DCOMmentaries

Al and Val have a chat (/group therapy session) with Johnny Kapahala himself, Brandon Baker! Learn about how Brandon landed the role of Johnny, what he's been up to since, and how you can hire him to officiate your wedding!

Brandon Baker
Johnny Tsunami (1999)
Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board (2007)

Brandon's Instagram: @brandonbegood
The Cheeks (Brandon's band)



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Creators & Guests

Host
Allie Ring
Host / Producer
Host
Val Agnew
Host / Producer / Editor

What is DCOMmentaries?

Your hosts Val and Allie set out on a journey to watch every Disney Channel Original Movie and share the experience with you. There will be stories. There will be games. There will be heartwarming realizations that you were always a winner, just by being you.

Join us every other Tuesday for your bi-weekly dose of serotonin!

DCOMmentaries is a part of The Trident Network

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Email us at dcommentariespod@gmail.com

Allie:

Hey, Val.

Val:

Hey, Al. Hey, Brandon.

Brandon:

Hey, Al. Hey, Val.

Allie:

Welcome to the Commentaries.

Val:

Thank you. Welcome to you. Welcome to our listeners, and welcome to our very special guest, Brandon Baker. Yay.

Allie:

We're so happy to have you, Brandon.

Brandon:

Very stoked to be here.

Val:

Brandon, for those who are somehow Living under

Allie:

a rock.

Val:

Brandon played, Johnny Cabahala or Johnny Tsunami, in both Johnny Tsunami movies on, Disney Channel, and we are so pumped to have him here to talk to us a little bit about that and about his career and life and whatever else we end up talking about. But first, Brandon, why don't you just say hi and tell us, how you've been doing?

Brandon:

Hi. Hi, guys. So so to be here. Yeah. I'm Brandon.

Brandon:

My life's been great. I've been, like, living in the world and, like, doing things and not doing things, and it's been awesome.

Val:

Amazing.

Allie:

And that's what we should be doing.

Val:

Yes. Doing things and not things.

Brandon:

Not things? Yeah. Totally. You should. I highly recommend it for sure.

Val:

That's living the dream.

Allie:

And, Brendon, where are you joining us from?

Brandon:

So coming in live from Denver, Colorado. Amazing. Yeah. Moved here 7, almost 8 years ago now. So in some ways, some friends have definitely given me shit about how I am how art is imitating art, I suppose, that I went from the beaches of California to the mountains of Colorado.

Brandon:

And somewhat of a, yeah, on point storyline with Johnny. But, yeah, love it out here in Colorado. Totally miss California. But, yeah, Colorado is great.

Allie:

Nice. And so What brought you to I was gonna say, did you, did you you grew up in California and that's where, like, you started.

Brandon:

Okay. My my dad was actually started, working at the school out here, and then there was this white chick who I was into. I'm joking. Actually, what's funny what's really funny is I had a girlfriend at the time who was a white chick, turns out, who I was dating at the time. She was going to grad school at CU.

Brandon:

And to be I mean, like, that is like the kind of logistics of it. So like we were doing long distance until we moved out here. Within 6 months, we broke up. She went back, and I was like, you know what? If I move back to California right now, then this Colorado chapter won't even be a chapter.

Brandon:

It'll just have been a blip on my, like, life radar. And so yeah. And so I was like, I don't think I'm done learning what I need to learn out here. This is my first time living outside of California, being away from the acting industry or the film industry in general. So it was honestly pretty daunting and, like, lonely and sad at times because I knew knew I I knew not a single person out here.

Brandon:

So that was like, yeah, it was like tough. And then on the other side of it, it was awesome. Is it the best thing I could have ever asked for? It was the first time in my life where I really got to, like, self actualize in a real, real way. Even, like, there was I could have, like, looked for, like, acting roles out here, but even that was, like, not even really a thing.

Brandon:

So it wasn't even an opportunity for me to pursue anymore. And that space and that freedom was just exactly what I needed. I think I knew at the time before I moved out, already found myself in LA kinda looking for excuses to not be in LA and working on sets, but, like, my mind had it caught up to what it felt like my soul or, like, my body knew that I needed. And, yes, so happy and and lucky and proud that I've been out here and now have an incredible community, great friends. I still have an incredible community in California, but my fiance out here, we're getting married later on this year out here.

Brandon:

So, yeah, life is good.

Val:

Yeah. That's awesome.

Allie:

Oh my gosh. You just described everything my therapist is telling me to do right now.

Brandon:

Sell it all, bring it all down. Yeah. Start somewhere else. That's so cool. You did my outcast remote, you know?

Brandon:

Absolutely. Yeah. That's

Allie:

a very How

Brandon:

is the CP going for you, Belle?

Val:

Oh, for me? It's great.

Brandon:

Oh, god. See? My bad. Sorry. No.

Brandon:

No. That's okay.

Val:

Well, you know, it happens all the great. We're all in therapy. Everyone's doing great.

Brandon:

Oh my god. We have so much. Yeah.

Allie:

It's so great. Mix us up a lot too because I'm 510, and she's 52. So they really get us mixed up.

Val:

Yeah. We look so much bigger.

Brandon:

I'm a brown man. So, yeah, the 3 of us using a pod for sure. That's funny.

Allie:

That's funny. So in Colorado now, are you just, like, at a outdoorsy type where you're like, this is this is, like, perfect and kinda for me, or what's what's, like, the life out there for you right now?

Brandon:

Yeah. Definitely a lot of outdoors. I mean, if you're out here in Colorado and you don't love the outdoors, it's kinda like, I don't know what you're doing here. Don't get me wrong. I love Denver.

Brandon:

I live in Denver. Denver is really cool. I moved from LA to Boulder, Colorado, which is, like, nestled right in the mountains. And that was pretty wild, like, culture shock. Like, went from I grew up in Southern California, so I even grew up in a very diverse neighborhood.

Brandon:

Obviously, lived in LA after that. And, you know, LA is some people love it, but some people hate it. But regardless, it is a big metropolitan city where every slice of person is there. And I moved to Boulder, Colorado where, you know, people don't, like, lock their doors, you know, at night, which was wild to me. People out here are, like, nice.

Brandon:

It's crazy. I know you guys are from the Midwest. At least live in the Midwest. But coming from LA, I moved out here and was like, what the fuck is everyone's problem here? Like, what is everyone trying to like fuck me over?

Brandon:

Like, I was like, no, no, no. I've just never been around nice people before. Got it. Okay. But, yeah, Colorado.

Brandon:

Yeah. It's so much nature. I basically went from being in LA traffic to now. Work as a wedding officiant out here. I do that full time.

Brandon:

I I do like bigger weddings, but I also do a lot of, like, elopements and adventure elopements up in the mountains. So I will, you know, drive up into the mountains, these, like, beautiful lakes, you know, either in the wintertime or even in the summertime. Then we'll go on these hikes and at the pinnacle of the hike, we married a couple, me, a photographer, and, like, a couple maybe a couple of friends. And I think about like, oh my god. My my commute in LA used to be, you know, and I like to mute.

Brandon:

And so now, to be able to, like, drive up in nature to these to these most beautiful places in Colorado because obviously, people wanna get married there. Right. Yeah. And it's just incredible. So yeah.

Brandon:

So definitely a lot of nature out here. I think the other big thing for me that I found and one of the reasons why I didn't leave Colorado is at the same time that I moved out here, I kind of had like a spiritual awakening. Well, honestly, like, kinda got cracked open spiritually. And I think having the time that that that really lonely time post breakup, I know nobody. I'm, like, crying with, like, pizza boxes just strewn about.

Brandon:

You know, it was, like, the space that I needed to really investigate parts of myself, parts of my broken heart, but I think that breakup even, like, got me to access even other parts of myself, my psyche, my history that, like, hey, you know, I'm already brokenhearted here. Might as well address all the things while we're here. And so that time in that space was just, like, super pivotal. And, yeah, it gave me time and silence and and not distractions to, yeah, to access that part of myself, that part of my relationship with spirit or God or whatever you wanna call it. Nature, obviously, a huge conduit for that.

Brandon:

Yeah. And, of course, snowboarding and hiking. And so there's some people out here who are, like, really, really into the outdoor. Like, I think I'm in decent shape, but there's, like, Olympians out here, like, training all the time. So for a Colorado person, I am, like, subpar, but still, yeah, soak it up as much as possible.

Val:

Well, I'm glad you answered the question of, do you actually snowboard,

Brandon:

which I'm sure everyone

Val:

was waiting with bated breath to find out if you actually do.

Brandon:

I definitely do. I 2 of my really good friends out here actually ski and convinced me for 1 season to ski. So for 1 season, I skied, but just totally incognito. Just like, I had the helmet on, I had the goggles on. I was like, if anyone catches me, this is gonna be really bad.

