Can you briefly walk us through your story? How you got started and where you are today?
I am a recovering debutante. I grew up in high-society Atlanta, unimpressed with the country club parties and finger-sandwich luncheons. My adoptive parents believed that whoever died with the most stuff won. They were biased against minorities, owned cattle as a sideline investment, and had no interest in philosophy or current events. Luckily, I was adopted so my genes were different. From a young age, I supported the civil rights movement, had compassion for animals, and felt my mission was to help end prejudice against both people and nonhuman animals. I envisioned doing this as an author and TV commentator. Later I read an article stating that one-third of all people in the world believe they have a mission in life. I had joined their ranks.
I moved to Los Angeles. My first book was published at age 26, and I began hosting a local TV program called Uncommon Sense—that is, until the miraculous day when NBC called and asked me to be a regular pundit on their show The Filter. They had seen an Uncommon Sense episode. Soon after, the BBC invited me to be a political pundit on their network, discussing American politics. My hard work was paying off, and it felt like I was finally making an impact.
I continued to write. To date, I have authored seven books, contributed to four academic anthologies, and penned 135 op-eds for various media outlets, including the Washington Post, the LA Times, the NY Daily News, and Newsweek. Everything I write is designed to inspire, educate, and entertain. Much of it focuses on eliminating prejudice against both humans and nonhumans.
What were some of your struggles and obstacles?
It was difficult getting my first book published. After 100 rejection letters, I started crashing publishing houses, often located in intimidating New York high rises. I would wait for company underlings to go to lunch, schmooze with them in the building’s lobby, and convince them to take me upstairs and introduce me to the big shots so I could pitch my book. After a number of misses, I landed my first book deal. This led to interviews on numerous TV shows, including Larry King Live, The Late Show, and Oprah as well as book signings around the country.
What are you known for and what are you most proud of?
I am best known for my fight against revenge porn. Revenge porn is sometimes called image-based sexual abuse or nonconsensual pornography. This sexist subculture involves posting nude pictures of ordinary people, mostly females. It amounts to emotional abuse. It can end personal relationships and economic opportunities. It can even result in suicide. My book, Rebel in High Heels, details my battle against this nasty subculture. I received death threats and computer viruses, and a stalker appeared at my home. Netflix created a docuseries about me titled, The Most Hated Man on the Internet. In the end, I worked with the FBI to put two revenge porn criminals in prison. I also helped get anti-revenge porn laws passed throughout the country, and I have counseled over 800 revenge porn victims.
Although I am best known for my work related to revenge porn, I am most proud of my 2025 books, Elevator People (an eco-thriller) and Omniocracy: A Government that Represents All Living Beings (nonfiction), because they are centered around ending animal cruelty, having compassion for other living beings, and protecting the environment. They specifically focus on ending the prejudice against nonhumans, which is called “speciesism.” Speciesism is a belief in human superiority that is used to justify exploiting and killing nonhuman animals. My books aim to change hearts and minds.
What quality or characteristic has been most important to your success?
Perseverance is the key to accomplishment and othercentrism (or helping others) is the key to satisfaction. You need both for success and happiness. In my case, othercentrism involves assisting both people and animals. In short, I try to help others via my writing, TV appearances, speeches, social media posts, and even conversations with strangers at the park. I hope to make that all-important impact.
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Interview appeared in LA Voyage magazine in 2025.