Scrubbing In with Becca Tilly and Tanya rap An iHeartRadio podcast.
Hello everybody, we are scrubbing in and we are so excited because we did tease this Monday, but today we are joined by an award winning producer, New York Times best selling author and motivational speaker.
He has made a commitment to inspire people around the world through entertainment, and he has definitely been an inspiration for me for many, many years.
I love this man.
He is a force in media and has become a leading authority on inspiration, spiritual wellness, and personal development.
Please help us give a warm welcome too.
Wait, let's say, please give a warm welcome back. Oh good, sorry, mart.
Please help us give a warm welcome back to Divone Franklin.
Tanya is high energy as as I don't think he even knows what to do with her.
It's my sister right here. Yeah, I love it, Dearly.
I really like you have done so much for me personally, and it's so crazy because like we're not like best friends by any means, you know, like.
I never I see you very rarely, but your.
Impact on my life has been so great, and so when I know you've been on the podcast before, but having you in studio is just like a whole different feel because I just feel like I gained so much from you just by like listening to you and watching you, and so to have you here is very exciting for me.
I'm excited. I'm always excited to see you and just grateful for our connection.
Yeah yeah, me too, me too.
You We talked to you last in twenty twenty one. Oh wow, Yeah, so I feel like a lot has changed in your life. You're in a different place altogether, as we all are. That was during kind of like pandemic, and a lot has happened since then. What's new? What's happening in your life right now?
You know?
I mean it's just been so busy with work, you know, producing you know, this new movie, and started acting, which is brand new. I never even thought about acting ever. It was never a I mean I used to act in like middle school plays and high school plays, but I never thought like, oh yeah, I want to act in a movie or a TV series. And to now be doing that is I mean, that's probably the newest thing, which you know, even now, I'm like.
Wow, that's really cool.
Yeah, And it's just been a season of just you know, navigating a lot of busyness and you know, working on trying to, you know, just not be overwhelmed. Right, Like everybody wants success, which is great, but at the same time, you know, success requires management.
It's not like, oh it's.
So easy, Like no, most of the time, if you are successful at some level, you're working even harder. And so for me, it's just really been trying to, you know, stay in the moment, be present, enjoy and not just be so overwhelmed by all the things that are happening.
What was it, Where were you or what happened when you had a moment where you were like, I want to act now I didn't.
Oh I didn't. I was offered the role. Oh yeah.
The producers and the director of this movie called Jesus Revolution. They came out earlier this year.
It was very massive, huge. Yeah.
Yes, it's highest grossing inspirational film this year so far. And so they came to me and they said, hey, there's a part that we want you to play of this reporter who works for Time magazine. And at first I was going to say, well, I'm not an actor. That was my first instinct, but then I was like, well, let.
Me read the script.
I read the script and I said, oh, I kind of like this part. It's a great story. The script's great. So I said okay and started working with an acting coach and really took it very seriously, and I went to set and did what I was instructed to do and it went.
Well, and I was like, oh, this is good.
And people started seeing the movie saying, oh, wow, you look you were great. Nobody even thought like, oh, I would have never known you never acted before. So it was just an opportunity presented to me, as have all the other acting opportunities I've had since then, and I have a couple projects that will come out into this year.
So but it is interesting because I think a lot of time in life, people will get offered things and you think, oh no, no, no, like that's not me, Like that's not my box, Like this is my box and that's not my box.
And I think a lot of people don't have.
The courage to step out of that and face something that is new or scary. Right, what got you through that? Because I thought you do that a lot in your career, Like you are if I ask you what you are you are an author, you are a motivational speaker, you are a CEO, you have a production company, you're a producer, you're an actor.
I mean, like, I mean, there's more than I'm forgetting too.
Yeah, you know, I think it requires a level of just ignorance, you know, like, well, I'm not really aware of what I can't do, so let me stay ignorant to that, right, Like and then also it's like, why would I create a la for myself that would limit myself? So if I'm like, oh, I'm just the producer, then that's cool. Like I do know how to produce. I'm a really good producer. But if I only wear that label, then that label can block other things that I am.
