We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chino LaForge. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chino below.

Alright, Chino thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Being happy while being an artist is complicated. Many artists draw an amazing amount of strength and inspiration from their pain and suffering. Not to mention the severe ups and downs of a performing arts career. It’s a life that not everyone is built for. I think it’s important for artists to define what they believe true success in their industry is, and set their sights for that in a realistic way. When others define your success for you, you’ll never find satisfaction. In short, yes, I’m happy as an artist. I believe I owe that to knowing the worth of my contributions.

As far as wondering what it would be like to have a regular job, there is no wondering here. As many artists, I’ve had to fund my entire journey in my artistic career. It’s not uncommon to find a very talented performer to also be your favorite server/bartender/real estate agent. (Those professions were not chosen at random.) Even currently as I’m shooting this TV show, I am still putting in time at my hot sauce day job.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey into the arts begins with my father. He was a very talented drummer that had worked over 25 years to perfect his craft. I watch as a child as he attempted to juggle being a full time artist, full time parent, and a full time employee. Watching this showed me that the performing is the fun part of the job. Balancing life becomes the real work.

Beginning a performance career in acting felt very natural to me. I was a very imaginative child, and it never seemed to leave me. I did several plays in high-school, and continued into the community theater scene on Maui in my early 20s. I was given many parts ranging from The Cowardly Lion to Petruchio in “Taming of the Shrew.” Although I’m not a formally trained actor, I have attended many intensives course and lectures by performers who have paved the way many artists in the industry. In this time, I also participated in an Improv group that toured across several hawaiian islands.

It was in my early 20s that I also discovered my true passion… Stand up comedy. Thankfully, my career was accelerated by necessity. I was one of very few Hawaiian comedians at the time. I don’t think I would have had as much success in my stand up career if it wasn’t for my acting experience. As different as the crafts are, I think it was important for me to be as disciplined as an artist in comedy as I was in acting.

The goal had always been simple. I always wanted to be able to walk into a room and entertain it. If that room is a stage, I’ll do comedy. If it’s a set, I guess I’ll act. If there is an instrument there, I probably know how to play it. Need a host for an event? Need a comedian to break the tension at a team building exercise? I got it!

I truly believe my versatility is what separates me from others in my craft. There are many of people that can do what I do, but it takes many people to do ALL that I do. Having me on a show or a project insures that there will be many layers of thought and experience used to deliver the best performance possible.

The project I’m currently working on, a TV Show called “Moku Moku” is currently one of the things I’m most proud of. It’s a comedy show about 3 friends trying to find their place in local hawaiian culture. This show means a lot to me, as it’s a direct reflection of my culture. So many projects have the benefit of being seen, but very few have the satisfaction of knowing that it will have an effect of the people within your culture directly. With so many motivators, I think the real issue is not falling victim to the pressure that comes with this. I’m trusting my talents and the choices of the direction will be more than enough to deliver a stellar project.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I’ve often struggled with how to explain to non-artists what motivates us to be artists. I don’t think many of us artists even know why we do it. It feels like an inherent need. A desire to express oneself is a very unique one. To some non artists, performing can be one’s biggest fear. Quick story that illustrates this:

I have a buddy who was teaching skydiving. I’m terribly afraid of heights. He told me he’d take me on a jump for free. I told him I’d do it if he’d do a comedy open mic with me the same night. He said “no way, man. I’m too scared.”

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

As a comedian, I have to say the most rewarding thing about my career is the instant gratification of what I do. When you act, you don’t get to see the fruits of your labor until its done with the edits. In music, sometimes in some rooms it’s hard to tell what kind of impact you made. In comedy, it’s honest and immediate. If they love you, you know. If they hate you… you know.

Contact Info:

• Website: Chinobrah.com
• Instagram: @chinobrah
• Facebook: Facebook.com/chinobrah
• Youtube: Youtube.com/chinobrah
• Other: Everything Chinobrah

Image Credits
Sean Michael Hower Cassie Hastu John Rodarte Pauline Cabotage