Jason Schwartz enjoys an hour chat in the NEUTRAL Zone with MARK BELTZMAN, Veteran actor, comedian and musician. Marks acting and comedy experience in character roles with Adam Sandler, John Candy, George Wendt, John Belushi, Dan Ackroyd, Second City Players… …countless roles fun to talk to about music, comedy, Improv, old times and new times, his Maui activities and Mankind Project and self development and accountability, tuba playing in local orchestras– great conversation- fun to enjoy… come away uplifted.
Summary & Transcript
Introduction and Holiday Context
- The show opens in a friendly, casual tone, welcoming actor Mark Beltzman, who is visiting Maui.
- The hosts discuss the coincidence of Christmas and Hanukkah starting on the same day this year, noting the rarity of Hanukkah extending through New Year’s Day.
- Mark is introduced as a longtime actor and community member on Maui, involved in both the arts and local organizations.
- Key point: The holiday season is acknowledged inclusively with Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and general well-wishes.
- The importance of community, accountability, and support, especially through organizations like The Mankind Project, is introduced early as a foundational theme.
The Mankind Project and Accountability
- Mark describes his involvement in The Mankind Project (MKP), a global men’s organization focusing on accountability, personal growth, and emotional support.
- MKP uses “integration groups” where men meet weekly to hold each other accountable, revealing blind spots and fostering growth.
- He emphasizes the value of accountability teams, including both male and female groups, to maintain balance and personal development.
- Mark shares his personal experience with MKP starting in 2005 after attending Landmark Education Forum, highlighting how such programs helped him evolve personally and professionally.
- A key insight is the need for trusted people in our lives who can provide honest feedback to help us grow.
- The conversation touches on spirituality and ethics in the entertainment industry and real estate, noting a general lack of accountability but also the importance of surrounding oneself with grounded, responsible people.
- Mark’s philosophy is to stay in his own lane, mind his business, and focus on positivity, avoiding distractions from negativity in politics or media.
Mark Beltzman’s Career and Community Involvement
- Mark outlines his extensive acting career spanning 42 years, including notable roles in Home Alone, Billy Madison, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Magnum PI, and a forthcoming live-action Lilo and Stitch film.
- Besides acting, Mark is deeply involved in music, playing the tuba with the Maui Pops Orchestra and the Maui Community Band, highlighting the importance of community arts programs.
- He shares how he balances his career with family life and local cultural engagement, underscoring the importance of serving community through arts, culture, and education.
- Mark recounts the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on Maui, describing the island’s rare period without tourists as a magical and transformative time for nature and community.
- Swimming daily in the ocean became a key part of his routine and well-being during this time.
- His involvement in founding the Maui Arts and Music Association and Maui Improv reflects his commitment to cultivating local culture and arts.
- Mark discusses the challenge and realization that Maui’s culture should be preserved and respected rather than “changed” by newcomers, emphasizing serving the island’s existing community and culture.
- He promotes local media like 88.5 FM Ka KU and Akaku Maui Community Media as important cultural outlets.
Personal Evolution, Transformation, and Following Passion
- Mark shares a personal story from 2012 when he and his wife sold most of their belongings to travel and teach improv and acting worldwide, describing it as a period of intentional discomfort and growth.
- He frames this experience as a powerful example of transformation through embracing uncertainty and discomfort, key themes in his teaching and personal philosophy.
- Mark stresses the importance of living in the present moment, following passion rather than chasing success or external validation.
- Acting and improv are tools for personal transformation, teaching people how to eliminate self-doubt, be present, and trust their innate talents.
- He emphasizes the law of attraction and the idea of “being in the vortex” — staying in a happy, positive state to attract opportunities and fulfillment.
- His motto: “Figure out what makes you smile and do more of it,”whether it’s gardening, music, swimming, or any joyful activity.
Insights on Fear, Growth, and Midlife Realizations
- Mark discusses lessons from his mentor Dell Close, who taught him “follow your fear” — embracing the things that scare you leads to the greatest personal gratification and growth.
- Despite decades in the industry, Mark feels his best work is yet to come, motivated by ongoing self-accountability and personal evolution.
- He reflects on his recent 64th birthday with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose, viewing midlife as a time of expanded awareness rather than limitation.
- The conversation touches on the role of accountability groups like MKP in providing language and frameworks to hold oneself responsible for growth and integrity.
- Mark encourages viewers/listeners to connect with The Mankind Project, a global network with over 100,000 members, emphasizing its universal availability and powerful community support.
Community Vision: Art, Environment, Sustainability, and Economy
- Mark is deeply involved in efforts to integrate arts, culture, environmental solutions, and economic sustainability in Maui.
- He envisions a self-sustaining economic model where real estate commissions and other revenues are reinvested into the community to support local artists, musicians, and environmental initiatives.
- The goal is to create jobs and opportunities through art and culture, honoring the unique Hawaiian culture and providing affordable housing and sustainable development.
- Mark shares anecdotes about his life in Maui, including buying a salvage vehicle inexpensively and seeking community support for practical needs.
- He stresses the importance of cooperation, accountability, and love as pillars for building a thriving community and environment.
- The conversation highlights the importance of “being here now”—appreciating the present moment and place as a spiritual and practical foundation for success.
Reflections on Life, Community, and Legacy
- Mark reflects on how Maui shaped his life and work since arriving in 1988, focusing on showcasing local culture globally through media and performance.
- He acknowledges key community pillars like David Johnson (Maui Academy of Performing Arts) and Lynn McKuin (Pro Arts) who support the arts and culture infrastructure on the island.