I just don't know that I am. So I just try to live in the world a possibility like, oh well why not, you know, And the worst thing that happens is I do this movie and I fail, right, all right, Well I didn't quit my day job, you know, Yeah, but I had the experience of doing it, and in that experience is growth. So no matter what, there's no way I could lose. So just living that way of like, you know, I don't want to be defined by anything
I do. I want to, you know, continue to explore who I am what's possible, you know, And that's the fun. I mean, to learn that I have this other skill set that I didn't know I had, and to now have opportunities to express it and explore it. That's what keeps me doing it. It's like, Oh, before I became
an author, I didn't know I could write. The opportunity was presented, you know, I said, oh, I wrote one book, and then oh I have another an idea for this book and this book, and now we're like six or seven book.
Then just so that's like a whole other thing to be really proud of, because that is truly just. But I think that fear of failure is what really stops people. And I feel like, but have you experienced failure in any way? Because I feel like everything you touches.
Well no, I mean, you know, look, I think we have to then evaluate what is our definition of failure, right, because failure traditionally indicates that the result that I wanted I didn't get. So then the emotions around that usually reveal a level of attachment to a result that probably was unhealthy. Right, So if I'm feeling like I failed. Okay, well how did you fail? Well, you had a goal, you didn't hit it. Well, what did you learn? Oh well,
here's what I learned. How did you grow? Well, here's how I grew. Did you fail? So when I think of failure, you know, I look at it through the lens of you know, have I had things that didn't go the way I wanted?
Sure, but I'm glad that that happened. You know.
Not every movie I've worked on has been you know, super successful. Not every book that I've written, you know, has been a New York Times bestseller at all. But then I have to say, Okay, if I'm creating a false definition of success as well as a false definition of failure, then I'm always going to be subject to those definitions. Yeah, instead of allowing the result is what
the result is? Like learning to be a I mean passionate enough to be able to write it or produce it or act in it, but detached from the result, like, you know, whatever that does?
How do you do that?
Though?
I think that's been what's your quote that you always say, No, it's open to the possibility, not attached to the outcome. And I think that can make you live a very healthy, happy life.
But I don't know how to do that.
I am attached to every single outcome. And actually it's funny you bring up the New York Times bestseller because when we put out the book, I was so attached to that outcome, and when it didn't happen, I felt like the book was a failure and it was right. It like broke my heart because I was I spent so much time and effort and energy in it, and to me it felt like a failure. And that was really hard for me to deal with, like I couldn't
wrap my head around it. So how do you stay attached to the outcome?
Yes, and I've been there before, right, So anything I'm talking about is because I've been there. So I've been there when in terms of you know, the books and you know, wanting the sales and wanting the list and not happening multiple times, and to your point, feeling like, oh I failed, and and what has helped me get out of that is there's probably not one place I go where someone doesn't come up to me and say, I have one of your books and it helped me,
and thank you for what you're doing. And you know I mean, And so then I say, Okay, the New York Times list is an arbitrary list.
It's cool, great if we hit it. Cool, I'm not. I'm not knocking it.
But like, you could hit the New York Times best seller's list for a variety of reasons and not to anybody. So is this about lives, This about changing lives with the message that we've been given, or is it about an arbitrary, you know, artificial system that's supposed to make us feel more accomplished than we are. Right, a New York Times bestseller does not make the words any different. It's the same words, it's the same book, it's the
same process. So again, like if it happens, cool, wonderful. But at the end of the day, it's about the shift of perspective. It's about the people, right, Like I wrote this book to change people's hearts and minds, to put something positive in the world. And I got to work on being you know, detached and agnostic about how that happens. Because the more attached I am, then what
happens is what you've experienced, what I've experienced negative emotion. Right, I did not hit the New York Times Bestsellers list. I am a failure on some level, or I'm not as successful as I thought. Where who's the arbiter of that? Who determines that we do? So we create this false narrative in our own life, we judge ourselves by it, and then what's a perfectly amazing book becomes a book that's not so good.
Yeah, it's all here, it's all in our mind.
It has nothing to do with reality. Anybody that picks up the book is going to get so much out of it. I know I got a lot out of it.
You know.
There's so much in the book that I think is life changing and perspective changing and shifting. So it's really about saying, Okay, what are the things here that I can focus on that will keep me in a positive emotion, in a positive mental state, and let me work on releasing anything that will not Yeah. Right, so, and I'm not even saying the next book, Sure, work towards the list, no problem. But do it from a place of joy, right, do it from a place of this is exciting, you know,
and great. And what I learned is, oh, these are the things that have to be done and truth be told most of the.
Time hitting the list.
