140. Ben Sorensen and the things that can kill you in Australia

08/02/21 • 53 min

1 Listener

Join Scott and Mark with their guest, Ben Sorensen, as they talk about living in Australia amid the “spicy cough.” In a nutshell, Ben is a quirky, eccentric, and stylish multi-platform personality, from voice acting, music-loving, column writing, and of course, stuff-presenting. And while he can’t leap tall buildings, he can undoubtedly bridge the divide between city living and country culture. Today, Ben shares his thoughts on how country music is more than a genre and why billionaires are at fault for the world possibly ending. There’s a lot to unpack, so stay tuned and enjoy the episode!

Country Music Is More Than A Genre

At first, Ben Sorensen couldn’t give a definite answer when asked about the difference between American and Australian country music. He believes country music is a broad church, where its distinctions greatly vary in the music industry alone. For instance, in Australia, people split country music into more niche genres, such as traditional and country-pop, to give more awards. After all, people love awards, especially the shiny things that come with them, whether a trophy or a plaque. Then again, Ben also believes that country music is more of an open idea than a narrow genre amid the prevalent segregation. And as the genre develops and evolves, more people will try different things and push the boundaries. In the United States alone, country music has grown so much. We can only imagine what it would look like in the next ten years or so elsewhere. In the end, country music is more than just a genre but rather a culture rooted in the expression of rural life.

Save The Planet With Maximum Wage

On the topic of his Advocate Podcast with Eco Force Global, Ben first talked about how natural disasters are real, as proven by worldwide consensus. He even emphasized that whether people believe it or not, the world has been on a decline. And while part of the problem is what we all do to the planet, the ones with the most detrimental contributions are the insane billionaires and trillionaires. Some are nothing more than people who hoard more resources than they can handle. For example, most people believe that products and services would rise in price if we were to raise the minimum wage. In reality, the CEOs of these companies can easily keep the costs the way they are and still give their workers a livable wage. But because the rich are not held accountable, they continue to treat their workers poorly, which leads to lifestyles that are gradually destroying the planet. Not only that, these billionaires also allow the destruction of natural resources to amass wealth they don’t even need. Hence, Ben says it best with the idea that “we don’t need billionaires, we need livable and even maximum wage to save the planet.”

About Ben Sorensen:

Ben Sorensen is a voice artist, writer, producer, and presenter, best known for hosting one of Australia’s most popular syndicated radio shows on over 140 stations across five countries. There, he interviews some of the biggest names in the industry, including Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Bon Jovi, to name a few. Ben also hosts a country music podcast called Real Country, promoting and supporting the Australian Country music industry.

Ben has been entertaining and sharing his personality professionally for the last 14 years all over Australia as an emcee and host. He brings a cultured and flamboyant edge to the stage, festival, or product launch with his intelligent humor and energy. Ben has fronted for events including Tamworth Country Music Festival, The Aristocratic International Showcase – USA, Urban CMF, Synnex Alliance Roadshow. Not only that, he has represented brands such as Pfizer, Coca-Cola, Google, and PAX, along with many others.

Ben has worked stages from the bush to beach, regional towns to the capital cities across Australia, and everything in between. His broadcast credits include host roles on MTV, Nine Network, Southern Cross Ten, WIN Television, and more! Ben was also a past Channel 9 voice-over and warm-up guy. But most of all, Ben is a neurodiverse "Brain for hire."

Outline of the Episode:

[01:22] What Ben does in his spare time during the “spicy cough” (COVID).
[03:10] His 10-year crossword puzzle and how he uses crossword as a small-talk guide
[04:16] How the government and the “spicy cough” limited Ben from traveling
[06:16] The running joke that white people are being told what to do for the first time
[08:27] Australia’s strategy against COVID, from state-wide lockdowns to publicized contact tracing
[11:29] Ben’s country music podcast, Real Country, and how surprisingly popular it is
[14:02] How country music is not just a genre of music but also a culture in itself
[17:00] Why music genres should expand their horizon, given their similar origins
[19:40] The Cassowary bird and other...

