I set up on the Boston Marathon course
this was the first time I ever did the
Free Hugs thing yeah I was rocking this
shirt there was a woman she gives me a
hug she continues running by she didn’t
know the camera was rolling she says as
she’s running by not even to me she goes
that was probably the first hug I got in
three years Wow and I realize there are
a lot of people that feel that way when
I travel around to these schools
especially when I’m at high schools and
middle schools surprisingly it’s like
the young boys they come in for that hug
and then say my name is Ken wada K jr. I
am known as the free hugs guy many
people have seen me on the front lines
of riots and protests across the country
going out to de-escalate violence so
I’ll step in between protesters and
police and say hey here’s some solutions
that we can come up with because
throwing rocks at each other or shooting
tear gas or pepper spray does not solve
much so he’s running for president to
see the shirt go here check it out Kenny
2020 a lot of people think I’m kidding
because they know me as the free hugs
guy they’re like this guy’s not really
running for president and then they
google it and they’re like oh snap he’s
really running for he’s one of four
people yes there’s one of like four or
five of us they have declared so far but
go to Kenny 2020 calm you’ll check out
kind of where I stand on some of the
policies and issues I am NOT just the
free hugs guy there’s so much more to me
I went to college to study political
science yeah that was a runner – so okay
running took me out but yeah running to
get away out of college I signed with
the Nike Forum team and I was training
to get to the Olympic started okay cool
um so I didn’t finish college by my
senior year but I think a lot of people
take the entrepreneurial route or the
athletic route yeah maybe one day I’ll
go back to college but right now I’ve
got a family I’ve got this project and
initiative that I’m running yeah so so I
know we’re gonna get into some of your
stuff I have a personal question under
this yes software hugs yes okay so I
just came back from the Tony Robbins
event okay and and I’ve been challenged
you just had something in New Jersey
like this past weekend okay I’ve been
challenged
to not do any handshakes anymore yeah
and just hugs dude that is like the most
brilliant thing that you can do first of
all hugs
yeah are better than handshakes cuz
handshakes exchange germs versus if
you’re hugging people yeah not really
like people touch all sorts of nasty
stuff okay so if you hug them that’s
important but one or no to hugs boost
your oxytocin levels and that you feel
good about yourself they make other
people feel good and it’s probably the
best way that you could tell someone I
see you yeah and and and I’m willing to
show how close I’m able to stand with
you yes much more than okay so when I
started I started this in New York and
and I somebody comes with hey cuz people
recognize me at the event like want to
shake my hand hey I don’t do handshakes
I do hugs yep I did that three or four
times and then somebody said I didn’t
know you’re such a germaphobe no it’s
like I didn’t even think about it so
like okay so I need something else I
need I need I need something else then
then it just got really awkward then
then somebody should put out their hand
and say hey so I need I need advice from
like the expert okay
I used a handshake coming out as the
trigger yes right it’s a reminder
handshakes coming out I’m not doing a
handshake November hug nope so so what
do you recommend just just forget the
handshake and just go hug just say
something but I think it’s how you
posture yours okay okay like I really
approach people with my hand in that
direction no but people approach me got
it right here like this so I use that
equation first yeah exactly that’s
that’s tough hey I’ve been good to meet
you and they’ve got their hand out and I
don’t want to shake that hand that you
that’s my trigger that’s my trigger
right I see the hand I got a hug oh I’m
not wearing free hug theater I mean I
could do that I changed my whole brand
enos I think you drop that low but I’m
sure that’s it people know 100% on the
train he only gives hugs and and I think
that’s probably the way to do it or you
bust one in Luke moves you know like
they put their hand out then you spin
move on them and then hit
I want I don’t want I want to hit him
with a message though right yes
Hawaii do the hug right exactly that
it’s not it’s not a germ thing but but
it’s a it’s a better connection yes I
think sharing that with people
especially when they’re awkward about
having the right now for a hug right I
think telling them look with all the
division going on in the world right now
bring it in okay there’s there are a lot
of benefits talks we know that we need
roughly about twelve hugs a day even
just to survive and no one’s getting
that who’s getting today to survive yeah
because it’s losing your stress levels
depression its boosting your oxytocin
levels it’s helping you feel loved
there’s just so many benefits what does
that come from base hugs a day it’s a
statistic I don’t know how like okay
he’s gonna get a lot of hugs for me
today cool yes because everyone needs
them and even if you’re not getting your
full 12 at least some it’s sad to know
that there are some people they go years
at a time yeah and I know this because I
was at the ball years at a time years at
a time I was at the Boston Marathon I
was giving up free hugs I set up on the
Boston Marathon course this was the
first time I ever did the free hugs
thing yeah I was rocking this shirt and
if you watched that video had gone viral
on on Facebook and YouTube but yeah if
you watch that video there was a woman
she gives me a hug she continues running
by she didn’t know the camera was
rolling she says as she’s running by not
even to me she goes that was probably
and I realize there are a lot of people
who feel that way when I travel around
to these schools especially when I’m at
high schools and middle schools
surprisingly it’s like the young boys
that’ll come in for that hug and then
say man I don’t remember the last time
my dad hugged me right and I hear that
all the time and it’s heartbreaking
because I hug my kids all the time right
I know how important that affection is
and so when you’re meeting a little boy
who is in high school or middle school
and he’s struggling with identifying
himself and maybe he’s being bullied to
know that he’s saying I can’t remember
the last time my dad hugged right and
what’s the Boston one the first one you
did that was the first time ever and why
why sure it was after the bombing
okay mr. Marathon and that was when I
really started to realize that man this
world is messed up you’re you’re in San
Diego I live in San Diego I flew across
the country to Boston to Boston I wasn’t
even sure if anyone was gonna hug me cuz
I had never done this before right and
so I went to the mall in San Diego I
grabbed a black t-shirt
I had them screen print free hugs on it
yeah and I said I’m just gonna go out
there and whatever happens happens I set
up a camera just like that on the
racecourse and it was magic from there
after that video went viral
I started getting flown all over the
country to do those programs and news
shows first BuzzFeed picked it up the
New York Times Boston Globe LA Times San
Diego when I got back home to San Diego
they wanted to run this whole profile on
me from there they became he’s the free
hugs guy and so that’s what people know
me as now and I’ve been doing that for
roughly about four years generally
trying to spread this message of love
maybe a year or two into it an agent
called me and he said hey you speak
really well can we get you talking at
colleges I was like I don’t even know
what that means
yeah I didn’t even graduate from college
but sure I’ll I’ll go to colleges and
before you know it I would start showing
up at all of these prestigious schools
that he’s sending me to giving a
you know just on how important it is
that we unify as a nation and that we
care more for one another
realizing that mental health is causing
so many people to commit suicide and die
or even be put into situations where
they’re hurting other people right and
so knowing that this message of coming
together and being able to identify the
people that need help around us that are
struggling with depression or their
stress levels or just off the charts or
those mental health issues being able to
identify and say I’ve got to care more
for that person I need to care more for
the kid that’s sitting by himself
in the cafeteria or in the classroom
that is struggling with things because
just knowing that when you leave those
people to feel isolated then all sorts
of things happen and we’re seeing that I
don’t know if you guys are experiencing
that here in Canada but back home it’s
it’s a mess shootings in schools
bullying not even just in schools now I
mean people are getting shot in churches
and concerts in movie theaters it’s just
on and on and on to where people don’t
even feel safe anymore and I feel like
one of the things we could do to take a
step back is to just care a little bit
more for one another and be able to
identify that person might need some
help I’m gonna go talk with them right
and so that’s the whole purpose of this
work I’m hoping that it spreads right
whenever I travel and give people free
hug shirts that’s right I got mine yeah
yeah yeah yeah okay so 2020 yes you’ve
just won the Democratic all that would
be crazy
you just won that is just one that that
convention what’s your ready for your
first debate with President Trump oh my
goodness he’s gonna walk over them give
