Young and Profiting with Hala Taha - Josh Peck: Be More Resilient | Career | E178

Starting point is 00:00:01 You're listening to Yap, Young and Profiting Podcast, a place where you can listen, learn, and profit. Welcome to the show. I'm your host, Halitaha, and on Young and Profiting Podcast, we investigate a new topic each week and interview some of the brightest minds in the world. My goal is to turn their wisdom into actionable advice that you can use in your everyday life, no matter your age, profession, or industry. There's no fluff on this podcast, and that's on purpose. I'm here to uncover value from my guests by doing the proper research and asking the right questions.

Starting point is 00:00:39 If you're new to the show, we've chatted with the likes of ex-FBI agents, real estate moguls, self-made billionaires, CEOs, and best-selling authors. Our subject matter ranges from enhancing productivity, how to gain influence, the art of entrepreneurship, and more. If you're smart and like to continually improve yourself, hit the subpochew. button because you'll love it here at Young and Profiting Podcast. This week on Yap, we're talking to one of the most recognizable faces of the millennial generation YouTuber and television star, Josh Peck. If you're not familiar with Josh, he's most well known for starring in hit Nickelodeon shows like Drake and Josh and the Amanda show. These roles catapulted Josh to starring in a string of hit television shows and movies, including

Starting point is 00:01:25 Red Dawn, The Wackness, the Disney Plus original series, and Hooch, and most recently, the Hulu original How I Met Your Father and the I Carly reboot on Paramount Plus. Today, Josh has one of the biggest dedicated fan bases on the internet with over 13 million followers on Instagram alone. He's also a podcaster who hosts The Curious with Josh Peck podcast and author of the new memoir, Happy People Are Annoying, which has been very well received. In this episode, Josh and I have an honest conversation about the relationship between humor and insecurity. He reflects on his early interest in performing and comedy, and he shares his inspiring come-up story from Nickelodeon to the silver screen, as well as a harsh reality that comes with being an actor. We then learn how he overcame his issues with body image and drug addiction, and we hear his secret to true happiness. If you've ever struggled with mental health issues or addiction, or maybe like me, you grew up watching Josh on TV and you simply want insight for what it was like for him on the other side of the screen.

Starting point is 00:02:28 Whichever it is, you're going to without a doubt love this conversation. Hey, Josh, welcome to Young Improfiting Podcast. Thank you so much for having me. I am super hyped for those who don't know and who might be living under Iraq. You are a young comedian and actor. You actually started on Nickelodeon shows like the. Amanda show and the Drake and Josh show, which pretty much defined the TV conception of most millennial childhoods, especially those younger millennials. And in fact, I have a lot of 25-year-oldish

Starting point is 00:02:59 girls that work for me, and they were freaking out that you were coming on the show more than Matthew McConaughey being on the show that just goes to show that you are truly an icon of our generation. Well, it's a great honor. And you really, if you really sit down and think about it, McConaughey's fine, good actor, but is he offering up with Peck's offering? I'm not so sure. Yeah, and since your Nickelodeon days, you've had multiple film and millennial roles. You've become a huge social media influencer with over 20 million followers across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. And on top of everything, you're now an author with your new memoir, Happy People Are Annoying. So let's start there. What's up with the title of your book?

Starting point is 00:03:40 Why are Happy People so annoying? Well, my book agent told me that'd be a good title, and I realized I should go with the people whose business it is to sell books. I'm only half joking. I wrote a 30-page proposal for this book, and I had no title. And initially, I sort of was working with titles like, the millennial guide to survival or everything I wish someone had told me. And I didn't love any of those. But as you know, like, there's nothing easy about titling anything, your podcast, your book. kid. And so once my agent read the proposal, she sort of pitched this idea. In a weird way, the book sort of grew into the title, which was like this idea that I'd gone throughout my whole life, assuming that like happiness or what I thought it was was reserved for people who were generationally wealthy, attractive, the quarterback. And I just thought that I didn't receive the same sort of manual for living that everyone else had been given at birth. And my journey facing challenge and trial and walking through it has helped me to sort of define what

Starting point is 00:04:47 happiness is for me. Yeah, I love that. And I have to say your memoir was super easy to read. It was inspiring. It was funny. It was relatable, even though I'm not an actress and never did acting before. But I related to a lot of things that you said. And I feel like a lot of people who read your book did as well. And I think my audience is going to really resonate with your story. So let's start up with your childhood. You grew up in Hell's Kitchen. You had a single mom. as a mother. You never met your father and you were up and down financially as a child. And at eight years old, you actually started developing your love for comedy and ended up doing stand-up. So let's start there. How did you first get into performing? I think just having a mother who was

Starting point is 00:05:28 sort of like this unrealized performer, like her great love has been musicals and singing and just kind of stand-up comedy. She's just a natural entertainer. And she used that superpower to be a great business person. And yeah, we certainly struggled financially, which I don't think is a new experience for anyone with a single parent, especially a woman in the 80s, like having to deal with all like sort of like that toxic masculine workforce and what she was sort of those waters she was navigating. I would imagine required her to sort of arm herself with those tools of like, when I walk into a room, I'm going to crush it with a joke immediately. And then you're going to know who has the power here.