Country Music Is More Than A Genre

Save The Planet With Maximum Wage

About Ben Sorensen:

Outline of the Episode:

[01:22] What Ben does in his spare time during the “spicy cough” (COVID).
[03:10] His 10-year crossword puzzle and how he uses crossword as a small-talk guide
[04:16] How the government and the “spicy cough” limited Ben from traveling
[06:16] The running joke that white people are being told what to do for the first time
[08:27] Australia’s strategy against COVID, from state-wide lockdowns to publicized contact tracing
[11:29] Ben’s country music podcast, Real Country, and how surprisingly popular it is
[14:02] How country music is not just a genre of music but also a culture in itself
[17:00] Why music genres should expand their horizon, given their similar origins
[19:40] The Cassowary bird and other...

Previous Episode

139. Rachel Redleaf | Why woman kill | Atypical

1 Recommendations

Join Scott and Mark with their guest, Rachel Redleaf, as they talk about auditioning for screen acting gigs in-person and online. Rachel is an actor, a coach, and a singer best known for her roles as Mama Cass in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Beth Chapin in Atypical. Soon, she will also appear as young Alma Fillcot in the second season of Paramount’s Why Women Kill, definitely a show to die for. But today, Rachel will be sharing her story, from discovering her passion for acting growing up to landing several roles on film and TV since then.

Auditions Amid the Pandemic

When asked about the audition process, Rachel touched on how auditioning for screen acting gigs changed since COVID began. Usually, she would go to an audition in person but only had one chance to get it right. And if she doesn’t hear back from the casting director in three days, it often means she didn’t get the part, which is incredibly disheartening when someone’s just a novice. But now, auditions are done either via Zoom calls or pre-recorded submissions called ‘self-tapes.’ As much of a hassle as it may seem, Rachel still appreciates the freedom of creativity self-tapes provide. After all, with video submissions, you can do as many takes as you want and still take time to choose which one to send in. Then again, what Rachel loves about self-tapes is that it gives her a chance to truly get in character, whether through their clothing or even props available at home. And if you are looking to get into screen acting as well, listen to today’s episode of Amigospc, where Rachel Redleaf gives some advice on how to audition at the comfort of your own home.

Acting Is Not All Glitz and Glamour

Once you make it into the entertainment industry, most people believe it’s all fame and fortune from there. Even the hosts thought the same when they asked Rachel what her life was like after appearing as Beth Chapin in Atypical. But to their surprise, Rachel’s experience working for Netflix while going to college was not all glitz and glamour. At first, she too believed that her life would be better after appearing in her first screen acting gig. That, once everyone saw the show, she would make more friends. Then again, being in acting school often meant your schoolmates were also competition. After all, the acting industry is no stranger to jealousy. Hence, Rachel’s life in college got all the more difficult. At Chapman University, she often got bullied for her success, often told that she only got lucky or never deserved it. But despite the animosity, Rachel kept going, landing more roles during and after college. Not only that, she now advocates against bullying, serving at Kid in the Corner as a board member. In the end, her perseverance is what brought her the fame and fortune she always deserved.

About Rachel Redleaf:

Rachel Redleaf grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. Here, she discovered her passion for acting and singing at Scottsdale Desert Stages and Greasepaint Theaters, starting at age 4. Since then, show choir has been her happy place, especially in her time at Horizon Highschool.

Meanwhile, in 2019, Rachel earned a BFA in Screen Acting from Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. She is also an anti-bullying activist and serves on the board of Kid in the Corner.