- Mark’s humor and humility shine through as he jokes about his “inappropriate” nature and how he balances that with being a gentleman and community advocate.
- They discuss contemporary political and societal chaos with a resigned but pragmatic attitude—choosing to focus on personal joy and contribution rather than frustration.
- The show ends with warm holiday wishes, gratitude for community support, and a reaffirmation of the show’s mission to serve as a creative and environmental platform for Maui and beyond.
- Mark’s final messages emphasize presence, joy, community accountability, and the power of art and culture to transform lives and environments.
Summary Table: Mark Beltzman’s Roles and Contributions
| Role/Activity | Description/Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | 42+ years career; roles in Home Alone, Billy Madison, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Magnum PI, Lilo & Stitch (upcoming) |
| Musician | Tuba player with Maui Pops Orchestra and Maui Community Band; active in local concerts and teaching |
| Community Organizer | Founder of Maui Arts and Music Association (since 1991); founder of Maui Improv (2014) |
| Mankind Project Member | Active participant in men’s accountability and personal growth groups; promotes emotional and spiritual development |
| Environmental Advocate | Promotes sustainable living, local economy reinvestment, renewable energy efforts on Maui |
| Teacher/Coach | Teaches improv, acting, and personal transformation workshops worldwide |
Key Insights and Takeaways
- Accountability and community support are essential for personal growth and emotional health. The Mankind Project exemplifies this through weekly integration groups and cross-gender mastermind meetings.
- Living in the present and following what brings joy is a central philosophy for a fulfilling life. “Figure out what makes you smile and do more of it” is a simple but powerful guiding principle.
- Transformation often requires embracing discomfort and uncertainty, as Mark’s 14-month “walkabout” illustrates. Growth happens outside comfort zones.
- Art, music, and culture are vital to community identity and economic sustainability, especially in unique places like Maui. Investing local resources back into these sectors creates jobs and preserves culture.
- Ethics and law of attraction matter in all industries; choosing to surround oneself with grounded, responsible people fosters integrity.
- Maui’s culture is to be honored and served, not changed by outsiders.Respecting local traditions strengthens community bonds.
- Presence, listening, and making others look good are life and acting lessons that improve relationships and success.
- Political and societal chaos can be processed by focusing on personal empowerment and contribution rather than frustration.
Recommended Resources
- The Mankind Project: mankindproject.org — global men’s accountability and growth organization
- Maui Arts and Music Association: Local organization promoting arts, culture, and environmental education in Maui
- Akaku Maui Community Media: Local TV and radio platform supporting community voices and culture
- Maui Pops Orchestra and Maui Community Band: Community music organizations fostering local talent and culture
Closing Notes
Mark Beltzman embodies a multi-faceted life as an actor, musician, community leader, and personal growth advocate. His story underscores the power of accountability, presence, and joyful engagement with life’s passions, rooted deeply in Maui’s unique cultural and environmental landscape. The conversation is a testament to how arts, culture, and community can intertwine to create resilient, thriving local ecosystems amid global uncertainty.
Transcript
00:03
wow I don’t hear the music but that’s okay we’re in the neutral zone Aloha some reason it came over my phone but that’ll be better for you on TV and on internet because uh we let it see that guy someone let him in I love this guy Mark beltzman welcome to the show Jason nice to be here thanks for asking me you know Tony Tony midnight Tony’s The Man Tony’s holding down the fort man he is the for that dude is the foundation of this place incredible I love Tony good man he said uh and I didn’t realize it’s
00:50
Christmas being of the Jewish faith I wasn’t even aware that Hanukkah and Christmas start the same day by Humbug Christmas only gets one day the Jews get eight happy yay Tony Tony Tony midnight Tony without Tony Monday to Thursday from one to two one hour there you go we would all fall apart without Tony he runs this he is the man absolutely Mark beltman you know it’s Christmas when he said Christmas Eve show somehow we met Tuesday we belong we belong we have an opportunity to be part of a mankind project yeah great
01:43
organization to meet regularly as people weekly even sometimes most of the time and uh I got to know a man that I thought first I had seen him on stage and in movies and I thought is that is that the same guy what Mark beltzman is here on Maui he I’ve seen him in I want I need you to put the names in this is Oh you mean my resume know I’ve just been very fortunate so many places yeah I’ve been really fortunate to have a great career home alone M money Billy Madison Wedding Singer Seinfeld Curb
02:24
Your Enthusiasm house Cold Case Magnum PI unbelievable Hawaii wow did a movie with Zack galanakis that’ll come out next year oh you have Liberty tell us the name oh I have one line it’s one scene in a re they did a liveaction version of the Disney cartoon Lilo and Stitch supposed to come out in May and I have one little scene in one line with Zach alakus and little girl who plays Lilo who is just adorable and what a privilege what an honor to be able to it is that you know because to be an actor and
03:06
have a show and do long things but when Adam Sandler does a movie or you can name them right yeah when they are doing it they need that memorable scene with that guy ah that guy that guy I’m that guy yeah occasion a long and beautiful career 42 years still at it I still believe my best Works ahead of me and uh I’m so fortunate not only to get to do everything I love for a living movies television play music I play tuba and the Maui pops Orchestra and the Maui Community band which are both great
03:44
organizations we just had holiday concerts but I get to live on Maui and travel the world and uh do what I love and this is part of it so an honor to be here sir thank you you’re such a gentleman Mark you know is just a naturally I say naturally Mark has been like many of us I was going to say naturally beautiful and centered and wonderful with a with a wife he loves and respects sometimes honors well you know it always goes you know she’s a great lady man Beverly Luben love two sides you got to make that make that’s right
04:27
she holds down the fort in our house I’ll tell you that she’s amazing so yeah you mentioned so many different things uh the holidays of course it’s Christmas and Hanukkah has never come this late it starts at Christmas day is the first day of Hanukkah which means New Year’s Eve is like the seventh day of Hanukkah and New Year’s Day is the Eighth Day of hanuk I’ve never experienced that as a Jew myself years right so happy holidays to everybody Merry Christmas happy Hanukkah happy K Quanza
04:58
