezuela, it was to unite the Venezuelan people. And that's, things are not good in Venezuela these days. It was to raise awareness and raise money for Venezuelan people and that's a things are not good in Venezuela. It was to raise awareness and raise money for Venezuelan people and it was apparently later it was like it didn't go as planned.

For sure. What happened? You know as someone that left very early in Venezuela it's I understand it's like you it's easy to go back do a concert and leave and go back to your life you know so I wish when I did that I really wish I did more my god I wish I wish I did more I wish it just it wasn't an appearance there's a difference between making an appearance and actually making something a consistent habit of doing something you know I probably got you know like it's like people were like, oh, she got probably paid to just stand there

and do it. Like, there's actual problems. Like, you want to do something? Donate. You want to do something? Promote constantly

on your page. Go to Venezuela. I can't go, apparently. I can't explain why I can't go. I would love to go to Venezuela.

I cannot explain why I can't go. You're not allowed on the show or you're not allowed? Venezuela. Oh, Venezuela won't let you go. I can't explain why, but I would love to go to Venezuela. I cannot explain why I can't go. You're not allowed on the show or you're not allowed? Venezuela. Oh, Venezuela won't let you go? I can't explain why, but I would love, I will.

I promise, I will, I will go. Sorry, just to be clear, there's a reason why you can't go, but you can't talk about it? Yeah. Okay, gotcha. Yeah, I would love to. Okay. You're a Venezuelan citizen.

You became a US citizen when you were 23 years old. Yes. How much importance did that have in your life? I'm very grateful to be Venezuelan. I'm very grateful to be a citizen in America. I'm grateful for everything. I swear to God. I am who I am today because of Venezuela. I'm today because of where I am. The people that I surround myself with in America. 100%. And I'm very lucky. My God, I'm very lucky that Venezuela, I mean, Venezuela is beautiful. And I'm very lucky to be

a Venezuelan because the people there, it's just really, for me, I'm very, in Miami, we're very united. Like, I, Marco, like, I'm going to shout out Marco, Karina Smith, Elena Rose, Danny Ocean, all the people that are here in Miami, like, I like the community that has come from Venezuela and come to Miami. I want to switch back going to content creation. Where do the ideas come from? And can you give three amazing ideas that are coming out of the show today? Okay, content creation? Yeah, where do the ideas come from?

Oh, my God. Okay, let creation? Content creation? Yeah, where do the ideas come from? Oh, my God. Okay, let me explain. The ideas? Yeah. The ideas come from literally whatever happens, whatever experience is going on in my brain, whatever's happening. I see something funny.

I'm like, okay, I'm going to make that into something. That's how the ideas come. All the ideas that I have are just, some of them are really weird because my brain was going through something weird at the moment. But, yeah, it's just, it's like inspiration. You have to be inspired.

It's not like something you're going to go right now on Google and be like, what are funny ideas to post? Are there any funny ideas coming out of the show today? I mean, for sure. You know what I mean? You got to come up with some good ones. I feel like, for example, in this show, it's not about funny because there's moments here that people are going to actually, because I'm talking, people are going to have to relate

to moments that have been actually short because it has to be like 30 seconds. Yeah. Productive, straight to the point, but has a really powerful meaning. That's what I would post, for example. Right. You know what I mean? We've had a lot of those moments. Yes.

A lot, a lot. Yes. And that's what, when I was thinking, I was like, that would be a good moment to post. Before we finish today, I want to ask some more open-ended questions. I call this part of my podcast, fill in the blank to excellence. Are you ready to play?

Yeah. The biggest lesson I've learned in my life is? Love yourself, love yourself more. My number one professional goal is? My number one professional goal is? My number one professional goal is, um... Learn to take criticism. My number one personal goal is? My number one professional goal.

I want to be a movie director. What are you doing towards advancing that goal? I want to do animated films first. I want to try to do that. Sell funding? Get funding from somebody else? I want to, yeah. Like, I want to, I know some people that do animated films, like, just like my friends, and I want to create something.

