Audition: “Trust Me” @ Carla Lewis Casting. I was really right for this film and worked on it to make a strong choice. I was a little off, but commited. She gave me direction that I feel like I took well. On my way out of the room she said that callbacks would be in about 10 days. I don’t know if that meant that I’ll be getting one or not, hopefully I’ll find out in 10 days.

Audition: “Stub Hub” @ Joe Blake Casting. As I walked into the maze of casting at Westside I see a guy that I see a lot at auditions. At first I thought he was there for the same commercial I was there for. As we said hello to each other I saw that he had theatrical side in his hand. This was odd because it’s usually all commercials at Westside. So I immediately start checking the scene to see exactly what was going on. I see that there was a film being cast. Me and this actor are pretty much the exact same type so I’m really checking this out while keeping an eye on the commercial that I was there for.

I glanced at his sides to see which character he was reading for and go to the sign in and grab a set of those sides. I look it over and I am perfect for this…at least I think so. So I’m trying to figure out a way to get seen for this. A man comes out of the room and says something to one of the actors waiting to go in. So asked that actor who that man was and he says that he is one of the producers. I tell the actor that I wanted to get in on it and he says “just sign in, it’s cool”. I didn’t want to do that and possibly get busted in the room. After that I kinda went into stealth-mode. I followed the producer guy around for a moment to see if just ask him, he seemed pretty cool. So I did, and he said to ask the guy who was running the actors in and out of the room. So I asked him and he said cool. BINGO!!

I signed in, waited my turn and had a great audition with the producer and director. This character was in the snowboard world and I totally know that world and language of it. I even added a little of my own dialogue that I thought would work. After all I had nothing to lose. They seemed to be really happy with my read so I guess we’ll see what happens…if anything.

The film was “White Air” @ Peter Wise Casting.

Reader: Project, “I’mPerfect. Dori Zuckerman Casting. Starring Wayne Brady and Sydney Tamiia Poitier and directed by Brandon Sonnier. Today was another really cool experience in the hot seat. I was present while a decision was being made on one of the supporting leads. That was cool to watch the tape with the director. Very, very cool. Oh yeah, they still say that I am going to be in the movie they just don’t know where yet. I guess time will tell they start shooting May 12th.

Audition: “Jack-in-the-Box” @ Alyson Horn Casting. This was the same office where I got really close to booking that “AM/PM” spot earlier this month. The audition went great. On the way out, I asked the session running who they went with for the “AM/PM” spot. He said they ended up going with a rather large Caucasian man. Cool, so they “went another way”. Ha, that never happens to me! LOL! Actually, it makes more sense for that spot. I’ll book another commercial one of the days.

Dori Zuckerman’s office calls for me to be a reader again on Wednesday. I say “yes” and hope I don’t have any conflicts that day.

Audition: “Pampers” @ Sheila Manning Casting. This just consisted of a personality interview. The session runner asked me what was important to me. Of course, I said “family” and I talked about my relationship with my family and motocross. Those two things really make me shine brightly.

When I was walking back to my car there was an older woman, like in her late 70’s or 80’s, walking in front of me. I was careful to not to walk to close to her and invade her space, plus I didn’t want her to think I was going take her purse or something like that. Right as I was walking past her she immediately turned and said:

Older woman:
I vant to go to 4th and Montana. I vant to take de bus. I wait so long.

Stephon:
Uh, I’m not sure where that is. Wait, there’s 6th that way, so you are going in the wrong direction and I think Montana is that way.

Older woman:
I vant to ride de bus.

Stephon:
I’m sorry, bit I’m not sure where the bus stop is that would take you there.

Older woman:
I vait and vait and vait fo de bus.

Stephon:
Um..well…uh I will take you if you want. I mean you don’t know me, but I’ll take you if you like.

Older woman:
(she looks at me for a moment, then smiles.)
I vant to take de bus.

Stephon:
Okay, well, 4th is that way and I think Montana is that way. But I’ll give you a ride right now.

Older woman:
You take me?

Stephon:
I take you.

Older woman:
You be good to me?

Stephon:
You be good to me? You promise not to hurt me? I don’t want to be afraid of you.

Older woman:
(she smiles)
I be good to you.

Stephon:
OK, my car is right down there.

So I walk her to my car, help her get in and we take off.

Stephon:
Where are you from?

Older woman:
Israel.

Stephon:
Oh. How long have you been here?

Older woman:23 years.

(I look over at her and she looks kinda terrified; like she possibly made the biggest mistake in her life by getting in the car with a stranger).

Stephon:You have nothing to be afraid of.

Older woman:
You be good to me?

Stephon:
Yes, I be good to you if you are nice to me.

