 You know, I'm Maddie, I'm assistant director for Stonewall for here at University of Arkansas, and I am here with Keanu from 20 Somethings on Netflix. So Keanu, we work together a lot like we have forged like a friendship and everything like that. How has it been since the show. Oh my gosh, yes. I have Maddie we started together at the University of Arkansas in the serial right. Yeah, we did. It was our first years together. And I worked there was it three years in the serial. Yeah, three full years and then part of a fourth year in August. So I guess it's been since I left in late August and it's February right now so I feel like it's been a short time about my life I feels like so different because I left to film a TV show and then the show came out and so my life is very different right now. Yeah, that was such a fast turnaround to because I know that there's the casting process over the summer that we were talking through. There was then just you going for the show in August and then leaving. And then the show came out within the same semester it feels like. Yes, almost Maddie I don't know if you remember you were the first person I told when I got the first call in the process it was been. It was a south side meeting because you saw a CRE, your CRE back then and so marry you, Ben and I were in the meeting room. And we just finished in my phone ring. And it was like literally the first call to say like hey we're interested in starting you in this interview process and I remember explaining it to you and at first I don't think you understood it you're like oh like sounds like wait like. I was just everything is going through my head like if I get this do I have to leave my job like what does this mean and this is like still very very beginning process of interviewing for that. I remember you saying like well can they just like come to Arkansas and film you but we didn't know at the time like what the show was but you were the first person I remember like saying buddy I just got this call. That's so it's like so exciting to like look back on that too. I remember like, well they can just film you in Arkansas that's fine and you can still have your job you won't have to worry about all these other things. Because the show is so new we had no idea what it was going to become. I even remember like our talks in the car in the parking lot, like us just processing this process, and like just what you were kind of going through. So like what how did you feel throughout that process before the show. This is definitely a challenge I remember I loved my job in a CRE like the CRE position. You were many hats and you get to do things you love. And so it was hard I realized in the process if I am casted, you know I would have to leave my job what the time I was hoping to do a legal absence but still like not being there during moving the beginning of the year that's like important for a CRE. And so it was just very like oh my gosh this is so exciting I might be on a reality show but at the same time my job is my life like how can I just quit everything and go do something else. Yeah, and I also remember you talking about like going into the show about like how your job has always been your life. And like the big decision was putting piano first and like the phrase of this is the new piano like this is new year new piano like was always brought up in our meetings and you're kind of coming out of your shell almost and becoming more of who you are like what what did that feel like and just what was kind of that final push for you to kind of go into this show process. My last year CRE definitely prepped me personally to be ready for the show. I know our last year I used to say I feel like I'm a phoenix risen it was just that very hard year for us it was pandemic which you we were working together you know like a lot thrown at us and then coming students coming back on campus during the pandemic. But it also was just so much was going on in the nation and then just on campus. And that's when I remember I think that's the year I came out to the staff and that was the first time I ever like came out to a group of people and I don't know if you remember I was so emotional because I was just so hard to say out loud but I'm so thankful for my peers like I think of you and Grace who like really walked me through like starting this new channel I think it's crazy because when I go on the show. I even you know another phoenix transformation but before I transformed on the show I had a transformation year in the CRE role and also the students really helped me come out I remember in CRE meetings talking about representing the students I had students that would come to me for advice on just questions about their sexuality and I realized like wait they don't realize I'm closeted it was so funny to me because I felt like maybe I'm wearing it's like me wearing a blanket and play hide and seek like everyone can clearly see me like I'm only hiding from myself and so the students I realized like I'm closeted they're coming to me for advice also at a professional level. You don't see a lot of professionals who are openly out. And so I was like, if anyone has to be out for them like it'll be me and so definitely they definitely helped push me to be out because I thought about my own college experience there weren't people who you know were professional or an adult who were out and so I was like representation matters and so the students they definitely helped me. Yeah, I think that that was a big thing that we kind of saw when the promos were released here. There were a lot of students that had like this overwhelming support and excitement to see you on in this promo for Netflix. As well as a lot of the students that were out and