NJ DISCOVER LIVE RADIO/TV SHOW with hosts Tara-Jean Vitale & Calvin Schwartz TUNE IN/WATCH Monday April 11^th 8 PM  “TOUGH GUYS WHO ACHIEVE’ with very special guests:  16 time Emmy Award winner/ director GLENN HOLSTEN and ROBERT COZMO CONSULMAGNO, Marine, Bipolar Advocate, World Ranked Jiu Jitsu Fighter. 

Show Note: We are thrilled to bring these fascinating, dynamic, accomplished guests to NJ Discover for an hour of introspection, motivation, drive and achievement. A very special hour especially for young and old viewers and everyone in between.

  TUNE IN:  www.njdiscover.com  Monday April 11^th  8PM

THE SHOW ALSO AIRS ON LONG BRANCH COMMUNITY ACCESS TV CHANNEL 20  EVERY NIGHT 9 pm Beginning April 18th

INTRODUCING GLENN HOLSTEN:

Glenn Holsten is an award-winning director who creates compelling documentary story experiences for screens of all sizes – from the IMAX to the iPhone.

His latest documentary, Hollywood Beauty Salon, portrays life at an intimate beauty parlor inside of the Germantown Recovery Community, a non-profit mental health program in Philadelphia, where staff and clients alike are in the process of recovery. By gathering together to get their hair done, share stories, and support one another, they find a way to rebuild their lives.  Hollywood Beauty Salon will have a theatrical release in New York City and Philadelphia in June 2016.

The Barefoot Artist, about global artist Lily Yeh, was filmed on four continents and had its theatrical premiere in New York and Los Angeles in December, 2014 and is currently available on Netflix. His most recent national broadcast on PBS, The Barnes Collection, follows Dr. Albert Barnes’ remarkable rise from Philadelphia’s working-class neighborhood to the top of the modern art world. SEE, a film that he created in collaboration with painters Bo Bartlett and Betsy Eby premiered at the Camden Film Festival in 2013.

He directed an eight-part series titled Women In Chemistry, about pioneering women chemists for the Chemical Heritage Foundation. Women In Chemistry appeared on public television as a one-hour television special, as will Scientists You Must Know, a documentary about the people behind the discoveries that changed our world.

Other long-form documentary directing credits include OC87: The Obsessive-Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger’s Movie, (theatrical release, 2012, Netflix); Seductive Subversion: Women Pop Artists, 1958-1968, (OVATION, 2010); Saint of 9/11, about Father Mychal Judge, the beloved chaplain to the NYC Fire Dept. (Tribeca Film Festival, IFC theatrical release, 2006, Netflix); Gay Pioneers (PBS, 2005); JIM IN BOLD, which harnesses the power of young voices to reveal the challenges and triumphs of being young and gay in America; Thomas Eakins: Scenes from Modern Life (PBS, 2001), a lyrical examination of America through the eyes of the 19th century painter; and HOUSE, a 30-minute film about The Korman Residence in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania that was famed Philadelphia architect Louis I. Kahn’s final residential commission.

He was commissioned by both The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Pew Charitable Trusts to create a series of moving portraits about artists and their work processes.  Glenn is a recipient of a Pew Fellowship in the Arts, an Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts, and a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship. He has been awarded silver and gold awards from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for innovative television production. He has been honored with sixteen Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.  A collection of his work was exhibited in the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s 20th Century Video Gallery.

Glenn has directed films in China, Portugal, Kenya, Rwanda, Northern Ireland, Poland, Bosnia and the Republic of Georgia. In 2000, he traveled to Mongolia, where he conducted a workshop for television professionals that explored creative methods for storytelling on television.

Glenn graduated from The University of Pennsylvania in 1984 with a B.A. in English.

LINKS:  LATEST FILM:  http://hollywoodbeautysalonmovie.com/      HOLLYWOOD BEAUTY SALON portrays life at an intimate beauty parlor inside of the Germantown Recovery Community, a non-profit mental health facility in Northwest Philadelphia, where staff and clients alike are in the process of recovery. By gathering together to get their hair done, share stories, and support one another, they find a way to rebuild their lives. The documentary-which was work-shopped at the Salon over the course of four years-is also part of the recovery process, and the subjects of the film played an active part in shaping their own narratives and determining their unique individual styles.

http://www.barefootartistmovie.com/     THE BAREFOOT ARTIST

A visually stunning and deeply emotional film, THE BAREFOOT ARTIST chronicles the long and colorful life of Lily Yeh, a Philadelphia-based artist who has committed herself to creating community-based art projects in some of the world’s most troubled areas. The film explores two sides of Lily’s life that are connected parts of the same journey: her international ventures helping to heal weakened spirits in communities around the world, and a personal journey within to repair her own fractured family.

