"I was supposed to be a doctor. Then the entertainment industry made me a better offer—& everything got way more interesting."
I’m Derek A. Chandler: creative producer, storyteller, media strategist, & co-host of the Double Good Mojo Show, the long-form video podcast I created with my wife, Maria Chandler, exploring comedy, consciousness, human potential, & the art of living well.
I grew up in New Orleans & was headed toward medicine when legendary television executive Brandon Tartikoff saw something in me that a stethoscope would have buried. He redirected me to Los Angeles & the entertainment industry.
Brandon shaped my understanding of storytelling, audience, & execution at scale. Our work included original projects such as an unproduced Rodney Dangerfield sitcom, where I served as co-executive producer. Emmy-winning director James Burrows—whose work includes Cheers, Will & Grace, & the Kelsey Grammer executive-produced comedy series Girlfriends, starring Tracee Ellis Ross—deepened my instincts for comic timing, character, & what makes audiences respond. Training at The Second City sharpened the adaptability & risk-taking that continue to run through my work.
In 1996, Deepak Chopra invited me to the opening of his center in La Jolla & later to a private family gathering in Goa, India. Those experiences expanded how I think about awareness, performance, & human potential. Around the same time, I chose to abstain from the alcohol culture—while still in New Orleans. Begin my journey as a longevity and wellness enthusiast. Informed the lens through which I create.
My work spans creative development, executive production, strategic partnerships, documentary, & media strategy. I have developed & pitched unscripted concepts w/ talent attachments to major agencies, working alongside Sandy Grushow, Stuart Benjamin, Howard Lapides, & John Ferriter. I also produced & narrated a documentary on post-Hurricane Katrina recovery in New Orleans & created lifestyle + interview video content before video podcasting reached its current cultural prominence.
Today, Maria & I co-create and executive produce Double Good Mojo. I create the conditions for real conversation: helping guests open up, making complex ideas feel like dinner conversation, & knowing when to let a moment breathe.
My work is shaped by a lived interest in peak performance, decision-making under pressure, human potential, wellness, longevity, reinvention, comedy, & personal evolution. These are not categories I researched. They are territory I have lived—& continue to explore, on and off the mic.