The Black Donnellys

HOLY SHIT!! Did you people see the series premier of this show?!?!?! This is the best program I've seen on TV in a long time! It's it shot amazingly well, beautifully, with interesting techniques mixed in with very transparent techniques for really effective story telling. The characterization was really really well done and the reveals!!!! Very good, well paced and not only doing their job to suprise, but adding to the richness of the characters.

I've done a little stand-in and background on this show, since it's shot in NYC. Yay! Go NYC! All the more reason to support it, but by no means the reason I am so gun-ho about it. All I remember from working on it was that I could never spell the name right on my voucher. And I had to carry a body bag with a really fucking heavy dummy inside, up narrow winding stairways. I had NO idea the show was going to be THIS good.

If you missed it, just go to nbc.com and watch it there. Believe me, you won't regret it!

Forever Is a Long Time

I never want to drink or smoke again.

Last night was probably the most humiliating experience I've had in a really really long time. And it wasn't due to booze.

ShE was set to show in Manhattan last night. Kat, who played the lead role of Amy and myself had some postcard invites professionally printed up that looked quite nice and invited about 140 agents and managers and such. Maybe it was because we got them out a little late, or because it was the weekend, or just because, but none of the agents that we sent to came, well... I don't think so. So instead we just invited friends to the showing that we later learned had a five dollar admission fee. I brought my copy of ShE, Kat brought hers. My copy tends to skip, so I wanted to make sure we had a backup. So we get to this very hidden, swank place in midtown where it's showing. Probably about 10 friends show up. Which is great. We get in. We all pay for very pricey drinks. We sit and converse. And the presenter introduces the movie and me. I walk up do a short and sweet. Loiter a bit by the mic, cuz I don't know where the presenter went or where to put the mic, sit down and its starts. And then it skips. And skips. And skips. Not even 5 minutes in, I know there's no hope. I'm red-faced, I'm motified, there is a tornado inside my stomach churning with all kinds of bad feelings, my heart has literally stopped beating. But it's okay right? I still got that 2nd dvd. I grab it and go up to the presenter, who has turned house music on to cover the "technical difficulties" situation. He puts it in and fast forwards and gives it another go.

Yeah you guessed it. It fucking skips. And skips. And skips. At this point I am drinking any booze in reach. As people are offering them as sympathy drinks. Anything to shut out the sudden humiliation of it and the guilt of dragging friends to see it and pay to see it and pay for expensive drinks in addition and now the its not even playing, its not even playing, its not even playing, it's not even...

The presenter walks over to me and I spare him the awkward question I can see on his face. "Just stop it," I say. "Are you sure," asks he. "it's just going to keep doing this, and its not fair to the other people who are here to have people watch THEIR movies. It's okay, just stop it," I reinterate.

Just stop the pain!

All I can do is look over to Kat, who is sharing this experience with me. He wants me to get back up and give some kind of explanation. I think the audience deserves it, so I agree. I can't tell you really what it felt like. It was horrible. I must have been pretty drunk at that point, because I don't really remember what I said, or maybe I'm just blocking it out in my head.

I couldn't really take being in the place any longer, nor could the others in the group. The subsequent films were BAD, to the point that I really lost touch with all reality.

I collected our dvds and we all booked. One of the people in our group was quite kind enough to offer to show the group the movie at her apartment. And so we all went and watched.

I felt SOO terrible, for the friends who paid, for Kat definately, and yeah for me too. With all the crap thathas gone down over ShE, I just wanted to have one good experience with it. And I wanted the actress to have that as well. And it just blew up in my face. I am just REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY fucking glad no one in the industry showed up (that I know), because I would be feeling about 100 times worse.

The rest of the night I just drank and drank. Quite stupid. It had a lot to do with the showing. I was told repeatedly that I shouldn't feel bad about it, that it's not a reflection of me or my part in the movie. But it is. Or rather it is what it is. Perhaps I should just put my copy of ShE where it belongs, on the shelf. Because I am certainly not to going through that again.

Waits Effects

Sometimes listening to Tom Waits manages to put you a drunken sulk of a mood, no matter how sober you are. Maybe it's just because I'm tired.

My family, well my mother and sister and I all tend to get headaches that last for days. I guess I lucked out as theirs qualify as mind splitting migraines and mine are more annoyances than anything else or perhaps its my manly high tolerance of pain.... still it's been three days now, enough is enough.

