Photo Credit: Michael Woodall
Name: Chris McDaniel
(I’m brand new to twitter and instagram, at least I’m not on MySpace anymore)
Age: 40
Title: Writer/Director/Producer/Physician/Poet
– President/CEO (33 Entertainment, LLC)
– Filmmaker (Semi-Rebellious Films)
– Doctor of Chiropratic (McSpine.com)
Married/Single: Single…but my beautiful wife is out there, maybe even reading this right now!
Kids: Not yet, but can’t wait to be a dad
City you live in: Scottsdale, Arizona
My day is like…
a gift every time my feet hit the floor in the morning. I know that all the little junk that bothered me yesterday is gone. I know that limitless opportunities are available to me, and all I have to do is get up, get out, and get going to accomplish something great. My schedule is crazy because I have zero jobs and a dozen passions (hobby isn’t a strong enough word for the things I do). I don’t have a typical day, I really don’t. For 365 days a year, I’m an author, a physician, a filmmaker, a son, a brother, and an uncle, I’m even the president of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association for the state of Arizona, so I’m all over the board. The important thing is, I LOVE everything I do, or I wouldn’t do it. Right now as I’m responding to this question, I’m laughing at how different all my days are, not only different from one another, but also different from other people I know. Yesterday, I was shooting behind the scenes footage all night on a film in Malibu with Alison Eastwood, then went to the airport at 5 am, flew back to Arizona, and saw patients all day. I really have more fun than anyone I know. It’s non-stop. I’m on my way to Disneyland tomorrow for my sister’s birthday, next week I’m interviewing the legendary “Soul Man” singer Sam Moore (Sam and Dave) for my current film, and then heading to Oklahoma for a film festival for another film. Last month I was in Nashville interviewing artists like Kenny Loggins, Zac Brown and Cee Lo Green, I’m so lucky that I get to do what I do. I’m always working on film in some capacity (shooting, editing, writing, directing, producing) and then a few days a week, I work in my Scottsdale practice and get to help people that truly trust me with their care. Almost 100% of the time, they come in hurting and they leave feeling better. Maybe the most rewarding thing on earth, knowing you made a difference.
I was born…
in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and lived in a small town called Park City until moving to Arizona in 1981. Park City, population 520, is so named because it is the gateway to Mammoth Cave National Park (the longest cave system in the world). That’s cave country…and that was the family business, mom and dad owned a nearby show cave called Diamond Caverns, still operating today, go see it!
My favorite thing about Arizona…
I’ve answered this question the same way for decades. The purple hue that the McDowell Mountains adopt during sunset. I love it, and watch for it every day that I’m in town. Another great thing is our diversity. Warm year round, snow in the north, beaches a few hours away, and the best weather in the world.
I’m listening to…
usually 80s stuff like Oingo Boingo and The Talking Heads on First Wave (channel 33) on SiriusXM, but I’m a huge reggae fan, and love heavy metal. A couple of friends on my last film turned me on to some cool new stuff like Hozier and Paolo Nutini, and I really love a local band called Puscifer.
My family…
is the BEST on earth. My parents have been together for 44 years (Their 45th anniversary falls on Goonie’s Day in June) so I will of course be geeking out in Astoria, Oregon that day celebrating the greatest movie of all time, but Happy Anniversary mom and dad! My sister has been like my best friend since we brought her home from the hospital and now she’s given me the coolest niece and nephew on the planet; Connor my little superhero and Katelyn, a world-class martial artist and guitar whiz. My grandma, still living atop Tunnel Hill in Park City, KY, is a 94-year-old machine! Like the Energizer bunny, she just keeps going. The broken hip couldn’t even stop her, now she’s just bionic!
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
my grandparents that have gone before me. My Fraternal grandfather was a decorated WWII veteran, and a long time ranger at Mammoth Cave (my dad and I followed in his footsteps as rangers there as well). Moms’ parents were also taken way too young (she was only 8). Mom’s mom is the reason she is such a great mom, and her dad was a preacher, an internationally known public speaker and even ran for the US Senate in 1950. SO much cool history, I just want to be in the same room as them one time.
One thing I cannot live without…
family, no question. Pizza, music and movies all tie for second.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
a doctor, always knew I wanted to be a doctor, loved helping people, but also knew that I didn’t want to be on call and I didn’t want my patients to die on me all the time, so Chiropractic won. I always knew I would have a day job that could allow me the freedom to explore other passions.
I’m inspired by…
anything and everything…a breathtaking sunset, lyrics to a song, random acts of kindness, a friendly gesture. My heart is moved a zillion times a day, and I’m blessed to feel there is no end to what inspires me.
The one person who motivates me is…
a tie between mom and dad. I want to achieve my goals and fulfill my dreams with the tools they gave me throughout a wonderful childhood, full of life lessons, travel and worldly experiences. I’m the dreamer my mom always insisted on, and I’m the thoughtful, morally sound son that my dad demanded I be. So for them, I do what I do.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
hate. There’s just too much of it in the world. The Jihadist’s hate Americans and Christians, liberals hate the conservatives, the elderly hate the loud music, and I hate green peppers on a pizza…just too much hate. Here’s an idea, worry about making yourself happy and it’ll all workout. Leave people who think differently than you alone.
The perfect day would be…
the perfect day would be simple. I want to be surrounded by loved ones, eating delicious food, looking at gorgeous scenery, and if I’ve got all that…. buying a winning lottery ticket.
My first job was…
folding pizza boxes in my parent’s Scottsdale pizzeria, Fat Daddy’s. I later worked as a range attendant at the TPC of Scottsdale golf course. Loved it.
My favorite escape…
Disneyland. After a decade on the waiting list, I joined Club 33, and use my membership as often as humanly possible. I’ll go to the park at the drop of a hat. I’m truly at home the second I hit Main Street USA. Second place is a beach somewhere so I can scuba dive. I have a time-share in Grand Cayman that I don’t use enough and I need to change that.
My life…
is really amazing. I have the best family and friends in the world and they are all so supportive of me. I love that I have an unbelievable amount of freedom. I only work on the projects that I want to, I only work on patients a couple days a week and I love them for that flexibility, and I have lots of leisure time to be with my family, and having fun with my niece and nephew, practicing on being a good family man, for the near future when I have my missing pieces, my wife and babies.
I’m currently working on…
TOO many things. Lots of books and movies. I’m finalizing music licenses so our comedy ‘Queens of Country’ can get released. I have one more interview to go before I wrap on my directorial debut, a documentary called ‘Music City USA’. I’m hoping the last film I worked on, ‘Battlecreek’, gets into a super cool festival so the world can see it. I’m in pre-production on a film called ‘Electric Blue’ and hoping to help get another film called ‘Snow Treasure’ off the ground. I’m in the middle of writing two books, ‘Tortuga Gold’, and ‘Move the Chair’. The sequel to my children’s book is in New York being illustrated as we speak, and I’m compiling poems for my second collection due out this year. That’s not even everything but it’s a start.
Always…
say “I love you,” “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” without being told to.
Never…
forget who got you to where you are. Ever.
Favorite Quote…
“Live for today and not tomorrow, for tomorrow is promise to no one.”
Biggest Dream…
there isn’t a dream big enough for me to put here. My biggest dream is to be able to successfully fulfill all my dreams. Try means fail, so I don’t mean try and fulfill my dreams, I mean actually fulfill them, ALL of them.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
rude people.
