I was attending a traditional Pakistani/ Palestinian wedding in Orlando, when less than a mile away, Omar Mateen entered the Pulse Nightclub and began his shooting rampage.
The next morning, walking to brunch with my family, I saw fear and concern in the faces of those watching us go by. The feeling was very familiar.
It was the same feeling I first had felt as a boy watching the Iran Hostage Crisis unfold on television. It was the same feeling I had living in New York during 9/11. I couldn’t help but think to myself: “here we go again.”
Throughout my life, it has always been the SCREEN WORLD that ignited the fear and rage in others by showing specific fear-inducing edits of who Muslims, Pakistanis, Gays, and Immigrants were. Back in the REAL WORLD, this anger would translate to being bullied, judged, or just avoided.
The SCREEN WORLD had gotten to them first. As time when on, it became increasingly difficult to explain to the REAL WORLD “I’m not who you think I am…” something we all know too well these days.
The relationship between these two worlds has always fascinated me. I’ve dedicated myself for many years learning to ride the line between the SCREEN WORLD and the REAL WORLD. I learned that in fact, the truth is in the middle.
In today’s media-driven world, we’ve all been cut down to quick edits & soundbites that aren’t really us. We’ve forgotten how to see each other’s complex humanity that exists in the Real World.
WOULD YOU AGREE?
Here’s where I come in: For over two decades, my shows in Hollywood focused on creating elaborate social experiences where real people would be authentically transformed for the better. Makeovers. Wish-fulfillment shows. Anything with a real & lasting perspective shift.
It’s called ConnectEffect.
The ConnectEffect experience will take real people from local splitting communities and bringing them together again. This elaborate, entertaining, social experience is designed to authentically connect total strangers to one another like they’ve never been connected before.