Push the Button!

I am guilty. If I see one of those stupid banners at the stop of my screen where a Sumo wrestler is pushing a blonde in high heels out of the ring and all I have to do is click the red virtual button repeatedly with my mouse to retaliate, I do it. Or say a giant guerilla is chasing me and by pushing the red button I can outrun him and jump onto a moving helicopter, I do it.

I can't help it. What is wrong with me?

Dead Land's UP!!

Yes, folks, Dead Land is alive and well. I have written a new chapter as have my peeps. More on the way, check it out. (and of course the lovely new banner all the way at the bottom of the page.)


Dead Land

Rappers Bleed Too (you just have to prick them with a 9mm bullet)

Today was a blah day. I spent about 7 hours in the cold or in the cold and rain. After murder scene, though this time I wasn't standing in for the victim, I was standing in for the person that find the victim. Usually I stand in for people older and taller than myself, today it was a teenager and he was shorter. Yeah, this isn't revolutionary thinking, but when you're day consists of chain smoking outdoors for something to do and use a cup of hot chocolate as a hand warmer, such minimal thoughts meander about the brain.

It was nearly a 12 hour day, so it's good for the paycheck anyway. Just a very bland day. But ok, overheard in ny, disappointed me last time I read it, I won't lie, it did. Then standing around today I thought, well let's check it again. It Wednesday One Liners!!! That means subway overheards. And I tell you they have some FUNNY fucking things up there. It definately helped me throguh about 15 minutes of cold and boredom.

Dinner: Cheese Pizza with all the seasonings, in Times Square

....In a Nutshell

So, okay. Wow! February 22nd already? It's been all over this month, but mostly good. Last Thursday I actually had my two very best friends in the same room (even if we were all exhausted and sleepy), which is a very rare situation, so I was REALLY thrilled to have them together because they are the funniest people I know.

Dave, also known as Fat Ass, was here for the weekend. We did a fine job of recording bunches of music for a band we have, the name I cannot disclose or dimensions will collide and then promptly implode. Besides that we drank our fair share and went to some terrible greek restaurant, where the waitresses ignored us, forced free dessert on us and then took offense when we expressed we were ready to leave by asking for the check.

Tuesday it was back to work. Where I also have an extremely fantastico! day. There are certain things I can't believe I, as an actor, am paid to do. And the exact situation I was in, though it did have some awkwardness, is one of those situations. There was also a lot of down time spent watches 30 Rock on laptop, and bunches and bunches of youtube, mostly various types of fights, i.e. dog, cat, crackhead, gay, gang, prostitude, racial, rooster... I'm sure there was more. And of course (as always happens when paired up with a certain person) hostile exchange with one of the extras, who threatened that the universe was going to retaliate against us because we wouldn't allow him internet access. Wow! that sounds even more crazy in writing.

Wednesday I got all crazy and bought myself an HDV camcorder. Somwehere in the week I also make a banner for the Deadland wesbite. And I also found out that DCUP has a blog set up now.

DCUP's Blog

Say.... OH MY FUCKING GOD, IT BURNS!!!!

I'm too tired to tell of my incredibly busy life, so instead I'll tell you how cheese burned the hell out of my pinky today. I came home after a leisurely yet purposeful trip to the city and decided I was too hungry to wait for dinner. So I decided to make myself a grilled peanut butter sandwich, grilled cheese sandwich and some good ole' tomato soop. Well all was going well until the two sandwiches were done cooking and I piled them with the spatula. One was a little lopsided on the two, but I thought, "hey, it's fine, they're not going on that long of a ride."

The next thing I know a side of the grilled is off, melted hot cheddar is burning my hand, I'm juggling the grilled peanut butter before it ends up on the floor, I drop the grilled cheese on the counter, I'm trying to shake of the gooing burning cheese on my hand, I got it under cold water trying to rub it off as it continues to burn me. How did this happen?

I ate that fucking open faced grilled cheese sandwich, you bet. It was the only revenge on it I had. I drowned it in tomato soup and munched on it. What you got on me punk?

You're either laughing at me right now or holding onto your hand, stuck in the painful memory of when this happened to you. You're laughing, aren't you?