that have said, I love Keanu as a CRE I wish I could be supervised by and I wish I could like be in this hall things like that. And I think that kind of overwhelming support happened a lot and I'm so sad you weren't here to see that but they were all about you just from one video and it had spread like wildfire doesn't make me emotional that really makes my day. Like there were like your past ever members that like, you had to say bye to and everything like that they were still so excited and then it just like everyone was like, did you hear about Keanu he's on that like show this is so cool. And so, like with all that support have you found any other kind of like support since the show, since even coming out and having your second full Phoenix transformation. I would say my students, especially the Aries I supervised have been a support which was a fear mind honestly because my first year, I wasn't even out to myself. And so those students, you know, they didn't know as gay. And then I think my second staff was my only staff I ever, we were doing an activity was getting pretty deep staff bonding or staff development and so I ended up opening up to them I was gay. I had the fear of like students who I did supervise would they view me different once they see me on the show and also going on a reality show I'm putting everything out there, you know in our field we have to be very professional just because we're working with a student to parent to Dean and so they you know we don't show this personal side of us. And so I was like, this is really like different for me I'm used to having a Keanu that only my friends would see if we're you know enjoying each other's company but besides that you know at work, you don't see the side of me and so it's kind of nerve wracking to be like the students who either supervised a look up to me they're about to one know I'm gay to see me in my personal life. It was intimidating, but I would say that a lot of my students reached out and were like, I'm so proud of you I'm so excited for you or reposted the promo. I've been really thankful for like the student support. I had door decks made about me and my cast mates was like, Oh, not leaving a door deck like you've made it in housing if you're a door deck right. I think like when they said, I'm making these door decks what do you think and I'm like, these are amazing and you have to show him when you can because they're awesome. I thought that was so cool and they were just so proud of you. I mean, honestly, the reception here with the team that the Siri team and housing like, we've been so proud of you and so excited. Like, I know I've told you we did a watch party, a couple of watch parties where we all together. Our favorite thing, and I know we told you this earlier but was like, your shout out to your boss in the first episode about just leaving your position. How was it like just transitioning to not living on campus. You know, I'm not going to transition. I will say, I love that I was able to talk a little bit about my work because other professionals in higher ed have reached out and be like, yes, like finally representation and media and transitioning from you know, working at a university and then living where you work. It's such a dynamic it's really hard to explain but you know it's like you live where you work so how they always tell us it's like you're a mayor like as soon as you leave your apartment, you know, you might have to be like, socializing with students or there might be a problem that you're going to have to help with or help them like find the right person but you know I went from all that living in a dorm that can house 800 students to this house with 720 some things and honestly, it wasn't that hard to transition I guess because I was so used to like always having students. If anything I'm kind of scared to live alone like I'm still trying to find a place to live and I'm like terrified to live alone is like wait. Yes I had my own apartment as a CRE but I had you know how many students in the same building and then I was in a house with eight people and then right now I'm in a house with five people like can I live alone. I think that's like the hardest part it looks like you need an animal like a pet. You know how I always want you to get a cat. Yes, you would say that you do so well with a cat. I'm just saying. But you spoke of that right is like living by yourself and now like it's searching for an apartment or a place to live like everything that we've had to do and help people with adulting we now have to do for ourselves. I know you did a search Ben. I know you did a tick tock yesterday about searching for a job outside higher ed, how has that job search been. So I'm 28 now and my whole professional career up to this point has been in higher education, Maddie I know you're the same boat and grad school is when I started working in higher education and so you're a grad student but you know you're also working and housing. And my first professional job was with Greek housing at university housing and then rise ed as a CRE. And you know that's a lot of like, that's my, actually the others all my twenties like you know, and so now when you're applying for jobs outside higher education I remember I had a, I applied for a kind of a sales marketing job. And the person called me just as just a 10 minute interview to understand the position better. And when I explained my resume is like so you have no experience and that really like with straight to the heart it's like I have done it. You know school you know it's like seven years, six years of this work and you know we handle very heavy stuff from yes, the fun of throwing events on campus supervising RAs, but then you know from all the crisis