One step closer. They call to check my availability because the dates have changed from Thursday/Friday to Saturday/Sunday. This would be even better since weekend commercial shoots pay more.

YES!! I get a callback for "McDonald's" and it goes really, really well.

The "McDonald's" audition is a blast!! My callback ratio has increased greatly over the last year or so, hopefully I'll get one here.

MAY 1st '02*I guess the slow-down has started. While I was working on those recent gigs I missed a couple of commercial auditions. One of them was an avail for Red Lobster national!! That is kinda hard to take, but that is how it goes sometimes. Today I dropped my car to the shop for some work; it is across from Chelsea Studios. I always stop in to see what's going on; maybe I can squeeze my way into something. I was in no hurry since I was catching the city bus to get home, so I stake out the place for an hour trying to make it happen. I had my eye on this McDonald's spot, but it didn't look like it was gonna happen. I was not totally sure of the types and the session runner was a little crazed. Oh well, at least I tried. Three hours later my wonderful agents @ KSA call with an appointment for it!! Just goes to show we never really know what our agents are doing behind the scenes.

OMIGOD!! I didn't get fired, replaced, written out or anything else. Second, thanks Julia Flint and Kimberly Crandell for coming out to support me. It was a pleasant surprise to see the two of you there and it means a lot.

The shoot: After a noon start we had a camera rehearsal to tighten up our movements and work out the new dialogue.

Lunch: Boy are they feeding us well on this gig! This is like mom's cooking! Well, not really but sorta.

I gotta say that so much of what has happened in the last month is kinda surreal for me. I ask myself how these things keep happening. In reality, it is happening in the exact way that I planned, but still.

I've been reading a book about the industry "Showrunners", the ones that really make a lot of the big moves in the TV biz. When the two of them walked by and spoke to me. I just shook my head, after speaking back to them of course. WHAT!!

Not 5 minutes later while I was still reading, two women were coming from the other direction. I was stealing a glance at them thinking I recognized them. They looked at me and spoke; it was Amy & Wendy Engelberg, Executive Producer/Writers of the pilot "So Downtown" I worked on a month ago. It was a very small role that my agent didn't really want me to do, but I felt otherwise. They asked what I was working on and told me that they were still editing their show. They said they'll see me again in the future in a larger role. WHAT!!

The shoot:

We were shooting with a real studio audience, so the energy was great and honest. The "Bonnie Hunt" audience was made up of background actors. As each scene was shot the writers were huddled in front of the monitors and anything that was flat was rewritten on the spot. The actors got new lines right then and there and it was shot again right away. Yup!! Live audience, 4 film cameras running, studio heads, network heads, agents, managers and James Burrows, the top comedy TV director in the business!! ACTION! Cold reading skills are so important. Myself, I only had a 3 lines and nothing changed on set, just several times during the week. I was kinda under the radar, so I could do a lot of observing and learning. The shoot was "smoove like butta", this pilot is hot!! I'm sure NBC will promote it extensively. Also, I'm hearing talk of me being around when it goes in production this summer. We'll see.

Afterwards the producers invited the cast & crew to Mexicali, a nearby restaurant to celebrate. Hopefully, I'll see them in July/August.

Today we had the studio & network run-thru for "Good Morning, Miami". It was really, really funny stuff. We had a full studio audience and it was filmed with one camera. Myself, I'm just happy to still have a job. In the sitcom world, especially, the script is a moving target. There are constant changes to fine tune. These writers are incredible to say the least. There are 6 regulars and I have seen the guest cast dance like this:

Last Saturday at the table read 5 in the guest cast.

Tuesday 2 in the guest cast.

Wednesday 5 in the guest cast.

Saturday (today) 4 in the guest cast. One role was written out (one of the new ones for Wednesday), one role was totally changed on the spot (she was brand new today). Keep those cold reading skills primed!! The pages we received just before going on stage were still warm!! I and one other actress have remained in every version so far.

At Monday's camera blocking rehearsal we have already been told there will be changes. Not necessarily anyone written in or out, but at least dialogue changes.

Tuesday, we shoot. Who knows maybe I'll actually still have a job. LOL!!

For me, it's fascinating to watch these writers/producers create this stuff first hand, then to be a part of molding and shaping it.

Tonight I attended a rough cut screening of "The Bonnie Hunt Show" pilot. It was hilarious to say the least!! It isn't hard to tell why she is a viable "lead" for a show. She really drives the vehicle. I was barely seen or heard, which I figured would be the case. The part that was interesting was getting all kinds of wonderful marks from Bonnie and the 1st AD. Bonnie was saying that I was the only one of the "production crew" on the show that wasn't a Second City friend from Chicago and that I came right in and was able to keep up. Why thank you, LOL!! It wasn't that hard, I've had lots of cold reading practice. Separately, the 1st was thanking me for being able to switch roles the way I did. I HAD 2 LINES!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm smart enough to know that getting compliments from Bonnie, her writing partner Don Lake, the 1st AD & others is where you wanna be.

I had a great time, but there wasn't a whole lot for me to do. It was a treat just to watch this woman work with her team. What was really cool was when I was leaving the studio and one of the PA's was at the security gate. He had kind words for me. I kinda shrugged it off, but he said that he had seen "all" of the rough footage and I was very funny. I will be surprised if this show isn't on the ABC Fall schedule. For me, it isn't so much about this particular job; it's more the relationships that I am cultivating.

Just checking in with what has been going on the last couple of days. Tuesday morning I get the scripts for both "Bonnie Hunt" & "Good Morning, Miami". Tuesday is shoot day for "BH" & the first day of rehearsal for "GM, M".

My agents had worked it out and "GM, M" was aware that I wouldn't be there for the first rehearsal. I only had a couple of lines so it didn't seem like a big deal. When I open the "GM, M" script I see that more than half of the guest cast was gone and there were some pretty significant changes in the script. "Omigod, have I been written out?!?!"(I have this thing were I think I am going to replaced everyday, weird huh). No. They wouldn't have sent me a script if I was no longer part of it. So I start looking for the changes. My role had changed a bit, now I was in the opening scene with the series lead and it was more than a couple of lines.

One problem, I WON'T BE THERE TO REHEARSE!! I am @ "BH" shooting! I was curious as to what this would mean, if anything. So the entire day at "BH" and wondering if I am gonna get replaced "GM, M". I am not freaked out about getting replaced, it happens. I sorta feel like I will have arrived when it does happen. I would think that quite a few big name actors have been replaced, fired, written out, sort of a right-of-passage maybe.

Towards the end of the 12 hour day @ "BH" my agent calls with my call time for "GM, M". I'm still employed!! LOL!! I was expecting more changes in the script Wednesday morning. Of course there were changes that included me, plus they added 3 characters. When casting directors' say that things happen fast, they mean it. Keep sending those postcards. The small roles that pop-up at the last minute are, most likely, being cast from their files. It is interesting actually witnessing the process in real time.

Wednesday 9AM-I meet 2 of the 3 new cast members and we table read the new script with director James Burrows. After that, we do a blocking rehearsal. Later we do a run-thru with the producers and entire "Will & Grace" writing staff, working each scene as we go. 4 more days to go, I am curious to see if I will survive the rewrites...........Oh yeah, the third role hadn't been cast yet. Doesn't matter, it was cut during the producer run-thru. Things happen fast.

Tonight I finished my week on "The Bonnie Hunt Show" pilot. It was a complete blast. Definitely a loose set to work on. She is truly in the moment. You never know what she is going to say or do. Since she was also directing, it was just a barrel of fun. I just had a couple of lines, but I am her wardrobe person so I stick pretty close to her at all times when we are in the TV studio on the show. David Alan Grier is hysterical to say the least. Many of the cast had worked with Bonnie before; it was like she opened her address book and called her friends. Quite a few being from Chicago's famed Second City. One guy met her last year at a charity event at his school and she told him that if she gets this pilot he'll be in it. He was there on his first TV gig ever.

Talk continued today about my role coming back in the future. We'll see; I am not holding my breath. When I said thanks and goodbye to her tonight she even said I'll be back. Anyway when this show goes into production this summer make it your business to get on it. Not only is she very talented person to work with. She is wonderful woman; very working-class. She told me that she got a few breaks early in her career that encouraged her to keep going. You might think that she would be going nuts since she is the Star, Producer, Writer and Director of the show. She was cool as ever.

Today I participated in the table read for "Good Morning, Miami". For me, it is almost surreal to get to rub elbows with the people that I have since moving to LA. This was no exception, when we read Suzanne Pleshette was on my left and premier TV director James Burrows was on my right. I asked myself "how did I get here"? First we read it for James and Dave Kohan & Max Mutchnick; they are the writers/producers of "Will & Grace" and are behind this pilot as well. It was very well received by just us in the room. Forty-five minutes later we were scheduled to read it again for the network brass. The producers wanted all us to stay in the bungalow so that we would be presented to the network as a team. There were 40-45 people in the room. It was just weird to walk in have all these people applauding us. "How did I get here?"

Anyway we read it again with great responses from the room. You can really tell why these actors are working constantly; they really take the words and give them life. The show is already picked up for 13 episodes and since I have a very small, but sorta significant role there is talk of it recurring. Time will tell. I finish "The Bonnie Hunt Show"on Tuesday & start "GM, M" on Wednesday.