GLENN HOLSTEN:  IMDB    http://bit.ly/1Ybkcv2

INTRODUCING  ROBERT COZMO CONSULMAGNO

I’ve written often about ‘Cozmo’ since I met him last summer down the Jersey shore. It was, as they say instant chemistry. I’ll include links to NJ Discover articles and videos we’ve done with Cozmo; tantamount to a totally fascinating personality and a nice guy who fights. Glenn Holsten, also our guest on the show, did an award winning documentary on Cozmo, filmed in his hometown of Jersey City.  ‘OC 87 Recovery Diaries’ Robert Consulmagno  “The Good Fight”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMdOk8EgXtc

NJ Discover Video with Cozmo:  http://bit.ly/200iCO4

In a composite nutshell; this is the stuff they also make full length movies about. I wonder who’ll play Cozmo? He was born over 40 years ago in Jersey.  ” My biological father committed suicide by hanging himself. I’ve seen my first step father beat my mother. They were together for many years but never married but he also forced himself on her. He even threw a TV stand at his own mother; the product of a violent environment. I’ve seen him beat a guy over a parking spot. My first stepfather shot my second stepfather with a 22. Later the same day, he drove up to Mooanchie, New Jersey and killed himself inside of a Pontiac Bonneville with the same weapon. My first stepfather was the guy when my mother yelled, “Dad wants you,” I started crying. I didn’t know what was going to happen. That’s where my problems dealing with people and authority figures came from. That’s all I knew, how to survive.”

To escape, Cozmo enlisted in the Marines, honorably discharged five years later, but with severe PTSD and diagnosed bipolar disorder. He has notably become a dynamic spokesperson on his life’s mission to end the stigma of bipolar. Travelling and exploring America some years ago, with a permanent disability, he was approached in the locker room at his local gym in Florida and was asked if he evere thought about studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Testament to his drive and perseverance, he went on to become a world ranked, purple belt Jiu Jitsu fighter, channeling all that energy.

READ NJ DISCOVER INTERIEW WITH COZMO: http://bit.ly/1L7tDdr

COZMO CONTACT INFO AND PLEASE CONTACT HIM:

supercrazycozmo(Twitter)

Website  http://www.supercrazycozmo.com

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/supercrazycozmo

TUNE IN:  www.njdiscover.com  Monday April 11th  8PM          THE SHOW ALSO AIRS ON LONG BRANCH COMMUNITY ACCESS TV CHANNEL 20  EVERY NIGHT 9 pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Beginning April 18th

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NJ DISCOVER SPOTLIGHT:  A Conversation with ROBERT COZMO CONSULMAGNO,  USMC, World Ranked Jiu Jitsu Fighter, PTSD & Bi-Polar Advocate & HIS MISSION to END STIGMA OF BIPOLAR      bY Calvin Schwartz   2-22-16

I constantly marvel at the exigencies and mysteries of the universe. Just the other day, Einstein was proven correct again; scientists detected gravitational waves from the violent merger (not Wall Street but perhaps some parallel) of two black holes in deep space. My excitement comes from how the universe and synchronicity bring special people into my life.  There has to be a reason. Sometimes I think it’s the involvement of a special Saint. Last summer, on a warm humid night, I got a call from my friend Mike Marino, one of the funniest comedians in the country, also known as New Jersey’s Bad Boy of Comedy. He invited me to come to Rumson, where his brother Paul Marino and his band were performing.  I’d meet several of Mike’s Jersey City (roots) friends from the old neighborhood. The invitation appealed to me. I love roots, colorful people and anything Mike.

At a table in the rear were Mike Marino, John Freda, (a former boxer) Joe Weber, Bob Mattis and Cozmo. From a short distance, Cozmo looked fiercely ripped and intense; you could tell he worked out or something akin. I sat next and within an hour, knew he was a special guy with a personal history that they easily make powerful dramatic movies about.  Saying goodbye, I sensed a fast friendship forming. There was so much inside Cozmo that I wanted to learn about.  I sensed the ticking.

