7 posts tagged “celebs”

  Sometimes code names are very important.  Especially when you are on set with actors, and you want to talk about them incessantly (mostly out of boredom) without frightening them.  

Snowy Heavenly

Latrick Trilson

Julie Spears

  On Wednesday I may have died and gone to heaven and the members of Boyz II Men were there to meet me and harmonize with me at the Pearly Gates.  Really, I was working as an audience member on the show Don't Forget the Lyrics.  I had to painfully endure Brett Michaels of Poison (and Rock of Love) fame struggle through his "Hair Band" song selected for Celebrity Don't Forget the Lyrics.  The light at the end of the tunnel came when three out of the four Boyz/Men hopped on stage to play the game and sing covers of some Motown classics.

  Can I tell you how much I used to LOVE Boyz II Men?  Only from here to infinity!  The Christmas of 91' I squealed with joy when I found Cooleyhighharmony under the tree.  At my 12th year birthday bash I played that cd on repeat and made my poor mom videotape me and my friends dance the electric slide to every single song.  And to this day  I still know all the lyrics to "Motown Philly."

  So during the taping of this show my undying love and devotion was rekindled for the boys of Boyz II Men.  Note this as one of the happiest days of my life.  The only thing that would have made it better is if any of the gals from TLC busted in and sang a little "Creep" with a side of "Waterfalls."  My head would have then exploded with hearts and rainbows.

  We had more fun around the corner not too long after Austria...Dan and Jane came for their first visit to L.A. to celebrate their 10 year anniversary.  One of the first things Jane said she wanted to do while visiting was spot a celebrity.  Now, as you all know, I have many celebrity friends out here but none of them were available to chill with me and my posse this weekend.  So we'd have to see one the old fashioned way- stalking.

Jane, Dan and a Purple Haze Milkshake

  Our first stop for breakfast was the 101 Coffee Shop.  Anytime someone comes from out of town it's a great excuse for Tim and I to go to the 101.  We take everyone there.  That and the creme puff pastry place on Hollywood and Highland.  The 101 was featured on the movie Swingers, and Jane and Dan just happened to love Swingers when they were in high school.  I love the coffee and Tim loves the milkshakes.  I kept reminding Jane to keep her eyes peeled, we might "bump" into a celebrity at any moment.  Sometimes they pop out from behind mailboxes or jump out from bushes.  They are  tricky little buggers and you have to constantly be on your toes!

  So these kids were excited it was 10 degrees warmer in Los Angeles then in Oakland so the next stop was Venice Beach for a little photo session and fun in the sun.  Jane swears she spotted Sally Struthers driving by in her car and I spotted someone way across the beach walking their little French Bulldog.  I sprinted as fast as I could to get a picture of him, but I just didn't make it in time...au revoir my little Frenchie!           

Snake Man (a great shot by Jane!)

Sunset, Sailboat, Me, Jane, Random Man and Dan

Drama

  To keep along with the Swingers theme we went to the Dresden Room for some dirty martinis and a chance to see Marty and Elayne play some tunes.  Marty's like the Sinatra and Elayne jams away at her piano and sometimes plays the flute.  They're a swinging duo who have played at the Dresden since 1982.  After seeing them Jane was content with her celebrity sighting in Los Angeles.  And, for Dan we stopped in Silver Lake to see the wall that pays tribute to the late Elliot Smith which was also featured on one of his album covers, Figure 8.

Figure 8 Wall

 

  Well, Tim has been telling everyone (his parents, brother and the three people we know in L.A.) that I am going to be a flapper protester in the Clint Eastwood directed movie, The Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie.  I'm sure he would also like everyone to believe that I have lines, my own trailer with a special room for Pierre Louis XIV, and an assistant to fetch me Soy Extreme Mocha Ice Blendeds (with three extra shots) on a whim.  NOT TRUE!  I'm glad I cleared up that confusion.
  Actually, I will get to work on The Changeling but I won't be wearing a cute flapper dress protesting my rights to drink, smoke, and boogey all night long.  Instead I will be a protester.  Yep, that's it.  I don't even know what exactly I am protesting yet.  I'll just be a good background artist and walk around in the herd and silently "shout" into the air very angrily.  Then I will be an even better background extra as I follow the herd to the holding area and sit on some butt-numbing folding chairs and not complain too loudly about how hungry I am and how blistered my feet are from standing for three hours straight.  And, then I will be the best background artist when I follow the herd back out to the set and "protest" silently with such passion and fiery that no one would ever believe that I had been doing it for the past eight hours!  All this with the hopes of getting my last golden ticket!  Goody!
  I had my fitting late in the day a couple of weeks ago.  Unfortunately, they assigned all the cute 1920's costumes to people who came earlier in the day so I got stuck with a dress that is reminiscent of a potato sack.  The lady costumer looked at me and asked me if a I had a small head.  I said "yep" totally in fear of being turned away, therefore, missing my chance to see Angelina Jolie and possibly snatching one of her myriad of children.   Well, it turns out that was the wrong answer.  I have a very large head and this upset the lady costumer.  Finally, we found one that was still too small for my head and we jammed it on and we (actually she decided) that it would work.  She took my picture and told me that some people just weren't meant for certain eras.

uh...what is that supposed to mean?  People didn't have big heads in 1928?