Outline of the Episode:

[01:43] Rachel’s progression of her career, from show choir to screen acting

[04:14] The struggle of keeping up with different passwords for socials

[05:31] Her thoughts on her character Beth Chapin on the Netflix show Atypical

[08:04] How Atypical was the first screen acting gig she ever booked

[10:41] What it was like auditioning for screen acting gigs amid the pandemic

[14:28] Rachel’s advice on landing a role when auditioning via a self-taped submission

[16:26] Her experience working for Netflix while

Auditions Amid the Pandemic

Next Episode

141. Erica Deutschman, the "Little Less Delusional Erica" from Cross Rhodes

1 Recommendations

Join Scott and Mark with their guest, Erica Deutschman. She is an actress and a writer. She has been in a few Hallmark Holiday films and most recently she wrote Cross Rhodes which is on the PopternativeTV on YouTube. Cross Rhodes was co-written by Erica Deutschman and it follows the life of a delusional actress named Erica Rhodes. She thinks she’s a lot more famous and successful than she actually is. More than the story of Cross Rhodes and the future plans for the show, get ready to have an exciting time with Erica as she talks about Comedy, Hollywood and Hallmark movies and all things fun. Stay tuned, and enjoy the episode!

The Young Erica Deutschman into Acting

Erica Deutschman got into acting. She shared that her grandmother was an actress, and they did little plays in her house in Kingston. They used to play with wigs, costumes and mess around with it. She then remembered her sister and I loving what the girls in Mary Kay were doing and how she started thinking that this is what she wanted to do. The three of them then talked about their childhood photos, which are mostly embarrassing as they don’t have a choice as a kid, and how those were kept in old shoeboxes. It’s funny to reminisce about these times as they talked about how Erica started her wanting to become an actress.

Comedy is Number One

Erica shares her take on what she is passionate about. She has acted in a few Hallmark Holiday films and did a few sketches like Cross Rhodes. If she is to choose between the two though, she would definitely have comedy as number one. She likes making people laugh, and even jokingly shared that she will die if someone appreciates and claps on her jokes, which is the main reason why she does not do stand-up comedy. She also loves to add in a strong comedic voice to the Hallmark movies. Because, who does not love a good pun, a little wordplay, and a little snappiness?

Cross Rhodes Future Plans

Shooting at the time of pandemic was tough, with all the protocols in place, such as a 14-day quarantine for everyone. Cross Rhodes’ first episode premiered on June 5th of this year and she mentioned that they already shot the second episode. They have plans on doing seasons of it with six episodes each. Now that things are being lifted and they have more flexibility with doing it, we certainly are looking forward to more of the delusional Erica Rhodes.

About Erica Deutschman:

Erica Deutschman is originally from Montreal. She is an actress and writer, known for Cross Rhodes (2021), Typical Love Story (2020), and Lost Girl (2010). She also starred in films like, A Christmas Crush and A Cheerful Christmas. She enjoys tennis, and long walks on the beach.

Outline of the Episode:

[01:56] Erica Deutschman talks about Cross Rhodes and introduces herself as the “little less delusional Erica.”

[04:27] How did the young Erica get into acting?

[05:36] Scott, Mark and Erica reminisce on the old shoe box photos they had.

[09: 55] Erika talks about her experience co-writing the show Cross Rhodes.

[11:41] Mark brought up a show that Erica didn’t realize was public, which was material for a pitch package for “Just for Laughs Festival.”

[14:28] “Hallmark Christmassy” Rom-Com stuff versus Comedy, what is Erica more passionate about?

[18:55] Erica shares some pointers for fresh and upcoming young people in the industry.

[21:30] Where is the hotspot of film and comedy in Canada?

[23:23] What are her thoughts of LA when she lived for two months?

[26:57] Talking about Wi-Fi as Mark reconnects to the show

[30:30] The gym, the place where Erica has seen the most Hollywood people from.

[34:06] No namedrop, Erica shares the heartthrob that she describes as her ‘sexual awakening’ at 12.

[39:04] Erica talks more about Cross Rhodes and future plans for despite the COVID situation and now that they will have more flexibility as protocols are lifting.

[47:58] Flat Earth Theory

[55:04] Parades where people gather are supposed to be fun, until a zombie apocalypse

[01:03:09] Where can you find Erica and Cross Rhodes?

Catch Erica Deutschman!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericadeutschman/

https://www.instagram.com/erica_rhodes_crossrhodes/

PopTernative TV, Cross Rhodes Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfO9OO83GmE

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