DAMAGED lawyers at CIPRIANI's

Both Tedd and Glenn were there in full regalia last night -along with the rest of us penguins. It was a black-tie affair wherein Glenn Close is presenting a prestigious award to a fellow lawyer...

[That's me sitting in the back... and never to be "discovered" -at least not from this show! It was a day's work for 2:43 minutes of this episode. So, approximately 3 minutes of showtime per day means about 2 weeks of work for a 50 minute show. Hmmm....]

Later as she dances with him, Tedd's evil-mogul character cuts in and the two antagonists are now arm in arm to the tune of Harry James' sentimental music. But the cozy scenario quickly deteriorates as Glenn's character provides an effective digg -accusing the high-powered businessman of letting a girl die as she cries after him, "Arthur...Arthur...ARTHUR!!!" But after a number of repeated takes it all sounded like a Broadway book-show.

It was great to see the two actors up close... way up close this time. Ted Danson was standing right in front of me and my "chanteuse partner", asking one of the PA's for his lines... sat down at one of the dinner table chairs and repeated it to himself a few times. After being satisfied with his lines and the blocking, he was in full swing as his confidence kicked in and his acting improved.

Glenn Close kidded around with the dinner-crowd as she stood by a podium ready to deliver a mildly roasted intro for the award-winning lawyer associate. In the beginning she blew her lines (they were kind of tough and jumbled) but eventually she got them out and kidded with us to break the tension... "So a lawyer walked into a bar..." we had to laugh at that one! Then she sang an etherial tune (not a bad voice)... and the scene was eventually completed to the director's satisfaction. Our part was to pay attention - laugh - clap!

This was a completely different Glenn Close than the one I had experieced back in episode #3! There she seemed more focused, stern and disassociated from the crowd. Here she was acting almost like a kid. At one point after the "Arthur...Arthur scene", it was supposed to be "silent" as the two arguing attorneys (are there any other kind?) separate -but Glenn just had to get that Cruella De Vil's "wicked witch laugh" out as Danson is storming off the dance floor -and of course that put the entire crowd into giggle-land. At this point a woman asked me "What was that 'Fatal...something' movie she was in? And I responded by saying, "Fatal Repulsion'.

Couldn't resist that one.

At break time we got 10 minutes to eat... this meant finding the catering truck (which was parked way the heck down the block) and then finding a reasonably ballanced place to eat. I found a fire-pump on which I ballanced one leg and a can of pepsi while juggling a small hero slice and a veggie-wrap. (Oh, the things that hunger and decent-looking food can motivate you to overcome!) While doing my ballancing act... Glenn Close and the award-winning lawyer actor saunter by on the street, walk up to the crafty truck near-by and have a snack with the rest of the SAG people. A few minutes later they are on their way back and I watch them pass in front of me with "blank forward-looking" expressions on both their faces... It was very tempting to wave my hand in front of them to see if they weren't sleep walking. But I'm digressing into fantasy-land here -and it's really neither here nor there how they walk and how they look... they are who they are; for whatever reason that they are. I can only observe without judgement.

The shoot soon ended, an orderly exit was made by all voucher-signed participants as our seven hours of celebrity exposure began to fade in our dressing rooms. Cipriani's fancy coach was back to being a pumpkin again... and we were all left looking for that missing shoe.

VERIZON with Paul Marcarelli and a cast of dozzens

I don't know if he could hear us now... but we were all jibber-jabbing about his fame and monetary success! We, the extras, standing on the green-screened floor hung in there for the $150 session just to be in a Verizon commercial. Wearing the hats, shirts, jackets, tools, etc. that the wardrobe department supplied us with -and we just shwitzed away the time in Silvercup's Studio #5 -while Paul, "the Verizon-guy" held up the latest version of the brand's cell-communicator... (not a word from Paul -just face time to the camera as we stood behind him en mass). As a matter of fact -someone had mentioned that we were supposed to be on Mars!? Oh yeah... even the aliens will be using Verizon soon -just to call Earth.

During breaks I sat across from a young guy who was well prepared to while away the hours in a crowded room (where there were, according to our attractive raven-haired PA, exactly 160 chairs). We played WAR with cards -but then he suggested a rousing game of DOMINOES! I haven't played that since I was a kid, -remembered something about having to match the dots... but that's it. I would have to learn it over again. Luckily the process was quick and we were having some high-felutin' competition over our lunches. Now I'm hooked. (Later, I bought a set in the nearest 99 cent store.)

Michael Imperioli FOR ONE MORE DAY

Dressed as number 11, he swung the bat at his hometown field during the nostalgic 1970's -where he returned to commit suicide. But his mom (Ellyn Burstyn) comes back from the dead to talk him out of it. (And whether he lives or dies makes no difference to us extras...we just wanted to get out of the blazing sun bearing down on us before we had a meltdown in the open bleachers.)

That's the quick and dirty version of this film's plot. The long version dealt with our 6:30 AM to 7:PM stint, spent getting fitted for post-hippy chic. I was given bell-bottomed pants that didn't fit and I had to keep pulling them up until I finally got my hands on a large safety pin and reduced the 44 inch wasteline to a more managable one that could remain escalated around my girth. Afterwards, I was sent to make-up to have "porkchop sideburns" pasted on my cheeks in order to better fit into that period -a period which I lived through in polkadot shirts, tight pants and western boots. Certainly not the pukey mustard-colored tight-fitting terrycloth shirt I was given!

Quite frankly, some of my fellow extras fared a lot better... even with the wigs! I think the wardrobe department had a "Mod Squad" fetish... My friend, Karli Bonne, came out looking like a brunette version of Peggy Lipton.

The made-for-TV movie is an adaptation of Mitch Albom's book -and presented to the boob tube by Oprah Winfrey through the directorial exhuberance of Lloyd Kramer. Once Oprah recommends a book, it becomes a sure-to-make-it-big on the best sellers list. Thereby assuring an audience for this production... most likely to be aired on ABC... TBD!

Michael Imperioli took more guff from some of the more "experienced" cheering section than the non-specific direction given to our cadre of fans had called for (e.g. "What a lousy slice -you bat like a pussy!"). So that when the cheering got a bit ugly, the over-enthusiastic yellers were approached and told to cease the all-too-accurate jeers. After all, we were instructed to make believe that his first hit was a homerun (even if it was a foul). But Michael bore up well and was a real trooper. Such is movie-reality.

We were relocated several times in the bleachers to make the crowd look thick (I had tons of exprinence with this in the CMA Forex commercial a couple of weeks ago). The bleachers, however, had some obstacles in store for us: At one large area they were covered by squashed berries that had fallen from the overhanging tree; at another there was a wasp nest and they were zooming about our heads rather antagonisticly -enough so that a couple of us went running up and down the steps to try to escape their attacks and eventually we had to yell at the assistant director to stop reseating us in this section! Lloyd's bullhorn kept on with "...aaaaand.... ACTION!" They didn't care. The scene had to be completed while there was daylight...

