Elise Hawthorne
Elliot Mintz started his professional career as a radio DJ in Los Angeles in the 1960s, becoming a TV presenter/reporter in the 1970s before branching out to become an uber media consultant and publicist for a long list of well-known, and at times iconic creative types such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who he befriended in 1971, forming a close friendship and remaining a spokesperson for both the John Lennon Estate and Yoko Ono to this day.
Elliot has represented the who’s who of the entertainment industry including Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and many others in between. He has worked with supermodel Christie Brinkley, actors Janet Jones, Melanie Griffith et al. and more recently he has helped guide pop legend Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris Jackson’s musical career with her partner and bandmate Gabriel Glenn who make up the duo The Soundflowers.
Elliot has interviewed hundreds of musicians, actors and leading thinkers of his day, which we are lucky to be able to listen/watch on his official website and YouTube site. If you fancy becoming more acquainted with Salvador Dali, Timothy Leary, Mort Sahl, Stevie Wonder, John Wayne, Groucho Marx, Jack Lemmon, John Lennon, Jayne Mansfield and hundreds of others, it’s just one click of your computer mouse away.
Elliot recently gave me an insight into his early life growing up in New York City in a Jewish household, we also touched on his truly remarkable career.
Q. Growing up in the Bronx in New York City (NYC) in the 1940s and 50s, what recollections do you have of that iconic city in what some might call a more innocent time?
A. During my childhood, the New York I knew was mainly confined to me ‘hood’. It was that way for most children growing up in the 1950’s. Lack of mobility, curfews, school, parameters kept us close to home. For me, that was a two-bedroom apartment that my parents lived in (and passed) for 50 years. Directly across the street was Mother Carbini’s Chapel, where people came to worship. Next to her was St. Elizabeth Hospital. Further down the road was the Cloisters which housed sacred religious art. Up the hill was the Fort Tryon Jewish Centre (where I had my bar mitzvah and attended Hebrew school). So, I recall being immersed in places of faith. I would spend my afternoons walking the grounds of Fort Tryon Park, which was always meticulously maintained. There was also a Norman Rockwell vibe to 187th street, two blocks from my apartment. On that block was the neighbourhood grocery store, barbershop, pizza place, delicatessen, Irish bar, candy store, alterations and sewing store, that also sold stationary. Everything was in walking distance, including my school (PS 187). Although devoid of diversity, it was a nice place to grow up. It was innocent, no drama, and safe.
Q. You have described your parents as very loving, which must have given you a great start in life. I was particularly touched to read your thoughts regarding your father and how his way of being so influenced you as a young person and continues to do so right up to the present day. How he was your “moral compass” and that as President of his Temple in NYC he was still “comfortable with questioning.” I know you are a lover of books and have been inspired by philosophers, religious teachings of all kinds, as well as writers of prose and music. Do you see aspects of your father in yourself and from your readings, what core teachings have resonated with you and why?
A. I could never be as decent a man as my father. He was hardworking, devoted to my mom, sister and myself, an immigrant, and lived his life to make our lives better than his. I can’t remember him ever buying anything for himself. I doubt if he ever earned more than $300 a week. He immersed himself in being a counsellor to people in need and was a patient listener and guide. My father believed in one god and confined his religious experience to Judaism. When I left home at 17 and for the rest of his life (he lived to be 99), I embraced other religious belief systems. At first, we discussed the comparative theologies, but I could tell my religious and philosophical explorations did not make him feel comfortable, so, after a while, I refrained. My father’s core teaching was to be decent with all people and place them before your own needs. He said it was “the right thing to do.”
Q. You started your media career as a radio DJ at radio station KMLA, attached to the Los Angeles City College which you attended after leaving school. At aged 21 you had a nightly radio show on radio KPFK in Los Angeles and were the youngest talk show host in America. What broadcasting/interviewing techniques did you learn back in your early days that assisted you in your long and successful career?
A. I learned to listen, to ask why and to shut up. I viewed myself as a conduit to place intriguing people in touch with the listeners. My essential role was to ‘get out of the way’. If you review my work, you come to see that I wanted everyone to have their moment ‘on air’ to speak their ‘basic truth’ and feel comfortable that there was no ‘secret agenda.’ I was and am a very curious man.
