When Joan Rivers Met GWAR

August 14, 2023

Calling anyone who makes something they feel personally invested in. Not just for an anonymous corporate overlord. Something you put a little piece of your best effects into, at the soul level. 

Musicians, artists, writers – craftspeople of all types. Athletes and business people count too. 

Anyone who has spent an insane amount of time working in a specific corner of the universe. 

Time spent becomes a personal (and professional) currency. Others may not know how to value your ____ bucks/coins/whatever the kids are saying. But others who have personally invested portions of their soul into work, they’ll see the latticework over which the effort’s been draped. 

The “insane amount of time” and reality of “this is just the corner I’ve been focused on” changes your perspective too. 

It allows you to:

  1. Notice all of the people who, despite the time, may not apply much or any effort, and

  2. Appreciate the sheer immeasurability of all the possible corners, with all of their contained beauties.

When two (or more) soulfully efforting people from different corners and universes meet – take for example, if a comedian and daytime talk show host ran into a theatrically-focused heavy metal band, they will fumble with each other for a moment in response to the level of different present.

But then they’ll start valuing the currency the other has formed. 

This is where respect comes from. Not because they fully understand or appreciate what the other does. But because they see the other has a well-honed craft. 

It works across universes, corners, and generations. They don’t have to trade with their currencies, but they can still share a moment. 

I get the feeling Joan Rivers was grossed out and maybe even hated the idea of GWAR. But I also get the sense it came from a place of love, and by the end of this spot, tremendous respect. You can see their admiration for her immediately too. 

They had nothing to trade, but they had a moment to share. 

Watch this clip. There’s so many lessons in this exchange: