016 | IMPACT with Dave Holmes, Author, Actor, and Former MTV VJ

Becoming UnDone was born from the collision of four ideas in my mind, not the least of which was the Dave Holmes podcast Waiting for Impact..

And fittingly, the guest I absolutely KNEW I had to get on the show, the guy whose work had inspired the idea to begin with, was the absolutely perfect example of resilience on his own path to victory. 

I did my research and learned all I could about Dave Holmes.

I discovered that after MTV, he’d gone on to become an actor and an author. he’d written and published a book, Party of One, in 2016. I immediately ordered it. When it arrived, I plowed through it in a couple of days, struck by just how in many ways he and I are so dissimilar in many ways. Yet so alike in so many others. 

I listened to Waiting for Impact in its entirety another four times. With each listen, I was less focused on being entertained and more focused on reverse engineering a show that could be so true to the research and journalistic integrity of telling the story in True Crime fashion, yet also be so wildly fun and entertaining. 

If podcasting was the house I intended to build, then Waiting for Impact was the blueprint I intended to follow.

In the show, Dave acknowledges his own journey, failing out of college at Holy Cross as he battled depression and addiction. He’d been publicly outed as one of the only gay students at the conservative Catholic school. In his own words, he managed to pull out of the emotional nose dive of his “shame spiral,” clawed his way back in, and ultimately graduated with a degree in advertising. 

Taking a series soulless jobs in New York followed. On a whim that would forever change his life, he worked up the courage to take a shot at MTV’s reality contest Wanna Be a VJ. He finished runner-up out of a veritable sea of contestants, just missing the offer of a dream job. But he’d impressed network execs along the way enough to land his dream gig as a VJ anyway. 

A smoker and drinker who had been criticized in his MTV days for being overweight eventually become an avid Crossfitter and competitive triathlete. Through later experiences as an actor, author, and Editor at Large of Esquire, Dave has been open, honest, and vulnerable in sharing both his struggles and his triumphs on his path to a life of both success and significance.

It seemed as though for every yin of disappointment, Dave had discovered and embraced a yang of accomplishment. 

If ANYONE knew what it meant to go from falling apart to falling into place, it was Dave. 

He had done so countless times. And in countless ways.

Enjoy Dave share his story of getting kicked out of college before clawing his way back in, rolling out of bed at 4 am to change his life forever, and his current plans to continue to grow as a burgeoning podcaster and new media mogul on Episode 16: IMPACT with Dave Holmes.

Reach out to Becoming UnDone! Text Toby here!

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Becoming UnDone® is a NiTROHype Creative production. Written and produced by me, Toby Brooks. If you or someone you know has a story of resilience and victory to share for Becoming Undone, contact me at undonepodcast.com. Follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at becomingundonepod and follow me at TobyBrooksPhD. Listen, subscribe, and leave us a review Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.