him a hug I would I really would because
I think show me that he’s a germaphobe
man he’s gonna put his hand out bring it
in he’s a germaphobe he will not hug me
he’s not gonna handshake or hug
well you might handshake but he
definitely doesn’t seem like the huggy
type but if I could get him to give a
hug right man there’s so much change
that can
come from okay so how do you deal with
people like that who poor not huh give
his life here yeah yeah yeah so
yesterday had a guy come in he came in
from Russia doing the show and he
brought a buddy of his from Turkey and
and he was all like oh yeah yeah this
Turkish guys like I don’t know who this
guy is I’m networking I gave him a hug
and it was like a super awkward like
he’s not not feeling it okay so what
what do you how do you deal with that um
well when you have those macho guys yeah
I think just breaking that down
sometimes you may not do it on the first
try okay one of the things I’ve noticed
especially as I travel around ya in the
airports yeah when I’m wearing this
shirt right I get more hugs from the big
tough guy yeah that you wouldn’t think
would come in for a hug right and I
started to wonder why is it that way you
know you pass all of these women you
pass all of these young people but it’s
the big macho guy that comes in for the
hug yeah I started to realize that guy
because he seems big macho and
intimidating yeah he’s probably getting
the least hugs out of anyone right and
so knowing that when he sees an
invitation like an open invitation he’s
gonna take it and so I think for the
people that still feel like oh no I need
to be macho and tough I’m not getting a
hug right I think you just you break it
down little by little I mean you don’t
so what am i doing so this guy comes up
to me he’s like that’s the first time
yes so he put again Turkey then that
stuff well I mean I think it starts with
a smile I think it starts with just your
body posture okay how you approach that
person and eventually you kind of break
down this macho masculine level that
this person thinks they need to be at
yeah just look so good man hug it out
we’re here let’s do this yeah yeah okay
I need I need I need I need to come up
with a line or like the strategy because
body language the body language yeah I
mean you you’ve got that smile hitting
with the smile yeah the the welcoming
body language I think so many people
they’re so stiff when they meet people
hey I’m kidding
yeah I’m never gonna do that what’s up
I’m gonna smile at you I’m gonna bring
you in yeah let you know I’m happy to be
here I’m happy to be in front of you I’m
happy to be in front of your people and
so that’s that’s really important that
we demonstrate that more and
I mean we could be having the worst of
day going on the worst of situations
going on in our life but when we meet
other people they might have a worse
situation yeah and so I think just
showing them that love showing them that
respect is important I’m looking forward
to the 2020 Kenny and Chum let’s do the
embrace
yeah the CNN debate oh it’s happening I
would look he’s not hugging you back but
you’re gonna go in yeah he’s probably
gonna give me one of those like weird
side hugs or something but I’m gonna go
are you gonna wear this like he’s gonna
go side hug are you gonna like just
bring the man and go I don’t know I
would have to see how I feel and what
type of spec he’s gonna talk about me
leading up oh it’s gonna be brutal you
know is it but but that’s the end that’s
the thing right yes you’re trying to
disarm and defuse and deescalate right
as he’s talking all that stuff one of
the things I’ve already decided for my
campaign going into it is that no matter
what negativity gets thrown my way I
this is the best well I’m glad they’re
doing that because as you guys may know
I’m sure when you turn on the news here
in Canada yeah
it’s devastating seeing what’s going on
out there seeing the number of people
that have passed away the number of
people they have lost their homes
animals horses dogs yeah all sorts of
things that are missing now it’s it’s
really disheartening to see that yeah so
I love that when things like that happen
one people come together communities
come together but also it causes people
to step up their checks and balances of
are we prepared for that right happen so
maybe that’s why alarm went off right
now but I’m glad they did because if a
fire went down here right no sprinklers
are going off and we know where to go so
we’ll be hugging hugging everybody
that’s and see that’s the thing
tragedy brings people together right and
it’s unfortunate that there are so many
tragedies happening but I wish we would
learn from that and not have to wait
until the tragedies come so that we can
work together and bring people together
I think that just imagine if the way
that we respond whenever there’s a
shooting or a fire or a tragic event the
way that we respond even when the
flooding happened what was it the
hurricanes in Houston sometime ago and I
went out there to go and try to help
people yeah I was like man these
communities seemed so bonded so gelled
together but I know that that’s just
temporary and you hear so many of these
stories of love and and people coming
together and then it phases out and then
they go back to their regular lives
right I’m like why does it have to phase
out them when we can’t just be like that
more how come we can’t turn our society
so what’s the answer the answer I think
one people have to start putting down
their phones and their social media
devices and start having real
interactions more often we don’t realize
that all of these technological advances
that we’ve we’ve had they are it’s great
for science and technology but for our
personal development skills we’re
struggling because of it so many young
people struggle having real
conversations in front of people because
they’re just not used to it they speak
in emojis they speak in a few characters
and so now when they’re put in front of
a person to just have a conversation
they would rather look down at their
phones go into a restaurant where
there’s a lot of young people and just
look around and you’ll see how many
people are actually looking down at
their social media devices rather than
appreciating the moment how about 12
daily hugs for everybody yes oh man it
would be you should make it like a
movement right 112 oh but something that
people could check off every day that
they put in their fridge and act since
they’re already on their social media
devices it could be an app with a
reminder and a reward system but even
but even like
I love it it just takes time to build an
app guy but if you just take it deserted
like a piece of paper yep
that has three hugs in your logo and
your face or whatever and the stat and
we look it up to say where it came from
and all that stuff but the exact a
weekly calendar that’s like a erase
board that you stick on your fridge yep
the sunday 12 Monday 12 bytes is I give
you check that off or you exit off right
it’s like 12 different people you got to
give a hug then it’s a it’s a reminder
even if it’s the same 12 people everyday
right but in that exchange rice
happening and it’s not just for you it’s
it’s for them too right
it’s like today but oh my god I got you
and I got my wife yep I got 10 more see
any was very angry walking in this
morning he’s tired he was not in the
for me so there’s a test this is awesome
this is never happened on the live show
see it either
I brought the smoke from California and
they’re like hole up somewhere from Cali
in the building let’s make sure we’re
gonna be all right
Google is Google how many hugs a day do
I need and there’s gonna be all sorts of
stats ranging from four to eight to
twelve but you got to pick a number yes
okay you want to grow let’s keep it in
the mid look for people because twelve
could be a lot for people starting out
so for for survival eight for
maintenance and twelve a gorilla
yeah so if you want to grow that’s what
I’m trying to do I’m trying to grow and
I feel like I’ve been growing
dramatically tremendously since I
started this yeah before I felt like I
was just can the race director I was
producing charitable running events i’ve
been in the hollywood half marathon the
awesome 80s run yeah one of those events
it’s my largest event which is why i was
paying attention to the boston marathon
yeah i came up track-and-field tractor
field took me out of homelessness i was
living in a homeless shelter with my
family while i was in high school
secretly going from the shelter to Chula
Vista High School to run I ended up
the mile in four minutes in 17 seconds
Thanks that got me a scholarship to
college while I ran to college I got a
lot faster I got down to about a 405
from that 405 then I signed a running
deal with the Nike farm team was
training to get to the Olympics with him
and signing with the Nike farm team
didn’t mean I was getting paid much it’s
just I was with a group of elite
athletes right some of whom had already
gone to the Olympics or the Olympic
Trials and those of us that were
training to get there right so I was
doing all of that and then eventually I
started organizing and producing my own
running races because I found that if
running took me out of homelessness took
me out of being shy and very insecure in
who I was as a person imagine what that
can do for so many other people around
me so I started promoting the sport
heavily and Hollywood half marathon
brought out 10,000 runners for the first
few years that I was organizing it yeah
but seeing so many people’s lives change
because of it people that were
overweight stressed-out depressed that
are saying this is now my theme you know
