DISCLAIMER:
The following output was transcribed from our audio recording.
Although the transcription is largely accurate, it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.
It is posted to aid in understanding the interview but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
Christian Brescia 00:02
Good morning everyone and welcome back to another episode of Monday's with Mindy! Hi Mindy!
Mindy Cohn 00:05
Hey Christian! Today's episode features a conversation with actress journalist and podcaster Heather Brucker. She's appeared in over 40 films and TV shows including Grey's Anatomy, the office, Fresh Off the Boat and the Mindy Project. Heather is also in the trailblazing role of multimedia entertainment reporter for K NBC here in Los Angeles, where she regularly interview celebrities and influencers in Hollywood. On her popular podcast motherhood in Hollywood, she discusses her two passions, parenting and show business, and has a hilariously tell it all like it is personality. In the five years since she's created the podcast of which I've been a guest, Heather has built a community of 1 million followers on her social media and online platforms. This year, she spoke at the girl up Leadership Summit alongside Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Meghan Markel, about gender equality, equity and body positivity. Most recently, she and her eight year old daughter Channing shot their first commercial together, and we will be seeing that on air in the coming weeks. Heather will also be covering the Emmy Awards for knbc in the fall. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Chris, Channing, their pet cat and dog.
Christian Brescia 01:21
Wow, she's got quite an interesting story. I'm excited to talk to her.
Mindy Cohn 01:24
Yeah.
Christian Brescia 01:24
Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we are excited to bring to the pod ––– Heather Brooker!
Heather Brooker 01:32
Hi, you guys.
Mindy Cohn 01:33
Hi. So happy you joined us. Welcome. Welcome to Monday, Monday.
Heather Brooker 01:37
Yay. Well, I have been bingeing all of your episodes like I'm obsessed with your show. Like if I've missed one I made sure I go back to listen to it so good. I'm so honored. Like I feel like I'm not cool enough to be on your podcast.
Mindy Cohn 01:54
Do we really have to start this way there?
Heather Brooker 01:57
We don't. Please do No, but I honestly love it so much.
Mindy Cohn 02:03
Who have created Oh my god. Well, I you know, the adoration is insanely mutual. I love you so much I love and I'm missing your person. And I wanted to share you with our audience because we talked about this in private, you've created something for yourself out of literally nothing and created a major something. And it continues to bear fruit of different kinds. And I'm so excited to talk about your latest little endeavor, but we'll get to everything. We start each episode off as you know, with our five of 20 questions and I'm just gonna pull it random and see what we've got. Um, and then what is your guilty pleasure?
Heather Brooker 02:41
My guilty pleasure? Well, if I'm just going with the first thing that popped into my mind it would have to be watching Outlander.
Mindy Cohn 02:48
Have you ever watched? Have you watched? I am all up to date and ready for the next season?
Heather Brooker 02:54
I mean, I have been obsessed with Outlander since books came out like 20 years ago. Oh, wow. I read them graciously. Like I my husband. We'd go every week to Barnes and Noble, and pick out a new book. And every week I was getting a new book. I just could not wait. And he called them my time travel sex books. And he is not wrong. They are Yeah. And now it's my time travel sex show, which is also not wrong, but it's so good. So that's my guilty pleasure. For sure.
Mindy Cohn 03:22
Okay, outside of that, what have you been bingeing on? What's your latest binge?
Heather Brooker 03:26
I'm bingeing physical right now. on Apple. I guess it's so good. roseburn is so good. And the show Yes. And I also was watching it, and you'll appreciate this. I was watching it and realize some of the dialogue I was like, why does this sound so familiar? It's because I auditioned for regular when it was called something else. It was called like, Olivia, when I audition for it, I was like, ah, why do I know every line in this scene? And Chris is like, I know all the other lines. He's my reader. So I was like, Oh, I guess I didn't get it.