Brandon:

Luckily, no one did. So I was at Sky for a season. I was like, no, no, I'm an urchin. I'm an urchin. Yeah.

Val:

That's funny. Now did you learn to snowboard for the movie, or did you more recently learn, like, when you moved out to Colorado?

Brandon:

I knew how to snowboard for the movie. Yeah. Cool.

Allie:

Did all your instincts

Brandon:

I had a definitely did not. Definitely did not. There's definitely a white guy in certain scenes with, like, dark orange, like, makeup on. Yeah. But, knew how to snowboard, knew how to knew how to surf.

Brandon:

Nothing crazy, but, I mean, growing in Southern California, we would yeah. Summers and even winters, we go surfing. The Bear Mountains where I would go growing up. I actually auditioned with a cast on, for Johnny Tsunami because I broke it snowboarding.

Val:

Wow. Oh my god. That's so method.

Brandon:

100%. Exactly. Luckily, our director for the first film was a former stunt guy, and he was like, oh, yeah. Totally. You'll be healed in, like, a month or 2.

Brandon:

Like, not a big deal. And so I think the thing that it kinda helped me. So

Val:

Wow. Now did you get that audition because of The Jungle Book movie that you did, or was it just completely unrelated?

Brandon:

Yeah. Well, yes and no. I don't think I got it because of that. But Jungle Book was, yeah, my my big break, basically. Like, up until that point, I think I've been acting for a year.

Brandon:

I've done some, like, educational videos, which are, like, fine and fun. And I even remember I was, like, telling my my parents, like, hey. I'm not even sure if I wanna do this anymore. I was I grew up playing hockey, and that was, like, my big thing. Oh.

Brandon:

And it started to miss some of, like, hockey practice because of auditions, and, therefore, I was missing I wasn't allowed to play in the games since I was missing the practices, yada yada. And they're like, you know, why don't you just, like, just stick it out for, like, another month? I think I told them this in November. Just stick out to the end of the year. And then if you don't wanna do anymore, then they won't do it.

Brandon:

You know? And this is after, you know, you've been driving these auditions, got an agent, acting classes, the whole thing. And, of course, in that month, I booked Jungle Book, and that was huge. And that kind of to have an 11 year old boy be able to be the star of a movie is, like, a major commodity within the industry. Like, oh, here's a child who can conduct themselves in a mature manner to, yeah, hold down the starring role in movie that that really does engender, like, a lot of faith with everyone moving forward.

Brandon:

And I think I had known the casting directors I think I've done something else. Maybe I've done even Stevens before or not. They they knew me. So I'd auditioned for those, like, for those casting directors previously. But when that one came down the pike, it was just like I mean, you guys probably know.

Brandon:

There's, like, certain roles where you're like, oh, I'm trying really hard to, like, figure this out, to embody this. And sometimes they come along, and you're, like, oh, nope. I totally get this. Mhmm. If If if I if I don't get this, then I'll probably have screwed something up.

Brandon:

Or at least for me, I think back in that day, there are so many roles that I was going out for which were for best friends or love interests with no ethnicity attached to it. Right? So it's like white leads in something, and I am the ethnic best friend, submit all ethnicities. And for this one, it's, like, oh, you're actually mixed ethnicity. You're actually part white.

Brandon:

You're part Asian. You need to know how to snowboard. You know how to surf. Yeah. I I was a brown kid with long hair.

Brandon:

I was like, oh my god. I actually grew up doing Polynesian dancing, so within my I just grew up in this culture of Polynesia and Hawaiian and Samoan. And so there's so many things that were like, oh my god. Like, this is kind of made for me. I still went through, like, I don't know, 5 or 6 rounds of it, and then, yeah, luckily got it.

Allie:

Yeah. Like you said, it was your role to lose.

Brandon:

Totally. Totally.

Allie:

Wow. That's how I feel about every role I auditioned for. And so I can really empathize with you. Good.

Brandon:

Right. Yeah. You were right. Yeah. I mean, it's funny.

Brandon:

Like, I did feel that at the time, and here we are talking about it, like, 10 years later. So, obviously, I could not have envisioned that then, but, yeah, there was something, yeah, I don't know, like, serendipitous.

Allie:

Yeah. So let's go back to, like, even further because we keep kind of just, like, going back in the timeline. So how did you get started in acting in general? Was it something where you were interested in, or was I know your parents were super supportive. Were they, like, hey.

Allie:

We think we should do this?

Brandon:

Yeah. Acting was not a thing that was ever a thing that I was, like, intrinsically like interested in, not that I was against it, but my identities like growing up where I loved art. So, like, drawing, painting, and I love sports, hockey, soccer. And then my family also did Polynesian dancing. So my mom would dance.

Brandon:

My sister dance. My dad was a drummer. I eventually became a drummer later on in life, but was a dancer at that time like compete. And yeah, and we had a bunch of friends in this community in Southern California. Yeah, it was really cool.

Brandon:

It's a random, but back to what I said before it started Random life, but, yeah, really, really cool. And through that, we met a couple of fam now family friends. And one of them was this girl who's about my age, and she got a part in the movie. Few other people got a part through this, this yeah. This dance troupe in another movie that had I think it's called Rapa Nui.

Brandon:

So it was about Polynesian dancers anyway. But that was kind of our entry. My mom basically talked to me and my brother and sister saying, like, hey, do you wanna try this? You know, maybe get a commercial, help pay for college. We're like, sure.

Brandon:

My brother was actually really, really good at it. Yeah. He was a total ham, but he, like, refused to, like, take any direction, very disagreeable, so he didn't work out. My sister was shy, so she just hated it from the get go. And yeah.

Brandon:

And honestly, I I happen to be decent at it. I happen to be pretty good at it. I was a pretty competitive kid. So, like, I kind of approached it in the same way of sports where it's like, oh, I'm gonna try my ass off. And I've told this story before.

Brandon:

Like looking back, I would go to these auditions and I would be like this little sociopath actor kid in my head, like, like, I'm gonna I'm gonna fucking kill these other kids. Like, I'm hearing what you're saying in some shit. You know? I'm like, like, anyway, it served me well. Yeah.

Brandon:

So I think I just happened to be, you know, and also going back to the therapy thing is like, oh, yeah. When I'm good at things, I receive love. So I'm a people pleaser. I'm really competitive. I have an, I have a decent natural talent.

Brandon:

I was, I guess, pretty mature. So like in terms of like talking to adults being professional, that was something ever since I was little, I was always. At a, at a, like a party with my parents talking to the adults rather than the kids. So I think that's also a component. And then the 5th one would be honestly just lucky, like jungle book comes along.

Brandon:

I happen to be. I happen to have not had puberty yet. I have long hair. I'm I'm pretty like skinny. I'm pretty thin.

Brandon:

You know, had I been taller, had I been shorter, lighter, darker, whatever, that thing would have passed me by, and I would never have met you guys. Oh, wow. Definitely one of those sliding door moments of, like, that's crazy. Because there's as you guys know, there's so many talented people out there. And if the timing isn't right, then it just doesn't happen, whether that's in acting or in meeting the love of your life or whatever.

Brandon:

Mhmm. And for whatever reason, that intersected and yeah.

Allie:

Brandon Baker gonna make me try on my own podcast.

Brandon:

Yeah. I

Val:

was having an existential crisis over here.

Allie:

I already have therapy this week. Okay.

Val:

That's so cool. Like, it's cool that, like, it was kind of a casual things. I feel like a lot of kids are kind of inserted into the industry, like, in a really forceful way by their parents, or even if, like, it starts with the kids' interest, like, the parents kind of end up taking over in terms of the, like, interest or, like, pushing. So it's cool that, like, you were kind of in the driver's seat from start to finish. And you Yeah.

Val:

I mean, yeah. It's

Brandon:

such a complex web, the whole kid actor thing. I mean, going shout out to therapy for the 3rd time in what, 5 minutes in the podcast.

Allie:

Rule of threes. We can't mention it again.

Brandon:

Improv. But, yeah, you know, it's I would not have gotten into it without my well, without my mom kind of really spearheading it. Right? Because she's driving me back and forth. And so I really commend my mom on like, my dad's personality is not one to kinda go out there and put himself out there, but my mom definitely is.

Brandon:

So had it not been for her ambition in that moment to, like, hey. Let's try this. This might be cool. Then it would have never happened, which I've definitely thought about, like, If I'm not spirit if I had not spearheaded it, then I would not have had these amazing experiences. So definitely a ton of gratitude for for that.

Brandon:

Also, it was really complicated. Like, for a long time, I'm trying to extrapolate, like, what my childhood was and trying to tinker with, like, who who am I? Do I like this acting thing, or is it just what I know? You know, it, like, it became my identity. Yeah.

Brandon:

And again, before I even hit puberty. So my ability to kind of, you know, chart my own path was, like, hard for a long time because I felt like I like, who was I within that? But my parents always yeah. It wasn't anything that, like, they were making me do. And honestly, what happened is, like, Jungle Book took off.