management to a student at 2am from being intoxicated to having mental concerns to, you know, it's a lot and so for you like it's just so hard, I guess to translate that to other people for other people to understand is like, no, I think I'm trying to do well and just translate it to my resume that understands like, I feel like almost you like you can throw anything at me I can handle it I'm just kidding but you know it's almost like that. So that could be like an objective be like, my goal is to have everyone throw things at me, and I can show them I can handle it because that's what I do. But even talking to you though it's like, I miss higher ed like I like wait, I want to go back, but I did say I want to try something outside of higher ed, but I was just talking about the students I'm like it's just such a fulfillment. I'm nervous I will not get out of another job. And that's always like scary whenever anyone decides to leave is because there's so many positives but there's also like reasons to go right like you always wanted to try something new. You always talked about like nonprofit organizations and working through that. And I know you have a lot of really big dreams that you can achieve. So I know you miss it here but this is just a step to get you to where you're going to be. So what. So I mentioned the nonprofit thing. What was that going I know that was a big dream when we were talking about it before the show. I know you're potentially doing a panel soon which is exciting. Yes, I really want to help nonprofits. I've told Maddie this, I talked about this maybe the last two years and that there's just so many nonprofits and us working in higher education you know, I feel like it's almost on campus there's so many resources and then you have students who are like wait, that is this or I didn't know like I could be helped in this area and so I feel like in society. That's like the same way there's so many people that need help or don't know resources. I feel like there's nonprofits that you know people don't know about or the nonprofit just doesn't have the money to market, or the also the problem on people wanting to create something that already exists where you know people could be combining the resources and so now that I have a platform I really want to highlight it. I do want to, I struggle with working for nonprofits same and like higher education is just really, it's fulfilling but there's not a lot of pay and so I'm like if I'm able. My main goal is being able to market and so I'm hoping with my social media I'm able to do that. And as you mentioned I'm kind of my first step in this is an Austin they have South by Southwest. I'm honored I get to monitor a panel, and they have three leaders of a nonprofit who are all the under the age of 30 which is amazing so these people are under the age of 30 and they are the leader of their nonprofits. And if you see a nonprofit usually with a young leader, normally, they don't have the money to market as some of these bigger nonprofits that exist already. And so I'm excited and hopefully giving highlighting them and also sharing how they got there for anyone else who is in their 20s thinking like wait I want to create this nonprofit. That's so exciting and for them to all be under 30 like that sounds so successful and to have a nonprofit. I'm like so impressed I was looking through their bios I'm like this is incredible. One of the panelists I'm actually really excited for she's a leader of pedal the Pacific which when I supervised that pump for it one of my eyes Kalindi. She participated in one summer and it's an organization and they buy a wild amount of miles I can I do not know off my head you look at them up on Instagram pedal Pacific. I do this to give light to human trafficking and so incredible organization. I believe it's all women that bite this cause in the summer but I'm excited I'm like oh my gosh this is like somehow weird connection when I supervised one of my students was in this organization and now I'm in Austin at South by Southwest and the leader of it is going to be on this panel. That's like a really nice like full circle kind of moment. Even then and then also like just knowing who that staff member is Kalindi like and how passionate she was about that, like she really full sent it. Just knowing that you get to now connect with this organization and add more like marking to something that a student was very passionate about and loved and you get to also do what you love by supporting them so that's a good impact. But you also maybe more excited because I realized because I think if so many students in the summer they do help out in a nonprofit way or they join these different organizations I'm excited now like I'll be able to highlight nonprofits that hopefully you know college students are participating in like some kind of summer program. I'm missing the college atmosphere and just helping young adults. Because when you go to college, it's like my whole brand I'm all about finding your authentic self and that's what you go to college it's your first time without your parents and so you do have to think on your own you have to develop you know. What are my thoughts what are my beliefs what are my career aspirations. I love about helping people write their stories right and you're here literally writing your own story as well. For people who are looking to figure out how to author that like, what is the advice you give them. Actually, you just may remind me this and I feel like it's advice to give is that a reason I left higher education to do the show as difficult it was to leave my position because my life was my job. In higher education I think any professional would say you get to help so many people each day and that's