Previously, on a recent blog post:
...Stephen Colbert... is genuinely nice, and fielded some questions from the audience. Matt got one in:
"Your character is very against books, but there are more of them on your set than any other TV show out there. Why is that?"
Stephen's Answer: ...
...And Now Part Two:
"Well, they look classy, that's why. But Colbert [the character] has only read one of them, and from that one book, only one page."
He walked over to the bookshelf located to the right of his desk and scans the books till he finds the one he spoke of: The Old Man And The Sea. "But when he read it," said Colbert, "he got confused."
It was a funny answer to what, I thought personally, was a clever question. Then the show was getting ready to start. The excitement of the crew and audience was fantastic; it really seemed like everyone wanted to be there and have a good time. Colbert did his normal opening (where he does his "table of contents" with the 4 cameras and such), and the laughs did not stop till we left the studio.
If you did not manage to see it, I do not have a clip to show you of the show (sorry to get your hopes up). But if you go to Comedy Central, I'm sure you can find video clips of it. John Kerry was the guest; he is very tall in person and looks like a living caricature. This time around, he was actually funny without being offensive. Check it out if you get the chance. UPDATE: I found a clip that I can embed, so enjoy it:
While the show was filming the end credits, Colbert walked around the set, and eventually stopped in front of the bookshelf where the books were. He started looking through one of the books, and when the cameras stopped rolling, he began to read from it. I looked for the first paragraph online so that I could post it here, but I cannot find it. Sufficed to say, it was "all you need to know" about the book. It was hilarious, and Matt and I were excited that a question Matt asked prompted something on the show (even if it did not make it to air).
After the show was done, Matt and I with his two friends went out to the lobby, and I needed to go to the bathroom, so I waited in line. While I was there, I chatted with the bodyguard to learn more about him and his job. He had some cool stuff to say, but nothing cool enough for me to write in this post. The cool stuff started happening after I went into the bathroom.
I did my business and walked out, and the audience coordinator, Mark (who I had chatted up when we first arrived) walked out of the studio doors. I don't know what came over me, but I went up to him and asked him if I could talk to him about himself and working on the show. He seemed more than happy to talk with me.
Now I bet a million people ask him if they can get a job at The Colbert Report, and I was not going to be the next. I simply asked him about how long he had been doing his job, and specially, how he got started in the TV business. I also asked for some advice on getting started in thr Biz, and especially on a show like The Colbert Report.
The great thing about all of this was that Mark actually seemed interested in talking with me and answering my questions, instead of brushing me off. He was very nice to me, and for that I am appreciative. I mentioned that I knew Marc Summers, and that's where things really went going. I won't get into all of it, but let's just say that Mark & Marc have a friend in common (so he says), and has been trying to contact Marc for a while now.
You'd think it would be over after that. And it was.
Until...
A couple was standing outside the studio hoping to get an autograph of Stephen Colbert, and Mark was trying to help them. I didn't want to intrude, but I had to know if I could get one as well. Mark asked if I had anything for him to sign; of course I did not. He said "Stay here, I'll be right back." He came back 5 minutes later and told me that he could not find Stephen, but instead he gave me the address of the studio and told me to send him an item that I wanted Stephen to sign, and he would get it for me. I was floored. Here is a guy who owes me jack, who has never met me prior to today, and frankly doesn't have to have anything to do with me, and yet he is being so nice and accommodating. I could not thank him enough. Now, I know that not everyone that I will meet will welcome me with open arms and ears, but I certainly will not forget the ones who were/are nice to me, such as Marc Summers, Mark from The Colbert Report, and Liz Walker (Local newscaster here in Boston and mother of one my best friends, Nik). I hope to add to the list soon.
I have bought my tickets for LA, and my flight leaves on Wednesday at 6:20AM. I have commandeered a digital camera for the trip, so I'll be posting pictures as the week goes along.
My 21st Birthday, by the way, was fine. I worked all day at both jobs, and the the managers from TOMB took me to the local bar and bought me a shot of tequila and a glass of Magic Hat #9. I was a little tipsy when I was all done, but I made it home safely, and now I know my limits (even though I knew them beforehand).
Ok, The trip is in a little more than 24 hours. Time to get ready. a $600-$700 trip for only $234. Not too bad if I may say so myself...
(PS: Happy 17th Birthday, Jean. Don't do anything stupid...)
