Nathan Graber-Lipperman: First question for you is the same one I asked you back in December. What’s on your mind?
Daren Vongirdner: What’s on my mind? Um, what am I going to do with my life?
I’ve been working on People Like Me for…it was, like, a three-year process. The last six months have been crazy, and I haven’t really been able to do anything else. I just did my last speaking engagement with NBC, so it kind of feels like it’s officially over.
I’m working on this other pilot that I’ve been writing with Ava for a handful of years now, even before People Like Me. We were able to revisit that, and that’s exciting.
We’re also working on two episodes of Miles Away right now for the YouTube channel. So I’m just feeling lit up about being creative in something else again.
I’ve been working on People Like Me for…it was, like, a three-year process. The last six months have been crazy, and I haven’t really been able to do anything else. I just did my last speaking engagement with NBC, so it kind of feels like it’s officially over.
I’m working on this other pilot that I’ve been writing with Ava for a handful of years now, even before People Like Me. We were able to revisit that, and that’s exciting.
We’re also working on two episodes of Miles Away right now for the YouTube channel. So I’m just feeling lit up about being creative in something else again.
NGL: Not to look backwards for a sec, but walk me through the last month or so. What kind of sticks out the most?
DVG: The premiere sticks out. I mean, yeah, it’s been a crazy month. Professionally, maybe the craziest month of my life.
It started with NBC flying us out to LA. First time ever experiencing first class. And then just kind of being nervous for the premiere, you know? I hadn’t watched it with a group of people yet—especially in, like, a theater type situation.
That moment of us watching it…they essentially had it on loop every twenty-five minutes, then they would play the episode again. So the first screening happened, and I grabbed all my people—all my peers and my friends—and it was only a twenty-five-seat room. There were probably fifteen people in the back standing cuz they didn’t have any seats. It was a full room, and it was an incredible experience.
People laughed when they were supposed to laugh. They felt the emotion when they were supposed to feel it. Honestly, I wish it could’ve lasted longer. The episodes are short. It was a twelve-minute thing, and then it was over. I gave a little quick speech that I had been dreading, but in the moment, I felt like I had to say something.
It was the tiniest thing, but it felt so special. I’m still thinking about that night, wishing I can really soak it in.
And then they flew us out to Orlando, and we rode roller coasters for a week at Epic Universe, their new theme park. I came home, spent some time here trying to process while also, like, watching our show actually on Peacock.
And then we flew back to LA to go to VidCon, and I spoke on a panel. Hank Green asked me for a photo, which was a different moment. It made me realize, like, “Oh shit. I’ve progressed in this career a bit.”
NGL: Was that your first time meeting Hank? Or had you met him before, and then this time around, he’s the one asking you for the photo?
DVG: We have a lot of mutual friends, and I’ve hung out with him at a friend’s house before multiple times. But I only knew him in that regard. He was Hank Green, and I was just some editor—he didn’t know my work at that time.
When I moved to New York, we then became, like, mutual friends on the Internet, and he also has been very supportive of my music and has shared it on his TikTok. But to have that moment where I see him backstage at VidCon and we hug and we have a quick chat and he asks for the photo…I thought that was such a beautiful moment for my life, and I don’t even know if he realized that, you know?
NGL: Yeah, for sure. For him, it’s just another day.
DVG: Yeah.
NGL: Off of that, too, I was curious to hear who has reached out. Is there, say, a piece of feedback that’s really stuck with you since the show came out?
DVG: I mean, yes. So many people have reached out, whether it’s through a DM or they sent me a voice memo or it was in person.
But honestly, after VidCon, I extended my trip in LA a couple days cuz I wanted to spend time with family. And I was floored. I had long conversations with my uncles and my aunts and my cousins and my sister. It affected all of them, and it resonated with them so deeply in so many different regards, but to a level that I did not expect.
I didn’t expect to speak to my uncle and for him to go, like, “Bro, I have panic attacks too.” And, “Oh my god, that episode, I felt so seen. I felt like you were talking about me.”
To hear them tell me that they watched it five times…I haven’t even watched it that many times on the platform.
NGL: Have you gotten any feedback or heard anything from NBC as well? What has the energy kind of been around the whole project and campaign?
DVG: So, we had a meeting planned on the 19th, but it didn’t happen because I was traveling. That was supposed to be, like, the one-month update call.
Other than that, no, I haven’t really received anything from NBC. I think that’s standard practice. I don’t know how much these networks really share all the numbers. That’s the beauty of being a creator—you can see everything.
