People, Places and Things

Overdosing on Media Coverage

Without going into too much detail about an article in this morning's Toronto Star, how does a "doctor counselling stars on reality show" have the audacity to claim that "our fascination with bad behaviour needs to stop"??

Sure, many people I know can be lumped into the "We're making fun of people with serious mental health issues." group, but to claim that "That hasn't really entered the public consciousness yet." is incorrect, at least from perspective I have from the chair I sit when writing this.

Someone ought to let the doctor know that generally, the "public" is uninterested.

It is the media outlets with their insatiable need for ratings and an overtly over-fascination with celebrities shortcomings and goings-on, even packaging all actors and artists into the "celebrity" category as if all performers crave the intense spotlight of tabloid journalism and somehow enjoy the pervasiveness that group of rogue photographers dubbed the "paparazzi" for good reason.

It is all so sad. I really ought to stop reading the Entertainment section and concentrate the World and Business sections.

For James, in response to Bernard Pivot's questionnaire

To James, in reverse. An Album to Record Thoughts, Feelings, etc.

Welcome home. You can stay as long as you'd like.

Any profession that requires numbers, sharp instruments, blood, or violence. (Basically, this includes any type of office work.)

Painter-sculptor.

The sound of my son's laughter.

The sound of a child in physical or emotional pain.

Creativity.

S*&!, B^%%*#, D)(#.

Prejudice and cruelty.

Creativity.

Can't.

I have no favourite word, in particular, and too many favourite words to count.

Where She Gets Away from It All

I am weak. I admit it. I said I wouldn't buy any magazines that didn't carry both US and CDN prices. But I did. This morning, I did.

I tried not to, especially after exchanging a publisher's $50 USD cheque (yes, I should say, "check") for $49.70 CAD, but as I say, I am weak. Here's my sad argument: MacLean's cover story this week is about Canadian Universities, which is unappealing to me; Chatelaine has Alanis Morrisette on the cover, which would normally be a selling feature, but I was already hooked by the garden cover of O At Home.

Also, O At Home offered me this: "First Look! Oprah's Retreat" and while I spend another day scoping online job boards, I need to take a break and find out "where she goes to get away from it all."

Today, I need to mix a little of Oprah's reality with much of Valerie's reality.

Trix are for kids

A tw colleague just sent me an odd email. She wanted to know how I might shorten the word "bunnies." While I understand that this query is not work-related, I am concerned it might be and wonder what purpose a contracted version of a seven-letter word might have on corporate correspondence.

Here's what I said.

I tend to remove vowels to shorten words. I would not use either bunns or buns, but likely write it in full. In the case of bunns, why cut two letters when it leads to confusion.

If I wanted to refer to something with affection and wanted to shorten the word because I did not wish to type two extra letters, or had a thing against the letters "e" and "i", or I wished to be cute and cuddly with my words, I would likely typed "b'nee".

For reference to more than one bunny, I might try bx2, bx3, bx4+, etc.

Btw, I asked "what's wrong with plain old 'Bugs'?"

Sympatico email down. Again?

If you're a Bell customer and your email is down again, visit www.canadianisp.com and read the comments posted there.

Before long, you'll feel better about your inability to get good service. No matter your personal connection challenges, someone seems to have had it worse.

Is anyone pleased with Bell's service? Surely not the customers forced hour-long conversations with clueless technical support staff because Bell switched all secondary email accounts to new servers. They've added fees and decreased service ... so what?

It's a tough gig finding an alternate ISP because we live in a Rogers-free home.

News Programs: A 90 Degree Angle v. 360 Degrees

More often than not, I tape CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 (yes, using one of those old-fashioned VCR tape machine thingies) and watch the program the next evening. When the program starts at 10:00 p.m. I'm already in bed. Plus, this way, I can fast-forward to The Shot of the day segment.

To avoid shovelling snow this morning, I flipped on the television to watch last night's show. To date, thanks to the producer's(?) credit, coverage of Ms. Britney Spears has been conspiciously absent. But, last night there was a short segment to air her parents' statement, supposition about whatever illness ails her, and footage of a pack of rogue photographers mobbing her car in traffic.

