Artist’s Corner

May 14, 2019

The Artist’s Corner is a new weekly feature of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin. We send our participants forty questions and ask them to choose twenty they would like to answer. It includes a short profile and a link to their website. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin or its staff.

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PROFILE

Co-Founder of Stack 3 Productions, Chip White is originally from North Myrtle Beach, SC and is the younger brother of Wheel of Fortune’s famous letter turner, Vanna White. He has more than 30 years of experience in the film and TV business. Chip moved to LA in the early 80’s and spent the next 20 years working for some of Hollywood’s biggest companies, including King World, Sony, MTV, Vh1, Nickelodeon, and Discovery. In 2005 he relocated back to the Carolinas where he has produced for SPEED, Fox Sports, Wells Fargo, Coke, and Duke Energy. In 2016 he was a producer on INSP’s feature films Heritage Falls and County Line. He has also produced four of Shea Sizemore’s multi-award winning short films, A Chess Player, My Luchador, Crab Trap (featured in the 2017 REEL Recovery Film Festival) and the just released Black Dispatch. He recently wrapped the filming of Christmas on the Range for INSP films. He is also in pre-pro for the indie feature Electric Jesus. He also produces and develops projects under the Stack 3 banner.

Chip White –  http://www.stack3productions.com

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Q. If you are in recovery, what was your DOC and when did you discontinue its use?

A. Cocaine – 9/12/02 – Alcohol – 10/3/02 so my sobriety date is 10/3/02 … But back in the day, most anything would do, except needles & crack. I had high standards. I loved Qualuudes, Black Beauties & Yellow Jackets (speed) in the 80’s also. Oh and acid when hanging at the beach or at a good Hollywood party. Of course there was MDA the original compound that eventually became X-tacy, that was my favorite sex drug. So my DOC was “what did you have and how much do you have?”.

Q. Do you believe artists are made or born?

A. Both – Some have an easy God given talent that flows from the start and others learn their art and work to be better and perfect it. Plus, artist can be such a broad term.

Q. Which film have you watched the most?

A. I’m not sure, Princess Bride, Blazing Saddles, Raising Arizona, Clint Eastwood westerns. I’ll watch most any movie again and again if I have the chance. Old Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire films. That’s a tough question for me. Also the word Favorite, I don’t have a favorite of anything that I’m aware of.

Q. Who is your favorite celebrity in recovery?

A. Combining celebrities and recovery is difficult for me most of the time. Guess because I get snotty and question why they’re talking about it or when they relapse and it becomes big news. Maybe I’m jealous they’re famous and sober and I’m just sober – lol.

But Danny Trejo seems to always make me smile. I guess because he just doesn’t look like he has 50 years sober. Would love to spend a day talking sobriety, life and filmmaking with him.

Q. Do prefer living by the ocean, lake, river, mountaintop, or penthouse?

A. Ocean, I grow up on the SC coast in the town on North Myrtle Beach when the summers were full and the winters empty. I miss the ocean on a daily basis. Water, I want to live by or near water if possible. Did I mention how much I miss the ocean? Help I need salt in my veins asap.

Q. How do you measure success?

A. In my head it’s by the material world around me, cars, houses, careers, who has the biggest and best. But when I stop and settle, it has for me become more of an inner success. Am I not high today? Success… Was I the best person I could be? Success … Was I there for family, friends or even strangers? Success … I’d like to embrace full heartedly that success is what others think of me by my actions, not by what material items I have. But there are times I feel unsuccessful because my toys don’t match up to his. I hope when I’m gone people say he was a success because he lived, loved, lost and persevered. I hope that makes sense.

Q. What is your current hobby?

A. I guess it would be making short films, because I’m sure not making any money from them. People ask me “where’s your sports car, beach house or world cruise?” I just point at the screen and say right there in that 20 min. film you just watched. However I do still like to surf, I’m just not close enough to the ocean to call it a hobby any longer. Heck now that I think about it, got any suggestions? I obviously need one.