happy whatever you celebrate we’re here to celebrate with you peace mankind project oh my God what a you know I function much better as a man when I’m being held accountable by other men and I get the honor and privilege of holding other men accountable and that’s what sitting in a a circle with a team of men and what we call an i group integration group every week is such a privilege uh that uh we all as human beings have blind spots and we have to have men that we trust in our lives or people not
05:30
necessarily men but this is a man’s uh mankind project as a men’s organization they also have uh women’s organizations that serve the same purpose but we need to have people in our lives that we trust to reveal our blind spots so that we can evolve and grow and still maintain being grateful and having such a huge amount of uh gratitude in our lives and uh that’s part of the lifestyle and culture here on Maui what an eloquent delivery of what mankind project yeah it’s really important to me
06:03
no but it really you expressed so it is I have a whole accountability team I still I belong for years in uh in California the Sterling uh men’s organization I still have two men on that previous team that I check in with one on Tuesday and one on Thursday who hold me accountable from afar and we have a conversation every week and then I have a mastermind group with my wife and two other women so I get the feminine perspective on the work that we do so passionately about evolving growing and keeping ourselves 100%
06:37
accountable uh to each other and ourselves and so that’s about once every three weeks I meet with these women and then sit in a circle every week with the men here on on Maui and so yeah I have a whole accountability team and make sure there’s checks and balances to be able to maintain a sense of you know just staying grounded and and being happy and not giving our power away to situations circumstances or people it’s really easy to get thrown off into the bushes whenever you start judging or get cut
07:09
off in traffic or you never know man you it’s just part of life and this isn’t a little thing I mean I think it was 1991 1991 only hit in my ey that’s when I started the Maui Arts and Music Association those are the first mankind project but it was people you know we have people here who know the people people that were back then yeah that’s still within our lifetime 1991 oh sure for me it started around 2005 when I did The Landmark Education Forum The Forum that was the first uh Awakening I had
07:44
and and do you find that the entertainment industry has embraced a lot of that stuff or is that different well there’s a there’s a a growth and a spike in spirituality in the world on in one uh Sense on one hand let’s say I looking at these things do you find that you’re a comedian and actor and never mind all the other great things I didn’t mention um how do you gently what’s the word in your industry you come with a level of ethics and things do you find a loving cooperation like I was in a meeting in
08:33
real estate just less than an hour ago and she was talking about the difference between 8020 split and 7030 7030 you get a coach and this person that brought me on wants me to be 8020 with her and not go that way and I thought for that 10% difference like so but it’s all about money everything is based on money money yeah do you find ethics I mean I I don’t want to Mi the conversation right but you find that ethics uh well there’s a lack of accountability in the world right now look at politics and those guys and and
09:15
and and what’s going on in in all around the world and in Show Business it’s no different you know you have people who will make the right decision for the right reason because it’s the right thing to do and you have people who will make the right decision for themselves put more money in their pockets no matter what the circumstances are and those exist in every occupation and every corner in the world but I’m a firm believer in law of attraction and we attract like-minded people so most of
09:43
the people in my life uh are are very grounded and have a certain level of accountability and responsibility otherwise I probably wouldn’t be attracted to them or nor vice versa so I kind of just you know stay in my l mind my own business and shut my mouth that’s my motto these days and I long ago I don’t want to say made the mistake but I integrated all here on this little island and by doing that it conf it’s confused a lot of people what am I I’m an environmental guy but I can sing I
10:18
was going thinking your tuba was here so I brought a track uh of Nat King Cole they want me singing Christmas Eve of uh Chestnut chestnuts roast so maybe he’ll sing with me here sure the finale yeah but um I really the reason I speak of it mankind project is like an oasis is that what I’m trying to come to the point of I am in Mankind pro in it I went through a great experience called what new Warrior training Advent oh the weekend yeah mhm which was a really good experience I had originally
10:58
gone there thinking I was going to go on a recruiting thing like LinkedIn and I’d be able to find people would like what I was do and become part of my vision well all of them many many of them have they’ve been sitting right where you are we’ve had shows about many of these blossoming and already incredible people cuz when I look around I who do I see leaders in our community in all ways yeah and people that understand the ideas of accountability all these great things so I was bringing
11:32
it up because I’ve been doing this gig and whatever things on here even on akaku public access you know 30 million years 33 here right and before that I was in Los Angeles and music thing so well the reason I’m bringing all this up is these times that are so unusual in the world here on Maui when I say I created the Maui Arts and Music Association I feel like I’ve been holding a place for people like you I mean you’re in it by the nature of who and what you are it’s an association of art music and culture
12:12
to educate people about Environmental Solutions and become examples to the world and do that so I’m choosing real estate commissions great 100% flipping them into a vision so and now who’s going to get paid it’s creating an economy that’s to me what’s so fun is I hope to catch the attention of the business that sees a flame burning and goes there’s a hit and grabs it you know and you’re like a m if I was going to pick an MC for show yeah you’re natural we could do we could do
12:55
you’re already part of all these fabulous things here you’ve been involved in in the uh Arts with David Johnson and Kathy and mappa yeah Maui academy of performing arts we’ve had shows together in fun sure sure I love it we are that’s the whole Vision that this Mama and Papa and Dream Makers yeah the art music and culture of these islands Elevate the Hawaiian culture which we’ve all in hoping and seeing and want to integrate with the world and give them their right you know how many people
13:28
were taken over how many countries are there you know it’s like but to let the world see and give them that pride and be what are we’re talking at a time when Donald Trump’s going to be president what when did that H isn’t that unbelievable I feel like I’m living in a time machine yeah I mean when I think about you I often think comedy but you are oh so much more you are a gift I’ve so enjoyed spending time with you thank you brother I I really appreciate that I’m flattered and uh I I I just I I love
14:05
