What do you do if you’re 20 years old and your dad happens to be one of the richest people in the world?

Well, if you’re Paris Hilton, you take daddy’s money and make a career out of having your picture taken while lounging on yachts and Mediterranean beaches, and you party at clubs ’til five every morning. Not a bad living.

Luckily for mankind, not every child of a billionaire chooses to adopt such a tacky lifestyle. If Paris Hilton represents the North Pole on the spectrum of sons and daughters of the world’s wealthiest, Peter Buffett, son of investor Warren Buffett, is the South Pole.

Though his father is said to be the third-richest person in the world, Peter has always considered himself “normal” and has managed to pursue a successful career as a recording musician, award-winning composer and author largely without the help of his father’s fortune.

In an interview about his new autobiographical advice book, Life is What You Make It, Peter said for kids from wealthy backgrounds, mom and dad’s money can be more of a curse than a blessing.

“It’s another version of drugs in a way, a gateway drug – getting everything paid for when you’re in high school and then you get addicted to it and it’s hard to get off it,” he said.

His father gave him $90,000 when he left home which, after dropping out of Stanford, he used to set out on his dream career as a recording musician.

“If I didn’t have [the money] I probably would have gotten a job at a local recording studio or somewhere to get the real-world experience, and I wonder sometimes if I would have gotten further faster because of that. Who knows?” Peter said. “There still is no shortcut. There’s nothing that replaces the continuous, diligent work at the craft.”

In his book, Peter stresses the importance of forging your own path in life. He knows from personal experience that while not everyone around you may be supportive of your choices, doing what you love is a sure-fire way to find out who you can truly depend on.

“If you fall down you find out who the people who really love you are, who really care about you. They’re the ones who will unconditionally say, ‘Go for it, I believe in you,’ or ‘I think you’re crazy, but if you fall down I’ll be there and if you’re a star I’ll be there too, either way it doesn’t matter,'” he said.

Sounds great in theory, sure, but what about right now? Some kids may be pursuing their dreams in college, but for most of us it’s a stepping stone, an interim stage of life between being a kid, looked after at home by your parents, and an adult, able to support yourself and make your own decisions. Can you really “go for it” when you’ve got student loans and a 10-page research paper hanging over your head?

Yes and no, says Peter. “College isn’t for everybody just because you’re ‘supposed to go.’ If you’re not sure at all, taking a year off and working and exploring or whatever can be just as valuable as school. And if you’re interested in certain things where college wouldn’t help but real-world experience would, that’s important too,” he said.

Still, if college is what you’re committed to, the next four years don’t have to be a waiting room for happiness. Armed with our verve for life, passion for the things we love and conviction that we can do literally anything we want, now is the time to make it happen.

“If someone really has that drive, there’s no better time than now, being in college, because you’ll never have the same amount of drive and energy and passion than you will between the ages of 18 and 25. That’s the time to say ‘I’ve got to find myself,'” Peter said. “If you really believe in it you have to say, ‘This is what I have to do for myself and I have to go for it.'”

ROBIN MIGDOL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

UC Davis junior Kevin Wu is best known as “Kevjumba,” the creator and star of comedic YouTube videos about everything from Asian stereotypes to life in college.

But last Sunday, an audience of millions watched as Wu, along with his father and frequent YouTube costar Michael, became “Team Jumba” – one of 11 teams of two people competing on season 17 of the Emmy award-winning television show “The Amazing Race.”

Their challenge? Follow clues to destinations around the world, complete tasks and avoid elimination at the end of each grueling leg of the race for the chance to win the $1 million first-place prize.

Both Kevin and Michael are longtime fans of the show and knew they couldn’t pass up the chance to compete.

“We both wanted to do it,” Kevin said. “If we didn’t do it we probably would have regretted it for the rest of our lives.”

Michael said he was excited for the opportunity to travel, something he doesn’t get to do as often as he’d like.

“I watched the show for a long time and I’ve always liked to travel around the world. It was a great opportunity,” he said. “And the fact that I got to do it with Kevin, together, I thought that it would be a unique experience.”

To apply to be on “The Amazing Race,” teams had to submit a video to the show’s website, said CBS spokeswoman Mallory Mason. Because Kevin was in Davis and Michael was in Houston, Texas, each shot their own parts separately and Kevin edited them together, including clips from his own popular videos.

“It was really simple and they loved it,” he said.

To prepare for the highly physical and sometimes exhausting competition, the Wus said they worked hard before the race to get into the best shape possible. Still, they knew physicality may not be their strong point.

“My dad may not be physically the strongest,” Kevin said. “Our strategy was to use our heads more than the other teams, analyze things, take our time and make the right choices.”

For fans of Kevin and Michael’s YouTube videos, watching the two compete on a reality show will be unlike much they’ve seen from “Kevjumba” before. Kevin said when he announced the news in a video, many viewers were left scratching their heads.

“Most of the people didn’t take it seriously because it’s such a weird thought, and they’re not used to me doing something like this,” he said. “But I think it’ll be exciting for my fans. I think they’re going to love it and I hope they keep tuning in every Sunday.”