I’ve lost so much weight and I don’t
feel all this stress or anxiety anymore
because I’m running a lot more and so I
loved being able to give that to people
because I’m I see look what it did for
me
yeah it could do the same thing for you
it’s kept me in shape I’m now I’m
approaching I’ll be 37 in December so
next month yeah I’m like man I’m
approaching 40 but I still feel like a
kid yeah I feel like I feel very agile
and I have a lot of kids and five kids I
just had twins recently and so it wasn’t
supposed to be five we were good at
three yeah and then the twins came and
we’re done we got five kids yeah so shut
down shop we’re not doing this anymore
but yes five kids is a lot but you know
my hair might be turning gray but I
still feel very spry and agile yeah
because I’ve been running pretty much my
whole life so I encourage people to do
that so it’s not just about hugs it’s
also about running and taking care of
your physical health your physical body
as well just started come on right that
sounds more like a normal oh he’s mad I
another thing yeah I maybe he doesn’t
know that they just they just didn’t I
just didn’t touch we went through that
already man give me a hug come on guys
there’s no fires here man everybody here
yep the wind last night yes you’re here
we’ve had a great chat how can I bring
value to what you’re doing so a meteor
like how can I help
well I I think social media helps a lot
just growing the platform and getting
the message out there more I know you
know people will look at me and say well
he doesn’t look very presidential he’s
got tattoos and whereas a free hug shirt
and has earrings in this year but that’s
what a lot of America looks like a lot
of this next generation looks like we
try not to to judge by these things so I
think just getting more visibility out
there via social media is very helpful
but you’ve got a lot of wisdom and
knowledge I went through a lot of your
videos and just the sort of things that
you post I can tell you study a lot of
great speakers and and people who have
really inspirational quotes and so I
think just looking to you as a mentor
you know as someone who is outside of
all of the chaos that’s going on in the
states I would love to be able to hit
you up and say hey man I’m struggling
with this or I need this motivation tip
or this and for you to say I’ve got this
video or I’ve got this on my mind ready
right here how much heat what’s your
quantity what’s your frequency I’m in
YouTube Instagram as far as what how
frequently I put out content yeah I
would like to put out content more
frequently but I have not what are you
at right now I would say Instagram I
post three three times a week because
we’ve been on YouTube I was at one point
I was cranking out stuff maybe once
every week to two weeks but I think
between now and my last video it’s been
almost
and so I know that I need to step that
up but I’ve just been so focused on
studying more of the current policies
that are in place and trying to figure
out how can I bring some value how can I
bring some change to that so I need to
get back to communicating with the
people because that’s gonna be very
important I think from the stuff I’ve
seen from you it’s always the big stuff
which which a lot of them end up popping
in Boston Marathon awesome and you’ve
done some subsequent ones but I think I
think your real strength will be in the
daily okay it’s the twelve twelve hugs a
day there you go okay
because not everybody can go to the next
Boston Marathon bombing yeah but they
can hug tell people today I’m the
constant reminder cool that they need to
do that because nobody in their life is
telling them hug people right and so
they watch one of your things or they
see you’re in supposed like oh yeah it’s
good for me the only influence no let’s
go for the day maybe right like it’s on
my head twelve I got to find 12 people
but tomorrow might forget about it and
I’m still into the hugs over handshakes
things right for someone like Danny who
hates hugs it’s gone after they get that
into okay right cool so so I think
people need just like they need believe
daily you need hugs daily they need your
message of peace daily I would lower the
quality and not worry as much about the
editing or get get one of the college
students who love you to be your editor
and help you for the next six months as
an internship working for you
cool right to just crank out more
regular yeah daily content cool I’m
three times a day on YouTube and six
times a day on Instagram Wow
six posts a day plus will do three to
eight stories a day Plus Instagram live
I’m doing three Instagram lives today
Wow yes and this is your primary it’s
getting the message out yeah I mean I
like I own this business as paint school
here Wow I’ve invested in a couple of
companies but but still having time to
like I’ve written two books I give a
book dealer here I have
I have the deal I haven’t really right
yes so it starts with you but then then
you think about how can I get a team I’m
gonna get my team to help me right and
the message I think I think you’re
already graded delivering a message
Thanks I think it resonates you’ve got
energy you’ve got clarity you’ve got a
point that a lot of people will connect
with yep and if you took the phone and
just started recording and you post that
video okay it’s a it’s a daily reminder
that cool I need this in my life
awesome you know wim HOF so he’s
teaching people his breathing technique
and also his ice bath like cold showers
everyday cold exposure every day will
help you heal your body awesome I went
to his workshop in Toronto it was great
I felt awesome doing it but every day
waking up and doing the cold shower it’s
new like no but it’s still it’s good for
you but it’s still like it’s when when
he’s not around it’s hard to stay
consistent on it yeah but then when he
posts a video to call yeah yeah it’s
back on your back you’re talking right
okay it’s the same thing with hugs they
love it it’s a great message but then
the next time somebody comes and gives
them their hands yeah right a day except
you collapse yeah you stop except oh but
but you’re not there to push them
anymore
okay because they saw you once coming to
their college campus they go I’m
motivating like they’re hugging in the
aisles and whatever crazy stuff you had
them yeah great but then the next day
and then the next day and like the next
week life they’re back to normal it’s
them yeah but so like you’re you are the
thing that changes their life you’re the
you’re the the spark and they need it
regularly this is good advice man right
I think it’s tough to try to get that
daily content out but I think really
understanding how important it is
because you’re right a lot of people
they’ll hear the message and they’ll
adopt and embrace it but then after a
few days they retreat back into their
regular lives which usually is comprised
of stress depression anxiety all my
schoolwork or my employment whatever it
is is getting very difficult on people
and so I think that constant reminder I
like that I think I think I think you
need to have somebody
if you’re doing it yourself then you go
lower lower tech like forget about this
camera and that’s set up on the
microphone use your phone the phone the
phone guys 12 hugs a day if you want to
grow you need 12 hug day have you done
that yet come on let’s go
it’s Thursday 12 hugs you got to get
anybody today right I’m gonna go find
some I’m gonna go walk on the street
boom lady hit hug it up but bring it in
right boom that’s one for me let’s go
right and that’s it that’s your post I
love that and you have such you have a
you have such an energy and and you’re
well-spoken that you don’t need to edit
you’re not stumbling over your words not
like trying to come up with something
I’m a mom and like I mean let me start
over and do that again yeah a thousand
edits cuz you’ve spoken a lot right and
so I think doing that I’m not relying on
having fancy gear and then whatever you
pop that into whatever editing program
and all that okay awesome like just take
it and post it right to YouTube okay or
make a one-minute version posted to
Instagram quick and punch that to
Facebook as well sure yeah until you get
to the point where you have somebody
with you who can then take care of all
that stuff cuz you don’t want to be the
world’s greatest editor no no way
right yeah how long do you spend editing
a video it could take an hour or so so
if it takes you 10 minutes to make a
video and in an hour recording the video
or editing the video you’re you’re
building the wrong skills I would look
at finding somebody who’s in the college
campuses that you go to for the next
eight speeches that you give do a quick
color at the end to say you’re looking
for somebody who who can sketch pictures
or do animations somebody will somebody
will say yeah I love draw and I’d love
to get some more exposure right at the
beginning that’s free but as you build
up your business you you can potentially
hire them and you take once a week
something that’s in mainstream enjoy
this fight and change yeah and then you
write like you you can’t do the picture
but you can write the caption mmm you
can put some fire in the caption yeah
right so if it’s hugging the the firemen
who are oh yeah that are out at the the
fires in California right or
there’s some controversy I’m not being
huge on what’s happening u.s. news right
now but it’s all right now it’s all
around the terms and and the LA fires
but it’s it’s good because you know my
heart really does go out to these
firefighters when you see images of them
just exhausted and laying out on
people’s lawns because it’s been day
after day night after night that they’re
fighting to contain these writers a
