SNL: Again! An Interesting Start To 2013

Happy New year!

I realize it's been a while since I last posted. I have to say my picture a day exercise from last year was quite a challenge. I had anticipated posting every day. But thanks to the suggestion of a friend I started doing weekly recaps. And eventually much longer posts with pictures from a few weeks.

While taking the pictures is easy, posting about them took a little more vigilance than I had anticipated. I think I'll get a nice slideshow up here somewhere. It's amazing to look back at a year in pictures.  But all that made me really need a little break. Hence my absence for almost 2 months. But now I'm back!

Headshot under a bridge. Like a Troll

A lot has happened in the past 2 months. Some good. Some not so good. Some sad. Let's focus on the good...and perhaps the not so good.  I've gone back and forth about whether or not I should write about this. We try to sell ourselves as artists. To make us look better than we are.  Which I HATE. There are far too many people who puff themselves up with talk but it's backed up by nothing.  So here is the down and dirty of this world.


My manager dropped me.

There I said it. We've parted ways. We've parted amicably. The thing is, I can't blame her. I don't think I'm a type she gets much work for. And I'm mostly a stage actor slowly working at getting into film. She focuses mainly on film. While she's been a great asset and has truly operated as a manager, it just didn't work out. It happens. All the time. Am I sad? Sure. Who wouldn't be. But you know what? Onward and upward.  Her company merged with another and she could only take so many of her former clients.  That's how things go sometimes.  So I spent a few days scouring the web to try to take her off all my profiles because, well, that's what you do. Reformatted my resume a little. Made some adjustments to my website. Little things.

Now begins the push for 2013. A few little setbacks did occur which I'll go into in another post. For now let's keep this one a little more light-hearted.

So. Manager gone. That's ok.
I think as she was literally hitting send on the goodbye email I was filming a digital short with SNL.
So there's that.

Now I've railed against background work. It's horrible. I hate it. You're treated like cattle because let's face it. In a film you're just glorified scenery. I hate all those pseudo-actors who do background work and then add it to their IMDB profile as "uncredited." You're not credited because you were background. It's a personal pet peeve. But what can you do.

That being said, there are a few shows I WILL do BG work on because I love them. And the working conditions are fantastic. They treat you like gold. Saturday Night Live is one of those shows. The other being 30 Rock (R.I.P.).

So yes, I did BG on SNL. But, and I know everyone says this, (those people trying to talk themselves up) I actually had a few bits. Which in the end got cut. I had several moments with Bobby Moynihan. One with beakers in a chemistry class, another in the lunch room. But it all comes down to editing and while I'm there, I'm not THERE.  You know?

The skit?  Possibly one of the funniest and smartest I've seen in a while. The "Soprano's Diaries."  Have you seen the Carrie Diaries?  It's just itching to be made fun of. No. It's screaming to be made fun of. It's up there with Smash (which I think makes fun of itself not to need a parody. Oh Smash...)

So sure I lost a manager, but I was on SNL again. And the best thing was the commute to the location was just around the block.  Here is the skit...until NBC pulls it from youtube.  Enjoy!

Photo A Day 201 - 295

Playing catch-up with my photo a day project. But here we go. I have OH so many to add tonight while watching these debates.


201. One of my first paychecks from Disney for work with them. I have  habit of taking pictures of pay checks. Is this just me? Is this normal?

202. Wandering through Murray Hill after meeting some friends and this little guy was just sorta sitting there. I have a love of gargoyles. Maybe from the cartoon. Maybe from the Dakota. I don't know. But this guy just looked like he needed his picture taken.

203. Union Square's restaurant and playground are now open!

204. Test lighting of the Tardis model. So far so good!

205. Another gloomy summer day in NYC. The rain has been on and off. (They're not all winners folks.)

206. Unlike the day before. Here is a clear night out on the bay. Lower Manhattan twinkling in the waves.

207.  YARR! Jenelle Sosa this is for you.

208. Sebastian. The best cat. I will not hear otherwise....

...Ever. (Not a fan of being woken up from mid day naps.)

209. Beautiful Moon. But blurry photo. Oh well.

210. Dr. Mewho? That's a stretch. But here is a scale pic for people to see. Granted my cat is 20 lbs. Nope. not a typo. 20.

211. Just your typical Greek pride parade in Astoria. They pop up on ya sometimes without any notice.

212. A day after the the wake of my Dear Dear passed on Grandfather and his name is everywhere. Gerard.

213. I miss you Grandpa. And always will. Thank you for the crazy. No go make Grandma laugh.

214. Childhood home out on Long Island.

215. I have no idea what this means. I thought it was some inspirational message. But it is in fact a sign for a business. But I guess deal IS meal. Depending on who you ask.

216. Rehearsals begin for the next project post pirate. Up in Scarborough. 

217.  I really don't get tired of seeing this clock. So many people rush past it every day but it stops me for just a second every time I see it.

218. Sunset over the RFK Bridge from the Astoria Blvd. Subway platform.

219. Behold the power of the Tardis!

220. I know they're always there. And these days more so than ever. But still. I don't like seeing them.

221.  The biggest Starbucks. I actually had to walk out of here. It was too big. I felt like I was in a cafeteria.

222. Just a fitting. No big.

223. Subway Entrance on...78th? I think. As far as I know it's newish. But I haven't been to this stop in a while. Either way, it's awesomely modern.