Beyond the type of press that has done for a book, A lot of has to just do with the.
Number of people that you're reaching.
So if you're reaching a number of people, you know in advance or timed right around release, you know, it gives you a better chance to be acknowledged. So it's like, Okay, let me focus on the people. How can I get to people? How can I sell this message to people? And then let's see what's meant to be. And just like a seed, every seed's different. Some books are not meant to do that and other books will. So it's hard. I get it. I totally get it. You're absolutely right.
It's the work that I'm doing so that I don't take myself to a negative place that I don't have to.
I will say though that experience, I remember I faced one of my facts. I was fearing rejection asking you to endorse the book, Like I was, like, I didn't want to ask you because they were talking about who do you want to endorse it? And they were saying, is there somebody in the book space that you really admire? And like you were the first name that came to mind. But I was like, we're not really like close friends,
so I'm scared. I don't want to ask him, like and just was scared you were going to say no or like ignore the message or whatever. And then when you said yes, I was like, wow, Like why do I not do things that made me like a little bit nervous, you know, like I always do. I stay very in my comfort zone. I never stepped out of it.
And that was something that like I stepped out of it for and it really was like paid off in such a beautiful way, Like it made me feel so good and supported and like I don't know, so that was like a big moment for me that you're part of.
Yeah, and I know, why not thinking of me?
Yeah?
Oh yeah, it was no problem And the book was great, and you know, I was happy to support it in any.
Way I could. And you're working on another book too.
I'm working on another book.
Can you tell us a little bit about Yeah.
The book is called One of One and it's basically the true meaning behind being single? Uh, and it's ironic, Like I didn't know what it meant to be single until I came single again after divorce, crazy, and then what I realized is that we're all single, no matter of your relationship stat because we're all individuals and a couple is only as strong as the two singles that
make up the couple. And so often we don't actually focus on who we are as an individual and harness the power of that, because we spend so much time looking for a relationship and then we get into a couple. But because we don't know how to be a good single, we don't know how to be one with ourselves. How can we be one with someone else? And then we overburdened the relationship.
You're definitely preaching to the choir here because when's this book.
Yeah, when this is coming out.
I'm working on it now, it'll be I'm open, like in the first quarter next year.
That's yeah, Yes, tell us more.
What have you learned in this new era?
Please? Oh man, No, I've learned so much because I mean, you were married for year decade and so I feel like that. You know, we were talking about how when you you do become dependent on another person in a weird way, just natural happens when you're with somebody for several years. Yes, but you can't lose yourself in that. And sometimes it's sometimes it's easier and sometimes it's harder. And I feel like, is that what you learned after your divorce?
Well?
In part, you know, in part it's like, okay, you know if I focus on it being being.
An individual, right, Well, what does it mean for me to be an individual? You know?
Am I loving to myself? Do I care for myself? Do I keep space for myself? Do I give grace to myself? So what in my experience what happens is a lot of times we're waiting to be with someone to do those things.
Oh my gosh, it's like he's speaking, keep going and keep going, keep going.
So what happens is that when we don't become the number one generator of grace and space and love and happiness and joy for ourself, we then overburden.
The relationship to do something it's not designed to.
Do because somebody, even if they don't, they can't articulate it. If you carry an energy in your relationship that you need this person to be your source of happiness, you need this person to be your source of joy, You need this person to be your source of recreation, entertainment, they are going to reject you subconsciously because all of us know that's not how we're set up. I'm not set up to be somebody else's source. Yeah, I'm not set up to be your No, no, no, I can.
I can make a contribution to your happiness, but I don't. Don't expect me to make you happy every day, because I guarantee there gonna be many days I'll make you sad. So this idea of being one of one, you got a hilarious.
I know, well, because we're I mean we're I think we're in.
A season of life that you're really speaking to right now.
So yeah, yeah, yeah, Well for me, it's like, okay, knowing that I'm one of one, Oh great, Okay, that means I'm rare. It means I'm valuable. It means that I'm not defined by who I'm with. I'm defined by the fact that I was bold, that I'm in this earth and I'm doing I'm a unique individual and that's important because in a relationship, there's a tendency to give up that individuality. And I believe that this is why so many relationships don't work, and that's why people are
so happy unhappy is because they are not themselves. If this is the irony you get with somebody, whether it's in a relationship or marriage, and they become the person you're less truthful with. You tell the people outside of the relationship all the stuff that you wish you could tell your partner.