number of them have even lost their own
homes right and haven’t had the
opportunity to even grieve their own
loss and they’re out there helping other
people so so that’s an easy one because
everybody’s heart goes out to the
firefighters and the family so that’s
easy
what’s what’s the difficult one so
whether it’s with this controversy with
us fighting
I believe in midterm elections that’s
big in the states right now because
there are still some positions that have
been undecided because the votes need to
be recounted and they were saying there
were errors with some of the polling
machines so I think if there was an
illustrator kept doing some sort of
Italian race there is a division right
even just about that in the fryer in
Georgia races or so like when Kanye went
to go see the president he got a lot of
flak flak Fisher who was the most
controversial person against him who was
the most prominent like Kanye this is
wrong probably a number of people but I
know he got clowned a lot by like Don
Lemon and Anderson Cooper a lot of these
go CNN media guys which I think they’re
great but that’s it then then it’s
Anderson Cooper hugging yay yeah that’s
cool and then you write some fire action
exactly right like why we need this why
this important like why this should be
happening instead of what is happening
and I think it would be to address the
mental health issues that I believe many
of us have noticed signs in Kanye West
he needs help for sure like just the
pattern that he’s on and the way that he
speaks even his body language it’s very
suspicious
okay but even if it wasn’t even even if
he even if you thought he was just
totally normal and sane and he did this
and still got like you’re looking for
just like what you do with your hugs yes
but now you do it through social media
because you you can’t get into the Oval
Office and and hug yay and say yeah I
don’t believe in what you’re doing but I
Love You Man right okay but you can do
it on social that’s good right yeah so
have it or even you hugging like you’re
hugging Trump and you’re you’re now
putting all the people who disagree with
as people and what their what their
policies are their views are and then
you’re hugging them and then you say why
yeah I think things are so polarized in
the country right now
seeing those sort of images but that
that’s what you have to do yeah okay so
so the Marvel stainle one the
firefighter one our heartwarming and
easy yeah but what you do is you just
plop yourself down in real life in the
middle of this crazy situation people
fighting each other and you you spread
hugs it’s the same thing yeah and some
people say some people don’t like what
you do when you’re landing in that city
and you’re trying to stop a riot before
sweeping out some people so just like
when you post a social something never
gonna like it
people are like so locked into their
mode they’re gonna distribute with you
because you’re going against somebody
you know that’s fine but the more you
post that kind of stuff the more it’s
going to come in one of my favorite
comments of all time was we had a we
profiled it was John Johnson sort of BT
and somebody left a comment saying I
grew up thinking from my parents that
all black people were the n-word and
this video helped changed my perspective
he’s willing to learn from a lack man to
help him get more success when his
environment was black people are all the
n-word right and so that’s why it’s so
important to have a consistent
every day right because you got their
parents saying what are you doing hug
this is stupid like don’t go don’t go
hug that black man like yeah right how
do you break that right yeah and if you
only hit them once and then you might
they never see you again well won’t be
enough right unless where someone was
like just really ready for the change
yeah then you’re that extra little bit
but otherwise they’re motivated for the
day or the week and then it’s gone
yeah right to keep breaking down those
those layers so when I ask people what
their favorite video is on my channel
everybody has a different answer or how
they found my channel everybody has a
different answer yeah right and so
somebody may find you because of your
spider-man hugging Stan Lee comic I
think wow this is really cool this guy’s
up to they came for one thing but then
right if you keep doing that if you’re
talking about political figures or
athletics or whatever and then your own
like you’re on the street and you’re
hugging people everybody will find you
from so it’s not only the Boston
Marathon beauty that they find you
they’ll find you from lots of different
paths and it all feeds into the mission
that you trying to accomplish and and
there’s there’s got to be some
university kids who would be dying to
help you in exchange for little bit
mentorship yeah if you did that at the
end of your next eat you’re gonna get
somebody who will come and say I want to
do it yeah illustrator or animator or
anything cool who for six to 12 months
you take them under your wing you give
them some advice they give you some
illustrations you write fire captions
that’s good man you’re you’re like a
wealth especially the idea of the
illustrator being able to draw out some
of my thoughts or some of the trending
topics that are going on in the States
that’s really good and I think having
two people hug but then I also think a
series with you hugging somebody cool
that you that most people in your
situation would not ever want a hug okay
like that right yeah like like Trump
calling you newbie can rip you can or
whatever yeah I want to hug him yeah and
then explaining why because nobody
Hillary doesn’t want to hug
no nobama doesn’t want a hug they don’t
want a hug oh right yeah great so but
but you do and then you explain why and
anybody else who you you would disagree
with and most people in your situation
would say would complain about it would
post negativity would be slamming them
on Twitter you’re gonna say hey I don’t
agree with them but I want to give them
a hug yeah I think and if they don’t
whatever like though it’s the consistent
exposure yeah they may not get it the
first time like this guy is just yeah
he’s just trying to get attention there
but but but you keep posting yeah it’ll
see that it’s real and you’ll see your
videos hearts and minds yeah cool yeah
what do you get something else quick mmm
what you about to say something oh oh oh
I was gonna say as I’m running then with
the this campaign do you think that it’s
important to continue getting this
message out of free hugs continue even
dressing like this rather than dressing
like a politician
I mean sure there’s times where all
problem we have to be in a suit but I
think a lot of people are able to
connect to the simplicity of look that’s
that’s the brand the message that I’m
trying to get out yeah I think I think
you got to do you I think that’s how you
win okay I think I think you know if
you’re the newbie then you embrace the
newbie as opposed to trying to fake be
something else yeah so if I would have
shown up in a suit and tie yeah yeah
yeah yeah I’d be pissed okay
especially after this I’d be pissed for
you because it doesn’t help you got it
because you’re good yeah I’d be sick
well you were you think really and I
would have shown how would yell at him
yeah I would yell at like why would you
do that yeah cuz this is such my mess
yeah okay yeah hey now listen if it’s a
super Black Tie thing I’ll go I’ll go in
a hoodie to black-tie events a we’re
nice yeah ain’t I do that maybe maybe
you put a blazer on or something over it
but this is the thing and if you still
want to wear the USA pin because they
all have the pain yeah that’s awesome
or if there’s some other cause that like
why just a flag maybe there’s something
else that you’d want to show okay yeah I
wonder what the people will think to the
folks watching the videos when we get to
that part if they’ll say maybe if he’s
running for president he should have
dressed more presidential or if people
like just look at look at how much Trump
has been attacked for not being
presidential and he just doubles down in
on not being presidential yeah he says
his own version of it that’s how you win
cool for always okay for everything cool
right perfect
I like that yeah yeah it would have been
a yelling moment on camera
I wouldn’t made you go changing you have
something you have in your bag like go
put it on right now and come back yeah
that what happened okay and that’s it’s
really good to know because I I do
struggle with that as I’m leaning it’s
the only way you win perfect you can’t
struggle anymore okay it’s the only way
you win you stand up there in a suit
you’re done Wow okay yeah yeah rock the
shirt and get the message yeah to the
people and I think what it will do is
show people that because I’ve noticed
that some other politicians are trying
to run on that platform of oh let’s
unify people that’s very easy for you to
say sitting behind a desk in a suit yeah
but here’s a guy who actually goes into
volatile situations and says no we
really need to do this yeah cool and
then but then like what are your what
are your like then you have to hug
everybody who comes in right so the guys
you walk in you’re hugging all the
reporters yeah one by one you give
everybody a hug you hug all the support
stand there you hug the security even
though they’re gonna stand there like
them you that’s your thing everybody
gets a hug okay yeah
every single time every single debate
every single event okay
yeah you have you double down on it
because it’s who you are not to like now
I’m gonna play safe version of myself
full volume you have the most important
