Brimstone On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Edward Sylvan

Entertainment isn’t as glamorous as everyone seems to think. No — that person you watch weekly on television isn’t necessarily living the luxury life… in fact, some could very well be on food stamps. Everyone seems to think that being a public figure is all big fun; but they only see the end results of a ridiculous amount of work! Most people see someone with a breakout role or hit single as an overnight success; but they never saw the ten years of blood, sweat and tears it took to get there. This would have been a fantastic thing to know ahead of time! Lol…

As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Brimstone.

Brimstone has had a successful and rewarding career spanning well over four decades; participating in numerous entertainment fields boasting a list of titles including professional wrestler, radio host/professional podcaster, actor, voice actor, author, musician, philanthropist, food critic and comic book/animated/children’s book/video game hero. He’s been called a Renaissance man by many, but more accurately described as a well-seasoned entertainer, celebrity personality and serial entertainment entrepreneur.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Sure, in a nutshell… I grew up in Uniondale, New York — just a couple of miles from the famous Nassau Coliseum. I was surrounded by talent in my old neighborhood as I came up with legendary rap groups including Leaders of the New School. I was one of the very few white kids in the area; but I was certainly the only white Jewish kid! I would be forced to explain all the different Jewish holidays to the class in Elementary School because I was the token Jew. My parents were divorced and I lived primarily with my mother; however had regular visitations with my father who lived in a pretty wealthy area here on Long Island. So I had the best and worst of both worlds growing up and saw many things that I truly believe shaped me and my future in a unique way. My folks were supportive of everything I did in terms of entertainment — which believe it or not, happens to be very rare. It’s possible that my father had been more supportive of a life as a professional athlete and entertainer because when he was younger — he’d been a semi-professional golfer and my grandfather had made him give it up to join the family business. Before I was born, he’d also been a self-taught singer and songwriter as well (which could possibly be where I got my love for music). So perhaps he was living vicariously through me? In terms of my entrepreneurial spirit, my dad has been in Insurance sales for as long as I can remember. He’s always worked for himself. So I learned a lot from observing him over the years. My mother was a very creative person and seemed to love being the center of attention whenever possible… so there is no doubt that I got that from her! She’s the one who decided to bring me into Manhattan and get me started as a child actor. My mom passed a couple of years ago and while cleaning out the house I came upon a bunch of old paperwork that included agent contracts, television contracts, and other really cool memorabilia that shed some light on my past. That was my first foray into the industry… I guess I got bit by the bug then!

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

As I mentioned earlier, my mother had decided that she wanted to get me onto television at an early age — believe it or not… I had multiple agents at the age of five, and I started my career as a child actor on iconic children’s television shows including Sesame Street and Romper Room. I’d done a bunch of auditions and reads for a variety of different companies back then; but I can honestly only vividly remember Rice Krispies and A-1 Steak Sauce. My parents couldn’t agree on much of anything back when, so essentially — my acting career fizzled out for a while. Fortunately, I found my first love — which was drumming and music in elementary school. I knew when I picked up a set of drumsticks that I wanted to be a rock star, so that was my first official goal that ultimately set me on my career path.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

So many people ask me what I wish someone would have warned me about before making this journey. To be blunt, as awful as it may sound — I wish I knew how many bad people there were in the world. At the risk of sounding pessimistic (which I am certainly not), there are countless people who either hate on you for no good reason whatsoever; or others who aim to ride on your coattails. Then you have the folks who only contact you because they want something… it gets old really quick! I’m a good and giving person, so it should come as no surprise that I‘ve unfortunately dealt with many people over the years who have taken; or tried taking advantage of me by mistaking my kindness for weakness. You live and you learn.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Honestly, that’s a loaded question… simply because the mistakes I’d made weren’t necessarily funny; but I did learn a LOT from them. As eluded to in the last question, my biggest mistake(s) have all been more or less the same — trusting the wrong people. It is difficult navigating through all the people who come out of the woodwork and sometimes the wrong ones can get through the cracks. I’ve learned how to identify them after a few bad apples and now tend to keep my inner circle a lot smaller.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I’m glad you asked… I always have a bunch of different projects going on at any given point in time, which is exciting — and exhausting! I currently do multiple weekly shows including my main series, The Grindhouse Radio (with co-hosts Kim Adragna and Tom Greer) which is featured on iHeartRadio and over thirty other networks syndicated worldwide. I have two companion series’ to GHR, Within Brim’s Skin (my rant show) and Truly Inconsequential; as well as the Dirty Little Secret Club with my co-host Dayna Pereira. I have a whole lot of voice over work I’m doing right now for an array of really cool video games and animated series — some I can discuss and others that are NDA’d. I love the variety of different characters that I’m breathing life into including; but not limited to Beezal (Brush Brigade), Skalakron (The Search for the Lost Weld), Wrath (Rose and Locket), Abbadon (The Last Wand) and the list goes on! The new Mini-Brim collectible toys are finally about ready to launch along with the Grindhouse Radio Mini Collection. I’m over-the-moon that I can finally announce that my son Dylan (20) and I have been filming a brand NEW television series, ‘Food Hound: Home Edition’ together with Tough Monkey Entertainment for a streaming service that we’re looking to release in 2022! I’ve posted a couple of teaser clips on Instagram that seem to have been very successful with the fan base. So a quick synopsis — Food Hound: Home Edition is bringing together food, family, celebrity and fun. I have the pleasure of working with some of the premiere brands in the foodie world including my endorsements Yodersmokers, Cru Ovens, The Beefer, Spaceman Knives, Ergo Chef Knives, Chef Sac, Chef Uniforms and Jealous Devil Pellets among others. I’m on deck for a few different films and other projects that have been on hold since COVID; but I just take it as it comes.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