For Kevin and Michael, the race will offer a bonding experience like no other. Though they’re both a little nervous about how they will be portrayed on television, they are confident that their relationship is strong enough to carry them through and make “The Amazing Race” a memorable adventure.

“I’m sure that for the rest of my life, I will remember this experience,” Michael said.

“We’re going to be with each other for a really long time, and we have to get used to that and not want to kill each other,” Kevin said. “[But] this was the most ideal situation – if I’m going on the race, I wouldn’t have wanted anyone other than my dad to go with.”

Watch Kevin and Michael on “The Amazing Race 17” Sundays at 7 p.m. on CBS.

ROBIN MIGDOL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Normally during lunchtime, students can be seen grabbing food on-the-go or sitting at a table on the MU patio in the shade with friends, laughing it up.

But on Tuesday, things were different.

A close knit group of students were gathered in the quad at noon, listening to Jesse Barrera, Alan Ladan, and Melissa Cancio, three very talented young people, perform their music.

Most of the audience was gathered at the edge of the stage that had been set up, while others hung back under the trees in the shade, studying or watching from afar with friends. I’ll admit there was no shade where we were. I had noticed some of the die-hard close-knit audience members sweating profusely, but they didn’t seem to mind. Water bottles were on hand so all was well. How far some will go to hear a good song …

Melissa Cancio began the concert with acoustic guitar renditions of three well-known songs by three well-known artists: Alicia Keys, Usher and Aaliyah. She had a sweet voice that was hard to hear from far away under the shade in the trees. But she carried musical notes well and with flair. Acoustic renditions of songs normally played on the radio to a different beat were quite interesting – it provided me with a new appreciation for a different kind of music style. It just goes to show how versatile music really can be.

Immediately following her, Jesse Barrera took to the stage – and the guitar – with his song “Tangled Up”. It had a happy tune, almost gospel-like in its melody. Assisting him on the keyboard piano was Alan, who was mouthing the words while jamming on the keys. They were so into their music the whole entire concert. It was great to see them enjoying what they were doing rather than being nervous or serious. They looked like they were comfortable in their skin and with their music abilities.

In between songs, they were very interactive with the crowd. They got me to laugh and smile a few times. They had a sense of humor and charisma that couldn’t be denied.

I especially enjoyed the introduction of a song in particular where Jesse said, “This is a song for those falling in love … or something like that.” Cute saying and even cuter song!

There was even light clapping during some of the songs. The crowd was really enjoying themselves and showing a lot of love to the performers.

After each song, there was always a good applause from the audience. It wasn’t a forced applause, but rather a kind of applause that couldn’t wait to begin.

My favorite of the concert was “Come to My Door”. It had a very nice, slow, romantic tune to it.

Soon thereafter, Alan Ladan was solo, singing and jamming on his keyboard as usual. He stopped a few times, trying to get the words and timing right. He was all smiles and laughs, like Melissa and Jesse. The crowd embraced all three, so they were quite patient with him getting adjusted at first. He mentioned at the beginning that he wrote the song a half a year ago and that it was based on a conversation he had with a lady friend of his after not seeing her for quite some time.

It was a sweet song to write about a girl. It was jazzy, kind of like funk, but with a Maroon 5-type feel. “Gypsy Girl” seemed like an appropriate title since he hadn’t seen the girl in a while, or so he said. Reconnecting never sounded so nice.

All the songs performed were happy, lively and positive, like the singers. The two last songs included all three singers. Jesse and Melissa harmonized to the acoustic guitar, Alan jammed on the keyboard, and the audience clapped and whooped. Everyone looked like they were having fun on and off the stage.

Overall, a great experience and a great lunchtime. Sign me up for the next lunchtime concert! Although seats and shade would be nice …

LEA MURILLO can be reached at arts@theaggie.org

The Entertainment Council is back this year with new events and a re-organized staff.

Step foot into their office on the third floor of the MU and you’ll encounter staff members: some chillaxing, others hard at work brewing up new ways to spice up your downtime this quarter. Surrounding them are posters from past events such as International Film Week, Singles Awareness Night and a Jimmy Eat World concert. Caps, shirts and Coffee Mate containers litter the tables. Leftover merchandise from past events pile up in cardboard boxes, while the head of an Iron Man piñata hanging on the wall spices up what would otherwise be a standard office space.

“It’s the Entertainment Council’s goal to supply fun and engaging shows for our campus, in both music and cinema,” said assistant director Tim Zamanigan. “We’re working especially hard this year to plan events that will gain us student support and get them excited for events further in the future.”

Seven staff members and dozens of volunteers comprise the entirely student-run organization that has brought artists such as Muse, The Shins and Cake to UC Davis. This year the council will continue organizing concerts, screening movies and putting on dance parties that cater to the student body. All through October, they will host free movie screenings on the quad.

“We just recently got outdoor screen projectors,” said Laura Kroeger, cinema coordinator. “The movies are mostly Halloween-themed and will start at 8 p.m. or sundown, whichever one comes first. We’re looking forward to it and expect a good turnout, based on last year (when we screened Rocky Horror Picture Show). A lot of people came in costume and got really into it.”