Brandon:

I I hit that. We were all stoked about it. And then my career just, like, totally took off for, like, the next, I don't know, 6, 7 years. There's no way that anyone could have predicted that. Like, the the probability, you know, the sheer numbers of that happening is just so wild that they couldn't have known.

Brandon:

And, yeah, they they were, like I was very, like like, in retrospect, like, super thankful for, they never pulled me out of school. I went, like, through public school. Throughout my entire acting career, which I'm really glad I did not to say that it wasn't without like its own complexities there as well. But yeah, I definitely would go to these auditions and see these kids, you know, who would move out to LA for 6 months with their mom live in an apartment, you know, and my fiance and I talk now about like, Hey, you know, what if our kid wanted, she will ask me, like, what if our kid wants to be an actor? Which I say is, like, they would have to prove to me, like, without a shadow of a doubt that they are so committed to this, that they that they want to do this, that, like, this is their calling, that this is, like, the most important thing to them.

Brandon:

And even then, I don't even know. Yeah. Even then, it's like Yeah.

Val:

You know? Yep.

Brandon:

Like, it's just weird to, like, have a kid working, honestly, in any facet, in anywhere. Right? Mhmm. I think you would want to have your kids have the opportunity to, like, live out their dreams. But so then do that within your 18.

Brandon:

You know what I mean? Right.

Allie:

It's such a complicated thing now. I've been thinking about that a lot recently, especially because, you know, we review all these movies, which are mainly, you know, child actors. But thinking about it, it is it's a lot.

Val:

Yeah. Yeah. And my husband and I like, we just had a a baby. She's 5 months old. And, like, my husband

Brandon:

Oh my god. Congrats. Thank you. You're hosting a podcast. What?

Brandon:

How is this possible? Okay?

Val:

Yeah. She's upstairs. Dad's making it happen right now.

Allie:

Oh, nice. Mom's doing things.

Val:

So yes.

Brandon:

Let's go. Let's go.

Val:

Yeah. And he's also an actor and an improviser. And so, like, we've had lots of conversations about, like, you know, do we want her to be in this industry in any capacity? Like, would we even if she was super interested, would we wanna let her? You know, like, it's it's so kind of iffy, and, like, it's funny because, you know, we'll try and catch some her doing something funny on camera, and she immediately stops every time.

Val:

We're like, perfect. Great. Great. Not a performance. Good.

Brandon:

Yeah. There we go. Yeah. So, I mean, well, especially with having 2 actor parents, You know, she's gonna grow up in an environment seeing how cool that is and seeing the beautiful and it's gonna be just a part of literally who she is by environment, but also by, like, epigenetics and everything that you're passing on to her. I True.

Brandon:

Have you guys figured out? Yeah. Like, like, are you gonna be like, yeah. Great. D and all the plays.

Brandon:

Yes. Yeah. We go to the theater camps. Right.

Val:

We do the musicals. Yes. Exactly. Like, I love for that. Let's do stage.

Val:

Stage is good.

Brandon:

Yeah. Well, what if what if a movie comes through and and she wants to audition for a movie that's being filmed in town? Would you Wow.

Val:

I think I if she if she she I love it. No. I love it. No. No.

Val:

I'm no. I'm I like, we've thought a lot about this. I think, personally, I you know, not having my husband's input on this, like, I think if she were really interested, like, if she came to us and was like, I saw this audition. I wanna do it. Like, whatever.

Val:

I think I would probably let her because I want her to be able to pursue something that's important to her, but I will be on that set every second. Like, there I'm not letting her out of my sight for one moment of that entire shoot because, like, after, you know, all these awful documentaries and everything, like, just there's no way. And even without that, it's just, like, I just want her to be, like, protected and supported through the process because it is such a weird life. Like and it's really cool that, like, you were able to go to regular school and, like, have some semblance of, like, a normal day to day because I think for a lot of child actors, that's just not the case. And I think it really does have long term effects on them, and I don't want that for her.

Val:

So, yeah, that's my answer.

Allie:

And I'm not having kids.

Val:

Well, that is a very cool and interesting start to your story. So let's talk a little bit about like, what it was like to actually be on set and, like, do like, make Johnny Tsunami. Because, like, I imagine it was probably very fun to film that movie.

Brandon:

Yeah. Really, really cool. Yeah. Definitely one of the most fun sets I've ever been a part of. I think to that point, so I've done Jungle Book.

Brandon:

I was on TV show on NBC, Saturday mornings called 1 world. It was almost like, stay by the bell of a new class, Mhmm. You know, shot in front of a live studio audience, which is really, really cool. Wow. Awesome experience.

Brandon:

But in both of those cases, and I had done some other, like, smaller things, but both of those cases, I was the only kid on set. The Jungle Book, obviously, there's Sher Khan, right, and a bunch of monkeys and an elephants, and a bunch of adults. And same thing with that TV show that one world is about 6 adopted kids of different multi ethnic backgrounds. I was the youngest brown ambiguous one. But one my my character's name is Cray, which stood for Crayola, meaning, like, all of the colors.

Brandon:

This is no joke. This is not Oh. Literally what it was. Yeah. I know.

Brandon:

Yeah. Different times. Different times. But every other kid who was on there was either 17 or 18 who had already gotten their GED or is 25 playing 17, 16.

Val:

Wow.

Brandon:

So even on that set, I was like, the only kid is just me and my studio teacher, you know, just losing my mind with a 6 year old woman all day. No offense to her. She was awesome, but I'm just like, ah, this is the worst. Yeah. And then finally, Johnny saw me was like, oh, there's other kids here on the set.

Brandon:

This is really cool. They're also pretty cool kids. We have that in common. And, yeah, of course, we're in Hawaii surfing, and we're in Utah snowboarding. So, yeah, it was pretty awesome.

Val:

That's so cool. Are there any, like, fun standout memories from that shoot?

Brandon:

Yeah. Yeah. There are there are. So we are staying in Utah. And in Utah, who played my grandfather, we're staying in this hotel, as we're shooting there.

Brandon:

And he was training Karl Malone, famous basketball player. At the same time, I'm a huge basketball fan. So at that point in my life, I'm maybe 13 and get to meet Karl Malone is, like, 6, 9, Ā£270, like a dinosaur man. So we got to meet him. That was really cool.

Brandon:

Met Kirsten Dunce in, the jacuzzi at that same time.

Val:

Wow.

Brandon:

I think she was filming The Crow 2 at the same time. And, yeah, again, you don't you don't know who anybody is in this. I mean, Kirsten does was, like, oh, she's a nice person. I think I knew her from I know what I knew her from. Maybe Jumanji or something.

Brandon:

Mhmm.

Allie:

You know?

Brandon:

And I was like, oh, that's cool. And then, like, that's another, like, weird random story that I tell from that. I do remember a couple of, like, fun things about the actual filming. Yeah. Me and Lee Thompson Young totally bonded.

Brandon:

He was a year older than me, and he's just cooler than me, and it was just cool to just be around him. You know? He was like my cool older brother, older cousin. And so I remember there was a Busta Rhymes, like, album or rather CD that just came out at that time, and the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill dropped at that time. Oh, wow.

Brandon:

He would have memorized every single word of that of both of those CDs. So singing and rapping. And then he would constantly encourage me to like freestyle rap, which I thought was like the coolest thing ever. I was like total dog shit at it, but it was a ton of fun. And then I guess for like the filming itself, is a really cool aspect of it.

Brandon:

So we would obviously like snowboard down for like a lot of the scenes, but it would take too long for us to go down to like the ski lift to go back up. So what they did is they had these, snowmobiles with ropes at the end of them, and we would basically snowmobile up the mountain being towed on our snowboards. So we snowboarded up the mountain on snowboards, which I've never done before then. It was, like, so cool. Yeah.

Brandon:

Exactly. It's exactly. So that was your ad.

Val:

That is so fun.

Allie:

That sounds like a nightmare for me.

Val:

I think it sounds fun. I would do that. That sounds awesome.

Allie:

At the bottom. I'll have a beer by the fireplace.

Brandon:

Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

Val:

Very

Allie:

cool. There was a long or not a very long, but I'm sure you weren't expecting a second movie after you filmed the first one. So how did 8 years apart. Yeah. So how did, like, the process of, like, coming back for the second one happen?

Allie:

And I don't think you I don't know if you listened to that episode or not, but I did say that you were a very good actor in it, and I know that because I did relisten to that part of what I said about you today. So you're welcome. Wow.

Brandon:

Thank you. Wow.

Val:

Incredible.

Brandon:

Thank you. Mhmm. Yeah. A, I don't know if I've ever rewatched the second one, because I don't think I did a good job on it. So thank you for sending that.

Brandon:

Good. No.