Alright, I'm still employed!! Today we had the run-thru for the network (ABC). They are the powers that be and their opinions count. It went well and, to me, things look really good. There is a bit of talk about my new role recurring. Wouldn't that be nice? A couple of series regulars and even casting is saying "it looks good", we'll see. Not being one to count my chickens before they hatch, I must say it looks promising. I'll believe it when I see it; in the mean time it is exciting. My commercial agent calls and has an avail for me for "Red Lobster", but I have to cancel because I am not available for both shoot dates. It conflicts with "Good Morning, Miami" rehearsal. I guess I gotta take the good with the not-so-good.

I wake up this morning and the new "The Bonnie Hunt Show" script is outside my door. I casually open it not knowing what to expect. They have written a new character for me and worked it into another scene. It's a smaller part but a better part. I am now her wardrobe person!! She gave me the wink and said "this works out better for you huh?" YEAH!!

So if the show gets picked up hopefully she will need her wardrobe guy close by, ya think. After all, it is a morning entertainment talk show like "Regis". We had the table read today for the studio and it was hilarious, tomorrow is for the network. Hopefully, I won't get written out tomorrow. LOL!! Also, the original role that I had been cast in hadn't been filled today; one of the writers read it. I guess someone will be there tomorrow. Lastly, from what I understand the "Good Morning, Miami" pilot that I start next Wednesday is being directed by the acclaimed James Burrows. Gotta Keep Movin'!!

It's amazing what can happen in 3 hours, today was a some kind of day. I go to rehearsal for "The Bonnie Hunt Show" this afternoon and after going through wardrobe I was taken to set. First Bonnie wanted to talk to me. HUH? Some questions had come up about the scene I'm in.

They thought something could, in a round-about-kinda-way be look at as racist. She wanted to know how I felt about it. HUH? Yeah, she sat me down and we discussed it for 10 minutes, just her and I. Obviously, the decision was hers and hers only, but she wanted to know if I wanted to just do it or switch with the other guy in the scene. She said if the show gets picked up she would bring me back to do another episode.

So I'm thinking. Should I step down (the other role was smaller) or step out altogether. My mind is racing a mile a minute. I figure if I step down, the other role has fewer lines. If I step out, Bonnie will look out for me later. She will be actively trying to make something happen for me. Not a bad way for her to remember me I feel. I'll get paid for week either way.

I tell her that I trust her judgment; I feel the show will be picked up and I'll see her during the season. She thinks I made a smart move (believe me, I know it ain't about me, it's gonna be her decision). I had previously checked the IMDB's of all of the regulars and guest cast and she had worked with about half of them before. Also, the way I looked at it, there wasn't really anywhere for my character to go, as far as coming back on the show.

This leaves the door open for her to write something for "me" in this project or another. She shook my hand and gave me her word. Cool and surreal at the same time. I am still due to be there tomorrow so who knows what will happen between now and then.

I call my agent to fill her in on the details. Ten minutes later my agent calls back with an audition for a pilot called "Good Morning, Miami". It's from the same creative team as "Will & Grace". Tracy Lilienfield & Katherine Eckert are casting @ CBS Radford (last week while on the lot for something else I did drop-offs to everyone over there I could find). I was in Culver City, so she said to just get over there when I could.

Soon as I get on the lot I see Daniel Spanton, he's reading for a different show, love to see others in the field. The role is just a couple of lines, BUT it's the stage manager of a morning show. Yeah, you know what I'm thinking. They gotta have stage manager, right!?! Before I even got home I found out that I got the role, and it's already been picked up for 13 episodes. All that happened in 3 hours. I could get used to this.......

Today I attended the table read for "Life With Bonnie" it was hilarious. Seeing Bonnie Hunt & David Alan Grier go at it was a real treat. On my way to my dressing room I found a room that had the entire cast of the pilot on a wall. I always wanted to see my photo on the cast wall. We all know it's in enough trash cans around town, this is a nice change of pace. LOL!

I guess it helps to "not" wait for the phone to ring. While not waiting for it to ring I got word that I booked a role in "The Bonnie Hunt Show" pilot. David Alan Grier is in too. It is part single-camera/part-multi camera. The table read is Monday and I work a couple of days during the week.

The week started with a BK audition. Got a callback/avail, but didn't book. Went in for another AFI film and had a callback today. I really want to be a part of this project; it would give me a chance to really embrace a character. I also worked on Tori Spelling's pilot "So Downtown". During lunch saw Tom Hanks, wife Rita Wilson and powerhouse manager/producer Bernie Brillstein on the CBS lot. Two mega-stars in a week!! I saw Denzel and his Ferrari @ Fox.

This one really caught me by surprise. One of my theatrical agents is retiring. She's been in the business all of her adult life and has decided to shift gears. Good for her, from what I can see she really deserves it.

On Thursday I went in for the "The Bonnie Hunt Project" @ Deborah Barylski's office. I read for two different smaller roles. Can I tell you that Deborah & Lynn Mason are two of the nicest casting people I have ever met? They sat me down and ask questions about me. I have never met anyone from this office before and they seemed to really care about what was going on with me. They seemed happy with my read, thanked me and I was on my way out as a call came in for Deborah. I was gathering my things and Lynn asked me to stay for a moment. They called me back in the room, gave me direction which amounted to dropping the script and doing an improv of an outline of the scene. It was even better this time. They sat me down again, explained to me how Bonnie works. Then Deborah told me she was going to recommend that Bonnie hire me. She even told how to handle the table read. It just seemed weird that she was telling me so much about the project and how Bonnie worked. I mean they were not large roles at all and didn't seem like they would recur. Hey, I'm not complaining it was just different. All of this time no other actors were in the office. She said that since it is a pilot it has to be approved by the network and the studio. Getting this role would be so above the call, because I am just so happy with what has already happened. She has never worked with Bonnie and is hiring these roles herself. I feel great that she is willing to send me straight to the table read without the filter of a producer session, and on for a pilot no less. I am not waiting on the phone to ring on this one.

This was the worse audition ever I think. It was for "Burger King". It was supposed to be our first audition. It was funny at hard it was to shake all that "actor stuff" of being polished but not really. So I made the choice of only looking at the copy once in rehearsal. Then I would "really" look stupid. I left feeling like it was really bad/really good. I just hope I can be as bad/good today.

Today makes it a full year since I left my overnight job waiting tables at a Hollywood Hotspot on the Sunset Strip. What a year it has been. I didn't leave the job because I had a lot of money. Yeah, I did have several minor things going on at the time, but nothing that guaranteed cash flow. No, it was more of a leap of faith for me. I felt I was doing about everything in my power to further my career and I had to move to the next level somehow. It was time to cut the safety net.

The job was killing me dead in my tracks. I had been working graveyard (11pm-7am) for 2 1/2 years, in class, auditioning, attending CD workshops and not sleeping at all. The big question I had to ask myself was "will it be harder to stay in this job or will it be harder to leave and possibly have to come back?" My answer was to take my chances now!! So I did. I requested a 3 month leave of absence. My plan was to get some things done that I couldn't get to before, my website, a voiceover class and a dance class. Fortunately, I was able to do all three, no more excuses.It has been an interesting year. I have been challenged like never before. I have also booked jobs like never before, but most of them have not paid a whole lot. That is okay because it has given me the opportunity to build my resume. When I left the job on March 25, 2001 my tentative return date was June 29, 2001. That date came and I was no where to found, I wasn't going back with out a fight. I've had ups and downs throughout, not emotionally or mentally, mainly just financially.

At times, it really made a difference when that steady cash wasn't coming in. Which made it clearer to me why I am concentrating on TV & commercials at this point in my career? I've had to call my old job a couple of times just to "check the temperature" of a possible return. I remember doing it once at the end of September and then booking 2 gigs that week. I also remember almost not being able to go home for X-mas, having to give up cable TV, trying to keep my cell phone and pager connected and let's not get started on my car issues. Just got cable back and things are looking up. All in all it's been wild jugglin' the money, not being able to afford reprinting photos and having to use alternative methods.

For whatever reason I have really enjoyed the challenged, it lets me know that I have a pulse. A year later I still stay up all night, the graveyard schedule is etched in my mind. I normally go to bed between 3-5am. My agents know I made the jump and have been really understanding of it all. I have auditioned for gigs that they might prefer I didn't, but I just wanna work. I feel like I am emerging from the woods and I won't have to go back, but who knows. With the survival gig thing I have changed my tune from "I am on a leave of absence" to "I used to work there". I hope it stays that way. It's really been a blessing to have a supportive family and friends some of which I have never met. Thank & Peace!!

I booked a small role in the pilot "So Downtown" @ Greg Orson Casting. I'm glad I got it, because I twisted my knee while making a "strong choice". Ouch!! It still hurts! My agent did not want me to do it, but I needed the money.

More tangible results from all of those appointments from last week. I felt really good in the room for almost all of them, which is a feat in itself. I booked "CSI" and a commercial for "24hr Fitness".