Q. You have had an amazing public life, spanning over fifty years. You’ve hosted radio and TV programs, by all accounts conducting over 2,000 interviews with world-famous artists, musicians, actors, authors, poets and comedians – ranging from Groucho Marx to Bob Dylan and seemingly every one of cultural note in-between. You might have been asked this question a hundred times, but is there anyone you didn’t get the opportunity to interview that you wished you had?
A. I am asked that question all the time and once compiled a list on my old MySpace page. There were so many, Mother Teresa, Elvis, Howard Hughes, Marilyn Monroe, Fidel Castro, the Pope, Harry Houdini, J.D. Salinger, and hundreds more. I once asked Larry King the same question. He has interviewed 20,000 people and still has a list of people who he was never able to reach.
But rather than focus on the one’s I missed, I’m so grateful to the ones who took time out of their busy lives to speak with me.
Q. You have also been a public relations guru of note, guiding a host of America’s cultural icons with their media commitments and dare I say, advising them on ways to navigate this at times tricky pathway. I’ve read that you didn’t plan this aspect of your career, that your friend Bobby Sherman asked you to manage his first media tour and you learnt what to do ‘on the job’ so to speak. Was the leap from being behind the microphone to becoming a media advisor a difficult or seamless translation?
A. Yes, it was. I spent so many years in the media asking the questions, so, I knew the requirements of the medium. I also learned from the public figures what they wanted to communicate, so, guiding them down that path came easy to me.
Q. You have also been a public relations guru of note, guiding a host of America’s cultural icons with their media commitments and dare I say, advising them on ways to navigate this at times tricky pathway. I’ve read that you didn’t plan this aspect of your career, that your friend Bobby Sherman asked you to manage his first media tour and you learnt what to do ‘on the job’ so to speak. Was the leap from being behind the microphone to becoming a media advisor a difficult or seamless translation?
Q. I am interested in not only your career but also your interest in a variety of philosophies and religious teachings. Is there a single message on how to conduct one’s life that has particularly resonated with you?
A. I was very influenced by the teachings of Baba Ram Dass. His fundamental admonition is: ‘be here now.’ That resounded with me when I first heard it, and it still does.
Q. You are ageless Elliot – endlessly interested in people and experiences and your attitude to healthy eating and fitness is undoubtedly on-trend and commendable. How has ‘clean eating’ changed your life and can you give us a peek into your daily exercise regime?
A. I simply try to engage in moderate exercise 3 or 4 days a week. The heart really does not know the difference when it comes to stimulation, so I just keep moving. I prefer being outdoors, hiking or walking than on a treadmill. I also use all the usual techniques and gym equipment. Of course, diet and nutrition are equally (if not more important) to staying healthy. So, I eat ‘clean.’ My primary diet is fish (grilled), vegetables (steamed), chicken (just the breast, skinless, with nothing on it) and fruit. I subscribe to the admonition ‘if it’s white, don’t eat it.’ No salt, bread, flour or sugar. Keep your eye on that sugar…especially in wine. Vodka is a better option if you are looking for that slight buzz. I have mustard with all my meals and most importantly, avoid cheese in any form, it is an artery clogger. Of course, these are simply my choices. I’m hardly an expert or nutritionist, and everyone should check with a qualified professional when it comes to any matters related to your health.
Q. Readers can access your vast library of interviews via your easy to navigate website. You also share your memories and thoughts on your Facebook and YouTube sites. You retired in 2014, but can a born communicator ever really retire?
A. It’s just a word I used to indicate I wanted to work less and set aside time for new adventures beyond deadlines and the dictates of the media as well as the clients. I still represent a handful of people who I adore and offer my media expertise to causes and charities I support. I also teamed up with a new client (Paris Jackson) just six months ago. She is 21 years old with the wisdom of the ages. I view her as a woman with angelic vision and gifted singer/songwriter. It is an inspiring professional and personal union.
Visit Elliot’s website at: www.elliotmintz.com and his official YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/user/elliotmintzvideos
This article was first published in JewishCare’s Keeping In Touch magazine www.jewishcare.com.au
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