Monday, April 30, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
My Big Fat Haitian-American Post: Part One
A lot has transpired in the last week or so. I was going to post a few hours from now, but somebody woke me up (Kayte), and somebody has been insistent that I update (Kayte), and I cannot fall back asleep, so I'll do a post and then get ready to go out.
I was going to do a huge post on The Colbert Report, but instead I'll just do a big one in parts:
Part One
Matt, his friend Aurelien, and I took the 9AM Greyhound bus to NYC... at 10AM because the line was so long. When we arrived, we did a little walking around, and Matt and I went off to Union Square to see Nik (one of my closest friends), while Aurelien went to see his friend. Later, we met up at the studio with Aurelien and his friend, Liat, and I started to talk with the Audience Coordinator while standing in line. I'm not really sure why I started talking to him; it could have been the fact that he just seemed like a personally guy (which I guess you have to be if you are going to work that closely with people). Regardless, he seemed happy to talk with me. We entered into a little lobby area and struck it up with one of the bouncers, who was funny and a bit awkward at the same time.
We got into the studio and sat down in some great seats. Some 90s rock music was playing and we were jamming to it. Then a comedian came out and warmed the crown for about 45 minutes. He actually was not that bad.
Skip ahead to when Stephen Colbert finally comes out. He runs out and all of us are excited. And I have to say, the Colbert you see on TV (which we all know is a character) and the real Colbert are A: completely different and B: completely hilarious. He really is genuinely nice, and fielded some questions from the audience. Matt got one in:
"Your character is very against books, but there are more of them on your set than any other TV show out there. Why is that?"
Stephen's Answer:
...Will be revealed in an upcoming post. Stayed Tuned, Nation.
I was going to do a huge post on The Colbert Report, but instead I'll just do a big one in parts:
Part One
Matt, his friend Aurelien, and I took the 9AM Greyhound bus to NYC... at 10AM because the line was so long. When we arrived, we did a little walking around, and Matt and I went off to Union Square to see Nik (one of my closest friends), while Aurelien went to see his friend. Later, we met up at the studio with Aurelien and his friend, Liat, and I started to talk with the Audience Coordinator while standing in line. I'm not really sure why I started talking to him; it could have been the fact that he just seemed like a personally guy (which I guess you have to be if you are going to work that closely with people). Regardless, he seemed happy to talk with me. We entered into a little lobby area and struck it up with one of the bouncers, who was funny and a bit awkward at the same time.
We got into the studio and sat down in some great seats. Some 90s rock music was playing and we were jamming to it. Then a comedian came out and warmed the crown for about 45 minutes. He actually was not that bad.
Skip ahead to when Stephen Colbert finally comes out. He runs out and all of us are excited. And I have to say, the Colbert you see on TV (which we all know is a character) and the real Colbert are A: completely different and B: completely hilarious. He really is genuinely nice, and fielded some questions from the audience. Matt got one in:
"Your character is very against books, but there are more of them on your set than any other TV show out there. Why is that?"
Stephen's Answer:
...Will be revealed in an upcoming post. Stayed Tuned, Nation.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Coming Up Next...
My 21st Birthday was yesterday, and boy, what a day it was. I'll tell you more about it.
Later today. Right now, I've seriously got to get some sleep. But I promise that I will tell you all about it. For real.
Later today. Right now, I've seriously got to get some sleep. But I promise that I will tell you all about it. For real.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Sadness & Reflections
Last Friday and Saturday was the wake and funeral of my grandfather, Luc Gerad Occenat. He was 79 years old. I had posted on Facebook where it would be located.
Our family arrived at 6PM. My brother was the only one who did not come; his reason was that is that he doesn't like wakes because they are too intense for him. He makes his own choices, and I am not criticizing his reasons for not going to wakes (they are valid and I understand him), but I was just a bit upset that he did not go to his grandfather's wake. Granted, he did not know him for a long time, but my mother really wanted him to be there, and he was not. That just made me upset at him. Not to mention that she was really upset at him too.
The funeral home had sectioned off a room for us, which was hidden by a partition. They pulled it back, as if they were showing what prize was behind the curtain. It was my grandfather in a very nice coffin, with bouquets of flowers surrounding it. The moment that they pulled it aside, my mother and my aunt burst into tears. They began wailing and crying, typical of Haitian funerals. I thought I was prepared for it, and I was mostly, but not completely. It truly showed me how much they cared for their father.
