Happy 20th anniversary to the Fall of the Berlin Wall!

I remember on Nov 9, 1989, my Catholic school broadcast over the PA the United Nations playing John Lennon's song "Imagine" when the Berlin Wall fell.

Happy birthday, Sesame Street!

Sesame Street turns 40!

Sesame Street debuted on Nov 10, 1969 and has been going strong ever since. It's first episode was brought to you by the letters W, S & E, and the numbers 2 & 3.

The show was first taped at Teletape Studios at West 81st Street and Broadway, then at Dick Cavett's old studio at 9th Avenue and West 55th Street, and then to its present home (since 1993) at Kaufman Astoria Studios in my neighborhood, Astoria!

I always knew Astoria looked like Sesame Street. Turns out I was right!
(See "Sunny Day! Chasing the clouds away!" 6/9/2004)

It's not Hollywood, it's Bollywood!

Today I had an appointment to go audition for Sonya, a "featured extra" role in the upcoming movie "When Harry Tries to Marry." It's about an Indian guy in NYC trying to find a wife among millions of set-ups, as is the tradition.

(I actually already am in the movie -- sort of ---- as my photo is one of several potential fiancees that Harry's relatives show him.)

The agent told me to look as young as possible as the actor playing Harry is only about 20 years old (I am 36.)

I arrive at the address given for my 5:30p appointment --- the agent is not there and I am told to take a seat in the front area. More and more really pretty Indian girls --- who actually ARE 20 or so ---- arrive, and I am sure I come off as too old to get this part.

About 45 minutes of all of us waiting there with no agents or movie production employees speaking to us, another Indian woman rushes in and asks everyone who is there to audition for Sonya to gather round her.

"So!" she says (without telling us her name or apologizing for the wait). "In this movie, Harry is trying to meet a wife. He has a dream that he is on a game show like "Love Connection". They show the first woman with the sign -- Neeta, Audience Approval 89%! and the Sonya -- 10%! And that's the part! That's the part!" she repeats the last sentence like "Isn't that great????"

No one says a word but everyone is lookig at each other like "Can you believe this crap????"

I meanwhile am thinking I could very likely get this part.

But I didn't. I didn't even get anything but a glance-over -- as did almost everyone else --- before getting sent on my way and a reject e-mail the next morning.

I just looked it up on imdb.com http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535110/

Seriously, don't tell me that the Indian Harry gets with the actress so blonde her name is actually Caitlyn Gold.

YAWN.

I am an auntie (again)

So I now have a nephew -- he was born via C-section last night in Trenton, NJ. Very cute!

See ("I am an auntie", Saturday, March 19, 2005).

French hairstyling

A banner weekend for shoots, as today I got up, went all the way to the East Village to the Anthology Film Archives (above). There, I and several other extras were dressed up for the Cesar awards for a French film called "Red Carpet". We were in the dream sequence where the main character wins an award, and we give her a standing ovation.

Later that afternoon, I went midtown to a hair salon for another scene. I was originally not in this scene but they needed more extras, so what the hey.

I ended up being a featured extra because the main character works in a salon and needed to style someone's hair. The other guys were bald. So I played the client for the actress (Julia Faure) as she talked with all her friends and made plans to go to a jazz club.

C'est magnifique!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1029367/

Parading for Rob Thomas

usually when I go to a shoot, I am the bottom person on the totem pole -- I have no union or agent. So I am not allowed speaking parts and I get paid less. (Upon writing that, I wonder why I even go????)

Today I showed up at 5am to be an extra in a Rob Thomas video. I had to go to the Church of St Sava on 25th Street between Broadway and 5th.

Apparently, I was considered VIP because I was getting paid (all of $100 but that's not bad when it's in cash.) There were about 25 of us.

All the other scads of people were from Rob Thomas' fan club! When he arrived at 9a, some were crying and fanning themselves a la Beatle Invasion circa 1964!

I have to say that Rob Thomas is a nice, cool guy. He posed with the fans and said hello to everyone.

The video depicts a parade of people with various messages of peace and equality, etc. I was dressed simply, like a girl from the 1970s, holding a sign that said "Peace" on it.

Other people dressed up like trees (and could hardly walk, but were great sports about it). We had a bunch of little kids dressed as bumble bees and flowers (and were soooo cute!) Then there was a gospel choir and a Scooby-Doo-looking bus.

I think they turned it into a gay pride parade because there was an archway of rainbow-colored balloons over the whole thing. So -- while I am not gay, but I play one on TV!

Then we marched singing the refrain:

"Sometimes
we don't notice
How good it can get.

So maybe
We should start over,
Start all over again."

Not bad, even in the drizzling rain! Rob Thomas played someone watching the parade go by with all the onlookers.

http://www.robthomasmusic.com/

Happy 9/9/09!

It's a very special day --- consecutive nines have not been seen for 10 years (on9/9/99) and won't be seen again for 90 more.

Multiply nine by any two, three or four-digit number and the sums of those will also break down to nine. For example: 9x62 = 558; 5+5+8=18; 1+8=9.

Sept. 9 also happens to be the 252nd day of the year (2 + 5 +2).

Yeah, number geeks and 9-lovers! Today is a great day!