Episode 357 "Drew Sidora"

They get a little They called.

Me broadcasting live from Atlanta, Georgia, walking to the Ball Alert show. I go by the name of Ferrari sim I go back there, you know, beat t J. How you doing, friends, I'm good?

How you doing?

Looking rather icy today? Yeah?

Just bring a little sunshine?

How you doing a little bright?

I'm good, really really good. I'm happy to be here with y'all.

Shot Town. This is your first time on the show, right.

Shot townresenting? This my first time? What's up with that?

Well, look now that you now that you came on here, you know what I'm saying, you can be a frequent guest, your friend at the show.

I would love to have a lot of things to talk about.

Okay, Well, first and foremost, first of all, you're dope.

Oh my god, thank you.

Let's can we start from the beginning. Yeah, okay, what made you want to get into acting?

Hm? Hmm, maybe you want to?

It was kind of like it was kind of like a Nate you know, like I used to take.

When they had VHS.

Yeah, I was like videotaping myself doing like monologues and doing different things on camera. So like I was videotaping over weddings, family reunions, getting in trouble. As a kid, it's like, okay, we need to like maybe pay attention to this. So I'm from Chicago. We are very heavy in theater. So I did the whole theater stuff, you know, plays, school plays, and it was just like something I was

But it was for Fox. It was called Divas. Just leave that there.

But Ni Corey, like I thought I would, I look back, I'm like, oh my god, what what is this? But it was like I'm here, I'm doing something I love and I'm getting a check from it.

And I think that's when it clicked.

How old were you? I was eight, Okay, said this is what.

I this is what I want to do, this is what I'm meant to do. That's how it like clicked for me.

Did your family push you to start getting into acting?

So my sister Allison, she was a writer on Amen Rock Martin and she was the one living in la like you know, since she's doing all these things or having a desire, let's put her in some acting classes. Let's you know, take it seriously, and this is how you can make it, you know, constructive for her. So getting a resume, headshots agent, I wouldn't have known that,

Don't stop peaking, going Now, what's what's the the big thing that happens earlier on that make you say, oh, I'm here, I've arrived.

Oh you know, I really don't. It's crazy. I don't feel like I've arrived yet. Really, I really don't.

It's like for me, I have so many more things I want to accomplish, so I appreciate the journey. I think sometimes I have to reflect back, like, wow, you know I did graduate high school early on a roll straight a's okay, saw me and daddy, you know, make them proud so that I could go to LA to pursue it.

And that's what I did.

I was fresh out of high school in LA trying to figure it out, slapping my car, did the whole you know, figuring it out, doing background work.

Fun fact, I was a background dancer and ushers.

You don't have to call video, you don't have to call you miss me, so you would never know.

But I was there. I was there.

But those type of experiences taught me like what it's like to be on set, you know, watching the director, watching how things happened.

That was like my school.

So it was just a matter of time before I booked Never Die Along, which was my first movie with DMX.

Right, okay, so stop do you felt Do you feel like that that was necessary for you to appreciate when you got the first big gig the DMX. Absolutely, because the sleeping in the car, the you know, we eating Raymon noodles and stuff like that too.

I was actually one of my friends who's like really successful actor now. We used to go to McDonald's and like be like all put our money there, like we can get a meal and we can.

Split it, eat it real slow and we gonna be all right. It was like that Taco bell, you know, all the specials.

I took advantage of all those specials, Like you had to be creative to figure out how to survive because it's very expensive, you know, to live in LA and then you're entering into an industry that you can't really like prepare for.

You gotta live it and see it and learn it.

And being I was a teenager at the time away from my family, I'm seeing stuff that I'm like, WHOA, unbelievable.

Where's your sister? My sister now is at this particular moment, at.

This particular moment when I graduated, she was living in LA First, when I moved to LA she had met an NBA player.

And got married, and so she was back in Chicago played for the Bulls.

Yeah, so she was like that ain't no point in me working no more.

She was like, I'm married now, but she's like, I'm still here. You know, she's still to this day in my life. She's on my team and just my big sister that you know we kind of see our dreams through. But yees, she at this point she had a baby, raising her family back.

And yeah, right, what's some of the big challenges about you know, getting into the film and industry that a lot of people don't understand yo.