Starting point is 00:06:11 So I knew immediately, like, there's a currency to, like, having the ability in which to take over a room and comedy can be that superpower. And even at eight or nine, it doesn't matter. You're immediately upgraded to the adult table as soon as you prove that you're funny. That's super, super interesting. So how did you kind of hone your chops? Like, how did you practice and start to learn initially? I think I was just obsessed with television and sitcoms and talked about my best friends growing up where Billy Madison and Ace Ventura. the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, like, I didn't know that I was sort of putting in my 10,000 hours.

Starting point is 00:06:46 I just thought that I was obsessed with TV like all my other friends were. But in a weird way, I was like absorbing the rhythms. And comedy is very, for the most part, subjective, but there is a justice to comedy and that if it doesn't get a joke, it's really hard to interpret that it work. So I like the idea of being like, there's no debating this. If I get a laugh and laugh, kind of like crying is involuntary. Like there's no interpreting that. I got it and I get the pat on the back for that one. It was like that instant gratification, right? Oh yeah. You chase it. Yeah. And so it seems like your mom was really supportive throughout your journey. But actually, people like your grandparents really thought that there was no lifelong career trajectory as an

Starting point is 00:07:36 actor and they thought it wasn't really a stable profession. So how did you kind of move? through that even though there were some naysayers in your life? Well, I think just inherently there were people in my life like family members. I mean, people had no problem, especially then in the 90s, like giving their opinion about how ridiculous it is that the idea of having a full realized life in this crazy profession. And their pragmatism or their nervousness isn't without reason. Even now, in today's day, I would say, look, if my son told me that he wanted to be an actor when he was 18 or 19, I would certainly be like, are you sure you don't want to be a dentist? How about teeth? Maybe you should try teeth. Because it's a crazy business. It's a big swing.

Starting point is 00:08:27 even though I feel like many of us feel like we know some actor in our life or some performer or some influencer nowadays, it still is the lesser taken path. And because of that, it affords you some really big wins and possibilities for greatness and also a lot of uncertainty. So it was understandable. But I went to perform in Arts High School when I was 12 years old. And I remember I was suddenly surrounded by people. I mean, my school had alumni like Claire Daines and Jesse Eisenberg and Alicia Keys, but even maybe not as big as they were, just like working kid actors who are on Broadway shows or TV shows. And I was like, well, they're making grown-up money. So suddenly it seemed possible because I was, you know, making 20 bucks a weekend performing a Caroline, certainly not

Starting point is 00:09:21 enough to pay your rent. But I was like, wow, these kids are doing the thing that I love and they're making a grown-up salary. Like, maybe this is possible. Yeah. And so you believed in yourself enough where at one point in your memoir, you talk about meeting the president of Nickelodeon for the first time. And you were in love with the show, all that, which is like the kid's version of Saturday Night Live, for those who don't know. And you mustered up the courage to actually tell him that you wanted to be on the show. So I'd love for you to share that story. And so I'd love for you to share that story and some of the lessons that you learned? Well, I would audition for Nickelodeon a lot as a kid, and the Viacom headquarters was in a building called 1515 Broadway, which I imagine is still there,

Starting point is 00:10:02 and it sort of had all their subsidiaries housed in this gigantic building that if you watch MTV now or have for the last 25 years, whenever they're doing like, I mean, back in my day, there was a show called TRL, but like whenever you see them sort of overlooking Times Square, that is 1515 Broadway. So I would audition at Nickelodeon all the time, and I would basically tell them, like, listen, I'm young, I'm funny, and I'm chubby. Like, you need me. Trust me. Like, I have the secret sauce, and they were like, well, maybe we need you, but we'll see. And slowly, but surely, I would do a commercial or do a TV show for them. And then I booked this movie called Snow Day, which was my first movie. My mom and I fly to Canada, first time out of the

Starting point is 00:10:49 country. And one day I'm just like chatting with some guy who had a great laugh and I'm giving him some of my material from stand-up. And my mom sort of saddles over to me and it's like, do you know who that is? It's the president of Nickelodeon. And she said, you should tell me you want to be on all that. Because until that point, I could not get a call back for all that. I would audition. I would pray. I would try to suck up to the casting director. But I was just not what they were looking for. And so I tell him that. And nine months later, I got a call from him saying, congratulations, I'm going to move your mom and you out to California and you're going to be on the Amanda show. And I don't know what that lesson is other than shoot your shot.

Starting point is 00:11:30 Yeah. It is shoot your shot. And don't be afraid of asking for what you want. I mean, you had the courage to ask for what you want. And it didn't turn out exactly how you wanted, but it was a huge step in your career that I think really changed your life. So Drake and Josh was really like your mega hit that I think everybody knows you from. I'd love to hear about how that turned into you leading the show with Drake and also the best and worst parts of you being on that show. Well, we were both in the Amanda show together. And initially, I was sort of iced by the producers of that show because I think they were sort of strongly encouraged to put me on the show by that president. I'm not sure that idea was theirs. So initially, I just kind of sat around watching people

