And in the role of Cliff Robertson...Me

Earlier this year I was in a production of Sunday in New York in Nashville. Last week when I was at the library I found the old movie version of it starring Jane Fonda and Some Guy. The part I played was played by Cliff Robertson. It was interesting seeing the differences in line readings and approaches. It was also interesting that for the film they wrote a lot of extra scenes with Adam (the character I played). I wonder if that's because Cliff Robertson was a big star back then and they wanted him in the film more often, or if they just wanted more of that character. I don't know, and I'm too lazy to research my speculation.

At any rate, it was an interesting viewing. It was an OK movie. The play itself isn't the most brilliantly-written piece of American literature but I liked the changes they made in parts of the film and the way they flushed things out a little more. All in all, I think the film was better than the play (and how often can you say something like that). But, with that said, if I had watched the film without previously knowing anything about it I think I would have been bored.

So really, this is kind of a waste of a posting. Sorry about that.

Money for Nothing (Kicks are Free)

Last night I worked as an extra on a TV Pilot called "The Black Donnellys." It was written and being directed by Paul Haggis, the guy who wrote the films "Crash" and "Million Dollar Baby."

It was crazy cold last night, and I was there from 5:30pm until about 12:30. A cold night in Spanish Harlem indeed. Loyal readers will recall other occasions where I'd done extra work and some of the other extras who showed up were not used. Well, last night was my time to sit out. Didn't do a thing, but I got a really good meal and I got to watch them film a fight scene and I still got paid, so I'm not complaining one little bit.

The Natural High

Last night was my first rehearsal with the National Comedy Theatre. I had a blast; so much fun! It's just really cool to be doing what I love to do so much once again. There are about 6 of us from the audition who got hired but a couple of the people couldn't make it last night. The theater also offers improv classes and a few of the people from their 3rd level class (what they refer to as the minor leaguers) were there as well.

Those of us who are brand new will be rehearsing on Wednesdays for about 6-8 weeks and then we will switch over to Tuesday nights when the rest of the troupe rehearses and we will then start doing shows. At first it seems like a long time, but if you think about it, since rehearsals are only once a week we are only rehearsing about 8 times before we are up there and performing. A lot of improv theaters require that you pay to take classes before you can get any stage time, so I am fortunate that's not the case with these guys.

Last night went really well. The other new members are a lot of fun to work with and we played a couple of games I had played before and some that were new to me.

If you live in an area that offers improv classes of some kind, I highly recommend looking into it. The adrenaline rush is amazing.

On a side note, has anyone else seen the new show Everybody Hates Chris? That's my pick of the litter for the new season (or at least of all of the new shows of the new season). Between that show and Arrested Development, Lost, Desperate Housewives, and SNL TV is my friend.

Hollywood and New York

If there's one thing that living in New York has revealed to me, it's the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of how the city is portrayed in film.

If I'm watching something on TV that is set in New York and one of the characters is hanging out on the street or walking down a sidewalk, it is suddenly very obvious to me if they are the only one walking down that street. It's such a small, minute detail but I am amazed at how startlingly obvious that seems to me now, because you're never the only one. I was out last night walking around at 3am and I wasn't alone, so don't even get me started on the daytime.

The other thing that struck me is often times in movies when someone gets thrown out of a restaurant or an establishment, they often land on a huge pile of garbage bags that are conveniently lined along the sidewalk. Oddly enough, that is true. I always thought that was just a device Hollywood made up but lo and behold, I was mistaken.

So the next time you're watching a movie set in New York pay attention. If the characters are outside and alone, then it's wrong. If they're thrown onto trash bags, then everything is fine.

IMDb

So, I'm just saying, look who finally got listed in the Internet Movie Database.

I mean, come on. I'm digging it!

Oh no, wait, I'm just a dork

So I didn't hear from the improv theater this weekend. Bummer. I just got a new phone last week (actually a new account on an old phone) but then yesterday I realized that I hadn't heard from anyone.

Long story short, I didn't realize I had to go into my voice mail and turn on the message notifier thing, so I had three messages that I didn't know I had. And, wouldn't you know it, I did get a call from the National Comedy Theater. And they called me again yesterday and left another message that I didn't know about, asking me to join their merry little band.

If ever there was a dork, I would be he.

I was able to reach the guy who ran the auditions, Gary, this morning and it sounds like I'm in. I'll be rehearsing with them for a few weeks before they throw me into the shows (which are Friday and Saturday nights) so I'll keep you posted on those developements. One of the best things about it all? It doesn't interefere at all with my work at Accomplice NY.

Sometimes things work out perfectly......

....too perfectly.....

(cue dramatic music)

Malcolm & Lara

Over the weekend I was able to hang out with my two favorite South Africans, Malcolm & Lara. I met them a couple of years ago when Dee was working on the cruise ship. In the three weeks I spent on the ship (and the week I was in LA while they were in rehearsals) the four of us hung out quite a bit and we became fast friends.

They're still performing on ships and were in port in NJ Friday so we were able to get together and hang out. Dee was really sick (food poisoning we think) so she wasn't up for company but the three of us had a really good visit.

We got a quick bite to eat and just had an all-around nice hang. They could only come into town for a few hours, but I haven't seen them for a few years so it was nice to catch up. Hopefully I'll be able to see them again before their ship begins porting out of Miami in November.

I mean, these are the people who introduced me to the phrase "Howzit?". How can I not love them??

What's wrong with me???

When I was a kid, my brother and I had a record album called Goofy Gold which was basically a collection of funny songs from the 50s and 60s. It had songs like "Monster Mash," "The Purple People Eater," and "Chantilly Lace."

I woke up this morning with "Pepino the Italian Mouse" from that album stuck in my head.

What the...?

Nope

Well, I didn't get a call from the American Comedy Theater, so I guess I didn't get the improv gig with them. But at least I know.

Next!

:)

Tonight after performing with Accomplice NY I hung out again with everyone for a bit and chatted. Had a really good talk with one of the other performers, James. He's a good man and we see eye to eye on a lot of things from comedy to work ethics. It's always nice to meet and hang out with new friends who think on the same weird brainwave. Good times.

Off the Top of My Head

Big audition today at the National Comedy Theater. They're an improv theater here in Manhattan and they had a call today to cast more troupe members. There were probably about 25 or 30 of us who showed up (I'm bad at estimating).

The audition itself lasted about 2 hours and they basically had us play a bunch of different improv games, usually in groups of 4. There were a couple of guys there that I thought did a great job. I had a lot of fun. You know me, it's always good to do improv again, and I was pretty happy with how it went.

A time or two, after doing a scene, I had a couple of short bouts of second-guessing myself or what I did, but you can't hold on to that for too long or it'll just mess you up, so it was onward and upward. All said and done, I feel pretty good about it without letting myself expecting anything.

After the audition was over they told us we'd know something by tomorrow evening so if we get a call, we're in, and if we don't, well, you don't. That's always good to know. A lot of times after auditioning you wonder how it went with no idea of how long before you might hear something. So at least with this I'll know for sure one way or the other by Monday.

And you know what they say. Knowing is half the battle.

Whatever

Today I went to an audition for a new VH1 show, "Whatever." They were looking for people with improv skills and that's all I knew going in.

The audition was in Soho (I think that's where I was, I don't know) and the people there were really friendly. The girl auditioning me, Karen, told me that basically it's a show set up like the interview segments on "The Daily Show." Not the celebrity segments, but the parts where they find a kazoo whittler or whatever. You know, where the person being interviewed is totally serious and into it and not realizing that the rest of America is laughing at them. So that was the set up.

They brought in a guy named Bob who was to play an old man who was in a "Jazzy" race (you know, those little scooters for the elderly) and I had to interview him. I had a lot of fun. After that, Bob left and Karen filmed me as if I were doing a nature show in Central Park and wanted me to talk about the two animals I was in search of. I chose "a bird" and "an old Broadway has-been actress with Botox injections." Don't ask me where that came from, this is improv people.

Finally I had to do a sign-off report as someone who just witnessed a race between an Olympic athlete and a heroin addict.

So, again, who knows. I got Karen to laugh quite a bit so that was a plus.

Another plus was the doorman/security guy on the way out. His name is Ira, a native New Yawk-er, and he gave me the names of some of his favorite places to eat in Manhattan.

And there you have it. Good times.

THINK ABOUT IT!!

Today I saw something on the street that was so funny (or at least to me it was) I had to stop and write it down. I walked up another half-block, ducked under the awning of a hotel, pulled my book of funny thoughts from my back pocket, and wrote about the Big Scary Black Lady For Jesus.

On the corner of (I think) 6th and 47th there was this tall Amazonian black woman dressed nicely in a black and white power-outfit. Black skirt and white top. She looked like your average businesswoman except for the fact see she was waving yellow pamphlets and screaming angrily.

As I got closer I heard what she was yelling about. She was mad about The Good News. Not that she was necessarily a fan, she was just mad about it. "Think about how good God is to us!!" She wasn't just raising her voice so she could be heard, she was actually yelling at people like she was in the middle of a fight. "Think about how good God is to us!!" Not suggesting people think about it, but demanding it.

Then a short little bald white guy walked by and she got right in his face and screamed, "THINK ABOUT IT!!!!"

I'm not exaggerating. She yelled it right in this guy's face and I laughed my crazy head off. People walking by probably thought I was the crazy one because I was walking by myself, laughing, but man it was worth it.

My funny bit

I came up with a comedy bit for my stand-up yesterday that I really like a lot. Usually when I come up with an idea for a bit I will fit it into a blog somewhere and see what kind of a response I get but I like this one so much, I don't want to reveal it yet for fear of someone stealing it from me.

That's right. I don't trust any of you people.

Quit following me!!

