8 Questions with.........teen journalist Tyler Beltz

Its 12:01 am

 

   Welcome to an another edition of my ongoing interview series,"8 Questions with.....". I started this waaaay back when on another social media site and have re-started it here. The series features people from all over who in one or another have perked my interest. So I ask them to do a interview where they answer the questions themselves,in their own words

     Being a a older adult and living in such a weird world,I often go back when I was a teenager and try to recall what my world was like back then. Was it as dark and gloomy as it appears today? Did my parents think that their teen years were more rugged then mine?
  I admit,I am not overwhelmed by today's generation of youth...they seem more shallow and selfish then ever before. They want things instantly given to them and complain bitterly if something isn't. They are into their cell phones and mobile devices then actually talking to people face to face. But then again,look at the path my generation has left them...huge gaps in race relations,making college a sentence to heavy debt,being forced to work longer and harder with less time for true family bonding times.
 The some things change,the more they stay the same.....but once in a great while,you can be pleasantly surprised by the power of a driven young person. They see a goal and instead of hoping for a short cut to the goal,are willing to work very hard for it. Someone like 17 year old Tyler Beltz. 
  I got a friend request from Tyler on FB,when I checked his friend's list to see if we had mutual friends,I saw he was following several journalist types and guessed maybe he thought I was someone in the industry. I explained I had worked in the music business,he said that was pretty cool and would it be okay if I accepted his request.
  With over 1,750 friends,I didn't think he would even remember me...but I was wrong again about Tyler. He actually was reading my blog about my Lori's ordeal and when he saw the revival of "8 Questions with....",he approached me about interviewing him. I agreed,not every day I get asked....I am always the one doing the asking. 
 So when I felt the time was right,I sat down to write out my questions. I had just lost an interview when the person (who had asked for the interview) decided my softball questions were "too personal". Out of the over 80 interviews I have done,only famed actor Robert Fuller had declined to answer one of my questions. So here I am,do I decide to cancel this interview as well or do I think Tyler can handle some serious questions....I choose the latter and send him my list. 
   Getting the interview back...well with Tyler's very busy summer vacation activities,I didn't know when that would happen...but 6 days later,I got the email and the interview...



I hope you remember Tyler's name...because I think you will be hearing it a lot in the near future.

And now.....8 Questions with.........Tyler Beltz.

Tell us about you...and what is the typical day like in your home?

My name is Tyler Beltz and I am seventeen years old. I am from Oak Park, Michigan and I will be a Senior when we return to school in the fall. A typical day for me in the Summer, is staying up late, sleeping in, waking up and probably watching one of the local news stations to see what the daily breaking news headlines are and the weather forecast for the day.

While still in bed I like to check my phone and catch up on any missed texts, calls, tweets or Facebook or Instagram notifications I may have missed while sleeping. Shower, listening to my favorite radio station --> 98.7 Amp Radio (Yeah, I made the switch). Then once I take my shower, I like to interact with people on my various social media sites and blog. Then somewhere in between working and interacting with people online I manage to squeeze in some time to eat.

You have stated on your FB page you want to be "famous". What does fame mean to you?

• Actually, I think people misinterpret me by saying "I want to be famous." I think part of this reason people think I'm doing this for the fame or the money is because my Twitter handle is @GonnaBFamousTB. Just by looking at the name people think "Hey, That kid want's to be famous." That's beyond the truth...I have been blessed with so many amazing opportunities that I will never forget.
  The story behind my Twitter and Instagram handle is simple. When I first started off on Twitter when I first started Tweeting my handle name was @Tylerdoo711. That name came from my grandma when she created me an AOL, Back when dial-up internet and AOL was the thing. No hard feelings towards AOL, because I still use it as my MAIN email source today. But as I got older I felt that "Tylerdoo" (Yes, the doo was from me being a Scooby-Doo fan) had to go. This life for me isn't about becoming famous or making money. I am happy doing what I do and I could care less about being famous or making money.
  

As a young person,do you get discouraged by the attitudes of older people or do you feel you and your generation can make a difference?

I think people get the wrong idea when they see stuff involving my generation. If you don't look and focus on the negative side of my generation (sex, drugs and crime) then you will see that there are so many Detroiter's and Metro Detroiter's trying to change the way people think about our generation and more importantly the way people think about our city.
I don't get discouraged by the attitudes of the negative society, If so many people weren't so negative all the time then our city, our world, and our society would be a better place. I continue doing what I'm doing and don't let the negative impact what I do. If you have a idea run with it, start something and make a difference in your community or in Detroit. Don't be afraid to start something you vision, as long as you work hard it'll go somewhere.
As cliche as it sounds, it only truly does take one person to make a difference, whether it's starting a recycling group in your neighborhood, picking up trash, picking up cigarette butts and disposing them properly, or doing something like I do and blog about the positive side of our city and highlighting local talent here. You can make a difference.



What do you think of the state of Detroit? What 3 ideas do you feel could help save the city?

The state of Detroit is a mess. It's a mess simply because we continue to let the crooked political people and people that "work" for our city to continue doing the things they do and running the city their way, what's best for themselves. Most people working for our city, if you even want to call it work don't care what the public's opinion is.
I may not be a Detroit resident but I can tell you I care for the city of Detroit just as much as any resident or business worker. We can make Detroit a better place with less violence, making it more safer, bettering our education and making Detroit a place where more people want to visit. I think if we voice our opinion more frequently, stop the senseless violence and work together as a community to clean up neighborhoods and abandoned houses we'll see a significant change. But we can't call it done and over after we do these things, we have to continue working together to do it to other neighborhoods and making sure the neighborhoods we clean up and make nice stay like that.