Slow forward a few months. Cozmo and I stayed in touch via Facebook, Twitter and a cell phone. I learned from all his videos, television interviews and print material as well as in his own voice, his incredible painful journey from a tumultuous childhood through the Marines, into PTSD, bipolar diagnosis and a world Jiu Jitsu ranking. He fights so well; productively channels all that strife and internal energy.  I’ve been watching Cozmo solely undertake a massive public relations program through social media to bring awareness to bipolar disease.  Quite impressively, he enlisted multi Emmy award winning  documentary film maker Glenn Holsten (OC 87 Recovery Diaries) to do a short video on Cozmo’s life roots in Jersey City called “Crazy Cozmo” — Veteran Marine With PTSD & Bipolar Disorder.”  This needs to be seen.

                                                                                                                                                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMdOk8EgXtc

Cozmo corralled a few high profile friends on social media also personally dealing with bipolar; Mauro Ranallo (WWE) and Carrie Fisher (yes, ‘Star Wars’). He is one of the most unrelenting, eloquent and sensitive people I’ve ever met. He swept me up into his energy field (to end the stigma of bipolar) and moved NJ Discover and me to do a short profile video interview at our studio. Cozmo is riveting in life and on camera. Before anything else here, please go watch this NJ Discover video. Take 7 minutes and a few seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo960SxQOSY

After the release of this video, Cozmo intensified his campaign to end the stigma of bipolar. He asked if I could do a follow-up article to our video. This was his life’s mission. I wanted to be there for him. But as a writer, my effectiveness has always been my personal involvement and commitment to a subject. Bipolar was ostensibly not in my life. It would be hard for me to dig into my intestinal lining. Then an epiphany arrived on a cumulous cloud that simultaneously covered a Middlesex County cemetery; it was a realization that a dear special unique cousin is buried (two years ago) nearby. An hour before they buried him, his son, my second cousin, told me that my cousin was bipolar. It hit me like a mallet on my cranial soft spot now hardened. The world was crystal clear and strangely painful because I never knew in the six decades we were living cousins that he suffered from bi polar. And then Cozmo’s life mission to end the stigma of bipolar really hit me hard.

Everything made sense now. The stigma of bipolar hugely affected the relationship I had with my cousin. There were times of unpredictability and erratic unexplained behavior. I was hurt, dismayed and pulled away from the cousin I loved so much; sometimes for a decade. My cousin was me. I was him. To be just like him, I changed my whole life career path. He was older and wiser and I had to do anything to be close to him. The stories I could tell. Not now.  Then a few years ago, I got a call he was passing. We hadn’t seen each other in years; more unexplained behavior on his part. I visited him for the last time. It was strained and awkward but I made him laugh. I was empty, sad and never could figure him out. I loved my cousin but he always pushed away. Now I know and understand. He was bipolar and it was a stigma so he could never confide in me.  I am so grateful to Cozmo for getting me to think, feel and grasp his life’s mission; to end the stigma of bipolar. I remember when Michael Corleone touched the hand of his father Don Vito (The Godfather) in the hospital and said, “I’m with you now pop.”  And I said to Cozmo when I realized all this, “I’m with you now Cozmo.”  If only there was no stigma, and I knew all about my cousin, what wonderful life moments we could‘ve shared with transparent understanding.  I’ve taken a lot of time to develop all this stuff lining my stomach with emotion; it’s to help Cozmo’s cause.

A few weeks ago, snow was flurrying around, Cozmo came and sat around my kitchen table and we talked his mission, emotions and deep feelings. It’s my job now to harvest those words. It’s not going to be a bumpy night but a fascinating look into an intense tough guy and where this mental stuff came from.

“How and when does all this turmoil in your life begin?”  I knew some of the general background. Cozmo’s voice kicked up an octave. ” My biological father commited suicide by hanging himself. I’ve seen my first step father beat my mother. They were together for many years but never married but he also forced himself on her. He even threw a TV stand at his own mother; the product of a violent environment. I’ve seen him beat a guy over a parking spot. My first stepfather shot my second stepfather with a 22. Later the same day, he drove up to Mooanchie, New Jersey and killed himself inside of a Pontiac Bonneville with the same weapon. My first stepfather was the guy when my mother yelled, “Dad wants you,” I started crying. I didn’t know what was going to happen. That’s where my problems dealing with people and authority figures came from. That’s all I knew, how to survive.”

My wife, a former teacher, and preparer of lunch, asked, “What about school.” “I actually was a good student.” I wasn’t surprised about that. His eloquence and grasp are wonderful intellectual gifts.  “I was the guy that would hang out with the international students. I hate to say I felt pity but I wanted to protect them. My best friend was from Taiwan. We’d go to have lunch in a nearby cemetery to get away from the ghetto kids. He looked up to me. I was his protector. It made me feel better to help people.”