Val:

I think you did.

Brandon:

I I did no. I literally don't even know. So that's the person I've heard of that. So I will yeah. Therapy for the fourth time, but change that narrative within

Allie:

myself. Yes. Yes. Creating your own reality that you were good in the movie.

Brandon:

Exactly. I'm awesome. I'm an incredible actor. No. We were actually supposed to do a sequel before then.

Brandon:

And then the tsunamis happened in Southeast Asia, which is why the second film is not Johnny Tsunami 2. So there was this there was another script that first Johnny Tsunami did so well. There was we're gonna either do a sequel, I don't know, a few years afterwards, or a TV show. They're like, you know, there's something here. People are really, like, responding to it.

Brandon:

Disney Channel was still young. So, like, it wasn't really a thing yet. I think

Allie:

Right.

Brandon:

Even, like, I went back to high school, and people are still talking about 1 World, the NBC show, or Jungle Book more. No one noticed. I mean, rarely do people come up and be like, oh my god. Crave from 1 world. Like, that doesn't ever happen.

Brandon:

And but Disney Channel was, like, totally gaining steam. So had a script and everything, and then that totally got shelved. I was like, dang. That's a bummer. That's probably not gonna happen.

Brandon:

And then clearly, someone somewhere in some boardroom meeting was like, hey. You know, we need to, like, tap in on that Johnny tsunami IP. We'll just rename it. Yeah. And I was, I think, a junior in college at the time or maybe it's maybe my senior year in college.

Brandon:

And so it was kind of out of the blue. Yeah. I kind of I'd been acting in a few things maybe, like, once a year that I, like, take off a quarter and go act in something, but was already starting to kind of, like, is this what I wanna do? Who do I wanna be? Yada yada, that whole thing.

Brandon:

But then, yeah, I got the call to do that. We found it in New Zealand, which was incredible. So that was, like, super, super cool. Yeah. Yeah.

Brandon:

And got to kinda, like, hang out with, like, my old family, which was really rad. Yeah. Yeah. There are parts of it that were different. Obviously, Lee Thompson and Mozanana with a different director.

Brandon:

But there's a lot of, like, of the same people there. Yuji Okamoto, who who plays my dad in in the film, he's an awesome guy. We were really close on both movies and still a friend. And, yeah, it was really cool to, like, hang out with them and, yeah, just kind of meet up with the whole gang 8 years later, which is, which is wild. So to go from 13 to 21 was

Allie:

a very difficult experience.

Brandon:

Yeah. Totally. Yeah.

Val:

Yeah. I I I just listened to that episode too. And I I was, remarked on how your like, the family dynamic felt very lived in. Like, it felt realistic that, like, that amount of time had passed and, like, you know, all this stuff that had happened in the first movie had, like, affected, like, the relationships that you guys had. And it it's really cool.

Val:

It's, like, it almost it was serendipitous in a way that it took so long because I think that, like, you were more grown up. And I think that that was, like, a really fun dynamic with, like, you and the actors playing your parents and and grandfather. So it kind of, I, in my opinion, worked out.

Brandon:

Most people wanna talk about Johnny tsunamis. The fact that we're having a Johnny Kapoleh conversation is, like, this is great. I've not really heard this before. So thank you for sharing. Yeah.

Val:

Yeah. Of course. Also, it's really fun and and not actually very surprising to find out that the guy who played your dad is actually a really nice person because he is, like, the most loathsome person for, like,

Brandon:

the first 75% of Johnny Zunami. He is. He is. And he's the bad guy in, in Karate Kid. So, like, everyone hated

Val:

him before

Brandon:

that. Mhmm. But, like, just a sweetheart of a man married in Seattle, has 3 girls Oh. As all evil villains do. Yeah.

Val:

That's so funny. It's always the people who play the best villains who are actually, like, the nicest people on Earth.

Brandon:

Correct. Correct.

Val:

That's so cool. Wow.

Brandon:

Do you

Allie:

keep in contact with a lot of your old costars, or are you just like I kind of see them as, like, Internet friends where, like, I'll respond to your Instagram story or you know, like, we're friends, but not, like, in constant contact.

Brandon:

Totally. Yeah. I think it would have been interesting had, like, most of my career occurred as I was an adult. And so I think, perhaps, I don't really know, that those friendships would be, yeah, I don't know, a little bit more, like, lived in. I guess when, like, a lot of these relations were established is, like, I didn't have a driver's license, didn't live in LA.

Brandon:

Right? So, like, really meet up with everyone. It's like, oh, I'm counting on my mom to, like, put together a play date or whatever. Right. And, obviously, as you guys know, like, being on a show or a film or whatever, yeah, you are a family for 3 months or 6 months, and then everyone just spends.

Brandon:

And everyone goes and joins another family for 3 months Mhmm. 6 months. There is I mean, going back to another weird component of the industry, at least within, like, film and TV, it's like, I think a lot of industry does get a better app about being fake, which, of course, there is a major component to that, with the culture of it. Obviously, everyone's job is literally to to fake things, to, like, act. So there's that component of it.

Brandon:

You're, like, constantly working to portray yourself, yada yada yada. But then also, there's a lot of this, like, really forming these close bonds with people. And then you might not see those people ever again because not ever again, but they're gonna go do their own thing, you know, and they're gonna work on their movie for a year or 2 years or whatever. Yeah. And so there is a lot of, like, oh, we're close, and then we're, like, torn apart.

Brandon:

So you kinda just get used to that to some degree.

Val:

Yeah.

Brandon:

Maybe that's my experience, so maybe that's just

Allie:

just me. That's fair, and you kind of grew up in a time where social media wasn't super big yet.

Brandon:

Right.

Allie:

If you if you had grown up now where, like, you have your own Instagram and you're 11 years old, it's a little easier to, like, keep in contact with people instead of calling their house phone and getting their sister. You know?

Brandon:

Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. I think I got my Facebook page while I was in college.

Val:

Yeah. Wow. I I read on the Internet, and, you know, we can trust everything on the Internet, that you studied film in college. Is that true?

Brandon:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I did.

Brandon:

UC Santa Barbara.

Val:

What aspect of, film were you looking to to do?

Brandon:

So that was kind of in the infancy of their film department. So it's film theory. So basically, I started to be a critic, which Oh. So you love your podcast. Well, here's the thing is I so I never wanted to be an actor, but I always loved film, and I still love film.

Brandon:

Like, that is the one of the big things. There's several things that I miss about living in LA. But one of the things I really do miss is, like, how much of a movie culture there is. Right. So people go to the movies, we'll talk about movies.

Brandon:

Movies are important. They're. You know, they're they're fra these, these stories are fabrics of our relationships with one another in certain ways. And out here in Denver, not as much. Right?

Brandon:

It's like, no. I'm gonna I run ultra marathons, you know. I've never sat down and watched the movie ever. But yeah. But I I love what stories are.

Brandon:

I I still definitely love it as an art form. I think now they've expanded to have a more actually, like, practical, like, filmmaking, department. But back then, it was more of yeah. The history of film. And because it made sense now, like, if I could go back and do it differently, I think I would have majored in something else, because it's kinda going back to that component of, like, is this what I love doing or is this just what I know?

Brandon:

And, of course, at that time, I was still acting, so it made sense for my life. Like, okay. This is probably fruitful to know moving forward. But I think the thing that I love most about acting was just honestly investigating people, to, like, understand why a person is, to, yeah, to really getting to know a character and also to connect with someone else. Like, there's those moments that you guys obviously know about when you're in a scene and you experience kind of like a flow state where you're not even there in a lot of ways.

Brandon:

You're just channeling or something. There's, like, an authentic moment or an authentic laugh, and you are just being you're, like, kind of gone just in it. And that's the fucking best. And that is what I really really liked about acting. And so I think I was more interested in people rather than film per se.

Brandon:

So I think if I could go back, I'd probably, I don't know, sociology or something psychology, which even that is like, what do you do with that? But that I

Val:

think you'd be a therapist.

Brandon:

Right. There we go. Exactly. Exactly. Which honestly, yeah, therapy is super interesting.

Brandon:

Mhmm. But film still yeah. Love films, go to go to films all the time, and, yeah, will forever be a a film head for sure.

Allie:

Well, that makes sense though that you are really interested in people, and it takes you to what you're doing now, which is officiating weddings, which hello, fellow officiant. Nice to meet you.

Brandon:

Oh, really? Oh, my god. By. Wow.

Allie:

Okay. Probably way less than you have. But, even from this last, you know, like, hour ish of me talking with us, you're so personable. And I think that you liking people is really helpful for getting to know a couple that you've probably never met before. And how quickly can I connect with these people to know what they like about each other, to know what I can see about them?

