Shua Buhangin: Well, I just want to say, like, thank you for having time after this busy film schedule.
Daren Vongirdner: Oh, my gosh, we’re almost there. We are finished with the actual show—we’ve turned that in. That comes out May 19th on Peacock.
I just have a thousand other things I have to do before that happens. I’m grateful, you know? But, man, I can’t wait to go to the beach and just not answer my phone.
I just have a thousand other things I have to do before that happens. I’m grateful, you know? But, man, I can’t wait to go to the beach and just not answer my phone.
SB: So personally, I’ve been following you for about a year now. I remember seeing some of your videos on Instagram, and I was like, wow, this is really stunning. The quality of production felt like real filmmaking. And not only was it good, but the story, the way you talk to the camera…it’s just, like, very real.
Now, you’ve paused or stopped making TikToks and Reels to focus on the YouTube channel and TV show.
Now, you’ve paused or stopped making TikToks and Reels to focus on the YouTube channel and TV show.
DVG: Yeah. I think the pause happened because of the burnout from, like, trying to chase the algorithm. And it had worked for us. I mean, we’re here in this moment with you, in this house, with all these opportunities, because of that algorithm.
But at a certain point, it just stopped working. And that made me very sad. It was like I was at the gym, and my game was off, and it was ruining more aspects of my life.
I was asking myself, “Do I actually enjoy this? Or is it just the first time that my work has been seen by people, when I’ve so desperately tried to get that to happen?” It made me realize, like, maybe I’m doing it for the validation.
So I had to step away from that, because if I’m doing it for validation and it doesn’t work…what the fuck is the point?
But at a certain point, it just stopped working. And that made me very sad. It was like I was at the gym, and my game was off, and it was ruining more aspects of my life.
I was asking myself, “Do I actually enjoy this? Or is it just the first time that my work has been seen by people, when I’ve so desperately tried to get that to happen?” It made me realize, like, maybe I’m doing it for the validation.
So I had to step away from that, because if I’m doing it for validation and it doesn’t work…what the fuck is the point?
SB: What has been your North Star consistently throughout the years? What’s kept you going?
DVG: I think my creative endeavors. A lot of my family is Filipino.
A lot of them were like, “How do we become millionaires?”
My family was one of the first families…I mean, this isn’t documented, but they started flipping denim jackets they find at the thrift store or whatever on eBay. And they were making a killing. I mean, I was a kid, but I just saw that they had straight up inventories in our houses. My family, all of them are hustlers in their own different ways.
Some of them are doing illegal things. We don’t need to talk about it.
There’s something in my bloodline that is like, we have to make money. But I always knew that I was a creative person. And I was like, “I can make this work. I can figure out how to make money for my family.” So if we’re talking, like, my entire existence, what my North Star is, it’s probably safety and security for my family, in the pursuit of sharing what’s on my chest.
A lot of them were like, “How do we become millionaires?”
My family was one of the first families…I mean, this isn’t documented, but they started flipping denim jackets they find at the thrift store or whatever on eBay. And they were making a killing. I mean, I was a kid, but I just saw that they had straight up inventories in our houses. My family, all of them are hustlers in their own different ways.
Some of them are doing illegal things. We don’t need to talk about it.
There’s something in my bloodline that is like, we have to make money. But I always knew that I was a creative person. And I was like, “I can make this work. I can figure out how to make money for my family.” So if we’re talking, like, my entire existence, what my North Star is, it’s probably safety and security for my family, in the pursuit of sharing what’s on my chest.
SB: When I first met you both at our last Block Party, I was immediately struck by how confident you are. I’m curious—as a person and as a creator, how do you feel confident in your abilities?
DVG: I think you have to be confident in your ability to make your dreams come true. So that kind of forces you to be confident in everything that you do in order to make it happen. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have, like, doubts. I try to just visualize it going well, and I do my best to visualize the best version of me being able to achieve it, rather than the current me.
The rapper Russ once said a quote from his mom that has forever resonated with me. I don’t know if it’s verbatim, but it’s something along the lines of, “What if it can turn out better than you ever imagined? “
If you ask if I’m confident walking into a party of other creatives…no, not at all. We were lucky that we went that night because I was parked out front going, “I’m sure these people are great, but I can’t do it, you know?” But I went, and you said I looked confident, and we had a lovely conversation.
And I’m glad because that was probably my favorite creator event I’ve ever been to. The ones in LA feel a little more, “We only want to talk to you if you have a certain amount of followers.”
The rapper Russ once said a quote from his mom that has forever resonated with me. I don’t know if it’s verbatim, but it’s something along the lines of, “What if it can turn out better than you ever imagined? “
If you ask if I’m confident walking into a party of other creatives…no, not at all. We were lucky that we went that night because I was parked out front going, “I’m sure these people are great, but I can’t do it, you know?” But I went, and you said I looked confident, and we had a lovely conversation.
And I’m glad because that was probably my favorite creator event I’ve ever been to. The ones in LA feel a little more, “We only want to talk to you if you have a certain amount of followers.”
SB: What stands out when you look back at the production of your show, People Like Me?
DVG: I mean, there were so many hard parts, but what sticks out to me is day one of the fucking production. I have to give a speech as the director, and I seemed fine. But internally, I was fucking [motions with eyes and hands] gahhhhhhhhh, you know what I mean?
So, you know, I guess I’m just complex.
So, you know, I guess I’m just complex.
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