Mindy Cohn 04:04
Yeah, just a little bit. I've had that. Yeah. It's
Christian Brescia 04:07
very Hollywood moment, though. A Hollywood Hollywood moment where you and your partner know the dialogue before it's even happening. Yeah,
Mindy Cohn 04:14
yes, but it's really predictable. Oh, no, I just know it.
04:19
You're just yeah, it's such a good show. I'm watching that I'm watching heels to I want to give a shout out to keels on stars. That is Stephen Amell, who used to be green arrow on CW and
Mindy Cohn 04:32
it's such ride, Heather.
04:34
You couldn't couldn't get into it.
Mindy Cohn 04:35
Now I'm gonna get on to Monday.
04:40
Well, I'd like that. It's an original story and I liked it. It has a different take on the world of wrestling. I'm not a huge wrestling fan, but
Mindy Cohn 04:48
a huge Alexander. Ludwig fan. Yeah, from Vikings. I was trying to give it a try cuz I'd like to see everything that he does, but I couldn't do it.
04:57
I know I'm given maybe one more episode. Maybe Maybe one more episode but I just like the supporting like a different, like an original show. Yes, not necessarily superhero base, although I do love superhero stuff, I hear you. But those are the two things that pop into my mind that I've been trying lately. Okay, whom do you admire? Like it just in life or in the entertainment industry or
Mindy Cohn 05:19
whoever comes to your mind right now? Like, I won't hold you to any of these. This is just sort of like, you know, doing a deep dive into you. I'm in the moment besides myself. I'm on your lap. And I think that's a wonderful answer. And very last step of you, I know you're not really good.
05:37
Um, I, you know, I really admire comedic women and women who have put themselves out there in comedy. I love Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler. I just think they're so smart. And they're unapologetic about their comedy and their perspective. Those are the two ladies that come to mind right away. I've read both of their books. I couldn't wait to like, you know, read their books like you first came out. Yeah, those are the two that come to mind right away. I would love to work with them someday.
Mindy Cohn 06:05
Yeah, yeah. pretty epic. What's the best advice you've been given? And who gave it to you?
06:10
I'm gonna go actually, the first thing that pops into my mind is Risa our friend, Risa GB. I met with her last week, because I'm having some like frustrations and I'm feeling like just some frustrations in my career. And I was like, Oh, yeah, I was like, I need an outside perspective. I need somebody who can I can just say, Here's all my stuff. What do you think? And I told her Initially, I said, you know, I'm, I'm really nervous to talk to you, because I am such a self starter person, I do everything myself. It's hard for me to ask for help. And she said, just because you asked for help, doesn't mean you're helpless. Right? And that literally, like just hit me upside the head. Because one of my biggest stumbling blocks is me being stubborn and wanting to do everything myself. And then I'm like, I think
Mindy Cohn 06:58
it's also we've talked about it. One of the frustrations you have being an actress is, you know, it's the one area of our lives where going to work is not up to us, right? Roll it. And so if you are used to being in control over aspects of your life, you just can't be you have to put on your Gypsy hat. And remind yourself that you are a creative journey person, because you've chosen to be an actor, period, full stop. And the business part of it does not allow most of us to create or decide when we're going to get to work.
07:29
Yeah, you're absolutely right. You're absolutely right.
Mindy Cohn 07:32
It's a harrumph on your controlling fantastic maniacal oz ability to happen.
07:39
I know. And it's also explains why I'm like, why is this so hard? That my husband's like, it's because you're trying to do everything yourself. And I feel like I've learned a lot over the last 10 years. And Eve honestly, there's the last couple of years, I'm not even the same person, as many people aren't, I'm sure that I was two years ago, year and a half ago, pre pandemic, you know, whatever, there's so much has changed in my perspective in my life, and how I'm viewing things, but I'm having trouble implementing it. Like I'm still having a hard time asking for help or like hiring someone because like you said at the beginning, I have a business now that's sort of built around what I do. Yes, I need definitely
Mindy Cohn 08:16
successful. So for you, I think for all of us, it's very challenging to learn how to feel successful without producing something, right. So I have really, it's taken years for me to understand that I am successful, even though I might actually be working and producing a product right now.