People started coming in to pay their respects. Earlier in the day, Luke (my manager at TOMB) called me and wanted to know the address of where I would be, cause he wanted to stop by. He did come... along with Joe (one of the assistant managers). I was happy to see both of them, but I was a bit more excited to see Luke than Joe. They stayed with me for about 20 minutes, and met my mother, who was a wreck. Normally, I would be embarrassed to have people from work around my dysfunctional family, but I realized that this is a part of life, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about. They let me know that I could take all the time that I needed. It won't be for super long, but I am not working this weekend as to attempt to spend some time with my mother, which is something that I would really love to do.
More people showed up as the night went on. Frisky and his family came with about 1 hour to go, and just in time as well, as had not eaten a single thing, and I really needed to take a breather. So Frisky, his brother Michael, and I went down the street to the food court at the nearby mall to get some food and talk. We had left just as the pastor (who, by the way, was 2 hours late because "he had to find his pants" [bullcrap]) started the session It was so nice to have them around. We returned to find that the prayer session had ended, and people were stating to leave. So I said my goodbyes and we prepared to leave to go home, gearing up for tomorrow.
There was only one point when I actually shed some tears. about 40 minutes after we arrived, and as people were chatting about things and stuff (I had no idea), I had walked up to the coffin and just stood there, looking at the arrangement and my grandfather. I could have sworn that I saw him breathe a few times, but I knew better. "Father," "Grandfather," "Husband," and "Friend" were some of the ribbons that adorned the bouquet. I was just doing a lot of thinking:
What was his life like? Did he suffer when he died? He will never be able to move or speak again? He was 79? My mother is only 49. That give her 30 years. 30 years to show her how much of a success I can be. And what about the rest of my family and friends? How old are they? How long do they have? Will this be my mother soon?
These were some of the many thoughts that ran through my head during the 15 minutes
I stood there. One of my mother's friends asked me to sit down because I was standing there for so long, so I did. But when I did, I started to cry a little. In my mind, all that I could think about was the fact that I had less than 30 years with my mother and father, which made me very upset for some reason. I thought that soon it would be them in the coffin and me sobbing. I just could not handle it. I only cried for about 8 minutes or so, but it's something that I would not forget.
Saturday was an early day, as I woke up at 5:30AM to get ready. Nothing exciting about that, mind you.
We got dressed, and went to go pick up my aunt and cousins and wait for the limo. I rode in the back with my mother and my brother, while the front of the limo housed the rest of my family. It was a nice ride, filled with a few jokes and laughs. But those ended when we arrived to the church.
Once again, when my mother and aunt walked in, they saw his body there and began to cry. Now one thing that I should mention is that unlike most other funerals I've been to, Haitian funerals tend to be very vocal and emotional. And by "very," I mean "super." It's important that people be allowed to express how they feel. I'll skip through most of the funeral, but some of the "highlights" were:
Although this was a very sad occasion, it was a reminder of how much love there actually is in the world. One of the most important people in my life is my family. I love them all (although sometimes I don't show it), and they have always been there for me. My friends are also very important to me. I rarely use the word "love," only because it is a powerful word that should not be thrown around. But I truly love all of my friends who have been there for me throughout my life. If there is one thing that I would want you to take away from this post it would be the following: Tell the ones you love that you love them before they are gone.
Our family arrived at 6PM. My brother was the only one who did not come; his reason was that is that he doesn't like wakes because they are too intense for him. He makes his own choices, and I am not criticizing his reasons for not going to wakes (they are valid and I understand him), but I was just a bit upset that he did not go to his grandfather's wake. Granted, he did not know him for a long time, but my mother really wanted him to be there, and he was not. That just made me upset at him. Not to mention that she was really upset at him too.
The funeral home had sectioned off a room for us, which was hidden by a partition. They pulled it back, as if they were showing what prize was behind the curtain. It was my grandfather in a very nice coffin, with bouquets of flowers surrounding it. The moment that they pulled it aside, my mother and my aunt burst into tears. They began wailing and crying, typical of Haitian funerals. I thought I was prepared for it, and I was mostly, but not completely. It truly showed me how much they cared for their father.