First and foremost, failure should be worn as a badge of honor. You can’t move forward in success without taking a few missteps and encountering a failure here and there. It happens and it’s ok! Failing allows you to take a few steps back and evaluate what went wrong — what matters most is learning from the mistakes and using them to take ten steps forward! I personally enjoy the challenge — nothing in life is easy, so why put your eggs in someone else’s basket and build their dreams when you could build your own instead. I’m a firm believer in the fact that you can do anything that you put your mind and 200% effort into… never take no for an answer. Lastly, developing thick skin is integral for navigating the entertainment industry.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

It is extremely important for people to have the opportunity to identify with the people they are watching on television, in films, watching perform on stage; or reading about in a comic book! Everyone needs a positive role model that can teach them that anything is possible for them regardless of race, creed, culture; or what gender they identify as. This is incredibly important for young children who are impressionable. I remember a Rabbi asking me if I would come speak to the kids at his Temple. I had no problem doing it; but I questioned what he was thinking wanting a professional wrestler… who worked under the name, Brimstone — to come speak to impressionable youth! When I asked, his words rang so much truth. He said that throughout the course of time, Jews were considered weak and most were accountants as opposed to athletes. He told me that I could show these kids that Jews could be strong and smart — athletic and successful. I was humbled and happy to be that person to hopefully make a difference in those kid’s lives. I’ve done it countless times since. It is important to have presence in the world that each person can personally relate to and emulate.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1. Embrace the internet. I wish I knew that the internet and social media was going to become such a big thing! Honestly, I’m an older man in a young man’s game… I used to do my research on a microfiche and branding by guerilla marketing. I caught onto the social media game later than I really should have; but thankfully caught up.
2. The sacrifice is real. I may have thought twice before jumping in head first to this profession had I known that I would have needed to sacrifice time with my family in order to succeed. Quite literally the only thing that I regret about my entire career is that I lost a tremendous amount of time watching my children grow up. In fairness — I never missed a birthday; or special occasion.
3. Watch out for bottom feeders. This is a BIG one for anyone on the upswing for sure! Follow your gut and beware of people who use you to better themselves without mutual gain. That may come off rude or obnoxious; however there is nothing worse than trying to bail out a sinking ship while someone else is in the shadows drilling holes in it. It happens more often than you would think.
4. Take more risks. I was a risk taker from the very beginning; however not as much as I am now. So many people tend to stay in their own lane — I find it more invigorating to use the entire expressway! It is so much more rewarding to take big risks… you never know what doors will open for you and where it’ll take you.
5. Entertainment isn’t as glamorous as everyone seems to think. No — that person you watch weekly on television isn’t necessarily living the luxury life… in fact, some could very well be on food stamps. Everyone seems to think that being a public figure is all big fun; but they only see the end results of a ridiculous amount of work! Most people see someone with a breakout role or hit single as an overnight success; but they never saw the ten years of blood, sweat and tears it took to get there. This would have been a fantastic thing to know ahead of time! Lol…

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

It’s truly unfortunate. It seems that most entertainers and entrepreneurs… the successful ones — somehow manage to kill themselves to build their brand and/or business. We as creative people want to see our vision grow from a dream to reality. It takes hard work, dedication, perseverance and as Robert Plant once sang, ‘a whole lotta love!’ More importantly, it also requires YOU to not put yourself into an early grave. Let’s face it, we work long hours — whether in an office, on set, in studio… whatever your personal business is — you work hard for it, because it won’t work for itself. Brands and businesses of course need to be nourished; but so do you! I’ve personally gone full days in my studio without eating an actual meal. Can you empathize with this scenario? Being six cups of coffee deep… having spent hours upon hours multitasking… staring at multiple devices (IE: phone, computer, tablet) to ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward since if you don’t do it, it’s inevitable that someone else will? Welcome to my life and probably yours too!