It's like it's so many no's, it's more knows than yes is. It's like you wait for the yes because that yes is what changes your life. So you get into it thinking, Okay, I'm around these people, I'm in these rooms. But then it's like I didn't get that job and it was I think a year almost two years before actually booked my first job, and that can get discouraging.

So it's like, am I meant to do this?

But it's like no after no, after no after no, And then you get that yes and you're like, wow, okay, it's the opportunity now.

So and then you still get nose.

Even for me, I'm like I'm decades in now and I still get it. I'm like I thought it was gonna, you know, be up from here. But I think that's the beauty of the journey because you can never get too comfortable as an actor. You can't really say Okay, this is forever, or you can't guarantee your next job. You know, you really have to wait for it, and

You know. It's like it's no boundaries, you know.

Thank you for saying that, because I was gonna that's gonna be my next question, making money, saving money, preparing for you know, moments where it's not going to be any gigs when you want them to come. Did you have to figure that out on your own or did someone try to warn you and then you'd be like, yeah, I'll be all right, I'm good, Or how did that work out?

Like account is in the negative? How this happened? Oh oh my god? What am I going to do?

You know?

It was literally me having to learn, like make every mistake to grow from that. So I always tell people like if I can help you, you know, and I love giving back, you know, the young girls. I'm like, let me help you because I literally went through everything.

I can tell you what not to do with.

This point, but I can say that it's shaped me, it helped me, it grew me, and now I'm a lot smart, Like I'm so risk adverse, like I save, I saved. I'm I'm not spending money on that, you know, because it's just not guaranteed, but I do, you know, appreciate the opportunity now to get more into producing and directing and just really opening up outlets for other people.

Well, got a segment of the show. It's called do you Like Me? Okay, this is the part where you look at that camera and you shot at your crush. Do you have a crush? It's somebody crushing on you. You want to shot them out. This is the this is the moment that if you have it crush, you shot out that significant person, him, her or them, however they classify themselves.

I think y'all all know my crush is us h g R.

That's my god, that's my man in my head usher, I mean childhood crush.

So wait, you know we've had us on the show. He watches the show, So if he sees you, if you watches this episode, what would you tell him right now?

I would say I loved that cherry. Oh, oh my god, is it hot in here?

What else? Right?

Now?

We're right there.

That's boy too, by the way, Oh my gosh, dog.

Listen.

Yeah, that's like I mean, I was that girl that had like the usher posters on her wall. Actually had the opportunity to sing for him. I was like thirteen. He was in Chicago filming lighted up and he was at a basketball game, and so after the game was over, they set it up for me to sing for him, and he looked at me.

I was so nervous. I was so nervous. I'm like, this is like, I love him.

I hit every sharp and flat no at the same time, and he was like, all right, you love to sing him like.

I too love to sing. He's like, do you go to church. I'm like, yeah, I go to church.

He was like, you know, it's important to go back to church, get in the choir, and continue to work on your craft. And I was like all right, and then that was it, and I was like what just happened? But I did take his advice. I went, I got in the choir, you know, and that's like my training literally, So I took that advice, and you know, no putting out the album. So I like to think he helped me along my journey as well. But yeah, like he's a dope artist. Think you know longevity.

So okay, well, now of the mushy stuff is out the way, It's time on. You got me fucked up?

Now?

What are some things that get on your damn nerves? It could be now on a person place or a thing that got you fucked up. It could be traffic, FaceTime. Yeah, people that owe you money that you've fucked up. What's something that just grind your gears?

My strange husband some to the X.

Oh can we unpack it? Friend? Or is that is that you gonna give us?

I'm going through a divorce, so that's just what it is.

You got you fucked up?

This is going on two years.

Why does divorces take so long?

Not mine?

Who's I'm like, what advice.

On top of my wife Tiian? But I do I do wonder? Yeah, one time for my wife Tnian happened to I was just planning. I was just saying, uh, you know, if you had assets, you have to divide them and all that stuff, right, So.

I'm learning, like, you know, you you fall in love it's all the beauty. It's like the kisses and you build a family and then you go through something like this and it becomes complete business. It's like paperwork, negotiations, division.

You have to accept it or not. I don't accept that. Well, you have mediation, all types of you go.

