11.30.2006

PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD HELP!

MY BROTHER DESERVES FAME.

Please visit these links. Enjoy the videos. Then, click on the heart in the lower lefthand corner of the screen. You'll have to register your email address, but it's so worth it! If Louie, David and Chris win- they get a ton of money, AND their commercial is shown at the Super Bowl! INSTANT FAME. Please help my multi-talented brother get famous!!!


http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=A6F8B542776E11DB8B9DA6B200DB926D&type==

http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=8895BE54776B11DB8D18A6B200DB926D&type==

11.14.2006

Webster's Dictionary of Hollywood B.S.

Until recently, I had been working in the entertainment industry, a setting that seems to breed egocentric blow-hards. I thought I'd be avoiding those kinds of people by leaving show biz, but, alas!, I live in Los Angeles, so there's no avoiding those obnoxious writer types, those wannabe actors, or those self-appointed auteurs. Here are some phrases these folks often spout that annoy me:

"Oh! I heard the script was good." (Variations: "The script was supposed to be good."; "My friend read the script, said it was good.")-- This is often used by Production Assistants who have no real pull in the world of Hollywood, but would like to think they do. They're longing to be "insiders," and they're not, and likely will never be. Being a PA is not a surefire way to success and fortune. I know a guy who used to be a PA, got promoted to coordinator, and now sells cars.

"
It's really high concept."-- This is primarily used by douchebags. It is used to describe a screenplay, often when they do not want to elaborate. (They say it's because they don't want their idea stolen. I say it's because either a) there is no screenplay at all or b) there is a screenplay, but it's pathetic and/or they don't know how to verbalize what it is about.) For instance, a couple of years ago I was standing around with my little goofy headset being a Television Slave, and I decided to make conversation with the fellow next to me. "So you're a writer? What're you working on right now?" "Just finished a screenplay, actually." "Ooh! Cool! What's it about?" "Well, it's very high concept, actually, soooo..." It was awkward.

"Big Picture"-- This phrase seems to peppered into disappointed conversations (i.e. "He's not seeing the big picture" or "Let's think big picture here for a sec, mkay?") as a Space Filler. Similar to "like" or "ummmmm," "Big Picture" is devoid of any real meaning. It's a way for the speaker to maintain control of the floor while they collect their thoughts (if they have any).

"Surreal"--This word can be perfectly acceptable, provided it is used in the right context. However, people often use it when they name drop. "Yeah, I was this party over the weekend. Do you even know how surreal it is to see Chuck Woolery play charades?" First of all, settle the hell down. When you're playing charades with Woody Allen, then you've got something to be excited about. Second, I don't think it's surreal so much as it is entertaining and bizarre. When I think "surreal" I think Salvador Dali, not George Hamilton trying to act out "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

11.12.2006

And we all know how much I love hot cats

Recently, my friend Devin and I went to a jazz club (which will remain nameless) where we saw a certain host/singer (who will also remain nameless). This fellow is the kind of guy who would sing to his bride at their wedding. Before the food is served to guests. And it wouldn't be one song. It would be ten.

This particular act is a Tuesday night fixture at this establishment. How this man is the permanent host is beyond me. The only thing I could figure was that at some drunken point, a friend told him he sounded like Tony Bennett, which sparked his need to become a jazz singer. I hope whoever told him that realized that he's
ruined Tuesdays for everyone.

And his intonation wasn't the only trouble. It was the way he was imitating every lounge singer he'd ever seen. In fact, he seemed to be imitating
parodies of lounge singers. Large sweeping hand motions, one leg bouncing, body tilted back a little. The seediness was nearly overpowering. At one point, I asked Devin if he thought, given the way this fellow was behaving, that the audience could file a class action suit against him for sexual harassment. He said yes.

Singers like this aren't the only type of male that make me uncomfortable. Radio DJs who talk in that übersuave manner, too. You know what I mean: Their voices are low, their vowels are extended to comical lengths ("Smoooooooooth jaaaaaazz" or "Heeeeeeeeeey ladies.") and their preferred subject matter is, well, yucky. For example, I had my car radio automatically scanning through channels in a desperate attempt to find something,
anything to listen to. The radio landed on 92.3 ("hot 92 jamz") only to hear the DJ saying, "And ladies, if you're sexy enough, you can park wherever you want to."

Eew. What does that mean, even? Before I had time to truly grasp what this fellow meant, my car radio had scanned away from the station. When I returned to the station moments later, he was saying, "36-24-36? More like 36-24-40! Ladies, bring those sexy hips on down and I'll--"
I turned the radio off.

Who are these people? Who do they think their target audience is? It certainly isn't "the ladies" because I don't think I know a single woman who would respond positively to this kind of smarminess. The jazz singer, at one point, motioned to the band behind him and said, "You gotta love my tasty band, because, these cats are hot!" And then he chuckled to himself.


Yuck.

11.11.2006

ATTENTION TELEVISION PRODUCERS

HOOKERS ARE NOT ATTRACTIVE.

Heidi's Girls, alright. Call girls, sometimes.

But honest-to-goodness streetwalkers? They are NOT PRETTY. Just ask anyone who knows about the PCH Prostitute in Malibu.

Thank you.

(And I know hookers!)