INTERVIEW WITH TINA YOTHERS FROM TheCelebrityCafe.com ARCHIVES
While Tina Yothers was brought to our attention by starring on television's hit show, 'Family Ties', Tina's passion has always been her music. In this interview, Tina talks about her music and her positive attitude on dealing with any criticism she's received from being in the spotlight.
DM) When did you first start to get into music?
TY) It's been my whole life. My dad was a musician, and also my brother. It's always been in my family. We've always had instruments and made recordings. It wasn't until I was 20, 21 years old, though, that we started recording seriously and making it a full-time focus.
DM) Every article about you mentions the television show, "Family Ties." From the end of that show until now, what have you been doing?
TY) Well, I kind of grew up. "Family Ties" ended when I was sixteen, and I just wanted to chill for a while. I didn't have anything I wanted to do for a while other than be a sixteen-year-old teenager.
DM) Were you able to be a normal teenager easily after the show?
TY) Oh yeah, I met my first boyfriend right before the show ended, did that for a while, and then luckily got over that, and then just did nothing for a long time. I thought I was enjoying it, but somewhere around 20, I realized that you just can't be unproductive, and so I got in touch with my agent and told him I wanted to start going out on things again. Things went in a direction that I didn't want to go. I started doing bit parts and things that are pretty much laid out for people in my position. Recognizable, or maybe a familiar name... The parts were pretty generic. I was 20, maybe 21 years old and felt I had a lot to offer, even to myself, and so I just stopped. I didn't want to do that anymore. I stopped acting because of that, and because I had other passions I wanted to pursue. You pretty much have to blame it on my brother Corry.
DM) What did your brother do?
TY) He's been producing his own music, and he has his own studio. He's been producing rap music and hip-hop for maybe ten years. I would go over, and it started out with me just doing the hook on his demo songs. We just started writing, the two of us, and that's when we decided to put the band together.
DM) You haven't thought about going back to acting? Are you done with that, or never say never?
TY) Never say never, but for now, definitely. The thing is that the whole musical experience has been so consuming and so fulfilling at the same time, I couldn't imagine doing anything that I enjoy more right now. I'd have to say that acting is definitely put at the back of my mind, if it's there at all right now. It's all entertainment. We're all pretty much doing the same type of thing, in different...The people that watch or buy music or listen to TV, I don't think they separate the two as much as the media or the people that are in charge of the production of it. When it all comes down to it, whatever I'm doing, whatever comes along, this music is something that I've always wanted to do. I used to beg the producers and writers to write it into the show, and they did. Anybody that knows me from any point in my life knows I've always wanted to do this. This isn't something I've just been dabbling in for a couple of weeks or months.
DM) You were talking a bit about the media's biased perception in changing entertainment focuses. On another bias, every article and every press release about you seems to mention "Family Ties." How much of that is a blessing and how much is a curse?
TY) I think equal parts. It definitely opens a lot of doors. As far as the media is concerned, I do have to allow them to talk about it, which is something I'm completely proud of. I wouldn't shoot anything down because they wanted to mention it. It's not like it was a horrible time in my life, or something I'm not proud of or should be ashamed of. I'm very proud of the show and it's meant a lot to a lot of people, including myself. And I am Tina Yothers and I'll never be anyone different. In the very beginning of the project, we said, "We're a band and there's no need for us to go after that kind of angle, so let's just go with the name Jaded and that would be it." Well, at our first show, someone from one of the tabloid magazines was there and took pictures; they kind of let it out and from here on out, it's been there as the issue of who we are; but we think the music and everything that we're doing on the stage and on television backs itself up. If that's what gets people's curiosity going or brings their attention to us, well, that's fine, we really can't avoid it--unless I tried to change my name. I died my hair, but it didn't work. I don't need the fame right now; I'm not running from the law.
DM) The question came up before I knew of the band. I was watching "Saturday Night Live", and they were making fun of childhood actors, and your name came up. My first thought at that time was how difficult it will be for you to replace that image.
TY) You can definitely become a victim and let people completely destroy your life. Which a lot of times is people's main motives and plan in life--to hurt as many people as they can--but I think there's enough good people who want to see others achieve things and want to see people be good people, and I think there's enough of that to help make the world a good place. A lot of times, one has to look upon it as a spoof or a gimmick, and that's fine, and I would feel the same way. And I do; for other people in my position I'm very, "Prove to me, show me why I should like you." For any circumstance, I think it's something in human nature. For my position, with the other fellow actors who have gone astray, as a nice way of putting it, I think it's sad that society wants to label the business as doing this to people. It's really not true. I had an amazing experience in working with great people. I had a great family, a typical family with drama in certain areas, and that's pretty much everywhere in everyone's life, but my parents were involved in everything I did. They were showbiz people themselves. My dad was an actor, and he definitely knew the business. They were parents; they did what parents are supposed to do. I think that with a lot of kids in the business, the parents get as twisted as they do, and there's a lot of opportunities to go their own way, but anyone has that opportunity, no matter where he or she is from, or what they do. You just have to have the guidance to lead you in the direction until you can do it yourself. I just had a great experience and I have no complaints with the whole childhood acting thing, because I wanted to do it.
