Comedy Show Tonight (Sat)

Some of you asked....and this was the easiest way to let everyone know. I'll be performing with the OC Crazies tonight at 8pm.

Location:

DePietro Performance Center and Don Cribb Theater
809 N Main St.
Santa Ana, CA

I think tix are $15...

Keepin' On

I joined SAG earlier this week, so I'm a real actor now I guess. No getting around it really. It means, at least at first, that auditions will slow down a bit. I'm no longer permitted to do projects that are non-union. I read for a small roll in a Sharon Stone movie and also had an interesting audition for Hugh Jackman's body double in another. Normally it wouldn't be too exciting to be a body double, but it sounds like this is a green screen thing where I would actually be acting a lot opposite of Hugh...I think he's very talented so that would be cool if it happens.

I have another audition tomorrow for a romantic comedy. So...a few less auditions since joining, but from here on out they will all be worthwhile projects.

I leave for Las Vegas to do some convention work Monday. I'll have to work eight hour days like a grown-up. Good pay though.

For you OC locals, I will be performing in a sketch comedy show with the OC Crazies on Saturday, January 21. It's the same theater as last time. I'll post the details here next week.

Mac Attack

I just want to thank Miah, Greg and Robb for convincing me that I need a Mac. However, I think that they should take their passion to the next level and organize an international fund-raising effort for the cause. I mean, talk is cheap. I'd be happy to accept the check for such a worthy cause.

Humbly...

Joe

Can I do today over again?

All of my technology has conspired against me...

I dropped my Blackberry into the toilet. Let me know when you are done laughing.

...

Ok. So I had to buy a new one today. Turns out they cost more the second time around. That's why they are also called Crackberries.

The good news is I had my old one backed up on my home computer so I wouldn't have to re-enter all of my info. The bad news is my home computer is currently the technological equivelant of sandstone. (By the way, thanks for the help Miah, but it won't even let me get online to download the program. I'm going to have to take it to a pro.)

It's days like this I want to be Amish...

New Year's Computer Virus

Argh. I was doing a websearch for this director that I worked with last year and my computer was attacked by "spysheriff" adware. It has shut down everything including access to the internet, norton anti-virus, and even the ability to click on "my computer." If you have had this happen please post a comment as to what I should do...

Until then I'll be suffering by using my laptop only...I know, it's rather sad.

A suprisingly busy week

Hollywood pretty much shuts down this week, but somehow I ended up with five auditions...had a callback today for a national SAG commercial for www.moveon.org, a political organization backing the democratic party. I think they were trying to get me to say what political party I affiliate with at the callback, so I told them I was communist. They laughed. I was sort of serious.

I did have a good audion and chemistry with the people in the room though. They will call by tomorrow night if I got it. It shoots Monday.

Last night Debbie and I went on a real date to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary coming up in a few days. We haven't been able to go out as much lately as when we lived in Vegas. It was a very good night. We saw "The Family Stone" and we both loved it. There were a few trite and predictable parts, but the actors were phenominal across the board and the story was strong. I actually cried for the first time in a movie theater since Mr. Holland walked into the gymnasium to a standing ovation.

Deb's working a lot this weekend and I'll be hanging out at home with the boys. Going to Lifelines now...it's birthday night.

Merry Christmas.

Holiday Plans, Devil Girls and AFC North Champs

Christmas approaches...

I'm looking forward to the holidays this year. It's always hard for me when work slows down, but once I embrace it, it's a good thing. Today is Eli's last day of school, both he and Aidan have the next 16 days off...

Mom and Dad are visiting in early January and it will be nice to have them here. Dad hasn't been out since we moved here.

In between Christmas and their visit Debbie and I will celebrate our eleventh wedding anniversary. In a bit of payback for the last two years (in which I had to work on new years eve, our anniversary) Debbie has booked a party and will be away for most of the day and night. It will be odd being at home with the kids on NY Eve as we normally spend it with our friends in Vegas. Odd, but fun in its own way. We can watch a little Spongebob and call it a night. That's the way a 32 year-old father is supposed to party anyway. Heck, we might even pop open a few fruit boxes and do some Capri Sun shots...

Almost forgot two important things:

1. I booked a part in a SAG feature film called Devil Girl. I play a televangelist...which should be very fun. It shoots in early January.

2. How bout them BENGALS? I have no idea how to live life with my football team still playing in January...it's all so backwards. Maybe the Reds will make the playoffs too! I know, one miracle at a time.

Only 95 shopping days until my birthday...

We have wrapped the sitcom pilot. I spent the last few nights filming. I actually think it's going to be funny when all is said and done. Debbie had a big night last night with three of her parties going down at the same time. So...a very busy weekend for our family.

I'm working on General Hospital on Tuesday, but that's all that I have scheduled next week at this point. The Holiday lull is in full swing I have a feeling.

Friday was very cool. Lifelines organized a holiday meal for the local homeless people. I was able to spend a few hours hanging with some friends from Lifelines, as well as our guests. It was good to hear stories from them all and offer what little we had to help.