Let Me Tell You About a Gangly Cat I Know

Finally, a Mr. Bones video!! But who made this fine film???

I'm here, I'm alive. It's been wonderfully creative, productive and fun since Thursday!!! And not just for me. Still I can't believe how much i've done! I'll explain asap. I must bed away now.

Happy Birthday To Me

Yeah fuckers, I'm a cupid.
Honestly I am going to try to more or less forget that it's my birthday and regard it as any other day off. There is so much I am not looking forward to to today. Such as grocery shopping in the freezing rain, laundry in the freezing rain and going to the post office in the freezing rain. Then there are certain things that I need to do, like writing my deadland chapter, exercising, getting out postcards, cleaning my apartment because I haven't had much time with all the work lately. And that's pretty much my day.
Of course I am doing a couple of small things for myself, such as cooking a big breakfast and for dinner I'm planning to treat myself to good sushi and perhaps some plum wine to go along with that.
It's really been quite a life so far.

The Season for Sparks

No I don't mean the good kind of electricity, I mean the static kind, the kind that throws you back five feet when you touch a door knob or shocks someone else violently when you mean to give them a tender touch. That kind. It's been plagueing me for the last few weeks. Everything I touch (that's a conductor of course.)

Not only that I am dealing with my legs that become scratching posts during the winter season (even WITH lotion, though still appreciated.) Maybe its because I am wearing long johns so often.

And then there's my nose. Everytime I blow it...blood. There must be zero humidity in the air.

Is it almost spring?

Get Your Money for Nothin' and Your Kicks for Free

Today kicked ass. First I found out about an incredible personal and professional opportunity coming up, that I can only hope will work out. Then I got called in to work BG on a TV Pilot. For AFTRA, SAG rates, I ended up standing in for an old gentleman, an actor from the Sopranos, who was very kind to me, mostof the BG involved me sitting down and behind a translucent window where I got to play with a really weird, amazing and entertaining nicknack/contraption. Then I found out at the end of the night that I get paid for hours that I wasn't even there, since they called me in to replace someone else. That means I got paid for 11.5 hours when I only worked 8. That's OT baby! And good money! Tomorrow I go back, I go back with bells on!

A Day In the Life of a Dead Guy

What a strange and wonderful job. The other day I stood in for a corpse. First I had to lie on a cold metal slab. Now the real challenge in such a situation, especially if it is the morning, is to STAY AWAKE. You're lying down first and most obviously of all, but it was also warm in the room, which always makes me sleepy, and they were shining a bright light in my eyes, so I was forced to close them...and keep them closed. You really can't imagine how comfortable this situation becomes and how easily one might fall into a little dream sequence.
The day got much much more bizarre as I then stood in for the crime scene dead body position. Basically I was lying on a pastic covered blood soaked matress in a basement (set) with a leather s and m mask over my face while the actors talked about my mutilated genitals. Perhaps that could use explanation, but I'll let you fill in the blanks yourselves. As the star of the show peeled the mask off of me she said, "bet you've never done this before." I remarked, "no, well there was that one night...it was a very strange night." She more or less ignored the comment but the other leading lady smirked at it.
Then later on I even found myself rehearsing a scene with the stars of the show. Mind you I don't appear in the scene, it was just a rehearsal, still it was kind of neat to interact with them and pretend it was my role.

There was a lot of food eaten that day and the day before. Both sets are notorious for always having food available. I love that. I did miss out of the pizza though because I was on set.

The current song I am really digging is Skip Divided by Thom Yorke. Check it.

Cheesy Peanut Buttery Tomato Deliciousness!

One of my most favorite lunches. 1 grilled peanut butter sandwich, 1 grilled cheese sandwich, 1 big bowl of tomato soup. Both sandwiches are to be dipped in the soup, nay! submerged excessively! I don't know, maybe it reminds me of my childhood, maybe there's some magical effect the combination has on me, all I really know is OH!!! It's so good. I almost always opt for whole grain, its just so much more nutritious, but both grilled peanut butter and grilled cheese is SOOOOOO much better on white bread.

Work today was quite short, quite. 4hours. If you're working less than 8 hours, really the less hours the better, since the first 8 hours are a base rate, ideally the less hours you work, the more money you're making per hour. Thus I'd rather work 2 hours or 14 hours any given day. A straight 8 hour day is the equivalent to a kick to the balls. And there you have it.