“I lived in this little cubicle. No one messed with me cause I knew who I was. Maybe that’s part of bipolar.” Cozmo talked about travelling the world. He loves castles; maybe that’s why he’s going to Prague in June.  Suddenly he was talking about cutting two people out of his life because of negativity and hypocrisy. And he recently wrote President Obama in the White House three times. Cozmo wants to sit down and enlist his help to end the stigma of bipolar. He reasoned that his second term is winding down and that he’d have more time now. Yes, if anyone can accomplish that, it’d be Cozmo; I’m a believer in him.  “I’m all about defying odds in life. I sent him a DVD with all my movies. Your NJ Discover interview was part of it too.”

I love his stream of consciousness thought process; rapid fire and bipolar fire; I wondered. Next Cozmo expounded on entering Guinness Records for the AB-Wheel & trying for a  world record, being ranked second in the world in Jiu Jitsu. That should impress the President.  It was shout out time for Cozmo’s sponsor, Scramble Martial Arts, “based in the UK, bringing me on board and sponsoring an old guy. They love my story trying to end the stigma.”

Scramble links as per Cozmo: www.scramblestuff.com         https://www.facebook.com/scramblers/

I asked Cozmo about his social media and growing friendship with WWE’s Mauro Ranallo and fellow bipolar personality. “I’m really excited to meet Mauro and do his podcast. If you think I have energy, he is unbelievable. His retweeting is a by-product of his mania. He is living his dream on overdrive. People’s twitter walls are bombarded.  He flies all over the country. Vince McMahon from WWE hired him.” Since Mauro was five years old, he wanted to work with WWE. Here is that one minute You Tube ‘Smackdown’ video of his joy and excitement of Mauro’s first match as per Cozmo.  Amazingly they met through twitter.  When they do the podcast together, Cozmo can’t wait to see the energy when two bipolar guys get together.  “He is spinning positive light, man.”

 Mauro Ranallo:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZlaq_NUTWU

It was just a matter of time before Cozmo talked about his great- grandfather Mickey Taylor, who was really Michael Consulmagno, but changed his name to the Irish version in order to get paid as a fighter. “Five foot five 200 pound Italian guy; 175 fights; only got knocked out once; and mauled Max Schmeling who knocked out Joe Louis. He beat Schmeling so bad, he was sent out of the camp. He died young; heart problems.”  It was a good segue to talk about racism and what his great-grandfather experienced being an Italian immigrant. “I get along with everyone but racism exists. My great-grandfather was feared in every boxing division. They ran away from him. But he had to hide his Italian heritage and blend in pretend Irish because of racism.”

“What about bipolar; Are there tell-tale signs?” “I’m not a doctor. But it’s erratic speech; going off on a tangent, trying to get so much out.” I thought to myself, how that was Cozmo but in a peculiar way, that seemed to endear him to me.  “I got fired by one company three times and brought back a fourth time.  They couldn’t deal with my antics. But I made them money. Maybe I have a little anger now because I’m fighting so hard.”

“No one talks about hyper sexuality and it’s hard for me to be with one woman.  And going way back in my memory, there was something you could call sexual abuse. I remember my grandfather touching me inappropriately. My uncle got wind of it and we never saw him again. And no one talks about debt and erratic spending. I’ve been in debt multiple times and got out. Funny everyone talks PTSD to me but not bipolar and I can control PTSD by controlling the triggers but not bipolar. I’m pushing so hard because my story is 100% legit.”  He thought for a moment then fired away trying to define his bipolar for me. “The sleeping disorder; I broke two cribs as a kid. When my step-father pushed me down the stairs, I was in a body cast and maybe that led to PTSD. When I’m in bed now, I have my head phones on and rock back and forth. Even after training, I still have energy. I don’t know if it’s the bipolar.”

Going off on a tangent, catching me by surprise, he mentioned his mother. “They used to call her the black widow. Two men committed suicide over her. When I tell this, it almost sounds like a fairytale and I’m making it up.”    Cozmo chuckled sardonically for a moment.  So I asked, “Did your mother try to protect you from all your abuse by your father and step-father?”  “By the time she settled in with the third guy, she went after me, telling me to get out. She wasn’t like that prior.” I shook my head in disbelief. So did my wife. Cozmo picked up on the head-shaking. “My mother’s brother was a real pimp; had the big hat with the feathers and purple outfit. He looked just like the Captain Morgan guy. He got one of the hookers pregnant and he died of heroin in California.”

