Award-winning writer, director and actor Lydia Cornell is best known for her starring role on the hit ABC series Too Close for Comfort as Emmy legend Ted Knight’s daughter ‘Sara’. More recently seen on HBO’s Curb, Variety’s Power of Comedy, and several indie films, she has over 250 films and TV episodes to her credit. A women and children’s advocate whose great-great grandmother was Harriet Beecher Stowe, she has been Invited to contribute her writings to The International Museum of Peace which houses letters from Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mother Teresa and Maya Angelou. Lydia is also a mom and recovery speaker with 31 years of sobriety. ~ Wikipedia
https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0003981
Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?
A. Alcohol, cocaine. My sobriety date is September 11, 1994.
Q. Is there anything special in your sobriety toolkit that helps keep you sober?
A. Rule 62: “Don’t take yourself too damn seriously.
3rd Step Prayer: “Relieve me of the bondage of self.”
Going to meetings – at least 3 per week. Working with sponsees.
Surrender, prayer, gratitude lists, meditation.
Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?
A. A spiritual malady rooted in childhood trauma… (and sometimes in materialism, hypercapitalism, and pop culture).
A mental obsession and allergy that is only relieved by a spiritual solution.
Q. Where are you from and where do you reside now?
A. I was born in El Paso, Texas and loved learning to speak Spanish. starting in kindergarten.
Moved to New York at 12.
Then to Boulder, Colorado for college.
I’ve lived in Los Angeles since 1980, when I got the ABC TV series.
Q. What is one word you would use to describe yourself?
A. Creative.
Q. Describe how you came to your “rock bottom” point.
A. I almost dropped my newborn baby down the stairs in an alcoholic blackout.
I had a profound spiritual experience at my first AA meeting. A woman at the podium was speaking and said, “If you’ve wandered into this room and you don’t think you have a problem, let me put it this way, “Virgins don’t take pregnancy tests.” Everyone laughed. When she asked if there were any alcoholics present, my hand shot up—on its own volition. This was Step One: my first surrender, and first real prayer. I cried a river of tears. There was so much love and acceptance in the room. Then, an uncanny synchronicity happened: a ‘godshot’ that seemed like a miracle. It was as if I’d been off track my whole life, and I was suddenly snapped into divine alignment. That was 31 years ago, and I’ve been sober ever since.
During that first year, something shocking happened: my younger brother—a concert pianist—died of a drug overdose. I found his body. On the way to his funeral, his girlfriend was killed in a drunk driving accident along with another family and an 8-year-old boy. I shared all this at the Log Cabin that week, and several young people are still sober today because of my brother’s story.
Q. If you ever retire, would you prefer to live by the ocean, lake, river, mountaintop, desert, or penthouse?
A. Ocean.
Q. How do you measure success?
A. By being happy with what I have, and not wanting more. I used to think it was about cash and prizes. But does anyone remember who won the Academy Award 3 years ago? We only remember the people who helped us. I love this quote by Danny Trejo: “Everything good in my life has come as a direct result of helping another human being.”
I also measure success by the ability to laugh at myself, and the fun I have creating and writing comedy! And the peace and joy I feel in my relationship, and with friends and family.
We measure our days by the good we do, not by age or time…. or how many awards we accumulate.
Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
A. Cruelty. Tyrants, dictators, bullies, propaganda
Writing would “of” instead of would “have”
Correct: I would have (or would’ve) liked to go
NOT: I would of liked to go !! LOL
Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?
A. Orphans, homeless children and teens.
Q. If you could give advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. Care less what others think. Have more fun in the process and just submit your work! Stop procrastinating out of fear of rejection.
Q. Who made you feel seen growing up?
A. Monroe, my best friend in high school. He was gay but everyone thought he was my boyfriend. We were outcasts and Drama Club geeks.
Q. Which living person do you most admire?
I can’t just pick one:
- Michelle Obama.
- President Obama.
- Dolly Parton.
- Warren Buffet.
- Melinda Gates.
- Malala Yousafzai.
- Mel Brooks.