Most of the people were called back to the bleachers after our meager roast-chicken lunch break... I was not among them -and didn't really mind. I had somehow been spared a second grilling from the August summer's hazing sun. I just cozied up to my seat in holding and let the hours pass until wrap time. Outside, a scene with Michael and his "father" would take forever. Something wasn't going right and the extras were kept in perplexity as to the reasons for the delays in the shoot. When the participating extras returned a few hours later, I got different stories from different people. But the gist was that it was a mess... the scene wasn't working. They had us for the past 12 hours -additional time would incur OT... so now it was WRAP time!!! Ah, the rush of stamping feet as they returned their wardrobe and hair-pieces for the exchange of the "ticket to leave", our VOUCHERs... which we now had to get signed. And now the lineup -an occasion to banter among each other while we wait for the PAs to process our IDs and at the same time trying to focus on the availability of the nearest exit door.

I made friends with a couple of people, and one of them quickly economized on it. Angelo asked if I could give him a ride into the city. I told him I could drop him off in Queens and off we went. While enroute to Queens, I learned that Angelo was a dancer persuing acting. He was post-college-age whose favorite dancer was pre-kiddie-Michael Jackson... and now Angelo wanted a career. I knew exactly what he meant -it was time for me to start getting back to mine also. The one in the real world. My phone rang -I got an interview scheduled in the middle of the week with a large firm in midtown NYC. More calls follow with opportunities of large salaries and full benefits and bonuses... etc. Reality beckons and acting strange now presents new challenges in both worlds.

A 2-day Odyssey with HONDA

[ I always find it ironic when there is a NO PARKING sign posted for a CAR commercial!]

The 4:AM call means a 1:AM wakeup ring on my alarm-cell-phone; catching a 1:56 AM Long Island RR train and hoping that the NYC subways are running… and that there are some people around so that you don’t feel like you’re going to be a target for muggers. But NYC has a rhythm all its own –and you really can’t guess it, no matter how street-smart-savvy you think you might be. I’ve done all these musings before, and each time the results were pleasant.
The trains had a bunch of early workers starting out and the streets had groups of couples whose partying had finally taken it’s toll and now it was time to go home and rest (for more partying, no doubt). In this state of mind, I arrived 30 minutes early to the holding area that was at a Presbyterian Church on 55th Street and 5th Avenue.

The food truck was servicing us and I wasted no time in getting the fresh fruit with yogurt as my breakfast of choice for this fine and unusually chilly August-weekend morning. Others began to drift in and I noticed some familiar faces, and some not-too-familiar figures: one in particular was that of an emaciated looking young blond woman. Her face was pretty but her jeaned-up legs were spindly-thin and her arms, although covered with some muscle tissue, had given the impression that she may have been sick and was now coming back to possible health. Her demeanor was reserved and I noticed that one of the PA’s was fawning over her to meet her much-needed caloric-needs. I never actually witnessed her ingesting anything…

After our breakfast snacking, we were ushered into the church and two floors down, where we set up our “base camp” for today.

“Yoo kin put yer fookin’ things doon an’ git fookin’ coomftahble while we fookin’ fill out some fookin’ papers…!”

Derek, our handler, was Scottish and had no problem with telling us what to do and where to go! He was pleasantly serious and gave us a real listening treat with his heavy accent. I impressed him when I found his wallet on the bathroom floor and returned it to him. “You’re an honest mahn…(and after checking the contents to be intact he intoned further kudos)… a very honest mahn!”

Our wardrobes were checked and half of us, 20 or so souls, would be “shoppers” and the other half would be “business” –only 10 would be called back for the 2nd day’s shoot. I was to be a member of the latter group. An hour or so later, we were taken to the set which was in front of Harry Winston’s jewelry store on 5th Avenue. Classy!

Our direction was given and it was explained that we were to be the background-part of a Honda Odyssey car commercial. The commercial, however, would only be shown abroad –most likely Japan and Europe. When we saw the car, we realized why: the driver’s seat was on the right side. Groaaaaaan! Oh well, at least the pay was good.

Then came an entourage of people, in the center of which was a tall statuesque model with Barbie-doll-like spaghetti-thin features. ~~~Tidle-dee-dee, Tidle-dee-dee~~~… I realized that it was the girl I saw a few hours ago by the food truck. She was wearing a classy short chiffon-pleated dress that barely grazed her knees, some shopping bags and tons of makeup over her face that had to be touched-up on a regular basis by the Japanese makeup crew (army). And it was chilly, so that her thin constitution started to shiver… luckily, between takes, the Japanese contingency would bring her a coat to drape around her shoulders. Ultimately she bore up well and kept her composure, always focusing on her “delivery” to the camera. I gained a lot of respect for her very professional attitude.

The streets were wetted down by the water truck and the shoot began. Some of us were told to walk south, others north and Lindsay, the model would remain in place by the curb while doing a Queen Elizabeth-hand-wave in expectation of a pick-up by her oncoming Honda-driving acquaintance. Much of this shoot was done through the inside of the oncoming Honda car… an apparent signature of the director, Sano Yutaka. He had done Honda before, as shown on his production company’s website DAY-O… usually with some NYC landmark clearly seen through the car’s window. I suppose to signify that the right-sided-driver Honda Odyssey “gets around”! Interesting concept…and from what I observed on his website, cleanly depicted in each of the company’s commercial projects. Nothing was “lost in the translation”! He was good.

A small sliver of sunlight began to squeeze through to the concrete jungle’s skyscraper valley that we were now inhabiting. This light was to be used for a special shoot. While they were setting up their equipment, we were given a few minutes for a break. I decided to go into the direct line of the sun’s rays while leaning against the door of one of the fancy storefronts. I closed my eyes and just let the warmth of the sun penetrate. It felt soooo good after the long morning’s chilly weather. Suddenly my reverie was interrupted by a rude uniformed SOB behind the glass door. He was tapping it vigorously with his white-gloved knuckles and giving me some dirty looks to indicate that I should be off-of-there!!! Reluctantly, I complied… I vacated the door and the comfortable spot and receded back into the frigid grey light of inscrutability.

Bantering with the PA’s and the other extras during takes created a friendly networking atmosphere that allowed us to exchange headshots and contact references in hopes of a new gig. I had met two of the women here on another set and we commiserated on past experiences. One of them, who also worked on Adam Sandler’s “Zohan” set had the same disenchanted rotten experience that I did –and we both swore never to see that movie! The other woman was the UMAS waitress from the “Damages” restaurant set we filmed at DUMBO. Once we recognized each other we instantly resumed our “sentient” subjected conversation.