Allie:

And I've, I just give you many compliments about that because you're very personable and, very well spoken as well. So if you ever need 2 people to bring to a wedding, you can bring me and Val. We'll just sit in the back, and we'll just listen

Brandon:

to it. Someone to fill in for me. You know? I'll hit you up

Val:

and be

Brandon:

like, hey. Let me know. Number 6. Come on down. Exactly.

Val:

Let me know. I'm technically ordained too. I've never used it, but I also am capable of need Awesome.

Allie:

We're starting a business.

Brandon:

What a fruitful conversation this is for me. Yeah. First of all, let's go back. Ali, incredible segue. Just let's let's be honest.

Brandon:

That was really, really good. But, yeah, I think the efficient team thing is, as I mean, as you know, it's so cool. It's so cool to be up there in that moment with I'm I'm assuming people that you know quite well and are really close to. I just married, like, 2 of my best friends last weekend, which was awesome and so emotional. Like, but one of the highlights of my weekend was as the bride, my friend, Tessa, she gets up to, like, the thresholds, you know, with her dad and she pauses there.

Brandon:

And so I see her looking at my best friend, Jake, in the foreground, and I see them see each other for first time. And to be there in the moment is just, like, insane. You know, like, to I just I for whatever reason, I hadn't thought that I was gonna have that viewpoint. Let alone be there in the middle of them, but that was just so cool. But, yeah, especially for people that I don't know.

Brandon:

You know, like, there's I've done enough weddings now. I've done it for 5 or 6 years at this point where yeah. You know, like, I I know that I have a job to do, and therefore, sometimes, I'm not as emotionally affected. There's also other times, I married a couple, I think, 2 days ago. And their vows were just incredible.

Brandon:

And there was maybe 10 friends there with them. And just the collective energy of everyone there was just so palpable to the point where, like, I had to check myself. I'm like, I need to, like if I can take care of my shit right now, I have a job to do. I need to keep mine correct. But yeah.

Brandon:

I I think it's been so amazing for me in so many ways. It's been yeah. Like, it's so amazing to to be around people in love when you get a couple that are clearly should get married, and that is totally subjective. Don't get me wrong. I've married couples that really are not verbal at all.

Brandon:

I'm not even, like, feel comfortable staring each other, like, in the eyes for 10 minutes, but I know for sure that they will be there for each other for the rest of their lives. That's something that I've learned. There's so many different like types of love, but when you get to people that are like very expressive and know why they love each other, They're both crying up there. It's just, like, the best. You know, I go home to, like, my relationships, and I take that with me.

Brandon:

And, like, yes, I think it makes me, like, a better partner when I come home because I am soft and I am reminded of, like, you know, how amazing that is, that that connection. And then to further finish out my thoughts, yes, the officianting thing has been really cool and how it in a retrospect, I see how many paths have led me to this point that makes sense for me now where, I've always loved people and connection. It's it's always been interesting to me. Even spirituality is we've talked a little bit about. I I find the idea of, like, why we choose the people that we choose Incredible.

Brandon:

You know, my a friend was asking me and my fiance the other day, like, how did you know? And, yeah, there is a logistical part of it. Like, you know, like, it does make sense in this way. There's an emotional part. I feel these things.

Brandon:

There's a timing aspects. We met each other in the right time. And there is a nebulous other thing, where there is just a knowing. Right? Just knew this is where I was supposed to be at the right time with the right person for no reason.

Brandon:

I'm supposed to be here doing this thing with with this person. And it's yeah. And so, like, that component is really cool to be a part of. Obviously, being an actor previously helps me out with the performance aspect of it. I love that I get to write this book myself, so I don't say anything that isn't me.

Brandon:

So if I'm performing, I'm still performing as me, which feels really, really good. Yeah. And then just being out in nature, people in love. Pretty awesome. Wow.

Brandon:

So it's I'm so thankful. It's like, I obviously never dreamed of, like, oh, I'm gonna be in a wedding officiant Yeah. Every Monday. That was never anything that I had in my mind's eye, but I'm yeah. I'm so grateful that it's that it's found me.

Val:

How did that happen?

Brandon:

My sister got married 6 years ago, asked me to be be the officiant for her wedding. And a friend of mine actually, my friend, Tessa, who just got married last week, she's working a 9 to 5, and she was working on the weekends, just supplemental income every now and then doing a wedding with this kind of, like, smaller company out here. And I asked her to help me with that with that ceremony for my sister. It went really, really well. I was like, oh, this is really, really cool.

Brandon:

Maybe, you know, if they have if they need extra people, this will be cool action come for me and just something to try out. 3 months later, that company, like, rapidly expanded and asked me to go full time, which I was like, what does that, what does that even mean? What do you mean full time? Full time wedding officiant? Yeah.

Brandon:

And then ever since then, I've been yeah, marrying a 152 100 couples a year. Wow. Yeah. It's wild. I know it's wild.

Brandon:

I mean, obviously, people get married all the time. Right? Yeah. Okay. Mathematically, that makes sense, but people just wanna come out to Colorado and get married out in the mountains, which I totally get.

Brandon:

And so I get to join them out there for that.

Allie:

That's amazing.

Val:

That is so fun.

Allie:

One of my friends, her coworker, you married.

Brandon:

Incredible. Out of Colorado?

Allie:

Yes. Because I was like, oh my god, you guys. I'm interviewing Brandon Baker. And she was like, oh, he officiated my friend's wedding. I don't know her name, but shout out to her.

Brandon:

Shout out to her. Yeah. So many people want to be out here. It's beautiful out here. But it has actually expanded.

Brandon:

So I'm now traveling to different states and to different countries, marrying people, which is really cool too. I mean, as we talked before this started, you told me that apparently there is a TikTok of me marrying some people that has been going viral. So it's it's really cool how organically it's just happened. I mean, there's been some weddings where people don't know who I am. They're like, oh, Brandon Baker, Probably some white guy that's gonna be marrying us somewhere, and then I show up.

Brandon:

And they're like, wait a minute. Like, are you and I get to blow their mind on their day, which is such a really cool cherry on top for that day. But yeah. But my fiance and I, we actually got engaged in Hawaii. We were out in Hawaii because I did 2 weddings out there.

Brandon:

And so she just thought we're gonna go on, like, a work trip with you to fit that in. So, yeah, it's I don't know. It's I'm very lucky and, yeah, stoked on it.

Allie:

How did you meet your fiance?

Brandon:

Through through the algorithm. Through the beautiful algorithm of Hinge.

Allie:

There it is. There it is.

Brandon:

We're we're coming out of the pandemic. She had just moved here. She got on, like, a 6 year relationship. She moved here from the East Coast. And her very first date after that long term relationship, very first date out here in Colorado was was our first date.

Brandon:

And she messed up because she she didn't have a car out here. She's an East Coast girl. Didn't have a car. And she so she had her, like, distance parameters to, like, the the smallest amount possible. For whatever reason, messed up.

Brandon:

I was living in Boulder at the time, which is, like, a 45 minute drive away. And, yeah, I slept in there. Yeah. Talked her up. We had our first dates, and, yeah, here we are.

Brandon:

A few months out from our wedding. Oh

Val:

my gosh. Congratulations. That's

Brandon:

Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. We're excited.

Val:

Are you getting married in Hawaii or

Brandon:

Not getting married in Hawaii. We're getting married out here in Colorado. So I'm West Coast, she's East Coast. Right. Sure.

Brandon:

That's fair for everyone where we met. Even our wedding day is gonna we're doing something a little different where we're kind of tune this, like, deconstructed progressive wedding that are just kind of taking all of our guests on a little tour of some of our favorite spots in Colorado. So it's definitely unconventional, but it's, like, a lot of nature and a lot of outside. We're basically doing a sunrise wedding, like, on this, like, mountain top where we, like, kinda nearby our very first hike. And we're doing a a breakfast reception at, like, at another park that, like, you know, means something to us.

Brandon:

Hopefully, it's a beautiful day. Fingers crossed. Then we're gonna jump into a creek that I used to live by that we would like jumping all the time. So midday creek jump at halftime for everybody. So everybody does their own thing.

Brandon:

We're gonna take some pictures. We're gonna grab food. Everybody got food. We're meeting up at night in Denver for, like, happy hour hors d'oeuvres, and then heading out at night to, like, basically, the the place where we held hands for the first time. We're gonna go out dancing and partying.

Brandon:

So Oh. Yeah.

Val:

Wow. That sounds really fun.

Allie:

Alright. Well, I'll buy new hiking boots since I'm on my way.

Brandon:

You see 2 of us with the light just sort of Yeah.

Allie:

Yeah. We'll leave it there.

Val:

Just slowly.

Allie:

Nice. Awesome. Creek, midday creek jump.

Val:

I have my GoPro. I'm ready.

Allie:

Who are you having officiate your wedding?

Val:

Oh, good question.

