Nick

What are your passions? I love creating! Videography, photography, audio recording, designing, writing, directing, really anything that requires creative input to bring something new to life. I also love improvising, acting, and traveling all over the country playing loud music with my band.

What do you do / what are you working on? I work as a TV/Video editor for a marketing agency, but I’ve also been mixing music, writing scripts and taking a lot of photos lately!

If money was no object what would you be doing? Traveling all over the world, eating way too much vegan food!

Someone / something that changed your life: “Yes and” is a term used in improv comedy, which basically means you accept the “reality” that is provided to you when you are improvising in a scene, and then add onto that reality with additional information to further establish the scene. Once I learned this guideline, I realized the similarities to real life. When you’re faced with reality, you can’t just refuse the truth. You must accept it and continue moving forward.

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? “Too many people don’t give a shit, so don’t be one of them.”

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? I have been watching a lot of Masterclasses on storytelling and comedy writing lately, & I am going to re-order one of my favorite books by Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night.

Something people don’t know about your pet: He surprisingly learns news tricks very quickly! He’s also a mama’s boy, so I’m priority #3 whenever my partner is home, with priority #2 being baby carrots.

Aubrie

What are your passions? Intersectional social justice, traveling, cooking, vulnerability, all things mystic, reading books that make me better (self-help or whatever) and alllll the feelings, lets have deep conversations!

What do you do / what are you working on? Trying to be the least shitty person I can be, using every ounce of privilege I have to uplift others, making the world a better place, one day at a time, using all the different tools in the tool box to achieve total liberation & …thinking about starting a podcast.

If money was no object what would you be doing? What I’m doing now. I’m so fortunate to be able to do the things I care about. Social justice work, hanging out with pets, & traveling. I would just be doing it on a much grander scale.

Someone / something that changed your life: My therapist, Colorado. I am indebted to everything she has given me. The tools, the courage, the belief in myself. I could not have become who I have without her. Normalize therapy, everyone needs a therapist. <3

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? The dad at Disneyland years ago having a very calm, collected conversation with his very young child and said “The choice is up to you. Make a good choice.” Reminder: we always have a choice.

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? Always listening to Armchair Expert podcast (but I listen to A LOT of podcasts!) Just read these books for Melina Abdullah’s Black Power class - Black Power, Freedom Dreams, N**** Theory, and When They Call You a Terrorist. Feel good watch - Ted Lasso because Schitt’s Creek is over (cries).

Something people don’t know about your pet: My two pups, Lydia & Floyd are not related. They look so similar but are 3/4 years apart.

Zoë

What are your passions? I love entertaining people whether that's making them laugh on an improv stage or scaring them in interactive horror theater. I'm also very passionate about intersectional justice, and in this moment trying to think about how entertainment can further such causes.

What do you do / what are you working on? Dreaming about when we can gather in shared spaces & sculpting little clay figures, so that's fun!

If money was no object what would you be doing? I'd be living in a small cabin off the grid in the middle of nowhere with a huge garden.

Someone / something that changed your life: Adopting my cat Bim. He's the first pet I've had on my own and he definitely hasn't been an easy friend these past five years. Behavioral problems on behavioral problems. But he's taught me that sometimes building relationships takes a long long time, patience and care are seldom without their rewards. Caring for a little critter is a commitment that can be challenging, but it's definitely a commitment that you can do. When one tactic doesn't work, there are ten more to try!

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? My mom has always told me not to take anything personally. That's a hard one, but it's advice that applies to every sector of life. That and not to go outside in low temperatures with wet hair because I'll catch a cold... very helpful!

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? I'm currently reading Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado and listening to the Newcomers: Lord of the Rings podcast where two comedians watch Lord of the Rings for the first time.

Something people don’t know about your pet: My cat Bim loves to go for walks around my apartment building and runs to the backdoor excitedly when he sees me get out his harness.

Brienne & Gretchen

What are your passions? I love to travel and hang out with friends and visit my family sooooo pretty much everything we can’t do right now.  

What do you do / what are you working on? I’m a writer. Right now I’m only interested on writing things that make me laugh because the world is a garbage bonfire. 

If money was no object what would you be doing? I would spend my days making weird crafts. 

Someone / something that changed your life: My writing mentor who gave me the opportunity to get into my first writers’ room. 

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? My mom on taking a leap: The Universe with either give you solid ground to walk on or wings to fly. 

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? Since the beginning of the lockdown a group of friends and I have been watching musicals every Saturday from our respective couches and texting throughout. It’s been so great getting into a movie genre I didn’t know much about and has been a wonderful way to stay connected with friends, definitely the highlight of my week. 