Older woman:
(She smiles.)
Yes, I am nice.

Stephon:
Here it is, which corner should I let you out on?

Older woman:
Right there, 401.

Stephon:
Okay.

Older woman:
You are very nice boy.

Stephon:
Yes, I am very nice.

Older woman:
You have card, so we can be friend.

(I’m thinking “what?” why does she want my card?)
Stephon:Um, yeah, here’s a card.

Older woman:
Thank you so much, you are very nice.

I get out to help her get up on the curb.

Stephon:
Bye bye, have a nice evening.

Older woman:
Thank you.

So I made a new friend today, a really old Israeli woman, go figure. Hopefully, she won’t call. LOL!!

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Yes! Today marks a year since I shot my last commercial. I am SO overdue. I mean I get close, sometimes really close but...It will happen soon. It will happen soon. It will happen soon…….

It’s 11:30am and I’m at a stand still in I-5 traffic on my way to Norwalk for my last day of shooting “Boppin’ at the Glue Factory”. I hope things go smooth because I have a lot going on today. Within 30 minutes of arriving we are shooting. Cool. We shoot my two day exterior shots and at 3pm I’m on my way to Warner Bros. to finish working on “Hot Properties”. On my way, I decide to at least try to get in on that commercial audition that conflicted with my schedule since it’s on the way. I get there about 90 minutes after the appointment I would’ve had. It was too late, they had already changed categories. You never know if you don’t try.

So I arrive at WB Stage 9 at around 4:30pm and it looks like it’s going to be a while before they get to me. Ooops, I gotta get back to Norwalk. So I hang out and watch them shoot for a while and then I go to my room to relax.

Ok, it’s 7:30 and I still haven’t shot. Normally, this wouldn’t have been a big deal, but I needed to get back down to Norwalk. Now I’m wondering if it’s going to get pushed again. That wouldn’t be a problem, I have nothing going on tomorrow and it would be another day of pay. Two minutes later I get the call. They are ready for me. I get in my wardrobe and, get this, I look like a doctor!! We shoot the scene and it goes well. I thank the other actors in the scene Gail O'Grady and Jay Kenneth Johnson, director Andy Ackerman, creator Suzanne Martin and the rest of the crew and I’m out.

I get back to Norwalk about 8:40 which was perfect timing. We finish just after midnight and the director, Jeff Orgill, takes us out for a bite to eat. Whew!!! Two things wrapped in one day. I’m so glad it all worked out. The only thing now that with all this running around I think I'm getting sick. Ugh!

Okay back in the saddle at “Hot Properties” Stage 9 WB Studios. I’m still here, I still have a job. That is good news. I think there is a lot of funny stuff in the show, I hope it gets a shot on the air. I like Gail O’Grady more each time I rehearse with her, she’s really cool and fun. My scene is with her and Jay Kenneth Johnson who is a really cool guy too. Today, mostly consisted of doing one rehearsal and chillin’ in my room.

It looks like tomorrow is going to be really crazy since I’ll be working on “Hot Properties” and “Boppin’ at the Glue Factory”.

Finally, today is my first of two days work on the ABC Comedy pilot "Hot Properties". It reminds me how much of a great time I had working on "Good Morning, Miami". I miss working on a more regular basis. So I think it's time to step it up and get more work. YES!!!

The director, Andy Ackerman, is a comedy veteran and a very nice man. The cast and crew are great too. I'm playing a doctor, which is new for me. I guess it means I'm growing up.

On my way home driving through Burbank I see "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno driving beside me in a 2005 Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR. I remember seeing that car on the cover of car magazines like 3 years ago. So I'm talking to him at the traffic light and he says it's a great car and that it's the first one. I guess he meant the first one in the US or the world. Jays’ got it like that. He was really cool. Wow, MSRP $400,000. I guess I need to book a few more pilots, huh?

I got some terrible news this afternoon. One of my friends in New York called to inform me that a friend of ours was murdered last night. He worked at a restaurant at The Grove here in Hollywood. I don’t have the details, but from what I understand he was walking to his car after his shift. I’m speechless.

Just last month about 6 of us who all worked together at the Harley-Davidson Café in NYC got together here in LA and had dinner. We had such a great time trading stories and taking photos. His name is Eric Gelman and he was a great, funny, talented actor with a big heart who was going places. A true “life-of-the-party” type guy. I am crushed to know it ended that way for him. R.I.P. Eric Gelman.

Late this evening a get a call from the 1st AD telling me that they have added a day for me to the pilot. Ooops. I told the production of “Boppin’ at the Glue Factory” that I would be available on Wednesday. So I get on the phone immediately and let them know. I hope it all works out. I was supposed to shoot Tuesday, but now it’s Wednesday. My call tomorrow of 3pm changes to 9:15am.