Starting point is 00:12:15 like Amanda Binds, who was so much more talented than I was and seeing like what her secret sauce was and trying to learn from her instead of resenting the fact that I was kind of sitting on the bench. And over time, I figured like, well, eventually, like, they're paying me and I'm here. So I imagine they'll give me a shot. And they did. And it worked out in my favor. And so when they, when Nickelodeon needed a new buddy comedy, Drake and I were just a really good option. And that's what sort of led to Drake and Josh. And I think the best part of that show in hindsight is the fact that, you know, 20 years later, people still talk about it, that it still means so much to families and that

Starting point is 00:12:54 they let us into our homes, which is a very, like, privileged opportunity, even more so than, like, you know, everyone wants to be in the gigantic Marvel movie or, like, the big, huge blockbuster. But there's something special about having to show that, like, the whole family can sit around and watching their living room. It's very intimate. And I think that's what the show has been for a lot of people and even generations now, which is really special. And I think the hardest part of the show was just

Starting point is 00:13:22 I was sort of introducing myself to the world in a body that I wasn't quite comfortable in because I was pretty overweight. And I think navigating those waters of being a public person, getting to do something that I dreamt of doing, while also feeling like just massively insecure, was where they were challenging waters to navigate. Yeah. So I want to stick on this for a point

Starting point is 00:13:44 because I think this is a really important piece of your story. So my team always gives me quotes and stuff in my research. And there was a couple that really stood out. And they were, the reason why people are funny is usually not funny. And you have another quote, real artists take the misery and sadness out of life and translate that into art. So is there some real reason why you were funny as a kid? Like was it more like masking the?

Starting point is 00:14:08 insecurity that you had, I'd love for you to share more about that. Certainly. I mean, when I meet, like, really attractive people now that try to go joke for joke with me, I always want to say to them, like, listen, there's a chance I'm funnier than you, but trust me, I'd trade it for a second for your face. I would have traded it all. But certainly, because why not? I mean, listen, I live a pretty, like, normal life, all things considered. But being a public person, like, I'm not going to delude myself. Like, I do get a little bit of special treatment here and there. Like, maybe it's easier to get a reservation at a restaurant. I mean, I'm not that fancy. Or, like, I'll be, like, at a coffee shop and people will be like,

Starting point is 00:14:48 oh, it's on me. And I'd be like, don't give me the free coffee. Like, this I can afford. And so I have to, like, remind myself of like, oh, like, most people don't get this, Josh. Like, so have an understanding of, like, your privilege. Attractive people get that. all the time. A lot of people grow up that way, right? Where they're just like, oh, people are so friendly. I'm like, yeah, to you. So I just think that the need in which to create this defense mechanism to sort of navigate your way through the world isn't necessary for certain people, but for a guy like me, it certainly was. Yeah. And there's a legacy of the big funny guy. So it made sense. Maybe if I grew up in a really athletic community, being the big,

Starting point is 00:15:33 guy, it would have made sense to try to go be an offensive lineman for my high school football team. But in New York, growing up with the mom I had, it was to be funny and entertaining. I love that. It's like you use that as a way to kind of shine and be likable, even though you felt like on the outside, you weren't just being liked for your looks. You got to be liked for your personality, basically. I think so. And I think there was a need to, I felt like I walked into situations at a disadvantage, that people made a snap judgment about me being that weight of like, oh, you lack willpower or you're slovenly or something. And I didn't want to be that great. I just wanted to be at an even sort of at the same level as everyone else. Let's hold that thought

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Starting point is 00:17:40 What's up, young and profitors. I remember when I first started Yap, I used to dread missing important calls. I remember I lost a huge potential partnership because the follow-up thread got completely lost in my messy communication system. Well, this year, I'm focused on not missing any opportunities, and that starts with your business communications. A missed call is money and growth out the door. That's why today's episode is brought to you by Quo, spelled QUO, the smarter way to run your business communications. Quo is the number one rated business phone system on G2, and it works right from an app on your phone or computer.

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Starting point is 00:18:33 easier. Make this the year where no opportunity and no customer slips away. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first six months when you go to quo.com slash profiting. That's QUO.com profiting. Quo. No missed calls, no missed customers. So something that I found very, very interesting. Growing up watching Drake and Josh, everybody thinks that you're super rich and that you made it for life off that show, but it turns out you were only paid like 100 grand a year for like five years or something on that show. And it really was tough after it ended to continue to monetize that fame because there was no social media. Hollywood in the 2000s is very different from Hollywood now. So I'd love for you to kind of share some more on that and give us some color about that

Starting point is 00:19:21 situation. It's gross to talk about money. But the reason I felt compelled to do it was that I believe there was this misconception of like what a guy like me coming from that show, where we should be yet in life the moment it's over. Fiscally and just how much runway you actually have. I remember this woman after she read the book or saw some excerpt from an interview was like, I work with kids and I make 50 grand a year. Like, who are you to say this? And I was like, ma'am, first of all, no one is debating you that you should be making way more money and what you do is way more important than what I was doing. I just think the difference is that no one thinks you're making a million a year. But a lot of people thought I was.

