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May 29, 2003
Reality, a Third Time?
With the potential for a fourth, non-reality (or hybrid, more like it) show to follow, I think I will accept an offer to work in casting for... if there has been a reality show I've been looking forward to... Who Wants To Be a Superhero? for the WB.
Press...
Yes. That would be fun. But first, must get through this week (one more day to hand-off), then, this weekend, shoot an Internet feature called May Cause Swelling. I worked with several of the principals in this group back when I was doing improv, so when they asked me to do a couple of sketches for the new series... well... yeah, sure. Why not?
After that, a week of working on the next book (holy shit, what do I do when it's actually already showing up on Amazon??? Guess I have to finish writing it), then sweet Quinn comes for a visit for a whole week!! Yay! Keith's 4.5 year old son will be with us through Father's Day. I can't wait!
Then... the new job. Yeah. That's a good deal.
Posted by bonnie at 8:23 PM
May 23, 2003
Spoiled
I've gotten spoiled. TiVo did it.
I now will hear things on the radio or even hear bits of conversations and reach for the remote to back it up and hear it again.
I'm so used to working on the computer with the TV on, hearing something I like the sound of, and backing it up to watch what I missed that I now actually think I can do that at all times.
That can't be good.
There's more... will try to not sleep this weekend and catch up. May not need to try to not sleep. That may come naturally. We'll see. Big stuff.
Posted by bonnie at 7:23 PM
May 18, 2003
A Special Day
According to JARUSA, it is my 12,000th day on this fine planet. How did you celebrate?
I took a nap, chose NOT to go to The Matrix with Keith, and did another ten hours of work on Paradise Hotel. It's getting harder (details here), but I still love the job, love the people, love the pay.
Last night's Mr. Personality party at the Barfly was chez chic and tres trendy. I was way too old for the kind of fun others were having, but I had a great time, nonetheless.
12,000 days old is quite "up there," y'know.
I feel like a cad (can a chick be a cad?) for not responding to fellow Spy Notebook types. THANK YOU for the encouragement. Yes, I knew about The Woggles being The WUOGgers in their first year. I'm excited for all the cool things happening in the worlds of married life, job interviews, and continued finding-one's-self quests.
I must pay some bills. Happily, Casting Qs has already paid for itself (on paper... we don't get the money until six months after the sales started; meaning we just got our first check from the distributor last week) and made a nice little profit. Seeing the cover art and promotional material for the second book, Self-Management for Actors, in the distributor's fall catalogue has me quite eager to see it published. Of course... I must write it first. If I keep up this casting thing, that ain't bloody likely.
Interesting twists and turns this li'l life-path takes. Looking forward to seeing where the next 12,000 days take me.
Posted by bonnie at 11:11 PM
Reality Revisited
This time, casting a reality show is a little different. I'm realizing that there can be a lot of life-changing going on (obviously, for those who go on the shows, there is all the post-show fame to deal with), even for those who aren't chosen to appear on TV.
We have a medical situation with one of our contestants that actually has potentially changed the lives of six people--in terms of their own health and lifespan. It's the first time this has ever happened in 2000 contestants screened by our network doc. And all this person did was show up to an open call for a new summer reality show. Obviously, our open call didn't cause the health issue--but it's part of the dominoes falling thing.
I've spent more time on the phone with contestants for this show than I'd imagine possible. Lots of hand-holding going on. I've been assigned the task of talking a couple of people into doing the show who may not really want to do it... and I've also stepped up to the plate to take care of some people who are jumping out of their skin, they want to do the show so badly. And of course, production has been pushed back a week... and they just have to hold on another few days before they hear some cool news. I hope I get to make those calls. Those are the good ones.
Last night was the cast and crew party for Mr. Personality at the Barfly. It was my first time at this very "velvet rope" club on the Sunset Strip. Rich and I weren't so sure how we felt about being "up-and-down" inspected for dress code and being on the guest list... then Coach Chris (AKA Mr. Green from the show) came over, gave big hugs and kisses, and ushered us into the club for free drinks and such. Very nice.
I think one of the funniest aspects was having "fans" of the show see me talking with the four guys who were there (Chris... green mask, Will... silver mask, Jim... purple mask, and Joseph... light blue mask) approach me later and ask if I could please introduce them to the guys (or one guy in particular for whom they'd developed a crush). Of course, I understand. These are all very crush-worthy guys, which is why they earned spots on the show. But the whole fame thing... it's just very bizarre.