The time was rolling around to 10:AM and the stores were starting to open up… this was the desired cut-off time and pretty soon the “gates were checked” –and we were dismissed. My trip home was a lot less apprehensive, even though I was going against the flow of the incoming Saturday morning crowd. It was nice to be home before noon.

Day 2’s call time was a half hour later: 4:30 AM –big whoopy! But since it was an early Sunday morning call, I decided to drive to our new location –the Flat Iron District: 17th Street and 5th Avenue. This was my wife’s and my old workplace neighborhood in the mid-1970’s. A time when we would go to lunch together in the nearby park –so it brought back some romantic memories. My romanticism, however was quickly ended when I learned that Lindsay, the Barbie-doll model, would not be here today. Today’s shoot would only involve “the car”. Bummer!
The 10 special extras, which WE were –had to be posted effectively for the shoot since the streets were lacking human forms that would otherwise fill in the void of NYC’s sleeping Sunday population. The water truck did its special shpritzing for the slick photographic effect and we watched it go by from a safe (and dry) distance a dozen times or so. Everyone’s energy level was low…you could sense it…we were all sleepy and it showed in our lack of enthusiasm. But that didn’t matter –the takes went on endlessly as the Honda and the camera crew circled the blocks over and over again. Between takes, the only drama we could get involved in was that of a hopping baby sparrow which had fallen from its nest and the ensuing frantic prods of the sparrow family to get the baby flying. In its efforts to escape the pedestrian onslaught, the baby sparrow kept coming perilously closer to the certain doom awaiting it in the ceaseless traffic of 5th Avenue. My “sentient” friend kept blocking the baby sparrow’s path off the curb, hence saving it from the inevitable. But this could only last between takes and once we wrapped up, the fledgling would be left to fend for itself. We, special extras, after all, had to go sign out and get home to our beds for some much needed rest, so that we could continue to remain “sentient”.

On a COLLEGE ROAD TRIP with Martin, Raven and Vinny

My agent must have gotten inspired by the title of this movie because the "coordination bug" really bit her for this gig. She arranged for groups of people to travel together in car-pools to Oakville, Connecticut. The movie company couldn't get any locals so we would be given the "coveted WAIVER" if we showed up. And it would have been pulled off flawlessly had it not been for THE STORM FROM HELL!!!

I was paired up with Pete as the driver, who lived in the next town over from me. We agreed to meet at 6:15 AM for the 9:15 AM call time. Sounded pretty fair... planning 3 hours for a 2 hour drive... yet our plans still went awry (or AW-REE, as my wife likes to pronounce it).
When I arrived at Pete's house, it was a gentle rain that drizzled upon my bare noggin as I switched to his car. A short wait and Pete was ready to pick up another passanger in nearby Inwood. But as we began to get on the main roads the sky opened up and the rain was now pouring down making visibility almost non-existent as Pete answered his cell phone. It was our agent... "Could you pick up one more passanger in Astoria???"... The rain was now a deluge as we turned onto the highway, Pete fiddling with the phone and the car swirving a bit here and there as his attention was being distracted at the thought of having to go out of our way.

The water on the highway was now at curb level as Pete "calmly" explained the delaying situation to our persistent agent, and eventually she relented so that we could continue on our way to pick up our scheduled 3rd passanger nearby. It was still dark and the oncoming storm made it even darker as we searched for the house number. After a few missed turns we found it and Pete, still dressed in his shorts and T-shirt, got out with an umbrella to help Donna into the car. It was a 2 door sports car so that negotiating the narrow door-space in the torrential rain delayed her entry and prolonged Pete's unscheduled soaking -his large stature requiring that the driver's seat be readjusted after Donna's ingress, thereby extending his exposure to the elements. The unbrella was useless now. The storm was raging, lightning, thunder and tremendously wild winds were the fare for the next hour or so. The radio was warning abut possible TORNADOS right in the area where we were traveling -the south shore of Long Island!!! (Later we learned that an official tornado, with strength EF-2, did touch down in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn at 6:30 AM... uprooting treets, roofs, CARS, etc.).

But who cared. We wanted those WAIVERS! Donna had one already but Pete and I were going for our first one. Three waivers will get you into SAG... which meant we would earn SAG money (almost twice the usual amount as for non-SAG extras). And we were going to show up for this gig -no matter what kind of weather slowed us down. But slow us, it did. We arrived at 11:15 AM... 5 hours driving and 2 hours late.

Luckily, they were understanding and the PA's treated us with consolation... we wouldn't be penalized for the "tardyness". Our arrival time would still show as 9:15 AM. Thak you PA's!

At noon we were called to set at the TAFT school. It was a pretty large, well manicured campus for a boarding school. A nice place to simulate a "college atmosphere". On the set there were "toga party" type pledges scattered all over the area. We, the older looking types, were to be "faculty". But for now, the faculty types were told to wait by a tree while Martin Lawrence and Raven, dressed in red gym clothes were screeching a golf-cart to the school's entrance... TG far away from us. Vincent Pastore also has a role in this movie -but he wasn't around. The scene was repeated for a long time... we were never called to be on camera and told to return to holding.

As it turned out, the production of that scene was running way too long and we, "the faculty", would not be used today. The announcement was "Call your agent to see if you will be needed tomorrow?!" We didn't care... we all had plans anyway. But as it turned out we were finished... not used for the scene... and we got our coveted waivers.

The trip home... in the calm dawn... was a lot faster.

TAKING CHANCE with Kevin Bacon

A sad story to be played out on HBO, based on the real life of a 19 year old Marine who gave his life in 2004 Iraq, so that his fellow Marines could all survive. His body, as prescribed by the Marines' tradition, is accompanied back home to Dubois, Wyoming to his family -never left alone during the entire trip. Kevin Bacon plays the accompanying Marine... Lt. Col. Michael Strobl.

The director, Ross Katz, got up to the gym's microphone and explained the story to us in heart-wrenching words. It was very emotional and the hundreds of extras listening were all appreciative of the director's efforts to address us in this way.

It was an early morning call to a sleeping New Jersey town's high school gym, but it was also an early afternoon release. One of the quickest sessions I've ever attended. The scene was relatively simple:

• the grieving family enters the gym and walks slowly to their seats


• we stand up in respect


• the high ranking Marine asks us to sit and begins to deliver the intro to the eulogy
  

We had to be sufficiently somber as the multiple cameras did their work while the scene was on...

In between takes however, we were attempting to be jolly... couldn't be helped... The guy next to me had a huge beard and it was his first time as an extra. His innocent questions and my wiseguy responses were a diabolical mix. Add to that the zaftig "reading woman" on my other side whose informational jibes were unexpectedly comical... well, we just needed the boost between the downer takes.