like, I think our fulfillment, but I realized I wasn't helping myself, I was putting myself last. And so I was like for once in my life, I want to help myself and so for anyone writing their story I'm like yes, you know still be a kind person help out people. But remember you're trying to find your authentic self so it's okay to put yourself first or make sure I'm not saying be selfish you know the whole month but you know maybe once a week it's like hey, what day is my day or if you feel like in your in a rut and want something to think about like wait what am I doing for me. So like with that authentic self you've been doing a lot of different things. Since there's been a lot of like holidays and just big events like since the show has released. How those gone how what was your family's reaction. My reaction was very funny. I was at dinner at my family's house and so the show had dropped into installment is like one week five at six episodes the next week the last six. And so I was eating dinner before with my family before the last six had dropped. And we literally the dinner table and no one had brought it up and I'm like this is kind of strange just so finally I was like, so like I was on a Netflix show. And of course they did and they were hilarious my mom was convinced I was like engaged but couldn't tell her until the next drop I was like mom it's like the exact opposite but she would not believe me I was like okay like watch the next six you know I'm not secretly engaged. They were very supportive. You know my story in the show is a lot of emotion and so my mom is like very thankful for like how everything was shown and my family's like my, I feel like my biggest supporters like I was telling my dad the other day how you know I still have goals on TV or entertainment. I was like I want to make it big. My dad's like, we already think you're big and I was like oh like they're they're like my number one supporters. Yeah, I know your family is like been very positive about the whole experience even when they came to pack up your things like they like nonstop talked about you like they absolutely adore you and love everything that you've gone through. I have to mention that they love you Maddie they still asking about me so what happened was we I thought I was gonna be able to do a leave of absence for the show and as soon as I got a call Tuesday I need to be there Thursday to start filming, and they gave me the idea that we were gonna be filming, and I did not have enough vacation to cover that and then there isn't a leave to just leave you has to be medical reason and so you know our supervisor called me that Wednesday is like, I'm so sorry but like you have to resign. I had never taken vacation so I had like three weeks of vacation, and I packed Maddie. Some of my other peers came over help me pack clothes that I was going to take Thursday with me, and then my family I'm so thank for my mom and dad they actually drove down like two weeks Maddie and Cecily help them pack up my whole apartment and put it in a storage unit. And so I forgot about that I'm so thankful, thankful for you Maddie and thankful my family drove all the way Texas to Arkansas put everything in a storage unit. Yeah, they, they were amazing to kind of have a show around like I walked them to show them the stadium because they asked for it like it was like a little mini tour to We talked a lot about you. I'm just talking like one thing that literally popped into my head that we talked about is like how you got into D&D. Oh my god. They're like we're not surprised that Keanu got into D&D because he really likes the game and he's very charismatic and into his own like self and he likes to kind of act right and we also miss you in our campaign we started a new one without you I'm sorry. And I know we talked a lot about that. Your sister was amazing just in helping figuring things out like your family I can only guess it's like the most supportive like unit that you have right. My, I laugh. My mom has Instagram. And so like my, of course, they follow me on Instagram my dad doesn't really have my dad doesn't have any social media but he made a TikTok just to see like what I'm posting I think it's so funny I went on his account and it's like no profile picture and then it's only like following one person it's me and I was like all like, they cracked me up. This is username like user 5107 and then random huge yes and finally he like change it to his name and then now I think it's like a picture of his truck, and I laugh because my mom picture on Instagram is like, are we the Chihuahua that passed away but it's the picture of our dog and I was like, these are like your typical like parents on social media like a truck and a chihuahua like Just commenting on all your lives. And I love that they call me because I'm like no one knows like that's my parents but that's so great well now they might know. It's like if there's a random Chihuahua profile picture it might be. There was another thing and just your emotions on the show like you were talking about that. Some things that like popped up in the show they were like, oh my gosh they caught like the real Keanu on the show. We're super excited with it was there anything that was like in the show that you were like, I am so proud of that moment. They kind of want to highlight or anything like that. It goes along like this was helpful for me, but I think anyone else who's, I don't know if you're trying to discover yourself or be your authentic self is. I just put it out there like I remember the third week was when spoiler alert but you know you see me go on a date and get my first kiss and I remember coming back and at that point I've not to be vain but I was just very vulnerable and