  Anyway, I lied to get on this production.  I was supposed to be 35-50 year old lady with very short, dark hair.  I did it because I really want to see Clint Eastwood direct since he is like the King Midas of movies, all those he touches turn to gold.  And, who doesn't want to see Angelina Jolie...?  And possibly Brad Pitt?  Not that I am one of those girls who goes all ga ga over Mista Pitt...  Hmmmm...I'm sure we will all end up being best friends!  :)

Jolie and Eastwood on the set of "The Changeling"

   Here is an idea of what the costumes are like in the movie.  My costume is like the poor woman's version of these since these are all photos from the fashion magazines of the period:

20's

20's

20's

  Living out here in the City of Angels you can't help but bump into a celebrity every now and then.  Whether or not you choose to believe I am good buddies with the rich and famous is up to you, but I have the pictures to prove it!!!

We're bringing sexy back!

Justin Timberlake or "J-Tim" as Tim likes to call him was spotted at the gym.  He was shooting some hoops and I was running on the treadmill with "Sexy Back" blaring on my I-Pod.  What a coinky-dink! 

Good pals!

I had the privledge of working with Rebecca on the canceled "Pepper Dennis."  She looked every bit the supermodel, but the show was a bore!  Yawn!  I don't know how Hugh got into this picture.  They must have photoshopped him in.

Say cheese!

Jessica Biel snuck into the coffee shop in the wee hours of the morning before the paparazzi could catch her.  She was wearing a hat to remain undercover and I kept staring at her like some weirdo because I was trying to figure out who she was.  That's o.k. cause we're best friend now!  ;P

We like to match!

This Baldwin brother came in to get a coffee.  He's a man of few words.  We're best friends now, too!

Keifer and I rock the joint!

Keifer, Oh Keifer!  We go way back!  And, that's all I have to say! 

2007 Stuntman Award Show

  What!?!  There are award ceremonies for stuntmen and woman?  I always thought all that high action stuff in the movies was done with computers...I didn't actually consider that real people were out there risking injury and death by being set on fire, sitting in exploding cars, or riding bikes at full speed into a driving cars in order to make sure some movie star maintains their dashing good looks.  I don't like to drive my car above 65 mph so anything slightly daredevilish I consider CRAZY!  Last night I watched the Stuntman Awards Show on the Paramount Studio Lot thanks to Tim's internship at a production company on Paramount where he got tickets for free.  At first, I wasn't too interested in attending (action adventure movies aren't exactly my favorite), but in the end I decided it might be fun to see what that part of the entertainment industry is all about...  And, maybe I'd see a cool explosion or two on stage! 

Stuntman in Action

  Not only did I get to see explosions onstage but I saw tons of stuntmen and women dressed in their finest ballgowns and tuxedos (crutches and canes seemed to be a hot accessory!)...Dennis Hopper, Harrison Ford, Burt Reynolds, David Spade, The Rock give/receive awards...Stuntmen from Pirates of the Carribean come out in costume and re-enact a few sword fights for the crowd (btw, they won "Best Fight" in a movie)...and, I cringed when many stunt acrobatic men and women flew into the air and jumped off buildings and out of windows on the set.

Party on the New York Lot

  Then there was the post-show party.  I have to say it's one of the best I have been to...you wanna know why?  All food and drinks were free...and, it was GOOD food at that!  They had the party on the New York St- a location for filming all scenes in NY.  (ahhhh movie magic!)  They had a band playing with a lit up dance floor, tables upon tables of food, coffee stands, open bars, ice cream trucks (yes, it is a bit ridiculous how much money these studios have at their disposal, it makes me kinda sick!), motorcycle stuntmen performing tricks in a huge metal ball, light shows, and the good old mechanical bull that the guests could ride when they were all liquored up.  Tim, his coworker Harry, Vern and I thought it would be fun to ride the mechanical bull numerous times.  Bruised legs and a possible sprained wrist later I think I am now regretting that decision!

  If anyone is interested you can watch the 2007 Taurus Stuntman Awards Show on on AMC on Friday, May 25th at 10:30 p.m.  ummm...that's if you really have nothing better to do.

The Night we were Stuntmen/woman!