Barefoot

Another audition today. This time it was for a Neil Simon play that's going to Broadway in the Spring, Barefoot in the Park. Most of the roles have already been filled but they were looking for understudies and I thought understudying on Broadway ain't too shabby. It was an Equity call (and for those of who who may not know, that basically means people in the actor's union get to go in before the rest of us schmucks. And as they run out of Equity people, then they send in the non-union gang) but I decided I would go anyhow if for no other reason than to get out there and be seen by casting people. The casting person was a name Dee was familiar with, so she thought it was a good move on my part to show up. The place was packed and even though I shouwed up shortly after 10 I wasn't able to actually audition until around 2 or so.

All we needed to have prepared for the audition was a comedic monologue. As we were waiting in line, the proctor was telling us to keep it short. Apparently a lot of people today were doing monologues that just went on and on and on. Mine is only about a minute long and I shaved off a few sentences here and there while I was waiting in the hall. I was ready to go (and eager to perform my Steve Martin monlogue again!).

I went in and the girl was really friendly. She asked what I was going to be performing and I told her it was "A Public Apology" by Steve Martin. She perked up a little bit and was like, "Oh, I haven't heard that one!" so I was eager to take her on a comedic journey.

I started the monologue and she stopped me a few lines in and asked me not to address it to her, but to look above her. I said "No problem" and began again. As I was doing it, out of the corner of my eye I could see her covering her mouth and trying not to laugh out loud, which of course, was just adding fuel to the fire for me, and by the end she totally lost it and was laughing out loud.

After I was finished (and she finished laughing) she said she teaches acting classes in the city and usually focuses on scenes rather than monologues but she wanted to know where she could find that monologue because she really liked it and wanted to check it out.

We chit-chatted for a short bit and that was pretty much that. I must say, it was one of the best responses I've gotten on the monlogue so I left feeling really nice. Since it was an Equity audition and there were a ton of union people there auditioning I'm not getting my hopes up too much, but man I had a good time and I think she did, too.

Another successful ride on the E-Train.

No wonder it's free

Today I made my way uptown a bit to stop by the Performing Arts branch of the New York Public Library. Basically, this is where they keep all of their plays, musicals, music CDs, et cetera. It's in the middle of Lincoln Center, so it was my first time walking past The Met (the outside of the building is a lot more modern than I pictured) and I also walked past Julliard.

After visiting the li-bary I made my way downtown to work and was a little early so I decided to swing by the National Museum of the Native American. Since there is no admission price, I figured it was about time I went and got cultured. It's this huge, old building that looks like it should be a library. There were armed guards outside and I had to put my backpack through an x-ray machine.

The guards inside said the exhibits were on the 2nd floor only (it's like a 5-story building). About a third of the 2nd floor was blocked off, so the exhibit was very limited. And not extremely diverse. Hey look, a pot. And there's another pot. And this pot looks just like the last two I saw. Here's a moccasin. And another pot. And more moccasins. And now we come to a pot.

I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting The Great Pot/Moccasin-alooza Festival. Darn. And I really wanted to like it, too. I just wonder what goes on in the other 4 floors of the building. But I didn't want to get shot trying to find out.

Next time.

Not the Lead

Funny story.

The short film I mentioned in my last blog? Well, I didn't get it. Sure, it's not the first time I haven't gotten a part, but it IS the first time I got a callback and before I could even show up for the follow-up audition find out that I didn't get it. Ha!

When I left for work tonight I got an email from the director confirming my 4pm callback tomorrow and when I got home I had an email waiting for me stating that the part went to someone else ("but let me know if you do any improv in the area!" Sure. I'll get right on it).

I'm very much an "everything happens for a reason" kinda guy, so I am eager to find out what I'll be doing instead. Good times.

The lead

Sunday night after performing with Accomplice NY I had an audition for a short film. I usually make it a rule to not audition for non-paying roles (I gots ta pay the bills!) but this film sounded interesting, very dialogue heavy with some good interaction between the lead actor and actress and it was the lead role (cool!). It's a movie basically about two people trying to navigate through the ups and downs of a relationship. I could use the experience on camera and my Spidey sense was telling me it was something I should do. So we'll see how well my intuition is peforming.

At the audition the director Jason was really cool, and I had fun. The reading felt natural and I was pretty confident with how it went. It sounds like Jason has gathered a really good crew and he is in school getting his doctorate in media. He spends a few months out of the year in Europe working with film directors like Atom Egoyan. His girlfriend will play the female lead and she is currently on Broadway performing in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It sounds like it will be a nice production to work on. When I was in Chicago the only non-paying gig I took was working with Keith on the 48 Hour Film Project and it turned out to be one of my best Chicago experiences mostly because of the people I met working on the set. I am hoping if I am cast in this project it will be a similar experience.

Jason told me he really liked my performance and I would hear back from him this week. He said he and his producers would watch the audition tapes on Monday and Tuesday and I would hear something by Wednesday.

Last night while at work I got an email from him informing me that they would indeed like to bring me in for a callback. He wants me to re-read the scenes I read on Sunday night and possibly read a new one as well. I would be reading opposite people who have already been cast or are very high in the running. Right now we are trying to coordinate schedules but it looks as if it might be happening tomorrow afternoon before I head in to work.

I'm stoked about the opportunity and will definitely keep you posted on the progress and further developments. Right now I am excited and am hoping for the best. We'll see.

Diva Extras

I have returned to the world of doing extra work. If you're familiar with my adventures, then you know that I was able to get some background work on movies when I was in Chicago. I am glad to say that today I continued my legacy as an extra in New York City.

I found a post on Craig's List about a small-budget film looking for extras. They couldn't pay a whole lot but hey, it's something for my resume, and I love being on the set and watching how things run. The main requirement for doing extra work is having patience because you spend 99% of the day waiting and 1% actually doing something with the cameras rolling. So, if you don't mind waiting around talking to people and getting paid for it, then you may want to look into it.

The film I was working on today is called Devil You Know and we were shooting in this really cool club in New York called Fizz. The only info we got was we were supposed to dress formal/semi-formal as they were going to be shooting a scene that takes place in a posh restaurant. We were also asked to steer away from bright colors. So, I wore black pants, a black shirt, a black tie, and my black blazer. I was stylin.

Shortly after arriving, the director pulled me aside and asked if I would like to play the maitre d'. Hey sure! So there you go. All of a sudden I'm the freakin' maitre d'. Step right up! They brought me into make-up and touched me up a bit and then they sent me to the hair department so they could tweak me. That was cool. My first time on a film getting the whole hair & make-up treatment so that was cool. All of the crew members were really nice and friendly.

They had me stand in the entryway of the club, behind the desk. No lines, I just had to stare at the lady who walked in and kind of exchange looks with her. And they brought the lady onto the set and it was Lena Olin! I know, I know, you may be asking yourself, "Who's Lena Olin?" She's one of those actresses you see all the time but can't name anything she's been in. She's a very beautiful actress from Sweden and you'd never guess she was 50 years old. If you've seen Hollywood Homicide (Harrison Ford), Alias, Chocolat, Mystery Men or Romeo is Bleeding then you've seen Lena Olin. Anyhow, I was told I was supposed to be a snotty maitre d' and when she enters, just look at her and then look back away like I don't care about her. I was told she was going to look at me in similar distaste and when the cameras rolled and she came in -- Man -- she gave me a look like I just ran over her dog. We did it again and this time I looked at her like she just ran over my dog and then threw up on him. The director was really happy with it, so we moved on to the next shot and Lena just looked at me and laughed and it was cool. She was really nice. And that was our only exchange.

After shooting my scenes with her, I returned downstairs to a room where they had the extras holding. Everyone else there had all done extra work before, most of them more than me, but they had started to complain that things were taking so long for them to get on camera. The ringleader, some guy I worked with on the Court TV shoot, is one of those guys always name-dropping and talking about his connections and generally annoying everyone else. And he started having a fit when, after they finally used him on camera, he wasn't getting more time. He wanted more food, refused to be quiet when they called "Action," and in general was just being a big whiny baby because it was taking so long (despite the fact that we were told the shoot would last all day). He gave the girl from the crew who was our contact a really hard time and finally she told him that he was done and he could go home.

I didn't get it. He got screen time, he got free food, and he's done extra work before so he knows that when he goes to an extra call he'll spend most of the time waiting around to be called to the set. He would have brought me down if I wasn't having fun snickering at him behind his back.

All in all, though, a good day. We got done late and I spent some time on a fun set working with some really cool people. Who can complain about that?

You know....besides that one guy.

Subway Etiquette

I'm still pretty new here in the city and the thrill of the subway hasn't yet worn off, although I do have a question about rules of behavior while riding the train.

Let's say I'm on the subway and it's crowded. I am sitting next to strangers on either side and on my merry way. Soon, though, we are bound to come to a main stop like Penn Station or Union Square and it always happens. Everyone gets off the train except for the person sitting on my immediate left. So all of a sudden it's like I have myself a new buddy. We're just sitting there, complete strangers right on top of each other, our shirts touching, and there are like 20 open seats all around us.

Am I supposed to scoot down or sit on the other side of the train? The times this has happened it's not like I was sitting next to a smelly bum or a Scientologist. They seemed like regular people. I don't want to appear rude. I would sit next to you, but I'd really rather not. I loathe your body. That's not nice to send that message, is it?

But on the other hand, am I seen as a creep if I don't move? Who the hell is this guy and why is he still sitting right next to me?

But what if I was sitting down first and they were the one to sit next to me? Isn't the burden now on them to move if they so desire? That wouldn't offend me but I don't want them to feel like they are obligated to continue to sit next to me.

So far it hasn't been too bad, though, because I usually travel with a book and I can pretend that I am so engrossed with what I am reading that I don't even notice them. But one of these days I'm going to get up, sit on the opposite side of the train, and just glare at the person. And when they look up at me I'll just say,

"Nice fart."
















