Although we often celebrate Black media moguls, we tend to overlook the responsibilities they carry for telling our stories. For Scott Evans, a television personality and media figure, the path to success was not easy. In an exclusive interview, he discussed his rise in the industry and the responsibility he feels to his craft.
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You probably recognize him from his various viral moments stemming from his hit YouTube series, “Guest House.” Most recently, Evans’ interview with the R&B hitmaker Mary J. Blige went viral after the “Family Affair” singer got serious about participating in a Burger King commercial, which almost derailed her career, as we previously told you. But Blige isn’t the first celebrity to be vulnerable about her personal and professional life at Evans’ house. The space he has created continues to allow Black celebrities and leaders an opportunity to relax and have honest conversations that they wouldn’t have elsewhere.
If you ask him, the concept of his successful show dedicated to Black people and culture came naturally.
“I think this is the next step for me,” Evans told us about his show. “This is the thing that makes the most sense. This is the thing that feels like on purpose work… This feels like the most in alignment with my personality and my professional preparation.”
Since “Guest House” first premiered in 2024, Evans has amassed a following of over 250,000 subscribers. And with guests like former Vice President Kamala Harris, Niecy Nash-Betts, Taye Diggs and Aldis Hodge, Evans’ platform continues to grow as a respected show that fills the gaps left by mainstream media, which often struggles to tell Black stories in a meaningful way.
“We created the show for a number of different reasons, but what has been revealed to us in the audience is that this is something that was so overdue,” Evans said. “This was something that we were all missing in such a significant way, and we didn’t have any barriers or gatekeepers convince us that we were missing the mark. We didn’t have to listen to any people who were outside of the intended community to tell us, ‘Well, you really got to do it this way, or you ought to do it this way.’”
Before creating his YouTube show, Evans built a strong reputation through his work as an “Access Hollywood” co-anchor for 11 years. Reflecting on his decade-long career in news and storytelling, he told us that the key to his success has been all about believing in himself.
“It wasn’t really a matter of betting on ourselves as much as it was a matter of trusting our gut,” he added. “It was the only path forward. This was really the only viable space– the only viable next step.”
And while it’s easier said than done, Evans told us it’s all about taking that first step and then taking another one. “Then, before you know it, you’re charting this course, you’re blazing this trail, you’re walking this path.”
While folks can look at his success and think the road was easy, Evans set the record straight on the hard work that has led him to this point. “People talk about how you make it look so easy, it’s like effortless for you,” Evans said. “But it’s effortful! I’m definitely working at my highest capacity within these conversations at home, but the reality is I’ve had more practice. I’ve had more chances, I’ve had more failures, I’ve had more success– both in front of the camera and behind the camera.”
Evans went on to reference Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000-Hour Rule,” which was popularized in his book “Outliers.” At its core, the rule suggests 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” is how you master any craft.
“I want to be undeniable in this space, and if demonstrated success in this space would be hours of repetition, hours of demonstration or practice, then I’m gonna do everything I can possibly do to get those hours up,” he said.
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