#Originstory: I dropped the mic on one of my favorite pop stars
EDITORS NOTE: This post was published six years before I was diagnosed with both autism and synesthesia.
Autism signs I missed: “I have spent the majority of my life replaying certain moments in my head thinking, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THIS WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE!!” Technically, this is a sign of autism and ADHD. Autistic replay means re-experiencing memories with the exact same intensity that we felt at that moment: The same sights, smells, & sounds … which is really easy for me to do with such a photographic memory being a synesthete.
Now onto the post …
Last night, what came out of my mouth was exactly what I wanted to say when I wanted to say it. It just happened to be with one of my absolute, absolute favorite pop stars après an attempted shading.
When asked, "who the hell are you?"
IT WAS AMAZING to say (IN THAT MOMENT WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT), "I'm Jen Friel, Jerry Bruckheimer bought my life rights and I have a put pilot purchased by CBS."
HER ENTOURAGE then threw the shade saying, "OOOHHHH SHIT."
My friend was absolutely shocked, and while we walked out of the elevator liked we owned the place, he asked, "what happens next?"
Equally shocked, I said, "I didn't plan that far ahead. I just cannot believe this night even happened."
"So, we're going to stand on this street corner outside of the SoHo house garage?"
"Yes, I said. I need a moment."
Alrite, full story. Gather round.
#nowplaying
So, on Wednesday I got hit up by my buddy Brian Solis saying he was in town. Brian and I have been in the same "social media circle" since literally social media became a thing.
::insert old person voice:: Back in my day, they didn't call it "social media," they called it "web 2.0." #truestory
Let's hang out on Thursday, I'm staying at the London.
Done, I texted back.
(It is now Thursday, and) I arrived at the London, and saw signs for something called the Adobe Symposium.
What is an Adobe Symposium, you ask?
Per their website: "The Adobe Symposium is a must for marketers to gain key digital marketing strategies from industry leaders and experts."
I'm still not entirely sure what that means, but I did pretty quickly connect the dots that he was in town because he was speaking at this symposium of fancy sounding things.
I head up to the rooftop, and see Brian chatting with a group of people. (Obvi, he's Brian Solis.)
Brian is not only a public speaker, and author, but he's absolutely fascinating to talk to given his depth of knowledge on really random things that only really random people also research and find equally fascinating.
I grabbed a free drink, met some new people, and walked out with some Adobe swag heading to dinner with Brian and one of his friends who is a host for the Young Turks.
We talked (at great length) about the future of media, the (from my perspective) soon to be taking down of YouTube in favor of Facebook, and general growth hacking.
I laughed admitting to the group that this is my life now. It's history repeating itself pre-Talk Nerdy. I would have all of these conversations with SO many different random people re: social and the future of tech and one day something clicked, and I created my place in the space that I so very much love.
I spend a portion of EVERY DAY now talking to either my tech friends, studio execs, producers, or celebrities about the future of media.
<tangent> Speaking of which, this life moment was FUCKING AWESOME:
</tangent>
I still haven't connected the dots as to what is right around the corner, but muscular and cellular memory says it's going to be another rabbit hole. I can absolutely feel it.
We wrapped our conversation, and finished our french fries with ketchup and tabasco sauce (which if you have not tried, YOU ARE MISSING OUT) ...
These are the actual tabasco bottles used. 5 in total.
... opting to head over to the SoHo house for some more randomness.
Hey, if you're going to have an "LA evening," you might as well go big or go home and end up at the SoHo house WAY past your bedtime.
For those who do not know, what I'm talking about, the SoHo house was the place Samantha got kicked out of in Sex and the City:
It's a "see and be seen" atmosphere that is members only, insanely over priced, but you're kinda not mad at going because it's "where all the cool kids go."
Young Turks, Solis, and I walk in and I immediately spot a familiar face.
Ben Savage from Great Table Eight, trivia night every Tuesday at Goal (Talk Nerdy days).