Ugh! I missed a commercial audition today because I had already committed to being a reader for Dori Zuckerman Casting. Ooooh, I hate when that happens, but I also hate going back on my word. I tried to get it rescheduled by I couldn’t. They said they would keep me in mind if they go another day.

It was absolutely crazy being a reader today. It seemed like we were playing catch up for 3 hours non-stop. I read Rae Dawn Chong, who looks great I might add. I think today was the last day of auditions. I’m still being told that they are going to put me in the film. Matter of fact, when I left Dori said, “I’ll call you and tell you what role you got”. I guess time will tell. It’s not a big deal, I really enjoy being a reader.

What a day today was. It started off with the table read this morning for the ABC comedy pilot “Hot Properties”. Several weeks ago I was told when it was going to be and at what time, 10:30am. I wasn’t required to be there, since they were not paying me for the extra day. It’s a smaller role that’s getting smaller and didn’t require being there for the entire week. Plus, I am pre-shooting, so I won’t be doing the live audience dealio. Of course I wanted to attend the table read, but wasn’t sure what my schedule would be, especially since I’ve been working on the indie film and have getting quite a few commercial callbacks/avails.

Anyway, I decide to go. So I’m driving over the hill to the WB studio and the 2nd AD calls @ 10:04 and ask if I’m making my way over. Of course, I then start thinking that I’m late. I told her that I thought it was @ 10:30, she yeah it’s 10:00 at Stage 9 for a 10:30 start. Oh, I was originally told 10:30 so I thought I was fine for getting there on time. As it turned out the whole cast was to meet at Stage 9 @ 10am for a shuttle to another location on the other side of the lot.

So I get there, park, go through the security gate and a golf cart is waiting to take me to the location. I hadn’t really thought too much about this job for some reason, I’m not sure why. I’m definitely excited to be part of the cast, especially since it’s a pilot. I think it’s just that I’ve been kinda busy in the last 6 weeks or so.

I get to the location and WHAT!!!! It totally caught me off guard. Geez, it’s been a while since I’ve done a pilot. There was like 60-80 people there. Production people, ABC execs, WBTV execs; I recognized some of the WBTV people from working with them on “Good Morning, Miami”.

So I find my name at the big table and sit down with the rest of the cast. Can I say that Gail O’Grady is beautiful and Sofia Vergara smoking hot. WBTV President Peter Roth thanks us all for coming and WBTV casting head Mary Buck thanks us too and sits beside me during the read. I was wondering to myself how many pilot table reads have they attended over their long careers. I’d say hundreds, if not thousands.

So the director, Andy Ackerman, introduces the cast with me first since I am at the bottom of the cast list. There were so many people in that room that it felt like we were shooting the darn thing! So we read it and it was funny, at least I thought it was. I mean, how can it “not” be funny, everybody is feeling good and has a job…at least for the moment.

Thirty minutes later the cast is back in the van while the writers start the notes process and begin with re-writes. I guess time will tell if I’m still in the script after the revision are done. My original 3 lines has already been reduced to 2; I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

After the table read I have a couple of hours before I am due back down in Norwalk for more work on the indie film “Boppin’ at the Glue Factory”. I get to set and I’m informed that our lead actor has injured his back while working. He was taken to the local hospital to be treated. He is in almost every scene, so it definitely threw a wrench into the schedule. The crew figured out how to keep shooting around him. It looks production will be down for a couple of days until he recovers, he is going to be okay.

Tonight was also when my intimate scene was scheduled. WHAT!?!?! Yeah, the moment of truth has arrived. I’m eating when a member of production approaches me and says “Stephon, have you met your wife yet?” I almost choked, It just sounded weird.

Anyway, I was introduced to this attractive woman, Dominiqua Lint. Yes, it was really awkward, but I tried to break the ice as best I could. I asked her if she was nervous and she replied yes and told her I was nervous too. We made small talk, ya know, “where are you from”, “how long you been in LA”, “do you like it?” She was great, cute and I felt like it could work.

The director, Jeff Orgill, walked me through the shot and made me feel comfortable. I mean for me it wasn’t so, so bad because I had already spent a lot of time with the cast & crew, but for her she didn’t really know anybody so I felt like I wanted to protect her. Not that she needed it. After they lit the set we were brought in. Dominiqua looked nervous. How could she not be?

So we takes our places so they can measure focus for camera. , Dominiqua is dressed in a sexy nighty and me, I’m in my boxer briefs. Ha!! Dominiqua whispered to me “are we supposed to like really kiss?” I looked at her and said, “Yes, it’s supposed to be like, real”.