Starting point is 00:20:07 And so I think the reality is when you finish a show like that, if you're making a middle class income, you only have a year or so runway, if you've been smart with your money, before it's important to find another job, especially if you're sort of helping support the family the way that I was at that age, which was my honor because my mom sort of gave up so much of her life

Starting point is 00:20:30 to come help me. It was challenging. And I think naturally we see kids, like that. And if they do have to do a job to pay the bills, which maybe isn't necessarily some Oscar award winning part, but it's just something that's sort of, again, for a paycheck, we instantly judge them and think like, what did you do, blow all your money? Like, what are you just some, some cliche who, you know, had a Bentley or something? When in reality, they're just, there wasn't as much as people thought. Yeah. It's so interesting. And it's kind of sad. Like I feel like

Starting point is 00:21:02 Nicolone, you probably feel like did a lot for your career, but do you ever feel like they sort of took advantage of you, considering how big that show was and how little money you made off of it? In hindsight, I don't really, yes. No, I'm kidding. I don't complain. I don't begrudge it because I'm lucky enough to be so happy with where I'm at now. And I think things are certainly better from what I've heard. Yeah. So what happened after you ended Drake and Josh? How did you pivot, considering that your television career was over? Certainly. I mean, I don't know. I mean, my television career wasn't over, right? The show was over. So I think that's not the best way to phrase it because it's like your career isn't over as an actor until you stop acting. So it's just what's next. So that's really what it was, what was next. So I wound up starring in this movie called The Wackness with my favorite actor, Sir Ben Kingsley and Method Man and Mary Kate Olson. And we wound up winning Sundance. And it was like this indie movie that I dreamt of doing. because, you know, at 21, what I really wanted my whole life was just to be an actor.

Starting point is 00:22:06 I didn't want to be a movie star, and I didn't want to be, I certainly didn't want to be a child star, and I didn't want to be the funny fat guy. I just wanted to be an actor amongst actors, and I remember getting that opportunity because I loved doing the kind of stuff I was doing on Drake and Josh, but it came a bit naturally to me, just being sort of like big and funny and sticky, and that was a huge part of me, but movies like Mean Creek and eventually the way, whackness. That was another side that I really wanted to explore something more grounded and subtle, because those were the sort of movies I loved growing up. Yeah. And so we're looking at you right now. You're pretty fit, but back in the day, you were about 100 pounds or so heavier, right? You were a

Starting point is 00:22:50 bigger guy. And you were often typecast, like, you know, as a big, funny guy. How did you feel that limited your potential in any way? Well, it just limited me as long as I wanted to stay that way. I think back then bigger guys were limited to sort of two kinds of roles, which was the bully and the best friend. And Ming Creek, actually, that movie, I was playing a bully, but it was the first time I actually got to play this fully realized person because he was sort of this tragic character, this kid who so desperately wanted friends. The only way in which he knew to sort of do that was just sort of antagonize kids just so they would notice him. And I remember when that movie came out and it was so well-received, and I thought,

Starting point is 00:23:34 I can't wait another 10 years for another part like this to come around, like for a big guy to actually play a real person. So I lost the weight, and there were certainly people who were like, right now you're part of like a pool of four or five guys, you know, buying for these roles. But if you lose weight and you get down to a normal weight, like you're going to be going against Jake Gyllenhaal for roles. Like, are you sure you want to do this?

Starting point is 00:23:58 And obviously, Jillenhall doesn't have to audition for movies. damn handsome and talented. But like they basically were saying the pool is much wider if you are at an average in quotes weight. But I knew that I wanted to be able to play those other roles and it was necessary for me. In addition to all just the inner reasons I did it that I wanted to be healthier and more comfortable in my own skin. Yeah. And so you had tried many, many diets before that. What did you do to actually get the weight off? Oh, it's just boring. I just ate better and worked out more. and I feel bad saying that because people always want some kind of hack. I know I did at that time, but I guess the only thing I can ever say to people who are on their own journey to perhaps lose a bit of weight or get healthier is I was just sort of sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Starting point is 00:24:47 I tried so many different ways. And inevitably, I had to feel completely over my way to try it someone else's. And so I always say to other people, if you're feeling hopeless or you're feeling like your weight doesn't, work anymore. I'm sorry you're going through that, but it's a great place to start. And pain can be a great motivator. And you never learn anything on a good day. Yeah, I love that. Okay, so you lost all this weight. You accomplished this big goal and you eventually turned to another vice other than food, and that was drugs and alcohol. And in the book, you described the first time you ever did drugs, and you say that it made you feel typical. What do you mean by that, that it made you feel typical? I think I'd spent my entire life up into that point. I was having this very specific experience.

Starting point is 00:25:38 I was working in this adult career as a young kid since I was 12 years old and there was a lot of responsibility. I am Biala, I'm a big fan of, especially because she's done this beautiful job of transitioning from starting as a young actor and sort of growing up into this great adult performer. She said, as an actor, you're not really allowed to have a bad day. Now, there are plenty examples of actors having bad days on set, but it's very important that you come and you show up ready to do what you have to do because there's a lot of money riding on it. And so I think that was my life up until I was 18, 19 years old. And I felt like I had to be sort of very measured with everything I did because I had so much riding on it. As opposed to what a lot of 18 and 19 year olds want to do, which is to be frivolous, a bit reckless. basically stupid. And so when I was 1819 and I was experimenting in these ways, I felt very typical. And I had lost all this weight. And I felt like I was making up for lost times, I think. Yeah. And so what was the

Starting point is 00:26:47 turning point? Can you share the story when you realize that like you have to get sober and that like enough was enough and you wanted to kind of change your life for the better in that way? So I lost 100 pounds and I thought I'd be all better. And then I wasn't. I was still the same head just in a new body. So then I tried drugs and alcohol, and that didn't work either. And so then I figured, well, success and prestige, maybe that'll work. So I do this movie as I talked about the whackness.