Again and gets continued.

You got to schedule your schedules. Crazy. His schedule might be all over the place, all the way down to the dog you guys, pets and stuff like that.

It's down to the recliner chair to listen.

Who gets that?

So you have to say who gets Yes, you have to agree on it, an agreement yes. So that shit got you fucked up.

And this when I'm like take it all Like, you get to that point too where you're like I don't want to fight, you know, and you really learn like these things don't matter, you know, because the headache or just give it up and I'll get it back.

Some people be petty too.

Some people just gets petty when it's when the emotions and the love is gone and people don't care and it's fucked up. I always feel like that shouldn't be It shouldn't be like that, because you know you were once in love with that person, So let's just keep it as amicable as possible, exactly. But when it's not like that, it's it could be evil. It becomes yes, which leads me to our next segment. It's called the mental health checking. Yeah. Man, so we're big mental health advocates.

I definitely, you know, love the conversation you a little close to the microphone me because we got to hear this. I call it mental health mishaps, you know, because it's just like you said, it's a moment and you mess up. You know, it's a oops, it's a okay. And I think we all have a certain level of mental health. That's why it's so for for us to.

Take care of it.

Like we work out our bodies, you know, but we have to work out our brain because you can't see it.

So I actually had a brain scan. Shout out to the aim and Clinic.

They did a brain scan because I wanted to know like the trauma and what to do about it. So yeah, they work with like football players, you know, bac concussions and things of that nature. But I found out, you know, everything about my brain and the therapy that I specifically need. So when you talk about a therapist, like my therapist has it and he's like, this is what we need to talk about, you know specifically, And I think that's important.

So it's like, let's talk about it as.

Actually our community more than ever because we used to say, oh they crazy, Oh they crazy. No, you know, now I'm like, you know they say like the old the elderly would be like, oh they see now, well my dad had Alzheimer's. It's like that is actual diagnosis that requires like medical attention. So, you know, I think it's really important for me. I pray a lot. You know,

Put this back together? And literally this has been the journey for the last two years.

You know that I have to do and I have kids, so it's important for them to see me as healthy as possible too.

Because being a mom is a lot, a lot, a lot. I don't think moms get enough credit. My wife. My wife put me through the She put me through it on this in a positive way. Most recent baby, she was like, look, you will have a baby because I asked. I actually asked her to have this last recent baby, she's on one years old. She was like, look, you gonna be there all the time. He'd be laughing at me.

I say that because you're fulfilled.

I didn't know how rich I was. That had nothing to do with money exactly. So again, I'm just sharing this because I could feel the energy. It's positive and maybe maybe you needed to hear it too, But I could tell you're a good mom.

Thank you.

You're doing the best that you can to handle what's around you. So if I could you know what I'm saying.

That and to you, because that's real big and that's real deep.

Well, you know, man, we're not taught to talk to express our feelings. So I think I don't know your ex husband, but I don't. I just I feel like once we learn how to express ourselves, we could communicate that because I'm learning. I learned with my baby mamas that I didn't communicate correctly. I fucked that up. We could have ended the relationship, but I didn't communicate well.

Is major, Like I clap it up. You need a master class at this point, is lacking.

It's it's the EQ for me again, Like I this year, this past Christmas, I'm just looking at my kids and my family and there I was like, man, I'm good. Like I didn't know. I didn't realize how much I have grown as a person because I'm over thinking. I'm thinking the jury is gonna help. I'm thinking the diamonds and the Rolex. I'm thinking all that's gonna help. But

I love it.

I mean, you know, some people need to hear this though, you know what I mean, especially coming from from.

Learning my voice is valuable. Now. I didn't know that people walk up to us and be like, man, I love to show I love when you said such and such. So that's why we love talking.

The past behavior.

But it's last we ask you, hey, man, how did you feel it this particular moment, How did you overcome it? Yes, because even if it's one person that heard it.

That you did your job, You did your jobiod.

So shout out to you and everything that you overcome. Men, whatever you're dealing with shall.

Pass, Yes, you said, like my mom and now and this too shall passes what she say to me literally every day, and it does. It does because we get so worked up in the moment and then like two days later, it's like it happened, it's over and you got.

Through it, and you was like damn, and then you're like, that wasn't even as bad as I thought exactly.