Alright first rehearsal is up. I’m in my undies, on top of her, fresh breath strip in my mouth and ACTION!! We start going at it…I mean at it….I mean at it…..Finally the director comes in and cuts us. I wasn’t saying my lines. WHAT LINES?!?! You mean I have to talk too? Oh yeah, I have dialogue. I totally forgot. I couldn’t remember or hear anything...nothing. The director shows me our dialogue and we run it a couple of times. He says it looks great.

Okay, now “Pictures up! We’re going to shoot this one! ACTION!!” By now Dominiqua and I are seasoned pros. We are delivering the goods, kissing, petting, groping, the whole nine kid!…well almost. I mean, neither one of us was completely naked but still. CUT!!

The director says “That was great! We just need more moaning and Stephon more time at the top before you hear the noise the makes you stop and get up. He asked for more moaning, he got more moaning. “ACTION!!” This take was the crown jewel, we let them have it. “CUT!!” The director comes in says “We got it all, it’s beautiful, thanks”. The first thing I do is give Dominiqua a big hug and a thank you. She was great to work with, I couldn’t think of a better person to go through that with.

I’m convinced that they got it and it looked great because for the rest of the night I heard about it from the crew. They said that there was never that many people in front of the monitor at once. Done.

When I got home at 3am there was another script from the pilot at my door. I’m still employed!! My 3 lines that was reduced to 2 is now down to 1, but I am still in the script.

Audition: “Chex Mix” @ Beth Holmes Casting. Fun audition with a fun partner.

Audition/Pilot: “The Untitled Holly Hester Project” @ Joanne Koehler Casting. I felt a little weird about this one because I had to get re-scheduled and they kinda forgot I was coming in at that time, but I felt that it went well enough to at least get a callback. I think I am right for it. It’s just a few lines, but this character would definitely come back if it goes to series. I must say I’d be a little surprised if they cast me because I’m pretty similar in type the series lead.

Today I’m back as a reader for Dori Zuckerman Casting. It’s always interesting to see and hear the inner workings of how it all comes together. Today they found out that an actress who was already set to work in another film they’d cast was unable to work. It had something to do with her being emancipated or not AND she was supposed to start working tonight. Immediately, they got on the phone with the actress who had been the second choice. She ended up getting a weeks work in a film at a moments notice...starring Paris Hilton no less.

Audition: "T-mobile" @ Spot Casting. Goes really well.

Audition: "AOL" @ Judy Landau Casting. This is a two minute spot with wall-to-wall dialogue. I felt like I delivered it well. Hopefully, they'll bring me back.

Audition: "Southwest Airlines" @ Pamela Starks Casting.

Lots of fun, we get to dance.Shooting: "Boppin' at the Glue Factory". Another long, fun night.

Audition: "Hefty Trash Bags" @ Craig Colvin Casting.

Shooting: "Boppin' at the Glue Factory". I got to do a scene with Mews Small tonight. She was in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". She was really cool to work with. I'm really happy to be involved in this production, I'm learning alot and having a great time with the cast & crew. I hope it gets a distribution deal.

For most current entries: http://www.stephonfuller.com/bioVII.html

Back on set in Norwalk for "Boppin' at the Glue Factory". I shoot a scene with Rance Howard; father of Ron Howard and another actress I knew previously, Barbara Kerr-Condon. Then I head back to Hollywood for a film audition.Did I mention that I have a intimate scene in the film. Yeah. WTF? Cool, I guess. I don't know how it's going to be shot, who my wife is or how involved it is. This is definitely going to be a challenge for me. Possibly a really fun challenge. I'M KIDDING!! It's just part of my job.

Audition: "Loveless in Los Angeles" @ Morman/Boling Casting. I felt really good about this one; so hopefully I'll get a callback.

My agent calls to give me the word that I've been released from the "AM/PM" commercial. WHAT!!! That's twice in a week. Oh well, I guess it's better than not having an avail in the first place. I guess.

Production from the pilot "Hot Properties" delivered my script and gave me the date, time and location of the table read. Cool, I'm still employed.

Audition/Producers: Pilot "Friends in the Morning" @ Landsberg/Fiddleman Casting. Man, these small co-starring roles are getting more and more difficult for me. I used to be so good at them, but the last year or so it’s been tough. Not knowing anything about the character is getting boring. Yeah, you can just make it all up, but I think it's a sign that bigger and better things are on the horizon for me. At least that's how I'm going to take it.

So, to sum it up, I don't think I was bad, but maybe just an "also-ran". At the same time I felt a positive connection with the Casting Directors and the producers.