The Monkees changed my life but ruined my acting career.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
When I was 11 I became a massive fan of The Monkees. We had a so-called 'band' of kids on my street and we'd go along to people's houses and mime to Monkees records.
So the only things I was being allowed to audition for were small roles in comedies. It broke my heart. No one would see me for anything else. I knew, in order to open up my career, I had to leave or that's all I would ever be given.
Many people have fond memories of 'The Monkees.' I fondly remember it, too.
Hollywood infected my brain and I really valued the wrong things in life, but I changed dramatically.
I used to have a lot of philosophies of acting; they all fell apart over the years.
I was a failed actor, but for 25 years, I got to go on stage anyway, and I loved it. I've still got the day job, and the travel bug.
I actually got hurt in a steel factory in 1985 and so that changed my life. I went to a junior college and that's where I discovered acting.
My acting career helped pull me through the rough times.
I'm not an acting monk or anything. I'm not, like, the most well-adjusted actor.
Thelonious Monk was one of the musicians I most connected with early on. I'm a huge Betty Carter fan, and the way that Abbey Lincoln and Shirley Horn grew immensely from the time they were young is so inspirational.