I received a copy of "Emerging Churches" by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger in the mail. I was interviewed for it three years ago. It was very interesting to see my own persepective back then and how it has evolved in one way or another. I've only skimmed through it, but it seems like a good resource for anyone out there struggling to translate the gospel into the life and language of the emerging culture.

Back to work, or not...

I'm neither auditioning nor working tomorrow. It's the first weekday in awhile where that is true. It's amazing how the insecurities of it all come crashing in on a day like that. You'd think that actors are neurotic enough, but the freelancing aspect of it pushes us over the edge. Things should start slowing down as we approach Christmas though. No matter what, the sitcom pilot shoots this week on Friday and Saturday. That will be nice for many reason, not the least of which is that it shoots less than two miles from my house.

I've been logging my auditions and it looks like I have a chance of hitting 100 auditions since moving here in July. That's unbelievable, especially considering it only accounts for half a year. If you had told me that I would have had 100 auditions in my first three years here, I would have been ecstatic. Granted, some of it has to do with my union status. I'm currently able to audition for both union and non-union projects. I'm now an AFTRA must join and will be a SAG must join after my next SAG gig. I'm thinking I will be joining both early next year. After that I can't work on any non-union projects, but the auditions I do go on will all be significant.

I did book back in Vegas for a convention in mid-January through a friend at church here in Costa Mesa...a little confusing I know. I'll be there four days on the convention floor running a game show both. Another great case of "who you know." Thanks, Bill...

Short Update

It's been a busy tiring week or two. The Punk'd callback went well overall. They had me there for almost three hours. They kept letting guys go and it went from 40 guys down to 9. Then they called us all in and the executive producer said we were all great and that we were going to do more improv. About 90 minutes later they let me go, along with another guy. About four guys were left there after we were dismissed, so I'm not sure if that means that they got it, or if I will hear back from them. It was the most exhausting acting experience of my life: three hours of improv with the constant possibility of being cut. I'm still recovering.

The last two days I've been working as a writer on the sitcom pilot. The script is complete as of an hour ago. Shooting late next week.

GH is over for now, but they said they will call again.

Days of our Life...

For all of you asking, it probably won't be worth the effort to try to see me on General Hospital. I think the six episodes that I appear in begin the week of Christmas. I pretty much just stand outside of the hotel lobby and let people in and out. No lines yet. I finally read for the casting director on Thursday and she said they will continue to use me as the doorman, and possibly some other speaking roles in 2006. So, it's definately a good thing, but nothing to spectacular on screen.

The bigger news is that I have the third and probably final callback for a series regular on Punk'd this coming Monday afternoon. That would be a pretty big gig for me at this point. One of the regulars last year is a new SNL cast member this year and some of the others have appeared in Ashton's movies, etc. The actual work itself would be well suited for me. It's not much different that what I did for two years at Tony n Tina's, except that people would have no idea I was acting...but I'm confident it's something I could do well.

All of this and the sitcom pilot that I've been working with is now in pre-production and should be filming just before Christmas. The year is definately ending in a chaotic burst of activity.

As for life in the family, we are all doing pretty well. The kids are excited for Christmas and we have decorated the apartment. Debbie is a party-selling machine. Stuff at church is good. I started a series in Matthew last night that I plan on continuing into the spring. It's good to spend time in the gospels. Jesus makes me want to follow him, even when his followers don't.

WORKING Actor

I was only actually on the set today at General Hospital for 15 minutes. I was at the studio for about four hours. I'm glad that I'm going back the next three days to try to understand it all a bit more. Soaps are definately different than the film and tv I've done so far. There's a good chance that everyday will be non-speaking. They originally weren't sure, but after seeing it all today I'm not planning on it.

However, I am getting to read for the casting director on wednseday before work. I'm not sure why really. I asked a guy today who has been doing background and "under five" (small speaking parts) at GH for years about it and he seemed surprised. He says its rare for them to do that. Who knows? I shouldn't try to figure that stuff out. Just enjoy being there and whatnot.

I will be able to make my Punk'd auditon tomorrow as well as an industrial callback. I don't report to GH until 7:00 pm and should only be there a few hours.

All for now...

Lazy Saturday

Spent a few days in Las Vegas for Thanksgiving and had a good time. We decided to drive back at midnight on Thanksgiving which was a good decision in terms of traffic, but my sleeping schedule is a little off.

Debbie has a big party that she booked today so I'm planning on taking the boys to see Chicken Little. It's always a crap shoot taking them to the movies. Sometimes they love it, but half of the time we leave early.

I taught at Lifelines last night from Romans 13. It was just one of those nights when it felt a little rough. I usually have five minutes to teach on Birthday night (the last friday), but I had 25 minutes this week. Just felt a little off, but I'm sure something good was happening underneath. I was a little sleep deprived and carb-hung over from Thanksgiving.

I'm excited about working next week. I don't really know what to expect. I also booked a little industrial video that shoots friday. So it looks like I will be on General Hospital Mon-Thurs then working again on Friday. I have an audition Tuesday for Punk'd on MTV as a series regular. (One of the guys who tricks the celebrities...) I hope that I can work it around my shooting schedule. I generally do very well at improv based auditions. One of the most frustrating things about it all is that everytime I book I have to pass up auditions. I think that's a big part of why it is so hard to work constantly as an actor.