(Note to guest booker: It's okay to book an expert who does not exploit actor/celebrity/famous folks in various states of inebriation to gather ratings under the guise of addiction recovery. )

When the VCR clicked off Canada AM was on and guess what they were covering? Yes, Britney Spears.

It was interesting to compare the differing coverage; CTV took a more journalistic and less sensationalistic approach. The morning program coverage focussed on the paparazzi swarming the singer's car as she drove along a California street. The ensuing discussion, too, was about the paparazzi's dangerous and intrusive practice of converging on a person/vehicle enmasse.

... also posted at http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/ but the moderator refused to approve the post.

Waiting for Georgios

Last night I waited by the telephone for my boyfriend George Stromboulopoulos to call. He did not.

As you might imagine, I was disappointed.

Why George, why? Why didn't you call to tell me I'd won the Coronation Street contest? I watched you every night for three nights in a row. (I stayed up late to catch the 11 p.m. version, not the 9 p.m. time-shifted/western feed.) I promptly emailed the answers to all three questions. I gave you my home address and telephone number.

As you might imagine, I am disappointed that you didn't call.

George, I have a sister living in England that I could have visited. I could have gone to a Man U game and visited the Corrie St. production set. I could have flown with the CBC's "The Hour" crew overseas.

Someone else won my trip. George is taking someone else across the pond. I am heartbroken.

So, you wanna be in pictues

Here's are excerpts from past editions of TheatreBooks' The Actor's Organizer, and one advertisement. The information may be of interest to anyone in the Greater Toronto area who needs guidance finding a talent agent, in Toronto.

• Download tb_actors_organizer_200607.pdf
• Download seeking_rep_celebrates_8th_year_at_tb.pdf
• Download seeking_rep_ad_200607_final.pdf

Break a leg!

Those bloggin' bloggers

I came to gapingvoid.com via other blogs (please forgive me for not recalling the exact thread) and that is why it has a translation printed beneath.

I have since visited gapingvoid.com for an extended stay. In fact, I'm there right now.

Holding email hostage

Help! Bell and MSN are holding my email messages hostage. As ransom, Sympatico support has asked for my permission to "upgrade" (which from what I gather is a conversion) to MSN from Bell.

As I write this I am on the telpehone with a gal from overseas who is trying to fix my account. We've been on the telephone for 36:05 minutes now. Maybe she, like me, gets paid by the hour.

I refused to pay the ransom.

Our next negotiation? I had to provide my password. The only time I did not mind was when my password was "Ihatebell."

Now, I'll have spend time changing my passwords yet again. I changed them just 30 days ago when I encountered this same problem with another secondary account.

My gal has thanked me for my patience. I believe she means it. But who knows.

The clock ticks.

Postscript: The call ended at just over 78 minutes. Bell Sympatico ... how do you spell efficiency?

Just another ordinary day

Quoting prnewswire.co.uk, the Toronto Star tells us that tomorrow -- Monday, December 10, 2008 -- is "officially the most stressful day of the year."

Maybe. But yesterday wasn't much easier. I received an email message from Readers Digest Canada announcing me as the possible $500,000 Grand Prize Winner, with potential to win $75,000 in bonus prize money.

The pressure was on: I had to "act quickly" to secure my chance. Unfortuately, I couldn't get past the validation stage. I tried everything I could think of from disabling my anti-virus application to accepting every cookie ever offered. Nothing.

Now, I see how tomorrow will be the most stressful day of the month for me. Now, I must return to work instead of collecting my prize money.

I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to calling my boss to tell him I couldn't make it to work because I would be too busy depositing half a million dollars into my bank account.

There's no better way to spend a Monday. Unless, of course, the name Clooney or Pitt are mentioned in the same sentence as "Valerie" and "breakfast in bed."

Weekend Movies

I'm catching up on my movie watching. Last weekend I saw "An Unmarried Woman" with Jill Clayburgh.

Two things prompted me to watch: i) I was at home looking after the puppy and had some time to kill and ii) I remember there being much fuss made about this flick and decided to watch to see for myself.

This weekend same scenario. I'm at home and there's much fuss made about Woody Allen's "Annie Hall." Parts were very, very funny.

Now, to put things in perspective, I'm a opening weekend, blockbuster gal. I like those quiet pics like "The Big White," "Moonlight Mile," or "13 Conversations About One Thing" or "Run Lola Run" and anything with Holly Hunter in it.

