ENTRY #154
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11:45 PM, Thursday, November 29th, 2001:
 
I'm really not sure how I'm ever gonna be a patient man. Hell, I'm not even sure I should be. If I'm impatient, it's a lot more entertaining for you to read. The fact of the matter is that it doesn't make 2 shits how I handle things. The world will take it's own sweet time anyway. Wow, that's somewhat poignant.
 
Well now not only is it impatience kicking my ass, it's big events happening so soon...but JUST out of reach. I'll tell you about yesterday's meeting in a moment (it went very well) - but this newest development is quite the ball buster.
 
We get a call from Alyssa (Aspen judge) and she says she's getting the other judges together TOMORROW to watch my tape. They may just make the selection then to save time. So this baby could very well come down this weekend. The good news is that this is extremely positive. They won't REJECT me without allowing me the callback, but they may just say: "That tape is awesome, he's in". That way saving valuable scheduling time for the other acts. So it comes down to the 30th after all. Apparently they're in dire straits with all the cancellations because of sickness. They could also watch it, like it, and ask me to play for them. Or, they could watch - be unsure and ask me to play for them. So basically, this new development really means only one thing: Adam gets to lose his mind for the weekend. Goddamnit. Then if they don't say I'm in and want me to play for them, I get to think they watched it and didn't like it. GREAT. So they've seen all the jokes, all the charm, what can I do better live that I didn't do on that tape? That's just nut racking. Speaking of nuts...
 
So the day of the meeting finally came to be. Charlotte filled me in the night before on what to expect as she was not going to be there with me. No one brings their managers to "General meetings" with casting directors...DUH. Doesn't everyone know that? (Sigh) Man, protocol in this town is getting to be very funny. So as I'm getting ready to drive into Hollywood, I immediately remembered Entry #13. And this lovely video. That was back when I first went around to drop off my promo tape at every damn venue and manager/agent's office I could find. The entry itself documented all that.
 
Well it hit me as I picked up a diet coke, and put my hand in my pocket that I had $4. Of course I had to run and get another diet coke and make a video. Heh. And how true it is. This time, they asked for a meeting with me. That is a very, very nice feeling.
 
So I get there and get to walk around the lot looking for the right building. I knew where it was, but I was early - and it's Paramount Studios. All the bungalows and buildings that you know are taping things as you walk next to them. Studio lots are just kind've magical. I'm sure this will become commonplace in the next few years, but that's what the journey is for: To remember what I was like before I became a hardened prick. Heh.
 
Found the building, and sat down and saw that they had stacks and stacks of TV guides in their lobby. How funny. Most places would have magzines, but of course a casting office will have TV Guides. I was kind've stoked actually because I had missed Michael Jackson's cover and wanted to see it. Sweet jesus is he scary lookin'. As a fan, I feel I need to look at him a lot so it becomes less shocking, but that simply never happens. DUDE, IS, SCARY. The article was good though.
 
So I see Danielle, the lady who came to The Comedy Store gig, and subsequently set-up the meeting. She brought me into Helen's office for the meeting. I was wearing a coat (it's nearly 60 out here!!! BRRR!!! lol), and I hung it up. That apparently clued Helen in that I was from the East coast. !??!?! Whatever, she liked it though. I think she was laughing inside because I actually thought I was gonna be there for more than 5-10 minutes. Heh. It was a very cordial meeting. Danielle asked how I thought of 4tvs, a story I have now mastered to roughly 30 seconds. Got us into what I did back in Ohio, radio, coming out here...where I was going. Simple things. Was able to bring Bob Saget up as he was taping on that very lot at that moment - and how we've been stalking the man for months now. Yet another avenue to get him to see this tape. A tape which has now been edited down to 10 minutes. I had it with me and was under the impression that it would be watched in the meeting, but apparently not. I kept mentioning that it was only 10 minutes, but to no avail - lol. Big TV and VCR to the right of me...but nope. It really bugged me because Helen had seen nothing of The Trinitrons or 4tvs. So basically Danielle would bring up a question about it, but in order to answer it I'd have to try and give Helen a feeling of what it was about. This is quite impossible. You just have to see it.
 
Finally Helen mentioned casting for some of the things they have in development and that she'd see what she could do for me. She isn't involved with all the weekly castings for shows, but can get that tape around. She seemed very positive, but I kept thinking to myself: "JUST WATCH THE TAPE". She said she would. Well OK. So I call Charlotte the second I'm out the door and tell her how it went. Couldn't really figure out what to say. It was very surface and cordial. Made 'em laugh a couple of times, but that was about it. So Charlotte says: "Well, Helen will now call me, and tell me what she thought."
 
?
 
Welcome to TV protocal I guess. So your representation sets up a meeting with you and a bigwig...your representation does not go. You call your representation to fill them in, and then the bigwig calls your representation, and says what they thought and your representation then calls you and tells you - and you go from there. It's almost like it's an agreed upon system just so everyone feels like they have a part. And you all know how I love beating around the bush. Well she called Charlotte back right away but Charlotte was at lunch, then she called and Helen was gone. Everything is on hold a day. So today, Helen calls and Charlotte is at lunch, Charlotte calls and woo hoo! Verdict: kick ass.
 
She loved the tape. Very, very impressed. Was amazed at the amount of work that must've gone into it. She then said what will become Emmy speech fodder in a few years: "He said he was writing a pilot with these characters, but obviously he couldn't play them all." Yes! Gotta love that fuel. Charlotte kind've giggled at this, and said: "I wouldn't be so sure about that..." Anyway, she said she would definitely keep me in mind for pilot season (January) and the biggie: She's handing the tape to the VP of Comedy DEVELOPMENT. Ahh yes, talk about having a bit of influence behind a tape. The Senior VP of Casting handing it to the VP of Comedy Development saying she loved it. Ahh, life is good right now. Even if all I got out of this was a part in a pilot just for exposure, we're talking several, several thousand dollars. Pilot money is INSANE. Most main characters in a pilot get $20,000+. Amazing huh? So would I get $100,000 for a Trinitrons pilot?!?! LOL.
 
So obviously things are going incredibly well. And now comes one of the most difficult weekends in recent memory. Aspen, Aspen, Aspen. Can you believe it could be my next entry? Whether or not I'm going to the biggest Comedy Festival on the planet? Whether or not they fly me and my TVs out to the single biggest industry event in Comedy?
 
Wow. I'm tellin' you, the coming entries are gonna be amazing. :-) I don't think I've ever been happier in my life...
 
Adam
 
2:51 AM, 11.30.01,
 
I just got word of George Harrison's death as I was about to go to sleep.
 
Ex-Beatle George Harrison Dies at 58
The Associated Press
Nov 30 2001 5:47AM
 
LOS ANGELES (AP) - George Harrison, the Beatles' quiet lead guitarist and spiritual explorer who
added both rock 'n' roll flash and a touch of the mystic to the band's timeless magic, has died. He was 58.
 
How gut-wrenchingly sad. Lennon at 40, and George at 58, WAY, WAY too young. I really have nothing to say. I'm just very sad. Balance I tell you...balance. I swear to GOD, every HUGELY happy occurence in my life is immediately balanced with something sad. So strange....my wedding immediately followed by my grandmother dying - I cannot tell you how freaky this is. Well, at least he was able to pass peacefully with those he loved around him - thank god the attack on his life last year wasn't successful.
 
Ugh. So very sad. Fuckin' Cancer. Stop smokin' NOW people. Stop.
 
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NOVEMBER 2001
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