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“no.”
    As I talked, Jeff became so distracted with his handyman washing his filthy outfit in a client’s brand-new washer and dryer that he finally surrendered. Chris and I celebrated. We were well on our way to becoming famous.
    Jeff loved buying homes, fixing them up, and selling them for a tidy profit. At that time, Jeff had flipped about fifty or so homes. In 2007, the real estate market hadn’t dropped out yet and the economy was still on the up and up, so Jeff was on a real roll. He didn’t need the show, nor did he really share my dream of being famous. However, after much shameless begging, he finally, albeit unhappily, agreed to do it—for me. Good thing, too, because his “yes” came on the night before our first day of filming our sizzle reel, an edited overview of what the show would look like. It’s like a movie trailer, designed to interest the networks and get them to pick up the idea and fund a pilot or series.
    Jeff was amazing and hilarious in the sizzle reel and was as unfiltered then as he is today. Jeff had agreed to do the reel as a favor and wasn’t the least bit interested in seeing this concept go any further, but he proved to have a charm that was really appealing. Although he was not the focus of the show, he was “a natural,” comfortable being truthful about who he is, which is why people loved what they saw when they got a glimpse of Jeff on-screen. We thought for sure we had a good chance at selling our show.
    By the time we shopped The Wannabes, Hollywood “inside” shows weren’t working anymore, including the ones with big stars— Kilroy , a pilot George Clooney produced, and The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow had been canceled. And as it turned out, Jeff was apparently very attractive to the network executives—more than we were. Why? He was charming, handsome, and successful.
    I couldn’t even win selling myself as a loser!
    The more people saw our sizzle reel, the stronger they came back saying they loved Jeff’s fiery personality. Jeff’s business was in high gear and he didn’t care whatsoever about having a show, which only enhanced his credibility with network executives. Everyone we met with said they were drawn to his entertaining outbursts and to the complicated, dysfunctional dynamics of our lives—all essential elements for a successful reality show. Jeff’s “discovery” instantly spun our show about two actors pursuing fame toward his story and the world of real estate.
    We soon got a phone call saying Bravo wanted to meet. They told us they were already leaning toward a real estate show, Million Dollar Listing, and weren’t sure they wanted to air two shows that revolved around the same industry. At the end of the meeting, however, Cori Abraham, a Bravo executive, gave us her card and told us to call her. When we did, she said she believed in Flipping Out and was willing to go the extra mile for us. A Skype call was arranged with Lauren Zalaznick, head of the Bravo network, to talk about the show. That call sold Flipping Out. Shortly thereafter, they agreed to give us a green light for six episodes—a great start for an unproven show.
    My response was bittersweet. On the one hand, I was so happy and excited for the chance we were being given. We put our mind toward a goal and made it happen. On the other hand, after all of the years chasing my dream to become a serious actress, a comedienne and, don’t forget, a rapper, I wasn’t sure a reality television show about real estate was what I was supposed to be doing.
    I was a successful actress— or at least that’s what I wanted people to believe. If I pursued Flipping Out , everyone in Hollywood, along with millions of viewers, would know my secret—the thing I went out of my way to hide—that all I did for a living was work for Jeff Lewis as his assistant.
    For Chris, it was even worse because he was the guy hauling Jeff’s trash out every day. He didn’t want to be on television as a