People started coming in to pay their respects. Earlier in the day, Luke (my manager at TOMB) called me and wanted to know the address of where I would be, cause he wanted to stop by. He did come... along with Joe (one of the assistant managers). I was happy to see both of them, but I was a bit more excited to see Luke than Joe. They stayed with me for about 20 minutes, and met my mother, who was a wreck. Normally, I would be embarrassed to have people from work around my dysfunctional family, but I realized that this is a part of life, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about. They let me know that I could take all the time that I needed. It won't be for super long, but I am not working this weekend as to attempt to spend some time with my mother, which is something that I would really love to do.
More people showed up as the night went on. Frisky and his family came with about 1 hour to go, and just in time as well, as had not eaten a single thing, and I really needed to take a breather. So Frisky, his brother Michael, and I went down the street to the food court at the nearby mall to get some food and talk. We had left just as the pastor (who, by the way, was 2 hours late because "he had to find his pants" [bullcrap]) started the session It was so nice to have them around. We returned to find that the prayer session had ended, and people were stating to leave. So I said my goodbyes and we prepared to leave to go home, gearing up for tomorrow.
There was only one point when I actually shed some tears. about 40 minutes after we arrived, and as people were chatting about things and stuff (I had no idea), I had walked up to the coffin and just stood there, looking at the arrangement and my grandfather. I could have sworn that I saw him breathe a few times, but I knew better. "Father," "Grandfather," "Husband," and "Friend" were some of the ribbons that adorned the bouquet. I was just doing a lot of thinking:
What was his life like? Did he suffer when he died? He will never be able to move or speak again? He was 79? My mother is only 49. That give her 30 years. 30 years to show her how much of a success I can be. And what about the rest of my family and friends? How old are they? How long do they have? Will this be my mother soon?
These were some of the many thoughts that ran through my head during the 15 minutes
I stood there. One of my mother's friends asked me to sit down because I was standing there for so long, so I did. But when I did, I started to cry a little. In my mind, all that I could think about was the fact that I had less than 30 years with my mother and father, which made me very upset for some reason. I thought that soon it would be them in the coffin and me sobbing. I just could not handle it. I only cried for about 8 minutes or so, but it's something that I would not forget.
Saturday was an early day, as I woke up at 5:30AM to get ready. Nothing exciting about that, mind you.
We got dressed, and went to go pick up my aunt and cousins and wait for the limo. I rode in the back with my mother and my brother, while the front of the limo housed the rest of my family. It was a nice ride, filled with a few jokes and laughs. But those ended when we arrived to the church.
Once again, when my mother and aunt walked in, they saw his body there and began to cry. Now one thing that I should mention is that unlike most other funerals I've been to, Haitian funerals tend to be very vocal and emotional. And by "very," I mean "super." It's important that people be allowed to express how they feel. I'll skip through most of the funeral, but some of the "highlights" were:
- Me hyperventilating about midway through the service
- Jean refusing to carry the coffin out to the hearse, but then changing his mind
- My mother passing out
- My aunt having to be restrained
- My cousin Sophia reading a very well written piece about my grandfather
- Me learning that my grandfather had 6 kids: 3 daughters (all from the same mother), and 3 sons (from 3 different women). Yeah, that's where I get my woman skills from...
Although this was a very sad occasion, it was a reminder of how much love there actually is in the world. One of the most important people in my life is my family. I love them all (although sometimes I don't show it), and they have always been there for me. My friends are also very important to me. I rarely use the word "love," only because it is a powerful word that should not be thrown around. But I truly love all of my friends who have been there for me throughout my life. If there is one thing that I would want you to take away from this post it would be the following: Tell the ones you love that you love them before they are gone.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
A Series Of Unfortunate/Fortunate Events
This has been a very eventful weekend, filled with a series of emotions. So many, in fact, that I have to do a few different posts. Let's begin. (You'll have to read them all for it to make sense.)
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Remembering The Best Of The Past & Anticipating The Greatness Of The Future
First, some bad news. On Easter Sunday, my grandfather passed away. It was expected, but a but unexpected cause it was Easter and there was a whole dinner planned, which obviously got canceled. My aunt and cousin stayed over out house last night, and although it was very sad, we were happy he was not in pain anymore.
I'm most worried about my mother, who I know is taking it very hard, and will show it more and more as the funeral gets closer. She is a stong woman, and I love her very much. She has never given up on me, just like she has never given up on her parents. She fought for years to get them from Haiti to the States and she succeeded. I am proud of her and I know she will be ok.