I was in the second row as Kevin Bacon walked around being one of the "funeral goers" and would occasionally get tips from the "real Marine" advisor on the set. His appearance reminded me of his role in "A Few Good Men" as the naval prosecuting attorney: stiff back, crew cut, no-nonsense attitude. And like other actors I've seen for the first time, he was shorter and skinnier than I had imagined from the screen. The only time I noticed him perk up was after one of the "check the gates" calls -he walked by and gave a wink & smile to the girl in front of me, who, I figured was somehow well known by the crew people who kept coming up to her earlier in the shoot session. I didn't recognize her to be one of the actors. Oh well -have to wait for the movie to come out, I guess.

The zaftig woman mentioned that Tom Wopat was playing one of the mourning family members and after looking at his Dukes of Hazard photos, I believed her... although, he was sporting a scroungy beard for this role.

The brown-bagged lunches we eventually received had consisted of a mushy ham and cheese sandwich with an apple and a bag of potato chips... I gave it away to one of the hungry PA's. I just didn't feel like eating anything after the morose atmosphere. I really didn't expect it to affect me this way -so I guess I must have acted pretty good in this one.

Silvercup Studios and "The Arena" commercial

I was alreay familiar with the navigable environs of the confusing "Streets" and "Avenues" criss-crossing this area of Queens, which made my trip relatively shorter from Long Island.
As my car was nearing the studios for my 1:PM call to set, I was also on my cellphone to my friend Massimo -who runs a silkscreening company nearby. I needed some tips on parking possibilities and he gave me some expert guidance on the best (and cheapest) location.
The walk was only 2 blocks up and the guard here was much more informed than my previous day's experience at Kaufman-Astoria Studios (excrucio) that were also in this upcoming neighborhood.


I was given a pass and immediately shown into Studio 3, where Persona Films were preping the green background for the CMS FOREX commercial shoot that I and about 40 others were slated to act in. Max and Shaun were the PA's who were handling us. Their professionalism was exemplary -they were curteous, doting and informed. We were immediately given access to an air-conditioned room, a large cooler filled with water, soda and gatorade... as well as snacks and a large mirror with the traditional stage bulbs attached to its periphery. What a difference from the shlocky "bums-rush" treatment at Kaufman-Astoria Studios.

The makeup lady came in and took us into her area for some "touch ups". As I chatted with her, I realized that it was Paula -she was also part of the makeup crew for "Revoutionary Road", which we both worked on a few weeks ago. My shiny forehead was now completely dull from Paula's makeup pallette and we were ready to go into the studio.

"Don't walk on the green paint!" was the immediate direction from several PAs. Two huge walls were completely painted bright green with some accurately placed "cross-hairs" for later CG-simulation of a Romanesque arena. And then we were guided to a four level fabricated set of bleachers, upon which we were to stand in our dark suits under the HOTTEST STUDIO LIGHTS I've ever experienced. Our young director, Yan Vizenberg spoke with a Russian accent:


"You are agressive stockbrokers in the podium where there are four animated currencies -they are fighting it out. Yell loud and cheer them with thubs-up or thumbs-down... throw paper and talk on your cellphones and crackberries!" The rest of our direction came from his bald-comical-stocky-bearded assistant. "LOOK AT THE RED 'X'... LISTEN FOR THE GONG... LOOK SURPRISED. It was a real directorial show!

[That's me in the circle -although I must have been replicated at different times doing different motions all over the arena!]

The shoot took about 6 hours... Yan and his English-accented partner Helga were constantly conferring abut the specifics as we yelled our heads off for fast-mo, slo-mo, inbetween-mo...no-mo!!!

Shots were positioned from the left, the right...from the back -we were shuffeled constantly... front row shots...then back row shots. And although we were given breaks, our shirts (and underwear) were soaking wet from the exhuberance and the super-hot lights.
At the end we met Max in the lobby, where he doled out our envelopes containing $50. We also learned that the commercial will air only in the industry circles of the financial arena's brokerage houses. What irony... my "real-job" usually takes place in the environs of Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase, BlackRock et al. It would be a real kicker if I landed a job soon and saw myself in this commercial... OY!

Kaufman-Astoria Studios and the "Power Of TEN" game show

Arriving at the Kaufman Astoria Studios parking lot, just across the street from the business entrance, resulted in an immediate argument with the parking lot caretaker. An elderly man wearing blue overalls speaking with an overbearing foreign accent that easily leads to a mish-mosh of misunderstandings for parking instructions. As I pulled up and asked how much it would cost to park here, he gave me a long cocophonous explanation that enventuated on a single phrase of communal understanding: $7.00 -Sounded fair to me.

But as soon as I gave him the money he told me to leave the convenient parking lot and embark upon a search for a movie-house parking area a few blocks away... where I could now park my vehicle on a rooftop area! Huhhhhh?

"Give me back the money -I'll find my own parking spot for free!" I retorted. And I did... right across from the big front entrance to the studio-building that was just around the corner.

After going into the lobby and asking where the "POWER OF 10" extras were to be assembled, the guards behind the security desk knew nothing. Eventually they called a neuromancing PA with a jacked-in secret-service-type of earpiece that was constantly issuing instructions and status updates to her somewhat over-multi-tasked brain. Nonetheless, she was able to point me in the right direction with as little eye-contact that she could afford... "go outside the building and around the OTHER corner! You'll see the others lined up there." Here we go...

Around the corner... there were about a hundred young people waiting to be called in for audience seat-filler gigs. It was a new game show hosted by Drew Cary. But no one was going in... everyone was just mulling about aimlessly. As I found out later, there were 2 groups: people WITH tickets and people who were EXTRAS from varius agencies. Mine was Extra Mile...others were Kaplan...etc. And the reason no one was going in was because they overbooked the number of extras (who would provide seat-filling-talent, should the ticketed population decide on not showing up). But the "ticket holders" were arriving en masse and we extras had to stand around without shelter, drink, food or toilet facilities from 6:30 PM until 10:30 PM before there was a need for us. And then finally one of the PA's announced: "I need 15 people...", and IN we went to the audience area with the show already in progress. Our "act" was to "CHEER Drew and the contestants"!
Oh joy...been there/done that at David Letterman and at Millionaire.

After 20 minutes, the show ended... Drew gave a short and quick bye-bye and went off the stage, high-fiving me as he passed by. What-a-guy! (What a dull gig!)

In the process of waiting around for hours prior to being called into action, I made a few new friends... most of them Italian -one of which bummed a ride off me to Long Beach. I didn't mind. It made me feel more usefull than a hungry, thirsty, piss-filled cheerleader.

Adam Sandler and his messy ZOHAN (whatever that is?)

My agent notified me that it would be a night shoot but that we "wouldn't be working overnight"! YEAH...RIGHT...