Starting point is 00:27:17 And as I said, like my dream when I was 16 in that movie Mean Creek was to one day come to the Sundance Film Festival, which at this time to me was like better than the Oscars. and to be thin and to have like a movie I was proud of. And it came true. Like I was 21. And I remember the movie was screening there. And like Quentin Tarantino was at the screening. Like these heroes of mine.

Starting point is 00:27:41 And I'm working with my hero. Sir Ben Kingsley. Like I'm an actor nerd. So for me, this was like Michael Jordan. And that night, the reviews start coming in and they're beautiful. And it was truly everything I'd ever hoped for. And I think I imagine that I'd wake up.

Starting point is 00:27:58 up the next morning and the old Josh would be gone, that that voice inside my head that woke up a few minutes before I did every morning that told me all the reasons why I'd never be enough that it would just be gone. And I woke up the next morning and that voice was still there. And it was like this terrible realization that I said, oh, no, I'm bottomless. It had been like a suspicion I'd had my whole life that no matter what I try to fill that hole in the soul with it'll just never be enough. And I remember I flew home that day and everyone who was part of the movie was like, are you nuts? Like you're going home? This never happens. Like you never have a hit movie at a festival like this. And you're just going to leave? And I was like, yeah, I got to get out of

Starting point is 00:28:45 here. And two weeks later, I got sober. And I think it was that realization and also taking some action that allowed me to do that. Wow. That's a really, really powerful story. And and thank you so much for sharing that. So what you said reminded me of this thing called the arrival fallacy that people keep mentioning on my podcast. And basically what that means is like you achieve something and you're like waiting and waiting and you think everything, you're going to be happy finally when?

Starting point is 00:29:12 Like once this happens, I'm going to be happy. And then it happens. And then you're like, oh, now I have to find the next achievement to like dangle in front of my face until I'm happy. So what is your whole career journey taught you about achieving happiness? It's a great question. I love the way you phrase it. Look, I think society tells us that, like, you'll be all better if you can just afford this vacation, or you'll be all better if you can just buy a Beamer, or you'll be all better when, when you can fly private. But the reality is, is that, like, the gift is that you get to try, because there's so many people who are born into circumstance throughout this world who never even get the chance to try. And so the fact that you're like, Like maybe in a place where there's some financial insecurity or just life insecurity, but you get to put your best foot forward and work your butt off.

Starting point is 00:30:06 Like, that's a gift. And I have to remember that. And every corny slogan is true. You know, it's about the process, not the result and all these things. But for me, it's never been, luckily, about the billboard. It's never been about, like, going and doing some cool red carpet thing. or all the cash and prizes. It's just, I really like the moments between action and cut.

Starting point is 00:30:32 It's a puzzle for me. I remember I was in, I've had this great, like, year last year of, you know, I was working really consistently and I'm working on this really cool thing now, and I'm so lucky. And so I've been in acting class the last couple months because I was like, don't get rusty, stay primed, stay ready. And I remember my acting, I did this scene, and my acting teacher goes, well, you really didn't consider this or, yeah, you miss this. And I remember thinking in my head

Starting point is 00:30:58 and was like, I'm never going to be perfect at this thing. Like, it's like this puzzle that has a hold on me. Like, I just want to figure it out and I'll never fully figure it out, even if one day I do it superbly. And the verdict's still out on that. So I'm lucky to have a thing that really grabs me still. Yeah. And it's more like you're not necessarily basing your happiness on achieving that next big gig, you're basing your happiness on being the best actor that you can be and enjoying your craft. So I think that's really special.

Starting point is 00:31:33 We all want to succeed. We're all bombarded with hustle, hustle, hustle, and optimize your life, Crem, as much as you can, into a 24-hour period. But, like, what has helped me is finding the virtue and what I do. And it's easy to think as an actor, like, what's virtuous about what I do?

Starting point is 00:31:49 It's self-serving just to, like, so that I can get more followers and make more money. But the reality is, is that people live really hard lives. And they come home and they turn on a show and they lose themselves in it for an hour, or two hours or 20 minutes. And they can forget about their troubles or what's going on in their family or their boss, who's a jerk or whomever, and just kind of feel like a relief that watches over them by watching what an actor or a producer or director is able to provide. So, like, there's virtue to that. So that's a reason to do what I do and to make it about something bigger than me.

Starting point is 00:32:28 Because if it's just about me getting that next role because I really want the announcement on Twitter, then it's never going to be enough. Yeah. And I feel like people can relate to that no matter what profession they're in. Acting is a tough business. And I actually was really happy that in your memoir you didn't try to like cover over the fact that it's really a hard business to be in. There's lots of ups and downs. So I'd love to understand, like, how you dealt with all the downs.