Q. What prominent fe/male figure would you most like to date?

A. Wow, that’s tough because there’s the beauty sex appeal choice, the fun adventure, the crazy dangerous route, smart and strong take the lead choice … Date and sleep with tend to blur for me. I love dating my wife. On the other hand, I’ve always had a crush on Helen Mirren. It would be fun to be Mr. Mirren for a while, maybe!

Q. If you were giving a dinner party for your 3 favorite authors, Living or dead, who would they be? (you can choose 4 if you think one might be too drunk or stoned to attend.)

A. Ann Rice, Jerzy Kosinski, Tom Robbins, Pat Conroy. Ann because I was fascinated by the “Beauty” series and “Lestat” made everyone wish to be a Vampire. Kosinski because I love “Being There” and how different it is from his other works. Robbins well it all starts with “Still Life of Woodpecker”. Conroy wrote about South Carolina and SC will always be home to me, plus “The Great Santini” is a must. There are many others, mostly novel writers.

Q. What is your favorite: TV/cable/digital series?

A. Right now I love “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. The writing, costuming and set design are so spot on.  And I still love “Andy Griffith Show”, if on I’ll stop channel surfing and watch. “Lonesome Dove” was also one of my favorites, what a great mini-series.

Q. Who is your favorite: Film Director?

A. Between the Cohen Brothers & Wes Anderson. Something about their work really makes me smile and want to produce for / with them. If you happen to know them please feel free to pass along my request. Heck I’d even PA for them.

Q. What is your favorite: Broadway musical/play?

A. Not sure if it’s my favorite but I really liked “A Chorus Line” in my younger days. My brother was a Broadway dancer and turned me on to ACL. Funny he has like 30 years sober, so I guess he turned me on to a real life also. Another is “Deaf West’s Big River”, it really changed the way I wanted to watch plays performed on stage. Amazing!

Q. What is your favorite:  Cuisine?

A. Does Ice Cream count as a Cuisine? No really because I love ice cream… I’m pretty willing to try most of types of food, at least once. As long as there’s ice cream as an end result.

Q. What is your favorite: City?

A. I haven’t found my favorite city yet. I’m not a super frequent traveler but have had the pleasure of visiting many many places over this lifetime, and my favorite tends to be where I am at that moment. Each city has its own unique flair so that to will change my opinion of the city. I’ll go anywhere once and if I like it will do my best to return just to confirm why I liked it.

Q. Have you ever been arrested and, if so, what for?

A. No and it has to be because of a guardian angel. The crazy drinking and drugging, selling, buying, driving, etc. … I should have been but somehow missed it. Thank you God.

Q. Do you have any children? Grandchildren?

A. Yes, I have a son who’s in college and on his own journey now. I hope he fairs well on his road. I love him and will always be here if he needs me. Watching him walk his live is an amazing joy and harrowing nightmare. To this day I apologize to my father every year, sorry I was 6, sorry I was 13, sorry I was 19… – He laughs, he gets it.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

A. I have been given soooo much good advice through out my life. My problem is I was too much of an idiot to listen and follow these words of wisdom. I think maybe my before my Great Aunt Helen died last year at the age of 112 years old she was asked her secret for such a long life, her advice was “Breath!” I think that could be the best advice ever given.

Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, a disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?

A. The Big Book calls it an illness, a disease and a choice we can no longer make, I have to believe it’s a little of all the above. It may have started with a wicked twist of fate that someone said the right words to me that from then on cocaine seemed like a good idea; until it wasn’t.  Call it what you want but if it’s kicking your ass and you can’t stop no matter what, get the help you need. There is a solution to your problem.

Q. What’s the greatest risk you’ve ever taken?

A. I’m not sure I’ve ever taken a greatest risk. In truth I’m a chick shit that’s afraid to try. Afraid of what if it fails? Or what if it succeeds? What if I get hurt or die? Fear has stopped me from my greatest risk. Hopefully if it’s still to come I’ll have the chance to say “That was the greatest risk I ever took.”

Q. What is the proudest moment in your life?

A. My proudest moment hasn’t happened yet. A lot of moments that make me proud have happened, but the best is yet to come. As long as I stay clean & sober.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin or its staff.