I saw "Saturday Night Fever" decades after it was released in my hometown in 1978 and I've only seen one Harry Potter movie. I sorta of saw it by accident.

Don't laugh, but I've yet to see any of the "Lord of the Rings" pictures.

Flights of Fancy

As I may have mentioend in earlier blogs, I'm between contracts, or on hiatus, and keeping myself busy by watching daytime television, though let's be clear: I only regularly watch host chat on "Live with Regis and Kelly" and the opening segment of "The View."

When Regis is on vacation, I don't usually tune in. Unless, of course my favourite CNN anchor is subbing for him. But, when I learned Jimmy Kimmel was co-hosting for the week, I planned my morning work routine around the 9:00 a.m. start time. I like Jimmy.

But, I must say, I am puzzled by the celebratory way in which "Live ..." has positioned Kimmel's daily return trips from California to New York. This is odd, I think, that they'd discuss the daily flights as if they were some sort of accomplishment because all I can think is: How many tons of carbon are those cross-country flights pumping into our environment?

I'm considering this in part, because I'm looking forward to CNN's hyper-hyped Planet in Peril two-night, four-hour event, with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Jeff Corwin, and Anderson Cooper.

Surely they can find someone who lives locally to co-host. In all of New York, there's no one else that can replace Reege for five days?

On Day 2, who shows up but Anderson Cooper. But he shows up as a guest to promote the aforementioned "Planet in Peril" that airs tonight and tomorrow.

There's no business like show business.

Keanu Reeves: The Best Gift a Girl Can Get

October's issue of Bread 'n' Molasses is posted. Check it out.

Keanu Reeves Delayed

A while back I wrote this:

A little while ago I sent you over to Bread 'n' Molasses. You should go, again. Now and again in September when they post a piece I wrote a short essay about Keanu Reeves and a coworker from my days at a Toronto talent agency.

The article has been delayed, but go visit BnM anyway.

Driver's Test

Here's a press release from my friend actor/director/producer Carlo Essagian.

For Immediate Release:

We're proud to announce that the film Driver's Test, which was screened at the Delray Beach Film Festival and at the Boston International Film Festival where it won an Award of Recognition for Director Carlo Essagian, now has a distribution deal.

The film was shot in Guelph, Ontario and has a running time of 5 minutes, 30 seconds. 

The Toronto-based world-wide distributor Ouat! Media and Camm Crescent Productions Inc. of Guelph met on August 22, 2007 and inked the deal. 

Driver's Test, produced and directed by Carlo Essagian, is a short film about an elderly man having to re-take his driver's test with the same examiner who had previously failed him. The film stars Dean Hagopian and has a guest appearance of Michael Sinelnikoff (Professor Summerlee of the "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World" series). Julie Le Gal has the role of The Examiner.

In a special note, Carlo sent his thanks "to all those who participated directly or indirectly and to encouraging, enthusiastic and supportive friends."

I send out my congratulations to Carlo! Well done, dude.

Go ahead, Google him.

Shut Up and Sing

I'm watching the Dixie Chick's documentary "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing" for the second time.

When their latest album "Taking the Long Road" was released I bought a CD.

I can claim to have been a fan. And I don't really consider myself a fan now, at least not in the way I'm a fan of say, Jann Arden where I watch and listen and read everything Jann I can get my eyes, ears, and hands on. Or the way I adore the lyrics and voice of Sarah McLachlin.

So, I can't really call myself a Dixie Chicks fan, though I enjoy some of their music. Still, I showed my support (and respect for their artistry) at a cash register of HMV. If there was redneck movement against them, I did my part to support shift in the opposite direction.

Americans call it Freedom of Speech, part of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

How is is possible for a country to vilify a trio of country singers (female), but accept, even excuse the sexist-racist/racist-sexist remarks of a (male) radio broadcaster?

The answer, I think, is obvious. (Isn't it?)

My New Favourite Actor: Edward Burns

As I often do when I work from home and no one's around, I turn on the television for company. After listening to than two hours of CNN (hey, The View was a repeat), I turned on the movie channels just as an Edward Burns movie started.