I'm off to enjoy doing nothing...

GH

I was hired to work on General Hospital all next week...very small role, but five shows in four days. I play a doorman. Never been on a soap set. Never really watched a soap for more than five minutes...so this should be interesting.

UFO's , Jessica, and a new car

Much has happenned since my last post. Nothing too major, but all the same...

I had the callback friday for the UFO series. Crossing my fingers on that one. It went well...not stellar, but well. Afterward I ran into Jessica Simpson at the Arc Light Theater bookstore. She was reading US weekly and talking to her mom on the cell phone about the story in the magazine being untrue. Rather surreal, but left me pretty much unphased.

The van is still in the shop, but it will only cost $300, which is good considering they quoted me anywhere between $200 and $2000...I have a rental pick up truck now which is quite the gas hog.

And...we went ahead and bit the bullet on the new car. Traded in the Montero after a solid five year run for a Toyota Corolla. Not a sexy car, but very practical and much better suited for my travels. The savings in gas will nearly pay for the car payment each month.

Today was one of the busiest days since moving here. I had three auditions in LA this morning. They all went very well and, though I rarely say this, I'm almost certain that at least one of them will call. They were smaller projects and the directors were present. If they don't come through, no big deal. But a few of them are multiple day shoots starting after Thanksgiving. After my auditions I taught at church for Tim and followed that with my first performace at The OC Crazies. Good times. Debbie and the kids came. Aidan said I was funny. Eli said it wasn't fun because he couldn't run in the theater. Fair enough.

Tomorrow I teach three more services and follow them with the monthly Lifelines leadership meeting at Steve's house...then, Lord willing, I sleep!

My van door fell off and other stuff...

Quite a day. I had an 8:30 call this morning at a house in North Hills, north of LA, for the Age of Empires III commercial. It went great, but on the way there the sliding door in the minivan flew open and broke on a freeway exit ramp. I was pulling off of the freeway because I could tell the door wasn't fully latched. As I hit the gas to turn onto a street the door flung open and came off track...losing a few bolts. I managed to fix it enough that it stayed "on", if not closed, for the drive to LA. Basically, I drove over 100 miles today with the door stuck open though. I'm getting an OK paycheck for the commercial, so I'm hoping it will be a wash with the repair bill...

ANYWAY...this was a 60 second comedic spot...very funny in a silly "Bill and Ted" way. I wore an authentic British Red Coat soldier costume complete with knee-high boots, fake sideburns, funny hat and a real sword. They had my measurements all wrong (too small), so I could barely breathe, but it was good fun all the same.

I also found out today that I have a callback Friday to be the host of a new TLC/Discovery Channel show about UFO's. I feel strangely qualified for it. They are looking for a real host, not someone playing a character, so I would be my skeptical self investigating UFO sightings all over the USA. Here's hoping it goes well...would be a regular TV gig that could exercise both the creative and scientific sides of my brain.

That's all for now...gotta go to bed so that I can get up early and take the van into the garage...

I booked.

Finally! I actually booked the old fashioned way: through my agent. I have booked five projects since leaving Vegas but all of them were leads that I dug up myself, or someone who knew me throwing me a bone...thanks again, Gregg.

I booked a commercial for a video game (Age of Empires III) that shoots next week. I play a colonial British soldier...go figure. It is non-union, so no residual money but it is a definate monkey off my back. It's nice to think back to that full casting office and know that for some reason I was chosen. It means it can happen again.

I pre-spent some of the money on "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." I took the boys to see it in the theater and they both loved it. They are watching it with Deb now. There is something about giving a gift to someone you love on a regular day...not Christmas or a birthday. It makes it more real.

Something's gotta happen...right?

Well...ten auditions in ten days. That's really good. I'm getting out there and I'm actually doing very well in each audition. I could use a booking for the old self esteem though.

I have joined the "OC Crazies", the longest running improv troupe in Orange County. They have their own theater and they are directed by an original member of The Groundlings, where I trained a few years back. My first show with them is in two weeks. It will be nice to get back to where it all began three years ago. Improv is still the thing that is the most fun for me. It's good to be back.

The TV pilot shoots in three or four weeks.

All else is well. Family is good. Life is moving fast.

Boo.

This may not be the prettiest picture, but it says something...Eli went as a policeman. He was accidentally a sexy policeman because we haven't done laundry and didn't have any clean undershirts, so he showed a little chest. Aidan was a pretty cool spidey. We went to the OC Fairgrounds for a big Halloween bash and they loaded up on candy. Pretty cool.

Uncle Phaph (the spelling is uncertain...that's Deb's brother Dave) and Aunt Sara are here but they leave tomorrow. It's been a nice visit.

Four auditions in 24 hours and I'm a little fried. I'm starting to recognize other actors at auditons now which is nice. We talk about the parts we aren't getting together. It's struggling actor bonding-you wouldn't understand.