Man, I just cannot seem to get it right these days. Many more things are going wrong than I am used to in my life. I am going through it right now myself. Since getting back from the holidays I have had so many issues it ain't even funny. I returned from back East on the 4th, my car broke down on the 6th and had to be towed. My computer has a bad attitude; I have had to add memory and a new hard drive this week. Thank the Lord for my little brother who is a computer tech back East. He has spent hours on the phone with me to get me back up and running. Right when I got all of my software installed again I got a virus and had to wipe it all again. When we wrapped for the evening on this pilot-presentation that I am working on my car wouldn't start "again" and had to be towed (fuel pump). My cell phone works sometimes and my pager doesn't wanna vibrate anymore. All of this is holding me up from getting my postcards out. I'm not complaining, so many things go well for me that I gotta take the good with the not so good. Besides it builds character. It has been pretty slow audition-wise, but I'm still trying to stay in the mix the best I can. I will make it through this, I swear. I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!!!

I have never had much success with Backstage mailings, daytime television or student films. So this is welcome news for me. I was starting to think it wasn't meant to be because I always would have some sort of problem when I would get an audition. Hopefully this is the first of many.

I almost forgot what it is like to have a commercial audition. After only having one the entire month of January I have one today, Yeah!!

I finally got a call for "Charmed"!! It's a small role straight to producers for tomorrow. I am almost certain it was from recent postcards because my agent didn't really want me to go in on it. I don't know. It seems quick but fun. Hopefully this will get me started for the season. It seems everyone else is busy. I have been doing commercial and theatrical drop-offs for the last couple of days and it seems to be pretty busy.

I just got home from the third edition of the ABC Talent Development Showcase. This one featured African-Americans in partnership with the Robey Theatre Company. The Asian-American showcase in conjunction with the East West Players was in October. The Latino showcase in conjunction with Nostros was in December. All kinds of industry professionals were in attendance. Nan Dutton & Sandi Logan told me that they just received my postcards. Yeah!!! I wasn't one of the 14 participants. I auditioned last week, but wasn't chosen. The director said that there will be more in the future so maybe I'll get a chance then. What a way to get seen, I'll bet phones will be ringing for those actors in the weeks to come. They were really, really good. They put up a total of 7 scenes each was male/female that ran about 5-7 minutes each. It was a very entertaining evening. Other than Nan & Sandi I saw directors Paris Barclay (NYPD Blue), Craig Ross (Blue Hill Avenue), Manager Jane Bloom, Video/Commercial CD Twinkie Byrd and all kinds of other actors and actresses from TV & movies. Last but not least even Will Smith was in attendance and he sure seems like a nice guy. The event was produced by Kim Hardin who is the director of Talent Development Program & Casting. I am so, so glad that I attended I really got to do some networking. Thanks for the tip Leilani.

Man, I just cannot seem to get it right these days. Many more things are going wrong than I am used to in my life. I am going through it right now myself. Since getting back from the holidays I have had so many issues it ain't even funny.

I returned from back East on the 4th, my car broke down on the 6th and had to be towed. My computer has a bad attitude; I have had to add memory and a new hard drive this week. Thank the Lord for my little brother who is a computer tech back East. He has spent hours on the phone with me to get me back up and running. Right when I got all of my software installed again I got a virus and had to wipe it all again.

When we wrapped for the evening on this pilot-presentation that I am working on my car wouldn't start "again" and had to be towed (fuel pump). My cell phone works sometimes and my pager doesn't wanna vibrate anymore. All of this is holding me up from getting my postcards out. I'm not complaining, so many things go well for me that I gotta take the good with the not so good. Besides it builds character. It has been pretty slow audition-wise, but I'm still trying to stay in the mix the best I can. I will make it through this, I swear. I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!!!

I've been trying to get into the office of "NYPD Blue" for a long time. Postcards, drop-offs, mailings and a workshop with Scott Genkinger. Of course the call comes today; straight to producers for a guest-starring role. The catch is I am on the East Coast until Friday night. I had checked out with both agents, I missed a commercial audition the day I got here. Oh well, as I said hopefully there is a lot more where this came from. Guys and gals I gotta feeling that '02 is gonna big for all of us.

YES!! Today I am shooting a "Wrigley's Extra" National commercial. It's the same director that directed the "California Lottery" spot I did in June. I played a grocery store cashier. We actually shot in a grocery that was open. I had numerous customers try to check out in my line. I guess I really looked the part. My buddy Marvin did a "Wrigley's" spot a couple of years ago and he said it ran really, really well. I hope the same for me.

In my quest to move up the food chain in my career I have figured that I have be more selective with the roles that I audition for. This week I turned down auditions for two major shows in offices that I would really like to get into. It feels kinda weird to not audition when a casting director call and request you, but I think I have to say no to some things in order to move up the chain.

YES!!!! Today I get the word that I booked a "Wrigley's Extra" national commercial. It is through the same casting director, production company, ad agency and director of the "California Lottery" spot I did 6 months ago. When my agent called me with the appointment; she told me I had been requested. This is what I want to happen more often. I shoot on Friday 12/7. NEWSFLASH!! This evening my agent calls to tell me that I am not to show up on set for "Flipside". WHAT!!!! There had been some mistake in the union paperwork and we can't start shooting this weekend. It has been postponed till January.

COMMERCIALS COMMERCIALS & MORE COMMERCIALS. For the last 3 weeks it has been incredibly busy for me commercially and I love it. Also, my callback ratio seems to have improved greatly. That is something that I have been working on. I have had a callback or avail for almost everything I have gone in for. Now I just want to book something.

Last night we had a table read for the pilot presentation that I am doing.It is called "Flipside" and it is set in a record store. The presentation is a collection of scenes for the BBC in London. It will be presented to them and who knows from after that.

I'm back in the saddle at Henderson/Zuckerman Friday reading for a director session. I read 40-45 actors, some I know from workshops to actors that I often see on TV and in movies. 4 were working, on "The West Wing", "Grounded for Life", "The Parkers" & "Spin City" and snuck over for the audition. Several more were working on films. Today, for the first time, I got to sit in on a meeting with an actor who was being offered a part in the film. When I was there on Tuesday there was an actor being talked about for a certain role, today the director watched his demo and the deal was made.

It is so interesting for me to see how the business works at this level. A lot of what I've seen are actors who work at a level where the little things don't count as much. If I had a dollar for every actor who did not bring a headshot with them I could have filled up my gas tank!! No headshot or resume, no resume, it's not stapled. You know what? I didn't matter one bit, they all got seen just the same and the people in charge didn't even seem annoyed by it. I guess when you are with DBA, ICM, Endeavor, Gersh, AAA, UTA, Innovative, etc you have more pressing matters than photos.

I would say the biggest thing they all had in common was confidence, you can tell that these actors have and are working, and a lot. The director is a dream, giving "clues" before an actor reads, redirecting and even shaking hands when they enter & exit. Oh yeah, I also read with K. Callan, author of the New York & LA agent books and met one of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Nice!!! That's it.

Today I worked as a reader @ Henderson/Zuckerman Casting. As always it was a great experience. I was reading about 10 different roles, 30-35 actors so it was kinda crazy. It is interesting seeing so many different actors and their choices on the same material. They called actors without representation, from workshops all the way to actors & actresses represented by Endeavor, WMA & ICM, etc. The business talk that I hear is eye-opening as to how this business really works. It makes it so clear that we are in a "business". They asked me to come back on Friday to be the reader for the first director session. I highly recommend being a reader if you get the chance.

I just found out that I booked a pilot presentation called "Flipside". It is a fun part that should give me some good film. I was surprised that I got the callback because my pre-read wasn't too hot. I think it was because I was so right for it. I'll take that. I'm not sure which SAG contract it is, but it isn't paying much. That's okay; I just wanna do the work. It felt good to talk to my agent about us possibly not doing it. I'm really looking forward to it. I shoot in early December. Cool, now I get to do another postcarding.

I have always been very big on the postcarding of CD's/agents/managers or whoever's attention you are trying to get. Recently I changed my strategy a little with my postcards. They were getting kinda jumbled up with info, so I went to larger size. I switched from a 4x6 card to a 6x8 card. It is more expensive all the way around; they cost more, use more ink and are 34 cents to mail. The flip-side is that I get more bang for my buck. Since it is larger I can put a small resume with selected credits "and" callbacks, airdates, representation, another photo and the like. It is a nice cross between a regular postcard and a full H/R. The way some CD's are now about opening envelopes I think postcards are even more valuable to my business, so the investment didn't bother me too much. This morning my agent called with an appointment from Andrea Cohen Casting for a guest-star on "Nikki". She received my postcard this morning and said it was "the most effective postcard she ever received". I have never met her or anyone from her office before, so this feels really, really good. Now I gotta rock da house!! Hopefully, I will get more of these guest-star auditions in the future. .

This week I called a meeting with my theatrical agency. I have been with them for 3 years and feel fortunate to be on their roster. I called the meeting because I feel like I am at a crossroads in my career.

I'm trying to look down the road and wanted to get their opinions on a few things. I feel like after 3 years I am just now coming into my own with this agency. They took me on from a mailing from NYC with virtually no credits. They are a guest-star agency and I have never been a guest-star. At the meeting we discussed things like managers, demos, photos, turning down auditions/roles, pilot season and the like. I left the meeting with a really good feeling of being in the right place. The notion of turning down an audition is almost crazy to me, but in order to move to the next step I'm gonna have to. Adding to that is that I do not have a day job and "a brother gotta eat right!!"

