Acting with Naomi Grossman, 'Pepper' from "American Horror Story" - 003

Naomi Grossman is best known for her portrayal of the
fan-favorite, “Pepper” on FX’s American Horror Story:
Asylum. Previously, Naomi wrote, produced, and starred in
her second hit solo show, Carnival Knowledge:  Love, Lust,
and other Human Oddities, which enjoyed a twice-extended,
sold-out run and rave reviews (“Recommended” by LA Weekly). 
It was then reprised at the world-famous fringe theatre festival
in Edinburgh, Scotland, where it received more critical praise (4
stars: The Scotsman, Broadway Baby, Fringe Review) and a transfer
to London’s West End (Leicester Square Theatre).  It later
went on to have a successful run Off-Off Broadway. Naomi’s
first solo show, Girl in Argentine Landscape, also received
critical acclaim (LA Weekly, “Pick of the Week”) and earned her
an LA Weekly Theatre Award nomination for best solo
performance.  Naomi toured with Girl to Chicago's Single
File Festival, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, the New
York International Fringe Festival, and screened a subtitled
video-version on the big screen in Argentina. A former
member of the esteemed Groundlings Sunday Company, as well as
alumna of Improv Olympic, Naomi has written, produced, and
starred in numerous comedic shorts under her “Red Meat
Entertainment” banner, which have screened at the LA Comedy
Shorts Film Festival, the TriMedia Film Festival, the Connecticut
Film Festival, the Dam Short Film Festival, the Faux Film
Festival, the Los Angeles Comedy Festival, the Wet Your Pants
Comedy Film Festival, the Action On Film International Festival,
and the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival.  Naomi
also made a cameo in the feature film,Table for Three. A
graduate of theatre from Northwestern University, Naomi has acted
in several of Chicago’s illustrious, long-running, cult
comedies:Cannibal Cheerleaders on Crack and Shannen Doherty
Shoots a Porno at the Torso Theatre, as well as Attack of the
Killer B’s and White Trash Wedding and a Funeral at the Factory
Theatre.


Notes from the show:


Naomi started acting and comedy with KidSkits in Denver


Started LA quest for acting success by reading Backstage West.


Los Angeles is not a theatre town.


She recommends going to Paley Center for Media, watch solo
shows by John Leguizamo, Eric Bogosian, Lily Tomlin, Spalding
Gray.


Here are Naomi's book recommendations:


The Luck Factor - Dr. Richard Wiseman


The Secret - Rhonda Byrne


Ask and It Is Given  - Esther and Jerry Hicks


You Are a Badass - Jen Sincero


There's No Business Like Soul Business - Derek Rydall


Failing Forward - John C. Maxwell


A Year in Van Nuys - Sandra Tsing Loh

Recommendation from Michael Prywes:

Essentialism - Greg McKeown


A-ha moment: "I'm not acting. I'm a professional mailer. If these
people won't cast me, I'll cast myself."


Naomi's biggest mistakes: "Waiting for success to come
to me. And not getting jobs that used my brain."


How Naomi plans her day: "LISTS!"


Naomi shares a treasure trove of information, advice, and
emotional experiences. She talks about her darkest days, and the
time she realized she "arrived." She also gives a comprehensive
rundown of her special visiting artist lecture at Northwestern
University, twenty years after Ethan Hawke's memorable lecture.


This podcast hosted by New York attorney Michael Prywes was
sponsored by Prywes Schwartz, PLLC, a law firm devoted to artists
and entrepreneurs.


This podcast may contain attorney advertising. Prior results do
not guarantee future outcomes.