What three people outside your family have influenced you the most and how did they affect your life?

The three people that have inspired me outside my family would have to be God, Ashley Elyse and Justin Bieber. I know your probably thinking what a interesting combination but let me explain first before you judge me. I am a Christian and I believe in God. Without God I wouldn't be here doing what I love today. God has blessed me with so many amazing opportunities in my life so far and I am anxious to see what he has in store for me next. I am not all about religion, I actually admit I need to start improving on my religiousness and attending Church more.  
The next person would have to be Ashley Elyse. Ashley is an amazing person inside and out. She is the person who started me Teen Corresponding for the online entertainment webshow, "Red Remote" at the U of Detroit Cafe, 1427 Randolph in Detroit. You can catch me teen corresponding / hosting every 3rd Wednesday of the month. Ashley not only is a co-host, but she is also a friend, family member and a role model to me.
She gave me the chance to continue doing what I love and allowed me to grow as a teen correspondent for her online show.. I have been so blessed to have her in my life. She has given me so many amazing opportunities and advice through out my time working with her. She is one the people in this industry that I am very close with and that will always remain. She is off to California to continue living out her dream and once I graduate I will be out there as well living my dream. Good luck Ash, I know you'll do great.
The last person who inspire me is Justin Bieber, I'm not crazy. Justin Bieber has had a similar childhood to mine growing up. Justin was raised by a single parent and it was only him and his mom. Same situation with my life growing up. Justin Bieber has taught me to never give up and always "Believe". Despite what you hear about Justin in the negative spotlight the media shines on him he's a great person and he's always giving back to the community, his fans and to people in need. I'm also a fan of his music, so yeah...You can call me what you want but I'm not afraid to admit that I am a "Guy Belieber". One of my dreams is to meet Justin Bieber and have a sit down interview with him. I will always support him regardless and I pray to God that one day my dream of meeting him and interviewing him will come true.

(*Editor's note...after reading this interview,I think this should be switched. Tyler shouldn't be a fan of Justin Bieber,its Justin who should be a fan of Tyler's. )




Where do you see the future of social media going next?

Social Media is drastically expanding since back in the day when I first had a Myspace or when I had to lie about my age on Facebook because I wasn't 18. Now Myspace is out and Facebook is getting older and older by the day, We have new sites of social communication such as Instagram, Vine and Twitter. My friend Shayla actually sent me a message on Facebook with a link about the ACT college test soon to be digital?
And that just shows you that more and more things are becoming digitalized. Soon I believe technology will be put in place instead of teachers and in the years to come all schooling will be from home on a tablet or laptop and there will be limited teachers just in case students need that one on one learning experience. By the way, while we're talking about social media please like my fanpage at www.Facebook.com/TylerBeltzFanPage , Follow me on Twitter @GonnaBFamousTB and request to follow me on Instagram by searching: GonnaBFamousTB and check out my website www.YoungDetroitShow.WordPress.Com

If asked to volunteer for either a movie shoot,a news story or a political campaign,which would you choose and why?

I would choose to volunteer for a news story because I'm interested in becoming a news anchor and a news reporter. I have been a fan of the news ever since I was younger and that passion for working in the news industry has only grown in the past five years.
I am friends with a lot of local news reporters and anchors and talk to many of them frequently. I'm a fan of all the three major Detroit news stations and can't pick one to watch. I like the different styles and the different way each station reports the news. Every time I'm out and about and I see a news van I make sure I stop by and say hello to whoever is in the van and tell them that I'm interested in becoming a news personality. It's all about contacts and who you know in the industry. My contact list has sky rocketed and I'm always looking for a way to get me in the news studio and watch a live broadcast right there in studio on the sidelines, which I have done already quite a few times.





We just landed in Detroit and we have a day to kill....you're the tour guide....where would we go and what would we do?

If I was a tour guide for a day in Detroit, We would start off by leaving Metro airport and I would take you straight to Downtown Detroit. But forget about me being a tour guide for only a day, We'd have to spend the weekend down here. First we'd stop at the Starbucks located on Woodward and we'd get us some nice beverages, by the way if you can't tell I'm addicted to Starbucks.
Then we'd drink down our beverages and head out to the Detroit Institute of Arts. I just recently visited there for the first time and it was an amazing experience, you learn so much more about our city than you ever thought you knew before going. 
Then we'd make our way to Eastern Market, There's always nice things to buy down there and shows you how the community does business in the city. Then we'd head off and stop by Campus Martius... if it's nice out we'd enjoy the beach theme down there but if it's Winter time we'd throw on some skates and going skating.
Then we'd go to one of the many Coney Islands. Then the next day we'd go to the Michigan Central Station, Belle Isle and the Ford Rouge Factory Tour at the Henry Ford in Dearborn.
Then I'd take you to the U of Detroit Cafe so you could see some amazing local talent perform and do interviews during my show Red Remote. Then the last day we'll take a bus downtown and spend the day there. Taking pictures, sightseeing, looking at the graffiti and then lunch at Hard Rock Cafe in the CompuWare building.

   Pretty refreshing to see the hope for the city's future. It gives one pause to think about our future. To be so determined to be the difference is a rare trait we all could use more of. Detroit has 713,000 citizens within her city limits. We can only hope and pray that are more Tyler Beltz's out there,being a beacon of light to those who look for such a light in such a hard pressed city. Just because you are 17 doesn't mean you can't be the one who leads the way,Tyler is proof of that.

My thanks to Tyler and to you,the reader,who by reading this,are supporting this interview. 
Upcoming interviews are with 

Kenny Helwig of The Emptys
Poet/writer Brad Beneke


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