2.3 • Working for Lee Daniels on 'Precious', Homeless in NYC & Mariah Carey • The ARTIST TEMPLE
⏱ TIMESTAMPS & TOPICS
0:29 – 2:25 | Fallout in Tallahassee & Leaving School
Lazarus reflects on the fall 2008 blow-up that led him to step away from FSU, pause school, and return home to reassess his life and future.
2:25 – 5:13 | A Door Opens: Lee Daniels & New York at 24
A tip from Kesha leads to an internship at Lee Daniels Entertainment. Lazarus is accepted quickly and arrives in New York at 24—his first time in the city—hoping this opportunity will reset everything.
5:13 – 10:19 | Craigslist Scam & Immediate Instability
Within days, Lazarus is scammed out of housing, losing most of his money and realizing how little safety or support he has entering this moment.
10:19 – 16:23 | Couch-Crashing & Starting Anyway
A former FSU actress lets him crash in Harlem while he begins the internship immediately, determined not to miss the opportunity despite unstable living conditions.
16:23 – 23:36 | Industry Proximity & Unpaid Labor
Lazarus meets Lee Daniels, witnesses post-production on Push (later Precious), and absorbs the excitement of being close to real industry power—while working long unpaid days.
23:36 – 27:14 | Homeless in NYC: “Paying My Dues”
When housing collapses, Lazarus begins sleeping on subways and in stations, hiding it at first and convincing himself this hardship is part of earning his place.
27:14 – 35:24 | Survival Meets Skill
Needing income, Lazarus asks to reduce hours. Instead, Lee assigns him a task—recording ambient Harlem sound for Precious. The audio impresses Lee and goes straight to the editor.
35:24 – 42:35 | Promotion & the High of Access
Lazarus is promoted to Lee Daniels’ personal assistant at $500/week, given keys, and pulled deeper into the machine—handling production tasks, celebrity errands, contracts, and daily operations.
42:35 – 51:10 | Pressure, Resistance & Paycheck Failures
As expectations rise, Lazarus senses resistance from the producing team, experiences Lee’s volatility, and faces repeated paycheck failures that leave him stranded despite nonstop work.
51:10 – 54:09 | Hills, Valleys & a Cliffhanger
Celebrity highs collide with exhaustion, legal tension in the office, and growing instability—ending with a late-night call from Lee that sets up what comes next.
The ARTIST(s) TEMPLE is a reflective podcast about what artists endure to move through creative systems without losing themselves.
Hosted by Lazarus X, the show draws from over twenty years of independent filmmaking and industry proximity to examine the realities behind access and opportunity. It moves beyond hustle culture to name unpaid labor, exploitation, burnout, and the psychological cost of creative ambition.
The ARTIST(s) TEMPLE treats the artist as a living temple—one that requires care, boundaries, and clarity. Each episode distills lessons from lived experience so artists can protect what they’re building, internally and externally.