<tangent> Four years ago, I spent every Tuesday playing trivia with the Talk Nerdy community, and random 90s celebrities at a bar called Goal.
It was Ben, Lance Bass, and a revolving door of some of the most random people who were all friends with the owners of Goal, who you mighhhhtttttt recognize ...
</tangent>
Ben Savage, I said approaching. Jen Friel, Talk Nerdy To Me, Lover trivia night at Goal.
HOLY SHIT, he said (to my surprise) excited to see me. Are you still playing trivia?
Clearly, I said. I play Tuesdays at the Belmont. We're building out a solid crew.
I'll come by, he said. Are you staying for dinner?
Yeah, I said.
Good, I'll see you upstairs.
I turned back to Turks and Solis who were laughing saying of course you know Ben Savage.
I headed up the stairs explaining that it's been one hell of a trivia rivalry. He even accused our team of cheating once. I confronted him on it, and he lied straight to my face.
For dramatic purposes, (and to make a point no one cared about) the next week I made the whole team take an oath of honor on the face of Steve Jobs vowing to never even remotely CONSIDER cheating.
It's like the Hatfields and the McCoys ... but with trivia, I admitted.
Rigghhhhtttt, Solis laughed as we grabbed our seats.
We continued to talk trends, and after another round of drinks Brian wanted to take a picture by the balcony.
You can't take photos in the SoHo house, reminded the server.
Ah, yes, I said. There is a photo booth. Kinda douchey, but if you want a picture we can take one.
Sure, Solis said as we walked over to the booth (which is right by the restrooms).
We all watched as a big group of girls piled in and lamented at how long this was going to take.
I then looked to my left, and saw another familiar face.
That's George Eads, I whispered to the group.
I'm a HUGE fan of CSI, and in this moment, it dawned on me that I had an equalizer with one of its stars.
WE BOTH KNOW JERRY BRUCKHEIMER!!!
I walked right up to him, and said I was a huge fan of CSI, and admitted that Bruckheimer purchased my life rights and it (shockingly) sold as a pilot with a penalty to the same network that airs CSI.
That's incredible, he said. You should meet Luke (who had literally just walked out of the bathroom). He's the star of our new show MacGyver. (Which obvi everyone over the age of 30 remembers as being one of the coolest shows to ever grace TV.)
I shook his hand, introducing myself, as the group of girls left the photo booth.
We need a photo, I said to (our now growing) group.
Sure, said George and Luke as we all piled in.
The photos quickly start snapping and we realized this is what took so long. The machine catches you off guard!
The photos printed, and I snapped back to Brian and George telling them to get in the frame!!
We're taking another!!
WAY better, I said laughing.
I thanked George and Luke tremendously for the time, as we walked back to our table.
Young Turk admitted he then had to get some rest, as Brian and I continued talking til we closed the place down.
Not bad for a Thursday night, I thought.
We walked downstairs, and over to the elevator, which was packed.
Solis and I snuck in the back, and before the doors closed, one of my favorite pop stars entered.
Shut the fuck up, I thought trying not to fan girl.
<mentalmantra> Friel, this is one of those life moments where you need to be impossibly cool. Do not fail, do not fail, do not fail. </mentalmantra>
I quietly whisper saying I am a big fan and thank you for your music.
She then turned around putting on her over size sunglasses saying, who the hell are you?
"I'm Jen Friel, Jerry Bruckheimer bought my life rights and I have a put pilot purchased by CBS," spoken in a single breath with tremendous confidence.
Her entourage, cheered "OOOHHHH SHIT" as the nerd dropped the mic on the singer.
I actually said what I wanted to say in the moment that I had the ability to actually say it.
Is this part of adulting, I wondered? Is this the "true confidence" confident people speak of?
Am not sure I care. I experienced a symposium, the SoHo house and served a side of shade on a singer.
That's good enough for me!
