Tuesday, March 27, 2012

We Live in Hollywood So You Don't Have To!

Bunny and I have started another project detailing our raucous Hollywood experiences. Have a listen to our brand new podcast, Your Hollywood Friends and Neighbors!  
 
 
In this episode we talk about a couple of Hollywood parties (and a weird experience Bunny had), an unwelcome neighbor, and other show biz dirt. We also help out a friend — as good friends and neighbors do — in our advice segment Truth Slap!
 Enjoy, and be sure to share with your friends and neighbors :)

Monday, March 26, 2012

A Week of Parties

Hopefully soon I will be able to title every blog post I write with that title up there.

One of my new Los Angeles friends is a huge movie buff. I guess that's not too surprising -- everyone out here is a movie buff to some degree. But Julia is a rather well-known movie buff. She works at a favorite theater of mine called The New Beverly Cinema, which is always having special events and midnight screenings and the craziest double features. So when someone like Julia has a birthday party and throws an invite your way, it'd be a mistake not to show up for it.

Rainbow cake with sprinkles!

She had her birthday party at the theater and invited about 50 of her closest friends to watch almost 2 hours worth of movie trailers -- both totally off the wall and familiar ones. When the lights dimmed, we all hushed our voices until Julia shouted something like, "You can talk!" from her spot in the front row. The viewing came to an end after an episode of The Monkees on 35mm.

After that? Pizza and cake, of course.


The next day, Bunny headed out to the premiere of American Reunion at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. I was lucky enough that he was able to wrangle an extra ticket to the after party. Across the street, the Roosevelt Hotel's main floor lobbies were decorated like a high school class reunion, complete with balloons, photo booths, and a DJ. If only all class reunions had an open bar like the one that night -- maybe I'd start going to mine.




Strolled by all of the cast members, but I couldn't walk by Jennifer Coolidge without saying hello. We talked about New Orleans (she's a current resident, I'm a past resident) and her role in Port of Call: New Orleans, among other things. She was crazy about how Bunny and I were dressed and asked to get her picture with us before we could ask to get our photo with her! Here's hoping she actually made us the wallpaper on her cracked iPhone screen.

The movie's costume designer, Mona May (she also costumed Clueless, among many other films) stopped me in my tracks to compliment me on my wardrobe as well. It was finally my chance to compliment her monster fur jacket and sequined dress! We talked about sunscreen and protecting our hands from the elements. Mona, if you're reading, how can I get a pair of your adorable fingerless leather gloves?

Bunny and I danced a couple of songs before saying hi to Eugene Levy, then we headed up to the Spare Room, a tiny bar with two bowling lanes on the second floor. Shortly after that we headed back downstairs. All of the guests had left, except for four young adults who were trying to get permission to take home a giant tinsel palm tree.

Wednesday Bunny and I headed to Warner Bros. studios to see a taping of Two and a Half Men. Our friend Abbie made an appearance on the show as Jake's girlfriend, so we were thrilled to be able to see her at work. When the show wrapped, we headed down onto the set, and we quickly sniffed out another open bar. And another delicious buffet.

Welcome to our TV kitchen! Stay a while!

I dressed a baked potato for myself, but didn't have time to eat it before we headed out a back door and stopped face to face with Ashton Kutcher's massive double-decker trailer. My baked potato teetered on the tiniest plastic plate I was carrying, and I had horrible visions of tossing the damn thing right onto the floor of his trailer. I was so preoccupied with making sure I didn't spill the potato, that I barely looked up the couple of times Mr. Kutcher brushed passed me. Way to go. Live and learn, and remember I am much more comfortable holding a glass than a plate.

Oh, did you see me on Criminal Minds last Wednesday? If not, check out the episode entitled Foundation. It's available online. I play Sam's Sick Mom. Believe it or not, it was the funnest day at work ever.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Showgirls 2, Community, and Revenge

There are a million good reasons to move to Los Angeles. The weather (or lack thereof), the scenery, and, if it's your thing, particularly easy access to the entertainment industry. As I've written in previous posts, it's hard to go anywhere in L.A. without spotting a film, tv, or fashion shoot, if not movie premieres or walk-of-fame ceremonies.

Bunny, Coco, and Richard Lawson
One of the most fun activities I've been doing since I've moved here is going to double features of kung-fu and blaxploitation movies at the New Beverly Cinema. At the showing of Black Fist, the star, Richard Lawson, unexpectedly showed up to watch the movie too. He was nice enough to talk about the movie beforehand, and do a Q&A afterward.

Not only are there screenings of older cult classics, but brand new ones as well. Such as Rena Riffel's Showgirls 2: Penny's From Heaven. It's her sequel to the movies Showgirls and Mulholland Dr. (she played secondary characters in both films).  I saw this at Silent Movie Theatre, and it was an absolute riot. Miss Riffel, as far as I can tell, is a comic genius.
Bunny, Rena Riffel, and Coco


Cast members, director, creator, and writers of Community came together at the Saban theater on March 3 as part of something called PaleyFest.
Cast of Community at PalyFest2012
Bunny and I went along with a friend from out of town and it was quite entertaining. We got to watch a brand new episode before the cast came out and spoke about all aspects of being involved with the show. From their rapport onstage, it's easy to see how much fun they must have on set.

Did you watch Revenge on 02/29/2012? The episode is titled Scandal (you can watch online) and I make a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance as a photojournalist.