When I arrived at holding for the 8:PM weeknight shoot, everyone was shmoozing outside St. Mary's on 46th Street. It was a very humid and hot night that kept us sweating for most of the 9 and a half hours that we were to spend here. Inside the church, there was no air conditioning, no food and no production assistants to check us in. They arrived late and that pretty much set the tone for the night... LATE!

After about 6 hours, I went inside the holding area and just took in the heat for a while. My friend Pat, came over and intoned: "You must be CRAZY, NUTS and someone must have DROPPED YOU ON YOUR HEAD if you're staying in here!" -and gave me a friendly, albeit concerned smile. I was into my Gurdjieffian-fourth-way mental exercise of "CONSCIOUS EFFORT and VOLUNTARY SUFFERING..." (but I could never explain that to him in 25 words or less). So I smiled back. Suddenly an announcement was made and we were taken to Times Square and set up on the super-busy post-midnight sidewalks as "added pedestrian fodder" for the evening's big "limo-scene" (oh... a pun). The white stretch-limo was driven by a stunt driver with an Adam Sandler-standin (for safety, no doubt) sitting next to him as the vehicle careened up Broadway opposite the one-way traffic flow -zigzaging past all the oncoming cars. I have to say that the driver was excellent because he had to repeat the scene several times with the hairline-crash-misses intact. Bravo!

Unfortunately, with all the stars in this movie, we never got to see ANY of them. Not Adam Sandler, not Rob Schneider, not Mariah Carey, not Henry Winkler, not Talia Shire... nada, nookoo, nyitzky-nyitzky, swah, zipo stars on this set!!! So it was very disheartening to go through all the hot weather and lack of food, and standing for long periods of times without rest, etc... without the "reward" of seeing one of the principal characters. About the only thing we were given was water bottles and left-over cookies, potato chips and lolly pops... and the only "star" we saw up close was the limo-driver being made up with a wig and a hat! Oh well, chalk this one up to yet another Gurdjeffian exercise: MAKING SUPER EFFORTS!!!

The gates were checked and we were sent home at 5:30 AM... the sun was begining to rise. And as we extras commiserated on our way out, we vowed NEVER to do night-shoots again! It just wasn't worth it for $7.50 per hour. Some of us even vowed NEVER TO SEE THIS MOVIE!

DiCaprio,Winslet & Mendes on a Revolutionary Road

The dream team! I wish I could have kept dreaming but... I had to self-report to the set of Revolutionary Road in Fairfield, Connecticut at 5:30 AM. We, background extras, all needed to get a 1950's haircut and this crew didn't like to waste any time. We had to eat our sumptuous breakfasts while filling out our I-9 forms, obtaining our fitted wardrobes (bathing suits)... and board the bus to the nearby beach: Sasco Beach. A Long Island Sound beach with rough sand and plenty of rocks to walk bearfoot upon. Luckily, the weather was cool and cloudy, so that my "bare bodkin" was somewhat spared by the summer's usual tempermental elements.

My placement was relatively near the principal charachters so that I was able to observe them up close as they went through their thespian routines as well as their personal ideosynchracies.
DiCaprio likes to bite his nails and often uses a toothpick. Kate Winslet likes to keep her hands on her hips and maintains a serious attitude. Both are excellent actors and deliver their lines with the appropriate accurate physical accompaniments (happy-sad-mad) -as the scene calls for it. And the scene called for a lot of "it"... especially from the director and husband of Kate, Sam Mendes.

Mendes is a very meticulous director. He doesn't like to let go of a scene easily. So there were a lot of retakes... in fact we started to call his style "The Groundhog Day" style...named after the repetition-themed Bill Murray movie. Over and over the takes were requested and delivered, until eventulally Sam was satisfied and shook his wife's hand! How nice...romance and gratification. What a team!

The "27 Dresses" of Katherine Heigl

( This was one of the best background exposures I ever got in a major motion picture. Even my wife shouted "WOW! That's you..." )

It just keeps getting better and better... these 3:PM call times are great!
The studios must have figured out after all these years that getting the extras on set in the early morning is just another way of assuring them more overtime pay! After all, there is so much to set up at the locations: euqipment, lights, props, fabrications, food...etc. This time we were taken to set at 5:30 PM -not too bad of an initial wait for those of us dressed to be part of the NYC backround business crowd. Unfortunately it was a different story for the "wedding guests"... they had to wait 9 hours in their fancy costumes prior to shoot time!

Katherine Heigl and Judy Greer were waiting for us on the corner of Madison Avenue and 50th Street last Sunday. They were dressed in shiny purplish bridesmaids outfits and kept picking up their dresses' bottoms as the humid city streets radiated the clammy summer heat up their legs. Between takes, Judy Greer was wearing flip-flops instead of the high heeled accessory and Katherine Heigle had a lit cigarette pulled in and out of her mouth by a doting production assistant.

"Oh no Katherine...DON'T SMOKE! It'll just make your `anatomy greyer'..." I undertoned to my partner, a fellow "businessman" with whom I was paired for the walkby shoot that would start in a moment or two. And after discussing with him how often women seem to be getting lung cancer, he and a fellow extra, dressed as a hippy, lit up a couple of "fags" of their own (pardon my British).
The shoot was over in an hour or so and we were taken back to holding: The Women's Republican Club on 51st Street off 5th Avenue.

Going up to the 2nd floor, there were portraits of famous patrons, first of which was Nancy Reagan. "She used to carry a gun in her purse!" I mentioned to one of the extras in my group.
"Did she REALLY?" was her response. Many of the extras were young and "before my time", and as I found out later, devoid of political savy that predated Saturday!

Upstairs we were seated at a dozzen or so linen covered, albeit unset, dinner tables while the SAG crew was lined up to eat. We, the non-union people, were told in no uncertain expletives that this was for "SAG ONLY...SAG ONLY!!!". So I got on the line and got my portion. (They rarely check for your SAG card proof.)


Meanwhile, back at the table, we were told to "scrunch" together because more people were coming!? This created an intimate group of 10 people at our table with various backgrounds whose stories ranged from experiences of living in a haunted house, the simple life in South Carolina and the eventual topics of religion, politics, weird jobs and writing the Great American Novel! Along with the banter and a rousing round of a card game that has come to be called BULLSHIT... we managed to pass the hours away until we were summoned again to the night-time streets in front of the New York Palace.





Built in 1882, it evolved from housing for the local gentry to being a fancy-shmancy hotel. We were taken over to the set and placed on our #1 marks as a large truck pulled up and began to wet down the street. "They always do that for night shoots! It makes it look prettier on the film!", my new loquacious walking-partner explained as my beige pants were being sprayed. In between shoots, she proceeded to tell me her life story for the next hour: actress... therapist... religious organizer...rent-control instigator...and back to being an actress again!