Now I’d like to be the first to inform you, it’s perfectly okay to be a hard worker. Actually, it’s a blessing if you have the work ethic to… well, work! The only issue is that we become so incredibly focused on whatever we’re currently engaged in, that our self-care takes a full back seat to the grind. I’m guilty of this too — nobody is exempt. The key to surviving and building a long-term, successful career is to develop a strategy that will allow you to schedule out specific time to invest back into YOU. Some of you may be saying, ‘Brim… I AM investing in myself by working so vigilantly’ and you’re right! I’m talking about the actual flesh-and-blood machine running the business. All machines need maintenance and without that maintenance… they break down. Sometimes, the machine — even if well-oiled can die and is subsequently easily replaced… you however, cannot be replaced!

Now I’d like to be the first to inform you, it’s perfectly okay to be a hard worker. Actually, it’s a blessing if you have the work ethic to… well, work! The only issue is that we become so incredibly focused on whatever we’re currently engaged in, that our self-care takes a full back seat to the grind. I’m guilty of this too — nobody is exempt. The key to surviving and building a long-term, successful career is to develop a strategy that will allow you to schedule out specific time to invest back into YOU. Some of you may be saying, ‘Brim… I AM investing in myself by working so vigilantly’ and you’re right! I’m talking about the actual flesh-and-blood machine running the business. All machines need maintenance and without that maintenance… they break down. Sometimes, the machine — even if well-oiled can die and is subsequently easily replaced… you however, cannot be replaced!

Let’s get healthier physically as well as mentally by incorporating some important key strategies for managing yourself while continuing to manage the building of your business.

1.) JUST BREATHE.

Yeah, sounds simple right? Why is it that most of us reluctantly take the time to just stop, relax and breathe? Proper oxygen flow by taking full deep breathes are a proven method of relieving anxiety and stress. Take the time to relax; get up and move around regardless of what you’re currently in the middle of… it can wait!

2.) SLEEP MORE.

One of people’s biggest issues is that they can’t shut their brains off long enough to get an adequate amount of proper sleep. On average, most adults should really be getting between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation directly takes away from your true potential, ability to be creative or make proper decisions. I’ve found taking fifteen minute power naps to be helpful when I’ve got a full schedule ahead of me and haven’t had the proper sleep in a couple of days. Pulling all-nighters are sometimes a necessity; however make sure to compensate by dedicating time for resting in between.

3.) SAYING NO IS A WONDERFUL THING.

At one point in my career, I said yes to everything. I wanted to do everything and be everywhere regardless of my exhaustion and sanity. Maybe I just wanted to prove that I could do it all, or just thought that I needed to? It eventually got to a point where I was overwhelmed and over my head. I didn’t have the time to spend on myself or with family and friends. I found that I was forever committed to who knows what! Often, these commitments were not necessarily worth my time or effort. You live and you learn. I learned to start saying that magical word… no!

Trust me, take this invaluable advice!!! It’s truly liberating and will offer you ‘found’ time that you’ll two hundred percent thank me for. Imagine being able to focus? Imagine taking advantage of once ‘lost’ time to engage new opportunities that’ll take your brand and business to the next level… what could YOU do with that extra time? Just say NO. Yes. FOMO will no doubt set in; however you’ll relish in massive amounts of less stress from feeling the need to appease other people; as well as the availability to concentrate on higher priorities.

4.) TAKE A BREAK.

Everyone needs to take a mental break… time to wind down and chill. Again, you can’t be productive if you burn yourself out. I’ve learned over the years that you need to separate home from your workspace (which is devastatingly difficult if you’re an entertainer or an entrepreneur who works from home). Albeit I personally work from home too when not at my studio or on tour; it’s more so in terms of social media; or tweaks to my website. Perhaps a few emails or calls here and there. You need to really try hard to make the separation though. Once you get home, be home.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started…

• Talk to your significant other.
• Play with your kids.
• Grab a glass of wine.
• Curl up with a book (I reserve this activity for long flights)
• Play a video game (I’ve found solace in Animal Crossing New Horizons)
• Phone a friend (Yes, phone! Stop texting — reach out and touch someone!)
• Catch up on a favorite show or binge an old one (Psych and The Walking Dead are AWESOME and I highly recommend both series)
• Build a garden and tend to it.
• Get a Hobby.
• Write a song, poetry, a book, journal — anything creative perhaps for social media that you normally do not have time for during the day.
• Take a bath. Yeah, you know that thing you used to sit in when you were little? Do it… add extra bubbles too!
• Take a drive. Driving is one of the best times to unplug and just revert to #1 on the list — breathing.

Whatever you choose to do, learning when it’s time to unwind and decompress will pay off in droves. Your body and mind need that downtime, relaxation and rejuvenation to get back in the driver’s seat the following day.