My fingers are crossed that they’ll share some insights, and maybe we’ll have conversations about season two or different projects. But in the current moment, no, I haven’t really heard much besides when I see them in person. There were some executives in the room at VidCon, and they all seemed to be really thrilled with the show.
NGL: It’s interesting that you brought up that idea of being a creator and getting instant feedback. It feels like a blessing and a curse, for sure. Because it can be nice to have data points, but at the same time, is there something nice about putting work out there and taking a backseat—just, like, appreciating the art as far as the art goes?
DVG: That’s a great point. There is a beauty in being able to see all of your analytics, and how did they find the video? What were the keywords they used to search for it? Did they come from my Instagram? That’s all great because you can say, “Okay, next time, I’m going to do this, and I’m going to try to make this better.”
But there is kind of some beauty in the not knowing. Because then I can just go, “It is what it is.” And hopefully, it reaches the people who it needs to reach.
There’s no comment section. The only way that I can really receive love is if people are actively reaching out to me.
It started with NBC flying us out to LA. First time ever experiencing first class. And then just kind of being nervous for the premiere, you know? I hadn’t watched it with a group of people yet—especially in, like, a theater type situation.
That moment of us watching it…they essentially had it on loop every twenty-five minutes, then they would play the episode again. So the first screening happened, and I grabbed all my people—all my peers and my friends—and it was only a twenty-five-seat room. There were probably fifteen people in the back standing cuz they didn’t have any seats. It was a full room, and it was an incredible experience.
People laughed when they were supposed to laugh. They felt the emotion when they were supposed to feel it. Honestly, I wish it could’ve lasted longer. The episodes are short. It was a twelve-minute thing, and then it was over. I gave a little quick speech that I had been dreading, but in the moment, I felt like I had to say something.
It was the tiniest thing, but it felt so special. I’m still thinking about that night, wishing I can really soak it in.
And then they flew us out to Orlando, and we rode roller coasters for a week at Epic Universe, their new theme park. I came home, spent some time here trying to process while also, like, watching our show actually on Peacock.
And then we flew back to LA to go to VidCon, and I spoke on a panel. Hank Green asked me for a photo, which was a different moment. It made me realize, like, “Oh shit. I’ve progressed in this career a bit.”
NGL: Was that your first time meeting Hank? Or had you met him before, and then this time around, he’s the one asking you for the photo?
When I moved to New York, we then became, like, mutual friends on the Internet, and he also has been very supportive of my music and has shared it on his TikTok. But to have that moment where I see him backstage at VidCon and we hug and we have a quick chat and he asks for the photo…I thought that was such a beautiful moment for my life, and I don’t even know if he realized that, you know?
NGL: Yeah, for sure. For him, it’s just another day.
NGL: Off of that, too, I was curious to hear who has reached out. Is there, say, a piece of feedback that’s really stuck with you since the show came out?
But honestly, after VidCon, I extended my trip in LA a couple days cuz I wanted to spend time with family. And I was floored. I had long conversations with my uncles and my aunts and my cousins and my sister. It affected all of them, and it resonated with them so deeply in so many different regards, but to a level that I did not expect.
I didn’t expect to speak to my uncle and for him to go, like, “Bro, I have panic attacks too.” And, “Oh my god, that episode, I felt so seen. I felt like you were talking about me.”
To hear them tell me that they watched it five times…I haven’t even watched it that many times on the platform.
NGL: Have you gotten any feedback or heard anything from NBC as well? What has the energy kind of been around the whole project and campaign?
Other than that, no, I haven’t really received anything from NBC. I think that’s standard practice. I don’t know how much these networks really share all the numbers. That’s the beauty of being a creator—you can see everything.
My fingers are crossed that they’ll share some insights, and maybe we’ll have conversations about season two or different projects. But in the current moment, no, I haven’t really heard much besides when I see them in person. There were some executives in the room at VidCon, and they all seemed to be really thrilled with the show.
NGL: It’s interesting that you brought up that idea of being a creator and getting instant feedback. It feels like a blessing and a curse, for sure. Because it can be nice to have data points, but at the same time, is there something nice about putting work out there and taking a backseat—just, like, appreciating the art as far as the art goes?
But there is kind of some beauty in the not knowing. Because then I can just go, “It is what it is.” And hopefully, it reaches the people who it needs to reach.
There’s no comment section. The only way that I can really receive love is if people are actively reaching out to me.
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