Hamish Downie has Five Questions With Paul LaGreca

Editor Note: Hamish has another in his series of Five Questions With…

Hamish came up with this idea because he was accumulating too much material for his Famous News Sushi column and asked if he could do these mini-interviews. Why would we say no?

Thank you Hamish for being such a trooper for us. We really appreciate all for your hard work.

Let us know what you think of these interviews in the comments below.

 

 
TGG: Readers, we have a really special interview for you today. I hope you enjoy it. So, without further ado, could you please introduce yourself to your readers?

PL: Sure. My name is Paul LaGreca. I am an actor, author, and artist. I was born in the Bronx, New York, and raised in small-town, Closter, New Jersey. I was successful in the 1980s in New York City and in Los Angeles as an actor, having appeared off-Broadway and as a co-star and guest-star in film and on television. I have written a memoir, “The Boy Behind the China Cabinet” that covers the first 25 years of my life. It recaps my experiences and discoveries in Hollywood and afterward with Mother Teresa (the now Saint Teresa of Calcutta).

The YouTube trailer for my book, "The Boy Behind the China Cabinet" which releases on June 23rd! Exciting time as I am still #1 in hot new releases on Amazon in my genre. God is good.https://t.co/PGGkIqAjPT

— Paul LaGreca (@PaulLagreca) June 14, 2020

TGG: That’s a lot to unpack! First, what initially drew you to acting?

PL: When I first saw “The Wizard of Oz” as a small boy, I became obsessed with it. I write about it in my book. There was a magic that jumped out at me. It resonated! It touched me to the deepest recesses of my heart and I felt that I found new friends in Oz that I could relate to in my own loneliness. Whatever Oz meant to my three or four-year-old impressionable mind, I knew that whatever it was, that was what I had to do with my life. Of course, I was later to find out it was acting.

TGG: This is a website for geeks, so I have to ask, what was it like to ride in KITT on Knight Rider?

PL: Ah, yes! The old KITT question – HA!! It was the thrill of a lifetime to spend a week riding around with David Hasselhoff through the streets of Covina, California (where we shot) in KITT. There were a few different cars for different shots, so I got to experience most of them. A wonderful experience and a time I will never forget. There is a chapter in my book called, “An Act of Kindness and the Birth of Tino” – that chapter speaks to how I was cast in the role of Tino and my time on Knight Rider.

TGG: Thank you for answering. I’m sure you get asked that all the time. Now, I have to ask…. what was it like to meet Mother Teresa?

PL: When I first met Mother, I was in Washington, DC. I gushed like she was a movie star. She came up to me, took my hands, and insisted that we had met before, but I think she was confused with meeting my father. She was demure, tiny, barefoot, smiling, and exuded goodness. Whenever I was with Mother, I did not want to leave her or go away. I wanted to stay by her side. I felt safe with Mother and I loved her so much. She was an amazing woman.

TGG: We have a lot of creative people who read this website. Do you have any advice for writing memoirs?

PL: Yes. I think the important thing is to allow the book, whether it is a memoir or fiction, to flow through you. Don’t think too much about it. Let the book write itself. It will flow and you will know those times when they come. Allow the words to pour from your fingers without judgment or stopping. You can clean it up later. Listen to your heart and forget grammar and all that you have been taught at the beginning. Give the book and your heart permission to express itself. Organic, truthful work is always what resonates with others. As people, we hunger for the truth and when we get out of our own way, you would be surprised at the real emotional level we can bring to our creative work. When we are able to do that others become affected and then they are able to live vicariously through our work or we can process something for them through our words. Let your words act as service to others. Does that make sense?

TGG: Finally, how can we best support you?

PL: You have already supported me by allowing me to share some time with your terrific readers. Of course, I would love it if people felt inspired to read my story! That is always a wonderful thing. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble in hardcover, paperback, and e-readers.
 

Website: https://www.paullagreca.net/
Follow me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauldlagreca/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulLagreca
Like my page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulLaGrecaAuthor/
 

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