[ Elephant trumpets ]
[ Dinosaur growls ]
-Oh let's see if this is gonna hold me.
-Ooh! [ Laughs ]
-Nice landing.
-Hello -Hi
-Hi
-I love your hair. -Thank you.
-Oh, hey, there. -Nicely done.
-Thank you. It's graceful like a butterfly.
-Here?
-I haven't ridden a slide in years.
-Me either.
-What are these things? -I don't know.
I don't know what they are, look like little bottles.
-You want to check them out?
It is a secret scroll.
What do you think it is, Elias?
-"What are three things
you wish you knew when you were younger?"
-[ Sighs ] I think the first thing
would be to try at the right things
and not to try the wrong things.
-Just don't spend too much time trying to fit in.
-Your built-in cool.
You have your own, like, little mannerisms and all that.
-Because we think about all the time we spent when we're little,
all the time I spent trying to straighten my hair
could have been used so much better.
-Second thing is to drink water.
-Oh, wow.
-Well, I just wanted to lose some weight
and I lost over 100 pounds. -Congratulations.
-I used to be over 350 pounds, so...
-100 pounds, man.
-I wish I knew my grandmother's cooking
wouldn't always be around
so that I could commit the flavors to memory.
I know when I was younger you don't really think
about how short and precious life really is.
-"What it something you believe in so deeply
it guides your daily life?"
-Um...for me it is spreading positivity,
and not so much talking about it,
but just living it and this is where it makes me want to...
-Oh, sorry.
-'Cause sometimes when you're around negative people
you have to really find it in you,
you know, to pull out that positivity.
-Always tell the truth and that guides my life daily.
-So you're a pretty honest guy all the time?
-I try to be. I have six kids.
-Six kids?
-Six kids, all straight-A students.
so I must be doing something right.
-Every time that I'm in at a coffee shop
and I see someone get mad at the barista
because they made their drink wrong.
-Yeah, -I like to give the barista
a compliment. -That's awesome.
-And sometimes I think, "Okay, Cathy,
you're overdoing it,"
but you know what, it makes me feel good.
-I have to ask you because I'm not a parent
and hopefully I will be someday.
I'm so scared that I will screw it up.
-Lead by example. You know, be a good person
so they will follow in dad's footsteps.
-I just feel like being one person in a big world,
you think, what kind of difference can I make.
But the truth is, is that
if every single one of us made it a goal
to be positive, oh, my gosh think how happy people would be.
-[ Laughs ] Okay, Ryan.
It says that we need to have a thumb war.
-1,2,3,4. I declare a thumb war.
Thumb. Yeah.
-So how do I declare peace?
I don't like war. How do I declare peace?
-I guess we just put our thumbs together.
-Okay, peace? -Peace.
[ Chuckles ]
-All right, what is the third thing you would tell yourself?
-Hmm. The truth? -Yeah.
-That it's okay to come out of the closet.
-What would you literally tell yourself?
I understand the concept,
but you know how you would say it?
-I'd probably tell myself in code.
You know that thing that you think you are
and you're embarrassed? -Yes.
Don't be embarrassed.
You are it and everyone will still love just the same.
-I spent a lot of my life running from my own disability.
Well, not running, but you know the wheelchair I'll do.
But I thought I need to shy away from this.
And it seems like when I embrace it as part of who I am
and sort of learn lessons from that, then people
are able to connect with it in a really positive way.
And when it gives people hope, then I feel okay with it.
-So how is this whole sandbox experience going for you?
-I mean, I just covered weight, sexuality, and...
-And water.
-Yeah, and water of course. Yeah.
-This was really fun and very unexpected.
-When I'm 52 I hope that I have at least, maybe not six kids,
at least a few.
And I'll remember this conversation.
-It's been great meeting you. -Nice to meet you, too.
-All right.
-Cool.