what I do I love my life and you know I teach uh improv and acting all over the world and it’s called improv and acting but really what I’m passionate about what I teach is transformation you know to uh the principles of of acting are are are what allows us to be the best uh human being we could possibly be get out of your own way eliminate self your already born with all the talent you’ll need to succeed at anything you want and just follow your dreams and follow your passion let it happen to you instead of
14:38
you working so hard to make it happen you don’t have to chase it shouldn’t be hard work you know that’s what law of attraction is about is allowing the universe to deliver whatever it is you’re asking for you just have to be what they call in the vortex you have to be in a happy place so the universe can bring it to you otherwise it’s going to reject it and one of the the major pillars of what I teach is figure out what’s working and do more of it instead of trying to change and
15:07
fix what’s wrong in your life how do you know the difference one makes you smile and one doesn’t you are born with an internal mechanism we’re all born with an internal mechanism that tells us what’s working in our lives so just figure out what makes you smile and do more of it instead of trying to change and fix the things that are wrong and then you’ll find that those things will either go away they’ll fix themselves or you didn’t need to worry about them in the first place so just figure out what
15:37
makes you smile and do more of it and I don’t care what that is whether it’s gardening or smoking weed or drinking or swimming in the ocean hiking painting playing music whatever makes you smile do more Symphony in business there you go I’m trying to take real estate commissions and turn them into food for a whole economy with art and music mus and culture bring others to come into this vision and do the same cuz there’s so much abundance you know when I think of people that have money or get
16:10
money we know living on Maui isn’t all you know billionaire row so so when we live here we learn to be economical and we learn to also appreciate Hawaiians have shared then teach taught me this appreciate where we are the culture and this place and the people and the energy right so I just add one more thing to that enjoy where you’re at while you’re there that’s like rhda says yeah be here now absolutely it is always a pleasure to see you but I’m I’m glad we’re doing
16:50
this because I know you are a a box a you are a a with so many drawers you know I and yet it becomes a giant fabric you know I only know you a little time and knowing you through mankind project I you know I found so much more about the man you know and and I really love you and I’ve come to really understand that this energy that I feel around people that are accountable and everything creates an environment I guess for my success but it also creates more and more excitement in me and in others for the way that we
17:37
can integrate on a little island in a difficult world yeah stay together in a beautiful way so I’m going to help hopefully this is a model when someone looks at these environmental things I’ve been doing they’ll see I’ve been wait Jason are you talking environment you keep talking about music and art and culture what the heck you doing the world’s attention is on people that are the vision at you I sing on well back in the day you know with uh Jean Kelly and Donald oconor they used to
18:13
call them song and dance men you had to sing dance and act and nowadays you have to wear many different hats you know just to you know maintain a sense of self uh self-expression and finding those things that again make you smile really important in life speaking of that I’ve seen you playing music that make a smile oh my God yeah I love it you know it’s kind of getting back to my roots when I was young I uh honest to God I was going to be a brain surgeon and I went through the first two years of college in uh
18:51
Wayne State University in Detroit Michigan and realized College wasn’t exactly for me and so I dropped out to play in three Symphonies the Allen Park Symphony the Scandinavian Symphony and the St Clair Shores Symphony and I did that for a few years and then um I stopped playing music fulltime to be an actor and every once in a while I would get to do both like I was the tuba player in the poker band and with John Candy and Home Alone there was an episode of House called not cancer where I uh was a tuba player and died from a
19:29
from a organ donation it’s I laugh although it’s not a funny show no but I understand and uh and so I i’ I’m I’m really fortunate and so now I’m I’m back to playing more music with the Maui pops Orchestra I’m so fortunate to be part of that organization we just played a holiday concert at the Mac uh two weeks ago and I really enjoy that and the Maui Community band is such a blessing it’s uh the people there are are just really uh all about the community all about
20:02
music and it’s a lot of students from uh all the high schools uh all around the island and the teachers um a lot of them most of them play uh in the orchest or the Maui Community band as well uh and it’s led by Ted monzano who’s just an amazing human being and a really sweet man and one day later in that same space there is a rehearsal for the chop SOI Orchestra ah yes and I to sing a couple of songs with all these great mus some of those same musicians are in both of those organizations what a fun thing yeah what
20:37
a great experience you’ve been having fun oh man just super you know the having having the support of the community and being able to support the community and give back is just a blessing it really is especially here and more people you know I came here 5 years ago I I I I founded Maui improv in 2014 and then after the pandemic uh the the forest and the powers that be at Maui improv went back to in-person classes without telling me which was a very clear sign they weren’t interested in what I was selling and that’s fine um
21:12
and then uh I moved here full-time October of 2019 right before lockdown so we had about three or four months to nest and then everything got shut down and that sidebar was one of the most unique historical magical events I’ve ever experienced and nobody will ever experience that again which was Maui without tourists for 8 months was one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had the oceans were replenishing animals were coming closer there was no traffic there was no people on the beaches I
21:47
remember going down Front Street alone you was alone yeah something and what the gift I got out of that experience was you couldn’t be on on the park you couldn’t be on the beach or you’d get a ticket but there’s no maritime law so as long as you were in the water the cops left you alone so I started swimming seven days a week just to get out of the house and now I haven’t stopped for five years now I swim every morning seven days a week I go in the ocean every single day I couldn’t today because I had to be here
22:20
early um but uh lat you will yes yes absolutely and and that’s really you know one of the greatest Gifts of of living here here and being blessed ask a a real simple yeah now you’re a celebrity to the world you know you’re far and wide you know say so even if you know you I I identify I’m celebrity adjacent no but the best part is those character actors like I say are the star stands in the middle and goes I my lines they were given to me and I do these lines and then there’s this thing
22:58
