Cornell Business

Issue date: 3/8/10 Section: Johnson News

February brought two notable visitors to the Johnson school, including television, film and theater actor Jimmy Smits and musician Ari Hest. The events, organized by the Media & Entertainment Club, brought an unusual mix of entertainment and education to the student body, creating memorable evenings for all in attendance.

On a snowy Thursday night, singer-songwriter Ari Hest came to Ithaca to perform at downtown venue Castaways. A favorite artist from New York City and younger brother of second year student Danny Hest, Ari performed for a room full of Johnson students and Ithaca locals alike, entertaining his audience with a mix of personal songs and captivating covers. The event was well attended and even interactive; JGSM second year Padraic McConville joined Ari on stage for a cover of Tom Petty's "Last Dance With Mary Jane."

The Media and Entertainment Club teamed up with Community Impact to promote the event, where the ticket price included admission to the show, a donation to Haiti relief efforts and happy hour drink specials. In total, the event raised $600 for charity.

First year Christine Hum offered, "Ari Hest is very talented. It was a fun night!" Exchange student Sven Weidmer agreed, "Great concert! Ari has a unique voice."

The following week, the Media & Entertainment Club and HABLA, hosted Jimmy Smits (Cornell MFA '82) for a roundtable discussion on a variety of topics. He emphasized how the "basic tool kit" he developed while at Cornell had been an invaluable asset throughout his acting career. This was a reassuring note for a room full of students with not-so fond memories of the core.

Smits also talked about the importance of following your heart in career decisions. One of his regrets was turning down a leading part in a musical because he was advised that it would not be good for his career path. It was an acting job he had always wanted to play, and he endured a series of rigorous auditions to prove to the show's producers that he was in fact the right man for the job. After finally winning approval, his managers persuaded him to turn down the part. He regrets the decision not because he would have made more money (he wouldn't), or because he wanted to stop making TV shows and movies (he doesn't) but it would have been an opportunity for him to broaden his skills as an actor.

Long-time Smits fan and second year JGSM student Galen Beers nicely summarized the experience, "I've been a huge fan of Jimmy ever since he dominated the role of Julio Gonzales in Running Scared, but had no idea what to expect of the event. Would we be chatting with Detective Bobby Simone (NYPD Blue) or Victor Sifuentes (L.A. Law)? Or maybe we would be meeting Senator Bail Organa (Star Wars Episode 2). As it turned out, we ended up getting down and dirty with Jimmy Smits "the person". We were able to learn about the entertainment industry from his point of view but more importantly, we realized the many similarities between his experiences as a new actor and ours as MBAs. He sat with us as a peer, spoke frankly and showed that he cared about us as people. What a pleasure."

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