Fearless- Jimmy Kimmel, Television Host

Recently I was asked to adapt a philosophy of mine to a book on Reprograming Your Life by Sheila Callahan, www.SheilaCallaham.com . You can read the chapter in this blog. However, Two years ago my girlfriend bought me concert tickets to see my hero Joe Cocker at the Greek Theater and he was playing with Huey Lewis and the News. It was a beautiful summer night in the Hollywood Hills. The concert started off great, with Huey Lewis playing his standards with the horn section sounding so sweet, it was magical. At a break in the set, Huey Lewis introduced Jimmy Kimmel who was holding a Bass Clarinet and stated he was going to sit in.

Here is a true example of being fearless. Jimmy Kimmel is an accomplished comedian and “talk show host” per his Wikipedia description, and a renowned one at that. Here he is a talk show host/comedian on stage with arguably one of best pop/rock bands of the mid-80's and in concert with a true rock & roll legend backstage, looking on. I can't imagine what the voices in Jimmy’s head were saying? Here he is holding his horn about to step onto the stage with these great musicians. It would be like playing college football and walking on to the field to be a receiver for Payton Manning during a Super Bowl game with Lombardi looking on.

All eyes are on Jimmy, you can see the questions on the audience member's mind, “is he joking”, "is this a joke", “does he even play?”, more importantly “does he belong?”. I can't even imagine being Jimmy, here he is Clarinet in hand with all this pressure, with the greats watching him, he too must be thinking “do I belong?”.

Then, I witnessed something amazing; when Jimmy Kimmel took the stage he was no longer a talk show host, he was a musician. He wasn't playing a musician, he wasn't making fun of musicians he was playing in the big game. At that very point, he owned it, his persona, his stature, his focus all changed and I saw the transformation into a professional musician. He belonged, he played, looked out and had fun! YES FUN! The most stressful point in someone's life, everybody looking on, not expecting you to succeed and damn if he didn't own it. He no longer looked like a talk show host, whatever that means, he was a full and equal member of the band. Can you imagine the thoughts going through his mind, can I do this, am I going to look like an idiot, and somewhere he had to say the universal prayer, “please god don't let me F___K Up.” This is the essence of fearless. You do it, regardless of circumstances you own it, you deserve it, you perform.

Now I can only imagine the time, commitment, practice and work it took Jimmy Kimmel to prepare to take his place on that stage as an equal member. He is a very intelligent man, he has a lot to lose including credibility if he flops. He could play it off, but he didn't want to look like a flop, embarrass himself, he took his rightful place with the rest of the band.  He projects success, he makes it look easy, but it is work.  Jimmy probably knows that he has to project confidence and success to stay ahead of all comers, everything is planned and played expertly. He just didn't pick up a horn and take the stage, like a scene in American Pie 2, where the lead character plays trombone at band camp to get the girl. Jimmy wasn't a comedian performing a skit. He wasn't playing a musician, he WAS a musician, he owned it. He worked hard for years and when that one chance presented itself, he took it. All the work, hours of practice, and networking got him ready for that one moment. Simply put it takes years of work to be an overnight success. That is living a fearless life! It is work, it is practice, it is being prepared for that moment when you get to take that chance, take the stage, or step to the plate.

Now the people that succeed do whatever it takes to be prepared to take the stage when the opportunity presents itself. It may not be tomorrow or a month from now, or even year from now, but it will happen. You have to be mentally prepared to accept the opportunity when it presents itself, see the opportunity and use that opportunity to prove to everyone including yourself that you belong. It's your one chance to succeed, move to the next level, be what you dreamed of being.

How I met Uday Hussein and How I worked with The Iraq Soccer Team by Allen S Miller

In August of 1990, Allen S. Miller, of HitmanPR led a team of physicians to the World Games in Chiro Egypt and ultimately worked for the Iraq Soccer team and Uday Hussein. Egypt wanted to be considered a contender on the world stage for an Olympic bid and spared no expense at updating their sports facilities. I was accredited with Sierra Leone Olympic Track & Field Team and had been since our introduction at the All African Games in 1988 held Lagos, Nigeria. These were tense times; President Herbert Walker Bush and Saddam Hussein were locked in a moral debate over Saddam’s taking of Kuwait. The night before I was to depart, I got a phone call from the “state department” to be more accurate my stepbrothers’ father in the CIA, not to go.

Once on the ground we quickly organized the team and went to the accreditation center for our credentials. Once I checked in and received my credentials I needed to get the rest of the team accredited for the games. This became a problem, and for some unknown reason, everything was denied, until I met with the head of security. I was immediately escorted to the security center and was graciously asked if I wanted tea, while I waited for the General. I had brought pins from the US, FBI and State Agencies as presents. I had known the General since Lagos and had seen him on my several trips to Africa. I gave him an FBI pin as a gift, at which point he broke out the Scotch, and we talked for hours. Subsequently, the General facilitated the doctor’s credentials for entry. After checking in with my team, we entered the stadium area and setup on the practice field. This may seem strange that we didn’t got the medical center, however, this is where everybody setups up their equipment. There is an old rule in sports, you go where the athletes are, and they are usually at the practice field. Sports medicine is a cooperative, a family; we all know each other and help each other. It always amused me that journalists would write that there were political rivalries inside the center. To the contrary, we all worked, with each other, shared each other’s equipment and supplies. Now Africa is an amazing place, everyone is a variety of colors from black to white and everything in between. The badges did not have nationality on them, the badges only indicated the team you were credentialed with, I was credentialed with Sierra Leone, it was just accepted that I was from Sierra Leone.