that says say oh yeah mhm that’s you you’re the spice in the movie so when I look at movies if someone said well I’m in the Adam Sandler movie and I’m in this when you remember those scenes You’re A Gifted actor see he is this the star he gets bonus plann maybe yeah but you’re a gifted actor I’m just so blessed so you’re on the street go to the water people respectful to you oh they nobody knows who I am and that’s fine I have the greatest career the world because nobody knows who I am
23:31
unless I tell them and they go oh my God that’s you they go no that oh my god oh yeah you’re that guy right home alone you’re so yeah so it’s it’s a gift and a blessing if I was more recognizable I’d probably have a lot more money but that’s not important to me uh I’ve learned to just you know find the blessings the blessings and who absolutely and that’s one of the most important things about living here on this island is I when I moved here five years ago I
24:01
thought I was going to come to Maui and change the culture and change the theater scene and teach everybody and I took me a very hard lesson to learn that it’s not supposed to be changed it’s supposed to be the way it is for a reason and people just love serving their Community practicing their arts and enjoying the process and they don’t need anything more and it’s really important that the people here in radio uh recently uh you know trying to change everything that’s going on on the
24:38
airwaves and for me it doesn’t work I you know I I stop listening I just don’t appreciate it and it’s not about bringing the mainland to the island it’s about serving the island right where it’s at and appreciating all the culture it has to offer and I just must mention 88.5 FM Ka KU simoc cast on akaku Maui Community media TV for old people like me and you and on the net we’re at YouTube dream mai1 that sounds like a placeholder it is because we are part of us and as you’re hearing these ideas and you look
25:19
at this environment this is the neutral zone we’re going to see things here and ideas here if you look at the shows and ideas you’re going to see all over the map all kinds of things more invited and we’re giving back why because I don’t really I learn through my life not uh without some suffering giving is the real gift right and I want to give 100% of what I make because if I give it and create an environment I’m living in that environment and while I’m enjoying these feelings in this environment of using
26:01
what these resources are now to live a life now and I see that in when I I say that CA the the quality of what you do when you’re acting I mean it’s because of your ability to be here now yeah absolutely be here now of now as an improv person like you know yeah I see it here you are and I always start my workshops by telling people everything we do here is purposely designed to get you out of your comfort zone that’s where life happens you said just a minute ago through some suffering of
26:38
your own you learn these lessons and that’s where the most pivotal moments and epiphanies in your life happen is when you’re at your most uncomfortable and you have biggest breakthroughs the bigger the break down the bigger the break through and so I strive myself on putting myself in places where I’m uncomfortable so that I grow and evolve and strive to be more than I am in 2012 I was doing a play with George Went called reanimator the musical and the um producers paid the whole cast to go to
27:12
New York for the New York Music Festival on Broadway and then flew us all to Edinburgh Scotland for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival well my wife and I had been living in the same apartment in Los Angeles for 21 years so we got a little complacent and decided to move on so we sold our cars our clothes our furniture everything we own put some stuff in a friend’s garage and Beverly uh my wife met me in Scotland at the end of the run and we just what my wife likes to call our Walkabout we spent 14 months just
27:42
traveling around we spent a month in Scotland went to Amsterdam I ended up Runing a house in England and taught improv and acting workshops all over uh and then we came back to New York and I worked and taught my way across the country back to Los Angeles where we landed once again uh in 2013 and that was an amazing experience to just be really uncomfortable being homeless for 14 months and not knowing where anything was coming from but of course and if you asked my wife it was one of the most thrilling years of Our Lives because we
28:16
were putting ourselves purposely getting comfortable being uncomfortable and not knowing and to me that’s where life happens you were already in the Pro you were an actor you you’re all what you do so you carry who you are to the what years were that that was 2012 20 you were in your 40s 50s you were old enough to know better you were saying okay yeah I just turned 64 a couple weeks ago imagine you say Hey you know sometimes people call this a midlife crisis but I call it my eyes get clear on what I want to do and how this
28:56
whole life that I’ve lived till now wouldn’t be now unless oh that happened right and the power that comes with that awareness has been amazing and it’s all the work we do life right drives yeah doing the men’s team work doing uh Landmark Education C you know accountability is important but I had an epiphany back then which was I was always waiting to be a million-dollar movie actor to be go to Europe and do all the things that I love and realize I didn’t have to wait for anything all you
29:30
have to do is choose and say yes and go do it and it’ll all work out it always does and to take that risk you know Dell close the guru of all improv taught he was the acting coach for the not ready for Prime Time Players on SNL and I lived next door to him and studied with him for many years in Chicago uh at a place called IO improv Olympic and the first thing Dell taught all of us was follow your fear if you accomplish something you’re afraid of it’s so much more gratifying than accomplishing
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something you know you can do what you know you can do is talk yourself out of something or say no or don’t do it and then worry or just dream of what it would have been like if you said yes rather than leaning into your fears following them overcoming them accomplishing things that you didn’t think you could do and that’s where our conversation started before we got on air you were saying you know you have dream of grandeur Beyond where where you’re at in life I’m a round peg in a
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square hole all the rest of that stuff absolutely because I don’t see that limitation stuff right we’re very likeminded I believe my best work is still ahead of me I really believe that in movies and television and music and that’s why we’re going in the ocean every day that’s why we’re we are oh my God I’m sure you’re saying to yourself you know I am the best self right now especially with support and account ability if you guys never heard about Mankind pro let me tell you I don’t who
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do we send I CU I want to get to another subject with you but I I want to really stress I really enjoyed it who would you say it’s really powerful do we uh send them to just look up mkp that’s all just go to mk. mankind project.org okay yeah absolutely if they find a group near you anywhere in the world by the way it doesn’t not just on Maui all over the world people 100 people there are like 100,000 plus people right absolutely and probably more I just being conservative on purpose yeah you know um but we you
