❝Story02:00
Raised on a Vespa in Greece by Musician Parents
Ben shares how his parents, both performers, traveled through Greece playing music in tavernas for free room and board. As a two-year-old, he would sit on the bar while they played, then sleep between them on a Vespa as they traveled. This unconventional upbringing taught him early that there are no fixed rules for how to live.
- Ben’s parents were traveling musicians who played in Greek tavernas for room and board.
- He traveled with them from age two, often sitting on bars while they performed.
- They slept in rooms above tavernas and moved around Greece on a Vespa.
- This experience instilled in him the idea that life doesn’t have to follow societal norms.
“They would play music in the taverna and travel around like that... they put me in between them on their Vespa with a little hockey…”
#upbringing#travel#family#non-traditional-lifestyle
❝Story04:30
How Rugby Pressure Led to College Depression
Despite outward success, Ben fell into severe depression during college due to intense self-pressure, anxiety over missing a crucial rugby kick, and lack of sleep. He eventually couldn't leave the house, but was pulled out by friends who helped him rebuild confidence and find inspiring people.
- He was on Canada’s under-19 national rugby team and feared missing a critical kick.
- Anxiety and sleeplessness escalated into full depression, leaving him unable to attend school or practice.
- He dropped out and became housebound, internalizing his struggles.
- Friends rallied him to take a summer job, which helped him regain confidence and find new, inspiring people.
“I started worrying about oh crap what if I miss an easy kick at the world cup and what if I blow this opportunity...”
#mental-health#depression#anxiety#college
❝Story17:30
How a Poem Inspired 'The Buried Life'
Ben and his friends planned a road trip to pursue their dreams after college. A poem titled 'The Buried Life,' assigned in a friend’s English class, resonated with their feelings about unfulfilled dreams and became the name and mission of their documentary project.
- The project began as a two-week road trip to pursue personal dreams.
- A friend was assigned the 1852 poem 'The Buried Life' in college.
- The poem spoke to their shared feeling that daily life buries dreams.
- They adopted the name and mission: uncover buried dreams by asking 'What do you want to do before you die?'
“The poem is called 'The Buried Life'... it's talking about the same thing we're talking about—dreams buried by day-to-day life.”
#inspiration#creativity#bucket-list#storytelling
❝Story32:00
How Helping Brent Changed Everything
Brent, a 24-year-old who once lived in a homeless shelter, wanted to deliver pizzas there. Moved by his story, Ben and friends raised money to buy him a truck for his landscaping business—his unasked-for need—deepening their mission of service.
- Brent wanted to deliver pizzas to a shelter where he once lived.
- He had started a landscaping business, but his truck broke down.
- The team had only $480 CAD but convinced a car salesman to sell them a $2,100 truck.
- The salesman also paid for insurance, enabling them to gift the truck to Brent.
“He had lived in that homeless shelter for a couple years... when people came in with food, it felt like someone actually cared.”
#kindness#service#community#impact
❝Story35:30
How We Played Basketball with Obama
With no White House connections, Ben’s team emailed officials and eventually contacted the president’s personal aide. After being rejected, they kept showing up at the White House—until one day, Obama surprised them on the court and played for 15–20 minutes.
- They had no connections and started by emailing politicians.
- They escalated to the Secretary of Transportation, who called the White House.
- After an official rejection, they targeted the president’s personal aide who arranged games.
- Obama unexpectedly walked onto the court and played with them.
“We were shooting around and then all of a sudden I hear my friend go 'Oh my god'—it's the president.”
#persistence#obama#goal-achievement#story
❝Story40:30
My Failed Megan Fox Red Carpet Interview
Ben sneaked onto the Transformers premiere red carpet pretending to be a reporter to ask out Megan Fox. He froze when she said her first boyfriend’s name was Ben, got nervous, and failed to ask her out—airing the embarrassing moment on MTV.
- He posed as a US Weekly reporter with a fake mic and camera.
- Megan Fox said her first boyfriend was named Ben, throwing him off.
- He got nervous and failed to ask her out.
- The moment aired on their show as a humorous failure.
“She's like, 'Oh my first boyfriend's name is Ben,' and I'm like—uh... I completely blew it.”
#humor#failure#celebrity#story
❝Story41:30
How Duncan Asked Out Taylor Swift
To redeem Ben’s failure, Duncan posed as country star 'Boone McCaw' to get close to Taylor Swift at the CMT Awards. After a chaotic fan-driven entrance and being kicked out, Ben snuck in and passed Duncan a note—resulting in a real date.
- Duncan dressed as a fake country star with a mustache and cowboy hat.
- They rented a horse-drawn chariot and rallied fans to storm the event.
- Recognized and kicked out, Ben snuck back in and gave Duncan a pass.
- Duncan passed a note asking her out and later went on a date with her.
“I passed him a note—the note was asking her out—and then he ended up actually going out on a date with her.”
#creativity#persistence#celebrity#story