The premise involved the cast trying to get on a variety/game show called 'Estrada or Nada' with the host being none other than Eric Estrada.
The casting director cast me as "younger audience / basketball player" Awww...nice to see they still think of me as a young, agile, sports jock type. Ha! Hey, I'll milk it as long as I can! Which reminds me ... 1. Send casting director flowers.
Location was at some random high school in the Valley, and much like the prison scene where I filmed 'Monk', I thought we would be completely separated from the inmates/students. Ohhhhh no, not so lucky I would come to find out.
The first scene called for us standing in line, trying to gain entrance as contestants on this game show, only to be turned away when they reached capacity. I was placed a few people back behind Jason Lee, Jamie Pressley (who does trailer trash like no other in the business I might add) and their other 2 cohorts. I was given 3 juggling pins as I stood in line. Apparently, I looked like I knew my way around a circus??? Well, sorry to disappoint, but I wasn't about to be the cause of numerous takes because it was 6:30 in the morning and I couldn't get my juggling timing down! No sir...those puppies stayed put, tight in my grip.
I stood behind an Elvis and a George Washington, and up ahead in line I saw a real juggler...but only they gave him something entirely different than pins. Raw meat. I mean...how much would somebody have to pay you to juggle raw meat in your hands at 7am? Something to ponder.
Jason Lee loves to improvise, so take after take, he would throw something funny/obscene in that we couldn't use, and the director would yell "cut, going again" and we found ourselves doing this same scene for some time. Just when I thought we finally had it, the school bell school rang and a sea of kids, flooded the school grounds around us.
At first I thought they were just going to their next class, but 5 minutes had passed, then 10 minutes...they were multiplying like Gremlins! "Hey Earl, we love you Earl, say something funny, etc, etc..." School security kept them at bay for the most part and said there was nothing he could do, this was called "Nutrition break" where for 15 minutes students were allowed to break from their demanding learning schedule, and drink some milk or eat a banana.
Sniff...sniff...what's that smell, banana? Nooo...huh, weird...smells sorta like aaaa...well, sorta like a skunk?
30 minutes had passed and finally all students were sufficiently nourished and back in their classes. We proceeded, and a couple takes later they got their shot. A couple hours had passed and we were brought into the auditorium to give some cheers, thumbs up and thumbs down for the game show, as the principles would be filming their stuff separately. That would pretty much conclude my audience work for the day, and it was time to slip into my basketball gear for a little 3 on 3.
Ummm, yeah...I think that lasted all of 3 minutes, as it was just a quick shot of us playing, while the character 'Randy' was playing tetherball. Not to worry, I got a $5 wardrobe bump and we were done for the day...until tomorrow.
The next day consisted of more of the same...audience shots, but only this time the cast would be joining us, as they're characters were able to get on the show. I was pulled aside and asked by the PA if I could work tomorrow as well, but being that I was meeting friends in Vegas the next morning, I turned him down. He asked another guy next to me, who agreed, and he sat him right next to Jason Lee in the audience! No matter, in my mind I had already hit the open desert road, and could all but see the Vegas glow on the horizon.
Any other time though, I would've jumped at the chance. Those are the opportunities you want to take advantage of in this business, because let's just say Jason improvises and happens to asks that guy sitting next to him a question, forcing that actor to reply...he would immediately be eligible to join SAG! It's called the Taft-Hartley act, it exists...but it's rare. It is considered the 'Holy Grail' for all non-union actors.
...and my search continues.
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