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know I don’t think that the affiliation is the code I guess the code of accountability and all the things that make up Mankind’s basic tenants yeah well it’s really accountability to yourself yeah and we use the group to hold us accountable if I say I’m going to go to the gym tomorrow and I don’t go there’s no consequences but if I say to the men okay I’m going to go to the gym 3 days this week and then I show up next week and say I didn’t do it then it’s I just it’s accountability tool people
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that we see that way and it’s very clear it really gives you a reflection to be better yourself you know that’s a really exciting thing you know no judgments you know if people ask for help and they get it and it’s just a the experience has been worthwhile and look I would never know Mark yeah and you know probably bunch of people I didn’t really do it on purpose but you know when you’re in place and you’re looking around and you look who is this interesting well you did do it on
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purpose you you’re the creator of your own life you’re Creator Joseph said originally come to Joseph cooh Hey Joe Jo blessings to you guys cheers Han yeah right right all of us we are we are so blessed this is such a beautiful integrated community and absolutely really a special place have felt so much love I would never have an opportunity to sit with Clint Eastwood across the table well he’s a name you know look where’s Clint Clint are you in Clint Clint Clint you’re welcome to join us on
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the show in fact we’ll even give you half half of the show or more I know Clint East would but damn it I sure enjoy being on a movie set and being on a TV set I know I sound like a fool but not at all I’ve been in Maui all these years and I came here from Hollywood and I knew why I was coming to Maui not Kansas and I knew to showcase the culture and the art and the music and educate the world and that story I tell about the Statue and pundy at the at the Mac that’s worth hearing and
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understanding we can do things now we don’t don’t have to turn to Stone we can take an idea and go further if we believe and truly live and can convey that well part of it is the Stars that’s why I say well the stars in the pillar of the community you you stand Mark I mean it with respect thank you if you are known to the world to have this happening here your attention will shine a light on all this opportunity not only for the people here but for everywhere and a vision that can holding that heart
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didn’t start with mankind project but that’s where we met no there’s some real pill thank you thank you I appreciate that I appreciate the mankind project and uh our uh our ey group and uh the work that we do there’s some real pillars of the community here you know you mentioned David Johnson at Maui academy of performing arts Lynn mckuin at Pro Arts is one of the pillars of the art community and a foundation of of all the artists musicians actors uh and and and really holds down
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uh uh opportunities and serves this community better than anything or anybody I could ever imagine so I want to make sure we give a shout out to those amazing people oh yeah by the way uh we’re already I was going to say this was your test show no oh geez you didn’t have to even take a test because my audition you were on before and you’re on this station anytime you want to be but I would love to have you as a co-host when you want to be able to come on or come on by yourself or be in the
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field and somehow feel like you’re part of the neutral zone you’re part of Mama and Papa and Dream Makers because a vision with action taking that fear and going excuse me and doing and when I talked about experience I’ve been here since 1988 and I was going to turn this place into the example then I I’m the solar guy I was the solar exchange and energy Exchange in La I came here thinking oh I could take my ideas and want to do music and be responsible for the renewable energy technology and the
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guy that the center and I booked New Year’s Eve I could tell you stories and you would say oh politics again who I don’t think Linda lingle even knew what she did with and the Chamber of Commerce and the whole thing it’s a movie by itself yeah you have a part by the way maybe you’ll have write it you are what do you want to be with this but these stories the purpose is to wake us up to be now realize the potential of now that’s that’s I think what I really when I first met you you are a master at
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being present oh thank you you know when you’re when you’re on stage you are present you wouldn’t know he was the guy in the movie but when you stop and look that’s the same guy but you are always also very appropriate oh I don’t think that’s not true no the word appropriate I’m more I’m more inappropriate than anybody you’ll ever know I love offending people okay well I guess I offend them by being able to take it you know sometimes but meaning that uh somehow
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I’m I I think I’m known what do they say don’t mistake my gentl full weakness right that would be a mistake and I play a long game but I don’t have revenge like M what are we going to do here Mark about what uh our president and the whole system nothing but observe yeah you can it’s it’s basically a reality TV show he’s running the country like he’s on a reality TV show and all reality TV shows are about the train wreck that’s all you can do is sit back and watch the train
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wreck man there’s nothing to be done there’s nothing to do but enjoy the ride that’s why I say my motto these days is stay in my Lane mind my own business and shut my mouth and I’ve never been happier and it doesn’t mean that you can’t be proactive or political or serve whatever purpose you want to serve in life but for me I know like I said before figure out what makes you smile and do more of it and those things do not make me smile so I kind of just stay away from those things
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you know you can turn on the TV in the morning and the first thing you’re thrown off into the bushes by having uh the negative you know information and news and being processed or you can just uh like I said sit back and watch the train wreck that’s all you can do you see what we’re doing here to me I now I can see I’m old Johnny C Carson and mhm Ed McMahon how’s that do you some of you kids who Jun why what who Ed McMahon I never heard that name yeah but we have an opportunity because the
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world is in chaos but they know the word Maui they know the word take money create jobs educate people about who and what they are have music jobs create art jobs create people to coming to shows create more modest prices create more things in the area the way you get activity is you move your money in the world you don’t put it in a bank you do if you trade in money for a future we have no future unless we now work together to save or what save to live our world in a responsible accountable world yeah that’s all