Now, EB seems to me to be the kind of actor that wouldn't want someone to write "Edward Burns movie" he seems more of an artist than that, so, I looked up the movie's title on IMDB. It is called "The River King." And I didn't even need to look up when Canadian veteran actor Sean McCann came on-screen, because I recognized his voice instantly. I had to smile. In the 1980s he was a client of a Toronto talent agent I worked for then. Such a cool guy.

And here's a bit of trivia. I got to go to the Gemini Awards in 1989 when he was nominated for an Earle Grey Award. Man, that seems like forever ago. (It was.)

Anyway, Burns is one of my favourite actors. And by that I don't mean celebrity. And I'm not referring to any fame he has ... Okay. So, he's married to Christy Turlington ... surely that connection as well as his looks bumps the appeal factor, but that's not what I was referring to. Not today.

Next time "Looking for Kitty" airs on The Movie Network. Watch it. I loved it. If you like independent films, you will, too.

Sympatico Spam

What's the deal? I keep getting messages from Bell Sympatico thanking me for calling their help desk.

What's with that?  I haven't received a response from the letter I wrote over two months ago regarding a $7.00 charge. Maybe there's no old-timers left at Bell who knows what a letter is. Could that be?

If this is a new marketing campaign it's not effective because these messages go right to the trash can.

How very annoying. And if Rogers didn't suck as bad as it does (don't get me started on the $25 they refuse to refund me for a faulty phone), I'd switch carriers.

Keanu Reeves + My Friend "Lisa"

A little while ago I sent you over to Bread 'n' Molasses. You should go, again. Now and again in September when they post a piece I wrote a short essay about Keanu Reeves and a coworker from my days at a Toronto talent agency.

The Only Reality TV Series I’d Watch is My Own

I don’t watch “reality” television. I’ll explain later. But there is one close-to-reality series I would watch. Its working title is Breaking Into .... And it’s about participants making mid-career changes and hook-ups.

Here's the Pitch

Many will tell you they know what they want to do, but cannot make the transition because they don’t know how to get there. It can be emotionally and financially difficult. And life can get hazardous when making a mid-30s career shift. I know. I did just that.

• A business analyst dreams of becoming a veterinarian, but puts her plans on hold when she starts a family. Years later, she sets aside time once a week to go horseback riding at a stable near her home.
• A doctor pens a novel after clinic hours.
• A self-employed technical writer uses slow work periods to hammer out scripts for a situation comedy she’s developing.
• A corporate accountant quits his job to pursue work as an actor. He sells his house, moves to Vancouver, and lives off the proceeds as he works as a production assistant.

What do these individuals have in common? They make room in their daily lives for their passion, or trade one profession for another.

Many individuals spend themselves earning a living while secretly harbouring a passion for some other kind of work.

These stories aren’t new. In fact, we’ve watched similar ones on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

The only difference may be that these individuals have identified their passion, they may have answered Po Bronson’s question What Should I Do with My Life? but they do not have the connection, or know-how, to take the next step in executing their dream.

More About the Premise

This television series includes three stories per hour-long episode; one new participant and follow-up segments with previous ones.

Participants are selected based on a completed questionnaire and a written proposal. The facilitator (host/hostess) works with participants to create an action plan – but participants do the legwork in researching the target profession and industry. Then we hook them up with an expert in their preferred field for an information interview and evaluation. The participants are given homework and attend a follow-up session in which they are evaluated on their results.

At this stage, the participant is either successful in moving forward, or not. If the homework has been completed to satisfaction, they are given another opportunity to move to the next level – a meeting with someone who can put them into an internship to make a career of their dream job.

This is not about a one-time hook-up to live out a fantasy.

This show is about starting, restarting, or switching careers. It is specific to vocation. And it allows participants and the viewing audience to participate in the making of a new career. Most participants are likely to be early 30s to late 40s.

Finally, a reality-show I can relate to.

Even with my limited experience in and knowledge of television production, I understand the “reality” behind reality TV and that's why I don’t watch.

However, if I’d understood the appeal of The Mole’s Anderson Cooper, I would have taped every episode!

Near and Complete Misses

Everyone has their brush with celebrity. Having worked at two different talent agencies four different times, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with demanding individuals, but I was also lucky to meet interesting and talented artists, some of whom were fellow employees.