5. EAT BETTER.

I’m literally the WORST at this… I love food and a portion of my career has even revolved around it. What is important though is that you nourish your body throughout the day rather than forgetting to eat for hours on end and then gouging yourself later with everything imaginable on the menu! It’s easy to order out, again… guilty. Cooking at home and portioning your meals ahead of time goes a long way. If you’re too busy or too lazy to do it yourself — there are companies that actually design a meal plan for you and deliver it directly to your door once or twice a week! We as entertainers, entrepreneurs, parents and leaders need to do better by eating balanced meals with healthier snacks in between. You’ll find that you’ll be more energetic, happier, productive and more focused than ever before.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

What I always ask from people is to do one thing… think of a cause that you can get behind. Maybe a family member suffered from Cancer; or a friend’s kid has Leukemia. Perhaps homelessness is an issue in your area; or you’d like to make sure that no child goes hungry? Whatever cause means something to you personally — I ask that you take one day out of your year, month, or week and donate some of your time to a specific charitable cause. No, I’m not asking you to spend money — I’m requesting that you donate time volunteering, fundraising, etc. for your chosen charity. Doing something selfless for people in need… it’s priceless. Being able to give back and make someone smile… honestly, the personal rewards are incredible! Helping others who truly appreciate it — and lives may depend on it, there’s no better feeling in the world. We need more love in this current landscape of the world we live in, there’s a huge shortage — do the right thing and be good to one another!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are a lot of different people who have played their role at different points throughout my career; however not to sound cliché — but I owe my wife that honor as she has been my rock now for twenty years! If I did not have the support of my wife and children… none of the things I do would be possible and most would certainly not exist! Unfortunately, with any success — there must be a more than fair amount of sacrifice that goes along with it. Many people see someone brew up in the media who they immediately classify as an ‘overnight success’ — though they did not see the five, ten, fifteen, even twenty years of hard work — blood, sweat and tears that went into finally making it to that moment! People tend to see the final product; or believe that anything prior to that final product is considered, ‘less than.’ It is sad state of affairs, as many people stop following their dreams based on what random people consider successful. If I personally allowed random people to affect my ambition and drive, I would have literally stopped years ago and would’ve never become the entity that I have blossomed into! Hell, my own brother even asked me why I don’t cut my hair and be ‘normal’ — My response was simple… because I am a profitable brand and I get paid to look the way I look (which is 100% true). Why would I want to change? Family and friends in general mean well and truly want the best for you; however if they are not in your shoes and have never driven the road that you are traveling — they are NOT the right people to offer up any advice! I find it comical when anyone who hasn’t accomplished an iota of what I’ve done in my lifetime tries offering up advice concerning my career. I’m not at all being pompous or egotistical; but would you think that a landscaper should be offering career advice to a stock broker — or vice versa? The answer is no. They are both their own entities with their own set of challenges and skill sets. The moral of the story is to seek advice from people who are doing the things that you do; or want to do! Thankfully, my parents both came from having a creative background — so they both pushed me to stay creative; but to also understand the importance of staying balanced and comprehending the business aspect of entertainment and entrepreneurship. If it weren’t for my folks — even though they weren’t in the same house with me… I wouldn’t be as well-rounded as I am today.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Here is a quote direct from my book, Brim-isms: A Small Book of Inspirational & Motivational Quotes: “For every single successful moment you have… there will always be someone out there trying to discredit, or minimize it. It’s unfortunate; but normal… we know why they’re angry.” Every step of the way there are people who give resistance. Many of them because they wish they were doing the things that I have the courage to do. Many people allow this to get in their heads; but I don’t remember the last time I asked for a hater’s opinion! Earlier on in my career, I would take the badmouthing to heart and it did hurt. I used to wonder what I ever did to hurt these people; or why they couldn’t just leave me alone. I realized that it’s because these people aren’t really angry with me or my accomplishments — they’re pissed off because they feel that they deserve to be there in my place; however never putting in the work to get there! Honestly, if these people spent more time on themselves rather than hating… maybe they’d be in a better position. I love the old sayings, “Have you ever seen a hater doing better than you.” Or “You can’t rise in life if you’re always tearing others down.” So much truth and wisdom.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Any big names who’d like to use their influence for the better of others. I enjoy meeting and getting to know like-minded folks who don’t forget where they came from.

How can our readers follow you online?

Absolutely! You can find everything on my Official website: therealbrimstone.com — There are links to all of my social directly on the site. I personally run all my social media — it isn’t my assistant, an intern or my wife… it’s me! So if you reach out — it will be me responding to you directly, and I love engagement. I am most active on Instagram at @therealbrimstone; but I’m everywhere including Twitter at @entrancetohell and Facebook at @Brimstone. If people are interested in using me IN their social media… you can find GIFs of me by searching Brimstone, gotBrim and @ghr among other keywords; or grab them from giphy.com/ghr.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!