08:35
That's a total mind thing that I do to myself to like, I'll tell Chris, like, Oh, I'm not successful. I'm not on a show right now. And he's like, Are you kidding? But like, look what you've looked at your body of work, but I'm not right now.
Mindy Cohn 08:46
We have to remind ourselves that unemployment is the natural state for most actors. It is to be working. Sometimes in LA, or New York, we forget that because there's so many other working actors around us. Yeah. in the scheme of things, right. You are Yeah, doing quite well, my lady.
09:05
Thank you. And comparison is the thief of joy. I have to remind myself of that, too. When I start to go, oh my gosh, this girl got this part and this and I'm like, wait a minute, I need to find joy and be happy where I am. For sure. Yeah.
Christian Brescia 09:17
100% you're also planting seeds like you got to plant the seeds. Now you don't just get a bounty of you know, flowers and forests without putting the work in for the seat. So it's like this day, I always think of like for actors, the downtime is introspection, reflection, kind of work, study kind of stuff, because that's what builds the career. So when the door knocks.
Mindy Cohn 09:35
Also, as an entertainment reporter, I cannot imagine the fandom and yet at the same time you're a contemporary and so I can't imagine the conflict of emotions on some of your premiere gigs or your interviews where it's like, this is such a tickle to meet a contemporary. I'm interviewing you so I am actually doing my job and getting paid to do my job. But I want to be where you're sitting.
09:59
I am nodding. voraciously in agreement with you, although I should verbalize it because I really this is a podcast, because everything that you just said is something that I struggle with all every day, I look at these actors that I interview as like my fellow actors, because I consider myself to be an actor first. And then but they don't see me that way. They, you know, element in the moment. It's a different relationship. But I have started recently doing stand up comedy. And one of the jokes that I like to work into one of the comments I like to work into it is how I basically interview people every day who are doing what I want to be doing, they're living my dream, and I have to be like, so how did you get this part? Oh, it was offered to you. Right? So it is very, that's such a great observation. It is very conflicting. And it doesn't mean I don't find joy in each thing, right? But I constantly feel like I'm in a state of being conflicted with my job, with my business with what I want to do, where my heart really is.
Mindy Cohn 11:05
Someone who's wearing multiple hats. I mean, Christian can attest to this. I have had to stop myself because I noticed in every interview or conversation we were doing for this podcast, I somehow found a way to ask, I hope we can work together and it's not appropriate. It came out organically. Do that, too. But I realized we were recording a few in a row. I was like, I have got to stop doing that. I mean, it's not Bros. Yeah, I hope it's not. No came off. It's like, No, no, no, man. This is an episode where you're talking about and asking about them.
11:42
The other person? Yeah, yeah, well, I'll tell you this. I've done over 200 episodes of my podcast, and I would wait till I stop recording. And then say, by the way, I'd love to please keep in touch. Let me know if you ever want to get together, whatever. And then that way, it's not. Not on tape. It's on the record, right? There's a natural instinct to in us as actors to want to be around other actors and network and communicate. And network is such a business term for it. But like, we want to surround ourselves with other creative types. Because work begets work. And it feels like lately, the only way you can really get work is by knowing somebody who's already working and can get you in, you know,
Mindy Cohn 12:23
yes or no, because I have to say, you know, most other actors aren't going to get other actors jobs.
12:29
Yeah, not necessarily actors. That's true. Yeah, yeah.
Mindy Cohn 12:31
We think that like, oh, if someone's working, they must have you know, but they're just so thrilled to have the job themselves. You know?
12:39
Yeah. Yeah. Uh,
Mindy Cohn 12:41
Heather, what scares you?