I was recently reminded by one of them of the opportunity we had to meet Bryan Adams on a video shoot. But first, we had to be submitted as Extras by the agents, then we needed to be hired by the casting director. It didn't happen.

As agency employees we were not allowed to be submitted for acting jobs (though I did do an episode of Decorating Challenge  [7th season, eps. 207] with one of the agency's owners, for no money, and that seemed to meet the approval of the powers that were).

The casting breakdown (characters, ages, video theme) for his video “Open Road” had this description, for which we felt I was perfectly suited: “A woman described as 30ish to 40ish … she is real, not modelly and has some meat on her, maybe even heavy set.”

But as they say in the biz, the producer "went a different way."

If you've seen the video, you know this to be true.

Action shot from "Iron Road"

Here's a very cool action shot compliments of Barry Pearson. For more about Iron Road, check out the April 27, 2007 post.

And I don't mean serial commas

I don't know when it happened and I'm curious to find out.

When did (primarily American?) publications -- print and online -- start using commas after the word "and" and stop using commas after the word "and"?

For example: The American flag is red, white, and blue. Because it sure heck ain't red, white and blue. A less used example might be: Laverne liked boys, Pepsi and milk. Or was it boys, Pepsi, and milk?

But that's an old pet peeve. And it's easily corrected. Here's and example from an amazing book I'm currently reading, called "The Wild Trees" by Richard Preston. I saw the author on The Daily Show, with Jon Stewart, a while back and couldn't wait to start reading it. Please don't let this example stop you from reading the book. It's just what I have handy. My apologies to Mr. Preston, his family, friends, and anyone who has ever met him and found him to be generous, courteous, and an overall great guy. Because I'm sure he is.

Geez, now I lost my page; I can't find an example. Isn't that always the way?

Anyway, I was thinking that this trend may be reliance on MS Word's grammar-check. Dunno. Maybe I need an English grammar refresher course. I'll look into that.

In the meantime, anyone know of a grammarian's website where I can post a question to an expert?

Bill Maher + Celine

Bill Maher makes me laugh. In a roast he hosted for Larry King he said, in what seemed to me to be all seriousness, that Celine Dion's Vegas act moved him to tears.

That Bill. What a card.

Where in the World is Chris Johns?

Dear Oprah:

Thank you for the transcript to your show. In case you've forgotten, you sent me the one with that really brave and very pretty journalist Lisa Ling. I loved the show and wanted to read every bit of her interaction with the gang members she interviewed. Unfortunately, I'm sorry to say, your transcription service, uh, sucks. Someone's listening skills need a bit of work.

I know, I know, the trend these days is for companies to outsource every last service they can and at least it cost me only $14.96 CAD -- which is a way better deal than the VSH tape I ordered from CNN -- but I am disappointed.

And I know that you've probably already been told about the errors in the transcript - typos, spelling mistakes, and the outright erroneous text.

After all, once I noted the errors, I immediately sent an email to your producers. I know they got it because you wrote me back to tell me so. Or, rather, an automated response was sent to me assuring me that you value my feedback. And I know you wouldn't allow those types of emails to be sent if this weren't true.

I guess it's no big whoop, really. I knew what you meant. I taped the show that day, so I was able to rewind the tape and hear your reference to Christiane Amanpour that was printed as Chris Johns. Still, I can't help fell a little ripped-off -- and I don't mean to get all nit-picky and righteous on you -- but now I can't really trust the accuracy of the rest of the transcript.

I know that I wrote to tell you about this already. And I know that you must get, like, billions of emails every day, but I'd really kinda like my money back. So, if you could send me a cheque (check) for the cost of transcript, plus a little extra for my troubles ... say round it up to $200,000 CAD ... and we'll call it even.

Chris Johns and I will do something good with the money. We promise.

Kill the package

Last summer, something on CNN caught my eye and I ordered a DVD through their website. I wasn't crazy about paying $39.45 USD for something I could have videotaped on a $2.99 VHS cassette were one available, but there you go.

As it turned out, the $34.95 US VHS tape cost me $2,100.00 CAD. Or so. I dunno. What I do know is that I never received the videotape. Instead, I got a DVD three months later, but I could no longer remember what about the program interested me. I'd had an article in mind about the content, but it escapes me even now.