That makes that's crazy.
And then we wonder why relationships don't work because we are not being ourselves and we're not harnessing the power of what it means to be one of one, to be an individual, to have an individual way of thinking. And then I bring that to the relationship. A great relationship will enhance individuality. It won't cause individuality to be diminished. And that's something that I did not know before getting, you know, married. Right before I was married, I thought like, oh,
similar to what everybody thinks. Oh, you know, you find love and then that's when life happens. And I did find love and life was great. But when I bought into the myth that the relationship or the marriage was going to make me happier yeah than when I was uncoupled, that myth was very destructive because it wasn't true. And this is the bill of goods we sell. Everybody get into a relationship, fine, love, find marriage, it's the answer.
Yeah, it's the fairy tale.
It's the fairy tale. And we had people squandering the period of time when they're uncoupled looking for somebody, when really you should be looking for yourself. Who am I, What do I want? What are my experiences? What do I like?
What don't I like?
So, then when I'm in a relationship, what happens is if I know if I have a stronger sense of self, right, because every relationship can teach us more about ourselves. But let's say have a strong sense of self and I have grace for myself, and I have space for myself, I'm gonna have space for my partner. I'm gonna have grace for my partner. If I have a short temper with me, I'm gonna have a short temper with them. If I don't really like me, I'm gonna have a
problem with them. I'm gonna find fault with them. Right, anything that I'm pointing the finger out usually is a mirror for something I'm not feeling inside. So this idea of being one of one and say, okay, even if I'm in a relationship, I'm a single, what makes me a good single? What do I need to do in my life to be the best single I can be? And then how do I share that with someone instead of demanding Because here's what happens. We demand that people perform.
Oh my gosh, well in a.
Relationship, you better do this right or well, why does doing that matter so much? I'm not saying that you should negotiate in a relationship? What makes you all one? What makes the relationship work?
Talk about it?
But so often because we're not doing the work on the inside, we're not figuring out what's going on in us.
We point to the person.
As the problem and the danger there is. You point to the person as a problem, you break up with that person, but the real problem never gets solved. Yeah, and the real problem was us. So then we take the same problem to the next relationship. Keep pointing the finger. This ain't right.
Get out.
Take the next problem to the same You see how crazy it is, and we have all this heartbreak that we didn't need to have, right, because it starts with like, okay, well, why is this issue a problem to begin with? Why am I attracting an unhealthy person to be continuously because there's something in me that's unhealthy that's not being addressed. So this is the you know again, I don't mean to go on a dangier.
But this is what the new book is going to be.
About, one of one, you know, really knowing what it means to be single and finding the purpose and the power and the piece of it.
Has there been struggling that for you? I mean being with someone for tenure?
I mean that's such a you.
Know, from your perspective now, like you have this really amazing perspective on it.
But it's like we get.
Pain is the greatest teacher. Yeah, right, so pain is the greatest teacher. So I couldn't even begin to articulate or wrap my head around these concepts without going through deep pain, you know, not being married and and you know, I mean, I want to say losing my wife, but you know, having a life transition and going through divorce that's the most painful experience in life. And I certainly
would never prescribe it to anyone at all. And so for me, instead of coming out of the divorce and the relationship and pointing the finger, I wanted to say, Okay, well what was my part in this? You know, what do I need to know more about me, not from a judgmental standpoint, just from a like life like, hey, who am I?
What did I learn? How did I get here?
And so from that work and you know, working with a therapist and working with life coaches and journaling and writing and reading the scripture and all of that, that's what started me to get clearer on you know, where I went wrong and how I can help others and use the pain that I've been through in a positive way to help others, you know, navigate relationships as I do too, you know, and it's not easy, right, like, but I feel like it's for me the idea that
I could use something difficult that I've been through to help somebody else, it then gives it more purpose. So it really was the pain of going through this and then doing.
It publicly, you know, that's that's a people people.
Everybody wants a spotlight, but the spotlight that illuminates also burns.
It's the truth.
And so you know, I can't choose to go through
it privately. Everybody in the world knows. So yeah, that pain of that is what has produced a lot of these thoughts in this clarity around and also for me personally, it's like, you know, whenever I do get married again, you know I can do it from I think, a a stronger emotional place, with a greater perspective on what the marriage needs or the relationship needs and and what it doesn't uh, and do my best to not overburden it with things that it was never designed to do.
