First Refusal Podcast

#32 — Chris Gross

Actor, writer, and sometimes singer Chris Gross knows to always be ready. He’s studied and practiced his craft from Los Angeles to New York, and has gathered stories, credits, and connections along the way. He tells how waiting tables led to getting a manager, which led to booking the Showtime series Roadies, and why its creator Cameron Crowe should have given him a writing credit. In addition to self tapes, A.I., and faking it until you make it, we talk about how Chris found his creative communities, football ambitions, how he found love IRL on the set of Law & Order and much more. https://www.instagram.com/chrisgross_/ [https://www.instagram.com/chrisgross_/] https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/] https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/] paulmontejr.com [http://paulmontejr.com]

#31 — Staci Dickerson

In addition to having a long-standing presence on QVC, actress and model Staci Dickerson has amassed many credits on the runway and in print, commercials, television, and film. In our conversation she dishes on working on Song Sung Blue with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, as well as Law & Order, and her origins of getting started as a model with no experience. We also touch on the blessing and curse of typecasting, healthy agency relationships, having large roles in independent films, the reality of working at QVC, how to get your butterflies to fly in formation, and much more. www.stacidickerson.com [http://www.stacidickerson.com] https://www.instagram.com/stacidickerson/ [https://www.instagram.com/stacidickerson/] https://www.youtube.com/@stacid717/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@stacid717/videos] https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/] https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/] paulmontejr.com [http://paulmontejr.com]

#30 — Filmmaker Christian Jude Grillo

Filmmaker Christian Jude Grillo’s latest project is the sci-fi/horror feature Intruder — a movie in which the First Refusal Podcast host Paul Monte is happy to be in. In this conversation that independent filmmakers and cinephiles will enjoy, we cover many aspects of moviemaking: budget, rehearsals, distribution, gear, and in Intruder’s case, lots, and lots, and lots of blood. Christian touches on his inspirations of owning a recording studio, French cinema, and The Toxic Avenger, his “odd approach” to writing, and how to turn fan conventions into grass-roots research for your project. He also tells a remarkable story of how he asked Doug Bradley (Hellraiser) and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters) to appear in his movie Deer Crossing while attending a Monster Mania convention. Intruder is available October 24 2025 through transactional video-on-demand and advertising video-on-demand (Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum, COX, Fandango, Tubi, Plex and more). Facebook & IG: @intruder_films https://www.instagram.com/intruder_films/ [https://www.instagram.com/intruder_films/] https://www.instagram.com/christian_jude_grillo/ [https://www.instagram.com/christian_jude_grillo/] https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianJudeGrillo [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianJudeGrillo] https://www.youtube.com/@MrPotent [https://www.youtube.com/@MrPotent] https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/] https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/] paulmontejr.com [http://paulmontejr.com]

#29 — Amy Gamper

Baltimore-based actress, model and host Amy Gamper does what it takes to elevate her image. After a rainout in the northeast canceled a photoshoot, she decided to go to Florida, hop in a sprinter van with a photographer and makeup artist, and in one day capture multiple looks in multiple locations in a lifestyle shoot that refreshed and expanded her branding. It’s an example of the lengths one can go to market themselves. We touch on many of Amy’s experiences in commercials, movies, and her moderating and hosting financial analysts for Stansberry Research. We discuss favorite gigs, Los Angeles headshots, adventures in working with kids and animals, how Covid caused increased competition, how to take control in the audition room, self-tape setups, the Lifetime Movie Network experience, the temperature of the Baltimore market, local hire economics, why Skittles at craft services are a no-no, and much more. https://www.instagram.com/amy_gamper/ [https://www.instagram.com/amy_gamper/] https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/] https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/] paulmontejr.com [http://paulmontejr.com]

#28 — Comedian Albert Davis

Actor and model Albert Davis found his funny bone during the pandemic, and has been killing on stages as a stand-up comedian ever since. He has embraced the style of building tension with his audience, only to twist and release a premise with humor. In this informative and occasionally raunchy conversation, we discuss first gigs, working with your real family, the high of getting laughs and the horror of bombing, the parallels of comedy with golf and jujitsu, the anatomy of writing and performing jokes, comedy conduciveness, the reality of open mics, the gift of ADHD, earning the pass to be 💩, the benefits of “dream juice,” and much more.  https://www.instagram.com/albertdaviscomedy/ [https://www.instagram.com/albertdaviscomedy/] https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/] https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/] paulmontejr.com [http://paulmontejr.com]