Who'm I kidding, I won't do that. But man, I wish I was the sort of person who would.

Inquiring Minds Wanna Know

Yesterday as I was walking down 45th street on my way to the library I passed a very interesting scene. In front of a theater (I forget which one) there were two men clearly arguing over something with a cop. The men were both very nicely dressed, one in a black designer suit. I couldn't tell what they were arguring about, and as I passed I heard the man in the suit say (and I quote):

"...with the same teflon deference that they handle everything..."

I don't know what they were talking about or who Suit Man was angry at, but I just thought that was the coolest quote in the world. I'm gonna have to use that in something.

"Labor" Day

I love that it is called Labor Day, yet on this day everyone takes off work.

Things here have been going well. I have been working at the mutual fund company I mentioned earlier and that is cool. Working nights keeps me open to hit auditions during the day and they have a pretty flexible schedule. I am also still doing improv on the weekends for Accomplice NY. No shows next Sunday, though, as it is 9/11.

I'm getting a really nice tan line on my feet from my sandals. I'll take a picture of it to show you. I left my cord for my digital camera in PA so I won't be able to upload the picture for a bit yet, but as soon as I do, you'll know. You have been duly warned.

My Online Court TV Appearance. Maybe.

I got an email today from the director I worked with for the Court TV project I blogged about a week or so ago. Apparently the game is now online and ready to be played, so spread the word.

He mentioned in his email that not everyone who worked actually made it into the final game. I'm running on a lame dial-up connection and my computer is having issues, so I'm not able to explore the whole thing to even know if I made it or not. So maybe I did, and maybe I didn't. I don't have the patience right now to find out. If someone with a faster connection spots me somewhere in the game (the scene I shot was me sitting at a table...it was all green screen, so I can't give you more info than that) leave me a message and let me know.

And if not...well, at least you go to play a game.

If you missed it above, the link is http://www.courttv.com/contest

Get a Job

I start my new job on Monday. It's a part-time job that I got through a temp agency (none of the agencies I went to that I mentioned in my earlier blog). It's a job at a finance company where I have to call shareholders and ask them how they want to vote on issues. Granted, it doesn't sound like the most exciting job in the world, but it's a night job (5:30-11) which means I have my days free to go to auditions!!!! YES!! I am loving it!

The job is in the Wall Street district and during my interview we were in a room overlooking the water and I had my first ever real-life glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. And can I tell you? It was a lot smaller than I imagined.

Whenever you see it in a movie it's always a swooping helicopter shot up close and everything, so this time when I sqaw it I was in a huge skyscraper that seemed to dwarf it and I was like, "Huh." Still though, it was cool. But since I was in an interview, I couldn't really take the time to gawk and sightsee.

So that was a good time. In the meantime, I've been working on stand-up material. We'll see how that goes.

I Saw A Transvestite Today

I mean, I'm just sayin...

So, by the way...

I updated my blog earlier today and when I went to post it there was an error and it lost it all. I don't feel like re-typing it all, so I'll re-cap:

My improv gig on Sunday went really well and I had a lot of fun.

I tried selling tickets for The Improv on the street today but it didn't go well.

I got tickets for The Late Show with David Letterman.

Improv and Discovery

I had a meeting yesterday with a guy named Tom to see about doing some improv on the weekends. We were to meet at a Starbucks and (I think) we were in the village. It was bound to happen sometime, and yesterday was the day. I got a little lost. Not much. Just a little. I accidentally got on the express subway instead of the local train and we shot right past my stop. Only one stop past, but to get back on the train going the other way, you had to leave, cross the street, and pay to get back on, and I ain't's got the money to fool with that. So I tried to find my way on my own. I know this makes me sound like a dork (or a cowboy!) but I can usually tell which direction I am facing from the position of the sun (for real!). But at the time it was high noon, so I was sort of out of luck. I was able to ask a friendly mailman for directions, shooting the whole men don't ask for directions theory down. Turns out I was only 3 blocks from where I wanted to be, so not too bad.

I got to the Starbucks about 5 minutes before Tom so all was well. And I must be honest, Tom threw me off a bit. Tom looks just like Ben, the guy who fired me from the record label because he claimed radio did nothing to promote albums. So psychologically it took me a bit to actually put that past me and like the guy. Tom was really cool, though, and he told me what the improv gig was about.

The name of the show is Accomplice NY and it's sort of a cross between a murder mystery party, a scavenger hunt, and a walking tour of Manhattan. A group of eight or so people sign up for this thing and they don't know what they are supposed to do. All they know is where to meet. They are then approached by actors who are all playing shady characters and are asked to deliver some stuff for a crime boss. They're given clues as to what to do next, where to go, and who to look for. They end up going to like 10 different places all around Manhattan, never knowing if the people they meet on the way are actors or if they're just real people walking around. I thought it sounded like a lot of fun and Tom asked me if I could play a paranoid, crazy guy who was a genius. I said sure and he said "Let's see it." So there we sat in Starbucks, him talking to me as I carried on in a sort of Doc Brown-crossed-with-a-guy-named-Sherm-I-knew-in-college character I made upon the spot. After about five minutes he started laughing and just said "You're hired." So I go in Saturday to watch them do it a few times and then on Sunday it's all me. Right now they only do shows on weekends, but I am really stoked!

After that I had a shoot for the Discovery Channel. I don't want to divulge too much because of the confidnetiality thing I signed, but I'll tell you a bit. I doubt their lawyers are reading this, so I'll just tell you what they posted on the audition notices that I already knew going into it. They are holding callbacks for a show that takes place in a cab. They are only looking for actual cab drivers, and they had it narrowed down a bit. They were also looking for actors to come in (me) and play the person in the back of the cab so the auditioners had someone to play off of. They were filming these auditions for the head honchos at Discovery to watch. So it was kind of fun doing an audition that had zero pressure because I knew they weren't really watching me, it was all about the cab driver. It was a lot of fun (and I got to do it in front of blue screen! This week I'm getting a lot of training with the whole blue/green screen thing...where are the Sin City 2 auditions?)

Afterward the executive producer brought me aside and asked me if I could come in on Monday and do it again as they tape the final auditions. They were bringing in some big hotshot agent for these final callbacks and he wanted me to play the passenger. I told him "Sure!" and he said that it would be a really good opportunity for me to be seen by her. So who knows. I've never heard of her but apparently she is a real mover and shaker. At any rate, it'll be fun. I'll be sure to bring an extra head shot and resume.

A full day yesterday. Whew! I love it!

I've run out of head shots so until I can afford to buy more photo paper, the hunt for a part-time job continues but as always I will keep you posted.

The Mean and the Nice

Today I encountered my first mean and/or rude New Yorker. I'm not surprised that I met someone grumpy because hey, this is New York. That's just a given. I'm actually more surprised that it took this long. I'm not changing any names to protect the guilty. I'm a New Yorker now and as a New Yorker, I say screw them.

I was out looking for temp work and went to a place called Winmar Temporary Services. I got up the elevator, rang the bell, and the door opened a crack and some lady in her 60s opened the door. She wouldn't open the door any further because apparently my identical twin was there last week and kicked open the door and attacked her with sticks.

She asked what I wanted and I told her I was looking for temp work. She got really upset and said I needed to call to make an appointment. I said OK and then, even though I already had their number, I asked for their number anyway. She looked at the door where it said "804" and again got mad and asked what I meant.

I said, "So I can call to make an appointment." Now bear in mind, I wasn't being rude or copping an attitude. I still had on my polite face and was using my polite voice. Instead, she looked at me in disgust and said, "You know, you have to have a resume."

Well duh, lady. I have 20 of them in my backpack and if you'd like I can take them out and give you a papercut with each one right across your face. I'm not sure what it was about me but she definitely didn't think I'd have any idea what a resume was, not to mention there wasn't a chance I would actually have one.

But instead of getting upset or becoming annoyed I just decided to laugh at her. And I did. Not a full-on belly laugh but a snicker/laugh that said, "Well of course I need a resume, you IDIOT." I said, "Yeah I have one." I went back into the elevator and when the doors closed I flipped her off. I called them on the phone and the guy who answered asked me to email my resume to them. I don't think I will.

I also went to a temporary staffing service place called CTI and when I asked for work the girl gave me an application and questionnaire. Inside were all sorts of questions about being a waiter.

1. From which side do you serve someone in French service?
2. When all of the waiters serve a table at once it is called _______ the room.
3. What is French service?

Huh? What? How the freak should I know? I just want to sit at a computer and type stuff. So I filled out the questionnaire to the best of my ability and when I didn't know the answer I made it obvious. By the way, my answers to the above questions were as follows (for real...this is what I put):

1. The right
2. Feeding
3. Treating you with a fake sincerity whilst secretly loathing me for being an "American swine."

I turned in my test and told them I knew nothing about being a waiter. It was a different girl behind the desk and she asked why I filled out that particular application. I told her that's what was given to me, I just want to type on a computer and she said, "Oh. Then I just need a resume. You don't want to be a waiter?" I told her to look over my test and see if she thinks that's my strong point. She laughed and I wished I was still in bed, sleeping away.

As I left I got stopped at a street corner and was waiting for the WALK signal. There were three people with British accents pointing and ooh-ing and ahh-ing. I looked up and just down the street was the Empire State Building. I think. It might have been the Chrysler Building. That's not the point. The point is, it was beautiful. The morning sunlight hit it just rioght and was reflecting off of the windows in a brilliant prism.

So thank you, English People, for pointing that out to me. I needed to see that and it was a nice way to cap off the morning.

I could go on about my afternoon where I got a gig doing improv and filmed blue screen stuff for the Discovery Channel, but for now I am all pooped out. I'll tell you more stories later, kids. But it was a great afternoon.

