It’s no secret that Brooke Burgstahler has a handle on her career. You might recognize the actress and writer from appearances in series like General Hospital and Black-ish. The day in and day out of auditions, and the rough process of always hearing no, left Brooke wanting more. She expanded her creative mind and started a blog called Budding Mind in early 2020 to fulfill her inner craving for an outlet. The blog features posts about how cannabis is used all over the world, the science behind the plant, and even cannabis gift guides. It is perfect for the rookie who is wanting to learn about cannabis and the long-term stoner as well. The growing popularity of the blog threw Brooke into the cannabis media world, opening doors for her career. She now hosts the Marijuanna Morning News, a daily news show on Instagram sponsored by industry pioneer BigMike and his flagship brand Advanced Nutrients, where she highlights major news events within the cannabis world.
Honeysuckle got the chance to ask Brooke about starting a show in quarantine, what the future holds for her career and the healing power of cannabis.
Brooke Report: Broadcasting the Wide World Of Weed
You have appeared in so many popular television shows; what inspired you to become an actress?
Acting came about due to a societal influence of a creative and abundant lifestyle. Then once I got into the field of acting I found that comedy is my sweet spot and near and dear to my heart. That’s because there is a certain level of higher intelligence and human understanding required with being a comedian. It’s also a form of emotional processing by making a joke of something, it enables me to move through it with a certain level of humbleness and more grace than I think I would if I took everything so seriously.
Do you find that you have a lot of dark humor?
Absolutely, my homeopath was reminding me the other day that people who have such bravado in their expression in life and are comedians have that level of ability because they have experienced the opposite side of the coin, which is the bottom of the well, sadness.
How did you initially get involved within the cannabis world?
I started off as an actress and went to college for broadcast journalism. Then after school I moved to LA and I had that thought that I was going to be the lead on a show right away. I was quickly humbled by the reality of the industry. This plan continues on within me, but this experience also opened me up to a plan B, which was within the cannabis space. I then returned to journalism and became a cannabis reporter. Weed has been my consistent sister throughout all of this time.
Within acting and Budding Mind, what is your favorite or most epic achievement?
I would say right now what I am working on. I am working on a daily show called Marijuanna Morning News and I got that job right before COVID. Initially, we had tons of other ideas for what the production would look like. But what it ended up looking like is me shooting on a green screen. My boyfriend is a director and a shooter and we started working together on this. I am able to write, produce and host a show from my second bedroom that I am really proud of.
What are your hopes for the future?
I want to be like the Conan, Colbert or Chelsea of cannabis and wellness. I would love to see mainstream media pick up a daytime or late-night talk show that opens up and enables the conversation about how to increase your wellness in a fun, digestible, mainstream way. Believe it or not, I do have hopes and dreams outside of cannabis. But these dreams connect with cannabis in a way.
I am a daily cannabis consumer but I really support people doing their own research and formulating their own prescription with cannabis. Not just ripping dabs and smoking blunts because you think it’s cool or someone else is doing it; maybe weed actually isn’t for you [in that case]. I support all of those things because I want to help people embody the softer side of cannabis.
What are your favorite cannabis products?
I grew my own weed this year in quarantine. That was my quarantine activity, I ended up growing six healthy babies. Now I have an abundance of flower from that. But outside of that, Lake Grade – they are organic California-grown cannabis. I also like The Root of It All, a tincture company. Each tincture is specifically designed for a different body composition or activity.
What is next for you?
The main thing I am super excited about is that in March I will have a podcast coming out for Budding Mind. It is coming with its own production issues because I am trying to do everything remotely.
What are you most excited and ready to do when the pandemic is over?
I will be very excited for the day when I can actually interview people person to person. I love connecting with people and can’t wait to do that again.
As you’ve been delving into research for Marijuanna Morning News, which story you’ve reported on has shocked you the most?
One story that I love is that with legalization happening within states, canines who are trained to smell cannabis are going into early retirement. The dogs that are trained to smell weed can only smell weed, and now that they don’t need them, they are able to go into early retirement. I also have been really interested in the ancient practices and uses for cannabis in a myriad of different cultures. It’s so interesting how cannabis shows up in ancient texts such as bhagavad gita and Greek mythology. We have been intrinsically tied to this plant since the beginning stages of our existence and I have been really interested in uncovering those stories and sharing them.