Anyway, 3 days later I turned down an audition for a major show that I have been trying to get in for. My agent was very supportive and would have let me go in if I wanted to, but "we" decided not to. We're gonna wait for something a little more substantial on that show. I hope those 180 postcards I sent out this morning for this upcoming "Ally McBeal" airing drum up some business for me, it's been a slow week.

I just wrapped up 4 days working "Frasier". What a great time. The pre-read came from meeting Colin Daniel in a workshop (he told my agent). It was interesting to watch and be a part of how one of the hottest comedies on TV does their magic. First, the cast and crew are some of the nicest people I have ever worked with. The script was a moving target even while we were shooting. I received a new script everyday I worked. After every run thru the writers would meet & tweak.

The first day of rehearsal we had an audience of 25-30 people. I am not sure who they all were, but they seemed to know what they were doing. The 2nd day they there was even more people. I thought it was interesting that the director was not at the producer session. I met her on-set. It was cool to watch Kelsey's $1.6 mil per episode opinion go up against 25 people. As one of the exec producers he has a very important voice. He is an extremely charismatic man and a joy to work with. Both of my scenes were with him, in the first scene "Roz" greets me by name. That gives me some history; officially I work in the mailroom at the radio station. The rest of the cast John, Peri, Jane, David were wonderful as well. The two recurring players in the episode were hilarious. CD Jeff Greenberg was there everyday including the filming of the show. I had never met him before and he is really nice & personable. Casting associate Collin Daniel was quite visible as well.

At the cast read-thru 12 minutes before going on-stage we still didn't have the new pages in the script. When we received them they were still warm from the copier. In one of my scenes we were shooting material that had never been rehearsed. Can you say cold read improvisation with Kelsey Grammer? I had a fantastic time working with them and wanna take this credit and help me get more gigs thru mailings, postcarding, my agent or whatever. I am definitely not waiting for the phone to ring to get back on the show, but one of the recurring players said he would be surprised if I don't come back. I got other encouraging words as well. Hmmmm. I guess time will tell, huh.

I have always had the attitude in my career of not taking the "Peaks & Valleys" too seriously. I think it would drive me crazy. I am saying this because I just found out that "Danny", the CBS comedy starring Daniel Stern that I worked on last week has been cancelled. That's too bad; I would have liked to see that scene we did. Also, the cast & crew were so nice, but that is the nature of the business.

So as I sit here cranking out my 150 postcards highlighting the "Frasier"/"Danny" bookings and the upcoming "Ally McBeal" airing, it's bitter sweet. On the one hand "Danny" is gone and on the other hand the "Frasier" episode that we are shooting tonight is airing very soon, next Tuesday the 16th. I have had too many blessing to be down about anything in this business. Back to the postcards....

Okay, I had a pre-read yesterday for "Frasier" that went pretty well, 2 hours later my agent calls to tell me that I have a callback. I am told that whoever they book goes straight to the stage to work. I get to the studio early because I am told that they might add another scene.

I get there and get the new material, go outside to look over it because I didn't wanna go in too early. I go in and read with Colin Daniel, it goes well (I know Colin from attending his workshop). Everyone had to wait because it was an immediate booking; I was ready to leave because I had a commercial audition on the other side of town. I'm standing there with my bag on my shoulder, keys in hand reading Variety. They ask one of the other guys to go in a second time. Great. Then they asked me to come in again as well. GREAT!! I did it again just a little different for variety.

After a couple of minutes Colin came out and my life went into slow motions. He announced the names in a blur "Stephon & Jill (the other role they were casting) will be staying)". In a split second I was thinking "wow, good for Jill & Stephon!! At least I'll be able to make my other audition". Then it dawned on me that "I" am Stephon & Jill is right next to me!! WHAT!!!

We went to the casting office to call our agents and shortly after that I was blocking the scenes with Frasier, Daphne, Roz and Niles. It is 4 days of work. This has been a great week, 3 days of work + at least 2 next week and 4 auditions. When I was finished I called my commercial agent and still made my audition that I missed in the morning. These postcards, mailings, drop-offs & workshops are really doing the trick for me. Most of my theatrical credits are from doing all of the above.

Every time I do a postcard blast things happen. Who knows, but I like to think that they help. I sent out 150 last week and today I get three calls for auditions: "Gilmore Girls", a "Sears" national & "Frasier". The last month has been pretty slow for me, but most everything that has come up has been through postcards, drop-offs, mailings & workshops. That is all the more reason to keep going.

Today I had a co-star role on the new CBS comedy "Danny" starring Daniel Stern. It was the hardest I have ever worked for 1 line. No complaints from me and I was able to turn 1 line into 3 or so. Depends on how they edit and what they use. I didn't feel like I got a lot of coverage, but that's okay too. The main thing is that I had a ball, there was a bit a rough-housing going between Daniel, myself and one other actor. He was great and more than willing get rough with us. This should be a fun scene to watch.

The way I got the role was I dropped off a photo to Rebecca Quiroz, associate @ Ted Hann Casting, who I hadn't seen in a while. They weren't in session when I showed up so I had a chance to chat with them. They sized me up for an upcoming role of "Larry", an hour later my agent called with an appointment for the next day. The next day I read for "Larry" it goes alright. "Larry" ended up getting cut and I got the role of the usher.

Something else that caught my attention were the dailies. There was a point when one of the regulars was having a tough time with the dialogue and I heard someone say "...are we still rolling? I can't show these dailies...." He was half-joking, but it made me think about who sees all the raw footage. I don't know. It just made me think. I've heard of the dailies helping to create a buzz for actors before, I've also heard of them giving bad buzz to an entire project.

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! My cash flow is getting low. I left my restaurant gig six months ago not because I was making a lot of money, but more of a leap of faith. I felt that I had to leave in order to move up to the next level. In the last year I have booked 14 jobs in TV, Film & Commercials, but it hasn't added up to a lot of money. It really makes a difference when you are totally relying on acting income. For the last month it has been looking like I might have to consider going back to that part-time gig. I'm not going to do it without a fight though. Today I actually called my former manager to see what the deal was. She said she had been waiting for me to come back. It had been really slow since September 11th, but to call her in a week. NOOOOOOOO!!! I don't want to!!

I attended the SAG/CSA Joint Seminar this past Saturday put together by the SAG Casting Committee. It was hosted by Matthew Barry of Barry Green-Keyes Casting. Other CD's in attendance were April Webster, Donna Dockstader, Mark Teschner, Mark Paladini and Cami Patton. I attended the noon session, but they had a 10am & a 2pm session. Other CD's were Lisa Beach, Mary v Buck, Eric Dawson, Jane Jenkins, Meg Liberman, Nancy Green-Keyes, Ruth Lambert, Katy Wallin & Gary Zuckerbrod. We didn't get to read, but we did get to give them our photos. My agent just called me with appointment for Matthew Barry for the Film "Friday after Next" starring Ice Cube. I also have a callback for the film "Exposed" through Erica Arvold. After it being slow for several weeks this week has been really busy. Keep it coming!!

A day that no one will ever forget. Depressing, sad and tragic to say the least.

Today a story about paid Casting Director Workshops is to run on an LA radio station. Most people know that I am someone who finds these workshops useful in my pursuit of the business. There are several different views on this subject. Some find it to be extremely disturbing, others feel like it is a tool that is at their disposal if they so choose.

Anyway, after the story ran one of the more popular forums that I routinely go to is heating up with comments. I post that, in short, I don't feel like either side is making much progress in the winning people over to their respective sides. It didn't take long for this thread to get really hot and some of it was directed at me. That's cool with me I can take the heat. After a couple shots back and forth I was shown the door. Meaning get out, "ya can't visit no mo". I had been banned. WHAT!!! Yeah, they banned me until December 31st '01. The way I saw it was that the owner of the board took shots at me with crazy figures of what I had "supposedly" invested in workshops over a specific period of time. I shot back that I felt that it didn't really matter. I don't think he liked that. OOPS!!!

Today I shot a co-starring role on "Ally McBeal". They treated me very well. I got to work with Ally, Ling, Fish & Glenn (James Marsden). I even had a stand-in!! It was definitely the nicest trailer I've ever had. When I arrived on-set the director and producer greeted me and said they were glad I was able to do it, I got the same greeting from Ken Miller & Kara Lipson from Valko/Miller Casting. Since I knew there would be lots waiting, I prepared packages for the two other David E. Kelley shows that shoot/cast at Raleigh Studios "Boston Public" & "The Practice". So, I'll see how it turns out. It could be a nice, quick, funny shot. I'm trying to get a nice reel together for pilot season. It airs Monday November 5th.

"Foot in mouth syndrome" Around 11am I get a call for an appointment for "The Guardian" at 1:45pm. It is a fun role as a guy in a gay club. I call my buddy, Greg Lee, to help me go over the material. We work on it and come up in a strong choice. I go in for the pre-read with Chuck McCollum and Jeanne Bacharach at Sony Studios. It goes well, they give me a re-direct and I deliver. I get a callback on the spot for an hour later with the director and writer. I get to the callback and wait another hour, which is no problem. I finally get in the room; I am usually pretty good about getting in the room and getting to work. The director got up to introduce himself and then the writer did the same. This is where things go really, really bad. I continue to the other woman (Jeanne Bacharach, the CD) as if I am meeting her for the first time. IT'S THE CASTING DIRECTOR WHO GAVE ME THE CALLBACK!!! At that point I figured out that I had really screwed up. I was so embarrassed and I went down in flames. I felt so stupid, because I was right for the part and I nailed the pre-read. I guess it happens, huh.