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this was the first time I ever did the
Free Hugs thing yeah I was rocking this
shirt there was a woman she gives me a
hug she continues running by she didn’t
know the camera was rolling she says as
she’s running by not even to me she goes
that was probably the first hug I got in
three years Wow and I realize there are
a lot of people that feel that way when
I travel around to these schools
especially when I’m at high schools and
middle schools surprisingly it’s like
the young boys they come in for that hug
and then say my name is Ken wada K jr. I
am known as the free hugs guy many
people have seen me on the front lines
of riots and protests across the country
going out to de-escalate violence so
I’ll step in between protesters and
police and say hey here’s some solutions
that we can come up with because
throwing rocks at each other or shooting
tear gas or pepper spray does not solve
much so he’s running for president to
see the shirt go here check it out Kenny
2020 a lot of people think I’m kidding
because they know me as the free hugs
guy they’re like this guy’s not really
running for president and then they
google it and they’re like oh snap he’s
really running for he’s one of four
people yes there’s one of like four or
five of us they have declared so far but
go to Kenny 2020 calm you’ll check out
kind of where I stand on some of the
policies and issues I am NOT just the
free hugs guy there’s so much more to me
I went to college to study political
science yeah that was a runner – so okay
running took me out but yeah running to
get away out of college I signed with
the Nike Forum team and I was training
to get to the Olympic started okay cool
um so I didn’t finish college by my
senior year but I think a lot of people
take the entrepreneurial route or the
athletic route yeah maybe one day I’ll
go back to college but right now I’ve
got a family I’ve got this project and
initiative that I’m running yeah so so I
know we’re gonna get into some of your
stuff I have a personal question under
this yes software hugs yes okay so I
just came back from the Tony Robbins
event okay and and I’ve been challenged
you just had something in New Jersey
like this past weekend okay I’ve been
challenged
to not do any handshakes anymore yeah
and just hugs dude that is like the most
brilliant thing that you can do first of
all hugs
yeah are better than handshakes cuz
handshakes exchange germs versus if
you’re hugging people yeah not really
like people touch all sorts of nasty
stuff okay so if you hug them that’s
important but one or no to hugs boost
your oxytocin levels and that you feel
good about yourself they make other
people feel good and it’s probably the
best way that you could tell someone I
see you yeah and and and I’m willing to
show how close I’m able to stand with
you yes much more than okay so when I
started I started this in New York and
and I somebody comes with hey cuz people
recognize me at the event like want to
shake my hand hey I don’t do handshakes
I do hugs yep I did that three or four
times and then somebody said I didn’t
know you’re such a germaphobe no it’s
like I didn’t even think about it so
like okay so I need something else I
need I need I need something else then
then it just got really awkward then
then somebody should put out their hand
and say hey so I need I need advice from
like the expert okay
I used a handshake coming out as the
trigger yes right it’s a reminder
handshakes coming out I’m not doing a
handshake November hug nope so so what
do you recommend just just forget the
handshake and just go hug just say
something but I think it’s how you
posture yours okay okay like I really
approach people with my hand in that
direction no but people approach me got
it right here like this so I use that
equation first yeah exactly that’s
that’s tough hey I’ve been good to meet
you and they’ve got their hand out and I
don’t want to shake that hand that you
that’s my trigger that’s my trigger
right I see the hand I got a hug oh I’m
not wearing free hug theater I mean I
could do that I changed my whole brand
enos I think you drop that low but I’m
sure that’s it people know 100% on the
train he only gives hugs and and I think
that’s probably the way to do it or you
bust one in Luke moves you know like
they put their hand out then you spin
move on them and then hit
I want I don’t want I want to hit him
with a message though right yes
Hawaii do the hug right exactly that
it’s not it’s not a germ thing but but
it’s a it’s a better connection yes I
think sharing that with people
especially when they’re awkward about
having the right now for a hug right I
think telling them look with all the
division going on in the world right now
bring it in okay there’s there are a lot
of benefits talks we know that we need
roughly about twelve hugs a day even
just to survive and no one’s getting
that who’s getting today to survive yeah
because it’s losing your stress levels
depression its boosting your oxytocin
levels it’s helping you feel loved
there’s just so many benefits what does
that come from base hugs a day it’s a
statistic I don’t know how like okay
he’s gonna get a lot of hugs for me
today cool yes because everyone needs
them and even if you’re not getting your
full 12 at least some it’s sad to know
that there are some people they go years
at a time yeah and I know this because I
was at the ball years at a time years at
a time I was at the Boston Marathon I
was giving up free hugs I set up on the
Boston Marathon course this was the
first time I ever did the free hugs
thing yeah I was rocking this shirt and
if you watched that video had gone viral
on on Facebook and YouTube but yeah if
you watch that video there was a woman
she gives me a hug she continues running
by she didn’t know the camera was
rolling she says as she’s running by not
even to me she goes that was probably
and I realize there are a lot of people
who feel that way when I travel around
to these schools especially when I’m at
high schools and middle schools
surprisingly it’s like the young boys
that’ll come in for that hug and then
say man I don’t remember the last time
my dad hugged me right and I hear that
all the time and it’s heartbreaking
because I hug my kids all the time right
I know how important that affection is
and so when you’re meeting a little boy
who is in high school or middle school
and he’s struggling with identifying
himself and maybe he’s being bullied to
know that he’s saying I can’t remember
the last time my dad hugged right and
what’s the Boston one the first one you
did that was the first time ever and why
why sure it was after the bombing
okay mr. Marathon and that was when I
really started to realize that man this
world is messed up you’re you’re in San
Diego I live in San Diego I flew across
the country to Boston to Boston I wasn’t
even sure if anyone was gonna hug me cuz
I had never done this before right and
so I went to the mall in San Diego I
grabbed a black t-shirt
I had them screen print free hugs on it
yeah and I said I’m just gonna go out
there and whatever happens happens I set
up a camera just like that on the
racecourse and it was magic from there
after that video went viral
I started getting flown all over the
country to do those programs and news
shows first BuzzFeed picked it up the
New York Times Boston Globe LA Times San
Diego when I got back home to San Diego
they wanted to run this whole profile on
me from there they became he’s the free
hugs guy and so that’s what people know
me as now and I’ve been doing that for
roughly about four years generally
trying to spread this message of love
maybe a year or two into it an agent
called me and he said hey you speak
really well can we get you talking at
colleges I was like I don’t even know
what that means
yeah I didn’t even graduate from college
but sure I’ll I’ll go to colleges and
before you know it I would start showing
up at all of these prestigious schools
that he’s sending me to giving a
you know just on how important it is
that we unify as a nation and that we
care more for one another
realizing that mental health is causing
so many people to commit suicide and die
or even be put into situations where
they’re hurting other people right and
so knowing that this message of coming
together and being able to identify the
people that need help around us that are
struggling with depression or their
stress levels or just off the charts or
those mental health issues being able to
identify and say I’ve got to care more
for that person I need to care more for
the kid that’s sitting by himself
in the cafeteria or in the classroom
that is struggling with things because
just knowing that when you leave those
people to feel isolated then all sorts
of things happen and we’re seeing that I
don’t know if you guys are experiencing
that here in Canada but back home it’s
it’s a mess shootings in schools
bullying not even just in schools now I
mean people are getting shot in churches
and concerts in movie theaters it’s just
on and on and on to where people don’t
even feel safe anymore and I feel like
one of the things we could do to take a
step back is to just care a little bit
more for one another and be able to
identify that person might need some
help I’m gonna go talk with them right
and so that’s the whole purpose of this
work I’m hoping that it spreads right
whenever I travel and give people free
hug shirts that’s right I got mine yeah
yeah yeah yeah okay so 2020 yes you’ve
just won the Democratic all that would
be crazy
you just won that is just one that that
convention what’s your ready for your
first debate with President Trump oh my
goodness he’s gonna walk over them give