E! is airing a show on May 28th called Your 15 Minutes Are Up, profiling reality show "stars" and how participating in reality shows has impacted their lives (vastly different, depending on whether said participant had training and ambitions for acting prior to the appearance or was just living a normal life and hopeful to get back to that). Speaking of which; a guy from MTV's Road Rules was there, as well as "Dr. Sean" from the first Survivor. It was a reality show room.
The coolest connection was with David Ury, an online friend who was cast as "the ugly guy" unmasked in all those Mr. Personality commercials before the show actually aired. He said, when we met, "Oh! I'm so glad you're here. I wanted to introduce you to a man who has just cast me in his feature film; shooting this summer. He needs another eight people in the cast and I told him he should hire you as casting director." So, a little impromptu interview took place between me, the writer-director, and the producer for this cool, black comedy feature film.
Should be interesting.
I just have to get through this week of notifying a person about the worst possible combination of health issues... and oh, yeah, not getting cast on the show.
Sick and twisted. And a whole new culture. These reality show people have a very interesting club they join. I'm glad they have each other to lean on. And network therapists.
Posted by bonnie at 1:57 PM
May 14, 2003
Sad News
One of my favorite Athens bands, The Woggles, has suffered the loss of a 31-year-old member. Story here.
Manfred, who is interviewed in the article, was Graduate Advisor to WUOG a few years before I took on the position; and he remained on staff while I was Grad. Advisor. He was always a cool guy and fun DJ to hear. I know he's not the one who died; but I'm saying it makes me sad to know the band--and its members and fans--have suffered such a loss. Those are some great guys and it's just a damn shame.
In Other News
I really like the "kids" we've brought in for the show. Tomorrow we'll get some cuts and some definite ins. That makes me happy (the latter). We save the joy of cutting people for this chick in our office who actually LOVES telling people they're no longer in the running, if they call in to check status after a first callback. Hey... takes all kinds, right?
What else?
My back is totally jacked up and I have no idea why. Very tense, tight, and painful. Not loving it. Yesterday's bubble bath did not help. Ugh.
Keith's play opens this weekend. We have to miss the screening of his big feature film (in which he gets his head blown off) because he'll be on stage at the time of the screening. Bummer. I believe this production company will be good about getting him a copy of the tape, though.
Oh, shoot. I forgot that I'd told Will (silver mask from Mr. Personality) that I'd watch him on American Idol tonight. Oops. Maybe he'll appear in the second half. I was watching Family Guy instead. Anyway; big party Monday night with the cast and crew of Mr. Personality. It's nice to get a personal invitation from a member of the cast. A little perk! Tee hee.
Okay... back to work. Just wanted to make a quick update and also take a moment remind myself of what's going on in my life. XXOO, all.
Posted by bonnie at 9:15 PM
May 13, 2003
Happy Fun Time
We've already seen 40 of the 60 called-back kids for Paradise Hotel. These are some really great people. I'm having a lot of fun getting to know them. Twenty more tomorrow and then we present to network on Friday. Unless they want to see another round of people... then we do this all again next week. Oy. I hope we're done. Not because I don't want to do another week of callbacks, but because I hope they like the folks we've brought in so far. Really cool people.
Ooh... I've just become distracted by a shiny object: a bubble bath. Ahh...
Posted by bonnie at 9:19 PM
May 10, 2003
Glitch
It would seem that HaloScan has bitten the proverbial big one and comments no longer function on my Blogs. Bonus: the lack of the host resolving going on is causing a major lag time in my load (I know... isn't it sexy when I play geek?) and, for that reason, I'm pulling the damn thing from my Blogs.
No more comments. Grr.
Beyond that, I still love my job and I have lots of happy to share, but today is three months since Keith's mom died. Tomorrow would've been my mom's 70th birthday. And... well... tomorrow is that Mother's Day thing. So... I'm going to save my happy for when I'm really really happy and, meanwhile, just kind of sit with these feelings.
But things are good. Trust that. I sure do. ;)
Posted by bonnie at 9:43 PM
So far...
Casting Qs has made $8303.64. Cool. It's now more than paid for its own printing cost.
Of course, we haven't seen any of that money yet, as it comes through the distributor. Our first check was due 5/5. Damn, Mercury Retrograde... let it come on through!!
BTW, I'm spending the weekend on the phone with all sorts of singles age 21-30 from all over the country who we're flying in starting tomorrow for producer callbacks on Paradise Hotel.
I like that I'm able to do this part of the job from home.
OMG, since I started typing this at 7:29pm, I've now been on the phone with another contestant about what to expect, doing a pre-visit interview. I still really really really really like this job. A lot.
Hectic, crazy, busy, but so very gratifying.
Keith's play opens next week. He's a happy actor.
