What it's like dating the President
Ok, Well I guess I couldn't tell you what it's really like dating the President although I imagine it sucks if you are dating the current commander in cheeto. However, I can tell you what it's like dating a world famous impersonator of our former President Barack Obama.
It all starts in Chicago, Illinois. I went out for my cousins bachelorette party at a restaurant called Red Light and was greeted by a handsome server. He ignored the fact that we all donned celebratory penis necklaces (that was the extremity of our partying). I could not stop staring at this guy as his resemblance was uncanny to that of our senator Barack Obama. He said later that he just assumed we were one big hispanic family enjoying our time out. In reality we were a bunch of Arabs and yes definitely enjoying the night, excited that we were celebrating somewhere different than a hookah lounge. As our dinner was coming to a close my aunts, who are constantly trying to find me the perfect man, kept saying "You better get his number" in a strong arabic accent. I knew I had to jump to action soon! I raised my hand like a school girl and said the first thing that came to my mind "Hey, um, are you guys hiring because I'm looking for work and have always dreamed of a job in the restaurant industry". WHAT? Why did I just lie? I hate restaurants! I spill a soda once a week at the fast food restaurants just trying to get back to my table! He replied "Actually my friend Jackson is opening a restaurant La Pomme Rouge, I can connect you". So he gave me his number and I stored him under the name "Barack".
Well, I took the job! It was a 2 hour commute for me there and back.
After a couple of dates, and a first kiss I finally had to come clean that I didn't know his name. He said "I'm Reggie Brown" which was accompanied by a laugh. I'd love to tell you that our relationship bloomed from then but I can't. We dated but as in any new relationship it was difficult. I was a single mom and he was a young guy trying to get his life together. He soon became my best friend. We would tell each other about the dates we would go on, laughing always, and watch movies together. I actually told him one day "you are like my gay best friend" which he didn't appreciate very much but I explained "I can change in front of you, laugh with you, and be myself around you!"
FAST FORWARD TO 2008: THINGS CHANGED QUICKLY
BARACK OBAMA takes office and soon Reggie can't go anywhere without being told he looks like the President. Reggie was already an Emmy award winning journalist as well as an extremely talented impressionist. He had mastered the voices of over 50 characters and celebrities and he knew he not only looked like one of the most influential people in the world but he saw something that none of us could see at the time.
TURNING BEING A LOOK_ALIKE INTO A LUCRATIVE CAREER
As entertainers (I was a comedian as well) we both knew LA was somewhere we wanted to be and with this new found career, Reggie decided to take the plunge. He quit his 3 jobs and moved out to Los Angeles. I never saw someone as determined as he was. He would watch every one of the President's speeches almost as if he were studying for an exam. He would mimic his every move. He learned how to make himself appear older and taught himself how to do his own make up. The calls started rolling in. He signed with a new manager and soon he was booked for the Republican Leadership Conference which ended up being a game changer!
As we all watched the RLC on live tv, we couldn't believe what was unfolding in front of our eyes. He was doing his comedy routine and it ended abruptly when they ran up and yanked him off stage. What seemed like the worst moment of his career ended up being the best. He walked out and was immediately greeted by flashing lights, and chased by paparazzi. We all woke up to him being in headlines on newspapers, and television. He was everywhere and thats when Bill Maher called..........
I never forget the moment Reggie introducing me to Bill Maher for the first time as his friend. I had fallen for him completely at this time but didn't know how to tell him. I balled my eyes out later that night. Being called a "friend" is horrifying when you have feelings for someone. On another note Bill Maher did call me a "Bad Bitch" that night which I never let him live down and still like to bring up to this day.
WE FELL IN LOVE IN A HOPELESS PLACE
I eventually moved out to LA a couple of months before the photo above was taken. I'll tell you about my big move in another blog but back to my dating the President story. As I moved out to pursue my career in comedy and TV, I relied heavily on the few friendships I had out here. Again, single mom , with a cat, no job, no agent. I ran into a horrible roommate situation. Reggie was my release. We would take long walks , go out to dinner, laugh endlessly and eventually could no longer deny that we were falling for each other. I was incredibly damaged from a prior relationship which made it very difficult at first but the stars finally aligned and he turned this ho into a housewife!