224. Not the best. But the view of the RFK lit up at night. Guess I like this view.

225. My street. Late at night. Am I the only one who walks down the center of the street late at night?

226. SPIDERS! HUGE SPIDERS. Oh yeah, and Yay BBC.

227. This is complete BS. Utter and total BS!

228. Manager in the trades!

229. Rehearsal for Madame Tellier's Establishment! You missed corsets. Yup. You did.

230. I actually don't know what this is. It's a wood model of the facade of some building. It's located in the DnD on 15th by Union Squ.

231. This is a church. Or the front of a church. Or perhaps the skinniest church in the city?

232. The distant view of the skyline from the subway platform.

233.  Subway platform in the early morning light.

234. The sun setting over the RFK from my platform. Headed to rehearsal.

235. Apparently obsessed with the sunset. Or I'm just always leaving at the same time. The rest of the world ends their days and I start mine.

236. The best Italian pastries in the city. I attribute it to the fact that they've been here for so long.

237.  Our dungeon of a space to perform in within the bowels of Theater for the New City.

238. My ever so cluttered work space. Inspiration behind everything.

239. Ok. So call me crazy. But this is a frozen margarita inside a Dos Equis. Go on, try it.

240. I will repeat, I have the most amazing cat ever.

241.  Sadly, Colony Music is closing down. I'm not a singer. nor am I the biggest fan of musical theater. But I've gotten many a pile of sheet music from there through the years. Along with scoping out their collection of Beatles memorabilia.

242. Working out! I still hate running.

HATE HATE HATE running.

243. Working on my next project. For my dad for Christmas. I'm hoping this little guy will end up a miniature flux capacitor.

244. Arc Reactor! We're getting there. Just a few more slight adjustments.

245. More of the Arc. It's really little adjustments every day.

246. This. Is a playground. On a roof.  ON A ROOF! It's also attached to a school. But imagine living there?

247. Awaiting the start of the talented Darlene Hope's new show!

248. More of my Arc reactor. Halloween costume coming along!

249.  I truly love the gloomy foggy NY days. 

250. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!

251. Kristin's Wedding. Some things you just wouldn't miss for the world.

252. Ditmars

253. Sebastian. The King of cats. Take that Tybalt. 

254. And another. For good measure.

255.  September 11, 2012. A view of the Freedom Tower.

256. Just Phuket

257. Halloween costume almost 100%. And a month and a half before Halloween.

258. I would love to paint this white with a red top and the Warner Brothers Logo on the side. Who's with me in the middle of the night?

259. The LIRR at Woodside. A bit quicker than leaving from PENN Station.

260. Say hello sister. Helping her move into her new house.

261. The Art Deco underground of the Chrysler Building.

262.  And today I give you the grey lady herself.

263. So this happened. A bit too much. And a bit too wet.

264. I'm a bit out of words for this. Dapper poopers? Why are they wearing hats?

265. Completely unrecognizable set from holding. Looking through the trees at the giant light balloons.

266. Some days are made for beer outside. Especially days so hot to melt a candle.

267. Good morning my dear friend. Some days don't feel right unless you see certain aspects of the skyline.

268. An amazing telescoping camera. It can pretty much go anywhere and get anything.

269. One of the greatest movies and one of the greatest cast. Miss Kahn how I still have a crush on you.

270. I mean the little guy is handsome. But more so, he ENJOYS sleeping in his carrier. For a beast, that makes things easier when he has to get a check up.

271. I cannot look at these now without thinking they're really space ships. Hollywood has a habit of ruining(?) things.

272. This was hanging from the ceiling of the subway platform. I'm not really sure who this is keeping from walking there.

273. His and Hers...

274. This is one of those only in NY type things. Covered in pigeons. And tourists were posing with him with pigeons on them as well. What is wrong with tourists?

275. Pretty sure this was refitted to be a...monster truck car? 

276. Part of the skyline from Union Square south looking North...

277. Watching the debate and my President doing thankfully well!

278. The hall of SNL studios!

279. Samantha!  It's a Lily-like!

280. Paramount Studios! Check #1.

281.  I know this is being touchy. But the sight of these so low to the ground always make me stop and look and hold my breath for just a moment.

282.  One of the only reasons I would get an iphone would be for all the cases. But happily, I'll stick with my Galaxy.  Still...carbonite...

283.  Pacino shirt. I feel like this is a step down from Hawaiian shirts. And I love Hawaiian shirts.

284. For scale I tried to get the leaf in there. But this spider is enormous. Any minute John Goodman could have walked around the corner with poison spray.

285. One of the generators outside the tents. Couldn't help but snap a pic of the logo.

286. Fist official check from SNL! Honestly it's a damn good feeling.  Damn good. And to be there. On that set!

287.  Scouting places and neighborhoods in Brooklyn and stumbled upon this amazing needed margarita.

I can't get me enough lime.

288. Halloween Costume sneak peak. Looks good finished and under a shirt, right?

289.  Another cat photo. Go on, laugh. But this one was so bizarre. I have no idea what he's memorized over. We know he likes food. But this..?

290. Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law I now have a pencil sharpener from the first film. Which sets off my proton pack nicely.

291. Wing-Man Starring Mark Gindick at the United Solo Theater Festival.

292.  Off to SNL again for another weekend's worth of work.

293.  Already setting up for Christmas and the holidays. Lights being strung on the trees.

294. Sitting and waiting for the thumbs up or thumbs down for the skit I'm in.

Update: Thumbs down. How sad.

295. And people ask me why I just don't buy a chest piece instead of making it.  $170 something dollars? Thank you very much.