Just Between Us - Hardcover

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PROLOGUE

Every now and then, the universe has an uncanny way of reaching out, tapping me on the shoulder, and bringing me back down to earth. Sometimes the message is delivered to remind me of something that I’ve forgotten or maybe just to grab my attention in the midst of my usual action-packed schedule. Other times I feel the tap more as a big jolt that leads to an important discovery or decision—like the realization that hits me early one morning as I’m getting ready to hike one of my favorite trails at Griffith Park.

I love this park for the sheer amount of urban wilderness it contains, a refreshing break from the sprawl of Los Angeles. It’s also practically in my backyard, so it’s perfect for an early-morning hike and a good workout.

By the time I arrive at the park and start to stretch, it’s just past six a.m. Not long after dawn, the sun has only just begun to come up. Bleary eyed, I definitely could have used that extra half hour of sleep. It’s true: as committed as I am to a daily fitness regimen, I am no fan of the five thirty a.m. alarm. Then again, this happens to be the only time to get in a little workout before the demands of the day kick in. And there’s something I love about the solitude of these early hours. The quiet is such that my inner thoughts seem like another person standing right beside me, talking and offering wise counsel.

Well, at least that’s how it feels in these moments as I finish stretching and head over to a large park map in order to look for directions to the trail I plan to run. Standing there, I scan the map until my eyes land on the mark that shows where I am, pointing out the spot with bold red arrows and the words “You Are Here.”

Those three words, intended to state the obvious, do have a kind of congratulatory vibe. Wouldn’t it be helpful, I think, if we could start every day with a map and a marker to tell us: “You Are Here”?

That’s when I feel the proverbial tap on my shoulder.

My first reaction is to ask myself if, as the map tells me, I am here, where exactly is that? More to the point: how did I get here? In truth, these aren’t easy questions to answer. But seeing as I’m about to hit the milestone birthday of forty—a big one—I realize that’s cause for reflection. Cliché as that may sound, it’s one of those rites of passages that suddenly bring me face-to-face with the past and a life lived, for the most part, at full throttle.

It’s hard to ignore the message of “You Are Here”—it’s time to slow down, look back, and take stock of my life so far. All of it: the choices, the triumphs and defeats, the smart moves and the mistakes, and everything in between. Daunting as that can be, as I start up the trail that leads to a summit, I accept that only by recalling where I came from will I be able to see more clearly than ever where I am, who I am, and where I’m headed.

A couple of miles later, as I reach the top, the sun has broken through the marine layer and I can’t help but smile as I look out at the sprawl of LA spread out below me. And that’s when the idea for sharing my story, no holds barred, is first conceived.

When I glance over my shoulder at the long stretch of road I’ve taken—curving and winding from my childhood in the Latino community of Chula Vista, just outside of San Diego, all the way to the “You Are Here” map in the same park not far from the Hollywood sign—I smile, I laugh out loud, and sometimes I want to cry.

I’ve been in show business since I was ten years old. I’ve worked in almost every arena of the entertainment industry: as a kid in numerous commercials and TV series, as a teen actor who came of age in hundreds of episodes of Saved by the Bell, as both a guest star and leading young man in a bevy of projects made for television and film, as a triple-threat stage performer on Broadway, as both a contestant and a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars, and, of course, as the host of Extra and in an array of other hosting roles, in all of which I’ve spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours interviewing countless celebrities and Hollywood luminaries. In recent years, I’ve added other endeavors to the list—as the host of my own nationally syndicated radio show and as a producer with pots simmering on multiple burners. As an entrepreneur, I can assure you that many of the lessons learned along the way have been hard won. And as a loving husband and devoted father—my most important roles—I can also say that recognizing what truly matters in life is chief among those lessons.

There are a few reasons I chose to take on the challenge of putting down in words not just what happened in my story but how I felt at the time and especially what I learned in the process. At the top of the list was for me to make sense of mi vida loca—my crazy life—as it has been at times. Writing allows you the space to sit down, have a drink, and open yourself up to the memories. It’s about retracing your steps to gain a deeper understanding of the journey, maybe for the first time ever.

Another reason I’m writing is to acknowledge the champions and mentors who have been there for me at every important turning point. Hopefully, I can pay it forward by sharing with you the same brand of encouragement and belief I was given. Whatever your aspirations, I hope that my experiences might prove valuable for your own journey.

As the pages ahead will show, I’ve made my share of mistakes. No one is perfect and I’m a prime example. But at my core, I’ve always lived by the values that my parents instilled in me and ultimately, mistakes and all, I’m proud of who I am and what I’ve done. Once I found my path and the goals that inspired me to pursue them with passion and purpose, I worked hard, giving my all. And now, man, I’m living my dream, proof of my hard work and damn good luck.

Without question, there have been highs and lows. But life is not really about arriving at that one spot marked “You Are Here.” It’s about all the choices you make in getting there and about the consequences of those choices. That’s why I’ve decided to divulge certain stories that include intimate subject matter, some of which has to do with stupid and sometimes heartbreaking mistakes that still haunt me to this day. There are no do-overs in life, so I had to learn to pick myself up and move forward, never forgetting the lessons learned.

At first, I was not prepared for how difficult it is to bare your soul on paper. The feeling of being exposed and vulnerable caught me off guard. So did the need to write without counting characters like on Twitter or second-guessing that last click of the send button. I soon saw that this was going to take trust and confidence to put myself out there in such a candid way. Then, after I got past my own resistance, came pushback from my agents, managers, and publicists. The buzzing in my ear from well-intentioned counsel was clear: “No, Mario, you can’t say that. Think of your image.” “No, Mario, you can’t do that; it could ruin your career.”

Usually I listen, but this time I couldn’t. These are my stories to tell. I didn’t decide to change certain details to protect the innocent because, in Hollywood, no one is innocent. And, besides, as I’ve learned over the years, the truth is powerful. That’s a lesson I rank high under the heading of “Things I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Then.” As tempting as it is to tell people what they want to hear, I know now that the truth is the best response to every situation....