The wake is this Friday and the burial is on Saturday. I'll post more as the info becomes available.
But one silver lining is that all of our good family friends are stopping by and paying their respects. It's nice to see people that knew me when I was very little. People have been supportive. I was hanging out with Frisky when I got the call from my brother, and he was so nice and supportive. I called Kayte, Rohan, Jon, Sutton, and Droste that night (in that order, so Kayte, if you are reading, and I know you are, that's right, I called you first). All of them either picked up or called me back. Others are being contacted during this week. I may also post it as My Status on Facebook. But this is a thank you to all of my friends. This week will be hard for me, but I'm glad I have friends to support me. That aside...
I'll be buying my tickets for LA either tonight or tomorrow, but I found some for about $280 round trip. Everyone seems surprised that I got them for cheap. My bank teller got tickets for about $700. I guess I got lucky. But I cannot take all of the credit. My friends helped me with some tips and such.
Dan asked me if I wanted to drive a car to Connecticut to a friend of his (who owns the car) instead of taking a plane back. I said that I would think about it. And I have. and I don't think I can do it. I'm not the most comfortable driving cross-country all alone for 4 days. It sounds like it would be a phenomenal experience, but also my mother doesn't want me to do it; she's afraid that I may get hurt or something, which is legit, and she is going through a lot already, so airplane food it is.
Along with getting my pants tailored today, I stopped by Newton North High School in order to go drop off a present to my great friend Adam Brown, the director of Theatre Ink, the theater program there. It was a birthday gift, cause I distinctively remember his birthday being on April 9th. Well, it's on April 5. But that was ok, cause he liked the gesture and seemed a bit surprised too. I got him a $10 gift card at Indulge, a candy shop right down the street from me. We caught up what was going on in our lives, and he even gave me a ride home, which I enjoyed very much (he used to give me rides after school while I was a student a North). I was so glad I stopped by. He is an influential part of who I have become.
LA is going to be so much fun. I'm so excited to hang with Milano, and even more excited to see the sights and sounds. And also meet people in the business. One of the guys I wish I could meet is Johnny Olsen. He was the voice of a lot of TV shows, but I know him from The Price Is Right. This video is of him warming up the crowd. Actually, it's audio of him warming up the crowd; the video is just filler of Bob Barker walking out onto the set hundreds of times. But this is so fantastic to listen to. So enjoy it. I really want to go to a taping. (BTW, the audio has been edited down to about 4 minutes; according to the user, it lasts about 15 minutes.)
[clip provided by user "halflip876"]
The next clip is one that should have been posted about 10 days ago. Try to figure out why before the clip ends.
[clip posted by user "RandomManA"]
The last clip is a nice compilation of some of the funniest events that have happened on The Price Is Right as compiled by a YouTube user. I really enjoyed it, and it showcases some of the reasons why Bob Barker is one of the best hosts this genre of television has ever been blessed with.
[clip provided by user "halflip876"]
In the coming days, I'll be highlighting some of my favorite game show hosts on this blog, hopefully including some video along with it. These are the folks that I admire and have inspired me to go for my dream.
It is time for me to go to bed. But I would once again like to thank everyone who has been, and will be, very supportive during this time. It is you guys that keep me going. To my close friends, my girlfriend, and my colleagues, I say thank you. To those I've forgotten to mention, you are not forgotten.
Goodnight.
I'm most worried about my mother, who I know is taking it very hard, and will show it more and more as the funeral gets closer. She is a stong woman, and I love her very much. She has never given up on me, just like she has never given up on her parents. She fought for years to get them from Haiti to the States and she succeeded. I am proud of her and I know she will be ok.
The wake is this Friday and the burial is on Saturday. I'll post more as the info becomes available.
But one silver lining is that all of our good family friends are stopping by and paying their respects. It's nice to see people that knew me when I was very little. People have been supportive. I was hanging out with Frisky when I got the call from my brother, and he was so nice and supportive. I called Kayte, Rohan, Jon, Sutton, and Droste that night (in that order, so Kayte, if you are reading, and I know you are, that's right, I called you first). All of them either picked up or called me back. Others are being contacted during this week. I may also post it as My Status on Facebook. But this is a thank you to all of my friends. This week will be hard for me, but I'm glad I have friends to support me. That aside...