I have a friend who is in town from NYC staying with me for a week. He is working at a different level than me. It is a window into how it really happens on a day-to-day basis. I surf several of the acting forums and right now there is a lot of controversy going on with paid casting director workshops. It is known that I attend many workshops in addition to many other things that I do to advance my career. It has been said that I am hurting myself by being associated with these establishments. Do these people think that CD's ask me what workshops I go to when I come in to audition? They don't. It's mostly like apples and oranges. I think some of their points are valid, but I am not convinced that workshops are the evil thing that they are proposed to be.

I have a general meeting scheduled with Lucy Cavallo, VP of Casting Dramas @ CBS. I got this through mailing a postcard. It was quick about 15 minutes, but that is enough. She was very nice and seemed to really listen to what I was saying. She joked that they (CBS) need to get me on more of their shows so that I can go home to Virginia Beach more often.

Today I have a meeting with a manager that caught me on "Arli$$". WOW, it really does happen like that!!! He requested a meeting with me!! Mind you, I am not looking for management at this time so it really felt good to have someone interested. The meeting goes well and he wants to work with me. The next day he calls and wants to have lunch, I thank him and let him know that I am gonna stay with my present situation of my current representation and managing myself. Managers typically take 15%, I cannot afford that. I have found that many managers take only 10%. I am waiting on a 10% manager and I'll let them contact me. That means I have work to do!!!

Today and next Saturday morning I attend the Broadcast & Cable previews of shows for the coming season. It was held at the Academy of Television of Arts & Sciences. It was really cool to see previews of all of the shows at the same time.

This weekend I attend 8 workshops at the SAG Conservatory. I am glad I attended, met some new people and learned a lot. Not bad for 10 bucks. Oh yeah, I went to see Pat Benatar in concert in Anaheim. She's still got it!!

Today I have an audition for "East of Harlem"(later changed to "In America") for acclaimed Irish director Jim Sheridan. I know Jim through Keilana Smith. This is where it really happens, the big moves. I get there and see Sean "P-Diddy" Combs and Terrence Howard. It felt good to get seen for a project like this. Of course, it's a long, long shot, but slowly it's happening for me.

Today I have an audition for "East of Harlem"(later changed to "In America") for acclaimed Irish director Jim Sheridan. I know Jim through Keilana Smith. This is where it really happens, the big moves. I get there and see Sean "P-Diddy" Combs and Terrence Howard. It felt good to get seen for a project like this. Of course, it's a long, long shot, but slowly it's happening for me.

Today is my shoot for the "California Lottery" commercial. When I arrived at the location, to my surprise, I saw everyone that was in my callback session. WHAT!!! Needless to say we were shocked that we all had booked after having, what we thought, was such a horrible callback. We figured that maybe he really liked us at the audition and was making sure he could get us to the place he needed us for the shoot.

It was a short day, call time 9am and I'm wrapped @ noon. Yeah, only 3 hours. It almost killed me and I mean DEAD!!!!!! I was one of a group of "spinners" and one "spin instructor". This spin instructor was no joke. Was she, in fact, trying to kill us? Or maybe she was just trying killing me. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I am so out of shape. Anyway, nice people, and I had worked with the DP on the last "Pizza Hut" spot. It felt good to be working again.

Tonight is the first night of my dance classes. OMIGOD!!!! Keilana bought me gift certificates for several classes. They were getting ready to expire so I had to jump in. I have 2 left feet. I mean seriously. I have been known to go out and "shake a leg", but I don't dance for money. It is a Modern Jazz class and I am so far away from being graceful. I'll keep trying though.

Okay, big surprise. I booked the "California Lottery" commercial. WHAT!!! How they heck did that happen? I don't know and I don't care I'm just glad to be working!!

I just got back from an "audition" even though I didn't actually get to read. My 4th Saturday audition in 6 weeks. No, I wasn't turned away because I do workshops. It was because the damn building caught on fire! Yeah, it was Lien/Cowan Casting on Beverly and we were waiting to go in and the joint starts billowing with black smoke & flames right below the casting office on the 2nd floor. I mean crazy fire trucks, chainsaws, an ax and a lot of water. It was really sad to see people stuff go up in flames, but more importantly everyone got out safely. Firefighters have always been really high on my list and it was cool to see them @ work. Remember, check those smoke detector batteries!!

Today is the BSW roundtable discussion. It was interesting, to say the least. I got a chance to hear several sides of the debate. I don't feel like a lot was accomplished as far as changing anyone's position on the subject. If anything it gave me more information on workshops that I haven't been to. Go figure.

Callback: "California Lottery" @ Cathi Carlton Casting. Okay this HAD to be the worst callback I've ever had. The spot has me and a few others on stationary bikes in a spinning class. First, I don't spin in my real life and I think I looked like a complete loser in my acting life.
Typically, in a spin class the instructor is in front, facing the class. That wasn't the case for audition; the instuctor was beside me. I was sneaking glances at the instuctor to see what the next move was. I wasn't stopping and going into full profile or anything like that I was just trying to see what was going on.

Here is where it got interesting for me. The director, Brian Aldrich, was relentless with giving me direction and asking me questions, and I don't feel like I delivered at all. He said to me, "if you were in a real spin-class would you be looking over at the instuctor?" Okay, I wanted to answer honestly, but I also wanted this job and didn't want to embarrass the CD Cathi Carlton and become an example of "how actors talk themselves out of jobs". I decided to split the difference. I kinda answered by giving him the look that he was right, but not saying so verbally. The director seemed to be trying to embarrass me.
When I left the room, myself and the 3 others, felt like it was the worst callback of our careers. I was thinking that Cathi wouldn't ever call me in again. NEXT!!!

Steve Julian, of KPCC 89.3 radio, sends me an e-mail message asking if I was willing to be interviewed for a story he is doing on paid CD Workshops. "Ugh, ugh, well I guess so. What do you want me to say?" I agree and we proceed. Basically, we just had a conversation on the phone that was taped. Ninety minutes later Back Stage West calls and asks me to participate in a roundtable discussion on paid Casting Director Workshops. What!!!! Why in the heck are they calling me?!?! "Ugh, ugh, well I guess so. What do you want me to say?"

Me, My ADR Session & Carmen Electra............I gotta say it is pretty cool to have Carmen Electra inquire about me. Even if it is just in a commercial. I was able to see a cut of the "Pizza Hut" spot yesterday while doing ADR. I had to re-record one word, and a short word at that. In and out in 14 minutes including waiting for the NYC people to get set up. Of course I wasn't getting paid what Ms. Electra was getting for 2 days work. Let me tell ya she got PAID!! It should break in about 10 days.

One potential strike averted, one more to go!! Thankfully, there wasn't a WGA work stoppage. Now I'm hoping that the SAG/AFTRA negotiations are settled without a work stoppage. Last fall was very busy for me as a result of beefed up productions among other things.

I have an audition today for "Pizza Hut" @ Deborah Kurtz Casting. That is an office that I don't get into that often, but since doing a lot of commercial drop-offs I have gotten into a lot of offices that I have never been to or haven't in a while. Anyway I have a callback Friday, avail Friday night and am booked Sunday afternoon. Now I had done two other "Pizza Hut" spots for another director. I didn't think this one was connected to the other creative people. There are so many people in the room that it is hard to really focus on anyone. I go to the fitting Monday afternoon and I am thinking I'm anonymous, and then they tell me that the art director has my photo on his wall from the first spot. These are some of the same creative people as before. The spot stars Carmen Electra and is directed by Bob Dylan's son Jesse Dylan. It felt really good to be on somebody's list.

This is a moment of truth for me. It is my last night waiting tables, hopefully forever. It put in for a 3-month leave of absence; I am due back June 29. I don't plan on coming back, time will tell.

It was my second night working on "The District" and I am learning a lot. I am one of 3 reporters. It isn't a tremendous amount of dialogue, but they do have us around a lot. Of course the dialogue wasn't as it was scripted. We did a quick rehearsal and the director just split the lines between us all. Those cold-reading-think-on-your-feet-skills really came into play.

At one point, for another scene, the director gave all of the reporters a speech to do; it was a good chunk of dialogue. It was a live report from the shooting that happened in the episode. We ended up not shooting it that night as we wrapped about 1am. So I got to my restaurant job 2 1/2 hours late. OOOOPS!!! They say we'll shoot it next week. This is exciting. I have heard that people come back on that show often. Matter-of-fact one of the actresses was telling me that she did an episode last Fall and they asked her to come back. So she is working this week as well, and as a different character than before. I was surprised that they brought her back in the same season as a different character. She and I are with the same agency as well.

So guys and gals I would say to keep Thom Klohn & Karen Rea at the top of your postcarding list. They were both on set at different times. I got a chance to talk to Karen, who was still casting @ 9pm, and she knew all of us by name. All of the regulars and the rest of the guest cast are really nice. So that's it.

