Nissue #34: Stuart Schuffman, Travel Writer, TV Host, Newspaper Columnist, Angelic Troublemaker.
I first met Broke-Ass Stuart when Yelp was first starting up, way back in 2005. I had come across an actual printed ‘zine of his, with crazy local recommendations and attitude to match, and remember thinking that he was the sort of personality-driven reviewer that I wanted yelpers to emulate.
We became fast friends (and still are), collaborating a few times over the years. I could always count on him to keep San Francisco interesting. It’s been wild to see his career shoot off in so many directions — voluminous writer, talk show host, mayoral candidate, the poster child for budget travel — pushing boundaries as only a true provocateur can.
We certainly took different paths in promoting what’s local, but I do think we were chasing the same dream. If we were to make a Lethal Weapon musical together, I’d proudly be Danny Glover to his Mel Gibson.
Nish: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Stuart: Any day where I spend very little time looking at my computer or my phone. The other weekend I took acid with some friends and walked the entirety of Golden Gate Park, and it was pure bliss.
More specifically though, a day of perfect happiness would be exploring a new city on foot with my wife Kayla. We’d meet up with my family for lunch then go to a fancy hotel for a nap. Afterward, we’d connect with good friends for dinner and drinks, and that would be followed by some kind of party filled with smart and fascinating new people to meet and talk to.
Nish: What was your worst job ever?
Stuart: I’ve had so many weird, short-term jobs. But I’ve actually never worked in an office. So maybe my worst job isn’t as terrible as most people’s. I had a job at the science library for a little while when I was at UC Santa Cruz, and it was incredibly boring. My whole job was picking up loose books, checking them back in, and then putting them back on the shelves where they were supposed to go. If it had been a regular library, I may have enjoyed it more because I love reading. But these were all technical science books and I didn’t care about them. I started entertaining myself by slipping random anonymous notes into books that said stuff like “Wanna see naked photos of your mom?”
Nish: What was your first job ever?
Stuart: It was at the Round Table Pizza in University City in San Diego. I was 15 and a bunch of my friends worked there. I made pizzas and kinda hated it. I only lasted like 1.5 months.
Nish: What was your best job ever?
Stuart: When I look back on my life, I have to admit, that I’ve been paid to do some pretty incredible things. I went to Ireland for 2.5 months to write about it for Lonely Planet. I’ve written three travel guide books. I had my own TV show on IFC called Young, Broke & Beautiful where I traveled around the US exploring the weird and wonderful. My writing has been translated into four or five different languages and I’ve had columns in publications like the SF Examiner and the SF Bay Guardian.
I’ve basically gotten to turn my passion for writing, traveling, and performing into my job and it’s pretty incredible. Sure, it’s also a terrible way to make a living (ahem… dear readers, please join my Patreon), but my life is pretty beautiful.
That said, my best job may have been working at Baskin Robbins in High School. I got high in the walk-in freezer, traded ice cream for pizza and sandwiches, and sold happiness for a buck a scoop.
Nish: What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Stuart: I have this weird mantra I say to myself that goes, “You’re not as good as you think you are, but you’re better than you allow yourself to be.” And that pretty much sums it up. I often don’t think I’m living up to my potential, but I sure as hell act like I am.
Nish: What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Stuart: Greed in all its many forms. Whether it’s lust for power or thirst for money, greed is the central issue ruining our world. There are enough resources and money out there so that every single human on earth could eat well, live well, be healthy, and do it all while avoiding a climate crisis. But a handful of very wealthy people and corporations are focused on continuing to enrich themselves instead. And the people who are desperately stepping on their fellow humans just so they can try and become one of these super-wealthy individuals might be even worse. And all that shit trickles down. So that greed impacts society on every level.
Nish: What’s some advice you’d give to yourself at 23?
Stuart: After my NYC book came out, my publisher suggested that we hire writers in Boston and Chicago to do Broke-Ass Stuart guide books for those cities. I turned them down because the margins were so small and I would’ve made very little money. It’s one of the few regrets of my career. Who knows, Broke-Ass Stuart could’ve turned into something like Thrillist.
But other than that, I’d tell my 23-year-old self to start an IRA account ASAP. Making a living in the arts is a great way to have a rich and fulfilling life, but a shitty way to ever retire.
Nish: What is your greatest extravagance?
Stuart: Fancy fucking cheese! Some people talk about “Netflix and Chill”, I’m all about Netflix and Cheese, which is just me sitting in my underwear watching Netflix and eating incredible cheese.
Nish: You have exclusive dinner reservations for 4 excluding family and close friends, who are the 3 people (alive, dead or imaginary) you’d invite?
Stuart: Leonard Cohen, Muhammad Ali, and Andre 3000.
Nish: What is the theme song of your professional life?
Stuart: Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U” (the "I'm a hustler baby" song).
Nish: What is your motto?
Stuart: One of the finest forms of rebellion is living an unconventional life.
Nish: What is something you’re really excited about right now?
Stuart: Did I mention my Patreon? Real talk: it single-handedly kept BrokeAssStuart.com alive during the pandemic. Without it, we would’ve 100% folded which would sadly mean there’d be one less independent voice out there sticking up for the little guy. The future of journalism and many other parts of the arts, is, and unfortunately has to be, reader/fan supported. So, my everlasting project is thinking of creative and clever ways to get folks to realize that it costs money to make the things they consume for free.
Besides that, though, I’ve got a project I’m REALLY excited about that I can’t disclose at the moment. I don’t like to talk about things that aren’t actually happening yet. Partially because I don’t wanna be someone selling wolf tickets, but also because I’m weirdly superstitious in this arena.
Oh yeah, and I started doing Tiktok! Check me out right here! **whispers** I’m still very much a 40-year-old guy trying to learn what the youngsters are doing.
End Interview.