I'll be buying my tickets for LA either tonight or tomorrow, but I found some for about $280 round trip. Everyone seems surprised that I got them for cheap. My bank teller got tickets for about $700. I guess I got lucky. But I cannot take all of the credit. My friends helped me with some tips and such.
Dan asked me if I wanted to drive a car to Connecticut to a friend of his (who owns the car) instead of taking a plane back. I said that I would think about it. And I have. and I don't think I can do it. I'm not the most comfortable driving cross-country all alone for 4 days. It sounds like it would be a phenomenal experience, but also my mother doesn't want me to do it; she's afraid that I may get hurt or something, which is legit, and she is going through a lot already, so airplane food it is.
Along with getting my pants tailored today, I stopped by Newton North High School in order to go drop off a present to my great friend Adam Brown, the director of Theatre Ink, the theater program there. It was a birthday gift, cause I distinctively remember his birthday being on April 9th. Well, it's on April 5. But that was ok, cause he liked the gesture and seemed a bit surprised too. I got him a $10 gift card at Indulge, a candy shop right down the street from me. We caught up what was going on in our lives, and he even gave me a ride home, which I enjoyed very much (he used to give me rides after school while I was a student a North). I was so glad I stopped by. He is an influential part of who I have become.
LA is going to be so much fun. I'm so excited to hang with Milano, and even more excited to see the sights and sounds. And also meet people in the business. One of the guys I wish I could meet is Johnny Olsen. He was the voice of a lot of TV shows, but I know him from The Price Is Right. This video is of him warming up the crowd. Actually, it's audio of him warming up the crowd; the video is just filler of Bob Barker walking out onto the set hundreds of times. But this is so fantastic to listen to. So enjoy it. I really want to go to a taping. (BTW, the audio has been edited down to about 4 minutes; according to the user, it lasts about 15 minutes.)
[clip provided by user "halflip876"]
The next clip is one that should have been posted about 10 days ago. Try to figure out why before the clip ends.
[clip posted by user "RandomManA"]
The last clip is a nice compilation of some of the funniest events that have happened on The Price Is Right as compiled by a YouTube user. I really enjoyed it, and it showcases some of the reasons why Bob Barker is one of the best hosts this genre of television has ever been blessed with.
[clip provided by user "halflip876"]
In the coming days, I'll be highlighting some of my favorite game show hosts on this blog, hopefully including some video along with it. These are the folks that I admire and have inspired me to go for my dream.
It is time for me to go to bed. But I would once again like to thank everyone who has been, and will be, very supportive during this time. It is you guys that keep me going. To my close friends, my girlfriend, and my colleagues, I say thank you. To those I've forgotten to mention, you are not forgotten.
Goodnight.
Friday, April 6, 2007
The Time Is Approaching...
I'm currently sitting at the front desk at Wheelock typing in my blog because there is basically nothing to do at this moment. I've been writing on people's Facebook Walls for about half an hour and I want to continue writing.
I was finally able to get a strong hold one one of the word games I've been struggling with for about a week now. Thanks to some help from Megan, I was content enough to put it aside for a few days and relax, knowing that I have a solid list of games under my belt. It's a game about cliches and commonly used phrases, with the goal of communicating them to your partner. The players will use a variety of ways to get their point across, and I hope it will be humorous as well as a bit challenging.
The search for a replacement for Bob Barker is apparently narrowing down to a few. I'm still pulling for John O' Hurley, the current host of Family Feud, but rumor has it that "tanned-wonder" George Hamilton and former Dancing With The Stars runner up Mario Lopez are front runners. I'm not too sure of how I feel about this. I wonder if they will be able to keep the same audience that Mr. Barker has kept for the past 35 years on The Price Is Right. Attracting a new audience would be great as well. The important thing is that, no matter who ends up the new host, that the feel and love of the game does not dissipate.
The Search For A New TPIR Host [Yahoo.com]
My mother has said that she will pay for my ticket to LA. I am very happy about this, but at the same time I wish I could do it, cause this trip is at my expense and not my mother's. So, rather then find the nicest flight I can, I'm searching for the cheapest flight/bus/train, no matter how long the ride is.
Within the next two weeks, I must test every single game that I am bringing to LA, make a portfolio of them, and finish my financial aid form for Emerson. Seems like a lot of work, and it is. But I've got to get it done, no matter what the costs.
