Friendship is Magic
Meet the Mischievous Jesters & Jokesters of our Court
Jordan Brown
Sobriquet: JEEBZ; JB; Jeeberton
Where to start with my brother Jordan. Okay, so technically we’re not blood related, or at-all related, but he’s served the role of sibling for 11 years. I could write books about our friendship, and perhaps I will, but for now I’ll try to brief.
We met when I was looking for an apartment via Craigslist (great way to make everlasting friendships; highly recommended). He had Beatles books on a large, tightly-packed bookcase, so naturally we hit it off.
We ended up hanging out a lot, dated for about four-to-five seconds, and then became bestest of friends. We have a mutual understanding, in that way that families do, of knowing we would climb mountains and swim oceans for each other. He’s defended and protected me throughout many-a trial and bad decision; rejoiced and danced with me in good times and various victories.
When we’re not debating Beatle-based opinions (Within You Without You is a masterpiece and I will die on that hill) or trashing Mike Love (at best *barely* a Beach Boy), or helping one another through our Baskin-Robbins 32 flavor varieties of trauma, or in a conversation about how I really should read more fiction (I KNOW), we’re probably just giggling or petting a cat.
Jordan was the first person I came out to, which was a little terrifying, even though I knew he’d be cool. His response— you sound really scared but I’m so happy for you— was exactly what I needed to hear.
Jordan assisted me in moving to LA, and thus is partially responsible for me meeting Alex. The three of us formed Friendship Club (tm) and are a very dangerous trouble trio.
All you need is love.
Lucy Redoglia
Sobriquet: Just saying her name in a Ricky Ricardo voice
I met Lucy sometime in the winter of 2010 in the city of oversized apples: New York City, baby. She was good friends/former classmates/former roommates with my boyfriend at the time (he is a lovely human but that relationship was never gonna work). We struck up our own friendship independent of that relationship, as we had a lot in common: a love of art, literature, and a solid craft sesh. We started a bit called “weekend roommates” wherein I’d spend the weekend at her apartment on the Upper East Side and we’d chill; painting and listening to one of my notoriously impressive playlists. This was called a “craft jam.”
I’ve been through some *stuff* in the 15 years of our friendship, and Lucy has been there for all of it with an open door and a well-placed joke. I think it’s her love of art that helps her see the beauty in even the most chaotic messes (which I definitely was many a-time).
Every time we hang out, it’s an adventure. From art parties in Case Study houses to hanging out at home wearing Halloween wigs and making up characters (shout out to Rain Bow Bright), we have us a time.
She was the second person I came out to in the summer of 2016. I was a little nervous, but it was better than good. Essentially, she was like “Oh wow, what, cool! Okay! Girl, you crazy! Anyway—” and then went on with the conversation. No big deal was made of it, which when you’re coming out is a wonderful relief.
When I moved to Los Angeles, Lucy graciously let me stay on her couch for months while I figured things out (bless Trader Joe’s mint chocolate ice cream sandwiches and Cicero’s pizza two-for-one). I wouldn’t have been able to move to LA without that support, and thus I never would have met Alex. Be it in Manhattan, Brooklyn, LA, Oakland, or Tahoe, we keep the couch open for one another.
BOOM. BOX.
Nick Fanego
Sobriquet: Nicholas; Nicoli
LC’s Crew:
I met Nick in February of 2017 at a job that I truly hated/went against any semblance of ethics I possess. That is, we worked for a commercial production company and did our best to convince consumers that they were broken without a juicy burger from Carl’s Jr. Nothing is tastier than Late Stage Capitalism! There was a really high turnover at this place— who can say why— and at one of the going away things, I was standing there eating cake and chatting with my new coworkers, when Nick and I struck up a conversation. It was like that moment in Stepbrothers— did we just become best friends? Indeed, we did.
His presence in my life has been a beautiful thing. He has been there for me throughout some of the most trying times of my life with a shoulder, a hug, an encouraging word, and sometimes Reese’s Pieces. Nick saw a goodness in me I was blind to, and encouraged me to date people that appreciated my quirks, rather than just tolerate them.