Tomorrow I am shooting a "US Postal Service" spot. Today as I am driving in the rain trying to be careful getting to my fitting for my "USPS" shoot tomorrow my cell phone rings. I don't get many calls on my cell phone, but lately the ones that I have gotten have been "'nuttin but love". It is my Theatrical agent; she is telling me that she has an offer for "The District" for me. I had auditioned a week ago and had thrown the sides out thinking it was over. I was totally shocked, she kinda thought I was hesitating on accepting because...well I was hesitating....because I was shocked. Anyway I shoot the "USPS" commercial tomorrow and start on "The District" Wednesday. It is for 4 days out of 5. I have never had that much time on a Theatrical gig. What a start to the week.

Hey, I did a workshop with Shaunda Jones @ London/Stroud Casting on November 18th and had a great feeling from her. This past November was the busiest month I have ever had and I was also going thru computer Hell. After the workshop I had to explain to Shaunda that my resume looked like crap because I had booked several jobs in a very short amount of time and I had to write in 4 new credits. I never write on my resume. She was cool about it and told me to bring 5 fresh resumes to her office the next day because she knew of some other shows that her friends cast that I was right for. Of course I did that the next morning. She called me in today for "Arli$$". I had a "Burger King" audition scheduled as well for later in the day. Then the "Arli$$" people called and changed the time and it conflicted with the commercial audition. So I am on the phone with both of my agents and it didn't look good. I figured all I could do was the best I could since the "Arli$$" offices are way, way out in...I don't know, way out there.

I got there and since Shaunda had spoken to my agent she made sure I got in and out. I go in and the star of the series, Robert Wuhl, the director John Murray, casting along with 6 or 7 other people AND they taped us. It went perfect. Afterwards I raced back to Hollywood for my commercial audition which went very well also. Two hours later I get the word that I booked. I shoot on the 6th, I have a scene with Sandra Oh and she is the best. I think it airs in June 10th. I also got a callback for the "Burger King" spot. I had worked with one of the producers on a "BK" spot in NYC back in March '97. I didn't book this one though. I'll get 'em next time.

Today a good friend, Jonathan Julian moves to LA from New York. He is a friend from Virginia Beach, and I knew him way before we started acting. I pick him up @ the airport and didn't stop. 12 hours later we were looking at an apartment for him. In the first week he had done 3-4 workshops, had a manager interested in him, had met all of my agents, followed me to 4 auditions and was set to do a staged reading.

Today I had a callback for the "Huntress" and an audition for "The Tick" @ UDK Casting, I think it was the worst audition that I have ever had. All of the partners of the company were there as well. It was bad, really bad.

I'm outta here!! Back to Virginia for the Holidays.

Today I went in for "Angel" - not too cute. I hope I get back in that office to redeem myself.

Today I shoot "Smash" the VH-1 comedy pilot. Within 14 minutes of getting out of the car I was in and out of make-up and shooting. This director was not playing. Background players didn't even have time to put their bags down when they arrived on set.

Today I get into a car accident on my way to an audition. I guess it was my time -195,000 miles without one in my trusty Honda. Anyway, my fault and I became friends with one of the driver's. We now do CD workshops together, only in LA!!

NOVEMBER 21st '00*Today, I participated in my first table read for "Smash" a VH-1 comedy pilot. It was very interesting to watch the process since I was the reader from the beginning of the project. I have had a chance to see the project grow from the first day of casting to today's table read. During the process I saw & heard a lot of stuff. Who likes who (not personally) and why and how the whole package comes together. I must say that Cathy Henderson & Dori Zuckerman did a great job of casting. They brought in lots of interesting choices and all three of the leads were against the prototypes from the producers. Two of the leads were actors that Cathy & Dori did not already know. Matter of fact they even had to change the names of two of the leads because they were so different from what was originally projected. One of those leads is known by the industry and is definitely on the rise. I don't know what the buzz is on the others. All the networks and several production companies are eager to sign the female lead to a development deal. Interestingly enough she has been turning down huge sums of money for these deals, but she really liked this project and they are fortunate to have her.

Today's reading was attended by both of the writers, all of the producers with the exception of Gene Simmons (yes, of KISS), the wardrobe department and all of the cast members with the exception of the celebrity cameos. I was to read my part as a musician and the celebrity cameos. We proceeded to read the entire script just kinda straight thru and it came together really nice. The second read was with more energy, quick changes within the script and also the VH-1 executives listening in on a conference call from New York. Everyone involved seemed very pleased with results. After that the leads were kept for scene work and the rest of us were released.

Today I shoot the "Icehouse" Beer spot in Glendale, and have a ball. I cannot wait to see this spot on the air. I see Rosanna Arquette @ the restaurant and tell her that I was in a movie that she starred in ("Hell's Kitchen"). She was very nice and commented that "Angelina is huge now" and that it was running on cable. She looked great.

Today I am shooting "X.C.U.(Extreme Close-Up)" in studio City, a feature directed by Sean S. Cunningham. Sean directed "Friday the 13th"; I had a cool scene with leads AJ Buckley, Jay Michael Ferguson & Essence Atkins. It was a lot of fun with some stunts involved. Hope to see it on the big screen!!

I've got a busy day in store. I have a 10am appointment for "Ally McBeal" down in Manhattan Beach. Then at 12:25pm callback for "Icehouse" back up in Hollywood. I got a same day callback for "Ally" @ 4pm back down in Manhattan Beach. It took a lot of driving, but there will be no complaining from me. The "Icehouse" callback was one of the best I've ever had. I felt like the director knew he was going to hire me before I even got there. Back down for the "Ally" callback, it doesn't go all that great. Before I get home I get a "strong avail" for "Icehouse", yeah!!

Today I went in for that "Icehouse" beer spot. I hope I get a callback since I got a parking ticket in the process.

Today I am shooting an episode of "Sabrina" as a guest in an art gallery. It was a quick day and Melissa Joan Hart is also directing. Since the strike ended I haven't had any commercial auditions, but I am sure it will pick-up over the coming weeks and months. Theatrically, I have been so busy that I have had to have my agents reschedule appointments for me. I am not usually that busy theatrically, I guess meeting all of these CD's is really coming back to me in a big way. Anyway today I missed an audition for an "Icehouse" beer spot because I was shooting. My agents got me rescheduled for tomorrow.

Tonight I went to a screening for "Echos of Enlightenment", a feature that I had a small part in written/directed by Dan Coplan. I portrayed a writer who said his script had been stolen. It was the first time I got to see myself on the big screen. Thanks Dan. I also saw Terry George at the screening; he is the executive producer, creator, writer & director of "The District". I had met him over the summer so I spoke to him; he gave me his card and said to call him.

(This continues from several weeks ago when my buddy told me about the film I mentioned before - XCU).

Buddy tells me about film.

Three of my friends had appointments.

Talk to my manager.

He calls CD Ricki Maslar, she informs him about a role that is African-American (the brother of one of the leads). It is a small role and a couple weeks away. Read script; find out which photos to send.

Weeks later I remind my manager, he puts in another call and leaves a message.

Then I'm dropped by Manager.

Anyway, last week my agent called with an appointment for the film. I go in and Ricki and her staff are apologizing for bringing me in for such a small role. They say that I am their favorite actor from the workshops. WHO KNEW!!!! In all honesty it must have been my charm (ha ha!) because I do not recall having a stellar performance when I met them. After assuring them I would come in for almost anything she told me that I was really right for this and it was going to be cast from the tape. My agency is a guest-star agency and I have never been a guest star. I have no problem with the smaller stuff at this point in my career. The series regular auditions are great, but I need to be the clerk, the pizza guy, the waiter, etc. right now. Then I'll be a guest-star. I just don't want to skip any steps. I got the part.

You might not believe this one. Here it goes. I work the graveyard shift. So I am at work and it's a pretty routine evening/morning. I get home @ 6:30am ready to hop in the bed so that I can catch a 10am workshop. I figure I'll check my e-mail quickly before hitting the sack. I was amazed that I was able to get my computer started because it's been giving me quite the headache lately. So as I'm surfing the Actorsite forum and nodding at my desk because I am exhausted I see my name. It says "Urgent!! Stephon Fuller.......If you know him call him...............Suddenly my heart is racing, I'm wondering what the heck happened. It was posted @ 11:24pm the previous night, obviously I was at work. It is from a fellow actor, John Jabaley, he reports that he is locations managing a BET m.o.w. and a role needed to be cast right away and @ 11pm last night and he thought of me. He left numbers and times where I could reach him. At this point it is almost 7am; I figure I can get an hour of sleep before I call John (In hindsight I should have called right away). So I set 2 alarms on my pager, at 8 and 8:05am, of course I sleep through both of them. I wake up in cold sweat @ 8:25am and call John, he gives me the lowdown. In and out of the shower in a flash and off I go to Sun Valley, about 30 minutes away.

I arrive, they called John on the radio and he introduces me to the producer and director and took me upstairs. At this point it was just like being at a workshop. I got the sides and ten minutes later I was reading for the director with John as the reader. It wasn't a lot of material, but my head was still spinning. It was only I and one other actress, a person that John knew as well. So I go in and read and it goes well, then I could hear the actress reading through the door and she sounded great. I really thought that they would go with her; she played a little older and really looked the part. At this point I was thinking that I could still make it to that 10am workshop.