Brandon:

One of my best friends out here. So the guy that actually just married last week, because his now wife was an officiant, and I'm an officiant. He's seen so many weddings. Now it's like now he's up to 9. You know what you're doing?

Brandon:

Excited for. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

Brandon:

Yeah. He's gonna do great.

Allie:

Wow. That is so exciting. Congratulations.

Brandon:

Thanks. Yeah. We're we're excited.

Val:

Oh, cool. That's awesome. I not to to completely pivot back to decon stuff. Well, I guess, to do that. I I I'm curious, like, do you get recognized a lot?

Val:

Like, does does it sort of has being a part of, like, the decom legacy, like, does it, like, affect your daily life?

Brandon:

Yeah. Yeah. It's it's crazy. I I I still do. I mean, it's 20 years later.

Brandon:

I think I, a, like, I look like me still. Right? So some people grow older and they don't. I I cannot grow a beard. I'm trying my ass off for 20

Allie:

years. It's

Brandon:

not possible. I still have a ton of hair. And I think also it's because I live out here in Colorado where everyone is a skier or snowboarder. So just within the culture, it's like people know that movie. And also, I'm a brown guy, honestly.

Brandon:

It's like I'm a brown guy, so I think I stick out here even a little bit more because of that as well. But, yeah, it's, it's remarkable. I think that those movies got played so much that some people will be like, oh my god. I know you're from Johnny Stomp. I love that that that TV show.

Brandon:

And I was like, oh, you know, it's not a TV show. It's actually movie. They're like, no, no, no, no, no. It's it's, it's a TV show. I'm like, no, no, it wasn't.

Brandon:

They just played it so much that you just bought it because it was on all the time. It must've been a serialized TV show. Or even sometimes peep like, people feel like, sometimes people are like, hey, I know you're from somewhere. Did you go to, like, so and so high school? And I'm like, no.

Brandon:

I didn't. Like, where where do I know you from? I'm like, you know, well, I used to be an actor for a long time. Where do I know you're from? Oh, well, I was in Josh Tom or Jungle Book.

Brandon:

They're like, no. No. No. That's not it. I don't know.

Brandon:

That's someone else. Someone else. You did you go to hide somewhere? And so some people was just like, my face is just because I've been berated by Disney Channel playing the movie incessantly that I they feel like I'm just in there to the point where when people do know me as Johnny Tsunami, and because Johnny is such a nice guy that they assume that I'm a really nice guy. Luckily, I think I am a pretty nice guy, but people are so but people are so welcoming because it's like our friendship, like my friendship with them started when they were 10, you know, or 5 or whatever.

Brandon:

And so it is just like this thing where it's like, ah, you are like this long lost friend of mine, which is so cool. I was just an actor auditioning for a part and to have that now be how people think about, how strangers think about me is just Wow. Wild.

Allie:

Do you ever say no? Do you ever say no? That's not me?

Brandon:

I don't anymore. I did back in the day. When I was a kid, when I was a teenager and, like, was not able to really handle it in the best way that I now would've or would've liked to. There's a period of time where, like, things got a little bit you know, I just got a lot. It was like, I was on that TV show every Saturday morning, giant tsunami had come out.

Brandon:

Remember, there's one time I was at an amusement park. We're, like, waiting in line, you know, those lines that, like, snake back and forth. And so we go me and a buddy go through one part of the line, and someone recognized me once, like, sign an autograph and whatever. The the next time 3 more people do and want to take pictures, there's as well, and it keeps on that way to the point where we finally ride the roller coaster, we get off, and there's, like, 70, 80 kids waiting for me after. You know, teenagers, so, like some of them are really cool and some of them totally suck, you know, to the point where I look at my butt and I'm like, run.

Brandon:

And we just like, book it. But but going back, you know, Val to like your daughter and her, you know, future career as an as a child actor, It is one of those things where it's like, I was on a Disney Channel movie, and so I have experienced this ever so slight little bit of, like, I guess, fame, but but a lack of anonymity. Right? Where people, like, know me in certain places. I can only imagine that my career took off even in the even bigger ways.

Brandon:

Like, I auditioned for for Twilight. I auditioned for Jacob. Wow. So, obviously, didn't get the part. Right?

Brandon:

Whatever. Totally fine. Had I gotten that part

Allie:

Your life would be completely different. Completely different.

Val:

Wow. That's wild.

Brandon:

So it's one of those other, like, the Jungle Book was Sliding Doors moment. And not to say that it was down to me and Taylor Lautner for, like, the for that part. It wasn't like that. I auditioned a couple of times, whatever. But that's another sliding door of, like Yeah.

Brandon:

That would have been a cool life, and also thank God that didn't happen. Because then, runaway train, I'm probably in the entertainment industry for the rest of my life.

Allie:

Yep. I mean,

Brandon:

never move out to California. Maybe I get to contend with those identity issues in another way, but probably would put that off for a long time. Yeah.

Val:

Wow. That is wild. Yeah.

Brandon:

It is wild.

Allie:

It goes to show that when you were a kid, you probably were super upset that you didn't book that part for Twilight or however old you were. You know what? Some some part of you were was like, man, I really wanted that, you know, part and then now looking back, you're like, oh my god. Thank god. Everything happens for no reason.

Brandon:

Yeah. I mean, I think for a long time, I had this idea of my life being these 2, you know, different, diverting paths of, like, who I would have been had I not been an actor. Because there's a time where my my life got really overwhelming when I was younger. I was working 40 hours a week, going to school full time, You know, and I'm like, yeah, 13. Yeah.

Brandon:

I'm trying to like make out for my first time, you know, like that's, that's actually what was important to me. And for a long time I thought like, yeah, like, cause even like my, my friend group splinter, cause I was working so much, you know, I mean, yeah, I stayed in in public school by doing the assignments and being home like that TV show we would film 3 weeks in a row and then we'd have 1 week hiatus, than this. 3 weeks. So I would come back and be there for a week, but so much of life happens and Mhmm. People are like, you know, other kids are like, why the hell does this guy get to, like, just show up for, like, a week and then, like, peace out, like, this is bullshit.

Brandon:

Screw this guy. Fair. I totally get it now. At the time, I was like, hey. Why is everyone, like, pulling me in all these directions?

Brandon:

Yeah. But yeah.

Val:

Well, it's, you know, it's funny because I I'm sure, Al, you and I have had this conversation before, but, like, there's there's always a question among, like, actors or people in the arts of, like, how famous would you actually wanna be? Like, what's your, like, ideal level of famous? And I'm always, like, I wanna be Flo from the insurance commercials famous. Right? Like, a good paycheck, but, like, when you're out of costume, nobody's really gonna, like, recognize you.

Brandon:

I don't know. I'm sure Flo is getting, like, beers center, her, like, left and

Allie:

right.

Brandon:

Maybe so.

Val:

Maybe so.

Brandon:

Enjoy the appetizer, you know.

Val:

But that's the

Brandon:

good kind of thing. Right? Dress. You know, all of that shit all the time. Yeah.

Val:

Maybe so. But she's not getting, like, chased by paparazzi. She's not, you know Correct.

Brandon:

Having to, like,

Val:

run away from 80 people at a a a roller coaster. But, I think that in a way, like, you're like, the decom thing is also, like, a really special kind of fame because it's so specific. Like, it's so niche to this, like, one age group, and, like, one type of kid that, like, watched these movies. Like, I watched these DCOMs. I watched Johnny tsunami all the time.

Val:

And, like, it's it's really special to, like, those of us who, like, took part in that fandom. And now, you know, millennials are known to be, like, so nostalgic and, like, whatever. And so, like, it's just I don't know. It's it's kind of a cool like, I'm sure, you know, at the time when you were a teenager, like you said, like, it was probably a pain in the ass. But, like, I bet now, especially because you're not in LA and, like, you know, not probably inundated all the time.

Val:

Like, it's probably kind of nice. Like, just people, like, remind you that that you were a part of their childhood.

Brandon:

Yeah. Thank you for bringing back. That's that's the question I need to answer, Ali. It was, yeah, I don't say no anymore. There was a time in which I did because it was like, kind of overwhelming.

Brandon:

But, but I just didn't get it. I was like, I wanted to be a normal kid and didn't kind of understand the repercussions of that. I remember I met Arnold Schwarzenegger when I was a kid, probably around the same age at a at a planet Hollywood on an audition. My mom has driven me there. We're, like, eating, waiting out traffic or something.

Brandon:

And she's like, oh, Arnold's over there. Are you still asking for an autograph? So I go up to him and I'm like, hey, Arnold. Like, can I get an autograph? He looks at me.

Brandon:

He looks around. He takes autograph and he signs it and he gives it back to me and doesn't really, like, look at me. Kind of changed, like, my perception of him in that moment. Like, I have zero judgment of him now. I totally fucking get it because he's like, oh my god.