Starting point is 00:32:56 I, uh, therapy, support good friends, being sober, and never laying down. I've heard someone say, uh, if you're walking through the shit, just try not to sit down. There were so many moments where I wanted to quit. There were so many moments where I was just like looking at my life at 32, 33 years old in, in audition room. for, I don't know, maybe I've gone on a thousand auditions in my life and for the 900th time being like, I thought I'd be further by now. I thought I wouldn't have to do this at a certain point. And here I am still singing for my supper. But I also am very comfortable in that place. And every time I've done something, I did a show with John Stamos where I played his son on this Fox show, which I wish I could

Starting point is 00:33:48 time travel back to 13 year old Josh and tell him that one day we'd be a show. And I'd be a show. I'm able to pass for John Stamos's son and that everything was going to work out and that maybe I should hold back on seconds. And that show was this great thing and everyone was like, this is a moment. And then that show was a great experience and then got very canceled. Last year I did this show for Disney Plus, Turner and Hoot, so proud of it, one of the best experiences. And that show only went one season. So I'm comfortable in that place of like go to an audition, get the pages, memorize it, go in there and realize that nobody's really thinking about me. I'm there to serve a purpose.

Starting point is 00:34:29 Hopefully I can help whatever puzzle this writer or director is set up for themselves where they're like, I really got to fit these roles. Like maybe I can be that guy. And if I'm not, well, maybe you're closer now to who you're supposed to pick because you realize someone like me is dead. definitely not who you need. Yeah. And I've heard that said before about auditions.

Starting point is 00:34:50 Like, you're either going to help them by being the right guy for the role or help them get closer to realizing who they don't need. Either way, you're observance. And I have to remember that. We'll be right back after a quick break from our sponsors. Young and Profitors. I know there's so many people tuning in right now that end their workday wondering why certain tasks take forever, why they're procrastinating certain things.

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Starting point is 00:39:29 Get more with Northwest Registered Agent at Northwestregisteredagent.com slash Yap free. Something that was super interesting to me was that in your book, you say that you tell people that your life either existed B-R-D or A-R-D before the film Red Dawn and after the film Red Dawn. So how did you deal, since we're talking about rejection, how did you deal with the criticism of that film? And how did you sort of reinvent yourself after that? Well, Red Dawn was just sort of like the amalgamate or sort of the apex of all the things that I thought I needed in my life. But I basically was like 23 playing Chris Hemsworth's brother, which sounds crazy to me too. Don't worry. And I thought my whole life, I was like, this was what I wanted to be was the badass action star when in

Starting point is 00:40:19 practice, I was so full of imposter syndrome that I actually let it turn me into a fraud. And I let go of everything that had always been working for me. And the result was this very stilted, uncomfortable, not great performance in the movie. And I was sort of, I took a lot of flack for it. But I think it's important to like flop and keep going and normalize flopping. I'm glad I got to do it at a time where I was young enough to where I could really learn from it and that it had to happen. And in the moment I really thought like, this is it. When this movie comes out, I'll die. And it came out and the reviews came out and I just kept walking. And I think that's important to know. And I don't, on my podcast male models, I've been lucky enough to interview

Starting point is 00:41:05 like serial entrepreneurs, Gary Vaynerchuk and Damon John. And I remember I asked them, how long do you mourn a loss when a company doesn't quite live up to expectation or something falls through a deal or something? How long do you let it affect you? And they both like literally took a moment and said minutes. And I was like, really? Because I like to be wounded. I like to take weeks to get over things. But I was like, yeah, that's how you do. do it, right? Like, that's how you become as successful as them. You just keep pushing. Yeah. It's not about how many times you fall down. It's about how quick you get back up. And it must be tough being an actor because a lot of us who have more normal jobs, you know, you might do bad at work one day

Starting point is 00:41:51 or even get fired, but it's not like plastered all over the internet. Nobody knows. So it must be even harder when you're an actor and you're getting all these outside people kind of giving you that negativity. So like we said before, when you ended Drake and Josh, Social media wasn't really a thing back then. There was no like influencers yet, right? So you actually started your social media journey on Vine. I'd love to hear about what got you started on social media, how you kind of got your first big break and how you parlayed it

Starting point is 00:42:19 into the millions of followers that you have today. I mean, the show ended in 2007. So it wasn't even like social media was wasn't even remotely a thing. Like Facebook had been around for what two years. But other than that, I mean, YouTube existed kind of. In 2013, I made my. first vine because I was a fan of the app. And for anyone who does to remember, it was like the original TikTok. And suddenly I started to get these followers. And I remember thinking after a

Starting point is 00:42:44 couple months when I had about 100,000 followers, it was a real inflection point. Like I could really lean in or maybe stop doing it and people would have just forgotten. And I even had agents and managers calling me at that time saying to me like, what are you doing? Like, we're trying to make you not just like the goofy guy from that kid's show. And you're like making silly videos in your car? Does this hurt us? And I was really lucky to have an apostle during that time, my buddy Rami, who worked in social media early on, and he said, listen, Josh, don't let anyone tell you they know what this is because I work in it and even I don't know. But I'll tell you that being able to go straight to your followers, affecting hundreds of thousands of people,

Starting point is 00:43:26 finding out what they like, what they don't like and everything in between, that's powerful. So do this. Do it every day. And that's what I did. I made a vine a day. Because until that point, I'd always been at the mercy of the gatekeepers. I'd always needed five people to sign off on me for me to get a role and then 18 months before I came out. But suddenly I was going straight to my audience and with the click of the upload button, I could deliver content. So as long as I didn't have an ego about the way in which I was doing it and as long as I didn't think, well, I really need a trailer and some fancy coffee if I'm going to be acting. Instead said, this is your job. So just do it, whether it's on your phone or for an IMAX camera. And the result was really great. And it grew to a good amount of success on Vine, Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTok and it brought me here now.