Mamet & Court TV

Well, last night I booked a shoot for Court TV and went in to do that this morning. It's actually for Court TV's website. Some kind of new interactive such and such or something...part of their new promotion or look or what-have-you. I played a diner at a fancy French restaurant. And hey, did I mention it was my first time doing green screen? Pretty weird, I must say. I basically sat across from a lady and we had to mime a table between us. We looked pretty goofy there with our elbows suspended in the air on nothing, but I am eager to see what the final project looks like. When it's online, I will be sure to post the website here so you can see it as well. I'm sure it will be good for a nice laugh.

After that I decided to go to an audition for the David Mamet play, Speed the Plow. All I know about the play is Madonna did it on Broadway back in the 80s and got horrible reviews. So who knows. I could hear some of the people doing monologues in front of me, and they all sounded like mean, angry rants with lots of swearing (typical Mamet). But I started to second-guess myself, because the monologue I had prepared (the only one I have right now, really) is a comedic monologue from Steve Martin's book Pure Drivel. And the closer it got, the more nervouse I made myself. What if I do my monologue and then they ask if I have something more dramatic?? Then, as the guy took us to go in, he said they are looking for a monologue 2 minutes or less, and preferable comedic. YES!!!!

The audition went great. The people I auditioned for were the producers of the show. There were four of them, three men and a woman. I did the same monologue I did for the Martin Short audition yesterday and they laughed the whole time. It was a blast!! I felt really good about it and after I was done the lady pointed at me and said "Is that from Steve Martin?" and I pointed right back at her and said, "Yes it is!" There's nothing quite as fulfilling as going to an audition and knowing it went well. Whether or not anything comes from it, I'm really happy with how it went.

On the way home I stopped and filled out some applications at some of the area theaters. I ran into our friend Illeana at one of them (wow, only 4 days in New York and I already saw someone I know!).

Good times. :)

What I Almost Stepped In

One of the fun things about being in New York City is the vast cornucopia of items you can step on (or almost step on) while traversing the streets. Today my favorite thing I almost stepped on was a jumbo pretzel. I'll keep you updated on those fun facts.

This morning there was an audition for the new Martin Short show. I think it went well, thanks to yesterday. Yesterday (did I already mention this?) I had an audition for Spamalot, the Broadway musical verion of Monty Python's Monty Python & the Holy Grail. It was my first "big" audition in NY and it was basically a cattle call (meaning, there were a zillion people there). I went in, sang my song, they smiled, and I was done.

I'm not an amazing singer by any sense of the imagination and singing auditions get me kind of nervous (just let me do my funny monologue and I am good to go), so it was a good chance to go in, do it, and get in the mode.A nice warm-up.

Today's audition for the Martin Short show was a lot better. Actually, there was hardly anyone there and most of them were girls so that was cool (not because I was there to pick up girls, but because that means less guys competing against me). The auditioners wanted a funny song (actually, just 16 bars of it) and a comic monologue. Cool. Let's do this.

The people that went in before me were flustered when they got back. They said the people were nice, but they gave no reactions; had no expressions. One extremely effeminate guy came back into the main holding room, waved his hand over his face, and just said "Ssssstonefaced."

Another girl said "They're nice enough, but they're so young!! They just sat there and watched and didn't react at all. No expressions. I can't believe how young they were." And then the people began to murmur about the casting people being so young and how horrible it was.

I didn't get it.

I went in and there they were. The pianop player, and two girls behind the desk (one of whom I learned was an intern). I guess they were young, but I still can't figure out what the big deal was. It's not like I've never seen someone in their 20s before.

They were very friendly and carried on niceties and then when I began, their expressions went blank. Just staring and watching and I was determined to get them to laugh. I did my song (it was OK) and then my monologue. I've never done my monogogue and not gotten a laugh and these people had made up their minds to not to laugh at anything. And they didn't laugh. So in my head I decided they had been instructed not to laugh to see how that affects our performance and I was determined it wouldn't affect mine.

And I did my monologue and when I was done, and they knew I was done, they both started laughing. Cool. They thanked me and I was on my way. When the piano player gave me my music back he told me I did a "really great job." So even though it doesn't really matter what the piano player thinks, that was good to hear. And at least I got them to laugh.

So that was fun and cool. It's good to be doing the grind again.

Then, on the way home, is when I almost stepped on the pretzel.

Start Spreadin' the News

New York....finally. I'm still exhausted from a week of seemingly endless driving and furniture moving, but I'm here now with Dee. I have some fun auditions lined up this week and this morning went to an audition for Spamalot. The usual waiting, but the audition itself was quick and painless. I'm currently on the hunt for a PT job to supplement before a gig comes along, but I have no complaints. Give me a few weeks. I'll find something.

But really. I'm just up the block from Avenue Q and Glengarry Glen Ross. So I'm in good company.

Ramblin

Just got back to Indiana from moving all of our junk into storage down in Nashville. Drove down Thursday, moved all day Friday, and just got back. I need sleep. Leaving tomorrow for PA.

'Night.

Back in Nashville...really?

Only took me 6-1/2 hours to get here from home! A new record! Never before did I have such smooth sailing. No traffic at all. Yee!

What kept me company on the way here? Hmmmm...... Dane Cook, Stephen Lynch, Spamalot, Fatboy Slim, and various mix tapes.

Onward ho!!!!

Dane Cook 2. Yea, it's that good.

Finally got out to grab the new album by comedian Dane Cook, "Retaliation." No such thing as a sophomore slump with this guy. I almost hit 2 people in my car driving home listening to it (No fair making me laugh so much I can't see the road!).

You may have read my blog earlier about this CD and believe, me, it's worth it. 2 CDs and a DVD for 15 bucks? Come on. You can't NOT afford that. Get off your butt and support some good comedy.

My brother must have been adopted

While visiting with my brother the other day he informed me that he hates -- hates -- Will Ferrell. Huh? How can that be? There are some people who could say that and I wouldn't be surprised, but as goofy and crazy as Ray is, I don't get how he could find Will Ferrell un-funny.

Considering the adventures Ray has had so far in his new job as a mailman, if someone were to make a movie about Ray's life, I would cast Will Ferrell to play the part. Not only do I think it would be hilarious, but also because I know it would drive Ray nuts.

Free Books!! (and hi, Shayne)

Did I mentions that the Waanders Bookstore in Auburn IN has free books? Have I written about that in any of my blogs yet? I'm too lazy to go back and look, so if I have, well, you can never hear too much about free books.

Walk inside the door and turn right. In front of you, on the very bottom shelf, are free books! The sign encourages patrons to "help themselves!" I took four the first time I went in and went in and snagged three more yesterday. They are advance copies of books coming out soon; I didn't see anything by anyone I'd heard of before, but found one really good one: Torture the Artist by Allen Goebel. It's basically a really nice social commentary on the state of entertainment. So, you know, if you happen to be in town for the big car show thing they have every year, you might want to swing by (and then be sure to visit my uncle's Mexican restaurant right next door. Their PHATT STUFFED CHIMI is amazing...a chimichanga with cajun spices!!). And while you're there getting free books, pick up some books you have to pay for at the same time. Support your independent bookstores!!

I also got to talk with one of my best friends from high school, Shayne, yesterday. She told me that she comes online and reads my blog all the time but she hasn't signed up for MySpace because she is only online at work (a bank) and she's already lost her email account for, you know, non-banking emails (sorry, Shayne).

So Shayne can read my blogs but never respond. And that gives me a freedom like you wouldn't believe. But I won't abuse that. I will say, however, that yesterday on the phone Shayne said she refers to one of my relatives (I'm not saying who) as "the prancing pony." I told my dad, and he laughed like a crazy man.

PAPARAZZO SHOT

From E! Online News:

Photographer Brad Diaz was shot in the leg with a BB gun while standing in the street about 200 yards from a Malibu home where Britney Spears was a guest, authorities said. No official word on who fired the shot.

I did it. It was me. I confess. Interview me, please.

OK, maybe I wasn't actually there in person and pulled the trigger but it is my sincere belief that I have wished someone would shoot a paparazzi so many times and with so much conviction that I willed this incident into existence.

No need to thank me. It was my pleasure.

Really.

Up the Creek...with a paddle

Yesterday my dad and I went canoeing...canoing? How the heck is that word spelled? Anyhow, we went down a river in a canoe.

How far did we go? Fourteen miles, my friend, fourteen miles. And I had a blast. It took us about 4-1/2 hours and it was great. I knew for sure I would be sore by the end of it (or at least by the next day) but you know what? Not at all. Not sure why. I was tired, but no aches and/or pains. Even today I feel just as good as I did yesterday morning at this time.

Go figure.

I guess that's what happens when you are a model of physical fitness.

Atta Boy, Dane

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge Steve Martin fan (go ahead...name something he's done that I haven't seen....can't think of one, can ya?). I've been listening to his stand-up albums for as long as I've been able to listen without my parents finding out. But alas, Steve doesn't do a lot of stand-up anymore. So, about two years ago (I think) when I discovered Dane Cook's comedy, I declared him my new favorite stand-up (or at least one of them).

Dane's new CD/DVD Retaliation has just hit stores and it's only the 2nd comedy album ever to go higher than #5 on Billboard's album sales chart. It debuted at #4. The other album to break the top 5? Steve Martin's Wild and Crazy Guy. Can I pick 'em or can I pick 'em?

I haven't had the chance to get the new Dane Cook CD/DVD, I have only heard snippets, but if you're a fan of outrageous laugh-til-you-puke comedy, then I highly recommend Retaliation. You can thank me later. And all of you to whom I introduced Dane's first album, Harmful If Swallowed can testify that I know what I'm talking about (the Kool-Aid Man bit, for example).