Swirling around sensibilities, staring at a smiling Cozmo, I marveled at his calm adjustment to such trauma while he talked to us. I again thought what an amazing driven person, devoting his life for others, trying to end the stigma, but having endured so much. I thought about the universe; being grateful to have met Cozmo; a lot of things in perspective for me. I told him there is a movie waiting to be made.  I wanted to just keep talking, absorbing him; many lessons about life now knowing Robert Cozmo Consulmagno.  All the while we talked, my mind wandered erratically. I remembered to ask him about meds and bipolar. He was firm, emphatic. He took meds for a short period but got permission to stop; needed his mind and body to be clear, functioning and natural as best it could be. He does counseling a lot. A special human being was sitting next to me; a new friend for the long haul.  I’ve done my due diligence here, painting his picture and sharing the etiology of his dream to end the stigma of bipolar. Next was how to end this interview/article.

Here goes.  “One last question for you, Cozmo;  “before I leave this earth, I won’t be satisfied until I…..”” He took just a second to answer, gently smiling, “Until I am the face of PTSD and bipolar.”

COZMO CONTACT INFO AND PLEASE CONTACT HIM:

supercrazycozmo(Twitter)

Website  http://www.supercrazycozmo.com

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/supercrazycozmo

 CALVIN SCHWARTZ CONTACT INFO:

Calvin Schwartz:  https://www.facebook.com/cal.schwartz.5             http://www.vichywater.net/

Twitter:  @earthood    Instagram:  cal_schwartz  

  Linked In:  Calvin Schwartz    

NJ DISCOVER VIDEO SPOTLIGHT ROBERT “COZMO” CONSULMAGNO; A Passionate Advocate/Patient for Mental Health (PTSD-Bipolar), World Ranked Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion, US Marine Veteran, Victim of Child Abuse and Fascinating Personality. HINT: Take 7 Minutes, WATCH the video and absorb this Dynamic Persona.    bY Calvin Schwartz November 24, 2015

Life is curiously synchronistic. Writing this, I’m thinking of an old TV Show, ‘Candid Camera’, when some of the verbiage consisted of “Just when you least expect it.”  It was a August mid-summer night’s dream, warm and breezy when comedian Mike Marino called and invited me to hang out with a gang of old Jersey City guys, assembling at Barnacle Bill’s in Rumson, mostly to hear Mike’s brother, singer Paul Marino and his band perform.  The Jersey City guys were seated in the back of the restaurant in a quiet little table. I felt Damon Runyon was nearby. I sat next to this ripped, powerful looking guy wearing an intimidating ‘The Warriors’ black tee-shirt. Cozmo’s look worked; I was intimidated.  Consulmagno  was born in Jersey City.

Then that funny thing happened when I least expected it.  After talking to Cozmo for a few minutes, while the rest of table engaged in Jersey City memories, I discovered that he is a sensitive, eloquent, passionate, yet quintessentially really tough, engaging and caring guy with a lot of baggage.  As he talked to me, I sat in disbelief; he was abused as a child; his father committed suicide, his step father beat him and his mother relentlessly. To escape and find an inner peace, he enlisted in the Marines and left the Marines honorably discharged with commendations and PTSD and an active Bi-Polar condition. I also had this sixth journalistic sense that one day I’d do a video and article about Consulmagno. And here we are; Déjà vu is all around.

You all should watch this seven minute video to experience the charisma and charm of Robert “Cozmo” Consulmagno. You’ll probably come away thinking like me; there is a Hollywood movie waiting to be made. He is actually precious, dynamic and unbelievable. His story cries out to all those who’ve yet to see or know him. Yes, he has PTSD and Bipolar. Yes, he is a World Ranked Jiu Jitsu fighter.  Yes, he had a grandfather, Michael Consulmagno (aka Michael Taylor) who knocked out Max Schmeling who knocked out Joe Louis. Yes he fights Jiu Jitsu to release that energy of mental disease. Yes, his mission in life is to stay alive and live a long life and to be a spokesperson for mental health and build that legacy. Yes, you all should watch this poignant interview; the best seven minutes spent in a long time. Tara-Jean Vitale and Calvin Schwartz ask the questions behind the scenes.

Also please check out the following Robert “Cozmo” Consulmagno LINKS:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/supercrazycozmo?fref=ts

Website: http://www.supercrazycozmo.com

Watch Emmy Award winning film maker Glenn Holsten’s seven minute film:   “Jersey City native, jiu-jitsu fighter tours old neighborhood and talks mental health”  http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/11/jersey_city_native_tours_old_neighborhood_in_web_f.html

“Marine Vet Says Jiu Jitsu Changed His Life”

http://www.military.com/video/specialties-and-personnel/veterans/marine-vet-says-jiu-jitsu-changed-his-life/4000866956001