You know, no one can heal us. We can heal ourselves.
And that's such a beautiful place to be into. I always find it so uh, I don't know what the word is. It's so off putting when people go through a divorce and they are like that person sucked and they sucked and I hate this person. It's like you were married to this person for so long. And also like take accountability for you know it is it's a relationship is two people. It's two people that cannot make
a relationship work. It's not one person's fault. And so I think when you hear people come out of like a divorce and they're pointing the finger and bashing the other person, I find it to be so like you said, like it's like that's not you taking any accountability for it. It's such like a it's nice to hear you say that from your perspective, My boyfriend was the same way. He was divorced, and he had that same perspective of
when he went through it. Obviously everything's different and the circumstances were I'm sure different, but it was like, what did I attribute? What did I learn from this? And how can I grow moving forward in my next relationship and when I do get married to not allow that to happen again?
Yes, yes, yes, And you know, I mean I hope that we take that, you know, I hope that we take the time, yeah, to do some introspection and do some thinking of like, Okay, well what can I do to do better? What can I learn from this? Because the pointing the finger, it's an easy it's easy placing blame is it's a very it's low hanging fruit.
Yeah, but to.
Look inwardly that requires courage and uh, but that's where the answers always are.
Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about this book. I do want to say everybody listening, if you have not read any of Devon's books, they are all so fantastic and I always learned something and grow from every single one of them.
So I'm really excited for the new one.
Thank you.
Yeah, I wanted to talk about the weight because I knew that was a big That.
One was huge for me. Yes, you like changing, Yeah.
Your views on celibacy, that was you you with your ex correct?
Correct?
And how long were y' all dating? Were you choose?
We dated for almost a year.
Okay, and that was the choice that y'all made to wait, do you still have the same views on celibacy?
You know, I believe that that book in Celibacy is absolutely a valuable tool, without a doubt what I learned from and also when you go back and look at the book, the idea behind delayed gratification, it's like, man, if we can get that, like, I think life would be so much better. Here's what I've learned. The error of my ways in that regard was bringing the public into my sex life. So going forward, I said, you know,
y'all got my sex life. Hey, you read about it this new chapter, Divin I ain't talking about it because the same way, you can't invite the public in when you want them and keep them out when you don't.
Yeah. So she went through the same exact.
I went on the Bachelor, and I was a virgin at the.
Time, and it's like her thing. It was like back in the.
Virgin But I didn't My plan wasn't to talk about being a virgin. But I said it in like without remember that I had a mic and seven cameras on me, you know, like I said it in a very like trying to comfort a friend like she was a virgin. I was like, oh, me too. And then I was like, oh my gosh, my whole storyline on the show has changed, right, And so I had this you know, it's kind of this thing where I was like, Hey, this is something
I'm very proud of. I'm not gonna you know, I don't want anyone who's watching who's also a virgin or choosing to wait, to feel shame. But it wasn't my plan to have that part of my life so public. And so then it was like people felt comfortable coming up to me and being like to my face, like are you still a virgin? And so.
Who were you to ask me that you.
Business?
But it was the same thing. It's like it gave people this idea that they had the right to know this information about me. So when I lost my virginity, I felt this enormous weight of like I've let everyone down. You know. It was this like weird thing that.
I felt like so sad because it was that was her first reaction after She was like, I remember you called me and you were like everyone's going to be so let down. And I was like, why are you thinking about that right now? There's a big life moment for you. That's all she could think about.
It was the same thing. So I was curious if yeah, that makes perfect sense that you're like, wow, I left everyone in And then I wanted to be like, you don't deserve that, like, don'tshing about it.
And it was, you know, it was well meaning you like, you know, and again, the book is great, there's no I love the book, you know, and love everything that we put into that book, and you know, think that message is powerful and that the message works.
But in terms of like you know, how I navigate you know, these areas, it's like, yo, I got to learn the lesson and this is I got to keep it to me.
