Meet max emerson | writer, director, performer

We had the good fortune of connecting with max emerson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi max, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It never really felt like a choice. I had a couple of internships in college, and the thought of being some older moron’s cash cow never sat well with me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It’s always a challenge to make time for the things that help me feel fulfilled artistically. Most of the money comes from commercial work (influencer gigs, modeling, commercial acting, etc) so it’s easy to get caught up cashing in and chasing lifestyle. Thankfully, tons of crowdsourcing platforms have popped up, helping artsy kids everywhere find time and resources for the things that matter to them.

This last year has been about simplifying my projects in order to focus on ONE thing. During the COVID era (and subsequent lockdowns/slowdowns) I took on a ton of new hobbies: guitar, Japanese, a new novel, web series, home renovation projects, etc. The problem is that few of those projects had an official end date. My current goal is to find some closure on several of these projects, to put down some of the “spinning plates”.

I’m super excited to share that I’m in the last rewrite phase of my new novel, The Sparkle Club, which I plan to premier by the end of this year. The Sparkle Club follows Markle Sparkle, a gay baiting influencer and social justice warrior, who accidentally gets himself cancelled so hard that’s he’s forced to spend a summer doing community service in rural Ohio… all while staying in the home of the family whose lives he destroyed.

Like my last novel Hot Sissy, I’ll most likely self publish. I still feel like my work is just a little bit too fringe-y for mainstream publication to be the best route financially. It’s significantly more work, but I really prefer to fully own the fruits of my labor.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a beachside Angelino, so the vast majority of my favorite spots are within a couple hundred yards of the coast. Tours for my visiting friends cary depending on their interest and level of athleticism, but almost every activity takes place outdoors (or at least somewhere with a patio/balcony/rooftop). Here’s a list of my go to spots:

1) Surfing at Sunset point for beginners, Malibu or Porto for more advanced.
2) Volleyball (Sundays are Ginger Rogers, the gay beach, are the best for all levels)
3) Hiking (I live near Temescal Canyon and Los Leones trails, but love hitting Escondido Falls or even the Malibu Creek Rock Pools during the rainy season)
4) As far as parties, I tend to go wherever friends drag me, but I make sure to support the queer events in my neighborhood like Gaywatch (monthly party in Venice) and West of Lincoln (also a flexible schedule of events).
5) From an all-around perspective, Los Angeles has the best food in the world. The Asian and Mexican cuisine in particular are absolutely off the chain. My favorite date night is either wandering around Little Osaka (Sawtelle) or gorging on all you can eat Korean BBQ (gotta go all the way into K Town for decent KBB, though). For Mexican food I firmly believe that the cheaper it is the better it tastes. Either the truck that’s always at the Topanga surf spot or the folks that set up shop in front of Ralph’s in the Palisades are the most delicious food you’ll ever eat. No LA guide is complete without brunch recommendations, though: definitely check out Malibu Farm (on the pier), Bru’s Wiffle, and sometimes I’ll even make an exception and go east for The Griddle (but I’m rarely in the mood to wait in line)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout always goes to my teachers. There’s not a chance in hell that I’d be where I am today if it weren’t for the people who went above and beyond to take me under their wing to make sure I had all of the tools needed to survive. No successful person gets to where they are without someone lighting the way. Even people who claim to be “self taught” will admit that they had the foresight (and luck) to find a mentor. If I had to boil it down to a single educator, that person would be Vincent Cardinal. He was in charge of the Theatre program while I was at the University of Miami. He’s a powerhouse. Definitely the person I still consult with when I need help getting out of my own way.

Website: maxismsmedia.com

Instagram: maxisms

Twitter: themaxisms

Youtube: youtube.com/themaxvicious

Image Credits
By file name: 11_CF – Bryan Kaminski 20120…; – River Jordan AKB – andrew keenan bolger FOC- Full out Creative IMG 1836 – Rick Day Max emerson_ – Casey Kringlen Max + Andres – Justin Clynes