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important to me is really simple even yeah I said and it’s loving you’re so one you’re so much more the man when I meet him as the man than I see on a screen or anything really um I take that with a lot of um what’s the word I don’t know how you think but you’re important you’ve done so much through your gift you’ve been fortunate enough to be seen and been in all kinds of movies but when you put your resume together and such if you have anything to do on Maui who are
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you going to call go Ghostbusters you ever work with him probably have too Dan akroy Dan akroy I worked with on According to Jim I spent three and a half years uh on According to Jim uh and uh yeah that was fun Belushi beltzman an Acro for a couple of episodes and uh that’s excellent yeah Billy Murray uh you know his little brother Joel Murray who’s a very successful actor and uh does a lot of the Who’s Live anyway shows around the country yeah and has been in a lot of TV shows um and uh he uh he and I went
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through Second City together back in uh 40 years ago 35 40 years ago that so I’ve known the whole Murray family and his mom was just a wonderful wonderful person um and uh they’re all good people and and Billy’s been pretty good to me over the years and uh yeah they’re fun you are looking more like a I say co-host that means I’m going to turn it over and we’re going to uh I don’t need any more on my plate brother I got plenty going on so when he wants to be co-host he create an open
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door right on thank you I appr in-house or ouse it could be sh the out house can you say that on the radio sure we’re all full of whoy whoy we are a mixed community who is good here yeah garbage in garbage out that’s the way it works that’s what the out housee is for wait until you learn Hawaiian and you see the loving culture that word Aloha is not an empty thing oh no it’s a spiritual gift a meaning that my lady friend Ariel was studying five or eight years with Auntie doll Auntie doll
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talking about going to New York as a little girl doing hoola we have such a beautiful culture um there’s the school that teaches at the uh used to be a college now was part of the university the Hawaiian courses and studies are awesome and music programs there we’ve grown up into a big Community yeah with a bit of a blotch at Lina but the whole of Maui the whole of Maui is open not only are we open we love you come on of my house and my house some house big small this is a beautiful wonderful have you found anything but
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Beauty here no it’s just all you got to do is get off the couch it’s a spiritual awakening every day and like I said I go in the ocean and I do a lot of reef diving I like to dive in the reef and go shelling you know you find uh already evacuated beautiful uh shells I I do this every day and uh evacuated and just give them away to people I never I never I have these beautiful here’s a cowy shell oh yeah it’s a little you know you can zoom in on that hello uh uh that was a gift on my 64th birthday there was no
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visibility but I wanted to go swimming anyways and that was just sitting on the reef like a gift from God handing me this thing so shined itself no no they they come out of the ocean like that it looks like blown glass anyways I love I love Reef diving and shelling and when the world must know this CU I can’t help it when I first came to Maui in ‘ 88 and I had a girlfriend to work for a cater 8889 we’d go on the beach and we only took perfect ones because the beach was filled with SH oh right yeah now it’s a
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special and that is beautiful it’s just even more rare yeah and if they’re occupied I won’t take them World take care of if you watch our shows you’re going to see there’s lots of things and solutions to things that you can’t say in a few words that’s why we’re an association of art music and culture with a purpose to educate people about Environmental Solutions and create that self- sustainability model here starting with monies that I’ve been talking since 1991 we got a couple of contributors
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Jonathan star great got us our video equipment and oh my goodness how long have been doing this if I’ve been doing this since they opened in 92 we need more donors more corporate sponsors to pay my rent and to buy whatever it is I need take a look us up I got to go shopping at Costco I need a sponsor well but what if that sponsor was us oh that’s why I say this money going back into the community now aren’t there people in the world that say wait a minute we can sell things because you
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do that I and then the monies go in and if they don’t they will see that we are self sustained right that’s the message well I believe gifts from the universe should remain gifts to the universe the environment of that we live in to make better with people we don’t replace we get the money by recirculating rather than there are people around and maybe you know some of them maybe some of them even own billions of dollars you know they have so much money they don’t know what to do
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with themselves but we can my wife and I need a second car my wife and I need a second car I think so a used car who needs to be donated to Mark and Beverly what kind of Mark bel.com you can find me on my website there is’s oh it’s just anything that we can use to yeah right sustain us I got a car for $3,000 that’s the one I’m looking right yeah it was from a guy that fixes Salvage V it was a salvage vehicle didn’t know until after I bought it he was the towing guy he’s on Lower I’m not
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going to give his name cuz he owes me some money if he gets his go in and tell him when you go in and J is looking for you I didn’t give you his name so you’ll send me a couple of leads you see through Maui mafia’s after you $3,000 he was driving around in a car I didn’t realize one it was for sale and a friend of M know so he sold me for 3,000 I later found out it was worth if it was perfect 3,000 and not salvageable but now in this age of cars a 2006 Toyota Scion with 150,000 miles was $3,000 now what would
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it cost now who knows $3,000 they’re out there they’re older but maybe at 2012 if Mark beltzman decom doesn’t get it and you want to call us Maui we always can find us the most important thing is we are a we let’s find Mark’s coffin see there was a reason we came on the show today so it might be 20 years when you see this show if you call and contact Mark bman you can still find him a good call and if he doesn’t need it he call me 20 years we have 20 and more healthy positive years I’m 73 I hope not I see
