Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Actor Interview: James Mapes

James Mapes is an Actor, Speaker, Life Coach, Best-Selling Author, and all-around Great Guy!


TJ: Hi James!  Thank you for doing this Interview for www.TeeJayToday.com.  How have you been?

JM: TeeJay, I have been fabulous and that is not an exaggeration.  Life is productive and fun.

TJ: So what are you currently working on?

JM: I am currently involved in a number of projects.  I’ve just completed the next draft of my new book, The Elephant and the Rider: Living an Exceptional Life.  It’s been in the works for nine years and has required a lot of persistence.  Should you wonder, the Elephant is the subconscious mind and the Rider is the conscious mind.  The reality is that our conscious mind is like a small rider atop a 6000 elephant.  We can’t control our subconscious mind but we can learn to influence it.

JM: And, my wife and I are writing a thriller entitled The Regression.  I will play the lead male role and find a talented woman to play a very challenging role.

TJ: What made you want to get into acting?

JM: The genesis of my desire goes back to high school.  I was never very good at athletics and theater was the one place I felt most comfortable.  After failing miserably as a college math major and chemistry minor, I ended up getting my Master Arts in Theater with my undergraduate in psychology.  I have always wanted to act and studied with some of the best teachers in the world.

TJ: Which genre do you prefer: TV, Theater, or Movies? And why?

JM: Now I prefer movies.  There are challenging and you know when you are going to be finished working.  In my youth I didn’t mind spending weeks rehearsing and traveling in bus and truck tours of plays but now, my choice is film.  And, films are challenging and fun.

TJ: Of all the actors/actresses you have worked with, who was your favorite?

JM: Erika Slezak on One Life to Live was one of the kindest actors I have ever worked with.  There are so many it is not fair to single them out.  But, there are a few I have spent time with and a couple who have become friends.  Tom Cruise is another very good man and one of the most driven and energetic people I have ever me.  Clint Eastwood gave me great acting advice and Anthony Hopkins is one of the most talented and brilliant and – inspiring people I know.

TJ: f you could work with anyone in TV, Theater, or Film, who would you choose?

JM: Anthony Hopkins!

TJ: Have you ever been star struck?

JM: Hummmmm.  I have met everyone I want to meet.

TJ: Lets switch gears a bit and tell me a little bit about your Best Selling book. Quantum Leap Thinking: An Owner’s Guide to the Mind.

JM: The book really makes everything complicated about the mind – simple.  It is an interactive book that inspires people to grow, learn and be creative.  I teach people how to manage their thinking, lower their stress, visualize, take risks and turn fear into power.  The book has done quite well and, more importantly, opened doors for me to meet brilliant and talented individuals like – Anthony Hopkins.

TJ: What do you think about what Author Clive Cussler’s review of your book? "You've certainly hit the nail on the head. If I had read Quantum Leap Thinking at the age of 20, I could have saved many, many mistakes and a helluva lot of wasted effort."

JM: I was always a great fan of Clive Cussler so, on a whim, I sent him a book.  I couldn’t believe it when he sent me a letter.  Then four of his books (autographed) arrived in the mail.  Numerous phone conversations followed and finally we me.  What a thrill!

TJ: Favorite Acting Exercise?

JM: I don’t have one.

TJ: I am interested in being an actor, but I am in rural Texas, What advice do you have for me, (I have already hosted an Entertainment TV show with 500,000 viewers) but no bites since then.

JM: Let’s be truthful.  The acting business is just plain tough.  My advice to you and everyone is to create your own vehicle, make friends with rejection and DO NOT give up.


TJ: Beach or Mountains:
JM: Beach.
JM: My wife and I live and write part of the year at our place in St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands.

TJ: Morning or Evening: 
JM: Evening

TJ: Favorite types of movies to watch (drama, comedy etc.) 

JM: Thrillers and mysteries

TJ: Quickfire…  what is your favorite:  song, movie, color, animal, food, sport, number, celebrity,

JM: Half the Battle from the Broadway show Ben Franklin in Paris, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Purple, Golden Retriever, Paella, Horse Racing, nine, Anthony Hopkins

TJ: Do you have a hobby?

JM: Honest to God, my work is my hobby, performing, acting, writing, speaking and peak performance coaching plus I love camping and fresh water fishing and – scuba diving.

TJ: Do you have an interesting story that should have made it to a tabloid?  About you or someone else?

JM: I don’t think so other than I found out totally by accident in 1995 that my father adopted me.  I tracked my biological father down, made a reservation to go visit him and he dropped dead the morning I was supposed to fly out.  Whew!

TJ: All of the films, TV, and plays that you have done in your Extensive career, which is your favorite?

JM: 'Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country' because I got to meet and spend time with the entire original cast.

TJ: What is one interesting fact about you that your fans don’t already know?

JM: That I turned down hosting my own national talk show because the producers insisted that I must have a total incompetent as a co-host.

TJ: Thank you James for doing this off-the-cuff interview, I wish you much success in your future endeavors, and send me press releases when you have them and we will post them on TeeJayToday.com! 

If you want to learn more about James, his career, or his future endeavors, please visit his websites:


If you need to learn more about yourself, want to be a more effective leader, or just need an eye-opening read, you really need to pick up a copy of Jame's Best-Selling Book; "Quantum Leap Thinking"

Saturday, May 5, 2012

The Avengers in 3D

I was shocked to see the line at the theaters to go see The Avengers.  My little brother and I were going to see the 815 showing, but it and 5 other show times were completely sold out.  We were lucky enough to get the last tickets for the 905 showing.  We were extremely lucky to get the ones in 3D, since that is how I like to see my action movies! 

The movie was AMAZING!  The special effects were outstanding, especially in 3D!  The story line made sense, the acting was good too!  The Hulk and Iron Man steal the entire show with their humor.  Captain America is given his props and kind of becomes the leader of the group, which is great to see the Original Avenger taking some superiority and for standing toe to toe with Thor!  (Marvel has jumped through a lot of hoops to tie all of the movies together, like all of the Easter eggs in Iron Man, Captain America, etc...)

If you get a chance to go see this movie, make sure you see it in 3D to get the full effect of the scenery and backgrounds.  Oh yeah, the fight scenes are worth the ticket price alone!  Plus, come on, Samuel L Jackson is in it!