Updates on the Show

I'm going to be honest with you guys. Mother's Cream Diaries Xmas show didn’t solidifying as quickly as I'd like it to. Mostly because the concept has evolved from just a live show to a complete night event.

My plan is to collaborate with a DJ or promoter to create an unforgettable immersive night. I emailed three who I thought were suitable. Two got back to me and politely declined, saying they have a lot on their plate. The third person hasn't responded, which is weird because he's always on my dick when I see him out. Priorities I guess.

Adding a partner to create an immersive dance night is a strategic decision on my part. After staging two shows, I know the bones are there, but the infrastructure is lacking. It's lacking the incentive for people to get off their couches and come out.

The 80 Percent Rule

I recently finished the audiobook "Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan. Despite some fluffy, repetitive stories in the book, a few key insights made it worthwhile.

The author explains that you can complete 80 percent of a project quickly, such as writing a rough draft. However, going from 80 percent to 90 percent is exponentially more work than going from 0 to 80 percent. Going from 90 to 100 is a mountain.

You just need to do what you can as the “who” and quickly pass it along to the next “who”. The longer you try to perfect your idea before feedback, the slower the transformation process.

I was frustrated with myself for not having conceptualized the new event on paper before sending out emails but I had no other choice. You can either wait for that ah-ha moment, or go out and discover it by asking questions.

Here’s Derek’s Backstory 2.0

Continuing from my last letter, I had decided to give up conventional acting around 2016. That meant giving up acting through the Hollywood system.

It's bullshit because the higher-ups don't know what they want, at the expense of your time and talent.

I was a really good actor and took the craft very seriously! However, I didn't have a business mindset inplace. Instead, I had an employee mindset: hire me and I'll be whatever you need me to be.

Below is a 2015 audition for the James Franco film, "Why Him?". I was reading for the role of Gustov, an Eastern European house butler.

I worked extremely hard on that role and found myself falling in love with comedy. However, talent alone doesn't get you very far in this city. The role ended up going to Keegan-Michael Key. Yes, Keegan-Michael Key.

This marked the point where I began to lose faith in the Hollywood system. I was far from being a known name in the industry. What am I doing? I know I am capable of much more.

It took a terrible audition on the Disney Lot to say enough was enough. Fuck this!

I wanna do it my way

Instagram, circa 2016, marked the transition from 15-second videos to 60-second videos on its platform. I noticed a few Vine stars had begun posting actual skits. I thought It would be fun to do the same, and thus, on October 19, 2016, Charlotte Connors was born.

It was a skit called Paranormal Activity: The Caucasian Ones.

I was so curious about where I could go with this.

By the end of the month, this bitch had developed an accent and a signature outfit. An oversized Nike tank and a headband made from a men's tie.

My ass was hooked! I was having the time of my life developing this British teenage character. More importantly, a crude comedic side of me was emerging.

I began developing different scenarios for this character and introduced her mother, Cristal Connors (who struggled with addiction).

People on social media were resonating with the content, while family members were confused and upset, but I was too far deep to turn back.

I'm a big proponent of studying a craft, so I decided to take up comedy improv at Second City Hollywood. Talk about letting my freak flag fly.

I went through a few levels over the course of two years and gained a bunch of confidence, but my biggest takeaway from Second City was meeting Christina.

Christina

She was a little younger than me and had barely any formal training, but she trusted her instincts and was naturally a great performer. When we got partnered together, all hell broke loose. She would tend to play masculine roles, and I would play feminine ones. She planned her routine around smoking cigarettes or using a walking cane, anything to make herself stand out.

During one showcase, a show for friends and family, I portrayed an elderly man while Christina played a caretaker who pantomimed changing my soiled diaper on stage. This was the kind of thing we performed.

She had a boyfriend at the time, so our friendship was just delegated to class. I always tried to get her out but you know how that goes.

Christina will become one of my greatest cheerleaders and collaborators.

PSA RANT: If you're in a relationship, please maintain a life outside of your significant other. You could be missing out on great friendships.

Welcome to the candy shop

Having no one tell me otherwise I became increasing brave with my content on social media. It was just my natural progression. I wanted to see how far I could take things; I was genuinely curious.