Being a game show host is a tough job. You must be able to keep the game going at a nice pace, keep everyone entertained, and be able to facilitate with ease. Being a game show contestant is also hard as well as nerve-racking. Try being both. The following clip is from The $25,000 Pyramid, which is usually associated with Dick Clark, but is hosted by game show legend Bill Cullen. Dick Clark did host another version of the game. Here he is in the Winner's Circle, the place where contestants vie for the big cash. There are two Winner's Circle games in this clip, and this demonstrates how hard it is to play a game that you host. But as you will see, Clark does it with finesse. (The clip quality is less-than-stellar, but the essence is there)
[Clip is from pageoclips.com (where you can see many other great clips)]
I was finally able to get a strong hold one one of the word games I've been struggling with for about a week now. Thanks to some help from Megan, I was content enough to put it aside for a few days and relax, knowing that I have a solid list of games under my belt. It's a game about cliches and commonly used phrases, with the goal of communicating them to your partner. The players will use a variety of ways to get their point across, and I hope it will be humorous as well as a bit challenging.
The search for a replacement for Bob Barker is apparently narrowing down to a few. I'm still pulling for John O' Hurley, the current host of Family Feud, but rumor has it that "tanned-wonder" George Hamilton and former Dancing With The Stars runner up Mario Lopez are front runners. I'm not too sure of how I feel about this. I wonder if they will be able to keep the same audience that Mr. Barker has kept for the past 35 years on The Price Is Right. Attracting a new audience would be great as well. The important thing is that, no matter who ends up the new host, that the feel and love of the game does not dissipate.
The Search For A New TPIR Host [Yahoo.com]
My mother has said that she will pay for my ticket to LA. I am very happy about this, but at the same time I wish I could do it, cause this trip is at my expense and not my mother's. So, rather then find the nicest flight I can, I'm searching for the cheapest flight/bus/train, no matter how long the ride is.
Within the next two weeks, I must test every single game that I am bringing to LA, make a portfolio of them, and finish my financial aid form for Emerson. Seems like a lot of work, and it is. But I've got to get it done, no matter what the costs.
Being a game show host is a tough job. You must be able to keep the game going at a nice pace, keep everyone entertained, and be able to facilitate with ease. Being a game show contestant is also hard as well as nerve-racking. Try being both. The following clip is from The $25,000 Pyramid, which is usually associated with Dick Clark, but is hosted by game show legend Bill Cullen. Dick Clark did host another version of the game. Here he is in the Winner's Circle, the place where contestants vie for the big cash. There are two Winner's Circle games in this clip, and this demonstrates how hard it is to play a game that you host. But as you will see, Clark does it with finesse. (The clip quality is less-than-stellar, but the essence is there)
[Clip is from pageoclips.com (where you can see many other great clips)]
Monday, April 2, 2007
Drunk On Perfection
This post has nothing to do with game shows, but I thought that it was blog worthy before I go to bed.
I just got home from karaoke night with the TOMB folk, and it was very entertaining. There was a lot of singing, and much more drinking. A bit of groping as well by some folks.
That's really all I have to say about it now.
Also, my ex-girlfriend Esther was the subject of a front page New York Times article about her senior year at Newton North High School, where i graduated from. I really don't know how I feel about it yet, so I'll post the link here:
For Girls, It's Be Yourself and Be Perfect, Too [NYT]
There has also been A LOT of backlash and many people think that Esther and the NYT is full of shit. Here is one blog site (pay close attention to the comments at the end):
The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Safety School [Gawker.com]
Make of it what you will.
Time for a nap before I have to do a ton of work.
I just got home from karaoke night with the TOMB folk, and it was very entertaining. There was a lot of singing, and much more drinking. A bit of groping as well by some folks.
That's really all I have to say about it now.
Also, my ex-girlfriend Esther was the subject of a front page New York Times article about her senior year at Newton North High School, where i graduated from. I really don't know how I feel about it yet, so I'll post the link here:
For Girls, It's Be Yourself and Be Perfect, Too [NYT]
There has also been A LOT of backlash and many people think that Esther and the NYT is full of shit. Here is one blog site (pay close attention to the comments at the end):
The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Safety School [Gawker.com]
Make of it what you will.
Time for a nap before I have to do a ton of work.
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