Very small, five minutes, you know? But you start small. You start small. Got to start somewhere. Yeah. My biggest fear is? My biggest fear is forgetting. The craziest thing that's happened in my career is? Craziest thing that has happened in my career is

marrying Guayna because that came from a song. It's pretty much crazy as well. Crazy. The one thing I've dreamt about doing for a long time but it hasn't- Actually, no, Dancing with the Stars. That's not, yeah, cool. I'm gonna shout them out. Okay long time... Actually, no, Dancing with the Stars. That's not... Yeah, cool. I'm going to shout them out.

Okay, craziest thing in my career? Dancing with the Stars. The one thing I've dreamt about... The one thing I've dreamed about doing for a long time but haven't is... The one thing that I've dreamed about doing but haven't yet is having kids. If you were president of the United States today,

what was the first thing you would do? Make Taylor Swift president. Because why would I ever? I'm not a good president. I feel like, I don't know, I like her. I would vote for her. If she ran, she would win by a landslide, I think. I mean, you know, her age demographic is young, but crazier things have happened before.

If you could meet one person in the world, who would it be? If I could meet her, Taylor Swift. If you go back in time and give your 21-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be? Take breaks. Take many breaks. The one question you wish I'd asked but didn't is? Wow. You've asked everything. What are your next goals in life like this year?

What are your next goals in life this year? Oh, okay, cool. I can't believe I thought of that. I want to go to India. and I want to learn the culture, and I want to do content there. I actually want to go there and just do content, learn about the culture, collab, be with people, make music there. Because you want to lean into your fans there, or just because you have heard?

Oh, because my dad is going. Oh, your dad's going to India? Yeah, my dad wants to live in India. Wants to live there? Yeah. What makes him want to live there? He's a spiritual person. Very, very, very, very is going. Oh, your dad's going to India? Yeah, my dad wants to live in India. Wants to live there? Yeah. What makes him want to live there? He's a spiritual person. Very, very, very, very spiritual person.

And he was there for like 30 days. He wants to go. And then I'm like, okay, I want to go too. And then when I said that I wanted to go, a lot of people were like, I want to collab. And I was like, okay, great. Collaborations. I'm going to be with my dad. I want to learn the culture.

It's amazing. Bollywood. Movies. Everything. Yeah. I want to go. I love it. This has been an amazing show, by the way.

Thank you. I think you're an incredibly amazing role model. Congratulations on your incredible success. You too. Thank you for crying with me. It's a real moment. It's a real show. Thank you.

So, I mean, I'm grateful. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. To be honest, out of all the interviews that I've done, and I've done a lot, I feel like two things with this interview. You were actually very prepared.

Very prepared with all the questions. But you actually listened to every single one. And you made me say things that I didn't feel comfortable because I didn't feel like that person had good intentions, and I feel like you do. I feel like you actually give a shit. And so you're very, thank you. Thank you for being prepared.

Thank you for knowing my stuff, my life. Not a lot of people knew many things that you did. And I guess one last thing we didn't talk about and we'll put this in the show. What are you working on that we can help promote? I'm a curious person. Cause honestly, tomorrow I might change everything. Not yet. Not yet because, like, going to India is me, you know.

But not yet. Maybe music when it comes out. My friend Eric Garcetti, who is the mayor of Los Angeles, is now U.S. ambassador to India. So when you go there, and if you want to meet him, I will set that up. Yeah, there you go. He's an amazing U.S. ambassador to India so when you go there and if you want to meet him I will set that up yeah there you go he's an amazing guy amazing so I'll make that happen that'd be great if it's something that you want to do yeah it's very cool I think you'd enjoy it I want to I'm not going to anything that that can help me when I go to India okay awesome thank you thank you so much amazing you're amazing thank you so much thank you thank you thank you thanks for listening to part two of my amazing podcast with Lele Pons, one of the most influential

content creators of all time. 55 million followers on Instagram, 18.7 million followers on YouTube. The first Viner to hit a billion loops. If you haven't yet listened to part one, be sure to check that one out first.