By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
It is a pleasure to welcome AJ Gibson, one of my favorite entertainment journalists, to Jake’s Take.
AJ made his first appearance on the public eye as a contestant on the short-lived Mark Burnett-produced reality TV series, Expedition Impossible. As the series aired, TV Guide singled out AJ in its “What to Watch” article on the show. After Expedition Impossible concluded AJ Gibson spent two years as a co-host on FOX’s syndicated Hollywood Today Live.
He also served as a guest co-host for Access Hollywood Live and appears regularly on Southern California’s Good Day L.A. Daytime TV audiences also came to know AJ through his appearances on CBS’s The Talk and The Wendy Williams Show. When he is not chatting it up on television, AJ is also a speaker and a perspective coach who uses his trademark M.O.V.E. system.
In this edition of A Conversation, AJ Gibson compared appearing on The Talk and The Wendy Williams Show, talked about his personal memoir: Flipping the Script: Bouncing Back from Life’s Rock Bottom Moments, and described his job as a perspective coach.
Jacob Elyachar: You first appeared in the public eye on 2011’s Expedition Impossible. How have you grown as an entertainment professional since that series concluded?
AJ Gibson: (Laughs) You have done your research! My time on Expedition Impossible is really what launched my career in television. Mark Burnett and his team were interested in doing some reality show with myself and my teammates (my sister Kari and my ex-boyfriend Ryan) after that reality show concluded. However, another little show that Mark Burnett had just launched called The Voice sort of overshadowed us. Unfortunately, his production team decided to focus on that, and our project went nowhere. However, it was conversations with Mark and his team that motivated me to pursue a career as a TV host, which is precisely what I did. Expedition Impossible and Mark Burnett’s team gave me to confidence and the boost I needed to start living my dreams!
Jacob Elyachar: Daytime TV viewers have the opportunity to see you on both The Wendy Williams Show and CBS’s The Talk. What are some of the similarities and differences between both shows? Also, how have both shows embraced you as a correspondent?
AJ Gibson: Well, the shows are both great, but also very different. I appear on The Wendy Williams Show quite frequently, and her entire staff treats me like family ever time, which is so lovely. I also hosted a nationally syndicated show called Hollywood Today Live on FOX for a while, which was a great learning experience. Getting fired from that job was one of the catalysts that lead to me writing Flipping the Script!
Jacob Elyachar: Recently, you released a very personal memoir Flipping the Script: Bouncing Back from Life’s Rock Bottom Moments. What were some of the challenges that you faced during the creative process? How did you overcome those obstacles?
AJ Gibson: Writing Flipping the Script was the most challenging thing I have ever done, but also my proudest accomplishment. Throughout the book, it is clear that I processed genuine and raw emotions as I wrote, which was challenging but necessary. I wanted my readers to understand that they are not alone and that it’s ok to feel like a mess sometimes. Every story matters and Flipping the Script is mine. So many people from around that world have reached out and shared deeply personal bits of their own stories with me since reading the book, and that has been such a gift! I consider the book my love letter to humanity, and I wrote it in hopes that people would be inspired to share more of their own stories!
Jacob Elyachar: In addition to your work in the entertainment industry, you are also a perspective coach. What is a perspective coach? Why did you decide to get into this career field?
AJ Gibson: I had always been the guy friends and family would come to for solid advice, because people tend to appreciate my perspective on things. Before writing this book, I hadn’t fully realized how difficult it was for so many people to see difficult times or roadblocks through a different perspective. As the book came out, people started reaching out and asking to work with me, so I said yes and it evolved from there. It is amazing what a slightly different perspective can do amid challenging situations. Most people struggle to get there on their own, so I listen, engage and encourage and my clients take it from there!
Jacob Elyachar: As a perspective coach, you developed a system called M.O.V.E. Could you describe it to my readers?
AJ Gibson: The M.O.V.E. Method is the heart and soul of my public speaking and coaching career and was literally born out of my personal rock bottom moment. I nearly took my life in 2016 by jumping from my tenth-floor bathroom window and The M.O.V.E. Method was born that night. It stands for that “Mirror Moment” we often have with ourselves when life seems to be falling apart and we’re left seeking answers by looking into our bathroom mirror, deep into our own eyes. The second step in the process involves “Owning Your Shit,” which can be a major sticking point for most people. After that, it’s time to “Visualize” the life of your dreams and finally concludes by challenging you to “Evolve” into the person you were created to be. When I give keynotes around the country, I used this system, along with some creative exercises, to challenge audience members to get MOVING in their own lives!
Jacob Elyachar: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring entertainment journalists who want to work in the media industry, what advice would you share with them?
AJ Gibson: I would tell anyone looking to build a career in this industry that if they are seeking fame, they’re in it for the wrong reason and will never be successful! My life is about telling other people’s stories, not about showcasing myself and that’s a difficult concept for some aspiring entertainment journalists to grasp. Also, work your tail off every single day and know that the world owes you nothing, but also know that you were created with a purpose and for a purpose and your life’s goal should be to discover that purpose and do as much as you can with it!
For more information about AJ Gibson, visit his website!
You can also buy AJ’s book, Flipping the Script: Bouncing Back from Life’s Rock Bottom Moments, by clicking here.
You can also connect with AJ Gibson on social media. Visit his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter channels.