Yeah, you know, but I will tell you just as somebody that read the book and was in a season of life where I was in this perpetual pattern of pain because I was giving my body before I was getting the the the relationship or the attachment that I that I wanted. The book really was good for me as somebody to learn these tools and realize, like, obviously what I'm doing is hurting is like hurting me, so I need to do something different. And when I pivoted that,
my dating life completely shifted. And it was like I put that as kind of like a no, like I'm not doing this until I'm in a committed, serious relationship. And it really changed the dating game for me in such a big way. Like I wasn't crying all the time like I was. I'd be bombed if things didn't work out, but I wasn't in this like perpetual pattern of pain. So I think the book is really amazing for you know, people going through different seasons of life and can can relate it in different ways.
I agree.
And it's interesting because even as you articulate it, you know that what you just said goes directly to one of one. So when I know my value and I know my worth that I make different decisions. Yeah, So what you're saying is like, look, sex was ultimately at some point getting in the way of my decision making process, right, And I had to say, I'm going to wait for sex until I feel the value that I need to feel from the person that I'm going to ultimately share
that with. Yeah, And until i feel that value, I'm waiting. Yeah, and I'm not going to do it. That's what it means to we want to want. It means to know your value, know your worth, and make decisions based on that.
I'm really looking forward to that forward to release.
You know what else I'm looking forward to?
Should we take a break?
Oh, take a break, I'll come right back. All right, we are back.
Did you want to take the lead?
I wanted to take the lead because I know that this this movie that is coming out very shortly, This has been in the works for seven years, flaming Hot, and I want to know.
So you produced it?
Yes? I did?
Ye? Yes?
Yes?
How because I watched the trailer. I haven't seen the movie yet, it's not out yet, right, Why was this something that you really wanted to make? And talk about? Why movies that take so long?
Like?
How did it take seven years to make this movie?
Yeah?
You know, this is a movie that from the moment that I heard the story, I was like, I've got to make this movie. I had a mutual friend introduced me to Richard Montagnez and the Flameing Hot movie is based upon Richard's story. And he came in and with his wife Judy, and I said, just tell me your story. And so we sat there in my production office and you know, met for about an hour or so, and he walked me through his story, and by the end of that meeting, I just said, I got to do it.
I said, yes, I'll get Yes, I'll make your story into a movie if you would give me the opportunity.
And he said yes.
And I didn't have a studio at that point in time. I didn't know i'd have a writer. I didn't even know that, you know, if it was going to happen. But I just felt compelled. I said, Wow, this story is too unique, it's too inspiring, it's too motivational for me to say no. So I gave him a yes in that meeting, and you know, began the process of getting the movie made.
And movies, you know, tend to there. It's not like music.
You know, you can go into the studio and in ten minutes have a song, whereas with movies you know, it's labor intensive to tell these stories, and from a motion picture standpoint, and all that goes into production and casting and locations and script development. I mean, there's just a lot more factors to create a high quality movie and a lot more people that have to be involved. So that's part of the reason why it takes so long.
And so in the case of Flaming Hot, I found a writer, we developed a pitch, we sold the pitch, and then we worked on it for probably two years that script, and then we were able to go out to directors, and that's where I met Eva Longoria and she came in to pitch herself as a director, and I liked what she had to say and thought that she was the director, and then hired her to direct. We hired a new writer to do the rewrite, and
then that took another two years and some change. And then while that was all happening, COVID hit.
Right.
Oh my goodness.
All these things were really really challenging, and going back like once I met Richard, meeting Richard, getting a writer on board and developing the pitch took time too.
You know, we had to.
Spend some hours figuring out like you know, I mean, not even hours months figuring out what's the movie story here? Like, Okay, I know your life story, but how do I create a movie out of that? So all these factors contribute to why it takes so long for a movie to get made. But I'm grateful that, you know, I gave Richard my word and I was successful in getting his
movie made. And now it's about to come to the world and it's on Disney Plus and Hulu, and you know, and that's and it's amazing that this is the first movie in the history of Disney that this is that's going out on both US streaming platforms.
Yeah.
I was gonna say that just happened, right, yes.
Yeah, yep, it just happened a little while ago. So it's amazing. You know, they saw the movie and thought that this was perfect film for both platforms.
Oh that's really cool. I think it's such a testament to be able to keep your word on something. I mean, that's a long time in this industry to hold something and be able to produce, like have something to be like I told you, I know seven years ago.
I know, I mean, you know, but I take that seriously. I really take it seriously. For me, it's a movie, but for them it's their life. Yeah, so you know, I take it seriously. And I really wanted to get this done because I think the story. I mean, he started as.
A janitor's working like crazy and.