open the beginning where my other roommates I was like, they weren't doing stuff I guess on that emotional level yeah and I was just like am I doing this wrong like I am putting everything out there and you know I feel like some of my roommates it's just been like cheers and you know like just some fun dialogue and so I was very nervous because I was like, I don't know I was scared it's gonna look like a full or I don't know but I'm so thankful I did because I get so people that support me are like so kind and it helped me grow like I remember you were like maybe 15,000 Instagram followers like before the promos happened and I think I checked this morning you're close to 100,000. I don't know if you've been looking at that. Maddie knows I'm like a small country boy and so yes I think I had like 1800 followers before the show. And I remember even the first month I was at 10k and that was like so many to me like I did a video just for that because I was like I cannot believe I'm at 10k and now to almost be that hundred I was like, it is very overwhelming but at the same time that's fair like so much joy I cannot keep up with my DMs, how much support I have and so I always joke like when I'm on my deathbed I'm going to finish reading all my DMs because people write me the nicest thing and they're like a paragraph long so I have to reply. That's why sometimes I can't even like I don't have the emotion capability to read these right now because you just can't read this long message and like not reply you know. I think that's so sweet that you're so intentional about your responses to all your DMs when they're happening. I don't think that's a lot of interaction people get when they DM like people that mean a lot to them that also have like 100k followers basically so. I try and I know I feel bad when I can't this impossible for me to reach everyone. I want to try I've heard some people say like oh I don't even reply I was like I could not imagine not reply like you know someone took the time to like send this I want to try and like tell them it was received. You're so sweet that's so good. Do you have anything planned for 100k when you get there though, like I know people do like big reveals but are you going to do something. Actually, I'm, I've been at 94 for like two weeks. And so I think when I get 95 I want to just do a post on like how great for him out of the show like I'm not the most popular I always admit that. But the people that support me I feel like very very dedicated supportive of me, even yesterday as receiving DMs and like people referring to things. They started following me after the show and so I was like my people that support me are like loyal and they were here for me and I'm just like so thankful for them you know like, I cannot imagine my life still kind of a hot mess a little bit. I cannot I'm happy I'm the happiest I've ever been. I cannot imagine living this life right now if it wasn't for people that supported me. I am so happy that you're happy like because this was a huge decision and a huge jump and like leap almost a faith and like in yourself, and that's been so amazing to see like your growth and like your happiness happen. Just knowing that you're living your dream. I love this so much for you. Also I wanted to kind of talk about like, you're a small country boy in Texas right like you change from Texas to Arkansas and back to Texas. Were there any similarities with those lifestyle changes anything new that you had to process just going back from states. So right after grad school I moved to Arkansas and on the show you know it said it shows I'm like I'm from Fayetteville Arkansas, which my Texas friends were very confused but I was telling them. I was the eldest out of everyone in the house, so I lived in Arkansas for five years. So to me it was like, hey like I am from I consider myself an Arkansan. I always I said I never lose the text that I'm like I'm a text in Arkansan. But you know everyone else was coming from home so it made sense you know Natalie be like oh I'm from Miami because she was coming from home. But to me it didn't sound like oh I'm from Joshua when it's like, I haven't been to Joshua since I left for college. So there is that and I feel bad because some people are like I'm also from Arkansas and I'm like, are they going to hate me if they find out like I wasn't born and raised in Arkansas. And I will say I did multiple times explain my story but I think it's too complicated it just didn't make the cut. I will say I think Arkansas does meet some stereotypes that aren't the most positive, but I always advocate that Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas is such a supportive community and that I save all places for me to come out. It would be in Arkansas and I was like Fayetteville is just like this hallmark town as like the university is even a different place and that you know, my peers and my students are what helped me come out. And you know it is in Arkansas and so it was an adjustment I guess going to Texas because like right now I'm in my hometown and you know my nails are painted and I get nervous just to go to the dealership to have my truck looked at because I don't know is someone going to say something or look at me different just because my nails are painted. So it's kind of the same small town feels, but I will say that when I was a CRE I did feel like there kind of was this force field of it's okay to be who you are which helped me like come out. And same when I did the show like not even just my seven other roommates but you know we had like a 50 100 crew, you know you don't see like people on set. I'm gay just like you know whenever was a question to me I'm like oh my gosh all these people now know I'm gay. It was