After about five minutes they came out and the director said "you both were great, thank you very much" I didn't they were going to take either of us. So I was cool, by now me and the other actress were talking about all kinds of things. We were both gathering our things to leave and John asked me to stay. I was shocked; it came down to me being a man. There was already a woman reporter in the film. I was taken straight to wardrobe & make-up. An hour later I was doing a scene with Kadeem Hardison (A Different World) and Lark Voorhies (Saved by the Bell). They were unbelievably nice and fun to work with, I had a great time.

When we broke for lunch I made a couple of phone calls, so I didn't get my food right away. As I was patiently waiting my turn in line one of AD's forced me to go to the front of the line. Weird. They were just making sure I was taken care of. The shoot was great, definitely the most attention I have ever had on set. I did one scene and I cannot say enough about Kadeem & Lark they were the best, funny & very engaging. The crew really took care of me as well. I also had a chance to ask him a question that I had been waiting for 5 years to ask him. We had the same manager years ago-him years & years ago and me-just years ago (Jan '95-June '96 while I lived NYC). When I signed with her she told me that she used to rep Kadeem, Giancarlo Esposito & Tom Cruise. She said she was the one who changed Tom's name from Thomas Mapother IV to Tom Cruise. Tom supposedly did his first two films with her and Kadeem booked "A Different World" thru her. I believed her, but Kadeem quickly confirmed that it was all true.

You never know where the day will take you, at 4:30 this morning I was waiting on Val Kilmer at the restaurant anticipating getting off to rest. It was not to be-Thankfully. I want to shout a huge "THANK YOU" out to John Jabaley - what you did was too cool for words. This month I waited on Benicio Del Toro (very cool @ 4am) & Mark Wahlberg (very polite) & Jordana Brewster (very polite & beautiful).

For the last month I have been a reader for Henderson/Zuckerman Casting. This has been one of the best opportunities I have had as an actor. I was getting to see and hear everything. It really showed me where I need to be to even be considered for a film or TV project. THIS JUST IN!! I am abruptly dropped by my manager!!! Yeah, what the F!&#$!! He had been working on becoming a producer and now was the time. So he only kept a couple of clients that were really moving along well. Totally caught me by surprise, I thought some good things were going to happen for the both of us.

Meanwhile I have to say that the new position at my night job is working out well. It accomplished 2 things: I made more money in less time and I didn't have to get another job and "act" like I really wanted to be there. I was just trying to make my situation better, I had been doing this overnight thing for over 2 years and it was killing me. I knew I had to continue because it was my ticket out of doing it. So, I guess I was "doing it so I wouldn't have to do it". There are times when I fall asleep in my car after getting home from work at 6 or 7 in the morning. Not good.

On the other hand October was heating up nicely. We were still on strike, but the end "had" to be near I thought. I was getting theatrical auditions. WHAT!!! I don't get that many TV/Film auditions, but I was getting them now.

Being a reader it was an eye-opening experience, I highly recommend it. The first project I worked on was "Bluehill Ave" it shot in Canada. The leads are William Forsythe, Clarence Williams III and Allen Payne. There was some talk of me possibly landing a role, but the director could only take so many to Canada for budget reasons. In all honesty I didn't think I was really right for anything in the film. I was just happy to be there and be part of the process and hear the business talk. I really got a chance to know the director and he asked my opinion on some things. The project that I am working on now with them is called "Smash" it is a VH-1 comedy pilot. It is kinda like Fox's "Action" set to the music industry. There is a small role in the pilot that I have my eye on, that is possibly recurring if the series is picked up.

After reading hundreds of actors I really can now understand when a casting director says do not touch them or break that circle of their space. Some of the material that I've been reading has been pretty provocative, and the young women that are coming in are like "WHAT!!!" let's just say some of "Hollywood's Finest". Anyway, I have been touched, groped even kissed smack on the mouth (yes, by a woman); and there was no kiss in the scene!! That's cool whatever works, I am there for them. The actors have really been great; they really appreciate having another actor to read with. Some I have read with 2 or 3 times and they have made comments to the producers/director that "they should hire this guy" meaning me. We'll see about that. It really has shown me what it takes to light up the room, especially in comedy. In most cases you can really tell the people who have worked.

After being in there over a dozen times, I can tell you at least at that office that they call people in without representation, from workshops and without extensive credits. At the same time there are a lot of people who have worked a lot and are with top agencies. As an actor who has to beg, borrow and steal to get a theatrical audition the chance to be a reader is a way to stay in and be around the game.

Usually when I am a reader I start to get appointments. So this one time I am scheduled for a short producer/director session, just from 11am-12:30pm, of course I get a call for an audition @12 noon. I tried to reschedule, but they were only going until noon. After thinking long and hard I tell my agent that I won't be able to make it.

My agents know that I have been reading for them, but they don't really know to what extent. My agent trusted that I was making the right decision and left it at that. I know it sounds crazy that I would turn down a pre-read for "Sabrina" with Rick Millikan for a co-star to be a reader. I kinda feel like I have a lot invested now in this project, I have been reading with the producers/director, I am right for the role, it is possibly recurring and Cathy & Dori will push hard for me after the leads are set. After telling my agent that I cannot make the audition I figured I would call Henderson/Zuckerman just to make sure that everything was on schedule and that I indeed could not make it. Cathy & Dori heard in the background that I had an audition and were adamant about me not missing it; they would find a replacement for me. I told them my angle on the whole thing and they agreed, but then they offered to call Rick Millikan and see what they could do. They were able to get me rescheduled. I had a really good read and got a callback to producers and found out today that I have been booked for Wednesday of next week. Nothing huge and that's fine with me, it's a co-star about 4 lines and believe it or not my quote inched up a little higher. (I can't believe I have a quote). Oh, and it's directed by Melissa Joan Hart. Back at the job, I waited on Martin Lawrence and he left me $185 on an $85 check. He was very, very cool and low-key.

Here was my plan. At my night job I was gonna transfer from the valet department to the restaurant. This way I would make more money and have slightly shorter hours. I made it coincide with my vacation. The switch was pretty smooth although a few tried to block it because I had worked that overnight thing for over a year faithfully. It was a difficult shift to fill and they didn't want lose me, but it was not my problem. I had driven enough Porsches', Benz', Rolls Royces', Bentleys', Lexus' BMWs' Ferraris' etc. My first night I waited on David Spade & Peta Wilson from "La Femme Nikita". They were very nice, David forgot his wallet. After Peta spilled cream on her clothing she was so happy that I brought soda water to her that she kissed me on the cheek. I guess it is the little things that count.

I go with Daniel Rojo Management from the first meeting after doing a scene for him with Keilana. I felt really good about this. He ended up taking on Keilana as well. I would tell him about my workshops and he gave me his opinions. I was able to stop by and chat about whatever I had heard in town. My buddy Greg had an audition for a film, "XCU", at Ricki Maslar's office and he thought there might be something in it for me. I told my manager and he got on the phone right then and there to see if I was right for anything in the film. Yes, there was something but it was weeks away. I went back to my buddy found it in the script. That felt good. Things were already good, but now they are looking even better. CD Jerry Whitworth called me for an audition for "Arrest & Trial". I book it and worked the next day. It is fun, I get to drive a car with the cops in pursuit, get shaken down and then interrogated. How I afforded to go to Virginia again I don't know, but I went.

Not a whole lot happening, just keeping busy to stay prepared for any opportunities that may arise. My night job, workshops and picket lines take up most of my time. I did a workshop on July 10th with Dori Zuckerman @ Henderson/Zuckerman Casting and 2 weeks later she asked me to be a reader.

Also at this time I called one of my theatrical agents and discussed management with her. I told her I was committed and ready to do it. She called back the next day with 3 appointments. I did research on them and took the meetings. The first meeting, Daniel Rojo Management was cool, he seemed really excited about me and he "got" me. The 2nd meeting with Reaves/D'Andrea Entertainment was cool with a bit less of a connection. The 3rd meeting @ Bohemia Entertainment was different; this guy was really aggressive and edgy. He seemed to like my style but he felt I needed too much work for his company.

Do I need to check my pager battery? Nobody's calling. I start working out, riding my, mountain bike, going to the beach - whatever to keep busy. I'm still doing casting director workshops to keep myself in the mix. At the beginning of the strike I had 2 "Pizza Hut" spots out there and they dropped them both. Not good news. Also, I booked a role in a short film that involved a lot of dancing and singing. What were they thinking? Anyway, after several rehearsals the producers decide to "go another way". Thankfully, because without the proper dance/voice training I would not have been able to get up to speed in time. They did me a favor; I didn't want to be the weakest link.

Back in town and we are on strike. This is not good. I am not one to take commercial auditions for granted, but it made me appreciate them even more. It really showed me how much I depend on my acting income which, thus far, has been mostly commercials. One good thing about the strike was that I got to know my commercial agents a lot better. I would see them on the picket lines, out in the hot sun like the rest of us. Also, episodics are shutting down and it is just slow. I still have the manager thing on my head as well. Not a whole lot going on, just continuing with my workshops. I'm not making much dough at my night job... gonna have to do something soon to bring in some cash.