You know, cleaning the plant in ranchal Cucamonga, and the plant was losing jobs and he wanted to save jobs. And he just felt like the company was not appealing to his community because he is this he is the son of a Mexican immigrant and he's like, you know, the company is not appealing to the Mexican American community because there's no spicy product. And he was like, look, you know, I want to take this spicy product and market it to my community because I think it's going
to work. And they gave him the opportunity to do that, and what we now know as the success of Flame and Hot Cheetos came to be, and not just Cheeto's, but Dorito's and the.
Whole Flame of Hot brand.
Yeah, and that catapulted him from being you know, the janitor to becoming one of the topic executives at the company. And that is just a powerful American story that I was I said, we got to make this movie.
You got to make the movie. How do you do?
That kind of remind me of Pursuit of Happiness, Yeah, which I had the pleasure of working on as an executive when I was working for Sony. So this is the first movie I've been trying to redo Pursuit of Happiness forever, and this is the first movie that I have found where I think we got close.
I do think that there's something in these stories that are very inspirational and motivational in the sense that you don't have to like I think that there's this misconception of like you have to, you know, go to the best schools, and you have to go to the best things to get into the best jobs and be in front of the best companies. And it's like he was a janitor at this place. Yes, he didn't even have a seat at the table, and he like made a
seat for himself, you know. And I obviously don't know how the story unfolds, because I haven't seen it yet, but there is so much power in that because I think that a lot of time we can feel really helpless where we are, and if you have the passion, you have the drive, and you believe in yourself.
You really can get there.
Oh yeah, no, I mean absolutely. I mean it's anybody watching this movie can take something away for their own life in terms of perseverance and tenacity. And also, Richard didn't set out to create a billion dollar brand, you know, he didn't set out to create you know, what we now know is flameing hot.
That wasn't his goal. His goal was to create jobs, save jobs.
You know, the plant workers, the people I'm working next to, their losing their jobs, families are suffering.
I want to do something about that. That's service.
And I think so often, you know, especially you know in La, there's just this addiction to dream chasing, you know, versus like, Okay, yeah I have a dream, But how can I be a certain of us?
How can I help somebody so true you know along the way? How can I do that?
Because at the end of the day, most people that end up changing this world are not setting out to change the world. They're just setting out to help somebody so true, And I think this movie really shows the power of that.
Yeah, it's like looking at the bigger picture outside of yourself. Yes, always, absolutely, which is hard.
It's hard, it's hard.
But like if Richard was trying to go out there and create flaming hot Cheetos and billion dollar brand, we wouldn't be talking about it right now. So true, but his heart was I want to save jobs. I want to give back to the place that's given so.
Much to me.
It's just so counterculture to what it is now.
I know, you know what I mean.
I know it's so opposite of what the society is that we're living in.
I know, I know, But that's why I think. You know, I've screened this film, you know, with audiences all around the country already, and people I mean of all races, ages, you know, genders, I mean, they are loving this movie. I think because they do relate to it, like because the culture is so counter culture at this moment that this movie is cutting through and resonating with people in
a way that is really gratifying and surprising. And I'm excited to see how it does once the debut is on Hulu and Day's Disney.
Plus, I'm so excited to see it.
Yeah, I'm really excited to see it too.
June ninth, which it'll be the day after this podcaster.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So if you listen to this. You could probably watch it at this point.
Love that, Yes, streaming right now. Get a bag of flaming hot Cheetos.
That's all ideal.
But I feel like you do that too. You know, you have so much going on. I don't I don't even want to know what your calendar looks like in a day like truly, But I feel like you still go and you still preach at churches, and you still make time to yeah, to do all that. And I think that is also a testament to who you are too, because I think you can be doing the same thing like how can I build my dream and chase my
dream and do this? But you also have this aspect of you that really wants to serve and give back to other people.
Man, Yeah, no, it's important. It's important. I mean, I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case. You know, it's really about that. Yeah, going back to you know, even the conversation about the book and not you know, making the list. You know, okay, but you touch lives, yeah, you know. Yeah, you improve people's point of view and perspective.
Yeah.
We heard from so many mothers and daughters that were doing the devotional together, which was really really really cool and special, which is why we did it.
You know.
It was like yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, And it's just you know, it's like at the end of the movie, Richard has a line about not letting anyone, you know, steal his story, you know, and taking ownership of it, and and I resonate with that, like, you know, let's not let these arbitrary things like a list steal our story. Yeah, it's a great story. We've got a book made.