him a hug I would I really would because
I think show me that he’s a germaphobe
man he’s gonna put his hand out bring it
in he’s a germaphobe he will not hug me
he’s not gonna handshake or hug
well you might handshake but he
definitely doesn’t seem like the huggy
type but if I could get him to give a
hug right man there’s so much change
that can
come from okay so how do you deal with
people like that who poor not huh give
his life here yeah yeah yeah so
yesterday had a guy come in he came in
from Russia doing the show and he
brought a buddy of his from Turkey and
and he was all like oh yeah yeah this
Turkish guys like I don’t know who this
guy is I’m networking I gave him a hug
and it was like a super awkward like
he’s not not feeling it okay so what
what do you how do you deal with that um
well when you have those macho guys yeah
I think just breaking that down
sometimes you may not do it on the first
try okay one of the things I’ve noticed
especially as I travel around ya in the
airports yeah when I’m wearing this
shirt right I get more hugs from the big
tough guy yeah that you wouldn’t think
would come in for a hug right and I
started to wonder why is it that way you
know you pass all of these women you
pass all of these young people but it’s
the big macho guy that comes in for the
hug yeah I started to realize that guy
because he seems big macho and
intimidating yeah he’s probably getting
the least hugs out of anyone right and
so knowing that when he sees an
invitation like an open invitation he’s
gonna take it and so I think for the
people that still feel like oh no I need
to be macho and tough I’m not getting a
hug right I think you just you break it
down little by little I mean you don’t
so what am i doing so this guy comes up
to me he’s like that’s the first time
yes so he put again Turkey then that
stuff well I mean I think it starts with
a smile I think it starts with just your
body posture okay how you approach that
person and eventually you kind of break
down this macho masculine level that
this person thinks they need to be at
yeah just look so good man hug it out
we’re here let’s do this yeah yeah okay
I need I need I need I need to come up
with a line or like the strategy because
body language the body language yeah I
mean you you’ve got that smile hitting
with the smile yeah the the welcoming
body language I think so many people
they’re so stiff when they meet people
hey I’m kidding
yeah I’m never gonna do that what’s up
I’m gonna smile at you I’m gonna bring
you in yeah let you know I’m happy to be
here I’m happy to be in front of you I’m
happy to be in front of your people and
so that’s that’s really important that
we demonstrate that more and
I mean we could be having the worst of
day going on the worst of situations
going on in our life but when we meet
other people they might have a worse
situation yeah and so I think just
showing them that love showing them that
respect is important I’m looking forward
to the 2020 Kenny and Chum let’s do the
embrace
yeah the CNN debate oh it’s happening I
would look he’s not hugging you back but
you’re gonna go in yeah he’s probably
gonna give me one of those like weird
side hugs or something but I’m gonna go
are you gonna wear this like he’s gonna
go side hug are you gonna like just
bring the man and go I don’t know I
would have to see how I feel and what
type of spec he’s gonna talk about me
leading up oh it’s gonna be brutal you
know is it but but that’s the end that’s
the thing right yes you’re trying to
disarm and defuse and deescalate right
as he’s talking all that stuff one of
the things I’ve already decided for my
campaign going into it is that no matter
what negativity gets thrown my way I
this is the best well I’m glad they’re
doing that because as you guys may know
I’m sure when you turn on the news here
in Canada yeah
it’s devastating seeing what’s going on
out there seeing the number of people
that have passed away the number of
people they have lost their homes
animals horses dogs yeah all sorts of
things that are missing now it’s it’s
really disheartening to see that yeah so
I love that when things like that happen
one people come together communities
come together but also it causes people
to step up their checks and balances of
are we prepared for that right happen so
maybe that’s why alarm went off right
now but I’m glad they did because if a
fire went down here right no sprinklers
are going off and we know where to go so
we’ll be hugging hugging everybody
that’s and see that’s the thing
tragedy brings people together right and
it’s unfortunate that there are so many
tragedies happening but I wish we would
learn from that and not have to wait
until the tragedies come so that we can
work together and bring people together
I think that just imagine if the way
that we respond whenever there’s a
shooting or a fire or a tragic event the
way that we respond even when the
flooding happened what was it the
hurricanes in Houston sometime ago and I
went out there to go and try to help
people yeah I was like man these
communities seemed so bonded so gelled
together but I know that that’s just
temporary and you hear so many of these
stories of love and and people coming
together and then it phases out and then
they go back to their regular lives
right I’m like why does it have to phase
out them when we can’t just be like that
more how come we can’t turn our society
so what’s the answer the answer I think
one people have to start putting down
their phones and their social media
devices and start having real
interactions more often we don’t realize
that all of these technological advances
that we’ve we’ve had they are it’s great
for science and technology but for our
personal development skills we’re
struggling because of it so many young
people struggle having real
conversations in front of people because
they’re just not used to it they speak
in emojis they speak in a few characters
and so now when they’re put in front of
a person to just have a conversation
they would rather look down at their
phones go into a restaurant where
there’s a lot of young people and just
look around and you’ll see how many
people are actually looking down at
their social media devices rather than
appreciating the moment how about 12
daily hugs for everybody yes oh man it
would be you should make it like a
movement right 112 oh but something that
people could check off every day that
they put in their fridge and act since
they’re already on their social media
devices it could be an app with a
reminder and a reward system but even
but even like
I love it it just takes time to build an
app guy but if you just take it deserted
like a piece of paper yep
that has three hugs in your logo and
your face or whatever and the stat and
we look it up to say where it came from
and all that stuff but the exact a
weekly calendar that’s like a erase
board that you stick on your fridge yep
the sunday 12 Monday 12 bytes is I give
you check that off or you exit off right
it’s like 12 different people you got to
give a hug then it’s a it’s a reminder
even if it’s the same 12 people everyday
right but in that exchange rice
happening and it’s not just for you it’s
it’s for them too right
it’s like today but oh my god I got you
and I got my wife yep I got 10 more see
any was very angry walking in this
morning he’s tired he was not in the
for me so there’s a test this is awesome
this is never happened on the live show
see it either
I brought the smoke from California and
they’re like hole up somewhere from Cali
in the building let’s make sure we’re
gonna be all right
Google is Google how many hugs a day do
I need and there’s gonna be all sorts of
stats ranging from four to eight to
twelve but you got to pick a number yes
okay you want to grow let’s keep it in
the mid look for people because twelve
could be a lot for people starting out
so for for survival eight for
maintenance and twelve a gorilla
yeah so if you want to grow that’s what
I’m trying to do I’m trying to grow and
I feel like I’ve been growing
dramatically tremendously since I
started this yeah before I felt like I
was just can the race director I was
producing charitable running events i’ve
been in the hollywood half marathon the
awesome 80s run yeah one of those events
it’s my largest event which is why i was
paying attention to the boston marathon
yeah i came up track-and-field tractor
field took me out of homelessness i was
living in a homeless shelter with my
family while i was in high school
secretly going from the shelter to Chula
Vista High School to run I ended up
the mile in four minutes in 17 seconds
Thanks that got me a scholarship to
college while I ran to college I got a
lot faster I got down to about a 405
from that 405 then I signed a running
deal with the Nike farm team was
training to get to the Olympics with him
and signing with the Nike farm team
didn’t mean I was getting paid much it’s
just I was with a group of elite
athletes right some of whom had already
gone to the Olympics or the Olympic
Trials and those of us that were
training to get there right so I was
doing all of that and then eventually I
started organizing and producing my own
running races because I found that if
running took me out of homelessness took
me out of being shy and very insecure in
who I was as a person imagine what that
can do for so many other people around
me so I started promoting the sport
heavily and Hollywood half marathon
brought out 10,000 runners for the first
few years that I was organizing it yeah
but seeing so many people’s lives change
because of it people that were
overweight stressed-out depressed that
are saying this is now my theme you know
I’ve lost so much weight and I don’t