It's the weekend. Go nuts, and buy a comedy CD. When was the last time you bought a CD that actually put you in a good mood and made you laugh? And while you're at it, go ahead and grab Wild and Crazy Guy, too. You know it's been too long since you gave it a listen.

See....

I told you I'd be out of commission for a few days.

I've been working hard and if you've paid any attention to the weather forecast then you know that it's been hot (almost 100 on more than one day) and humid. But I'm staying hydrated and coming home each night and crashing. That kind of work is good for the soul, I guess, but I will be ready to move on to Phase 2 soon.

Not that it hasn't been nice being here. Running into old friends and family has been great and spending so much time with my grandmother has been priceless. I interview her on an almost daily basis asking about the family, where she grew up, what she did when she was young, and even what kind of car they had (her brother had a Model T, how crazy is that?). She's seen a lot in her day.

In the meantime, finding the opportunity to hop online has been less-than-frequent (I bring up the fact that I am typing this after-hours in a real estate office as proof. It's eerily quiet and I am stuffing myself with free Gummi Bears). But rest assured I will keep you posted when I can and as things happen.

But hey, enough about me, how have you been? And after you tell me how you've been, step outside and get some fresh air. Sure it's hot and humid but in a few months as winter sets in, we'll be wishing it were warm once again. Enjoy it while it's here.

Pizza on You

You know what I think is cool? You can order pizza online with a credit card. But you know what would be cooler? If you, dear reader, got me pizza as a present by ordering online with your card and had it delivered to my address. I'm not picky. I like all kinds, so surprise me.

You have my address. And if you don't, just drop me a line.

I'll be waiting......Will anyone actually take me up on this? Who knows. But I'm willing to take that chance.

The 48 Hour Film Project

I had a chance to hook up with a cool group of people involved in this year's 48 Hour Film Project this weekend and had a blast, a blast I say! This is an annual nationwide (or actually worldwide) project and Chicago's weekend was this weekend (to see when it's coming to a city near you, check out the link above).

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, here are the basics: You get a team of people together and all meet together on Friday night. At 6:55 pm you are assigned a genre of film you must make. Also, everyone is give a prop, character, and line of dialogue that must be somewhere in the film (these elements are all the same for every film, only the genre is different). Then at 7 the countdown begins and you have until Sunday at 7:30pm to write, film, edit, and turn in your 4-7 minute fully-produced film.

I saw an ad online for a group of people looking for others who'd like to help with their film and got in touch with Keith and the rest of the group from Hexxed Productions. I was there Friday to witness the drawing of the genre and the announcement of the elements and it was exciting. We figured there were about 20 different teams who signed up (one of them from Ft Wayne IN!).

The elements this year were as follows:

Character: J. Giordano, Detective
Prop: Measuring Tape
Line: "Take it back"

Also, since this year was the first year of the Project being in Chicago we also had to include somewhere in the film evidence that we shot in Chicago (anything from a landmark in the background to a Chicago phone book lying on a table). The genre category we drew was "Action/Adventure."

We were off to Keith's place where our small band gathered to work through the night (there were eight of us that comprised the entire cast and crew if I remember correctly). They had gotten together the night before to brainstorm possible ideas in every possible genre, so we had a good place to start from with our genre. We batted around ideas for a while and went with a story about a famous actress being chased by the paparazzi. After coming up with a basic plotline, we then had to write the script and storyboard the shots. Because our film included a character watching herself on TV, the first thing we had to do was film that show-within-a-show. We shot that and then finished writing the rest of the film.

By 6am Saturday morning we were ready to go. We shot all through the day and that evening we were off to edit, record ADR, and plan out any pick-up shots we still might need. I was even given the opportunity to direct a quick pick-up scene and was really pleased with what we got! I was there until about 1:30am until all that remained was the editing and we left Keith (and John) to do their magic.

It's such a weird feeling to be there during the whole shooting process and yet not know what the final puzzle will look like when all the pieces are together. You have an idea, but not much more without seeing it all cut together with music, etc.

I talked to Keith yesterday after he turned in our film and he sounded very excited about it. He seems to be pleased with the final product and I am stoked to see it. Some of them gathered ysterday to watch it, but I want to wait and see it for the first time on the big screen, which is also a little nerve-wracking (please, God, don't let me suck!).

For those of you in the Chicago area, there will be two screenings of the film this week on the silver screen. They split all of the entries into two groups; we are in Group A. The screenings are taking place at Landmark Centruy Centre Cinema, 282 N Clark St. Group A films are being shown at 7:00 on Tuesday night and 9:15 on Wednesday night (Group B is the opposite, at 9:15 and then at 7). Tickets are 8 bucks apiece (more info here), so come on out if you can!

By the end of the weekend, yes, I was worn out and tired but I was also inspired to do more. I came home and watched a bunch of things I had produced in the past and wished I had something new to edit.

Ya know, if you do something non-stop and it wears you out and by the end of the weekend you want to do more, then that's a pretty good sign you're doing what you love to do.

A Hard Laugh is Good to Find

I was able to go out tonight and see a sneak preview of the new Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson movie "Wedding Crashers" (yay for free passes!).

It was a great time. The film had the audience in non-stop laughter the entire time. It's been too long since I laughed this hard (and this often) at a movie. If you're a fan of movies like "Old School," "Anchorman," or "Meet the Parents" then you'll dig this one. If you go to the movies just for the plot and the cinematography, leave your deep-thinking scrutiny at the door. This movie is just trying to have fun, and I think it works.

I assume the purpose of sneak preview showings is to get some good buzz going about the film and in this case they have succeeded. Two thumbs up!

My Friend the Visionary

A couple of years ago my good buddy Aaron Marrs had an idea for a new type of business. He was so confident that the idea would work, he waited until he really knew me to divulge his secret...he didn't want anyone to take his idea and run with it.

It was indeed a great and novel idea, and if only we'd had the financial backing maybe we could have made something of it. But, alas, we didn't and, alas again, it was such a good idea someone else was bound to think of it.

This could have been us.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda, huh?

Oh well. If it makes any difference, I think Aaron's name for the business was better. But you know, that's between us.

Ugh

I think I have a stomach virus. Who wants to bring me soup? Or at least a burrito?

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Yesterday was the big Wrigley Field shoot on the set of "The Break Up." It was long, hot, and draining but still a lot of fun. I checked in at 6am and signed out at 10pm. I got home around 11pm and crashed. It was the first time my roommate's loud clump clump footsteps and loud slamming of doors in the morning didn't wake me up. It was nice.

Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston were there once again, along with Jon Favreau. It was a good time. In between shots, Vince did a really good job of keeping the crowd entertained and our spirits high. As hot as it was yesterday (there was a heat advisory!), and since we were sitting in the sun all day, that was no easy task but he is the man. At one point, Vince was introducing the different people working on the film and he pointed out a guy named Peter Billingsly (he didn't clarify if he was a cast or crew member). I knew I knew that name but couldn't figure out from where and then Vince told us that if you ever saw A Christmas Story (and who hasn't?), he was the lead kid who played Ralphie! Ha! I never would have recognized him in a million years. Our Ralphie's all grown up!

I don't think I got any screen time yesterday but I can't complain. I spent all day in Wrigley Field in the sun and got paid for it. We even got a few hours of overtime, which is always good.

This weekend in my attempt to spend absolutely zero money, I stayed at home and watched some new TV shows (or at least new to me). They are all HBO series and I gotta say, I love HBO! Entourage is amazing...the half hour flies by and it's a lot of fun to watch. The Comeback is also really well done and sort of like Curb Your Enthusiasm with Lisa Kudrow, who does a great job of shedding her "Phoebe" persona. The last one I got was Unscripted. I haven't watched it yet, but am looking forward to it.

So....how are you?

TWO degrees of Kevin Bacon!

My good friend Val just brought to my attention how close I am to Kevin Bacon. We all know the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game (and if you don't, go home. I don't have the time to explain it). Val e-mailed me to let me know that now that I have been in a movie with Jennifer Aniston, I am very close to Kevin Bacon.

Ed was in "The Break Up" with Jennifer Aniston.

Jennifer Aniston was in "Picture Perfect" with Kevin Bacon.

Two steps, baby. Two steps. Thank you Val, for making my Friday the best one I've had in a long time. :)

No pity for Oprah

Maybe you've heard about this on TV or online. Oprah was in France and wanted to go to some fancy boutique and got turned away. So she threw a big stink about it (how dare they not let her in!) and even hinted at racial discrimination. Before I comment, read the article below about the incident that I snagged from E! Online....Hermes Apologizes for Oprah Snub

    Oprah Winfrey may be the world's most powerful celebrity, as well as the reigning Queen of Daytime, but apparently those titles hold little sway with Hermes. The luxury goods retailer has issued a red-faced apology after refusing the talk-show host entry to one of its Paris boutiques last week. According to a statement from Hermes, Winfrey and "an entourage" tried to enter the Hermes boutique on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore at about 6:45 p.m. on June 14. Though the store's normal closing time is 6:30 p.m., many high-end retailers routinely make exceptions for celebrities and other VIPs.

    However, according to Hermes, the boutique was in the midst of setting up "a private public relations event" at the time Winfrey stopped by. "Hermes regrets not having been able to welcome Madame Oprah Winfrey and the people accompanying her to give them all the attention and service that Hermes is committed to giving each of its clients in the world," said the statement. "Hermes expresses its sincere regrets for any misunderstanding that these circumstances could have caused."