12:43
Well, initially, just obvious stuff like horror movies. I can't do bar movies. Yeah, one of the hardest parts of my job is whenever a new horror film comes out, and they're like, we need you to interview someone. So and I work for NBC and NBC Universal is known for their horror movies. So like, every month are some horrible bloody slasher, something that comes out and they're like, we want you to review star and I'm like, do I have to, and they work with blumhouse now, which is like, violent, and, you know, I try to approach them as unbiased as I can, but I don't like horror movies. They scare me. That's just like, the obvious thing. But the other thing that sort of scares me is just sort of intrinsically the idea of being alone. Which is interesting, because I'm an only child. And I've been alone with the exception of my, you know, my family and stuff. Almost all my life. I'm comfortable being alone. But I think being alone when I'm older, as I get older, that's sort of scary to me. I don't know why I think
Mindy Cohn 13:39
it's tough to say, knowing you as I do. It's so fascinating to me, because you've been with Chris a really long time. Mm. chantings eight. You've not been alone for a really long time.
13:50
I know. So it's it's the fear of the future. Yeah, I'm not trying to talk you out of it. Yeah, no, it's a fear of the future and I it's so funny you asked that, Mindy, are you in my house? Because like literally this morning?
Mindy Cohn 14:02
No, I just know like, I'm single and I live alone. So yes, I mean, the fear is understandable. And I have some bits of that, but it's so funny. Not Haha, funny. Interesting. Yeah. You hear that coming from you who literally has not been on her own in decades.
14:19
More I know it sounds insane. But like I told Chris this morning, I said, I had a really bad dream that you died. And Channing went off to college and I was left all alone. And he's like, Okay, well, good morning. Crazy.
Mindy Cohn 14:33
And that's why we love Chris.
14:34
He's like, no more cookies before bedtime. They give you bad. But no, but like a real fear. I'm
Mindy Cohn 14:39
not pulling it at all.
14:41
I know. I know. And I don't think you are. But it's just something that I'm like. I think it's also something about this town. And you know that I think it's more like you knew and I've talked about this to the friendships that I've made that I've sort of become very fake and people are somewhat unpredictable,
Mindy Cohn 14:57
comma as you became more and more successful. I mean, let's really spell it out for people. I think it's really important because there is a lot of that in any person's career. And I think you find that across the board that when you attain a certain level of success, whether it's fame, or financial, or any kind of notoriety, or self fulfilling self-fulfillment people who you thought are really in your corner, the green eyed monster takes over.
15:26
And it's so disheartening, because you hope that doesn't happen. And you, you think, like people you've known for 1314 years, you know, you've been friends with forever. Yeah, I wouldn't feel that way that they would be happy for your success they would be or your ride or die, you know, that sort of thing. And that's why when you know, you've been on my podcast, and we've talked about this, as well is I'm always fascinated with people who have reached that certain level of fame, you've been famous your whole life. How do you know, when you're making a relationship with someone when you're just starting a friendship with someone, if their intentions are genuine? If they're going to be a flake? Like me, you know, you know, like, that's what's hard to do? No,
Mindy Cohn 16:03
yeah, I don't think you do. No, I think you've been disappointed. I have to say something my parents have noted, which actually, we had a laugh about. But you know, now that you're talking out loud, I'm having an aha moment about it. I have very successful friends. Like my parents actually note it like you have very Tony friends, you have friends who do incredibly well. My feeling is of course, I do. Like, why wouldn't I be around people who are successful like, and they are most of them are much more successful than I am in some aspect. And I think there is something to my success in friendship with that. But there's not a competition there. I'm able to be a cheerleader. They may want aspects of what I have, but they already have their own. I don't know, I think there is a horrible I hate to say this truth in people seeking out. I don't know, there's something to that. And I think my strongest relationships are with my friends that are much more successful than I am.