feel all this stress or anxiety anymore
because I’m running a lot more and so I
loved being able to give that to people
because I’m I see look what it did for
me
yeah it could do the same thing for you
it’s kept me in shape I’m now I’m
approaching I’ll be 37 in December so
next month yeah I’m like man I’m
approaching 40 but I still feel like a
kid yeah I feel like I feel very agile
and I have a lot of kids and five kids I
just had twins recently and so it wasn’t
supposed to be five we were good at
three yeah and then the twins came and
we’re done we got five kids yeah so shut
down shop we’re not doing this anymore
but yes five kids is a lot but you know
my hair might be turning gray but I
still feel very spry and agile yeah
because I’ve been running pretty much my
whole life so I encourage people to do
that so it’s not just about hugs it’s
also about running and taking care of
your physical health your physical body
as well just started come on right that
sounds more like a normal oh he’s mad I
another thing yeah I maybe he doesn’t
know that they just they just didn’t I
just didn’t touch we went through that
already man give me a hug come on guys
there’s no fires here man everybody here
yep the wind last night yes you’re here
we’ve had a great chat how can I bring
value to what you’re doing so a meteor
like how can I help
well I I think social media helps a lot
just growing the platform and getting
the message out there more I know you
know people will look at me and say well
he doesn’t look very presidential he’s
got tattoos and whereas a free hug shirt
and has earrings in this year but that’s
what a lot of America looks like a lot
of this next generation looks like we
try not to to judge by these things so I
think just getting more visibility out
there via social media is very helpful
but you’ve got a lot of wisdom and
knowledge I went through a lot of your
videos and just the sort of things that
you post I can tell you study a lot of
great speakers and and people who have
really inspirational quotes and so I
think just looking to you as a mentor
you know as someone who is outside of
all of the chaos that’s going on in the
states I would love to be able to hit
you up and say hey man I’m struggling
with this or I need this motivation tip
or this and for you to say I’ve got this
video or I’ve got this on my mind ready
right here how much heat what’s your
quantity what’s your frequency I’m in
YouTube Instagram as far as what how
frequently I put out content yeah I
would like to put out content more
frequently but I have not what are you
at right now I would say Instagram I
post three three times a week because
we’ve been on YouTube I was at one point
I was cranking out stuff maybe once
every week to two weeks but I think
between now and my last video it’s been
almost
and so I know that I need to step that
up but I’ve just been so focused on
studying more of the current policies
that are in place and trying to figure
out how can I bring some value how can I
bring some change to that so I need to
get back to communicating with the
people because that’s gonna be very
important I think from the stuff I’ve
seen from you it’s always the big stuff
which which a lot of them end up popping
in Boston Marathon awesome and you’ve
done some subsequent ones but I think I
think your real strength will be in the
daily okay it’s the twelve twelve hugs a
day there you go okay
because not everybody can go to the next
Boston Marathon bombing yeah but they
can hug tell people today I’m the
constant reminder cool that they need to
do that because nobody in their life is
telling them hug people right and so
they watch one of your things or they
see you’re in supposed like oh yeah it’s
good for me the only influence no let’s
go for the day maybe right like it’s on
my head twelve I got to find 12 people
but tomorrow might forget about it and
I’m still into the hugs over handshakes
things right for someone like Danny who
hates hugs it’s gone after they get that
into okay right cool so so I think
people need just like they need believe
daily you need hugs daily they need your
message of peace daily I would lower the
quality and not worry as much about the
editing or get get one of the college
students who love you to be your editor
and help you for the next six months as
an internship working for you
cool right to just crank out more
regular yeah daily content cool I’m
three times a day on YouTube and six
times a day on Instagram Wow
six posts a day plus will do three to
eight stories a day Plus Instagram live
I’m doing three Instagram lives today
Wow yes and this is your primary it’s
getting the message out yeah I mean I
like I own this business as paint school
here Wow I’ve invested in a couple of
companies but but still having time to
like I’ve written two books I give a
book dealer here I have
I have the deal I haven’t really right
yes so it starts with you but then then
you think about how can I get a team I’m
gonna get my team to help me right and
the message I think I think you’re
already graded delivering a message
Thanks I think it resonates you’ve got
energy you’ve got clarity you’ve got a
point that a lot of people will connect
with yep and if you took the phone and
just started recording and you post that
video okay it’s a it’s a daily reminder
that cool I need this in my life
awesome you know wim HOF so he’s
teaching people his breathing technique
and also his ice bath like cold showers
everyday cold exposure every day will
help you heal your body awesome I went
to his workshop in Toronto it was great
I felt awesome doing it but every day
waking up and doing the cold shower it’s
new like no but it’s still it’s good for
you but it’s still like it’s when when
he’s not around it’s hard to stay
consistent on it yeah but then when he
posts a video to call yeah yeah it’s
back on your back you’re talking right
okay it’s the same thing with hugs they
love it it’s a great message but then
the next time somebody comes and gives
them their hands yeah right a day except
you collapse yeah you stop except oh but
but you’re not there to push them
anymore
okay because they saw you once coming to
their college campus they go I’m
motivating like they’re hugging in the
aisles and whatever crazy stuff you had
them yeah great but then the next day
and then the next day and like the next
week life they’re back to normal it’s
them yeah but so like you’re you are the
thing that changes their life you’re the
you’re the the spark and they need it
regularly this is good advice man right
I think it’s tough to try to get that
daily content out but I think really
understanding how important it is
because you’re right a lot of people
they’ll hear the message and they’ll
adopt and embrace it but then after a
few days they retreat back into their
regular lives which usually is comprised
of stress depression anxiety all my
schoolwork or my employment whatever it
is is getting very difficult on people
and so I think that constant reminder I
like that I think I think I think you
need to have somebody
if you’re doing it yourself then you go
lower lower tech like forget about this
camera and that’s set up on the
microphone use your phone the phone the
phone guys 12 hugs a day if you want to
grow you need 12 hug day have you done
that yet come on let’s go
it’s Thursday 12 hugs you got to get
anybody today right I’m gonna go find
some I’m gonna go walk on the street
boom lady hit hug it up but bring it in
right boom that’s one for me let’s go
right and that’s it that’s your post I
love that and you have such you have a
you have such an energy and and you’re
well-spoken that you don’t need to edit
you’re not stumbling over your words not
like trying to come up with something
I’m a mom and like I mean let me start
over and do that again yeah a thousand
edits cuz you’ve spoken a lot right and
so I think doing that I’m not relying on
having fancy gear and then whatever you
pop that into whatever editing program
and all that okay awesome like just take
it and post it right to YouTube okay or
make a one-minute version posted to
Instagram quick and punch that to
Facebook as well sure yeah until you get
to the point where you have somebody
with you who can then take care of all
that stuff cuz you don’t want to be the
world’s greatest editor no no way
right yeah how long do you spend editing
a video it could take an hour or so so
if it takes you 10 minutes to make a
video and in an hour recording the video
or editing the video you’re you’re
building the wrong skills I would look
at finding somebody who’s in the college
campuses that you go to for the next
eight speeches that you give do a quick
color at the end to say you’re looking
for somebody who who can sketch pictures
or do animations somebody will somebody
will say yeah I love draw and I’d love
to get some more exposure right at the
beginning that’s free but as you build
up your business you you can potentially
hire them and you take once a week
something that’s in mainstream enjoy
this fight and change yeah and then you
write like you you can’t do the picture
but you can write the caption mmm you
can put some fire in the caption yeah
right so if it’s hugging the the firemen
who are oh yeah that are out at the the
fires in California right or
there’s some controversy I’m not being
huge on what’s happening u.s. news right
now but it’s all right now it’s all
around the terms and and the LA fires
but it’s it’s good because you know my
heart really does go out to these
firefighters when you see images of them
just exhausted and laying out on
people’s lawns because it’s been day
after day night after night that they’re
fighting to contain these writers a