    However, Gayle King, a pal of Winfrey's, who was with her at the time of the incident, disputes Hermes' version of events. "People were in the store and they were shopping. Oprah was at the door and she was not allowed into the store," King told Entertainment Tonight. "Oprah describes it herself as 'one of the most humiliating moments of her life.' " Not that Winfrey is letting the incident keep her down. "She's really okay," King said. "Her position is, 'I will shop where people appreciate my business, and I don't believe that any longer includes Hermes.' "

    Winfrey's Chicago-based Harpo Productions confirmed that the daytime diva canceled a recent order for one of Hermes' Birkin bags following the incident. The exclusive purses can cost as much as $6,500 and Winfrey reportedly already owns a dozen of them. Winfrey also informed Robert Chavez, the American president of Hermes, that she would no longer be patronizing his stores. Meanwhile, though The Oprah Winfrey Show is currently on hiatus, a spokesperson for the show confirmed that Winfrey plans to devote a show to her "Crash moment" in September. Crash, which stars Don Cheadle and is currently in theaters, paints a bleak picture of racial intolerance.

    Last week, Winfrey was named number one on Forbes magazine's Celebrity 100, up from her 2004 standing of number three. Her 12-month earnings were estimated at a hefty $225 million. And that would buy a lot of bags. Too bad, Hermes"

Now I'm sorry, but I have absolutely NO sympathy for Oprah. Did anyone else but me notice that the store was CLOSED when she went there? Granted, it had only been closed for 15 minutes (which is why some last minute shoppers were probably still lingering). I've worked in a store before, and sometimes after you lock the doors, there are still people milling around who haven't finished their purchases. It's not like they were letting other people in but not Oprah. THEY WERE FREAKING CLOSED. Plus, they were trying to get ready for a huge function of some kind (probably celebrating Oprah's purchase of an independent island nation).

Welcome to the real world, Oprah my dear. Welcome to the world the rest of us live in. Where, if we show up to a store after they're closed, they DON'T open the doors for us. Where we don't ride in diamond-encrusted limos and just because we choose to read a book it means everyone else in the world has to read it. For Oprah to cry racial discrimination is bogus. Bogus. I wanted to go get some ice cream the other night, but they were already closed. So I couldn't get ice cream. No big deal. It didn't become a national incident, but when little Miss Everyoone Must Bow To Oprah does the same thing, it's on the front page. Guess what, Oprah? You're a billionaire. Your show is on hiatus right now. YOU CAN AFFORD TO FLY BACK NEXT WEEK.

The only thing worse than a whiny celebrity is a celebrty who whines because they get treated like the rest of us would have been treated.

I think I blew it

I went in today to meet with an agent who specializes in voice overs. I had sent in a resume and demo a few weeks ago so it's about time they got back to me.

Anyhow, I went in to meet them and did a kind of trial audition to see if they wanted to associate themselves with me. I got there and they gave me about 6 sample scripts to look over, then we went into the studio where I recorded them. The lady (Linda) who was engineering would edit them all together and them play them for the rest of the people at the agency later so they could sit together and listen and vote me in or out.

The scripts were your basic radio promo scripts (one for Mcdonald's, one for Gatorade, one for Healthy Choice, an airline, and a couple more). I felt pretty confident as I read them but then the engineer didn't seem too happy with them. She said it was a little too radio-announcerish and not conversational enough. So we did them a few more times. I was listening to her direction and (I thought) giving her more of what she was looking for but she didn't give me the impression that I was getting close.

She was nice enough and very cool and her direction was good but I don't know. When I left we talked for a bit and I got the feeling that it was probably the last time I was going to see her. I hope that's not the case, but that's the vibe I picked up.

In the past when I've left an audition and knew I didn't get the part it just kind of rolled off my back and on I went; never really bothered me. But today was different and it was weird. Rejection is part of the biz and it never ever got to me, but today when I left and got off of the elevator I was really bummed and I couldn't figure out why it depressed me. I think mostly because I felt like I did a really good job but it still wasn't what she as looking for. Who knows. Or maybe it's because I really want some work.

Maybe the rest of the gang at the agency will like it and my being bummed is just a waste of time, but I'm not placing any bets.

Hm.

Oh well.

Next!

Coming to a theater near you: Jennifer, Vince, and Me

Well, today I was on the set to display my awesome roller blading skills in the Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn movie, "The Break Up." And I'm stoked because I think I got some good screen time! We'll see. The actors and "important people" were watching the dailies and they wouldn't scoot over to let me see if I was in the shot, so I smacked Jennifer Aniston on the head. It was fun.

She's a tiny little thing and just as cute in person as she is on TV. And Vince Vaughn is cool and laid back and like TWICE as tall in person as he seems on the big screen.

It was a full day at the beach today and a hot one. I felt bad because we were there all day and some of the extras never got used. But at least they still got paid to be at the beach all day.

The first scene we shot was along the lakefront in a park-type setting. The scene is focused on Jennifer Aniston and Some Other Girl walking through the park talking (one of those shots where they are walking toward the camera, and the camera guy is in front of them walking backwards). And behind them comes Ed on roller blades! Yeeeee! Another guy and I were the designated roller bladers for the shot, so we skate up behind them and then pull over and rest on a bench. We did it like 10 times because they kept laughing about somethng, so maybe we'll make the blooper reel too. I was tempted to just kept going and slam into Jennifer Aniston, screaming like a burning midget all the way, but I didn't.

After that we broke for lunch (yay for dinner with Jennifer and Vince!) and then went to the beach for a beach scene. At first it was a little like gym class all over again because we all lined up and the wardrobe and set people chose 10 guys and 10 girls to be in the shot, seated in various positions on the beach sunning themselves. And I didn't get chosen because I wasn't studly enough. I didn't feel too bad, though, because I was happy about where they put me in the first shot. But then they came back and grabbed me and a different guy for ACTION. So where all of the hot people got to sit on the beach in the background, I actually got to WALK BY. So, when you are watching the film, there's a shot of the Not-Jennifer-Aniston girl at the beach talking on a cell phone with a couple of kids in tow. Behind her, walking from right to left and carrying a duffel bag, walks Ed! Depending on how they framed the shot, it might just be Ed's Legs, but ladies, don't pretend like you don't know them when you see them.

All in all a fun day. Most of it spent waiting around, but that's to be expected on the set. I am going back next week for a scene at Wrigley Field and there are always possibilities of more scenes, so as always, I shall keep ye posted. And one of the agents I submitted my headshot/voice demo to called today to set up a meeting, so hopefully something will come of that. And quickly. All this movie stuff is fun, but I gots bills to pay.

Wanted For My Skates

This post refers back to my blog from yesterday where I mentioned being booked as an extra in the new Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn movie. Although I am booked to appear in the baseball stadium crowd scene, we are still allowed to be an extra in other scenes. They have a hotline to call to find out what kind of extras they are seeking for the next day's shoot and if you fit the description you call them back at another number and tell them you're available (i.e., for one scene tomorrow they are looking for parents 40-50 years old, any race).

I called the number today and they said they are looking for extras to roller blade along the beach (but you must have your own blades). Well, wouldn't you know it, right before I moved out of Nashville I was digging through a box and found my little-used roller blades. I bought a pair about 5 years ago when I was in Pennsylvania. 

After rediscovering my skates in Nashville I decided I would bring them with me to Chicago because, doggonnit, I was gonna use them. My buddy Amy and I went blading this past weekend down at Lakeshore Drive but Amy's blades were purchased from a used sporting goods store and a wheel fell off and she had a nasty spill (don't worry, she's OK. And now when I replay it in my mind, it was kind of funny).

So I figured thus endeth the blading of Ed.

UNTIL NOW.

I have my own blades, I know how to use them (you won't find me on a halfpipe any time soon, but I can at least skate without falling down), and now my refusal to get rid of them and determination that they would come in handy some day is actually paying off. In a weird weird way that I never imagined.

Cool, huh?

The moral of the story is: Dont' get rid of your skates. They don't take up a lot of room anyhow, and when you need them you got 'em.

The Break-Up

So yesterday I got booked as an extra in the new Vince Vaughn/Jennifer Aniston film, "The Break-Up." It's set to release in February 2006 and the scene I'll be in takes place at Wrigley Field (Go Cubs!). There's a chance I might be able to do some extra work in other scenes as well, so I'll keep you posted.

I was at Wrigley Field about 15 years ago to do extra work in the film "The Babe" about Babe Ruth (that's where Ron Sarrazine and I met John Goodman and Kelly McGillis!). The cool thing about this time around is

a) it takes place in present time, so we don't have to wear suits and junk
b) we get paid
c) Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. No offense toward John Goodman and Kelly McGillis, but come on...let's be honest.

Cheech

Yesterday I went to a little bookstore here in Chicago where Cheech Marin (yes, THAT Cheech) was speaking. Cheech is a collector of Chicano art (his collection is currently touring the nation and is in Chicago for a short time at the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum. It's free, so if you live in the area there's no excuse not to go). He also has a book out ("Chicano Visions") featuring some of the art in his collection and he spoke about the art, the artists, and being a Chicano artist. He spoke for a little over an hour and it was really cool. For those of you who wondered if Cheech is the man, yes, he is. Yes. He is.

"Ghost Hunter" - A SHORT STORY

For regular readers of my blog, you already know about the writing group I am a part of. And for those of you who are new, I'll sum up. My friends and I gather every few weeks to give one another a 5-10 page writing assignment. All of the stories must contain certain elements, and this time around our stories had to include: a johnny carson impersonator, a coconut, a monkey cage, and the line "I never thought I'd see something like that when I woke up this morning." this time around we also drew genres out of a hat, and the one I drew was horror. This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it. I'll be back with my next short story in about 3 weeks!




Inside the house Jack swept his flashlight back and forth across the room. The dust swirled around in a misty haze and the boards creaked beneath his feet with every step.

He checked the monitor at his side. Two green lights, just the way it should be. Three green lights was also acceptable. Four was iffy, five was watch your back, and when the red light turned on it meant to make sure everything is on RECORD and get ready to run at the drop of a hat.