With Pilot season coming to a close, I was trying see how I could get seen more. I had been going back and forth with the manager thing. Now, I felt I was ready to really pursue it. I had been compiling info about talent managers from various sources for years and knew a bit of who was who. I had done a mailing a couple of months earlier with not much success. I did get a call from a company that asked for a demo. I don't have a demo, just a couple a commercials on a tape. I went and dropped it off and got to meet with him, I would have signed with them on the spot, but I wasn't far enough along for them. I'm tired I wanna go home, to Virginia, so I do just that.

Casting director Jerry Whitworth calls me in to be a reader for a film. I had just met him days earlier at a workshop. I had a great time doing it. Days later I get a call from my commercial agent for a "callback" with the director of the "Pizza Hut" spot I did back in September. "Callback?" I hadn't been in yet. It's only me and two other girls; they had worked for "Pizza Hut" before as well. We go in and do some improv. He tells us that he wants to make us recurring characters. WHAT!!! As I am leaving the meeting Jerry calls me to come back in for the director for the film that I was the reader for, I was one of 3 choices. It starts the same day as the "Pizza Hut" spot would shoot.

Anyway, 2 days later I and 1 of the other girls are shooting. We have our scene together with the lead guy and I was in the background in another scene. I'm thankful for that background shot, because they didn't use my shot with the lead guy. When the spot aired, and it aired often, you barely saw me in the background. I wasn't "cut out" even though you would not have recognized me in the spot. Those residuals helped me through the strike. I didn't get the film.

It's the first business day of the New Year and I already have my first appointment. It's for "The Time of Your Life", the new Jennifer Love Hewitt drama show on FOX. I'm going straight to producers for a couple of lines. Get the word the next day I'm booked. The character walks up on a murder scene. The next day is the table read; my first for a TV show. The cast is very nice and involved in the reading. A couple of days later I'm shooting in downtown LA in an alley with real, big, nasty rats!!! WHAT!!! These were the first rats I had seen since leaving New York!!! I didn't know LA had rats. Anyway it was good way to start off the year.

Today I taped my first voiceover in LA. It is for "The Famous Jett Jackson Show" I was playing the star for two episodes with hopes of doing more.

Things are pretty routine for me, a good number of commercials auditions and a few theatrical ones. One of my buddies tells me about a "Pizza Hut" audition in the valley. I had already done drop-offs over there and was on my way to Santa Monica when he calls to say I should check it out. I say "sure I have nothing to lose". I go back and scope it out and before I even feel it out the CD is bringing me in. Obviously I'm right for it. I sign in and he brings me in and I have good read and he says "that has callback written all over it", cool. A couple of days later I have a callback (my agent was wondering where it came from, they didn't know I went in on it). The callback is for a different spot and I am first to go in. The other guys already new what the spot was about, so the CD pulls me out of line and gives me the heads up. The call flows "smoove like butta" I get the call that I'm booked!!! We shoot at Sony Studios, they built a "Pizza Hut" in the inside one of the stages. It was so real. Anyway, it was a fun shoot. It didn't run too much I think I saw it once on cable, too bad, it was funny spot.

Back in LA finally!!! A 2 week trip ends up being 2 months, what a story. I've got my car and I'm feeling good. I don't go back to Old Navy, I just couldn't do it. I got a job in the valet department at The Standard a "Hollywood Hot Spot" on the Sunset Strip. At first it was interesting driving those expensive cars. I think the most expensive one was a Bentley that this guy had shipped over from London he said it was worth $500,000. It was customized to the nines, it even had right-hand drive. I have never driven a right-hand drive car, but I acted like it. I encountered lots of industry people.

After three weeks in New York I am back to face those other charges. My car is almost ready for the trip and I have two friends to drive across country with. I was a little skeptical about my car; it's a '89 Honda Accord with 165,000 miles on it. I just had to trust it; she never let me down before. I had so much stuff going on that my nose would start bleeding for no reason. I went to my other court date and again everything was dropped. I had everything I needed a new license, current registration & a new city decal. The judge told me that if I didn't have that new license he would have given me ten days in jail. WHAT!!!

Three days later I was on the road to LA. It was a great drive with my friend Patrick Mylod and former girlfriend Keilana Smith. Keilana and I had been on and off for some time. More "off" than "on" but we had always been there for each other. During the beautiful drive across this great country I actually started to feel that, one day, I will marry her. WHAT!!!

The moment of truth. I arrive in court and after waiting for 2 hours. I am informed that the magistrate gave me the wrong info. The correct date was the 26th. WHAT!!! So I decided to roll up to New York for a week and work at my old job to make some dough. Bless those managers, they had no idea how much they were helping me out. Obviously I wasn't supposed to leave the state, but "you gotta do watcha gotta do".

So I work for the week then go back to Virginia a few days before my court date. Here is where I really add to my problems. While working at the family deli with my brother & mom I get upset about something and leave upset. I decide to drive to another city and pick-up some parts for my car. I get stopped by the police. Remember that suspended license? Yeah. Oh Snap!! I'm thinking this guy is definitely taking me straight to jail for driving with a suspended license, expired registration and no city sticker. I couldn't get those things because of the "suspended" license. I received 3 tickets, but he didn't take me to jail. I also got another court date of June 29th '99. WHAT!!! I'm never gonna get back to LA!!!

A couple of days later I go back to court for the original suspended license charge and it is all dismissed. The only charge me a twenty-five dollar failure to appear charge. It was suspended by mistake. I left the courthouse walked a couple of miles to DMV and made everything legal. Yo, I'm outta here!! I blaze back to New York to work in the restaurant for 3 1/2 weeks.

This is the plan. I had "my" car back in Virginia Beach; it had been sitting in my brother's driveway for 4 years while I lived in New York. I figured I would go home; get it fixed and either drive or ship it out here to Los Angeles.

My "Ford" spot was running pretty well, but I made "high school freshman money" at Old Navy so I was living pretty low on the hog. A friend in Virginia Beach, John Dail, worked for USAir. He got me a cheap ticket back home. I was to leave LA on May 5th and return the 15th. When I got to Virginia a letter is waiting for me from VA DMV saying that my license is suspended. WHAT!!! I call DMV and they say that I have a warrant out for my arrest. WHAT!!! She says I have to go see the judge the next day. WHAT!!! "I had never been in front of a judge!!!"

I go to court the next day. After watching hours of cases being heard I was sweating bullets. They hear what I have to say and then I am arrested. WHAT!!! They give me a court date of May 26th. I am supposed to be back in LA on May 15th!!! They lead me thru the door that I had seen so many people go through.

The whole nine kid!!!

"Take out your shoe laces".

"Empty your pockets.........completely".

They search and document everything in my bag and then they put me in a holding cell with 5 guys and stainless-steel toilet. WHAT!!! At first I am tripping out and then settled into an observational mode. After 3 hours they handcuff me together with 3 other guys and walk us underground to the jail.

I was wearing a nice, pressed white oxford shirt to look presentable to the judge. As I was being led to the jail I untucked and unbuttoned my shirt to try and fit in, ya know, "look the part". It's all about survival baby! Then they separated me from the other 3 guys. WWWHY!!! I didn't know if I was better off or worse off. You always think the grass is greener on the other side. Turns out the other guys were going to jail and me to another holding cell. After 2 hours I saw the magistrate. My bail was five-hundred bucks. She also changed my court date to May 12th. As I was lacing my boots back up one of the inmates asked me why I was there. I told him and he said "man you look like you should be in college or somethin". I called a bondsman and was free.

DRAMA DRAMA & MORE DRAMA Remember that car situation I mentioned months ago. Well it was about to get interesting. Even though I knew quite a few people in LA I didn't really do much other than pursue my career and work at Old Navy. For one thing I was broke and the car kinda held me hostage. Often times I wouldn't even leave the house until work @ 10pm or going to a workshop. My life was closing in and I was feeling it. I'm a bicycle enthusiast, so I decided to go to a bike convention that was in town. I figured I would get off at 7am get some sleep and then go to the event. As usual I had ridden my bike to work the previous night. So I go out my car and it is gone. WHAT!!! Yep, it had been impounded. At first I thought it was stolen. I guess the expired Virginia tags caught up with me. No car in LA gotta think fast.

My commercial appointments are coming along fine, but those theatrical ones are MIA. I had a callback for "3Dfx" a computer software company, they had me on avail. The next day they called and released me and asked if I would do background work. I declined and my agent thanked me. The next day they called back and booked me as a principal. She said she wasn't allowed to urge me to decline, but she had a feeling that they were bluffing.

Back in LA and ready to rock & roll!!! I remember talking to one of my buddies about the lack of minorities on certain shows, particularly "Friends", I had never even seen the show. I knew it was set in NYC, but where were the Latinos, Dominicans, Blacks, Asians, and Indians, etc? Later that same day I get an appointment for the show. I booked a co-star on the show. My agent called me at 7:30 in the morning and said that they needed me at the studio ASAP by 9am I was face to face with Lisa Kudrow. It was my first TV gig and it goes down as one of the many highlights in my career. Being in hair & make-up with the 6 of them doing a line reading as the live audience went crazy was some kind of experience.