OH!! Watch Dragnet on Sunday for Faith Salie (best friend for 20 years). Keith's next TV appearances will be two episodes of Scene of the Crime on June 5th. Yay! Me? Well... my name can be seen in the credits of Mr. Personality for another couple of weeks. ;)
Happy Mother's Day, you mothers!!
Posted by bonnie at 9:04 PM
May 4, 2003
Lengthy Update
Wow wow wow wow and wow. I love my new job. LOVE it. LOVE it. And I'm not kidding. I was so sure that I'd be needing to remind myself that I did take this job of my own free will, etc., by now. And I don't need any of that pep-talk. I LOVE this job! How is that possible? I don't do job-jobs! How on earth can I love this so much?
Well, it's the people. Great crew. Really amazing team assembled to put together this show, which makes me very happy. It's sort of like they were able to assemble a dream team and I'm so proud to be on it. Great gang.
Beyond that, I love what I'm doing. Back with Mr. Personality, I was learning the job as I was doing it. And, we've now established, I was doing the job of four people. Yes. Four. It's sort of nice, seeing three other people in the office, sharing the duties I once had heaped upon me, while I "just" do my job. And get paid more. Yeah. I like that. A lot.
It seems as though everyone is also really happy to have me back, since I said no to NBC's Who Wants To Marry My Dad casting between Mr. Personality and Paradise Hotel. I think saying no is a really important element of getting what I want out of life. Leaving Back Stage West was a form of saying no. When I think back to times when I was treated with such extreme disrespect (this is beyond the public recent stuff that everyone knows about and is really awful private stuff that I never told anyone about, as it would make people say, "Why on Earth would you ever stay at such a job??") at the paper, I am really proud of myself for walking away and making what feels like a complete shift in the LEVEL at which I work and am rewarded for my work. The respect I'm getting now is� well� it's about damn time. Let's just say that.
So, yesterday was our big LA open call. Two of the guys who were called back for Mr. Personality came in for it and were given immediate callbacks. Another dear friend's son came in and got an immediate callback too. I'm beaming with pride! So happy for my guys! I also got a few emails from my Mr. Personality guys, asking if they can do this show. Sadly, probably not. Next time, my buddies. Next time!
Blog Responses
Chip: I cannot believe that the Blue Laws even still exist in Georgia. I guess, having lived in Los Angeles for nearly five years, I've gotten really spoiled to the whole "no booze available" on certain days or at certain times. Very odd. But I'm glad they may be on their way out. That's nice!
The Real World: Boston ROCKED! Who told you it didn't? OMG, it was quite possibly the best season ever! Man!
We went to Mann's Chinese Theatre on Friday night for X-2 and it was greatness. I always love seeing an opening night BIG film there, as there are invariably people who worked on the film in the audience. Our screening was shared with at least three people in the closing credits for the film, which was just really cool. Of course, there are a kajillion people in the credits for the show, so the odds are for something like that happening anyway. LOL. As for the film, it was too long for my tastes. Of course, you know me and my lovely inability to sit through any film longer than 82 minutes plus credits. So, for me to say it was only 20 minutes too long is a big deal. I usually will "live with" a film that's ten minutes too long and not say anything about it, but with this one, I started re-editing the film in my mind to make it the length it should've been� while we were still watching it� and that's a sign that there was some stuff that could've been spared. Now, all that said, let me state for the record: this was a really awesome film. I really really really loved it.
I won't bother reviewing it. Surely everyone on the planet has seen it anyway.
Okay, so a trailer I saw that has me really excited is The Italian Job. Didn't think I'd want to see it from the posters, but from the trailer� yeah. I'm in.
Of course, we'll be at the opening night at Mann's for Matrix: Reloaded and T3 in July. Much excitement. That's more movies than I saw at all last year. Hee hee.
I'm amused at the idea of Freshmen living on campus, Chip. Since they'd been threatening that since before I came on campus as a frosh, I'm surprised they're actually going through with it for the 2004 kids. Hm.
You asked about BBS for SpyNotebook. I registered a little EZBoard for Cricket Feet and have never used it, if you want to go poke around and see what you think. My favorite BBS seems to be the one with threaded responses and all posts visible by title. Check the links in the right margin of my Blog for all the BBS places I visit. You'll be able to see lots of options. Good luck deciding. I'll like it, whatever it is. Tee hee.
Okay, can I just say that "April 29th, Inaugural Chicken Day at Athens Academy" is one of the most amusing things ever! Of course, I never forget that Mr. Lee McKay taught us all that there is no such thing as a "first annual" anything, as it must be the "inaugural" version first, and THEN it becomes "annual." Now, if only I can teach my dear cousin that "its = possessive" and "it's = contraction for it is." Sigh. One conquest at a time, right. Hee hee.