Starting point is 00:44:17 Yeah. And honestly, I love what you're saying. You're basically saying for a long time, and I always talk about this, for a long time, everything that you did required a gatekeeper to say, like, yes, you're, you know, you're welcome, Josh. Like, we pick you, we choose you. now you get to create your own life because you own it. You own these social media channels and you can communicate directly with your followers and monetize that. So I think that's super

Starting point is 00:44:40 powerful. I think it's so necessary. And in 2013, The Rock didn't have 300 million followers and Kevin Hart and Jack Black weren't on YouTube. Like it wasn't as normal then, so it was a bit more of a leap. But I think the line has totally blurred between traditional and social media people. And I think now it's just about the content. And yeah, it afforded me security to get married, buy a house, have a kid that I don't know if acting would have ever given me. Yeah. I love this. Thank you so much, Josh.

Starting point is 00:45:13 So what are you up to today? What's new? What is coming out for you? I have this movie called 13 The Musical coming out August 12 on Netflix. And I'm on how I met your father right now on Hulu. and yeah, and just making TikToks and chatting with you. And my podcast, male models, that I'll plug. I'm a fan of that.

Starting point is 00:45:35 Okay, cool. So we'll stick all those links in the show notes so you guys can follow Josh. And so I always ask two last questions at the end of the show, and then we do something fun at the end of the year. So the first one is, what is one actionable thing my young improfitors can do today to be more profiting tomorrow? Oh, wow. That's a great question.

Starting point is 00:45:55 I would say just find someone today that you can do something nice for. Ideally, because we're talking about young and profiting, like someone in the business space, someone who can do you a favor down the road, figure out how to do a favor for them today. That's a really good piece of advice. And what is your secret to profiting in life? Oh, profiting in life.

Starting point is 00:46:20 Yeah, I mean, it sort of connected to that first thing. I mean, look, doing nice things for other people, becoming indispensable, helping people, I mean, it has an immediate payoff because of just the karmic sort of payout, which is immediate, right? You feel better. It's the best way to get out of self. But if you do these things, what you'll find is when people are in a position, then, to spread goodwill, to pay it forward, when they have an opportunity, you're going to be at top of mind. Like people go out and they become super selfish and they're like, no, I have to wrestle money and

Starting point is 00:46:57 prestige and goodness in the world. I got to go out and get mine. And it's like, well, good luck, because no one's going to think of you first for anything. But if you've got a great track record of being there for people, of being a reliable good source of good work, then the moment they have an opportunity to spread that goodwill, they're going to think of you first. That is such a great lesson. Thank you so much, Josh. I love this conversation. I think my audience is going to love it. Where can everybody go learn more about you and everything that you do? I guess just follow me on Instagram, Shu Peck. You're like, just Google my name, Josh Peck. Thank you so much for having me. I really love chatting with you. You're awesome at this. Thank you so much, Josh. Great conversation. Young and Profiters. I hope you enjoyed that conversation as much as I did. And I don't know about you guys, but I grew up watching Drake and Josh. And so I was really excited about this conversation.

Starting point is 00:47:53 And it actually really surprised me. Truthfully, I had no idea about the struggles that Josh faced until I started researching for this interview. And the thing is, is that I watched him on TV all the time. And he always seemed so funny, so happy, so energetic and very successful. And so this was all really surprising. And the thing is that when Josh was facing insecurity around his weight and drug addiction, he still showed up to his job to make people laugh and entertain them so that their own lives were a little bit better. So how big and strong of him to do that? And what a powerful

Starting point is 00:48:28 reminder that you really never know what's going on behind the scenes with other people. Even seemingly happy people, successful people, they might be going through some stuff and you just have no idea. You just see the highlight reel of their life. So be sensitive, be observant, and check on all of your friends and family, no matter how successful or happy they may seem. And honestly, I wish that more male actors and celebrities were open about going to therapy because there is a mental health crisis in the world for men specifically. There's so many men who are committing suicide. And I think a lot of it has to do with them being ashamed to get help.

Starting point is 00:49:07 And so I want to call out here that it is not shameful to get mental health support to have a therapist. to go to therapy and everyone should strive to be as mentally healthy as they can. It's a sign of maturity. So if you need to get help, seek help. Do not be ashamed by it. And beyond the importance of mental health and therapy, a huge takeaway from this conversation is what Josh says about happiness and passion. Josh said that he realized that he's never going to master acting, but it's in the pursuit

Starting point is 00:49:38 of learning and doing that he finds happiness. The gift is that you get to try. I'm going to say that again because this is so powerful. The gift is that you get to try. I have to say that I've like always had this mentality. I am really good at rejection because I always thought of rejection as actually just being declined an opportunity that you got. And it was the opportunity that's very important, not necessarily whether you win or

Starting point is 00:50:07 lose, right? So I almost got a show on MTV, but we didn't get it. I was devastated, of course, but only for a couple days because then I would think about it and be like, well, it's kind of cool that I got this opportunity. I mean, how many people get the opportunity to have a show on MTV? They filmed me the whole summer. I must be like somewhat special, you know, like that I'm getting these opportunities. And so the opportunity and getting the opportunity and getting the opportunity to try.