Something people don’t know about your pet:  When she was a kitten, Brienne was featured in banners along the cat food aisle in Target stores. Although it’s not really something people don’t know because I wouldn’t shut up about it. 

Missy & Brian

What are your passions? Dogs. Coffee. Baseball nerd. Music nerd. Bad 90s movies. Learning new things. 

What do you do / what are you working on? Post production supervisor in theatrical marketing post production — tv commercials, digital content, trailers, etc — for all of Sony’s movies.

If money was no object what would you be doing? Likely something along the lines of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah.

Someone / something that changed your life? Missy, and moving to Los Angeles with Missy. Rescuing a moody pit bull has made me a more thoughtful, structured, and responsible human. The best decision I’ve made. And moving here allowed us to meet incredible people like Aubrie and the Viva Pets team.

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? My grandfather took me golfing weekly in the summer in my youth. He’d always yell at me for dirty golf clubs. “Take care of your clubs. They’ll take care of you,” he’d say all summer. I‘ve stretched that into an endless number of scenarios over the years. The core always being that you’re responsible for taking care of something more so than having the expectation that it will just magically take care of you — that sense of entitlement we all need to watch and keep in check.

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? Reading: Stony the Road by Henry Louis Gates Jr. (There’s also a companion piece documentary on PBS I’m excited about when I finish). Listening: Skeleton Coast by The Lawrence Arms. Watching: Patriot on Amazon.

Something people don’t know about your pet: Missy is in love with the newish runner rug I bought for the bathroom. To an extent that she moves, repositions, and makes a second bed out of it on an almost daily basis.

McFly, Taco & Ali

What are your passions? Helping people, exploring the world...and CATS! 

What do you do / what are you working on? Well since my job in live music is on hiatus, I have been participating in a couple of things to keep busy. Three days a week I volunteer at a Food Pantry; one day unloading a truck of around 9,000 lbs of food, two days are spent packing grocery bags for the less fortunate/impacted by COVID/unable to get to the store. I started a voter advocacy group with touring women to get people registered and informed about the upcoming election. I have completed 6 online courses and receive an A in all of them! 

If money was no object what would you be doing? I would be an international food blogger who also owns an animal sanctuary that employs/houses people with disabilities. 

Someone / something that changed your life? COVID has changed my life. I lost my career after 16 years but my eyes have been opened to so much. I’ve realized how little I actually need to be happy. My job had began to define who I thought I was. Shit has drastically been put into perspective about how grateful I am for what I already have in life and within myself. Plus I feel like this down time woke up A LOT of people about the racial injustice in this country (myself included) so I am grateful to be learning from a new perspective and be part of the change that is desperately needed.  

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? Just breathe.

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? Currently reading “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Márquez. Listening to a lot of gothy dark wave music and “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander (on Audible). Watching a ton of random slasher/horror movies on the Shudder app.

Something people don’t know about your pet: Taco has a serious foot fetish; the smellier the better...he also love chips. McFly Is scared of thunder/lightning (who knew? It never storms in LA 🤣🤣🤣) but loves bagels & cream cheese.

Le Grand Orange & Deborah

What are your passions? Social justice, immigration reform, healthcare reform and education, food and cooking, psychology, CATS!

What do you do / what are you working on? Tv producer working on food competition shows.

If money was no object what would you be doing? Donating lots of it! Running a cat rescue, living by a beach, writing and making art.

Someone / something that changed your life? My therapist! Marina H. 

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? He who hesitates is lost (my Mom).

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? Everything that reminds me of New York because I miss it. Also about to read Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger by Lisa Donovan.

Something people don’t know about your pet: He loves shrimp so much that he will try to take one from a pan that is on the stove with the burner on. Fearless. 

Aidan & Sarah

What are your passions? Not dying from COVID, unlearning my personal racism, and Thai food.

What do you do / what are you working on? Well I’m normally a costumer but 🤷🏼‍♀️ (shrug).

If money was no object what would you be doing? TRAVELING. I sincerely want to go everywhere. There’s nowhere that I wouldn’t be excited to experience. 

Someone / something that changed your life?  Having my pup Aidan and meeting Drew.

What’s the best piece of advice that someone has given you? Everything is temporary. Not matter how traumatic or intense, everything is temporary. And also John Lewis telling people to get into good trouble. 

What are you reading/listening to/watching right now? Reading “Denmark Vecey’s Garden” and just finished watching Game of Thrones for the first time.

Something people don’t know about your pet: He loves a vegetable but only wants to eat the insides of the broccoli stems.