Interview with author Paul Haddad A.K.A. Skinny White Freak, Major Dodger Fan and Sci-Fi Futurist

 

Interview with Paul Haddad, conducted by local REALTOR® Keith Kurlander

What do you do?

I moonlight as an author. I have published four books. My day job is a television producer. TV pays the bills!

What made you decide to do this?

As a kid, I wrote books for fun, just pen on stapled paper. From age 5 to 16 (about the time I acquired a car and got more interested in girls), I wrote over a hundred books of various formats -- story books, comic books, joke books, almanacs, "kids" books. I even had a bogus book club called "Onsem." Looking back, I cringe at how lame most of them are, but the exercise in writing did help me develop a strong sense of discipline. That in turn prepared me for a career in television, which is defined by quick turnarounds and high-pressure deadlines, particularly with regard to writing. Simultaneous to my TV career, I started to get freelance articles published for outlets like the L.A. Times and Huffington Post. That set the stage for my books, all of which have come out while in my 40s. In some ways, I've come full circle... writing books again for fun, only this time, they have a much larger audience beyond me, my parents, and the dog.

What books have you written?

Two novels, two nonfiction. In 2012, my first book was published: High Fives, Pennant Drives, and Fernandomania: A Fan’s History of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Glory Years, 1977-1981 (Santa Monica Press). Based on audio tapes I recorded of Dodger games from my youth, it looks back at the Dodgers' last glory era through the radio calls of Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully. It was chosen as one of the top baseball books of 2012 by the Daily News and earned praise from the LA Times, ESPN Radio, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, CBS Radio, American Public Media and Yahoo! In 2013, Perseus Books / Argo Navis published Skinny White Freak, a "coming of rage" Young Adult novel set in 1970s Malibu about a teenager working up the courage to confront a camp bully. The book’s story was informed by my childhood. Like the protagonist Adam, I was a gangly, pasty-skinned kid, making me an easy target for ridicule, especially in the uber-tan, surfer-dude culture that defined the SoCal of my youth. Tapping my drawing background, I also created the 65 illustrations in Skinny White Freak. My next book, 10,000 Steps A Day In L.A.: 52 Walking Adventures (Santa Monica Press) came out in the Fall of 2015. It was borne out of my obsession to obtain 10,000 daily steps on my pedometer -- a goal I noticed was shared by a lot of Fitbit-wearing friends. It occurred to me that, while there have been books written about 10,000 steps as a healthy lifestyle, no one had penned a book that mapped out 10,000-step itineraries in Los Angeles -- or any city, for that matter. This was the perfect excuse for me to fill this void, as it would also scratch my longtime itch to write a book about my favorite walks in my hometown while debunking the notion that Los Angeles is a city hostile to pedestrians. Somewhere in there is the spirit of Huell Howser, who truly was "amaaaaazing" in his ability to tap into the mundane and make it magical. My most current book, Aramid (World Castle Publishing), is my first sci-fi novel. It is set in the year 2080, when humanistic robots are an ingrained part of society. When a high school class of advanced robotics students are tasked with creating their own robot in a nationwide contest, things go horribly wrong after they try to retro-engineer the 'bot to fit their own nefarious needs. I have long been obsessed with man vs. machine stories -- Westworld being one of my favorite movies -- as well good sci-fi like The Twilight Zone, which are really just morality plays dressed up in cool stories. In my TV documentary work, I was lucky enough to meet brilliant scientists and engineers who, frankly, make me feel totally intellectually inadequate. Their work helped inspire and inform Aramid.

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What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had while doing this?

Four years ago, when I wrote the Dodger book, the Dodgers invited me to host a Book Event at Dodger Stadium. I got to hang out in the gift shop, sign books, and meet Dodger fans going back to the Brooklyn days. My family and I were given nice seats to the game. It was also Vin Scully Bobblehead night. Vin was honored on the field before the game, and a huge rainbow appeared in the sky as they brought him out. He's a big part of why I became a Dodger fan, and my book is somewhat of an ode to him. Truly a memorable night.

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Do you have any exciting plans for the future that you want customers to know about?

"10,000 Steps a Day in L.A.: 52 Walking Adventures" has sold several thousand copies and is in its second printing. Perhaps there will be future editions spun around the 10,000 Steps concept. As for "Aramid," we'll just have to see how it does. Hopefully, it will spawn a sequel!

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What is something most people don't know about you?

In high school, my nickname was "Rodney." That's because I walked around doing Rodney Dangerfield impressions on cue. Unfortunately, a lot of his humor was very racy, and once I landed in the principal's office because of it. Turns out he was a fan of the comedian. All was forgiven after I fulfilled his request for a Rodney joke.

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Who are some of your business idols and role models? And why?

I admire visionaries who saw a void in the marketplace -- or knew how to tap into public sentiment about what we all want and need without knowing it -- while everyone around them was telling them how crazy they were. People who took huge risks. Several who come to mind are Walt Disney and Steve Jobs, but on a lesser level, I am also drawn to pioneers in other fields too, as in pop/rock music (Iggy Pop, Lou Reed), or even comic books. Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee is a definite role model. He's probably the most youthful 93 year old I've had the pleasure of meeting. I would attribute his longevity to the fact that he still loves to work (and loves what he does), hangs out with a lot of young people (thus staying relevant), has a strong marriage, and takes care of himself. I'd love to remain creatively and physically active deep into old age, relishing every day like he does. Vin Scully is obviously another person like that.

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What do you love about this neighborhood?

My wife Suzie and I have two children, ages 12 and 10, and we can't imagine any other neighborhood to raise them in than Los Feliz. I get to walk my son to school, while my daughter can walk to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf with friends. If I need to take my car in, I can take it to Western Diagnosis on Hillhurst and wait at home as they fix it. We can walk to restaurants, movie theaters, and Skylight Books. On weekday mornings, I hike with my dog in Griffith Park, and on weekends, the entire family can head into the hills for a picnic in the Grove (the forest-like area in Griffith Park -- not the shopping mall!) or even walk to the Observatory. We love Greek Theatre Neighbor Nights. All of the above do not require a car... which is one reason Los Feliz is so ideal. It lends itself to being outside, exploring the neighborhood, appreciating L.A. history, and interacting with people.

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What are your favorite places to go in the neighborhood?

The Vista Theatre is my favorite cinema-house (as my dad used to say) in L.A. I like how Victor Martinez, the manager, dresses up as a character in the movie you're about to see. The theater was built in 1923 and it feels it... it has a pleasingly dank smell, like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. The glowing Egyptian busts lining the walls add to the kitschy vibe. We have a short-list of restaurants we love, including Tropicalia, Spitz, Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, En Sushi, the Palace and Mexico City. What culinary diversity! We still miss the gelato bar that was on Hillhurst, however. Their gelato was better than the more-hyped Pazzo Gelato in Silver Lake.

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What are your favorite things to do in the neighborhood?

An ideal local date with my wife would include a night on the town (Los Feliz) -- all without stepping into a car: Dinner somewhere nice, perhaps Rockwell. Maybe hit one of the vintage clothing shops and Skylight before catching a movie at the Los Feliz 3. And then Dresden for a Blood & Sand nightcap and pay homage to Marty and Elayne at the piano bar!

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Website/Blog: http://www.paulhaddadbooks.com/