"And what about you?", she deigned to ask... when suddenly the PA's called out, "Who's non-SAG here?". Immediately my hand went up -hoping for what would eventuate. And it did. We, the non-SAGers were told to go back to holding, where we were to sign out and go home!!! Excellent timing.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (aka CHICK FLICK)

YALE... New Haven, CT... summer... and a couple of hundred sweaty background-extras sitting around for 5 hours in the sweltering heat of the holding areas surrounding St. Bonneface School on yet another New England street named Broadway. An occasional breeze wafts through the closely built housing, causing the welcomed venturi effect of a faster, cooler wind tickling our well-dressed perspiring bodies. But it's only momentary and then it's back to the "Sisterhood of the SWEATY PANTS 2, 3, 4...".

This was BRUTAL! Yesterday I was doing a commercial for Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare in Sea Cliff, Long Island -also a sunburning 90 degree standing-forever-outside ordeal in addition to eventually being "trapped in the holding bus" for a long time -without a/c!!!

This morning however, I had a great yoga class on the beach and utilized it's calming effects for... "most of the day".

Got checked in at noon, but it wasn't until after 5 PM that we were taken to the set location around the block, University Theater, where we were seated and told that the a/c was off so as not to interfere with the sound recording's quality. (Moan!) Some of us were placed in the back row and told to clap vigorously as one of the cameo stars, Kyle MacLachlan, dressed in a white suit came in and observed the make-believe play that was taking place on the real stage in the front of the theater. He would make empathetic facial grimaces and self-congratulatory gestures to acknowledge the "make-believe play's success". Then suddenly, the upcoming Moroccon-madam-director, Sanaa Hamri, yelled CUT, went over to Kyle to give him some direction and called him "Bill"!? "Oooops!" she demured. "Did I just call you Bill? I'm so sorry..." Followed by lots of nervous laughter. And then retakes.



I was enthralled... (flashback)... here was the star of DUNE: The Desert Messiah -in person...yessssssss! I didn't see any of Kyle's other works (e.g. Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, etc.), but I really liked his role as Paul Atreides (Muad'Dib) and he became a sort of sci-fi icon for me... (back to the present)...

Later on, we the background, were shuffled around for various effects and then sent out into the street as our new holding area... for the next 3 or so hours!? CRUEL, very cruel... very. So we chatted, networked, exchanged cards and occasionally wandered off to feed ourselves at the local stores -because there was no food provided for the multitude of extras, although there was plenty of fancy "mangia" -seafood with safron rice...mmm... for the principal cast and crew. This was really, really LOoooooow! And then it began to RAINNNNNNN!

At that point, we were taken back to the former holding area where we were lined up inside the church's ultra-dim main service hall and told to get our vouchers signed. The line was enormous and there was only one -ONE production assistant to check and sign our I-9 paper. The camel's new straw was starting to strain, even under the auspices of the religious surroundings, and people started to "sneak" in at the front of the line. The expected result: YELLING and CURSING!!! I was lucky to be among the first 20 so I got out relatively quick and went to pick up my backpack and jacket. Unfortunately they were MOVED!!! And no one knew where they were... I searched franticly in the netherworlds of the school and happened upon an area in the basement, where the SAG union people were carousing and enjoying trays of FOOOOOD -amongs them the coveted seafood with safron rice! I wasn't going to give in to that. I was on a mission to find my belongings and get the hell outahere!

Went back upstairs to the church service area and saw some clothing on the floor...amongst which were my backpack and other self-supplied wardrobe. Scooped them up and ran out the door... the WRONG DOOR! It was now raining more profusely and I was totally disoriented. I was frustrated and angry at the chaotic manner in which we were handled -it used to be so much more professional. This was a MESS! But the rain started to take it's extinguishing effect and I started to feel calmer with each soaking step. I found my way down York Street and as I passed the mostly deserted set-location, there, under the SAG-food tent, a lonely figure wearing glasses and a red polo shirt, was scrounging through the last vestiges of nourishment. I recognized him; it was Kyle MacLachlan. As I passed by, I yelled "Have a good night Kyle... or is it Bill?" He waved back and said good night with a friendly squinting smile -not knowing who the heck I was. And that was the perfect ending for me on this gig.

Chess Babe not a bitch

Jennifer Shahade, a definite star on the chess scene, wrote a provocative book entitled: CHESS BITCH -essentially addressing all the foibles and fables about women in chess. So when the grandmistress held a simultaneous play event at the Nassau County Museum of Art, my wife and I went to see her in action -and I actually got into the act as one of the 18 players.

Having a reputation for liking to "dress up"... she wore a summery see-through dress with a plunging neckline... the rest of us wore jeans and t-shirts on this sunny afternoon under the white tent of the museum's latest attraction, surrealism in the art of chess!

Her short introduction was very friendly and very direct. When asked about her background and name, she immediately addressed the fact that she was born in the USA of a Lebanese-Jewish heritage. She had started to learn chess at age 6 but didn't really get "into it" until about 13, in high school. She graduated NYU and decided it was easier to make money playing/coaching chess rather than doing the 9-5 grind. Good choice Jennifer! Let the games begin.

Simultaneous play rules proclaim that the GM has white and we, the players must move when she comes around to our board. She opened with her king pawn to e4 and I countered with my queen pawn to d5... Not a very popular defense but one I've been experimenting with during my Sunday morning Bagel Boss Deli-friendly games. Needless to say, I haven't kept up with my chess-acumen, although I did play quite a bit in my college days and even got a chance to joust with Rossolimo in his old Greenwich Village chess studio back in the 70's... and beat him in one of the 16 games I managed to note. So much for my chess-braging. Playing with the ebullient Jennifer was a different experience... As the games progressed, her energy level started to rise as well... in fact towards the end games she was practically running from board to board. And then one of the organizers yelled "PIZZA's here!" Game or no game...we were all famished from all the concentration and we just started to sneak off to the pizza table. But food makes your mind too relaxed and my grand-opponent missed a good chance to fininsh me off quickly on her 24th move, at the following position:

The pretty sacrifice with B x p/g would have quickly ended my bold attempt to become the CHESS BASTARD! Alas, she missed the fast-track opportunity and opted to prolong my inevitable demise on the fortieth move, when I reached across the board, shook her hand and resigned. My wife really liked that move!

DAMAGES! with Glenn Close

Glenn Close is a lovely lady... but I really didn't get to see more than the back of her head duing the filming of her new TV pilot: DAMAGES!

