McFly!! McFly!! I'm responding!!

Tom Wilson

Reference date: July 3rd



One of my alltime favorite movies is "Back to the Future." While most people root for the heroes, I've always had an affinity for the bad guys. "Back to the Future" had one of the greatest tormentors in film history, Biff Tannen. He was so good, they used him in both sequels. The actor who played him, Tom Wilson, is an accomplished (and very funny) stand-up comedian, who is currently appearing in the ABC sitcom "Help Me Help You." I wrote to Mr. Wilson about life in the entertainment business, and this was his reply.

Thanks for the very kind words, Chris. Nice of you to say.

You know, I get asked a LOT about words of wisdom, but I don't think anybody has THE right answer. All I know is - the people ready to work hard, and persevere, and maybe write their own stuff, and put on their own show usually do way better than the people sort of taking a class and waiting to get lucky. It takes a lot of work, a lot of rejection, even a lot of despair, but as I said, the people who get out there and start to make their own breaks usually do better, and are happier, then those people waiting for their "big break."

Your big break usually happens after you've worked out a thousand little breaks, doing most of the work yourself.

And you also have to factor in what success means to you. Is it performing, writing, and being creative on your terms...or is it waiting for some other guys opinion to change about you, so you need his permission - or casting in his show, to make you feel like a success?

If I had to guess, I'd guess you're pretty successful right now.

But keep going. Keep fighting. Keep creating. Keep having fun!

Tom Wilson

I sent him a thank you the next day.