Totally joking....definitely not a ho but always have wanted to use that phrase.
LIFE WAS WONDERFUL AND JUST LIKE THAT EVERYTHING CAME CRASHING TO A SUDDEN HALT.
ENDING UP IN THE WRONG HANDS
As Reggie's career began to explode I tried being a supportive girlfriend. Sure, it was difficult with his new schedule but this was the life we chose and we knew we would have to make sacrifices. He had just signed on to film a pilot and soon after he left to film I received a shocking phone call. My heart dropped. Reggie's long time manager had stabbed the producer of their reality show in a drunken outrage while Reggie slept. He was awoken by the police frantically letting him know what happened and also telling him they were unsure if the producer was going to survive. This was not part of the TV show. This was real life, and what seemed to be a terrifying nightmare. The producer who had just been stabbed was expecting his first born child. The picture below is the mugshot of his manager at the time, Dustin Gold.
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM NOW WE HERE...............UH OH, WE BACK AT THE BOTTOM
Devastated by what just unfolded Reggie returned home and prayed daily for this innocent producer who almost had his life cut short by a mad man. We would come to find out that he had endured many surgeries but he continued to fight for his life and eventually pulled through and was able to see his daughter come into this world.
Meanwhile, Reggie's world had completely been turned upside down. He needed to break away from this former manager but Dustin owned everything, his websites, photos, etc.. Unfortunately, Reggie put all of his trust in him early on and to walk away from his manager meant walking away from the entire empire he built for himself.
He found himself in a strange situation. Not only did he have to start building an entire new clientele list, he had to compete with his own SEO as the world's leading Obama impersonator.
People from all over the world were going to Dustin's website booking who they thought was Reggie but in return Dustin was selling them a 'Different Obama". He started working with look alike's in the area like Bronx Obama and Ron Butler and would pass them any work that came in for Reggie. He even went as far as photoshopping their heads onto Reggie's body in promotional photos!
PICKING UP THE PIECES
There's only one thing to do when you hit the bottom. Start from scratch!
He began by creating a new website with a goal to eventually surpass his former website which douchebag had now owned and was #1 on Google.
Reggie put out a couple more videos that soon became viral garnering millions of views. (Check out Obama Gangnam style), and started to build a new clientele list.
What made him so incredibly successful was he took charge of his own career. There was no more middle man. He decided his rates, he decided when, where and who he worked for and the work became so overwhelming that he had to turn down work. He even called some of his Obama look alike buddies to pass along the work to them.
The calls came in abundantly. Soon execs were calling from Disney, Nickelodeon and other networks wanting him on their shows. They even wrote shows based on his Obama character. Huge corporations were now contacting him directly from around the world to perform his one man comedy show at their events. Then came Barbershop3 and then, a call asking him to share the screen opposite Brad Pitt in a new film on Netflix called War Machine. Due to the success of his viral videos, Reggie eventually became the #1 Google searched Obama impersonator, beating out his old website that was still being held from him.
I almost got in on some of the fun. He convinced me quite a few times that I could also impersonate so here's my go at being a Hillary Clinton and a Melania Trump Impersonator!
I THINK I"LL JUST LEAVE THE IMPERSONATING TO HIM............................................
So back to the question. What is it like dating him?
It's hard! He is incredibly busy traveling the world and when he's home he's answering inquiries and doing custom videos for his clients. People use to ask "What are you going to do when Barack Obama is no longer President?" They probably weren't considering how much the former President would be missed and the demand for work is greater than it's ever been. But, we make it work! There's not a day that goes by that we don't talk. We never go to bed angry. We laugh everyday, and we play games! Lot's of them!
This young man that I met so many years ago in Chicago who happened to resemble a senator that eventually became a President saw an opportunity and ran with it. He's living life to the fullest, He loves me like no other man has. He continues to give back and love those around him. He has shown me that anything is possible and when you get knocked down to strive ahead because the possibilities are endless. One day I hope to write about Reggie meeting the person who has changed our lives forever, Mr. Barack Obama himself but until then I can brag humbly about what this whole experience has been like.