As we were setting up and operational on the practice grounds the athletes started to arrive for a variety of services. I was approached by the team manager for the Iraq Soccer team. Their manager was a very charismatic and engaging gentleman. We talked for a long time, as he was very interested in our services. My team of doctors evaluated and treated the team as they would all the other teams at the games. The rhetoric between the USA and Iraq was escalating, during the time we were there.

There was a fear that violence would breakout as the games organizers decided to issue evacuation plans and the location shelters. To the dismay of the team, the organizers went so far as to overlap targets on the parts of the city that we were housed. We were watching the coverage of the Kuwait conflict on a fledgling news channel called CNN. As the games were wrapping up, the manager of the Iraq Soccer team invited some of us to dinner at his hotel (Hilton on the Nile) with his father. I picked the members of the team that had the most impact with the soccer team and off we went to dinner at the Hilton. We met up with the team manager, outside the Hilton, as directed. He apologized greatly that dinner had to be “postponed” as his father had to go back home as “Bush invaded Iraq”. I very naively asked “who is your father”, The team manager replied “my father is Saddam Hussein”. Now in amazement he said then you are? He replied Uday Hussein, he kings son. Uday Hussein apologized greatly for the embarrassment and asked if I would come to Iraq “following this unpleasantness” and work with his team and physicians. I had to laugh and stated “well I am honored and would be glad to come, but I think my government would disapprove”. Uday, asked “why would Sierra Leone disapprove”? I then stated that I was an American, we both just started laughing. Uday, then stated that “he would insure my safety” and to contact him once this conflict was over”. He then handed me a keychain with his likeness and the likeness of his father on them. He thanked me greatly for the service and kindness provided both him and his team. We parted and I was never to see him again. My dinner with Saddam Uday Hussein got cancelled by President Bush’s’ bombing of Kuwait.

So the moral of the story and one I have lived all my life; be nice you never know who you are talking too.

Kathy Ireland’s Recommendations To Allen Miller on MSNBC

Allen S. Miller, of HitmanPR appeared on MSNBC with Donny Deutsch about branding was an amazing experience. Kathy Ireland was on the panel and contacted me after the show offering to mentor me. She continues to be a mentor to him and give him business advice today. She is a wonderful friend…

David Bowie's Insight on Personal Development by Allen Miller (HitmanPR)

 

Many of you are not old enough to remember Dinah Shore, she was incredible woman in an incredible time. David Bowie was on Dinah Shore’s TV show in 1975, Allen S Miller, of HitmanPR had the opportunity to be backstage during the taping of this show as Dinah’s bodyguard. Bobby Marx, later the stepson of Frank Sinatra was there as well. David Bowie really amazed everybody, especially Dinah, as he was insightful and his advice for personal growth is true today. Be want you want, and you will be want you want!

Allen S Miller on set of Photo Shoot With Dr. Stephanie King

I was on a photo shoot with stephanie with mikesteelephotography.com for new marketing campaign http://ping.fm/vcnBD

Farrah Fawcett the Real Truth

In your e-mail and comments you have asked me for the truth concerning the events surrounding Farrah's tribute the story behind the scences with Ryan and Alana. I met Craig Nevius on the set with William Shanter years ago, when I adjusted his horses and then him in the barn. Mr. Shatner is just a great and funny manm true professional. Craig has gone to alot of trouble, I expect Ryan has threatened him or tried to intimidate him and god know what that other had has done. But read his story, give it respect, absorb, embrace and keep it in your heart. Craig is doing an amazing thing, he is to be congratulated for his strength getting the truth out. I can only imagine what Ryan and Alana think of this.

How I Met Farrah

In my early years when I started out, I was bodyguard to Dinah Shore, who was good friends with Farrah, and her then husband Lee Majors. I got the chance to meet Farrah at a dinner and showing of Lee Major’s Movie- Francis Gary Powers. They had come to Dinah’s house and Pauline the housekeeper as usual made an amazing dinner. I had the opportunity to be around Dinah and Pauline who were to say the least amazing spirits. They loved Farrah, and thought she was the sweetest of people. Pauline loved Farrah, they both loved to cook, and ironically Pauline was Farrah's mothers name. I got close to Pauline because I say her 6 days a week for several years along with Dinah. Farrah and Lee arrived that night for dinner in a new Porsche Turbo Carrera. I let them, in and they were very nice. Lee had almost run out of gas getting to the house for dinner, and let’s say Farrah was asking Lee why he didn't get gas. Now this hit home as my girlfriend always asks why I hate to get gas, I guess its a guy thing. anyway. Lee comes out of the house and asked if one of the security people could drive his car and get gas. Dinah ok’d it and we had other guys on the property, so sometimes the boss gets the perks, I jumped at the chance to drive the new Turbo Porsche Carrera. I raced that car and got it up to 90 going down Beverly to Rodeo. I got back to house and gave the car back wishing that I could have one, this was 1978. Farrah was really sweat, I was just the bodyguard, and she treated me as she did everyone like we all were something very special. Later on, Farrah was kind enough to sign an outtake copy of the photograph of her and the cougar for me. I still have that picture. When she decided to divorce Lee Majors, I was asked to be the scout with the security team watching the Mulholland house. I was a bodyguard for years, actors, music people the whole gambit, but Farrah, was genuinely nice, treated us like she had known us for years. She went out of her way to make us feel comfortable. When Greg Lott contacted me and asked me for help, and showing me the letters, we’ll you can go from there.