DM) It almost sounds like at times you have to work harder to eliminate the haunt of being the actress now.
TY) Yeah, it does definitely have a bad rap, but there's a constant flow of child actors. It's kind of funny to watch the new crew come through. I think, "You poor little things. You're going to have to struggle for a long time. As soon as that show is over..." It's definitely a struggle to prove yourself just as a good human being, not necessarily just as a good human person, but a decent person on the right track. But I'm so proud of who I am and what I've become, the morals I have, and the people that I'm surrounded by. I definitely don't have a sad story or ending or whatever. I'm excited for the challenge, because it is definitely a big question, whether or not it's real. Someone like Russell Crowe is questioned for his passion for music, and whatever he does, music is just in his heart and soul. All he wants to do is music.
DM) More so than the acting?
TY) Oh, I think definitley so. Music is his thing. But he's getting a lot of slack over it because he's supposed to be a movie star and that's it. Music is definitely in his heart.
DM) It's interesting that you're supposed to be a television actress but your passion is music.
TY) Yeah, well, I think that people need to understand that it is all entertainment. Like back in the days when entertainment was begun, during the Depression, it was supposed to take people's minds off reality. I think people accepted that people could sing, dance, act or do anything. It was the type of entertainment that was available. And now, it's reality TV and movies. I can't wait to see "The Grinch." It's so out of the world. Every time a movie like that comes out, I'm stoked. It's like real life.
DM) Do you still have a normal life as of now?
TY) As normal, yes, I think it is. I definitely have a family. I have a boyfriend who has kids, and we do normal things every day, like get up and go to school. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. I wouldn't say necessarily that my life is as normal as the guy next door'. There's a lot that goes along with being in the spotlight, or trying to achieve the spotlight, or getting stuff in the hands of a lot of people. You give up a lot of your personal time, and that's just what you do. Otherwise, you get a job in a morgue or something that doesn't require for you to be around people. Any actor, singer, musician that would say differently is just completely wrong.
DM) Is that something you're comfortable giving up?
TY) It's been my whole life. It wasn't some goofy character that people would stop and say, "Do Jennifer." It was just an average character, an average girl next door, basically. A lot of people recognize me or feel that they know me either from school, or think that maybe I'm some second cousin they had met once. A lot of times when I speak or when they recognize my voice, they suddenly realize they know me from somewhere. It's fun, it's exciting. It's always good feedback. Everyone for the most part is really nice. Yeah, there have always been jokes, but I think that's part of being in the spotlight as well. It's being laughed at, whatever you do; you can't make everyone completely happy. They did that little thing on "South Park" a few years ago, and they mentioned my name and had a character of me judging a Halloween contest, and one of the other characters yelled out, "Up yours, Tina Yothers" because I picked the wrong costume. It was really funny. All of my nieces and nephews were like, "Oh my God, you were on 'South Park.' They said your name on 'South Park." That made me the coolest aunt on earth.
DM) That didn't offend you? You really found it funny?
TY) I thought it was great. I couldn't be offended; that cartoon of me was a foot tall and three feet wide, because all of them are. It's all in fun. I have a really funny story about that. I was in a club in Los Angeles and a friend of mine introduced me to this guy, and we started talking, and my friend said that I was in a band and he was like, "Oh cool, I'd love to be in a band. I love music and I love playing guitar." Then my friend comes up to me again and said that he was actually one of the creators of "South Park."
DM) And you had no idea at the time?
TY) I had no idea when I was talking to him, and he didn't know who I was. So after a few minutes when she told me that, we continued to talk... and I had already known about this episode with me, I'd seen it... so I leaned over to him and whispered in his ear, "Up yours, Tina Yothers." So he took a step back in shock, having no idea why this strange girl would say this; and when he took a step back and looked at me, it clicked. Once he saw my face and heard me say that, he went, "Oh my God, I am so screwed." He totally apologized and said it was the other guy's idea. You have to laugh, you have to be able to take criticism, and it's part of it. My publicist always said as long as they pronounce your name or spell your name right, it's all good.
DM) Does it generally not upset you, or do you just learn to accept it?
TY) You definitely learn to accept it. It's never been so bad or ridiculous that...maybe I've just learned to accept it. I know who I am and what I've done, and I'm really comfortable with myself. Maybe if I weren't, it would affect me more. But I think if you're comfortable with who you are... everyone has a childhood, everyone had awkward years and weird stages. Mine were broadcast. Mine were broadcast for eight years. People will see me now and say how I've lost so much weight and look so beautiful now. No, I was just going through my weird years on television.