51.7 Million people watched the finale of the very first season of Survivor.

I wasn’t one of them.

But during this season, the world of pop culture would become become intertwined with that cast, and more specifically, with a personable gentleman… a YMCA coach from South Jersey named Gervase Peterson.

About a year and half after doing his thing in front of 51.7 million people, Gervase and I were on the set of “13th Grade” working together.

From where I’m sitting. Gervase’s career trajectory is a story of inspiration, opportunity and why it’s smart to “always take the gig”.

After Survivor, G was EVERYWHERE commercials, appearances, hosting, and a recurring role on a soap. From there, he took more advantages of these opportunities…his brand expanded into merchandise, sales, appearances. Then after “13th Grade” appeared in films, TV shows, pilots, we’ve worked together about 4 or 5 times, and let me tell you, from the director’s chair, his performance in our TV show “WATCHING THE DETECTIVES” as sharp tongued and sharp witted detective “Otis Kaygee” was absolutely outstanding. Every take was gold.

Like any career in this business, it’s a serious pendulum, with the great moments come some not so great ones, and it can happen that quickly. However, Gervase never stopped working, as I sit here typing this, he must have ten jobs. I know this because I have ten jobs (our jobs hilariously intersected on the field at a Philadelphia Union soccer game last fall). Actually a lot of people from the Philadelphia area seem to have 10 jobs…Questlove of the Roots, G Love, it goes on and on. Must be something in the water.

So imagine my surprise when my cousin Brian sent me a facebook message “Gervase is back on Survivor!” I had no idea, I’d never really watched that show. But here we are, 10+ years later, something like 27 seasons later, and there’s Gervase in the final top 3 of Survivor, that million bucks easily could have been all his.

Gervase’s story is something we can all take into the new year with us. The opportunities, the opportunities to grow, to learn, to try new things, to just always keep going, to keep working no matter what, because life has a great way of rewarding those efforts. So raise a glass to the new year, and to all the opportunities and ideas that you’re all chasing. In 2014 one way or another you’ll definitely see his performance in WATCHING THE DETECTIVES because that show is too much fun to hold back on it any longer! Happy new year all, now, let’s get to work…

Take care and be good,
Tim