My newly unempoyed status from my real-life job of a consultant has released me from my daily 5:AM wakeup time and the nearly 5 hour round-trip drives to New Jersey for the past 11 months. The welcome call time for my return to the world of showbiz was a comfortable 2:PM in NYC's DUMBO -and holding was at the stylish Toro Restaurant near the set around the corner: Water Street Restaurant. We were instructed to bring 2 changes of clothes but ultimately were stuck in only one. I brought a suit and a sportcoat, which was stylishly coordinated by the costume department as a "mix" of my black suit-pants, the grey sports jacket, a glossy green shirt that was vehemently complemented with my solid maroon tie!? I would never have guessed to do this. But then, I'm not a fashionista!

During my stay on the second floor of the Toro, I made friends with a couple of the other extras and we shared our experiences... for 2 hours. At 4:PM we were taken to the set where three of us guys were strategically situated at a table for four. We were to mime our dinner conversations while Glenn Close and her "son" were having an argument a few tables away from us. There were numerous takes and the girl who played the waitress for their table later told us how nice Glenn was as she introduced herself -thereby breaking the ice barrier which prevents us extras from initiating direct contact with the stars. Our table had a "young waitress" assigned also, and during takes we found out that she had attended UMASS a while ago. Hmm?

As the takes ended, the extras were shuttled into the basement bar area of the set. One could only assume from the strange juxtaposition of the drum set on a single shelf, that only "raves" were occuring down here. At any rate, it was calmingly dim and we all found a place to perch. I sat next to our waitress and initiated a philosophical conversation. She was intelligent and expressed her beliefs in "helping all sentient beings"! Our conversation went haywire somewhere and she became adamant in her attitude toward "theoretically not helping someone in need" (e.g. an old lady falling in front of her). For some reason, her new attitude became very stubborn: "Are you crazy? I really don't know what I would do in a theoretical situation... It's not MY JOB to help someone... ". But I suspect it was all an act (DUH?). I say that because, in the beginning of our conversation, she interrupted our talk, politely excused herself, went over to a lampshade that had been precariously perched against a lit lightbulb, and fixed it..."to prevent a fire". ACTions spoke louder than all the smoke we'd been blowing in each others' face during the wait for the next shoot. Which was never to be for us non-union extras. We were dismissed for the day and the pay was a bit more than usual: $100. Nice surprise... even better, the time had disappeared very quickly with our bullsession.

Epilogue: That's me in the cirlce of the 3rd episode... (I'm feigning "obscurity").

Spike Lee's M.O.N.Y.

My first gig in 7 months since working full-time (and still being employed) in the real world!

Of course I had been getting cast calls... one of the most recent one being The Bourne Ultimatum. Grant Wilfley called a couple of weeks ago but I had my car radio on so loud that I didn't hear my cell phone ring. And consequently when I finally realized that I had a call (2 hours later), Michole (?), the person I was supposed to contact, was no longer there and in all likelyhood, all extras had been selected. That hurt! I really wanted to see old Matt Damon do his stuff.

And then other opportunities arose. A possible photo shoot at the Paramus Mall for $50... hmmm, maybe? But then Desiree's email offers got better: Mayor Of New York with Spike Lee as director was offered for a weekend gig! I submitted for it and the old ball was in full swing again. I was #119 and got my location instructions from Sylvia Fay's call-in board: CITY HALL -excellent!!! I could finally see the place "from the inside".

The call time was for 1:PM -rather late in the day for a shoot... but who cared- I could sleep late and take my sweet time getting there. I did my IMDB research on the project and found out that it was an NBC TV pilot for which the principals were Bobby Cannavale and Carmen Ejogo.
I've seen Bobby on other TV shows but Carmen was a new name to me. I was pumped up for the occasion.

HOLDING was across the street from City Hall in the ancient Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank on Chambers Street. A grand marbled structure that was pretty well preserved from it's heyday of keeping fifty some odd tellers busy at the "jail-barred" windows. The last time I was in a bank like that was Brooklyn 1959!

The extras were assembling in the center of the bank under the grand ceiling that had huge oval stained-glass designs depicting the various industries the bank catered to... I sat under "Engineering". Near the check-in area there were rows of food -none of which was available to us for some weird reason. In fact we were only provided with pretzels, lollypops and tiny Snicker bars with some juice for the rest of the day. Not even coffe or tea! Just another typical crew-class discrimination (and starvation).

After check-in I met up with a couple of regulars I'd seen on other sets. I settled down at a table where I started chatting with my acquaintances, one of whom was Bill "It's a RAPP" and the other one being Pat. The conversation flowed generously... and it's a good thing too because we weren't called to set for another 5 hours!

The first scene for me was to walk from across the long hallway with a colleague business-type as the principals were walking behind. I was given the NY Times and a briefcase for props. This only took about 10 takes, during which we got to see Carmen stroll by -she's much prettier and younger than her photo depicts. Bobby was shorter than I expected... but then it seems that I always expect these guys to be "bigger than life"!? And Spike was definitely shorter than I expected -a striking character non-the-less. He projects an interesting charisma -somewhere between "cool-calm-and-collected" and moderately aloof.

Our second scene was to be a bunch of "power brokers" seated in a small room behind the principals. Our direction was to look busy, sign things, and "shuffle paper around". As it turned out, I was shuffling my papers rather loud for the second take and the boom-man indicated that we should make like there was "no papers there" becasue the mike was picking up too much noise with it. The warning was appropos but alas, too late. Spike was heading for us from the opposite end of the hall. We all knew what was coming...

He crouched down to our coffe table level, raised his eyebrows above the hoot-owl glasses and quietly and demurely explained that we needed to make no sound with the papers... and that this was the last scene of the day... and that we would be out of here at 8:30 PM if it went right!

Well! That was the best incentive. After all, we had been in holding from 1:PM to 7:PM... only had to do background work for an hour and a half and it was WRAP-time! So we mimed through the scene 2 more times and all went well. City Hall was evacuated fairly fast as we all headed for check-out...at 10 hours...and HOME!

Epilogue: I got a call the following day from my agent... way too late in the day for me to rework my plans... for a callback! Apparently there was a "mix-up" in communications (i.e. no one told us) and Spike needed everyone back for the second day! Unfortunately I had already commited to going to a birthday party and a Moroccan wedding! And I stuck with my commitment. Sorry Spike -better plans next time.

BINGO with Ringo! A paying job came along.

But not before we got to see Ringo Star at the Wesbury Theater. A close up venue where the stage goes round and round so everyone can see the stars from every friendly angle. It was a strange crowd too. A fight almost broke out a few rows ahead of us, primarily because of two big guys who couldn't stop standing up at every song that Ringo's All Star Band played. And then there was the drunk behind us who kept clapping with a full open cup of beer in his hand. Needless to say, my friend got a decent dosing of beer on his shirt and some of it drizzled onto my seat as well. He was so drunk that he tried to hide the cup under his seat while we were staring at him! Hic!

Anyway... I got a full time paying job that takes me back to one of my former working places -but this time with better pay and more interesting work!

