
Since the election, Iāveāmostlyāstopped watching news coverage.
Instead, I YouTube and chill most evenings, letting the platformās suggestions lead me down one rabbit hole or another. Last nightās double feature included two deep dives on two very different men.
One strikes me as all love and light.
The other strikes me as all insecurity and darkness.
In case youāre not familiar, meet Orville Peck, the gay masked country crooner who made headlines last year for his duet with Willie Nelson, and Dave Hollis, the Disney executive turned self-help āmastermindā who made headlines last year after dying of a drug overdose.
In my opinion, Peck is a self-taught artist whoās passionate about life, love, and music. Heās routinely on top of the charts and has a growing fan base. As for Hollis, he was a faux āguruā who faked his way to the topāpersonally and professionallyāand ended up six feet under.
ORVILLE PECK = WHO IS THAT MASKED MAN?
Orville Peck didnāt need fancy credentials or a top-tier music school to make a name for himself. Heās a self-taught singer-songwriter whoās built his career on raw talent, his love for country music, and his refusal to fit into a mold.
With his ever-evolving mask, snake charmer good looks, and soulful voice, Mr. Orville Peck does country music his wayāblurring lines between the genreās traditional roots and his own queerness. His success is proof that being authentic and going your own way is more powerful than following the ārulesā of the industryās gatekeepers.
Peck is also proof that a DIY education can not only work, but can be the secret to success. Heās a reminder that you donāt need fancy degreesāor pedigreesāto take your shotā¦and make your mark.
With enough luck, passion, and talent, itās possible to go farāand still stay true to who you are. The struggle is real. But so are the rewards.
DAVE HOLLIS = WHO WAS THAT GUY?
Letās talk, briefly, about Dave Hollis.
A former Disney executive, Dave left his high-powered corporate career to reinvent himself as a self-help āguruā and sidekick to his then-wife, Rachel Hollis.
In my opinion, Dave Hollisā lifeāand his tragic, untimely deathāis a cautionary tale about insecurity and misplaced ambition. Here was a man so rattled by his wifeās rising success that he gave up his ādream jobā to join her world, only to turn it into a nightmare.
While Iām no fan of Rachel Hollis or her brand of toxic positivity, at least she (mostly) seemed to believe the bumper-sticker advice she was selling.
Dave? Not so much. He never appeared to understand that he wasnāt entertaining, engaging, or even likable.
Hollis went from selling Disney films to devoted fans to trying to sell himself as a ālife coachā to fickle fans of self-help influencers. In the process, he fucked around and found out that selling snake-oil requires more than just a marketing plan.
In the end, Dave Hollis proved that a shiny package is no substitute for real depth or meaning. His story is a sad cautionary tale: building a life based on fluff and facades may work for a while, but itās no foundation for a meaningful or lasting legacy.
LESSON LEARNED + LIVED = PASSION > PROFIT
So, whatās the TLDR takeaway?
For me, it that while Orville Peck continues following his creative heart and building his career based on authenticity and passion, Dave Hollis triedāand failedāto build his empire on chasing profits, not purpose.
Keeping up with the Joneses and Kardashians is not the road to health or wealth.
Orville Peck is living proof that you donāt need fancy credentials or industry connections to get started making your dreams come true.
You just need to be true to yourself and your craft.
Work hard and trust that success will follow.
It usually does.
On the other hand, Dave Hollis is a reminder that you can sell a lot of āinspirationalā stuff, but most folk canāmostlyāsee through the fluff.
Whatever you want to create or curate is possibleā¦as long as thereās love and respectā¦for your craft and yourself. Donāt chase the cash. Chase your own voice.
The money will come when you're doing what you love, not whatās trending.
In the end, DIY isnāt just a methodāitās a lifestyle. And Orville Peck? Well, heās the proof that being your authentic self is always the best hustle. Mask optional.
Thanks for reading!
Clint
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Orville Peck Talks Shooting Your Shot (MonĆ©t X Change) šŗ
Disney Executive Ruined His Life⦠(Not The Good Girl) šŗ
The Orville Peck Story (Orville Peck) šŗ
The Writing Racket (Miles Madron) šØāš»
ON THIS DAY = DECEMBER 27
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He sings beautifully. Not my favorite style of music, but well performed; and that is a beautiful room with other excellent musicians. I might seek more of his performances.
I really like Orville Peck. That voice is a killer! He's hot but I wonder how long he'll keep the mask thing going.