17:01
That is a guessing it's a it's like a maybe a power dynamic. Maybe or like you said there's no competition that they feel or that's so interesting, but that's true. I mean, this is a very competitive industry. No, I have to say I was listening to your fortune beemster episode. Yes, talking with my husband about it this morning. And I was like, it was also talking about how I've grown so much and changed so much in the last few years. There are things that I wish that I could go back in time and redo so hard. And one of them is I went through the program at the Groundlings, the comedy has the sketch program improv program. And I was with fortune. She was in my class and I word Heather the whole way through I was told by the teachers they're oh my gosh, you're so funny. Like you're so SNL like you're so great. You know, they kind of I went through the program, like almost in like a year and a half, which is someone I've heard of. And then I got to the final, you know, lesson and fortune was in my class. And we were all like, really good friends in the class. But it was still like this competitive energy, like who's gonna make it like we wanted to be in this Sunday company. We wanted to make it on SNL. We know what everyone's goals were. And I didn't make it. I got cut. And I was told by my teacher, she called me I was one of the last people she called. And she said, I've been dreading this call, she said, because they just didn't feel like you were Groundlings material. And I was like, say what now, and I was so hurt. And so like, immature, honestly, just to put it out there. I was really immature about the
Mindy Cohn 18:24
situation. It's disappointment. I mean, I that's valid, but I stopped
18:28
talking to everyone in my class. I was like, I took it so personally, that I was like, how dare you know, why did they pick fortune over me? And why did they pick this person over me? You know, and I did not have this was also like, 1013 years ago, this was a long time ago. And I didn't handle it. Well. And I have serious regrets about that. Because every time I see fortune, I'm like, Oh, my god, she's doing so well. She was always very nice to me. I was happy. I handled that really poorly. And
Mindy Cohn 18:59
we've all had those relationships, right? When we're younger. Yeah,
19:02
I think so. No, it's true. And it's true. And I just feel like there's something about this industry that brings out these insecurities, this weird competitive side, that I am now at a place in my life where I don't feel that way anymore. I feel comfortable enough with who I am with what I'm doing and what creative substance I'm bringing to whatever project that I don't feel the need to be that way. But there's a big part of me that wants to go back and be like, I'm really sorry, I was a jerk. Like
Mindy Cohn 19:30
my best friend Tara and I have these conversations all the time because she and I have been acting about as long as she started acting about five or six years after me since I started so so young, but yeah, zygote, we've been friends that long, you know, and she has a mom who's very famous. So she's been around showbusiness her whole life, and we have been friends that long. We talk about it all the time, then it's really hard to be friends with with other actors. Unless you have that generosity of spirit we have with each other. I mean We love each other. We've been in each other's lives. We know everything about each other. But I share that with you a lot. We've had these conversations where I'm really excited for you. I want everything that you want. There's nothing that I wouldn't do to help you or or cheer for you. But I think it's person to person. Yeah, what I'm saying, I'm always very skeptical when I see a gaggle of Lady actresses who say they're friends, because I know they're like, just wave. It's not I not only know better, I have infiltrated those groups. And I see it, they're happy for each other. One does better than the other. Yeah, you know what I'm saying?
20:36
I absolutely know what you're saying. It's very precarious up
Mindy Cohn 20:39
there in those big leagues. girl groups, you know, don't I just think looking in from the outside, you're like, Wow, what a power group. And it's like, why
20:47
goals?
Mindy Cohn 20:50
Hashtag No, don't want that.
20:51
Wow, see, and that's so interesting, because you have a perspective that I think is really fascinating, because you have seen over time, over your career, these friendships, I'm doing air quotes, I'm these friendships that may or may not be sustainable. And you know what's really going on behind the scenes. I have told people one of the most fascinating things I've learned for doing my podcast is who really runs this town. Our publicists and publicists are the ones that put that image out there for everybody to see. You want to think that, you know, Lady Gaga is you know, just cool, edgy, whatever. Like her publicist is there making sure and she's following along like she is really edgy. That's a bad example. But there's a lot of people who are made and broken by their publicists, careers have been made, I believe,
Mindy Cohn 21:39
also there are a group of actors slash performers, that it's necessary for them. To do that life in public. Yeah, full stop. Sure. It's not happening if it's not being photographed,
21:52
need for attention. Yes, yeah,
Mindy Cohn 21:55
I have found that most creatives actors that I know that I'm brethren with don't need that is what we do, not who we are. Yeah. And so you know, you just acknowledge that for what it is, but, you know, kind of attack a little bit.