Brandon:

Please let me enjoy my dinner with my family. Like, of course, I'm not gonna tell off a little kid. But if I remember that time, like, oh, man. Now I think about him a little bit differently, and, yeah, I don't know. The next couple of years, it clicked in for me that, like, oh, I can either, like, take, you know, 30 seconds out of my day to, like, truly make someone's day, which is isn't that's incredible.

Brandon:

It's, like, wild that I have any say so and how a stranger's day is going. So I can just for 30 seconds, like, because here's the other thing. It's also everyone, like, 98% of the time, like, comes so correct and with, like, nothing but, like, love and appreciation and, like, people are so respectful because of that movie is, you know, because, because Johnny, you know, like sure. Yuji is getting shit somewhere for being such a horrible dad. But because people are so nice, it's like, yeah, definitely 20 years later, it's like, oh, this is like such an amazing thing that I could never even ask for.

Brandon:

I mean, going back to what you're talking about with the millennials thing. I think it's also this really interesting intersection point in in kind of history in this era that we live in, in which we are the remaining people that had monoculture to some degree. Mhmm. Where we all were experiencing something at the same time. And also within our lifetime, the Internet comes of age, social media.

Brandon:

And so now we have platforms and arenas where we can kind of, like, get back together and relive that experience. Now maybe kids in the future will still have that too. But culture is so divided now, where, like, everything is even more niche to where yeah. To find someone who had the same cultural experience as you growing up must be way harder now, I would imagine.

Val:

That's so true.

Brandon:

Yeah. And so, it it's just dumb luck that when we were all 10 at home or 5 or whatever, that we all watched the Disney Channel. And now everyone listens to a podcast, and here we are talking about it. Like, wild. Crazy.

Val:

That is wild.

Allie:

Wow. No. I mean, but you said it I don't know if it was on the recording or not if you had said it before we started recording, but just feel like, if it hadn't happened, we wouldn't have been here today. And I I love that. I love thinking of

Val:

Yeah.

Allie:

Of everything we've done has led us to all of these incredible, like, places in our lives. And if you if you had told me at 8 years old, I'd be interviewing Johnny Sue Nave. You know?

Brandon:

I would never believe.

Allie:

I would never believe. I'm sure you hear a lot of bridesmaid speeches that sound like that. Correct. Unless you unless you leave before that starts. But it's just so cool how, you know, our worlds are just so much smaller than we think.

Allie:

Oh, man. Oh, this is so great.

Val:

I'm so happy.

Brandon:

Yeah. This is awesome. I mean, like, thank you for hitting me up, that you were sliding into the DMs, but also shout out to, like, 8 year old you for, like, making that happen. Wow. I know.

Brandon:

For real. Seriously. Aw. Thanks. Oh.

Brandon:

Healed. He just challenged it.

Val:

This is really just our weekly therapy session.

Brandon:

Right. We're not we're not recording this. No. We're not yet.

Allie:

My therapist is on the line.

Brandon:

And it's Brandon in an alternate timeline. Yeah.

Allie:

Exactly. To go all the way back to your interest in film, do you have, like, a favorite movie, which I know is a very hard question. So if you don't have a favorite movie or one of the last couple years because I feel like movies have changed post pandemic a little bit from all of that. So I'm someone who will watch all of the at least best picture nominees, So I've seen a lot of movies over the last year. So a favorite movie, a favorite DCOM perhaps that you weren't in.

Allie:

You know?

Brandon:

Yeah. I'm looking at my movie lists right now.

Allie:

Are you on Letterbox?

Brandon:

Somewhat. I I just joined Letterbox finally. I don't know why it took me so long. Love Letterbox. Yeah.

Brandon:

So great question. I think my favorite DCOM movie because I didn't really because I was on Johnny Stoney when I was, like, 13. So by the time it, like, really, like, came out, like, 14, 15 wasn't, you know, that wasn't what I was, like, trying to do.

Allie:

It's like Right. Yeah. You already made it out. I was chasing everywhere. Yeah.

Brandon:

Exactly. Right. But brink brink was like, that was my jam for sure.

Allie:

It's my favorite too.

Brandon:

Love brink. Yeah. As a hockey player, like, inline skating, I was like, total. Those guys are cool. Yeah.

Brandon:

Super down for it. Favorite movie? So I I had my birthday probably earlier this year. Not only a big birthday guy, but rented out a movie theater and made everybody dressed up as a character from the movie Pulp Fiction, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. Wow.

Brandon:

Now I know that's kind of a cliched answer, but that was the movie that kind of broke my brain as to what a movie could be. So it came out, you know, in 94, so I was, like, really young. It was, like, inappropriate for me to watch it. I'm sure, like, an older cousin, like, put it on for me, but I'm not. I'd never seen a movie a, do the nonlinear narrative.

Brandon:

That blew my mind. I was like, oh, wow. They can, like, show a movie out of order. Crazy. And to just see such, like, violence and humor and these really extravagant characters talking in this kind of everyday life lived in way.

Brandon:

Mhmm. I just yeah. That really just like that movie was just so colorful and still is for me to, like, this day. I think I was just saying the other day to someone that one of my favorite scenes is when he, Uma Thurman is overdosing. John Travolta is running to his drug dealer's house to get the shot of adrenaline.

Brandon:

And part of that scene is the drug dealer going to look for the shot of adrenaline in another room. You don't actually go into the room with him. You see him run into the room, and he's rummaging around looking for the needle. And his wife is, like, trying to help him, and she's like, well, what are you looking for? He's like, I'm looking for the needle.

Brandon:

And she's like, what needle? He's like, I'm looking for the needle. I was like, well, why don't you put it in a better spot? He never finds a needle in there. It's just it's just a moment in a movie of a couple arguing about where you put the thing that you should have put it so that you can identify it because it's important.

Brandon:

I love that so much because I know what that's like. You know what that's like? So pulp fiction love that. I think Royal Tenenbaums, I've watched, like, that one is, like, huge for me. Mighty Ducks is a hockey player growing up.

Brandon:

That was huge for me. And then I'd say within the last year, I'm trying to think of what I've seen. I really liked, zone of interest was incredible. Oh my god. I've never Good.

Brandon:

I've never heard a movie like that. The score of that film is just so unnerving that like a social historical horror. That's not gruesome at all. Really affecting stayed with me. I think about it, as we should talking about how we all kind of get, can kind of get numb to modern violence.

Brandon:

So very apt. But also I saw Dear Dear God, It's Me, Margaret. Oh. And that movie was incredible. I've never been a 13 year old girl.

Brandon:

I've never had that that that experience in this lifetime, and to get to be a 13 year old girl putting on a bra for the first time and getting to just, like it was, like, so humanizing to just see, I don't know, yeah, what that is like. That was just, I don't know, really was endearing and yeah. And I absolutely love that movie. So

Val:

Yeah. That was a delight.

Allie:

2 great 3 great choices.

Val:

I feel like you're you're in my childhood taste in movies is very similar.

Brandon:

Yeah.

Val:

Yeah. Well, I loved bringing

Brandon:

up What are your thoughts? Yours.

Val:

Like, all of those sporty like, anything. I love Johnny Tsunami. I love, like, anything that was, like, about, like, doing some kind of sport or competition or something like that. Yeah. I fancied myself, like, you know, that like a punk kid.

Val:

So I, like, loved all of that stuff. Nice. Yeah.

Brandon:

Woah. Okay. I'm trying to like envision it on you right now. It's like, you're not a mother of a 5 year old. No, you are, you are a punk kid.

Val:

Right. I know I didn't actually look that much different than I do now. Probably had a few more studs in my belt or whatever. Yeah.

Brandon:

Okay. I'll get

Allie:

And, like, a hat and a flannel.

Val:

Yeah. Well, I wear that now.

Allie:

Yeah. That's true.

Brandon:

And a flannel.

Val:

But yeah. No. I definitely thought I was, like, a punk kid. But it's funny because I grew up skiing, but I would dress like a snowboarder. And I thought I was, like, you know, fooling everybody by, like, being sort of, like, a snowboarder skier.

Val:

But I just took my first snowboarding lesson ever, like, just a couple years ago, and it was really, really fun.

Brandon:

Wow. Okay. Not many people say that actually. Like, you you enjoyed it? It didn't kill you at all.

Val:

No. So I well, I wiped. I ate shit. I, like, had Sure. Like, scraped on my face.

Val:

But, like, I I think that I was actually, like, built for, like, the boarding, like, physicality physicality more than I ever was

Allie:

for skiing.

Val:

I just skied because my dad skied, and that's what he taught me to do when I was, like, 3 years old. Yeah. Yeah. But, like, I always wakeboard it. Like, I've always preferred, like, wakeboarding.

Val:

I always prefer like, anything in that position. Like, even when I ski, sometimes, like, if I'm scared or whatever, I'm, like, shifting my body to be, like, more in that position. So I think that I trip with going on a trip with friends or something. I don't wanna waste a bunch of time having to learn how to snowboard. I just wanna get out there.