So I'll be putting my acting career (and most likely this blog) on hold ---at least until they lay me off... or promote me!
Either way, "I'LL BE BACK!"

Hilary Duff on Conan

I ducked into the doorway of the NBC building after my real-world job interview completed at Rockafeller Center -so that I could get on my cellphone to my headhunter to tell him how the hour and 30 minute grilling went down. When, all of a sudden, in the middle of my call, a black SUV pulls up, 2 paparazzi pop out of the revolving door behind me and begin to head for the docked vehicle. The car door opened and out came a bodyguard, some agent-types and... some starlet!?

I was busy qwelling about my performance during the interview to my agent when I noticed that as the entourage passed and the flashbulbs sparkled -a smoking woman across the doorway from me, was taking her cigarette break and not really responding to the fuss, in fact not so much as a blink crossed her nonchallantly gazing eyes. Very relaxed and into her smoke.

After my call was completed, I went over to her and asked if she knew who the young ingenue clad in the black dress might have been. She responded with,

"Hilary... something..."

I immediately clicked on the second part of her nomenclature: "Duff"!

Yup! That was Hilary Duff all right. But the smoking woman was still unfazed -although she did complement my ability to decipher the mystery (frankly, I think she may have been pulling my leg). Nonetheless, I conversed with the smoking woman for another moment or two (so it wouldn't seem as though I was just "using" her) and then got on my way. I was wondering what Hilary Duff was doing here... was she being interviewed also?

So now, here I was in June. Not a single showbiz gig for a month... (and although there were castcalls, neither Spiderman 3 or Enchanted allowed "repeat extras" in their new June scenes) -when along comes this chance-sighting. So I guess it wasn't a total wash after all. I guess this will have to do for now. Thanks Hilary... you made my month!


Later, in the comfort of my home, while watching NBC that night, the announcer mentioned that Conan O'Brien's guest was going to be Hilary Duff. So I stayed up to 1 in the morning and watched her sit in the "gecko-chair". She wore the same black dress... Bingo!

Spiderman 3 on the Avenue of the Americas

The 6:AM call time meant that I'd have to get up at 4:20 AM to catch the 5:11 AM train... (yawn).

But I knew that I'd sacrafice my sleep-time and whatever Memorial Day plans I had -just to be on this set for 3 days as a background extra. The ordeal was draining -but well worth it. I put 36.94 hours into standing around, running in fear, fighting with makebelieve cops, avoiding computer debris from hitting me on the head -and of course clicking away a few paparazzi-style pictures of the cast and crew.

Our director for the first two days was Sam Raimi. He was the first director I've ever seen on set to constantly be wearing a suit. Most of the "trendy" directors wear some type of "nuveau hat" or jacket or some outlandish color that allows their clothes to be noticed. Not Sam. He was neat, focused and professionally kind. He personally addressed the extras with respect and gave a clear synopsis of what we were expected to do. He also did something very classy... he spoke to the gawking tourist crowd and took pictures with them... he also invited a few of the enlisted men to come onto the set and watch the movie making from a few feet away. Observing his style, I developed great respect for him. It's too bad he didn't stick around for the third day. "Unit 2" apparently had a director with a much more different style and all of a sudden there were delays, mishaps, walk-away meals (read: buy your own lunch), and even a thunderstorm which suspended shooting for an hour. I hope Sam returns soon.

The fun part of watching the stunts take place was mezmerizing. The "real Spiderman" (a.k.a. stuntman Henry Amos) was swinging through the canyon of tall buildings on 6th Avenue with Ron Howard's pretty daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard hugging him. The tethers on their torsos were attached to two large cranes -one for the vertical lift and one to create the arc-swing. I was repeatedly amazed by how gently the two actors were able to land on the debris-strewn concrete fountain area. All of the extras were snapping away with their low resolution telephone-cameras, while I had my handy-dandy digital Sony doing a little zooming at a much higher resolution. One of the PA's eventually begged us not to do it in front of the producers! (Otherwise it was O.K.)

In one scene we were told to react and run for our lives as a loud explosion took place and precariously placed desks and computer equipment went dropping all around us. One of the desks landed in the windshield of a taxi cab and another piece of metal crushed a vendor's hot dog stand with broken girders all over the place. I couldn't help but "reminisce" about my experiences during 9/11... Other extras also had a similar reaction to this scene. But thank goodness we have a "friendly neighborhood Spiderman" to look over us!

Bryce, having been saved, ran to the arms of her police-chief father, played by the ubiquitous actor James Cromwell. He is another magnanimous actor who likes to go sit with the extras on occasion and sign autographs. I love that down-to-earth attitude. Enter the scene, Topher Grace (he's shorter than I expected), with camera in hand, interviewing Spiderman while clicking away at his visage. Something was not satisfactory with Topher and he started to pace back and forth while discussing the scene with Sam Raimi.

While this is going on, I elbow my friend and mention how funny it is to see these guys going at it while some little shrimp in a white shirt and sunglasses is standing next to them eating chinese food from a takeout dish. I was then quickly and comicly corrected with the explanation that the kid in the white shirt was in fact Tobey Maguire. Coooool!

So he was here after all. And it suddently struk me how weird it was to see the stuntman in costume, Tobey the eating-actor, and a close look-alike in an orange polo shirt who was his stand-in for light and distance measurements -all of whom, as a conglomeration, were needed to depict Spiderman. (One for the price of 3 -That's the American economy. I suddenly have a deeper understanding of the speedy US debt-counting sign nearby which is showing the amount to be in the KAZILLLION dollar range at the moment. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to export more movies).

Breakfast and lunch for the first two days went really well... especially the 2nd day, when we had blackened cajun catfish and tons of garnish and desert to go along with it at the Roseland Ballroom. Throughout the day there were little sandwiches being passed out to the crew. The rule was that the crew must be the first to take from the tray... and if there's anything left over, we, the extras, could have it. I guess it's part of the Caste Laws in the Movie-Manu System. Needless to say, there were few, if any mid-day sandwiches left. But I kept a bottle of water in my pocket. This came in very handy because the weather turned really warm (we're talking 80's) and all of us were told to wardrobe for autumn weather (suits, scarves, gloves, overcoats). My raincoat was black and it absorbed heat like a sponge. Other extras were stripping off their clothes between takes. It was a real do-your-laundry provoking scene. Even Spidey was dragging his ass.

The three days ended and some of us exchanged emails so we could share the pictures we took on the set. One of the guys who asked me to take a picture of him in "costume", was a "ticket concierge" and said he would be "helpfull" in getting me any tickets to theater shows and concerts. I'll be testing that offer pretty soon! My other background buddies are shown below.

The following day I got an offer to work on the Spiderman set again... in 2 weeks. So I guess this is a "to be continued" ending!