Watch And Learn – Why That Title

Page Preface

The personal story behind my choice to use the phrase “Watch and Learn” as the label for this movement.

To find out more about Watch and Learn, click here.

The last thing you need to know right now is I’m also an actor – student films, community theater, non-profit theater, professional wrestling, and a ton of my own work over the years. 

When I was in the wrestling business back in the late 90s playing a manager and ring announcer, I was fortunate enough to be part of a small group who would become legends in their craft.

Among them was Matt Hardy, who ran the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, or OMEGA. 

Back in the day, OMEGA had a motto:  “Watch And Learn.”  And people did, and some of those folks are legitimately legends and heroes now, having performed at the highest levels of expertise to millions of people around the world.  It was a statement that was bold, assertive, straight to the point, and left no room for argument.

I’m stealing it for the title of this video series, both as an homage and an open declaration that what you’re about to see is the sociopolitical equivalent of a five-star TLC match.

I learned more than a motto from my old friends, the wrestlers.  I learned that escalation only gets you so far and when you get there you wish you hadn’t.  I learned that you can’t change the world without being bold and making the best you can out of whatever you’ve got to work with.  I learned that you can be the best in the world at what you do, a legitimate global legend, and still make mistakes…and that’s okay.  It doesn’t make you less of a legend.

I’m going to show you things you don’t think a human being can do, by applying a unique set of skills and talents that make me capable of doing things most other human beings can’t, just like they do. 

They do it in a ring with their bodies. 

My fellow musicians do it with their instruments and voices and creativity. 

My fellow actors do it with their skills of expression and empathy.

We all do it with passion and commitment and, as Bob Seger wrote, “every ounce of energy.” 

Sometimes it tears us apart. 

Sometimes it ends us.

I’m going to do it here by showing you how to get out of this dumb mess and empowering you – all of us – to do so.