Alyssa Shapiro has a pretty good gig.
The writer and photographer is the creator of One Joint With, a new interview series during which she shares a joint with a celebrity or influencer. Her goal is not only to have a "higher conversation" with her subjects about weed but also to delve deep into their personal lives.
In her interview with Fetty Wap, the rapper talks about losing an eye to glaucoma, the loss of his grandparents, and finding a way to love himself. When she shared a joint with Caroline Vreeland, the Instagram star shared that the man she's in love with voted for Trump and that it's "fucking her life up." When she smoked with The Florida Project's Bria Vinaite, the actor talked about living on her own as a young teen, the first time she tried weed, and her new-found success. In other words, Shapiro has discovered the ultimate truth serum. Pass it on.
We spoke to Shapiro about how she started the series (hint: Wiz Khalifa and lots of pot), her favorite strain, and her dream subject.
You ask this first question to your subjects: when was the first time you got high?
It was a late summer evening in college. My friend’s boyfriend chauffeured us around town and to a drive-through taco spot in his boat-y dad-Jag. I’m sure I’ve never laughed so hard.
Favorite kind of person to share a joint with?
Someone who laughs easily. Who’s thoughtful and engaged.
Favorite strain?
If I could, I’d always choose a responsibly and organically-grown sativa from a farm employing those who’ve been pardoned for non-violent cannabis offenses. California is working on clearing those criminal records, and I wish the rest of the country would follow suit. That said, in college, my roommate made friends with the medical dispensary delivery guy, and he used to bring her strains he was personally working on, and whatever he was doing was wild.
How did you get the idea to start “One Joint With”?
During an interview with Wiz Khalifa, who was essentially hotboxing the tent where interviews were held that day. He seemed very relaxed, I got a contact high, and it clicked as a way to really talk with people I was interested in. Smoking weed often allows for more open conversation, more vulnerability, even a shared sense of community or comradery. People tend to be more real when they’re high.
Did your weed smoking ever get you in any kind of trouble?
Nope! TBD though.
Weed is slowly being decriminalized and legalized across the country - the public is noticing it’s health benefits and the government is seeing it as a way to make serious money - how does One Joint With contribute to the narrative of acceptance of weed culture?
By seeing people who are making incredible contributions to our society, whether through art, food, music, film, writing, leadership, ideas—relaxing, smoking a joint, having a chat, I hope it’ll decrease any stigma. I’m always trying to better understand our collective humanity and consciousness through interaction with others. This is a way in to have more conversations. And more conversations mean more connection, which, an ideal world, means less ignorance.