just like another force field so I've been very thankful you know I had my housing force field to my Netflix force field. And I'm kind of out of that right now which is a little nerve wracking. I will say that is like one similarity I had you make it sound like it's like the invisible woman shooting out of her palm. Like when I had to leave the show, which is a spoiler I believe the for like about a week. I remember being scared because I was like wait, I just realized I feel like I'm in a different realm and I feel like my truck just like went through the force field like Wanda vision you know how she has her I felt like I was leaving I was like I'm so scared. So interesting is like because you did have to kind of like almost switch on and off in the middle of that. Have you had to do much of that since being back in your hometown. I'm trying to get to Austin because I feel like anyone even maybe not on a reality show would say this but when you're in Austin. I feel like I'm in a movie like it's just like such an amazing place so accepting something always going on and you know right now I'm in the suburbs and so I'm just like I need to be back in Austin like I get fatal vibes but like on a kind of almost a city level I feel so hard because like you're in a city and sometimes you feel like you're in a city like remember we're on a rooftop. And I was like oh my gosh like, I'm on a rooftop there's a huge building like I'm in the city but then sometimes you're just in a like a little taco restaurant or coffee shop and you're like I feel like I'm not in this huge city like I feel so comfortable and homie. I feel like kind of public reception been like even with COVID since the show, like, how have you been doing with that. COVID was still is still around so during the show. They're very strict on us, we had to get tested every morning. And then anyone that interacted with us how to have show proof of vaccination and also been tested with a negative result. We weren't limited but you know we were kind of like at times I feel like a little caged. And that's what I'm enjoying now is like, obviously still trying to be safe but there are, you know we had precautions because we were us eight of us and then you know all everybody on set we didn't want anyone to get sick and thankfully. You know, eight of us nine of us roommates none of us ever contracted COVID. I did get COVID after New Year's because I was I did do New Year's in Austin and so thankfully I had my booster shot so I it was like a one day thing for me. But I feel like housing almost like prepared you for COVID you know we were I used to tell my roommates because we had someone on set who would be strict on the mass. Because it was our living space we didn't have to wear masks in the house, but you know anyone else that did they had to wear masks, but I used to tell people like that used to be my job you know I'm like it's hard but you know I was a person telling you like, you know it's not personal it's just the policy I have social anxiety and I didn't even realize that Matty as the world opens because you know there are now like like restaurants and bars in Austin open and so you know I go in and I didn't even think about that like just the socialization like you're not we weren't used to that that just I just had that reflection I didn't catch that on the show I mean I on the show I would talk about it was weird for me to make friends because my friends were like you only coworkers like for the last five years the only new friends I made were like my coworkers which you know we are real friends but it's so different like you know we had a work and then we became friends where I'm now at stage of life like wait I have to make friends like not in a work setting. I know it's also even weird for our friendship to as I've been noticing is like we had a structured environment where we interacted and we're friends and everything like that so we're also transition is like we don't have that structure as much so like lunch every single day to make sure we were eating lunch in our busy days right, and so it. It's like a weird transition. The last kind of question I have for you is like what can we expect for you I know we talked a little bit about the panel that you have up coming up is there anything else that we can expect from Keanu. After this or steps forward. Yes, I'm still trying to get my ducks in a row but I will say in March, I will be a South by Southwest. Natalie who was one of my was on the show with me and now one of my best friends we're going to start a podcast together and just hopefully creating a platform talking about things that people aren't comfortable talking about or you know like you need advice but no one's like talks about out loud and so you know we just want to create a safe place for that. And then job interviewing so hopefully landing a job soon because to me it's like once I get a stable job I'm moving to Austin and so follow me on Instagram and take talk as I continue trying to live my authentic life. Let's go to 100k. But it's really nice kind of catching up with you and just kind of asking questions about like your experience like just reflecting on this whole process like it's been insane like what since June last year. So not even a whole year. I miss the university. I do have to go back when my when I do get a place to go get all my items. I'm like it's going to be emotional because like I haven't visited Fayetteville since I left and you know it has a big place in my heart like Pomfort Hall was like my you know it was my home for three years three and a half years. I'm sure the people at Suborg and I really love seeing you again. But it was nice to have you on here. Buddy I miss you. I miss you too so much Keanu.