A Matter of Character

You know, you really have to question the character of someone when they choose to exclude you from their life for asinine reasons, but then pry into your life, hoping to get something out of it.

You're not going to find anything here.

Let There Be WORK!!!

Nice!!! I got two calls today. One for work tomorrow, the other work for Wednesday. Plus I already had a something booked for Friday. A good week already! Please let this continue, I have much catching up to do. Tomorrow marks my triumphant return to 6 degrees. I haven't been able to work on it lately because of my featured bit as the millionaire dotcom model dude a few months ago. Then Wednesday I fear I will be outside, but you know what they say about beggars.

Today was alright, I stayed somewhat productive and scrubbed down my apartment. My shower is one of those spots that never looks really clean because of how it's been cobbed up with calk and such in the past, but I got it looking better and that's all really one can hope for. Also fixed my shower head which recently started spurting out water aimlessly for no good reason.

I figure my landlady must think I am completely insane. With recording music some days I am rapping somewhat explicitly, other times yelling, sometimes announcing people, sometimes singing romantic melodies and since I am wearing headphones, all she ever hears is my voice. It's good, keeping her afraid of me is key to my survival.

Incredible Fly

There is little else more amazing than this. It is perhaps my favorite video to watch...really.

Across The Universe - Trailer

This was the first studio movie I ever worked on!!! It is finally going to be released!!! I scored my first two SAG waivers on this little puppy, met a friend, sang dialogue to 'Silence of the Lambs,' and got a featured bit. It was a great first movie experience and looks like a good movie also!!!

Nix That

Meet the newest member of my family. Unlike the other two who are completely black and therefore impossible to capture with a camera, Nix is very pose ready.... is that snow??

Walking Against the Wind

14 hours later we had accomplished 17 dialogued scenes in a marathon shooting craze that went from room to room to room inside an upper west side apartment. Crafty consisted of donuts, coffee, smokes, pizza and beer. Holding was a kitchen table off to the side of the living room. There was no OT, no meal penalties, no smoke pay, no pay at all actually. But there were plenty of laughs and a great little group of friends. A friend I met on set a while ago was filming an episodic pilot for youtube and he asked me to be the director of photography. Though honestly I don't get nearly the same joy from camera work as I do from being the writer or actor on a production, I said I'd help out. The scenes were ridiculous enough, and many times I could barely keep myself from laughing. Anyway, I'll probably be mentioning it again as it gets finished.

In related news I hear DCUP may be making a music video at some point in the next fews months. According to rumor it will be for the yet-to-be-completed song, DCUP Land. I hope this is not some cruel joke! I'm dying to see a DCUP music video!!

I had a brief outing today and the weather is fucking horrendous. Once I got back off the subway and started the walk back to my apartment I knew just how bad this situation was going to be. As soon as I crossed a block of buildings, it was just going to be me and the wind. Walking into this wind was like being slapped across the face by that bitch Motha Nature's steel gauntlet. I don't care to go outside for the remainder of winter. Unless I am getting paid for it of course.

The Problem With Today

The problem with today was really that there just wasn't enough today to today. Happy Groundhog Day.

Break On Through To The Other Side

I finally get you Jim. You weren't talking about death or drugs or whatnot, you were talking about blissful sleep. It just took me total physical exhaustion to figure it out! What a night of sleep I had, or actually I have been having. I hit to the pillow and slept straight through until my alarm clock busted up my dream. I kind of remember it being a weird-ass dream anyway.
It's just been an odd week. Odd hours, odd leisures. A long week, a good week. I finally got some work, I spent a lot of time not doing work when I was supposed to be doing work, but then again I wasn't really supposed to be doing work. A lot of time hanging around herds and herds of annoying extras and then some good ones. Yesterday I worked on Criminal Intent and froze my ass off outside for several hours. Still it was nice because I was standing-in and after working amongst about 1,200 extras on I Am Legend it was good to work directly with a production. It was also kind of an unusual scene, but unfortunately I can't really talk about it. I'll just give a keyword: Hazmat.
Today I worked reg Law and Order. It was a breeze day. Just a bunch of sitting around and joking with a friend on set and coining the word grazejob...yeah it's dirty. Any guesses as to what it is???
Okay, I'm fucking beat. Later jerkfaces.