The house had been abandoned for 18 years but it looked like it had been longer than that since any visitors had dropped by. Most of the rooms were empty with a random wooden chair here, a small table there, or an old crate with a sheet thrown over it lurking in the corner. Everything was covered with a layer of fine dust and the prints left behind by Jack’s Timberlands were like Hansel and Gretel’s bread crumbs that would lead back out of the forest.

Jack closed the front door and it slammed shut harder than he had intended. He paused, waiting for the sound of bats flapping their wings in response and the feel of their sharp teeth and claws in his hair. Nothing. Jack cursed at himself for letting his imagination get the best of him. He waited a second or two and took a cautious step. Just before his heel hit the floorboard he heard a definite THUMP from somewhere above him.

He froze and listened.

Jack knew he was violating the first rule of ghost hunting: never go alone. Not that ghost hunters feared evil spirits attacking and killing an innocent investigator like one might see in a Wes Craven movie but because it was just safe common sense. A lot of ghost hunting is done in old abandoned locations. If you take a wrong step and a floor or staircase gives way, you’ve got someone there to lend you a hand.

Somewhere above him Jack heard the squeak of an old board. He froze and waited, but heard nothing else. The house settling; a cat creeping around…there were a million possibilities and there was no need to get nervous. A creak in an old house is as common as a Bible in a church sanctuary.

Jack checked his EMF Recorder. EMFs (electro magnetic fields) are released by a number of common items: a television or power lines to name a couple. Many ghost hunters believe that spirits and entities also give off EMFs. It’s a highly debated theory in the world of the unexplained, but Jack always had good luck. Whenever all four green lights were on, he had gotten some amazing pictures of orbs and swirling mists. He’d only seen the red light come on once in his career and before he could get his camera positioned and readied he’d felt something reach out from the darkness, grab the Nikon, and smash it to the ground. Jack had tried to run but felt two strong arms push him into a wall. After a few minutes Jack’s screams brought his assistant Mitch running from the other end of the warehouse they were investigating. By the time the young apprentice had arrived it was over.

Jack was about to ask Mitch why he hadn’t come sooner, but he found his answer before he could say anything. On Mitch’s head were a pair of earmuffs so big they looked like someone had cut a coconut in half and glued them to the sides of Mitch’s head.

“What are you doing wearing those? No wonder you couldn’t hear me screaming,” Jack chastised him.

“I’m trying to hear EVPs,” Mitch answered.

“Then why aren’t you wearing the electronic voice phenomena headset?” Jack could tell by the look on Mitch’s face that he didn’t have a clue. “You grabbed earmuffs out of the van by mistake you stupid son of a bitch.”

Still replaying the moment in his head, Jack aimed his flashlight at the rickety staircase before him and began his upward ascent. He made his way up two steps and paused. The sound of his feet on the old wooden stairs didn’t seem right. He listened. He could have sworn he heard footfalls coming from somewhere above him but attributed the phenomenon to his ears not yet being accustomed to this strange place. Sometimes in these old houses the echo of your own feet made it sound like the staircase wound into an endless eternity above you and sometimes, like tonight, it sounded like you had a visitor walking around up there. If Mitch were here, Jack might be able to get a second opinion.

But of course Mitch was late as usual. Jack grumbled under his breath and promised himself to put an ad in the paper tomorrow in search of a new intern.

Although Mitch had been excited to come to the hunt tonight, he had also been very nervous. Mitch had been on twelve hunts with Jack before, but this afternoon he had seemed just as antsy and jumpy as we was on hunt #1. Jack had to admit he was surprised Mitch had lasted with the company this long. But if he had, where was he now?

“Mitch….Mitch…”

Jack heard the soft whispering echo through the house. Or perhaps it was only an echo in his mind. Surely he didn’t hear it correctly. After all, what kind of ghost would chant Mitch’s name? There were definitely scarier things one could choose to moan in the dark. Regardless, Jack had to focus. Who knew if and when Mitch might show up, but Jack didn’t like waiting.

“Yoo hoooo,” Jack called out, smiling at his own foolishness. He was just glad Mitch wasn’t around to hear him make such an un-manly call. After a few seconds his “yoo-hoo” came back to him in a perfect echo. Just the way it should.

Jack heard a sound like someone walking on the landing above and heard the faint blip of the EMF recorder at his side as the display went from two green lights to three. Nothing to worry about yet but Jack anticipated feeling a cold rush of wind sweep past at any moment.

Jack reached the top of the stairs. He was greeted by a long hallway. There were two doors on the left-hand side and the corridor dead-ended into a third and final doorway. On his right was a wooden handrail that looked out over the floor below.

Jack started with the first door on the left (“Always go left”) and it was just as he had expected: the bathroom. The fixtures had been removed and all that remained as evidence of where the sink, bathtub and toilet had resided were pipes sticking out of the floor. Jack crept over to what had been the toilet drainpipe. Something was sticking out of the end and Jack hoped to God it wasn’t what he thought it was. As he got closer his nose told him this was not his lucky day.

There, sticking out of the pipe, was a turd. A human turd. Someone had actually taken the time to relieve themselves and then carefully place the turd into the pipe. Jack looked around the floor and saw no trace of toilet paper, tissue, newspaper, or even rubber gloves. Someone had done this either with their bare hands or by simply squatting above the pipe and slipping the turd right in. Jack never ceased to be amazed by what kids will dare each other to do during a full moon. That had to be the only explanation. Not even a spirit from the other side of the netherworld would be this foul.

“Well,” Jack muttered, “I never thought I’d see something like that when I woke up this morning.”

From out in the hall Jack heard what sounded like a broom being dropped to the floor. The thin THWACK sound made Jack jump and reminded him of what he was here to do.

If the stories about this house were to be believed, then there was something in the house that was bad. It wasn’t the ghost of a Civil War general or a woman who died in childbirth or a young boy who was kept in the cellar locked in a monkey cage. Whatever was supposedly alive in this house was nothing more than pure evil.

Jack left the bathroom and cautiously made his way down the hall. He kept a close eye on the floor but couldn’t find the source of the noise that had just sent his heart racing.

He came to the second door and it let out a loud creak as it opened, the hinges screaming for just a drop of oil.

Inside was what had once been the master bedroom. There were large windows overlooking the property on three sides but the dust that was caked on them made it appear the house was engulfed in a sinister fog.

In the middle of the room stood a tall wooden post that stretched from ceiling to floor. It was perhaps two inches in diameter, not nearly large enough to be a load-bearing structure. Jack approached to investigate, oblivious to the fourth green light on the EMF Recorder that had blinked to life. Besides this mysterious find the room was empty.

He grabbed the wooden pole that had been bolted down years ago. He jiggled it and found it was loose. As he shook it small fragments of plaster drifted down. Jack coughed. His hand came across a cold metal outcropping on the post that was sharp to the touch. He brought his flashlight closer to investigate.

A coat rack? It couldn’t be, but there seemed to be no other explanation. The jagged pieces of metal appeared to be the individual coat hooks that had obviously snapped off years ago. How odd that someone would install such a fixture but Jack assumed the bed was probably placed nearby at one point, and there’s never accounting for personal taste. In his mind’s eye he could see a bright pink bathrobe with matching fuzzy trim around the neck and sleeves hanging from one of the hooks. It was joined by a long velvety Merlot-colored robe dangling from another.
The EMF Recorder made a small BEEP as the red light sprang to life. “Holy shit,” Jack said, snapping out of his daydream. He hadn’t realized how cold he was. He could feel every individual hair on his arm raised so high they seemed like they would shoot out of his skin. He exhaled and could see his breath wafting in front of him. He looked around at the picture windows and realized it wasn’t dust that was obstructing his view outside but ice had formed on the inside of the glass panes.

Before he could begin to make sense of any of it all Jack heard a creak behind him. Right behind him. Jack didn’t have time to turn around when he felt a cold heavy hand slap down on his right shoulder.

“Ouch,” Jack said without realizing. It wasn’t an exclamation in response to the hand’s powerful grip but because of the extreme cold it spread through him.

Jack was spun around and came face to face with a terrible darkness. The Shape let out a horrible scream that shook Jack’s being and he shrieked in response. Jack took a step backward and stumbled against the coat rack. His full weight was no match for the pole and it ripped loose from its constraints. Bits of plaster and dust showered down upon him as Jack fell backward. He felt the pole beneath his back as his head hit the floor hard.

Jack’s only thought was The Shape that had grabbed him and where it was at the moment. All he saw was the flare of a bright flash of light.

Then, as quickly as it came, the light was gone. He continued to lay there and everything around him grew silent.

After a short time Jack slowly got to his feet, opened his eyes and immediately regretted it. The dust hadn’t finished settling and it coated his eyeballs with a grainy haze. Jack squeezed his eyes shut and began to rub even though his better sense told him not to. After a few seconds of rapid blinking most of the remnants were gone.

Jack brushed himself off and his confusion was rapidly replaced by fear. What had he heard? What had he felt? And was it still here?

He frantically searched for his flashlight amid the rubble. He found it partially hidden under a large shard of plaster and clicked it on. Nothing. Jack slapped the side of the flashlight, creating a small cloud of dust. The faint tinkling sound from within the housing of the bulb told him that it was no use.

He turned and surveyed his surroundings. His eyes had become adjusted to the darkness and he was able to see the hazy outline of the room. Outside of the house in the distance, far below him, he heard the sound of a car door slam.

On his way over to the window Jack’s foot kicked something small and solid. He reached down and picked up his EMF recorder. None of the display lights were blinking. He jostled the recorder a bit and nothing happened. He flipped it off, turned it over, found the battery case panel, and removed it. He shook the batteries out and he felt a crusty film on his fingers. The batteries were starting to corrode. Jack was infuriated. He had specifically asked Mitch to check the batteries in all of the equipment, especially the EMF Recorder since it had been on the shelf for some time.