Citing one of their aims as looking into more mainstream forms of entertainment, Kroeger said that this year the council is dividing work more equitably while relying on a wider range of support from student volunteers.

“We want to make UC Davis an experience, we want them to utilize their resources and the Entertainment Council is a huge one to escape from the stresses of midterms, papers, finals, relationship problems,” said Perry Sanesanong, director. “Hopefully students can take away a small part of what EC is doing and be thankful for units like the Entertainment Council.”

Sanesanong said the council always needs hands to help for anything from getting food for an artist to posting fliers to just hanging out to gain experience. One perk of volunteering is the free admission to events.

“Volunteer work can typically be anything as simple as watching the line and making sure people stand in single file to helping the band unload equipment,” Zamanigan said. He added with a wink that such work can be “a good chance to get some face time with the stars.”

“I can honestly say I learned a lot from volunteering, which then helped me land the director position. Starting off as a volunteer helps you get a feel of what the Entertainment Council really is,” Sanesanong said.

Students interested in getting involved can drop by the EC office, which Sanesanong says is always open and welcomes random drop-ins. Volunteer meetings take place Tuesdays at 6:30 on the third floor of the MU. Those who can’t make the meetings can e-mail entertainmentcouncil@gmail.com for information about other methods of getting involved.

ELENI STEPHANIDES can be reached at arts@theaggie.org

Despite the common notion that Thanksgiving is more or less an American holiday, there are other cultures that invest in similar practices of joining together and appreciating life’s blessings, such as the Chinese. The Chinese Student Scholar Association (CSSA) is happily bringing that celebrated tradition to UC Davis.

The CSSA will be putting on its very own mid-Autumn Festival, the second-largest celebrated festival in China, at Freeborn Hall on Oct. 3 from 7 to 10 p.m.

The program will include singing, dancing, magic shows and, of course, xiangsheng. This unique Chinese cultural gem is roughly the equivalent of our nightly talk shows. The short comedy includes two speakers talking in a rehearsed dialogue about current events and relevant issues.

“It’s an important day in Chinese culture and family reunions, much like the American Thanksgiving,” said Xiang Lu, who organizes services within the organization. “We wanted to honor that tradition for our international students and allow them to make friends in the beginning of the school year.”

The CSSA is the largest undergraduate Chinese association in the UC system. It is an organization committed to bringing international Chinese students together, while acclimating them into their new American surroundings.

“Our mission is to spread Chinese culture to UC Davis and to have a communication between the Chinese students and other UC Davis students – to show America the value of Chinese culture and to promote those communications,” Lu said.

Even though this festival is one of their biggest events, the members of CSSA also apply themselves in a lot of daily practical uses. “We organize buses to pick up new students from the airport, and also take them shopping occasionally for those without a car,” said Guanyao Huang, president of CSSA.

Because this is the organization’s 10th year, they have decided to take a little artistic license with this year’s program.

“We have a really different program this year. We have incorporated a lot more modern Chinese traditions, with the older traditions as well, and some Western entertainment,” Lu said.

Members of the CSSA will participate in all of the performances. Because they have at least 1,000 members, they had to audition. Each of the 10 programs required at least 10 performances, resulting in more than 300 people auditioning.

“Eventually we chose about 100 performers, and about another 200 volunteered to man backstage,” Lu said.

Even with all of the voluntary help, it still took about three months to organize and prepare for the event.

“The hardest part was communication. There were a lot of people involved, so there were some errors, but for most part things ran very smoothly,” Huang said.

Despite those minimal setbacks, the CSSA strongly believes this will be their best festival yet, and encourage people of all nationalities to embrace the celebration.

“We feel it is also our responsibility to organize the service to reach out to American culture,” said Qi Mo, CSSA’s director of services. “We made sure to include activities that will accomplish this.”

For this year’s festival, all of the performances will be in Chinese and English, and Freeborn will also record the festival in its entirety.

“It’s very Americanized, even with the blend of traditional Chinese performances,” Lu said. “We wanted a more diverse show to appeal to Chinese and English audiences.”

“We really want to show Americans things more related to our newer culture, not just the older traditions, and that we are not behind the times,” Mo added.

The show has already sold 1,200 tickets and is expected to sell out. Tickets are available at the Freeborn Hall box office and are $6 for students, or $4 for a group of eight or more.

BRITTANY PEARLMAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Artist: John Legend and the Roots

Album: Wake Up!

Label: Columbia

Rating: 3

After releasing How I Got Over, The Roots return with R&B singer John Legend for Wake Up!, a collaborative effort and political comment on the rising empowerment in the African-American community.

The album, which was conceived amid Barack Obama’s presidential campaign of 2008, draws on the traditions and legacies of ’60s and ’70s soul, funk and reggae legends. This well-intentioned collection never surpasses the strong originals from which it draws and the same socially conscious messages speak powerfully today as it did 40 years before.

For all of their talent, the tandem did not evolve much of the classics in which they covered. In fact, at times the album sounded incongruous and pedantic though meant for a thought-provoking resurrection of a forgotten era.

Give these tracks a listen: “Compared to What,” “Our Generation”

For fans of: The Roots

– Karen D. Song