A Conversation with Tommy Swerdlow
The always entertaining and often poetic Tommy Swerdlow is an actor and writer known for films like Cool Runnings, Little Giants, and Snow Dogs. Most recently he directed, co-wrote and co-starred in the film A Thousand Junkies. Barry Michels and Tommy have known each other for more than two decades and their conversation covers a lot of territory, including:
Tommy's struggles with addiction and feeling compelled by his own destruction
The dramatic event that abruptly ended his using
How things changed when he realized life isn't about the highlights. Or, as one friend put it, how to find the groove in the grind.
How he eventually overcame his difficulty with visualizing The Tools
How a preoccupation with being safe led him to do things that were unsafe
How the torture of being misunderstood drove his relationship dynamics
How he let go of shame and the cycle of self-destruction
Why understanding ceaseless effort helped him find some calm amid his inner cadence of hysteria
How he has come to think of everything as an energetic exchange, including The Tools