22:09
And I think also, that's where it's interesting to me on social media, where that comes in, because some people huge stars, don't have an Instagram don't have a social media account and probably don't need one. They're still working. They don't have to be online, like Jennifer Aniston caves in during the pandemic, and got him on Instagram. She didn't need it. She's still gonna, you know, keep working and getting jobs or whatever. But it's just interesting to me how there's such a need for this consuming of everybody's moments. everybody's lives, the highs and lows.
Mindy Cohn 22:38
They want to want to know that. You know, she has endorsements. Yeah. second season of a show she's producing. And so it's not to vehicle the pressure of Yeah, I don't want to say she that was contrived to go. No. And again,
22:53
she's very, very smart. Like it's a business entity. Very
Mindy Cohn 22:56
Sure. Exactly. Yeah. And hats off. I'm not plugging it. No. I mean, it was a very strategic move to do it when she did it so that she would indeed be one of those people that I mean, it was newsworthy, she went on Instagram and had 20 million followers. Well, she wouldn't have had that if she'd done it in the beginning.
23:14
Yeah, you're absolutely right. And like, that's a smart public who's who's saying, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna plan this, we got a strategy and we're going to make it look like it was off the cuff or whatever. So that's one thing it's been really fascinating to me is how much power publicist have in this town?
Mindy Cohn 23:30
Yes. Okay. So before our podcast is over, can I our last question, oh,
23:35
my God, I just miss talking to you so much.
Mindy Cohn 23:38
The same way I'm like, holy
23:39
house chataway.
Mindy Cohn 23:40
Speaking of all the frickin interviews that you've been doing the last few years, especially, who's the most fascinating person you've met? Oh, that's
23:49
so hard. I've read like 100 I've literally done hundreds of interviews,
Mindy Cohn 23:55
and some pretty major, major filmmakers.
23:59
Yeah, so would you say, Alright, so, there's people that I've met and there's people that I've interviewed so I would say, I'm gonna say quickly two answers. One, the most fascinating person that I've met and worked with with Steve Carell. Okay, he is as warm and genuine and down to earth, and kind and funny, as you imagine him to be I worked with him twice on the office and got cut out both times. Thank you very much. Well, I'm sorry. It's still one of the episodes is still rearing on peacocks. So he was amazing. And then like in terms of like, interviews, I was pleasantly surprised by Russell Crowe. As weird as that sounds. You guys, Russell Crowe. I interviewed him last week or last summer for the first time he had a movie coming out. It was the first one that was going to be in theaters during the pandemic. You know, the theaters were just slowly starting to open up again. And I was his last interview of the day. He talked to hundreds of press all over In the world, and he probably been asked the same mundane questions over and over again. We're all not that original. And I was his last one. And they were wrapping me up and I was like, Oh my gosh, it's so great to talk with you. You know, I have some more questions, but they're wrapping me up. It's okay, you're my last one of the day and I love redhead so let's just keep chatting. And I was like, Oh, well, in that case, we talked for like another 1015 minutes. Wow, talked about everything from Gladiator to being in Austria. Like he was so nice. And I was like, I just feel like I have even a deeper appreciation for him. I know that's so random. But I really just that's an interview that stuck out for sure. There's a million more. Christian Bale was amazing. Oh, he's a good like, He's so nice. And like, on the red carpet of his movie was like direct eye contact with me. really thoughtful answers to my questions. And you'll be surprised at how rare that is on the red carpet. When you have someone who really takes a moment to look at you by understand the question you're asking him at the moment plans are in the moment, and be the moment like he was so lovely. And I was like, Oh my gosh, so there's been so many interviews of people who I've met that I have admired and respected, who have truly met my expectations. So it would be a very long list.
