Meet Paul Haddad

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

Hi Paul, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Though it may ring as a cliche, the truth is that a creative career chose me. I honestly feel I had no choice in the matter. From a very young age, being creative is what made — and continues to make — me happy. I feel fortunate to have supported myself and my family through creative endeavors, and to have platforms in which to spread whatever knowledge I’ve gained with the larger community.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After earning an MFA degree in Film Production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, I had set my sights on writing and directing feature films. But then reality hit, and I realized I had to scale down my vision if I wanted to pursue a career in the creative arts. I had had some success as a nonfiction filmmaker — even winning a Student Emmy for my documentary thesis film at USC — and so I set off on a career on the unscripted side of television. It was a natural fit for me, because I had once contemplated a career as a journalist. I was particularly excited about writing and producing TV shows that delved into the past or how the world works, which led to work with Discovery, Nat Geo, and Science. As I seguewayed into books, I brought that storytelling skill-set to my interest of Los Angeles, where I was born and raised. My books are heavy on research and explore the often-forgotten voices and forces that gave rise to L.A. My reputation as an author is as someone who writes from the viewpoint of, “How did we GET here?”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Currently, I host the “City Treks” column for LAist.com, which is a perfect vehicle for my love of L.A. Every week, I recommend different itineraries to explore. I encourage folks to check ’em out! I’m still amazed how many neighborhoods there are to discover. My personal favorites are constantly changing, but during the hot summer months, Oxnard is a great day trip and you can get there in an hour. It lacks the cachet of Orange County’s coastal cities, and that suits me just fine. My family and I can paddle a canoe around its harbor, check out the sea lions at Silver Strand Beach, grab a great seafood lunch at Otani’s, and pick up some fresh strawberries from a roadside stand. If we want to make a weekend of it, we stay at Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, where the beach is mere yards away from its pool grotto.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
As an author who has written several nonfiction books about Los Angeles, I have several spirit guides. Pulitzer Prize-winner Patt Morrison, the longtime columnist of the LA Times, has informed my style. She writes about LA’s often little-known past in a way that is non-fussy, even humorous. I was honored that she wrote the Foreword to my book “Freewaytopia.” On a more national level, author Bill Bryson captures this essence as well, writing about complex, often serious subjects in a way that makes for “fun learning.” That’s always my goal as a writer. Like many Angelenos, I also have a place in my heart for the late Huell Howser, whose sense of child-like wanderlust was infectious. That attitude is something I try to keep alive in my own life.

Website: www.paulhaddadbooks.com

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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-haddad-a836b14/

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Image Credits
All photos by Paul Haddad