Starting point is 00:50:33 The gift is that you get to try. That is just so powerful to like flip it all on its head. It's not about winning or losing or being the best. It's about trying and getting the opportunity to try and having the health to try and having the mental health to try and the skills to try and the relationships to try and all these things that you work on to get that opportunity to try. I love that. And it's definitely something I'm going to think about the next time I'm having a tough day as the CEO of my company. I mean, I'm not perfect, but I get to try and I get the opportunity to learn and to get better. And that's a beautiful thing.

Starting point is 00:51:09 All right. So as we wrap up, there's one more thing I want to talk about before we go. And that's something I gleaned from this conversation that shows up over and over again in my life and in this podcast is that you have to find your way around the gatekeepers. Do not let the gatekeepers tell you no. That is not an excuse. Every time you want to do something in your life, if you're at a company, if you're a part of an organization or whatever it is, if there's other people involved, there's going to be gatekeepers. and sometimes you need to go around them and you need to just handle it on your own and not expect anybody to open doors or do you any favors or give you that leg up. Sometimes you've got to just

Starting point is 00:51:49 do it on your own. And so for Josh, that was through social media. He went straight to the source of his fans and he used Vine, later Instagram, YouTube, and he no longer needed agents and talent scouts to be successful. And he could just hit the publish button and make it happen for himself and have a platform to millions of people. And guess what? It worked. Josh's community is insane. And it took him taking a risk and going around the gatekeepers to try something new and different. And through social media, he gets to do more of what he loves. He gets to make people laugh. He gets to act, create awesome content. And the best part is he owns 100% of it. He owns his social media. And I feel like I can relate here because I started my LinkedIn journey four years ago. And now I'm

Starting point is 00:52:35 one of the biggest influencers on that platform. I started LinkedIn to promote my podcast. And by the time, I had 30,000 followers. I was still working in corporate. And I felt like untouchable. I felt like if I got fired from Disney or something, I wasn't that worried because I felt like I had such great job security because I was a thought leader in my industry.

Starting point is 00:52:55 And, you know, everybody knew me as like this marketing guru. And all of a sudden you become more desirable at your company because you have more leverage. You're more well known. you've got more like status. And then on the flip side, you have more opportunity because more people know who you are. And it's just like this insurance that you create.

Starting point is 00:53:14 Having a personal brand is like having insurance and very strong job security. I never felt more secure until I started having my own personal brand and growing my presence on social media. And this reminds me of what recent guest Alex Benayan talked about. It was number 167. he talks about this concept of the third door. And he says that life, business, and success is just like a nightclub. There's always three ways in. The first is the first door, right?

Starting point is 00:53:45 It's the main entrance where the line curves around the block where 99% of people are waiting around, hoping, crossing their fingers to get in. And then there's the second door, which is the VIP entrance. That's where all the billionaire, celebrities, and the people born into it are just like slipping through. they might know the gatekeeper personally. But what nobody tells you is that there's always, always a third door. It's the entrance where you have to jump out of line, run down the alley, crack open the windows, sneak through the kitchen.

Starting point is 00:54:16 There is always a way. And in 2022, social media is often that third door. And so I want you guys to think about growing your personal brand. I want you guys to think about leveraging your social channels, taking it more seriously. Digital is everything right now. And I'm telling you, even if you don't want to be an influencer, just growing your social media just a little bit. Establishing your personal brand will bring you so much opportunity. That is where people validate who you are, validate your skills.

Starting point is 00:54:44 And I promise you, you can't lose if you focus a little bit about growing your social media in a professional way. All right. So let's hear for Josh. You guys can show Josh and the app team and me some support by dropping us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform. And speaking of Apple Podcasts, we just hit number one on the how to charts in the U.S. That's the highest ranking we ever got. We also got number one in education in Canada. So huge milestones for us here at Yap.

Starting point is 00:55:13 Congratulations to the team. And Apple is actually not our biggest platform. It's like our fourth biggest platform, which is very, very different from most podcasters. We took a different approach in terms of growing the show. And it would just be super helpful if everybody tuning in right now would subscribe to Apple Podcast. And if you enjoyed the show, drop us an Apple podcast review. Help us maintain that number one spot and maintain our social proof. I'd really appreciate it.

Starting point is 00:55:40 And you guys can also find me on social media. I'm on Instagram and Twitter at Yap with Hala. I'm on LinkedIn. And you can search for my name. It's Hala Taha. Thank you guys so much for listening. And thank you to my wonderful YAP team. I love you guys.

Starting point is 00:55:55 See you next time. This is Hala, signing off.

Young and Profiting with Hala Taha - Josh Peck: Be More Resilient | Career | E178

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