Mindy Cohn 26:12
Who is inspiring you right now? Or what is inspiring you right now? I mean, obviously, I know Chan does on a daily basis.
26:18
Oh, yeah. I wasn't even gonna say her now. Of course, I'm
Mindy Cohn 26:22
thinking of her. Oh, you're so sweet.
26:24
Who is inspiring me on a daily basis? That's so
Mindy Cohn 26:28
right now. Yeah. Who has just got you to go like, okay, who's giving you the kick in the pants? Yes. Oh, thanks, Christian. Perfectly to put it Yes.
26:36
Well, I have to bring up watch it again. I think what she's doing is amazing. I love I've loved following the trajectory of her career. Yes. And I heard her say that she was an entertainment reporter that transition to stand up and like, call me and I'm like, that's literally what I am doing. And so, as a personal assistant, Yes, I remember she was a personal assistant when we were together at the Groundlings. So I think she's super inspirational. I love that she's also unapologetically herself. That's something I struggle with a lot because I have this Instagram, you know, curated Instagram page, of course, I try to find this balance between myself and also getting pretty pictures and like free videos and fun moments and stuff like that. So and also I have to be careful because I work for NBC. So I can't like you know, throw out super strong opinions on things because I have my respectful of my employer. I don't want to lose my job. So it's like my I'm so
Mindy Cohn 27:31
I have to say, and I talked to Lucy Hale about this. I've talked to a few people about it, who you know, haven't on their own, monetize their Instagram, but because of their social media following and what they built, and it's an integral part of her career. Yeah. And how she makes money. And she's unapologetic for that which I like because we were able to talk to her about it. Your Instagram can't be as personal I'm sure as you would want it to be because it's part of your business. No, yeah, absolutely. So I find it incredibly accessible. I of course love it. Because I'm here, I consider myself a friend. I want to know what you guys are doing. But I'm very aware of when you are posting your business stuff. And I appreciate that.
28:14
Yeah, well and that's I try to find the balance to have not like hitting people over the head with like AD AD AD AD and it gets hard because I do have to say no, a lot of times because there are brands were like we want to send you this when I send you this and it's like I don't want to I still want to live my life and like share my life without a B I'm not you know, a commercial ad agency, I still want to share my life. That's why I started all this to begin with. So I'm I'm at the point now where I'm being more selective and more choosy with what I share in terms of like ads and stuff like that. And I'm also really finding that I'm enjoying making funny videos and silly videos, like my background is in sketch comedy and is in improv and all of that stuff. And it's been hard for me to sort of pivot and shift and reconnect and do all of that again. Yes, I feel like there is this, you know, as with NBC News comes like a certain gravitas, you know, where you can't be like,
Mindy Cohn 29:10
right, right. But they would be like me, okay, yeah, Heather.
29:15
Yeah, there, please stop it. But then my boss recently empowered me and she said, Look, one of the reasons we hired you to be a team reporter is because we love your personality, we want you to be funny. We want you to be you. Right? So that's the balance that I'm working on. I'm trying to find you know, what
Mindy Cohn 29:30
about the balance of protecting and allowing Channing to have her childhood and having her be a part of I mean, listen, your podcast and your Instagram and your all your social media motherhood in Hollywood. Yep. It's about Channing and your relationship with her and I noticed as she's gotten older, you were much more protective of her when she was younger, but now that she's able to sort of like have her own voice. I'm noticing and obviously with the commercial that's going to be airing soon. Yeah, there seems to be Real conscious bringing her in more and more in and what is that balance for you to make sure she doesn't get it's not too much too fast. Right?
