Hi Yul, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
There are many ups and downs as a working professional in the entertainment industry and no one really teaches you how to navigate those waters financially. When I learned how a regular person like me could stay afloat financially, I had to share that with others. Spit game, you might say. And not just people in the industry, but everyday Americans.
After having 7 1/2 weeks on a radiation table, I began to ponder. So, imagine with me… I made it to heaven and there’s a God there and God tells me I can go back to my life to share something with my daughters and grandchildren that I hadn’t had the chance to share with them before he/she pulled me out. What would that be? I would share the Wall Street-Smarts series. I would make sure they were financially literate before leaving earth. That way I could make sure they would avoid all the financial hardships I did along the way.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
At a very young age, I would hear my mom listening to Richard Pryor and George Carlin’s comedy albums. Those albums would make her laugh so hard and I wanted to have the ability to do the same. Turns out that I did have that ability. I’ve always been part of the arts. Even when I was locked up in juvenile detention by the time I was 10 years old and then in a group home, I learned to play 13 instruments and would perform in the plays that the institution would put on. After the group home, I got a scholarship to San Jose State University and met my future ex-wife. After two years there, I went to Laney College in Oakland, CA and continued my acting studies and performed in local theaters. While in college, I began performing stand-up. I received my first booking for stand-up in Pasadena’s Ice House. From there my stand-up career took off and I became a regular at The World Famous Comedy Store, The Improv, and the Laugh Factory on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood Ca.. At the peak of my stand-up career, I toured nationally. I’ve also made television appearances on HBO, Comedy Central, BET ComicView. For ComicView, I was not only a stand-up, but a talent coordinator and gave many stand-ups such as Katt Williams, their first shot on ComicView.
My acting career includes but not limited to many commercials (one won TBS’s TV’s Funniest Commercials), various TV shows and films, including Malcolm & Eddie, Two Can Play That Game, and The Shield. I’ve produced my one man show, “Ya’ Gotta Go Higher” and a short film, “The Grind.” I also still appear in various stage plays, “Friends and Lovers” and “Safe” to name a few.
While stand-up and acting are still my main passion, I’ve slightly pivoted to financial advocacy and authored the Wall Street-Smarts series to help end the financial crisis that many Americans endure. Most American’s don’t have an extra $400 to take care of a financial emergency and with my book series, I hope to help them combat that issue. The goal is to change the standard for all citizens, Americans and abroad to benefit from the stock market and trade… to put an end to being broke.
It is interesting, though, how life takes you down many paths because I now find that my background as a stand-up comic and performer, were perfect to be able to speak and engage with live audiences and be booked to talk about financial literacy. I am “edutaining” these days. Believe me. The stock market has never been this funny.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wallstsmarts.com
- Instagram: @wallstsmarts
- Facebook: facebook.com/wallstreetsmarts
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/wallstsmarts
- Twitter: @thewallstgame
- Youtube: youtube.com/@wallstsmarts
- Other: www.yulspencer.com tiktok @wallstreetsmarts www.imdb.com/name/nm1043120/ Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Yul-Spencer/author/B08D7ZZ6W3