He managed to replace the batteries and the panel cover and switched the machine back on. This time all four green lights lit up as well as the red light. This usually indicated extreme electromagnetic activity, but Jack knew that this time it meant that the machine had been extremely dropped. He jostled the unit again but the lights did not waver. He flipped it off and stood still. No cold spots. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck was completely relaxed. Somewhere he thought he heard the sound of a door closing.

Jack turned the EMF Recorder on once again and, once again, all of the lights lit up. Jack was enraged. At Mitch, at the machine, at himself. He threw the recorder back onto the floor and muttered, “Fuck it.” It clunked on the boards and came to rest, its lights still insisting that something was afoot.

Jack made his way to the window, a board groaning its distaste in being trod upon along the way. The ice that seemed to cover the window just moments earlier was again just a small film of dust. With his coat sleeved he rubbed clean a small circle on the window and peered to the ground below. He saw his car alone, abandoned, and basking in the moonlight. The car door he had heard sounded like his own but he saw no movement below.

There was only one other room on this floor and even though he no longer had his flashlight and EMF recorder, he decided it would be a waste of time to not investigate. If he found something, he wouldn’t be able to record it but at least he’d have an idea where he should start the next time he was around.

He made his way out of the room, started down the hall and paused. Footsteps. And this time he was sure it wasn’t an echo. In an old house with wood floors and no furniture or carpeting to absorb the sound, you could never quite ascertain where a noise originated from but it sounded like it came from below.

Mitch must be here. It had to be Mitch. Perhaps he had decided not to brave the rickety bridge at the edge of the property and parked his car at the bottom of the hill, walking up the rest of the way. He had opened Jack’s car door, saw he wasn’t in there, and then made his way into the house. That would explain his own car door slamming, the sound of the front door closing, and the footsteps below. That was Mitch. He may be late, but he always showed.

“Mitch?” Jack called out and heard his own voice reverberate its way down the stairs. “Mitch?”

Jack stood still and listened. From below he heard a faint “Yoo hoooo.” And it sounded just like him.

That bastard Mitch was downstairs and now he was trying to be funny. Jack wondered how long Mitch had actually been here, watching him. Even though a Ghost Hunt wasn’t the place to fool around Jack loved a good joke as much as the next guy so again he called out “Yoo hoooo” followed by a much quieter “Bastard.”

Jack had to admit Mitch’s “Yoo-hoo” sounded a lot like him. Mitch was always doing voices and it usually got old, like a bad Johnny Carson impersonator that doesn’t know when to stop.
He’d never heard Mitch’s “Jack” impersonation but he was sure the other guys had – and probably laughed their asses off. He wouldn’t be surprised if they had put Mitch up to this but he was about to show Mitch who was the student and who was the teacher. His EMF recorder was no longer working so it wasn’t really like he had anything to lose.

Jack heard Mitch below making his way up the steps and quickly darted into the room at the end of the hall in waiting. When Mitch went into the master bedroom to investigate he would find that revenge is indeed a dish best served cold.

Jack made his way into the far room. There was no door, just three lone hinges on the jamb with nothing to latch onto. Jack flattened himself against the wall inside and slowly poked his head around the door frame to sneak a peek into the hall. He looked just in time to see Mitch’s dark silhouette approach the restroom. Mitch was going into the rooms as Jack had gone into them. Always go left. Otherwise you might inadvertently skip a room. “Always go left” was the rule of thumb. Start with the first door on your left, check it out, leave the room, go left, and check out the next room you come to. No stone unturned. And Mitch had gone left. Just like Jack did. Just like Jack taught him.

“Atta boy, Mitch,” Jack said, “You’re starting to redeem yourself.” Jack knew Mitch would head to the master bedroom next because that was the next door on the left and that’s when Jack would sneak up behind him and show him how to really scare someone. Jack watched the lights on Mitch’s EMF machine disappear into the bathroom doorway.

Jack waited for Mitch to inspect the wash room. “Please don’t let him touch that mystery turd with his bare hands,” he thought to himself. A quick look around and Jack ascertained there was nothing much in this room, most likely the spare bedroom. The only thing here was a large picture frame hanging on the wall against which Jack was standing.

The frame was made of thin wood, probably pine. There was no canvas stretched over it. The fact that it was just an empty frame made it just as interesting (if not, more) to ponder than if there were an actual picture inside.

Jack touched the frame gently and as soon as he did the piece of wood on the bottom portion fell to the floor. Jack froze. He didn’t want to give his position away to Mitch and ruin the joke. Hopefully Mitch would think the noise came from the hall or even perhaps downstairs.
Jack remained in hiding as he heard Mitch leave the bathroom. He listened as Mitch slowly made his way into the master bedroom. He heard the slow creak of the door opening and Jack realized he didn’t recall ever shutting it. Again Jack peeked into the hall. He could see the shadows being thrown around from the beam of Mitch’s flashlight inside the bedroom and Jack silently slinked down the hall. He crept to the open doorway and stole a look. What the hell was Mitch doing?

Mitch had his back to the door and was obviously trying to reposition the coat rack that Jack had broken loose. As Jack continued to approach Mitch from behind he saw Mitch had actually fixed the coat rack. But that was impossible. His eyes were playing tricks on him. But the wooden post was once again bolted to the floor and ceiling and the plaster above was unmolested.

Obviously when Jack had taken his tumble he hadn’t brought the pole crashing down with him as he had thought. It had all happened so quickly some of the details were bound to get a little twisted around like a victim of a car crash trying to recount the incident.

Jack was now close enough to touch Mitch, and Mitch was none the wiser. “Someone’s going to have to work on their observational skills,” Jack thought to himself. He reached out his hand to give Mitch the scare of a lifetime. With his final footstep the floorboard let out a long squeak. Before Mitch could react Jack grabbed him on the shoulder. Why was Mitch so warm?

“Ouch,” Mitch mumbled, and something about it puzzled Jack.

Jack spun Mitch around and realized it wasn’t Mitch at all. He had been sneaking up on himself. Jack looked deep into the eyes of someone (himself!) about to die and screamed at the top of his lungs.

My Turn Part II

Just a quick follow-up to yesterday's blog. I got a callback from the theater today that I auditioned for last night! So cool! I was really stoked and excited to hear about that! I go in tomorrow night at 7:30 for the callback and I am looking forward to it. I am also going in tomorrow afternoon to interview to let a research lab do tests on me. Needless to say I am also really stoked about that as well. How cool is that? Robert Rodriguez, here I come!

My Turn

Things here in Chicago have been going well for my little band of friends. Amy has been auditioning like crazy and now the offers are starting to come in. We're all really happy for her. I believe she has three (count 'em, three!) offers floating around right now, which is awesome!

Tonight Erik just found out he got the role of Charles Ingalls (Pa!) in a production of "Little House on the Prairie" and again, we were all really stoked for him!

And now its my turn. I have about 5 auditions within a week's time. Tonight I went to one for a show called "Beyond Therapy" by Christopher Durang. It went really well. They laughed a lot at my monologue which was cool (and they laughed in all the right places) and they had me do a cold reading from the script with another lady. I thought that went well, too. I had a blast. They told me that they would call me tomorrow if they want to see me at the callback on Thursday night. Whether or not anything comes from it is beside the point. I really enjoy the audition process and it was fun to be back out there again.

One of my favorite things about auditions is watching the other people who are there to audition because no matter what time you get there, whether you're in the front of the pack or one of the last to be seen, there's always one person there who loves to draw attention to themselves and be, well, an actor about it. It's a lot of fun and tonight was no exception. Nothing like a bunch of actors to keep me entertained.

Good times.

Book Maniac

I just finished reading "Haunted" by Chuck somebody (the guy who wrote "Fight Club"). My buddy Erik read it and was telling me about it so after he finished it he passed it along to me. We get into pretty good discussions and I am sure this book will inspire some interesting conversation. It's basically about 23 people trapped together and each of their individual stories. I really enjoyed maybe 3 or 4 of the stories. All of the others I found myself just reading to find out what would happen in the next (and hopefully more intriguing) story. I'll give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Amy just finished "Life of Pi" and raved about it. I thought I'd give it a shot. I started reading it today, figuring I'd see how the first chapter goes and I am hooked. I had to get up because I've been reading non-stop and am already about a third of the way through. Whoever wrote it (I'm too lazy to get up and check the author, but I'll post it below) is really good at drawing in the reader so who knows. I'll probably finish it this weekend.

Because I am awesome.

I Own This Town

Last night was weird. Cool, but weird.

It was laundry day here and Amy said that whenever we wanted to do laundry we could go to her aunt & uncle's so we wouldn't have to pay to do it at a laundry mat. So last night we took her up on her offer and it was cool.

Her relatives have this awesome apartment on the 10th floor of a building downtown that overlooks the lake and you can also see the ferris wheel at Navy Pier. Oh, did I mention that while the laundry is being washed we also have access to the pool, workout room, sauna, and hot tub? And because most of the people who live in the apartment building are a bit older, all of these amenities were 100% deserted. It was awesome.

At one point I was the only one in the pool. It's indoors, but there are windows all around that almost give you the feeling of being outside. It was dark (about 9 or 10pm) and all of the pool lights were turned off except for one lone light in the water at the "deep end" of the pool. I just stood in the pool and all around me were awesome skyscrapers and buildings and lights and the lake and it was just a really really cool site. It was peaceful and nice and I couldn't wait for my clothes to get dirty so we'd have to come back and do laundry again.

There and Back Again

I'm off to Nashville to pick up another carload of things to bring back to Chicago. Mapquest says it is an 8-hour trip, but everyone knows they always seems to add an extra hour to their estimation. I'll be picking up a TV, microwave, books, CDs, kitchen stuff, and shoes (you know...the essentials).

I have my Elmore Leonard book on tape and the new Will Smith CD to keep me company. I'll see you when I get back.