30:09
I appreciate you saying that so much and appreciate you recognizing that so much because it's been a very thoughtful process between Chris and I and how do I share with her? I am very cautious of her privacy and have always been Yeah, because the last thing I would want is for her to as an adult go Mom, why did you show this picture of me in my diaper? or Why did you tell everybody I had this like meltdown? nature, whereas Yeah, yeah, exactly as a teenager Exactly. I mean, kids her age all have cell phones, and they're all she doesn't. But they all have cell phones and they all are on Instagram and I'm like you're not old enough. But um, it's been a very thoughtful process for me to make sure that whatever I share about her, she understands that we're doing we're taking pictures for fun. I also take whatever money I get from pictures that she's in and Nope, nobody ever asked me about this. But I always tell people because I feel like it's important that for them to know a portion of the money that I make on any of these ads goes to her if she's in the ad and if she's taking the picture she get that's her money. She may not fully understand it yet and may not realize it till she's older but that's her money that she's made for helping me with my business. I'm not trying to trying to you know, just use her for her cuteness, but I recently posted that she had said she wanted to be an actor. And for years everybody always asked us Is she gonna be an actor? Are you gonna get an entertainment and I said I will do that. If she says to me that that's what she's interested in. I never wanted to push her into entertainment. I never wanted to make her feel like this was the only path that she had. But I would support her if that's what she said she wanted to do and earlier this year she said I think I want to try like a YouTube channel or acting or something like that. And I said okay, so we started her off with just an improv class online a virtual improv class. She loved it loved it, couldn't wait to tell us the jokes couldn't wait to play the games with us she loved it and she was like I think I want to try acting classes so I said okay, we signed her up and it was like a slow progression of introducing her to not the fame side of it not the here's what happens on the other end know the actual craft of acting the actual craft of acting D Yeah, I really I sought out a class that she could go to in person because it's so important to me that she realizes that acting is connecting with another person and that having this community of storytellers around you is what acting and performing is really about it's not about YouTube fame thought about Tick Tock views it's about storytelling. Right and
Mindy Cohn 32:44
and by the way, there's there's obviously a place and a career path and you and I both know those influencers those influencers are Tick Tock and I mean, I always try and remind people or my friend I have a couple very dear friends who are reality stars that is very different than acting is very there is fame and fortune to be had there but it is not acting different. It's a different thing. different beast. Yeah, it's
33:06
a very different a very different path.
Mindy Cohn 33:08
I applaud that differentiation that you're making with her and that you're Yeah, I mean, I asked the question cuz I already knew the answer. But
33:15
no, but we try to be I'm so glad that that's what I want people to know is that we're being very affable. I'm not just pimping her out and pushing her into the industry. And if she says she doesn't want to do it, or she decides in the next week, she doesn't want to do it. That's fine. There's no there's nothing on the line right now for her. You know, like, it's just for fun. I want her to have a positive experience with it. Well,
Mindy Cohn 33:35
she so far so good, kiddo. And yeah, I have to say you're not only a wonderful podcaster and newscaster and actor and friend. But you're a wonderful mother. I've seen it in action.
33:49
Thank you. You're gonna be on your show.
Mindy Cohn 33:52
Oh, my God. No, no, Barbara Walters here. too young for the reference. All right, um, Heather, thank you so much.
34:03
Thank you. This has been so wonderful. Yes.
Christian Brescia 34:06
Thank you very much for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen. We were so happy to talk to her today. One more time Heather Brooker. This episode of Monday's with money is brought to you in part by our sponsors. Wen by Chaz Dean, and the cocktail party. Love Mary has been redefined the industry with his innovative line of one cleansing conditioners, creating an entirely new way to care for your hair. Today, when encompasses a full array of cruelty free hair and skincare products. For free hair and skin type. Visit Chaz dean.com are Mondays with mini calm and start focusing on you while they take care of the rest. Tired of cooking low fans who are d'oeuvres but don't have any idea how to prepare. Look no further. The cocktail party love Mary is here for 15 years New York's cater to the stars in our pal Mary Giuliani has served her deliciously whimsical hors d'oeuvres to the best names in art, fashion and entertainment. Now she's put them all in an adorable little box to send from her heart to your home. as Mary says All you have to do is turn on your oven, pour yourself a drink and enjoy more time with your guests. She'll take care of the rest. But I'm Mary giuliani.com or Monday's with monday.com. For more information and to order yours today
