Terry Crews shares how Bear Grylls helped him appreciate his place in the universe: NPR

Note from Wild card Host Rachel Martin: I cry easily. I’ve always done that. But I’m a certain kind of cryer. The kind that is easily manipulated by TV producers. The fast track to a good cry for me is a reality talent show. They are very good at making you drawn into the contestant’s back story. And I must say so America’s got talent It’s the best for me now because they have something that none of the other shows have – Terry Crews.

The crew is the host of the show. And there’s something about the way he cheers on these contestants that impresses me every time. When someone is getting ready to go out on stage and they’re nervous and he tells them he loves them, I don’t think it’s fake. He’s already invested in it. He wants them to shine. I think at that moment he loves them.

It’s a bit of an odd role for a guy who was accustomed to knocking people to the ground as an NFL linebacker. Sure, we all contain multitudes, but the crew is more diverse than most. Did you know that the guy actually went to college on an art scholarship? Football was not for him, and in short, he became an actor. He has been in many films including cult favorites White chicks and Foolishness. He participated in the comedy series Brooklyn nine nine and Everyone hates Chriswhich will get an animated reboot on Comedy Central. And yes, he’s the guy cheering you on from right behind the curtain when you’re about to do something really hard. That’s how I like to think of it anyway.

This Wild Card interview has been edited for length and clarity. Host Rachel Martin asks guests questions chosen at random from a deck of cards. Press play above to listen to the full podcast, or read an excerpt below.

Question 1: What is something a parent taught you to value?

Terry Crews: My mother always said to me, before she died: “Terry, never forget that you are an artist. Number one. Above all else, you are an artist. This has colored everything I have ever done.” It is probably one of the most useful pieces of advice I have ever received. Launching, because when you do things like an artist, they go beyond like, you can mow the lawn, but when you mow the lawn like an artist, you become Garden coordinatoryou know what i mean?

Rachel Martin: completely! This is your palette, this is your swatch. This is your blank canvas.

Kits: Yes. One thing I’ve discovered is that focus and attention generate energy. And that’s what art does because you’re always focused on something interesting. And other people will look at it and feel so bored, like: “What are you doing?” You know, like some sculptures or some paintings or some drawings. But this focus energizes you. It’s like making the mundane wonderful.

Martin: When did you start drawing? Like, how did that happen to you?

Kits: Well, my mother was very religious. I wasn’t allowed to do a lot of things. My friends could go to the movies, but I couldn’t when I was young. Movies were the devil’s things. I grew out of that later, but the first 12 years of my life, it was like that. So what happened was the kids would talk about movies they’d seen and I’d go home and draw what they described. I would like to draw what Jaw It may seem so.

I would spend hours and hours just drawing. I’ll never forget, when I was a kid, especially on the weekends, I could draw all night long. I was just drawing and drawing, and all of a sudden, I was looking up, and the sun was coming up. Like that’s how focused I am.

Question 2: What disappointing experience now feels like a blessing?

Kits: I think the NFL. My seven years in the NFL I would call it a disappointment because I was all over the place. I was in six bands in seven years. All with my wife and two kids at the time. We didn’t know what was happening. And everyone thinks sports are so glamorous or something. This was not the case. It was a grind. It was like a circus.

My wife and I didn’t know what would happen to us the next year. Like, we had no idea. It was disappointing because I wanted championships, I wanted to be a star. It all ended unceremoniously when she was circumcised for the final time.

This is the hardest thing – there is depression that comes with it. But when I look back, what a blessing it was, because it made me ready to entertain. It got me prepared for the testing process.

Martin: Because every time you walk into the exam room, you don’t know what’s going to happen? They can be like, “You’re not for us,” and you have to get over that.

Kits: Yes. You know, like lobsters do something called molting. They outgrow the shell and are vulnerable, but the shell grows back larger.

And I said, I’m like this. I’m molting. Like, what happens is you grow. I broke the shell, but it hurts. The NFL was a version of me turning into a new person.

Martin: I have the strangest sight in my mind right now, like this little naked lobster. And it’s like I’m so afraid of what’s going to happen.

Kits: this is us. We’re all little naked lobsters right now, but we grow our shells. And you have to do it to grow.

Question 3: Where did you feel dread?

Kits: Oh man. When I went to Iceland to do the Bear Grylls show, Run wild with Bear Grylls. They took us by helicopter to this mountain, on top of a volcano, and dropped us off there. The helicopter flies away.

I’m hanging on the side of this mountain, trying not to fall because it’s really dangerous. I’ll say, “Oh, they weren’t kidding!” Then I see his camera crew doing it in reverse! And I say: “How?” “What?” the man’s voice and The camera man is hanging on the side of the mountain!

Martin: Wait, was that your moment of dread? When did you see the crew? [laughs]

Kits: That was it. I was like, “How the hell is this guy doing!” [laughs]

Martin: I thought you were going to talk about the sacred nature of the fjords you saw…

Kits: Oh no. No, no, I want to mention the Bear Grylls crew. They left me in awe! I was like “What! You guys are superheroes! What are you doing?”

Now, mind you, after filming, I was able to sleep at the base of this volcano. That was my moment of natural awe. I’ve never done anything like this in my life.

And you’re in Iceland, there’s no street lights or nothing, it’s just, Prisoners! You see galaxies, you know? You’re lying there and you look up and you’re going to fall. I felt so small, like, “Oh my God, this world is huge.”

Martin: Does this make you feel unstable or is it good to feel small in the universe?

Kits: Makes me feel good. I felt grounded. And here I am, lying in the dirt. I’m part of this, you know? I was in awe of the power out there and all the things I didn’t know. I was filled with dread.