In school they teach you that if you wear a shirt that says "My Grandma Really Wants You To Pick Me!" to a taping of the Price is Right, you will get picked. Well, I put that to the test today... and it is as phony as a mustache on a baby. I went with my buddies Ryan, Amanda and a few other folks who went to Ithaca College. We all traveled in my luxurious 2001 Hyundai Elantra. Amanda sat shotgun and we talked about what we were doing before we moved out to LA. She just finished college and I worked at Disney World. But, before Disney World, I added, I used to work at La-Z-Boy. Right after I said that... we arrived to the lot where they film The Price is Right. The timing here is important.
Cut to...
"Amanda Bowman, come on down!!!" Amanda got picked! Oh, and guess what the first item up for bid was??? A La-Z-Boy couch. Amanda looked straight to me pleading with me to have the correct answer on the price of this couch. I gazed back at her with calm and knowing body language and using finger hand signals, I held up one finger, followed by 1 finger followed by 9 fingers then 9 fingers again. She guessed $1199 and she was only off by $40. She won the couch and got to go up on stage. Victory was hers! Right until she lost the other games and then struck out big time on the wheel. I purchased my grandma a coffee mug from the gift shop and Bob Barker said "Shit" during one of the commercial breaks! It was super weird to hear Bob Barker curse! I might never be the same actually.
In other news, I ended up getting a call back from the Actors Co-Op. With only 2 days before the callbacks they told me to change one of my monologues. They suggested something from Biloxi Blues. I tried my best, but it was not show ready in the 2 days I had with it so I went up on my lines right in the middle of the call back. It was a little painful. So, although I have not heard officially yet, I believe I will have to re-audition next year. Ho-Hum. Maybe next year when I re-read this post, I will see this is a blessing in disguise or whatever positive people say about rejection.
I have been thinking about moving to NY for the summer to train at the HB actors studio. Of all the acting books I have read over the years, I am the most drawn to those that mention the work of Uta Hagen and Herbert Burghoff. There is a teacher there named Anne Jackson (who is an icon of Broadway) I hope to get into her class (another audition - I am not using Biloxi Blues.) While I am there, I could take fencing, singing and a host of other classes. It will likely be an expensive trip, so I still need to work out that part.
Tonight is cigar night at the Friars Club again. One of the members that has money brings cigars for everyone to try for free. Yum... you mean I get to set leaves on fire in my mouth and increase my chance for lung cancer all with one simple product? Wow! Who could say no?!?!
Never tie your shoes to a tree that is being cut down.
~ Joe