Maude Garrett Talks About How She Turned Being a Geek into a Career

I've been a fan of Maude for years so it was an honor to get to talk to her about how she got started and what advice she had for future entertainers.

Jason: How did you first get involved with the entertainment industry?

Maude: I auditioned for a nation-wide search for a music channel back in 2005 in Australia and it led to my first job in TV, hosting a series called Camp Orange on Nickelodeon! Even thinking that was 15 years ago makes me a little nauseated! I've been a host for a living since 2007, which is insane.

On SourceFed you did a little of everything; hosting, writing, acting. Which was your favorite?

The notion of staring at a blank page with a limited amount of time to create words of brilliance is not my favourite thing, even though it occured daily at that job! The hosting was the best part, for sure. SourceFed's success was due to the incredible chemistry between the hosts. We easily bounced off the other, were on the same page and gelled incredibly well, whether it was scripted or just chatting on camera.

As a self-proclaimed nerd, what movie or gaming franchises make you “nerd out” the most?

The Legend of Zelda franchise will always hold a special place in my heart; Ocarina of Time just floored me as a kid. Everything about the game - the music, gameplay, story, music score - I fell in love. It's the game that made me a gamer. I maaaayyy have gotten a triforce tattoo on my finger. I love that it represents power, courage and wisdom!

How did you decide to start Geek Bomb?

I was freelancing in Australia in 2012 and due to the limited amount of hosting jobs available, I was being told by my agent to tone down on 'talking about geeky things', else it could cost me work. Me? Stop talking about video games and Star Wars? NEVER. Thus Geek Bomb was born! It was initially a blog, which was supposed to be a podcast, which ended up being a video/social network and has grown ever since!

You’ve interviewed countless celebrities, do you have a favorite moment?

There's just something about interviewing Charlize Theron. She exudes the best attitude and vibe. Like she's not taking too seriously and is ready to sass you or laugh with you, but is also so captivating and inspirational. Every time I've interviewed her, I feel like I level up as a person.

What’s something you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career?

Even if you don't feel ready, don't turn down an opportunity out of fear! I found other people could see a potential in me that I hadn't quite tapped into, and even if I couldn't trust myself to deliver, I wish I'd trusted them more. Instead, someone else was given a chance that I realized in hindsight would have been amazing! Also, and I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but if you have a moment of time to do that task, JUST DO IT.

Do you have any advice for people looking to start a career in entertainment?

Be prepared to work hard first, then learn how to work smart. From my 8 years running a company where I've had to hire and fire a lot of people, I've noticed there are talkers and there are doers. About 1 in 8 or 10 are actually putting in the work on the things they say they're doing. It's those people who I invest in, who will go far! If you say you're going to be a host, then create, write, host and edit that project. But don't just do it once, commit to the series or the weekly regularity of it. Majority of people with an idea will entertain it only for. a moment. They don't last long in the end.

Make sure to follow Maude on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Twitch

and Geek Bomb on Twitter