While I can say nothing about Mailon Rivera's skills as an Actor, I would like to share my experience with him as a Mentor. I met Mailon Rivera at the gym in June 2009 when I moved to a large complex in Culver City. I did not know anything about my new neighbor, but later on that day I discovered a paper airplane on my balcony and learned that it was a lovely note from him with his phone number. I called him, and a few days later he came over to my place for a visit. Mr. Rivera was very charming and spoke a lot - mostly about himself. He seemed extremely proud of himself. In fact, he seemed so excited to show off that he went to my computer, googled his name, and saved his 'official website' as one of my bookmarked favorites.
A couple of days later, I decided to check out his website which stated that the "universal minded...Mr. Rivera [is] an activist, speaker and mentor" and that he helps others, "inspiring and motivating [them] to rise above and be the best they can be." I was happily surprised that he was a Mentor because at that time I was looking for someone to provide for me feedback on my latest manuscript. I sent him an e-mail asking him whether he would be interested in making a deal to provide me with such feedback and he responded: "Yes." Mr. Rivera informed me that he would be going to New York for a couple of weeks so he picked up my manuscript and a $250 check on June 23th. A few hours later, I received a phone call from my bank to let me know that he was cashing my check. I was especially surprised because he had told me that he was extremely busy that day, but I guess he was not too busy to cash the check right away!
Two weeks later, I e-mailed him to ask whether he could provide me with some timetable for the feedback process. Mr. Rivera told me to be patient and explained that he would be back in LA the following week so we could meet then to further discuss the matter. That never happened, since that next week I learned that there was a delay and that he would be coming back another week later. Finally, after numerous delays, I received a text message on August 24th (two months after we had made our feedback deal. His text message read: "I will call as I touch down in LA."
Fast forward to today. It's already been eight months since Mailon Rivera cashed my check and I have not yet received a phone call from him. He had ignored my text messages, so I finally decided to e-mail him on September 3rd, simply asking for some timetable regarding the feedback deal we had made. His response to me: "I really don't appreciate your tone nor do you have any right to demand anything." Oh, so how nice... He took my manuscript and my money, and then tells me that I have no right to demand anything? So should I now think that he made a phony 'feedback deal' with me because he was short on money? It's NOT okay, so I hope that different kind of actor - Mailon Rivera - gives me my manuscript and money back!
Amanda