We were beach bums together, singles ready to mingle(s) together, Arclight-going cinephiles together, Steely Dan-jammers in a Nissan Versa Note together, and prolific screenwriters who tried to work on their projects during business hours together.
Nick probably doesn’t realize this, but he played an instrumental role in my meeting Alex. Before we were friends, I had some difficulty in the area of self-love. But by showing up for me again and again, by being a genuinely kind and reliable friend, I learned how to be a good friend to myself. And once I got that down, I learned how to date people that were nice to me. It’s been a journey, man, but ol’ Nicky boy has been there for the whole wild ride, alongside me, doing bits in the backseat.
City of Angels? Huh… I only found one.
AC’s Crew
Mackenzie
The year was 1991. The month? October. Me? A tiny baby, brand new to earth. I didn’t know anything yet. That, thank goodness, is when I met Mackenzie. My big sister. I didn’t need to worry, because she knew everything. And she could teach me.
Mackenzie has been so many things to me. A hero. A confidant. A best friend. A tormentor, occasionally (there were a few dark years in the 00s). She’s the reason I know anything about anything. She’s the reason I know every word to the film The Little Mermaid. She’s the reason I started watching Gilmore Girls. She’s the reason everyone calls me Alex (and thank goodness, because I’m not an Alexandra and I’m sure as hell not a Lexi).
Mackenzie makes me laugh at the best and worst times, and reminds me that things aren’t always so serious. She can cheer me up better than almost anyone, whether that’s with a cute puppy pic or a silly joke.
I wasn’t worried about Mackenzie when she told me she was going to be a mom. She’d basically already had a practice run with me, so this would be no problem for her.
Thanks for being the best big sister and the best friend. I think we’d find each other in any lifetime.
MELANIE & MAGGIE
In 2015, one of my biggest dreams came true. I got to be an NBCU Page! It was the first day. I was ecstatic, I was pumped up, and I was terrified. I was sure that my outfit was wrong and that everyone was thinking I didn’t belong. I was worried that I would say or do the wrong things. I was so in my head that I thought it would explode. Luckily for me, I was in a cohort with six other exceptional women, all of whom were also terrified. One of those women was Melanie Kocher. She was cool as fuck, had great earrings, and was from Switzerland. Yeah, that Switzerland. What? Another one of those pages from our 2015 cohort was Maggie Brelis-Farrell. Well, just Maggie Brelis when we met. Maggie was from Boston, a land I barely knew but had heard many stories about. She also knew way more about entertainment than I did, and I was so intimidated. She was wickedly smart (and I’m not just saying that because she’s from Boston). I was convinced they were much too cool for me, but I tried to be friendly and normal. Mainly focused on normal.
About a month later, we baby Pages were working a large event at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, with hours so insane that they had us stay at the hotel. Melanie and I were paired to room together. I was sweaty-palms nervous. That night, we were both exhausted. We had worked a 12+ hour day with no breaks. We decided to order room service. Room service that included two large glasses of wine. About two sips in, we were spilling all of the professional tea and gossiping the night away. Since then, I’ve always been able to count on Melanie for friendship, support, and of course gossip.
Maggie and I became friends over time, and while there wasn’t a specific moment, there are also hundreds of moments I could list that explain why we’re friends. There was the infamous Fast & Furious movie night, 2Fast2Faded. There were movie premieres and after parties with passed apps and open bars. There were the after work happy hours/vent sessions. Through it all, Maggie has been an incredible friend and confidant.
Melanie and I have this joke that if one of us hit a nun with our car, the other one would essentially say something like, “yeah, she had it coming.” Those are the kind of ride-or-die friends Melanie and Maggie have been for the last 10 years. We’ve seen each other through a lot. Through ups and downs, weddings, break ups, bad jobs, worse jobs, and more, I know I can always count on Melanie and Maggie.