I worked for Destin RV for four years before leaving the sunny paradise of Florida. During my time in Destin, I also worked as a wrecker driver, which was probably the closest I’ll ever get to a career in automotive gymnastics. However, my favorite job was at Regatta Bay Golf & Yacht Club. I got to cut the golf greens, aprons, and fairways, and I learned how to pretend I knew what I was doing on the golf course. It was absolutely tee-rific!
One night while I was working at Legendary, I spotted the one and only Britney Jean Spears trying to get past the gate. I felt like a bouncer at an Oscars after-party! During that star-studded moment, I noticed a job opening at Malibu Beach RV Park on my lap top. I applied, and in a plot twist fit for a reality show, I had Cheryl make a call on our behalf. Voila! We secured the job and packed our bags faster than you can say “surf’s up,” since our son and grandkids were stationed at Port Hueneme Naval Base.
We arrived in Malibu on August 22, 2004, and began our new lives as work camp night hosts. Surprisingly, we were promoted to property managers within 90 days. To be honest, it wasn’t all rainbows and palm trees. We had to manage chaotic campers and hundreds of employees, most of whom seemed to think "job security" was just a suggestion. We encountered a parade of interesting characters, including movie stars, the occasional homeless person, some film companies that probably should have gone back to film school, and even criminals who thought Malibu was just one big shark tank without a safety net.
Speaking of stars, we hosted so many of them that I started thinking of our place as Malibu's unofficial celebrity hotel. We became friends with Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves, who camped with us for two years while filming *Surfer Dude*. We attended the premiere and the after-party, and I distinctly remember trying to dance with someone named Matthew while everyone else was doing the Macarena. Spoiler alert: I don’t know how to do the Macarena.
In 2015, things took a wild turn. Cheryl and I both suddenly needed bodyguards! Why? Well, let’s just say that when you deal with enough craziness, including paparazzi on a daily basis, you start to feel like you’re living in a sitcom. On top of that, Cheryl had a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Honestly, it felt like a horror movie—90% of patients drop dead within 24 hours, like it was a twisted game of medical roulette. Thankfully, she pulled through, and it was essentially a miracle!
But life isn't all sunshine and sunglasses. My best friend, Mickey Sills, who was the creative genius behind True Religion, passed away from cancer at the age of 55. We were like Airstream-owning, motorcycle-riding brothers from another mother. I mean, this guy could design loungewear that made even pajamas look like runway fashion! When Mickey left this world, it felt as if the humor meter dropped to zero, and I still think of him daily. He’s the only reason I’d consider going back to Malibu, but without him, I’m just not feeling it. Rest easy, Mickey; you will always be remembered!
The plot thickened when Grant Adamson, Malibu's patriarch, tragically died in a hot air balloon accident. Who knew that could even happen?! He was our boss and a true friend. After he passed, his sister Leslie took over, and everything took a nosedive. She didn’t have quite the same zen vibe that Grant had, so we decided to leave on April 1, 2015—because nothing says "we're serious" like quitting on April Fool's Day.
Even though producers wanted to turn our life into a TV series, we nixed that idea. After all, who would want to watch a reality show where we just argued over who left the fridge open? It was a bittersweet day, but after Cheryl’s health scare, I asked her what her dream was, and she said, “I want to live on the beach.” So, we bought a little piece of paradise in Cameron, Louisiana, on Peveto Beach.
To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do not go where the path may lead; go where there is no path and leave a trail.”
And that’s the wild, funny rollercoaster that life has been! Stay tuned for more laughs—I’m sure they’re just around the corner!