The DVD arrived in place of a VHS tape, by an alternate courier, not the rogue company initially responsible for the delivery mess - with an invoice from a company different from the one who took my initial order. (FYI, because I know you want to know: UPS succeeded where DHS failed; Morningside Partners succeeded where FDCH Media failed.) Whatever, they included an accompanying statement with NO CHARGE printed across it.

I was already approximately $2,000 out of pocket. Surely "no charge" was merely a marketing angle and a bit of an insult. Because …

INITIAL EXPENSES

Because if I were to invoice for the expenses incurred, here's how I'd break down the costs.

A few months later, I took a 3-day business/pleasure trip to New York City. While I was there, I tried to hand-deliver to CNN a letter requesting a refund. No one at any reception or security station would accept lettermail from me. Not even the folks in mailroom could find a home for it.[1]

ADDITIONAL EXPENSES

Sure, this might be a bit of a stretch, but if being unable to resolve this refund crisis long-distance and with third-party firms (in Virginia and Maryland), I was forced to deal directly with CNN in NYC. Therefore, it makes sense to add my travel expenses.

So really, the VHS tape that I ordered and never received cost me $2016.06.

Oh, and tack on the cost of a DVD player which I had to purchase, so that I could watch the “free” DVD Voxant sent me, which, by the way, the company valued, for customs purposes, at a measly $5.00.

And I know it makes me, well, old -- to purchase something I could probably find for free on the Internet. Here's me without a PVR, without TiVo, but with a stack of blank VHS tapes at the ready beside my TV. Sigh.

Postscript

You may be wondering about the title. According to a CNN tour handout, “kill the package” it is j-speak for “Pull a story before it is broadcast.” I’ve used it here incorrectly. All figures are accurate.

---

[1] To be fair, one of the mailroom employees went out of his way (and possibly to several floors in the building) to find a telephone number and contact for me to obtain a refund, while the other employee chatted with me. We mostly talked about my the exceptionally high number of good-looking (and by that I mean, undeniably, empirically, indisputably attractive), NYC police officers and firefighters.

Shooting in China: Iron Road

What a delight to receive an email from a friend who is on-set, shooting in China. This is a first-hand account on a production day in the life of screenwriter and producer Barry Pearson shooting Iron Road, which is, according to Variety, "the first film in 22 years to be made under China-Canada film co-production treaty."

Barry writes:

Today is Friday the 27th of April in the beautiful lush mountain valley of Hengdian (pronounced "hung -deeyan").

We have "turned around" to night shoots as of the night before last (Day 5), and will remain so for a total of three nights, until Sunday, which is our one day off every week, and then we'll go back on days the next week.  This, of course, plays havoc with everybody's biological clock.

Fortunately, David Wu, the director, is a highly disciplined director, and almost always finishes his "days" between a quarter to a half-an-hour early.  That is a boon for the budget and the constitutions of the cast and crew.  Film making is some of the hardest work in the world because of the unusually long days for most of the cast and crew.

To give you an example, I'm looking at the "call sheet" for Day 5.  The breakfast call is 7 o'clock to 9 o'clock.  Some of the production staff and cast will skip that, but the Art Department -- design, costumes, props, set decoration, locations, and transport -- will start shortly after breakfast. 

Dinner is served at the VIP hotel from 12 to 2, and all members of the production unit is required to be on set for the "Shooting Call" at 3.  The first shot of the day will occur somewhere between half an hour to an hour after that.  Bear in mind that some of the Art Department will have been 5 hours on the clock by that time.

Cast required for the first shot have been at least an hour or more in hair and makeup, which, when we have extras (most of the time) is a huge job. The makeup head, Joanne, on this show has 7 Chinese assistants, none of whom speak English, so the eighth person is the translator for that department, Joy, who also doubles as my Mandarin teacher.

Joanne is smiling in the center, Lee, the Key of the Hair department is at right, and Luke Macfarlane who plays James has turned his back on us just at I snapped this candid.

A location dinner is provided at 6 p.m. on this day, after three hours of shooting, and then it's back to work until 12:30 p.m. when the midnight snack is served.