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that living here and eating good food food and taking our waste and turning it into power and turning and rejuvenating our soil keeping the carbon in and employing an artist employing The Musicians employing the people that do the movies that can be in this Global Network when I started there was no Global Network but they know Maui and these people want to get visitors here and make this real estate go up and up as we build affordable housing all that can happen through that vision of now be here now my money back in back into a
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vision that we are unstoppable if we co-operate Absolut and are accountable see what I mean I mean I never spoken those terms before but that’s what mankind project did for me it gave me terms to hold myself accountable which I didn’t really use before preach preacher preach well I remember you know uh whatever they were LIF spring and landar I never did steerling a landmark but we were all in the same boat yeah I that was in the Lifeboat out of 25 people they chose me to be on this Lifeboat of
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three people why maybe because I’m this guy I’m the guy that wants everyone you asked for it to live cuz I want to raise up everyone a rising time our ships team Aloha at icloud.com isn’t that presumptuous so is real estate Maui at icloud.com isn’t that right yeah that’s pretty pretty bold and Noble also Jason Schwarz Maui Mark beltzman what’s your email address if you wanted to well Mark beltzman at gmail.com Mark ban.com it’s all there just Google my name you’ll see
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a million things will come up and all my because we’re radio as well as TV simcast as well as the net some of you will want to go to the net and see this again you can even find it by looking up his name of mine or look it up Maui neutral zone.com or dream maui.com or Maui Arts music.org and you’re tired of the internet Maui it’s Maui art and music an association of Art and music with a purpose to educate people about environment self- sustainability you’ll when the net started that’s why pundi it’s what this
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whole thing was about I was stopped I was the Green Party candidate for Council and then mayor it wasn’t like I was fooling but I I lost my local hero when he had a stroke but it’s not too late to do the right thing no I hope that py is hearing this Vision cuz it’s not it’s not dead take someone once told me I don’t worry about you some take some ideas take a long time MH to get understood and activated well now is good well you got to plant the seed and then you got to water it and nurture it and prune it and
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eventually it will bear fruit some sometimes uh longer than others do you have anything that you like we have about maybe you can tell me five minutes six minutes five minutes left um we can talk about anything I like to give some space what we pretty much have covered it no I’m I’m happy just to finish the conversation you want to I thought you were going play I know I didn’t I didn’t bring it I was saving some but we could probably talk for five minutes but you know that jingle Louise
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Lambert I said Louise D D D D and then I later thought is that sort of like All in the Family it’s in that mood of something where you look at something crazy and I was learning to move an object in Microsoft Word oh wow and I could move this arrow and move a circle across a page in a different pattern M and I Ed that as my learning thing and Crea the neutral zone with the Zinger oh that’s cool it’s anything but neutral the neutral zone you mean we don’t have to be neutral no not only do we not have
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to be neutral nothing we do is neutral it’s all together one who are you a psychologist a psychiatrist no I’m trying to make play funny man you just you do things with I don’t if it’s accent when you’re in front of a camera yeah you act it’s you know it’s being that thing with an audience takes an awareness of yourself that has to be caught but it’s a real full experience being that part and so I always feel that about you you’ve really you give well the part of acting and
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what I teach and improvisation is replacing thinking with listening and you have to be present and be in the moment make your partner look good you look twice as good and um those are the principles of everything that makes you a good actor and embodying the character by getting out of your own way eliminating self being present letting it happen to you instead of you working so hard to make it happen and following the story the writer has always already provided everything you need to know about any given moment any scene any
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perspective emotional stability uh your character character Arc all of those things have been provided for you so you just have to be able to decipher the information and then and be present be enough of that character that the words that come out that you’ve learned because they fit that character and you remember them because you become that part yeah like I said it’s all really life lessons everything we do in improv and acting is all about life make your partner look good you look twice as good that’s what
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life is all about relationships talking to each other about each other do you know that in two minutes did you know that I had an eye check and they told me my eyes are good but I have the start of cataracts that’s why I can’t see don’t get me started on that topic it’s we don’t have enough time and I can see I just I just went and bought new glasses last week two minute morning like football football’s so exciting it’s so close these games stop the clock there are some really really bad teams but
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they only lost a lot yeah they were playing great and then the ones that are good there’s so many good teams with so many great players well like my friend George went once said to me at a bar in Ireland he said you don’t have to be brilliant you just have to be brilliant for 5 seconds which is why I never forgot that I admire you as an actor as a man thank and I admire you in in all the different kinds of rules thank you brother appreciate it it’s even greater knowing you as a man thank you Jason thank you
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for joining me here on such short notice sure happy holidays to go we just want to wish everybody the happiest holiday season shut the door on 24 and thrive in 25 that’s my motto that’s a good motto yeah one minute left oh 48 minutes 40 seconds 38 seconds 4020 Mark it’s always a pleasure to to be with you I hope you’ll come again and ab real more than thought to being um Emissary of this show of everything the neutral zone we have people that bring on different aspects of life here in these islands
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you’re a beautiful representative May the Schwarz be with you he with me all the time I got 15 seconds then I’m going to hit the one right button all right oh I didn’t get to sing with you guys chestnuts roasting Jack pick up the credits and us Merry Christmas Happy New Year happy anuka happy K Quanza happy everything we love you it’s going to be a great year 2025 [Music]