Val:

Right? But, I finally just was like, I'm just gonna take the day off work. I'm gonna go to there's, like, a tiny little hill that's, like, 45 minutes north of here, and And I'm just gonna take a lesson from some teenage boy and, you know, like, let him tell me how to do this. And it was really, really fun. And, hopefully, I'll get to do it again someday because it

Brandon:

was Kudos. Yeah. I love it. I I kind of agree with you. I I actually have no idea.

Brandon:

You're you're for me, you're just a head. You're a punk girl head. Right. Right. Right.

Brandon:

Right. But I am not I'm I'm like, I feel like mirrors are, like, more like my like, Allie, you know, like like tall lion as a as a more compact man.

Val:

I'm also compact. Yes.

Brandon:

Yeah. So I'm I'm with you. I I got you.

Allie:

I look like a skier, and I love being inside.

Brandon:

Nice. Nice.

Allie:

I love a winter town, though. I went to Steamboat Springs last year for the first time. Loved it. Loved it. Didn't touch a mountain, but loved it.

Val:

She looked like she was meant to be there. You were very Steamboat aesthetic.

Allie:

Mhmm. And it snowed. We went to the book, you know, the bookstore. We did go to the hot springs. Amazing.

Brandon:

Nice. Mhmm.

Allie:

It was great. Mhmm.

Brandon:

Steamboat and those hot springs are where I asked Nina, my fiance, to be my girlfriend for the first time. Oh. Wow. Wow. Yeah.

Allie:

Wow. Love happens in Steamboat for other people, but not me.

Brandon:

Give it time. The night is young. You know?

Val:

Yeah. Just keep going back.

Allie:

I'll just yeah. I I just need to move to Steamboat.

Brandon:

Yeah. Follow your therapist's advice and move to SEMO.

Allie:

Yeah. That's exactly what she said. That's so funny.

Brandon:

Oh, wow.

Val:

Well, this has been incredible. The only other thing I wanted to ask you about, because I think you mentioned it before we started recording, is your band that you're in.

Brandon:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Brandon:

So, yeah. I'm in a band. We are called The Cheeks. We're a couple of cheeky fellows out here in Colorado. Yeah.

Brandon:

It has been another just random chapter and a series of random chapters that has been my life. And I love that about my life. Yeah. Music was something that I I I love still and I've always loved. I've always really loved film and I've loved music, and I'm one of those guys that still buys albums and loves to play vinyl and yada yada yada.

Brandon:

Anyway, music, though, was like this thing that I did for myself. I did it a little bit with, like, the Polynesian dancing, so I know how to play a uke and knew how to drum. So that's part of it, but it was never, like, in a band. I think I started playing guitar when I was, like, like 20. I like dislocated my shoulder and was like in a breakup and it was like broken.

Brandon:

And one day I finally picked up a guitar Anyway, to begin this thing that, like, I did for myself because I kinda had performance fatigue. I get to music's for me, I'll perform for other people in these other facets, but music's just for me. And then moved out here to Colorado, and going back to when we started, I'm like, oh, I didn't know anybody and wasn't quite sure if I was gonna stay out here or not, and met, these guys would become my best some of my best and closest friends, and it all started out of, like, playing music and jamming together. Wow. That originally was like, hey.

Brandon:

Why don't you come over and jam with us? And I picked up a they had they already had 2 guitarists, so they're like, hey, we have a bass guitar. Why don't you put it in the space guitar? Never played a bass guitar, but we like jammed off for a little bit, had a great time. Someone says like, oh, wow.

Brandon:

We sound pretty good. We're like, yeah, we should play a show. Next day, one of the guys is like, hey, so I booked us a show Twitch. We're like, okay, we're not a band. I don't even know how to play this instrument, but whatever.

Brandon:

And, yeah, those guys, the 4 now 5 of us formed this band that started as just we that first show was a friend's Halloween party. Oh. We played, like, 7 or 8 songs just for a bunch of drunk friends. But I you know, these friendships are very young in my life. The lead singer of of our band is now one of my best friends, the guy that I just married last weekend, the guy who's gonna be the officiant for my wedding.

Brandon:

Wow. Totally. And then from that one show, 6 months later, someone was like, hey, we're graduating from grad school. We're gonna put on a grad party. Do you wanna play the party?

Brandon:

We'll pay you $400. To which we're all, like, okay. That's ridiculous, but sure. Let us upgrade all of our equipment, whatever we're we would like doing this anyway. And it's just been like that organically.

Brandon:

Like every time we take one opportunity, like, 2 more open up. And last year, yeah, we recorded our first album. We played our first festival. We played Electric Forest in Michigan, It was awesome. Played a few shows in here in Denver, sold out a few shows here in Denver.

Brandon:

To the part where we're all like, well, what are we doing? Day jobs. Like what it looks like, like we're doing this because we really like this and because we have a great time doing it, but to, like, Jake just got married. I'm getting married this year. Another guy had his first kid last year.

Brandon:

We're always like, I don't know where this is going, and we have more opportunities to play out here. We're gonna continue playing music because we love doing it. Opportunities to play out here. We're gonna continue playing music because we love doing it. Yeah.

Brandon:

And we'll see. It's just this funny, like, kind of garage joke band that has turned into something.

Val:

Wow.

Brandon:

Yeah. That is a little bit more meaningful. Cool. But you know what? The really cool thing that I found in it is that same flow state thing.

Brandon:

So it's this other access point to where we will, like, if if we're just, like, jamming or theoretically writing a song, no one will say anything and someone will start playing, and then 1 by 1 will eventually find a groove amongst the 5 of us with instruments. And you find that pocket, and no one's saying anything, no one's instructing anyone, and then all of a sudden you're all in the same wavelength. And you're gone, and you're not there. You're not thinking. You're just being everyone's eyes are closed, and you have that feeling of of, yeah, of of being outside of yourself into something greater.

Brandon:

And I love that part of it. So Wow. Yeah.

Val:

Wow. Wow. Oh my gosh.

Brandon:

It is. And people and people

Val:

can find this on, like, Spotify?

Brandon:

Yeah. People can find it, cheeks on Spotify. Yeah. They

Allie:

can, have a cassette tape made.

Brandon:

Right. Handwritten sent to you. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

Brandon:

Amazing.

Allie:

Wow. That's awesome. You made me tear up. Not really. I'm sweating.

Val:

Well, this has been an amazing conversation. I I'm so Yeah. So appreciative of your time. Like, really, really enjoyed chatting with you and learning more about your experience and just, you know, having a group therapy session. It was great.

Brandon:

Yeah. Thanks. Thanks for caring. Thanks for wanting to know. Yeah.

Brandon:

Thanks for inviting me. You guys are you guys are awesome.

Allie:

Thank you. The start beautiful friendship over the 3 of us. Brandon, where can people find you on the Internet?

Brandon:

Yeah. I don't have the biggest social media presence, but I'm trying to change that a little bit. But, yeah, Instagram, brandonbegood. Brandonbegood is my handle. Yeah.

Brandon:

There you can find my random musings, but yeah. Like, I think it for people who are looking to yeah. Honestly, get married, more and more that's happening. Building website right now, but that'll be at Brandon Brandon Baker ceremonies. If you just Google that, that'll pop up.

Brandon:

Yeah. So for people, I know people hit me up all the time. If you want me to be at your wedding, I'd love to be there. Yeah. So usually, meet the couples virtually, make sure we're a good fit.

Brandon:

But yeah. Get again. Pretty much I yeah. Honestly, everyone who's ever hit me up has been just, like, the nicest for, like, having me there. So it's just the best.

Brandon:

So please, if you want me to your wedding, I'd love to be there. Yeah. And then apparently I need to be on TikTok because apparently I'm already

Val:

on there. You're missing out.

Brandon:

Yeah. I'm I'm like, honestly, what I'm a voyeur is what it is. I'm a voyeur, so I consume the content. I don't put it out there, but I'm yeah. I I know I need to change that.

Brandon:

So hence me being here right now to some degree.

Val:

Well, we will tag you if you decide to make a TikTok, so let us know.

Brandon:

Mhmm. Awesome. Sounds good.

Allie:

Awesome. Bye, Val. Bye,

Val:

Al. Bye, Brandon.

Brandon:

Bye and aloha and, Al and Val.

Val:

This podcast was produced by me and me, and it was edited by me.

Allie:

The music was composed by Michael McNally.

Val:

You can find us online at the trinetnetwork.com/dcommentaries hyphen pod. And you can find us on Instagram and TikTok at d commentaries. D commentaries is a part of the Trident network. To learn more about our videos, live shows, and other podcasts, please visit the tridentnetwork.com.

Allie:

Disney Channel Original Movies.

Val:

Damn it, Ali.