Shep Gordon is a legendary talent manager (he manages Alice Cooper and has done since 1968), film agent, producer, and was the subject of Mike Myers’ directorial debut, the 2013 documentary, Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon.
As well as managing household names such as Blondie, Eddie Pendergrast, Luther Vandross, to name but a few, the other thing to know about Shep is that he was (according to Emeril Lagasse) single-handedly responsible for creating the concept of ‘celebrity chef’.
But, says Shep, none of this was by chance, his destiny was the result of taking action, of using a bit of knowledge and compassion where he could, to get to where he wanted to go. And considering he’s cooked for the Dalai Lama, and credits as his mentor (and the man who changed his life), renowned chef, Roger Vergé, he’s definitely gone far.
From writing Buffalo, NY, history while high, to microdosing, to making Alice Cooper a global superstar, don’t miss Shep Gordon’s story, in his own words, on this episode of Into The Magic Shop.
“I used to look every client in the eye and I'd say, if I do my job perfectly, I will probably kill you. Luckily for you, I'm not perfect. But I'm really good. So you will be maimed. That's the price, you're going to pay for this. You are going to be maimed. And they all laugh. But they all got maimed.”
On today’s podcast:
- Do the best you can in the moment
- Being a star is all about accepting rejection
- The benefits of microdosing
- Why Alice Cooper is the embodiment of a good Christian
What is Into the Magic Shop?
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many were overwhelmed with stress, anxiety and depression. While this epidemic of stress has been growing over the past decade, it has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the divisive nature of political discourse. As a result, many people feel disconnected, inauthentic, and unhappy, while questioning the source of their unhappiness when they presumably have “everything”—an absence of compassion, for oneself and others, is often the source of the problem.
Many of us don’t understand the nature of self-compassion nor the power of compassion to improve our lives and alleviate our suffering. By entering the “Magic Shop”, Jim will share his wisdom and introduce a variety of techniques to change the course of one’s life and share his own lessons learned through the exchange of untold stories of his guests. He will interview authors and experts in the fields of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, spirituality and religion, as well as individuals with unique points of view. He will also engage his listeners by answering their questions and also at times interview listeners who are willing to share their own stories of challenge and hardship.