On this shoot a majority of the unit sits only briefly for meals, and many eat on the run.  One of the translators, T.T., a charming and very bright young lady of 25 from Har Bin in the north, who speaks passable French (as one of her four languages) has offered to trade me Mandarin coaching for some coaching in French, so yesterday, to her delight, I taught her the French idiom for "eat on the run" which is "manger sur la pouce" -- literally, "eat from your thumb."

So after the 12:30 crew snacks, we shoot until 3 a.m. when the crew "wraps" -- that is puts away equipment, stores camera gear, secures the location, and disposes of the garbage.  The performers have to get out of costume and makeup, and transport has to deliver all members of the production unit to the VIP hotel where we all live.

Many of the unit will have risen from their beds before eleven a.m. and will return to them at four a.m. That’s a 17-hour day portal to portal.

And that's why there's no time do the laundry.

Strombo, man, say it ain’t so

What with the hubbub about the American radio announcer or whatever job description best classifies him (sexist-bigoted-toe-rag radio host will do, for now.)

I got to thinking about something I read online about a remark allegedly made by George Stroumboulopoulos. I say allegedly because I did not see the program in which he was reported to have said, “Hey bitches, coming up this week….” Then again, I guess I can rely on Now's journalistic integrity and take this for fact.

It disturbed me for a couple of reasons. The main reason is obvious. The other reason is that I genuinely like his show and enjoy his intelligent interviewing style. He seems genuinely interested in conversing with his guests. (I learned more about the US occupation in the Middle East from one of his guests, than I have in six months of watching CNN.)

So when I came across Barrett Hooper’s article posted on Now Magazine’s website for issue November 2-8, 2006, vol. 26 No. 9, I felt let down:

“or mildly insulting, as when Strombo promo'd upcoming shows with “Hey bitches, coming up this week...”.”

My respect for Geo crashed, in the same way Kid Rock held my musical interest until I heard one particularly ugly, misogynistic track on “Cocky.” It’s not likely I’ll ever buy another one of his CDs.

George, man, you owe me an apology. You may be hip, you may be cool, you may work for a publicly-funded corporation and have some obligation to apologize to this tax-paying viewer, but more importantly, you should refrain from using offensive language.

Then again, maybe you showed us a little of who you really are.

George Clooney Spotted Downtown T.O.

----- Original Message -----

From: Valerie Bean [mailto:valeriebean@sympatico.ca]

Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2007 4:32 PM

To: M; E.

Subject: Clooney Strolls the Financial District

I saw George Clooney today.

I cut out early, around 3 p.m., and while I was waiting to cross at King/Bay, this guy walked past. He looked just like George, only shorter and more tan. I kept pace with him as he walked down Bay Street toward Union Station. Less than two blocks later, he strolled into BCE Place. I was going to follow him to wherever he was going, but I didn't want to miss the 3:13 GO train.

If Clooney is in town, I stood within panting distance. Or, I would have had I been able to breathe. At one point, while we waited for the street light to change at Bay and Wellington, I stared into his neck, and for a brief minute I doubted the GC doppelgänger. As I said, he was shorter than I thought he'd be, but I was wearing heels, so I was taller than he might expect me to be.

Weird. No one else seemed to notice.

Anyway, there's my movie star sighting for the year.

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----- Original Message -----

From: M

To: Valerie Bean; E.

Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2006 10:00 AM

Subject: RE: Clooney Strolls the Financial District

It probably was George Clooney. We had a long lunch that day and he was taking a short walk before he got back in his limo. I came back to work. It was nice. Everything’s good with George, just in case you were wondering how he was doing. He said he’d ring me up next time he's in town again. That George.

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----- Original Message -----

From: E

To: M; Valerie Bean

Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2006 12:59 PM

Subject: Re: Clooney Strolls the Financial District

You’re so lucky. I had to have lunch with Tom Selleck last week . . . what an old timer!

If you’re talking to Mom, please get the scoop from about lawn cutting. I didn’t get a chance to ask her - shall we keep on top of it or is Jay doing it? I do know she had Jay doing other yard work. Can you please confirm? I’m picking up the mail and will also hold with the newspapers.

Thanks. And next time you’re chatting with George tell him I’m still tickled about the present he sent me!

E