Yeah, that's huge.
Yeah.
Like you're an author, You're eternal. When I first became an author, my buddy was like, who's who was an author? He said, now you're eternal. You know, I hear your words will be around.
For everything, So that I never thought that cool perspective.
What actually, you know, because you do have so many things going on, what do you want your story to be?
Like where does DeVaughn go from here?
Yeah?
You know, man, what Captain Kirk said, boldly go with no man has gone before. So you know, I'm trying to just live in the fullness of my gifts and and uh, you know, I love entertainment, so you know, continuing to act and produce and write books and maybe direct one day and continue to preach and you know, just just continue to be me and do all that I'm gifted to do and keep challenging myself, you know,
take it to the next level. See what can happen with the still the same goal of you know, uplifting people along the way and providing information, inspiration, hope and help. Those are things that no matter what I do, I'm passionate about those things. But what it's all going to look like? I truly have no idea.
Do you take time for yourself?
Oh?
Yeah, you really sure have to take time?
Like like what energizer, Bunny? You just keep going?
No, I know I do, but I you know, I do it because I have a very you know, strong regimen. You know, I work out in the mornings. I have supplements and things that I take. I take off the Sabbath, so Friday night send down, a Saturday, I send out. I don't work, turn off my email, don't check social media.
You know.
So I do have a lot of, you know, things in place to help me stay where I need to stay mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Yeah. I think that I was going to ask that too, like what do you do to come back when you're giving so much to people. So I think it's I think sometimes our society and structure is like you grind, grind, grind, and don't take any time for yourself.
So you have to, Yeah, you have to.
I don't even like that a concept of grinding, like you know, like if you grind your teeth, it's a problem then down.
Yeah, Like you go to different countries and they have like scheduled nap times in the middle of that, I'm like, we're not doing it right over here.
I don't know, so true. So no, yeah, I definitely.
You know, I'm busy and I have seasons, you know, like this when I'm out promoting the film, which are busier than usual. But you know, I still try to find the time, you know, you know, and also even through all the staying in therapy, staying in life coaching, you know, still taking time to journal and read and pray. All those things are are essential no matter how busy I get.
Yeah, but they're easy to yeah, not put in the schedule.
They're easy. It's easy.
But like no, I'm like, no, no, no, I'm going to find an hour for my therapy session, an hour for my life coaching.
We'll figure it out.
But those are the things that help because having an outlet to express and explore what's going on inside of me consistently, I've learned that that's really helpful to manage all that's that I that I'm tasked with doing.
Yeah, I think when you find the importance in those things like therapy and stuff, you're like, I will make time where I need to make time makes the biggest difference. It does how I'm able to give to other people.
Do you work out seven days a week? In questions, Well, six days a week.
It just depends.
I mean, you know, I'll take a like today, I didn't, I've worked out this morning. I'll probably work out tonight. But I try to do some movement every day as best I can, you know. So I will go between like rumble boxing and uh hot yoga and the studio climber class here in LA like the things.
Yeah, I'll do that.
Then I'll like sometimes jump rope at the house or work out with this axe that's called like chop fit, which you know, it's pretty cool.
Whoa you know, the TikTok it's always like chopping, So I.
Just mix it up yeah, but I try to do some movement every day every day because it just first of all, just helps me mentally. Yeah, Like if I usually don't work out in the morning, I feel a little groggy. Yeah, but if even if I just do fifteen minutes a jump rope, I'm like, Okay, my blood flalling.
It's a long time to jump rope. Let me tell you.
I can.
List.
I've set the clock to fifteen minutes. And you know, wow, man.
You're just you really are always inspiring me, motivating me. You are somebody that I really really look up to and admire in many ways. So just always rooting for you and all your projects. I really I hope Flaming Hawk goes to number one and.
Stream streaming services, yeah.
Just all over the place, and that they you make another I don't even whatever you wanted to. Hope everything that you do turns out successful because I really I believe in what you're doing.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate I believe with both of you all. Grateful always for the time to be able to talk and you know connect.
Yeah, thank you for coming and scrubbing it in.
Studio, studio, and please when the when one of one comes out, Please come back because we could do oh no, yeah, we can.
Do a whole series on that little series on that one.
Yeah.
Thank you so much.
Welcome, thank you.