Meet Sari Cohen

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sari Cohen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sari, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I don’t know if we only have one purpose in life, or maybe it’s just better defined by who we are rather than what we do. I think we have ideas for ourselves early on about what we want to do, who we want to marry, where we want to live, all the things we dream of doing, but as time passes, we outgrow these boxes that we often try to fit ourselves in.

I’ve always been a storyteller, using different vehicles, whether acting, writing, photography, or some other creative outlet, to express emotion. In my early memories as a child, I loved entertaining and being entertained, but it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I understood why. I wasn’t a stranger to loss, but when I was 15, a good friend of mine committed suicide. After that, my world was flipped upside down. I was a wreck. I couldn’t eat or sleep; I could barely get to school. My poor parents knew I was struggling, and there wasn’t anything they could do to help, but it didn’t stop them from trying.

I was living in New York then, and to cheer me up, my mom would pull me from school one day a month and take me into Manhattan to see a Broadway show. We would get there and grab two tickets to whatever was available. One trip in, the only option we had was “Les Misérables.” For anyone who hasn’t seen it, I’ll just say it’s one of the most heart-wrenching productions to watch. Probably not the best choice for a teenager who was severely depressed. For nearly three hours, I watched what played out on stage and sobbed. I wasn’t crying because of anything I was going through. I was crying because of what I was witnessing. When the lights came on, it was almost like I had woken up, like I had traveled somewhere outside of myself or been transported to another place where I wasn’t inside my head. At that moment, I felt like I had been given the greatest gift I could have ever received. To take someone out of their world and bring them somewhere else, to make them feel something else, that’s one of the most incredible things someone can do. I knew then that was what I wanted to do for others, to help others heal through art – that was my purpose.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I work as an entertainment journalist in Los Angeles. I started this path as a writer, first with a fashion column and then covering music, but at the heart of everything I have always penned is a reason to be inspired. Early on, I fell in love with the art of the interview. That led me to tell stories based on connection – the connection I have with the person I’m interviewing and the connection readers or viewers feel with the person I’m interviewing.

Every Friday and Saturday night, you can catch me on “Hollywood First Look.” It’s a nationally syndicated TV show that airs on cable networks nationwide. It’s the premier entertainment news source in Asian-American homes in the U.S. and Canada. As a little Jewish girl from New York, I’m proud to be one of the show’s diverse cast of correspondents and producers. We give viewers a first look at upcoming films, TV shows, documentaries, and more through exciting original segments and exclusive interviews with Hollywood’s top celebrities. I’m also the head writer and co-producer of INLOVE Magazine. It’s a celebrity, fashion, and lifestyle publication. Our issues drop quarterly and focus on inspiring stories. My articles are mainly on stars I’ve interviewed and include travel stories and sometimes culinary experiences.

In 2022, I was inducted into the Hollywood Critics Association. As a member, my film and TV reviews are highlighted along with other critics. Our year-long work culminates in our annual awards ceremonies. It’s such a special group. The HCA made history as having the most diverse group of critics in the country and I’m honored to be a part of that. In addition, every Saturday, I get to share my love of film, television, and music on 910 AM Superstation-WFDF in Detroit with my fellow Radio Rangers on Greg Russell’s “In The Basement.” You can tune in to hear us on iHeartRadio.

All of my jobs in entertainment have come to be thanks to a collaborative effort. My colleagues and I all share the same passion and heart. Whether I’m at a red carpet premiere, award show, or junket – in-person or over Zoom – I’m always so grateful to have these platforms that allow me to celebrate the world of entertainment in a truly inspirational way. And I’m most thankful for the friends I get to celebrate that with.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, I would say the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge most impactful in my journey were kindness, dedication, and humility.

Anything you do should always come from a place of kindness. If your heart isn’t in it, and your intentions aren’t pure, find something else you are genuinely excited about. The next part of the equation is to work hard at it. The grass is always going to be green where you water it. If you truly love doing something, working 16-hour days (sometimes for little or no money) won’t feel like an obligation; it’ll feel like a privilege. Eventually, persistence pays off, and you’ll start to see that garden that you’ve been lovingly nurturing blossom beautifully before your eyes. The last factor is humility. Humans naturally want to be the best or we think that our circumstances somehow entitle us to a better job or position. But that’s simply our ego trying to make sense of things. To be humble is to know that we are all part of a bigger picture, and while the idea of working in entertainment might otherwise suggest the opposite, it’s not about being the center of attention. It’s okay to lose out, not to get the best spot on the carpet, not get the interview you wanted, not get approved for that event; the real win is in finding what makes you happy and getting to do it every day.

My advice: While striving for something greater is wonderful, never let the present pass over you. It may sound cliché, but the present is a gift. Don’t lose sight of where you are today because you want so badly to be somewhere else in the future. Take the moment you are given and make the most of it.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
I would never be where I am today without the love and support of my parents. My parents gave my brothers and me only one rule growing up: Don’t lie. They always said whatever I was feeling, whatever I did, or wanted to do, no matter what, I should just be truthful with them about it. Being free to make my own choices at an early age without fear made me a little bit more cautious than many of my friends, especially as a teenager. I never felt the need to rebel or do anything I might regret after that wave of impulsivity passed over me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve made my share of questionable choices, but I was always very conscious of my decisions and how they would affect everyone around me. Instilling that level of integrity at a young age taught me the importance of honesty and has allowed me to lead with that virtue in every area of my life.

My parents recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. Both of my brothers are happily married. I’ve got three young nieces and a nephew. My family is my world. But we have not always had it easy. The cards we were dealt have been so terrifying at times; I didn’t always know we’d all be here – let alone be here together. Everyone has their share of struggles in life, but it’s through those moments, through our struggles, I learned the most significant thing my parents ever did for me, for all of us, was show us unconditional love.

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