Social Impact Authors: How & Why Author Jaime Andrews Is Helping To Change Our World

Learn everything you can about the topic that interests you — I think I only got the opportunities I did because of my training and knowledge of my field.

As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jaime Allison.

Jaime Allison Andrews (born October 21, 1976) is an American actress, producer, business director and playwright who is known for her comedic commentary on the cable television series truTV Presents: World’s Dumbest. She has appeared in a number of television commercials over the years and was cast as Dottie in the Amazon Prime series Good Girls Revolt.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?

Thanks for having me! I grew up on Long Island, and on the surface, I was doing great! Killing it at school, acting in children’s theater, delivering newspapers and babysitting, all that. But underneath, and ultimately very publicly, I was kind of imploding. That’s the story I tell in my book, The Brink: a memoir.

When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?

When I was younger, I read a lot of existentialist literature, so I think it only inspired me to be a miserable, navel-gazing sod. Then, in 2003, I read Million Little Pieces by James Frey. I had recently recovered from my own troubles, so, when it came out that the author had lied about much of the book, it inspired me to write my memoir, because I knew I had an incredible story and that every bit of it is true.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. 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?

Well, the funniest story is actually how I wrote The Brink twenty years ago, but am only putting it out now. I thought its contents were so incendiary, that, when I had interest from a major literary agent, I told her I wanted to publish it anonymously. I was afraid it would get in the way of my acting career to be identified with that story. Of course, she was not interested in publishing a non-entity, so I passed on that incredible opportunity with her. I definitely have learned from that situation that a young artist has to jump at whatever chance comes their way, even if it doesn’t seem ideal. But who knows? Maybe it was ultimately the right choice.

Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?

I hope that struggling teens can read my book and, in identifying with it, can be helped to make better choices than I did. And, if they are making the wrong choices, to know that they can recover from that. For older readers, I hope they can be reminded that everyone has a secret struggle, and to have more empathy for that.

Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?

The book is really back-to-back crazy stories, it’s hard to pick just one. But the climax of my book is the psychotic break I had in my senior year. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a book give such an explicit description of that experience. I was very lucky to recover from it, they weren’t sure I would.

What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?

Well, after sitting on it for twenty years, I figured I didn’t have anything to lose at this point. I was very lucky to have a fairly successful acting career in the interim, and believe that, since I wrote it, it must have some reason to be put out into the world. My film, Division, was in post-production and I needed something to focus my energy on, so I set about preparing the book for publication.

Without sharing specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?

The Brink was just released, so I haven’t heard yet from the public at large, but I’ve really appreciated early readers who’ve said to me that this book could help a lot of people. My cousin, who is a teacher, said he wished he could give it to all his students who struggle, so that they can see that there is hope of overcoming it.

Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?

For one thing, communities can stop banning books. The messages in the books they are banning are almost always the ones that young people most need to hear. Another thing I am really passionate about is giving young people classes in dealing with emotions. I think CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) should be adapted and integrated into the regular curriculum. We teach kids how to do math, but not how to be people. I think it would make a big difference with the troubling state of mental health in our culture. That’s the third thing I think society needs to do, is remove the stigma for mental health care, and make sure it is accessible to whoever needs it. And I think we all need it, frankly.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

To me, being a leader is still acknowledging that you are part of a team. A leader is the calm center of every storm. They can absorb opinions from all sides, taking what is valuable, but always trusting their instincts to do the right thing for the project they are leading. I have been a leader twice in my life, when I ran a small theater in Los Angeles, and when I was executive producer on my film, Division. I was never sure that I could handle either, but am so proud to have risen to the occasion.

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 — Learn everything you can about the topic that interests you — I think I only got the opportunities I did because of my training and knowledge of my field.

2 — Be well-rounded — Tunnel-vision on your passion can actually be limiting. The more you do and know about, the more interesting you are, and people like to be around those who are interesting. Especially in the field of acting, you never know how your varied interests will aid in your pursuits. They could be looking for a person who speaks French and rides horses, and there you’ll be!

3 — Don’t complain — nobody wants to hear it. It’s best to have an attitude of gratitude.

4 — Don’t compare yourself to others — I learned this the hard way when I was very young. I was with a group of actors watching TV in a holding room, and I pointed out a commercial actress and railed about how I should be doing that. An older actor shamed me HARD for my (admittedly) odious envy, and I really took it to heart. Ironically, I went on to do several dozen commercials.

5 — Find joy — Chasing your dreams can be exhausting, frustrating and stressful. Find the things that alleviate the strain of your pursuits. For me, it’s yoga, travel and being in nature. Try to shrug off your failures as much as you celebrate your wins.

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

I have tried to find the origin of this quote online, and cannot! But it’s something like, “at the gates of heaven, you will be confronted with all your unwritten poetry.” I’m not sure I believe in heaven, but I am horrified by the notion of not making the most of your life. So now, I’m finally trying to write all my poetry, so to speak.

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

At the moment, I would most like to meet with Megan Ellison, the head of Annapurna Pictures. I love all the films she makes, and would appreciate getting the benefit of her experience as a powerful female producer. I also think she would love my latest screenplay, Hardcore. It’s a true crime story based on a kid I went to high school with, and I’m really proud of how it turned out.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

I have a website, www.jaimeandrews.com, facebook.com/jaimeandrewsonyourtv and I’m on IG/X and TikTok (to a lesser extent) @jmendrews. Also, The Brink: a memoir is available in paperback, e-book and audio (recommended!) at Amazon, and you can watch Division free on Tubi.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!