Dan Cortese - Step Off: My Journey from ‘Mimbo’ to Manhood

1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 13
3. Chapter 16
4. Chapter 18
5. Chapter 23
6. Chapter 33

Dan is a legend. Growing up in Pittsburgh during the 80s and 90s, it was all about MTV and Rock n' Jock. My friends and I always loved that Dan flew his home town flag proudly and I always paid attention and was proud whenever he showed up on TV. He always looked like he was having so much fun and after reading Step Off! apparently, he still is!

Joe Manganiello, actor and producer

Dan has always been an intelligent, cool and fun guy. Step Off! allows you to take a front row seat to Dan's hilarious, insightful, and wisdom filled account of how he navigates the ups and downs of Hollywood, life and fatherhood.

Heather Dubrow. TV personality, author and host of Heather Dubrow's World podcast.

When I was an athlete in college I and all my friends wanted to be Dan Cortese. He was the coolest guy with the greatest job living the dream. We knew the guy we saw on tv but years later after getting to know Dan and reading his book I discovered that the real Dan Cortese is even betterdeeper, more reflective, funny, loving and spiritual. Step Off! is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I loved learning how Dan became the icon he is but my favorite part was learning about the man he's become. Read this book! You will love it!

Jon Gordon, best-selling author of The Energy Bus and Training Camp.

Congrats to Dan on writing this book! As a fellow MTV alum, I loved hearing about his journey and life lessons with all the 80s and 90s references sprinkled in those were the days even if some of the outfits are regrettable! We've known each other both as MTV neophytes and later as Malibu parents. What has always been apparent is Dan's penchant for fun and his why not? approach to life. Thanks again for reminding us that the glass is half full and giving us some great laughs along the way.

Cindy Crawford, model and entrepreneur

Heartfelt, hilarious, reflective and on point, Step Off! moved me from start to finish! As a brand new father, the message and timing of this book could not be more divine its spiritual without being spiritual it provokes without being preachy and Cortese's positive outlook and focus on gratitude was a great reminder of how to be human and in Dan's case, a very good one. His message of hard work, discipline and grace made me evaluate my own life and consider what it means to be a man. His openness and positivity will help others embrace their vulnerability and that's a gift. And make no mistake, he ain't no mimboDan's the real deal and this is an absolute must read!

Jonas Elrod, writer/director of Wake Up In Deep ShiftConscious Animal

DAN CORTESE

Copyright 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Cortese, Dan, 1967- author.

Title: Step off! : my journey from mimbo to manhood / Dan Cortese.

Description: First edition. | Hoboken : Wiley, 2020. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020004338 (print) | LCCN 2020004339 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119653479 (cloth) | ISBN 9781119653462 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781119653486 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Cortese, Dan, 1967- | ActorsUnited StatesBiography.

Classification: LCC PN2287.C6315 A3 2020 (print) | LCC PN2287.C6315 (ebook) | DDC 792.02/8092 [B]dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020004338

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020004339

COVER IMAGE: COURTESY OF ENDEAVOR

COVER DESIGN: PAUL McCARTHY

This book is dedicated to my children, Roman, India, and Enzo. You are the lights that ignite my soul and the love that fills my heart. I am blessed and honored to be your father.

(January 6, 19949:00 p.m.) An episode of the sitcom Seinfeld titled The Stall aired on NBC's Thursday night, Must See TV lineup. Like so many people, it was my favorite show on television at the time, and I was making my sitcom debut on this particular episode. I was portraying Elaine's somewhat-vapid, thrill-seeking boyfriend, Tony, who was armed with a catchphrase symbolic of the 1990s. Step off! Was I excited? As I was taught to say at the University of North Carolina, You're darn tootin', fig newton!which I believe means, yes. As far as television street cred went in the 90s, there was none better than appearing on Seinfeld. Obviously, there was no social media at the time, so if you wanted to get yourself out there and recognized as a comedic actor, this was the transcendent show to do it on.

Somewhere around the 6:41 mark in the program, a new word was introduced into pop culture folklore. Jerry and Elaine were sitting in his car discussing the reason she was dating Tony. Jerry was adamant it was only for his looks, then he uttered the line, Elaine, he's a male bimbohe's a mimbo. The line got a huge laugh and rightfully so, but little did I know, that word spoken on that night would change my life forever.