Love that my Georgian friends and family got to have an earthquake. One of the PAs at the office is from Georgia and, when I told her about the quake (Joni had sent me an email), she called her family and said (mock panic in her voice), "Why didn't you call me?!? You could be dead!!" When her mom said, "Honey, it was just a little shaking," Amanda said, "Yes. Exactly. Now stop calling me in a panic after every little quake we have out here!" LOL It was great.
Courtney: I am so impressed that you are knitting a scarf. That's just really cool. I have so little patience for such things, and that would be such a nice craft to undertake. Sigh. Someday.
Thanks for the congrats on the Mr. Personality screen capture. That was pretty dang cool for me too. I'm such a geek like that, but it's the kind of thing that my mom would've loved (she'd have paused the tape right there and made everyone that came to the house watch it). So, the capture was sort of a shout-out to her too.
Mike: Good goin'! I'm really impressed that you're at a "finding your place in life" kind of stage. Who says you have to figure it all out on any kind of timeline? I make new stuff up all the time. And I love my life. Enjoy, man! It's hang time!
Other Catching Up
Atkins: I've been on Atkins since December 15th, though I really only "mildly" do it when I'm working at the office. There just aren't a lot of low-carb options brought in, and I can't leave to get my own lunch. Still, I'm doing my best, and I'm certainly burning a buttload of energy in this job, running around all the time. So, I've lost, since December 15th, 25 pounds! Woo hoo!! Yesterday at the open call, Rich (who has known me for well over four years and sees me pretty regularly) asked how much I'd lost, saying, "Damn, you look good, girl!" Love that. So, still 30 to go, for my tastes, but I LOVE that I'm actually succeeding at this! Yay!
Observation: Y'know who gets really nasty when you let your subscription lapse? TV Guide. I'm getting all these nasty "Final Cancellation Notice" warnings and I'm like, "Yes. Please. I hope it is final. I'm sick of hearing from you." I'm sure they're losing a lot of subscriptions due to DirecTV's on-screen info, TiVo's program guides, and online access to program grids.
So, TiVo, yes� I have become reacquainted with the greatness that is Family Guy. Wow. What a great show! I knew it anyway, but I'm really loving it this time around. The Boomtown marathon on Bravo is outstanding. I am so very happy that FCC regulations on syndication sales into cable channels don't hold anymore. This instant rerun thing has been such a pleasure with the current season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent on USA and now Boomtown on Bravo� wow. I want to write for Boomtown. I think I'll save a few more eps and do some research. I'm probably nowhere near qualified to do crime drama writing, but I sure do love that show's writing. I'm really impressed with a script written by Mykelti Williamson about a child who was molested by a coach and grew up to pass that same legacy on to other children. I'm actually going to write to him, to see about some joint venture action. I've learned, based on some very recent connections with industry folk, that it is highly appropriate to reach out to people whose work you admire, say so, and then move forward with some collaborations. I have a few things going on right now about which I'm very excited. It's just a really, seriously, really good time these days. 'Nuff said.
Bummer: 90210 skipped a season. Dangit. I'm getting Kelly post-fire, Val with Dylan in Mexico hunting down his money, and Andrea in love with some med student. Last week, Brenda was cast in the play and Laura hadn't even tried to kill herself yet. Grr. How dare the skip the whole evolution of David and Clare's relationship or the departure of Brenda and the reveal that Val's a pothead! Grr, indeed.
TicTac: My baby car passed the Smog Check! Woo hoo! I was worried, since it failed a few years ago when I had it tested the first time, and it's� well� older now. Nearly 14 to be exact. "Bless its widdle heart," as Mom would say.
Chicklet: That's the name for my baby G4. It's so great! And it's earning a living too. Just learned I get $50/wk. for allowing the production company to use it (via me) for the show. So, we're both on the payroll. Nice. Problem is, it has a wobble. Any other PowerBook owners having this issue? And what are your thoughts on it? Should I just deal?
Dreams: My daytime ones are beautiful. My nighttime ones are deception, anxiety, accountability related stuff. Weird. I think it's all the carbs.
Check the Cricket Feet Calendar for goings-on I won't have time to email out with any regularity, and make sure you visit the Hollywood Happy Hour site for the recap of May 1st's event and scoop on the June 5th event to come. I should have it updated shortly. I hope. It was great fun, as always!
'Til my next day off�
Posted by bonnie at 2:21 PM