On one trip back home, my mother took me aside and said, "Your grandmother is very upset with you. Someone showed her one of your videos." I knew it was also my mother who was upset with me but didn't have the balls to say something.

This was video in question.

I was devastated but I compromised with my mother and promised to keep that content off Facebook.

But hey, it wasn't just my family who was bummed out. Instagram started nixing my posts because they violated guidelines.

God! Can't I catch a break? This is when I created a Pornhub account for all my violated posts…

What do you want?

It's time to get all hocus pocus. But really, have you ever asked yourself, "what the fuck do I really want"? I'll jump right back into this topic in a sec!

This time last year (Dec 22’’), I was in a really bad place. I was in a job that drained me mentally and physically, all for a sense of stability. On top of that the last few episodes of Möther’s Creme Diaries podcast were being released. I had nothing to look forward to. No plans for the future projects. I was just living to live. And for a creative person that’s fucking HELL.

I started toying with the idea of adapting the podcast into a live show, but I met someone (through IG) who took a lot of my attention away during the cuffing winter months.

I don't usually date, so I think this was the universe's way of telling me to get some bussy. While it was fun and necessary at the time (great sex), I've grown more protective of my time as I get older. I realized that this person is better suited as an acquaintance.

PSA RANT: If you’re interested in dating me please pretend to give a shit about what my passions are. I'm seeking a collaborator, not just a boyfriend to lay on the couch with. I want someone who is creatively independent and invested in their work. There’s nothing more attractive than someone who LOVES what they do and strives to be better.**

Sorry, back to "what do you want"?

This past summer, I was in Massachusetts for a wedding. While on the front porch of the three-tenant home where I grew up in, I was complaining to my godmother about how much I hated my current job. She turned to me and asked “Well, what to do want to do”?

I paused for a moment to think. Then I said, "You know what? I have no idea what I want, and that's why I'm in this situation." That was an aha moment for me.

It literally felt like this was the first time someone had asked me, "What do you want?" That's such a scary question because you can't lie to yourself.

If you don’t know what you want how do you expect to track your progress? Life is about experimenting and learning from mistakes.

After returning home and quitting my job I admitted to myself that I’m building a media company specializing in alternative forms of drag content.

I quickly started adapting my live show.

You are who you hang out with.

Last week, I reconnected with an old friend over Bloody Marys. I’ve been wanting to do this for some time, especially after attending his amazing immersive show, The Willows.

Instantaneously we started gabbing. It was two creative queens vomiting inspiration at each other. We didn't discuss family or love life, it was just shop!

I look forward to these meetups with people who are taking action now and building cool shit!

“If you look at the big picture, you start losing your focus on the little things”. - Julius Randle

Unfortunately, that quotes holds true for the little people (not midgets) in your life. The individuals in your life who have a tendency to think small or short-term are limiting your progress.

Again, time is so valuable these days. Friendships come and go, or simply outgrow. If they're your true friends, they won’t take it personal that you're out there hustling for a better future.

Entrepreneurship is so hard and glorious that we become philosophers in the process

I occasionally listen to “School Of Greatness” Podcast by Lewis Howes. One of his recent guests Alex Hormozi, spit some wisdom that hit me like a basketball to the face.

He states, “This is what eutrapreuship feels like. The feeling of uncertainty that you don’t know all the work you’ve been spending, all your nights and weekends and offtime will ever pay off and it’s this fear that you’re wasting your time. But the reality is the outcome isn't the thing you’re building, the person is the thing your building. It's about who we become while we’re doing the work, more than the outcome from the work itself”

The reason that sound bit resonated so much with me is because I've worn so many hats in my life, some out of ignorance but most out of necessity to accomplish what I set out to do at that time.

In doing that, I've gained a lot of experience... in life.

Take stock in all those little wins.

• acknowledge progress

• see and feel the big picture

• consistently learning to improve

• surround yourself around like minded people

I genuinely feel successful... but it's so easy to focus on the present and everything society says we need NOW to be successful.

That's it for this week's letter. Looking forward to some fun updates on the next one.

Thanks for reading xx

Derek Viveiros

P.S. If you have any questions or suggestions for the newsletter, please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected]. This is an open creative space!