But it's making you strong because then you deal with something else you liked. I thought that was bad, this is and then you get through that. And so iron sharp is iron. So as long as you're open to it. I feel like I try to always be optimistic and look at the glass half full. This may seem bad for now, but I do feel like it's a bigger plan, right, because everybody has a purpose, and so what you're going through,

That does a lot.

I feel like the Internet does a lot to have to do with that, especially when people are only showing their highlights on social media, and you know, it gives people a sense of like somebody life is better. Right if you look, there's always somebody like you look on instagramm Like, damn, like that's a better than mine?

You know what I'm saying. Why didn't you be more like him?

Now?

That's that's when it gets bad. You know, comparisons are.

Not all right? Well, floor is yours right now? Look at that camera. Whatever you want to promote, you know, it's on ball alert. Oh my goodness, it's all on you. Listen.

I am here. I have a single out right now. I did it to me. If you don't know now, you know, please go stream it. Tell your friends. It's available everywhere. Album dropping soon like very very soon, like next month, very very soon, like next month.

Okay, like next month. I can say that now.

It's like Valentine's there's.

Like around that time, around the timely Sebruary thirteenth fish or fourteenth fish around there A little upward, you know, in that area. And of course it's Sweet sixteen. Like I would be remiss if I didn't say, all right, jo Waite Real Houses of Atlanta, Sweet sixteen is coming.

The fans have been waiting for it.

I think that trailer drops very soon as well, later this month. So a lot of things are happening and movies are dropping. I have my number one movie on to B right now. I'll stream Adopted am Vicious Murder as well. Shout out to Chris Stokes and Marcus Houston.

I've been on, I've been on.

I've been watching a lot of TV movies, so I'm definitely gonna I'm definitely gonna.

Check it out.

People used to not to be to be the most craziest. They have branded it is so and Footage Films. They do top tier content like It's They're beautifully shot, great stories, great actors, great writers. I love my footage family Film's Family. They are amazing. And I have a new movie coming out in theaters with them.

It's called run So. That trailer is dropping, so.

You running it up unt. But as you learn, you need to have your hand and a lot of things in the you know, to keep that money coming period. That's Drew, your real.

Name, it is.

I was actually named after my father's middle name. His middle name was Andrew, So if I was a boy, I was gonna be Andrew. And then he's like, let's name for Drew and and they was like, no, let's not do that for that girl.

Drew would have been sen before.

Drew and but it's just Drew. And the Dore is my middle name. A lot of people don't know it. From p Zadora, do you have a nickname? They called me, Drew said, Drew Money.

Drew.

Money.

I like, well, look you're a friend of the show. Now we officially family. Anytime you want to come back co host with us. We get a little, we get a little you know, get a little ratchet.

Now get a little crazy.

I'm here for a little spicy sometimes. You know. You know what my bad I forgot? Chicago is Chicago? My mom from Chicago to really what part from the south Side?

Come on the south Side? Heroes, Chicken you go back?

We got Haro Chicken Street. Never been to Chicago is the same.

My taste the same.

You're not eating at Heroes on ninety fifth. What are you doing all right.

Talking about Chicago. Yeah, that one here don't taste the same.

And it's in but it's in the arena. But like the special sauce is a secret sauce. You gotta go to the original.

We see heroes chicken all the time in Atlanta. Yeah all the time.

I can't even Chicago.

Oh me, Like, I got you to our corn, take you to get jew Town.

You know what I'm saying.

Just tell us we're not to go street. Don't take us nowhere, we take everywhere.

We just don't have a nation. We're gonna have the nation. They're going to secure us.

Okay, right, okay, okay, before we go, shout out the fashion Nova nover Man. You know what I'm saying, I'm dripped in some fashion you feel me VT puts jacket, let.

Me let me put that jacket is hard over man.

You feel me one time for Fashion nov nover Man. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, little vibe vibe. Don't you feel me over man? Man?

You no fashion unsex to rock that.

This is hard and is comfortable and it's comforty. It's comfortable.

It keeps you warm because it's thirty degrees in Atlanta.

The ball Alert Drew We appreciate you.

Yeah, thank you so much, so much. Come back anytime. Bring us a chain next time you come back.

See you