number of them have even lost their own
homes right and haven’t had the
opportunity to even grieve their own
loss and they’re out there helping other
people so so that’s an easy one because
everybody’s heart goes out to the
firefighters and the family so that’s
easy
what’s what’s the difficult one so
whether it’s with this controversy with
us fighting
I believe in midterm elections that’s
big in the states right now because
there are still some positions that have
been undecided because the votes need to
be recounted and they were saying there
were errors with some of the polling
machines so I think if there was an
illustrator kept doing some sort of
Italian race there is a division right
even just about that in the fryer in
Georgia races or so like when Kanye went
to go see the president he got a lot of
flak flak Fisher who was the most
controversial person against him who was
the most prominent like Kanye this is
wrong probably a number of people but I
know he got clowned a lot by like Don
Lemon and Anderson Cooper a lot of these
go CNN media guys which I think they’re
great but that’s it then then it’s
Anderson Cooper hugging yay yeah that’s
cool and then you write some fire action
exactly right like why we need this why
this important like why this should be
happening instead of what is happening
and I think it would be to address the
mental health issues that I believe many
of us have noticed signs in Kanye West
he needs help for sure like just the
pattern that he’s on and the way that he
speaks even his body language it’s very
suspicious
okay but even if it wasn’t even even if
he even if you thought he was just
totally normal and sane and he did this
and still got like you’re looking for
just like what you do with your hugs yes
but now you do it through social media
because you you can’t get into the Oval
Office and and hug yay and say yeah I
don’t believe in what you’re doing but I
Love You Man right okay but you can do
it on social that’s good right yeah so
have it or even you hugging like you’re
hugging Trump and you’re you’re now
putting all the people who disagree with
as people and what their what their
policies are their views are and then
you’re hugging them and then you say why
yeah I think things are so polarized in
the country right now
seeing those sort of images but that
that’s what you have to do yeah okay so
so the Marvel stainle one the
firefighter one our heartwarming and
easy yeah but what you do is you just
plop yourself down in real life in the
middle of this crazy situation people
fighting each other and you you spread
hugs it’s the same thing yeah and some
people say some people don’t like what
you do when you’re landing in that city
and you’re trying to stop a riot before
sweeping out some people so just like
when you post a social something never
gonna like it
people are like so locked into their
mode they’re gonna distribute with you
because you’re going against somebody
you know that’s fine but the more you
post that kind of stuff the more it’s
going to come in one of my favorite
comments of all time was we had a we
profiled it was John Johnson sort of BT
and somebody left a comment saying I
grew up thinking from my parents that
all black people were the n-word and
this video helped changed my perspective
he’s willing to learn from a lack man to
help him get more success when his
environment was black people are all the
n-word right and so that’s why it’s so
important to have a consistent
every day right because you got their
parents saying what are you doing hug
this is stupid like don’t go don’t go
hug that black man like yeah right how
do you break that right yeah and if you
only hit them once and then you might
they never see you again well won’t be
enough right unless where someone was
like just really ready for the change
yeah then you’re that extra little bit
but otherwise they’re motivated for the
day or the week and then it’s gone
yeah right to keep breaking down those
those layers so when I ask people what
their favorite video is on my channel
everybody has a different answer or how
they found my channel everybody has a
different answer yeah right and so
somebody may find you because of your
spider-man hugging Stan Lee comic I
think wow this is really cool this guy’s
up to they came for one thing but then
right if you keep doing that if you’re
talking about political figures or
athletics or whatever and then your own
like you’re on the street and you’re
hugging people everybody will find you
from so it’s not only the Boston
Marathon beauty that they find you
they’ll find you from lots of different
paths and it all feeds into the mission
that you trying to accomplish and and
there’s there’s got to be some
university kids who would be dying to
help you in exchange for little bit
mentorship yeah if you did that at the
end of your next eat you’re gonna get
somebody who will come and say I want to
do it yeah illustrator or animator or
anything cool who for six to 12 months
you take them under your wing you give
them some advice they give you some
illustrations you write fire captions
that’s good man you’re you’re like a
wealth especially the idea of the
illustrator being able to draw out some
of my thoughts or some of the trending
topics that are going on in the States
that’s really good and I think having
two people hug but then I also think a
series with you hugging somebody cool
that you that most people in your
situation would not ever want a hug okay
like that right yeah like like Trump
calling you newbie can rip you can or
whatever yeah I want to hug him yeah and
then explaining why because nobody
Hillary doesn’t want to hug
no nobama doesn’t want a hug they don’t
want a hug oh right yeah great so but
but you do and then you explain why and
anybody else who you you would disagree
with and most people in your situation
would say would complain about it would
post negativity would be slamming them
on Twitter you’re gonna say hey I don’t
agree with them but I want to give them
a hug yeah I think and if they don’t
whatever like though it’s the consistent
exposure yeah they may not get it the
first time like this guy is just yeah
he’s just trying to get attention there
but but but you keep posting yeah it’ll
see that it’s real and you’ll see your
videos hearts and minds yeah cool yeah
what do you get something else quick mmm
what you about to say something oh oh oh
I was gonna say as I’m running then with
the this campaign do you think that it’s
important to continue getting this
message out of free hugs continue even
dressing like this rather than dressing
like a politician
I mean sure there’s times where all
problem we have to be in a suit but I
think a lot of people are able to
connect to the simplicity of look that’s
that’s the brand the message that I’m
trying to get out yeah I think I think
you got to do you I think that’s how you
win okay I think I think you know if
you’re the newbie then you embrace the
newbie as opposed to trying to fake be
something else yeah so if I would have
shown up in a suit and tie yeah yeah
yeah yeah I’d be pissed okay
especially after this I’d be pissed for
you because it doesn’t help you got it
because you’re good yeah I’d be sick
well you were you think really and I
would have shown how would yell at him
yeah I would yell at like why would you
do that yeah cuz this is such my mess
yeah okay yeah hey now listen if it’s a
super Black Tie thing I’ll go I’ll go in
a hoodie to black-tie events a we’re
nice yeah ain’t I do that maybe maybe
you put a blazer on or something over it
but this is the thing and if you still
want to wear the USA pin because they
all have the pain yeah that’s awesome
or if there’s some other cause that like
why just a flag maybe there’s something
else that you’d want to show okay yeah I
wonder what the people will think to the
folks watching the videos when we get to
that part if they’ll say maybe if he’s
running for president he should have
dressed more presidential or if people
like just look at look at how much Trump
has been attacked for not being
presidential and he just doubles down in
on not being presidential yeah he says
his own version of it that’s how you win
cool for always okay for everything cool
right perfect
I like that yeah yeah it would have been
a yelling moment on camera
I wouldn’t made you go changing you have
something you have in your bag like go
put it on right now and come back yeah
that what happened okay and that’s it’s
really good to know because I I do
struggle with that as I’m leaning it’s
the only way you win perfect you can’t
struggle anymore okay it’s the only way
you win you stand up there in a suit
you’re done Wow okay yeah yeah rock the
shirt and get the message yeah to the
people and I think what it will do is
show people that because I’ve noticed
that some other politicians are trying
to run on that platform of oh let’s
unify people that’s very easy for you to
say sitting behind a desk in a suit yeah
but here’s a guy who actually goes into
volatile situations and says no we
really need to do this yeah cool and
then but then like what are your what
are your like then you have to hug
everybody who comes in right so the guys
you walk in you’re hugging all the
reporters yeah one by one you give
everybody a hug you hug all the support
stand there you hug the security even
though they’re gonna stand there like
them you that’s your thing everybody
gets a hug okay yeah
every single time every single debate
every single event okay
yeah you have you double down on it
because it’s who you are not to like now
I’m gonna play safe version of myself
full volume you have the most important
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