Hastily I showered and hit the pavement. I had a few blocks before I arrived at the
studio, not worth a taxi but I did not see much of Hollywood. I was on a mission. I hit the security card and quickly showed
him my identification and was directed to the other side of a large concrete
building to a door where there would be a line of people waiting to enter the
show. This is how it works; a lot of people
come to L.A. on vacations and obtain tickets to these shows various ways;
however there are a lot of pretty average Americans and also A LOT of shows
being filmed. The TV companies need to
fill their audience and put good looking/interesting people in front of the
cameras for screen shots when the show is aired, they pay people to do
this. I was selected to be one of those
people and was paid $100 to clap and make crazy noise and look like I was having
fun. I was having fun.
I walked up towards the door and I noticed that there were 2
lines. It was very clear to me that one
line was for ticket holders and the other line was for “paid” help. The line I was to go in was very diverse,
there were hipsters and rock star types, some middle age, well dressed couples
and various “pretty” types. I am really
not sure what category that I fit into, but I felt good so I was on center
stage in my own world. A MTV types with
mouthpieces ushered us into the building and told us to wait as they selected
and paired us into various pairs and selected our seats in various views of the
cameraman. I got a spot directly in front of the stage.
It was not long before a “cheerleader” type guy came out and
shouted a bunch of rules and stuff and instructed us in ways in which we should
react in certain situations throughout the show. Within an announcer came on and introduced “MR.
WAYNE BRADY”. In an instant the Improv
specialist was running out onto the stage and the audience erupted with cheers,
the show wasn't starting Wayne was just coming to work and we were told we
would be filming 2 episodes, on featuring En Vogue, the 90’s Diva’s and another
Famous 80’s singer who was kind of washed up and his daughter, who ended up
singing a duet with her father later and made him look like a fuck-up. Anyhow, I am rambling on here, we were told
what to do and Wayne came around and said hello to us individually before the
first show and thanked us for coming.
Once again the lights went out and Wayne emerged again with
the contestant of the show and the show began.
We all erupted in cheers. It was
hysterical watching the various people who I “knew” were actors being overly
dramatic fools stirring energy in the audience.
I immediately became one of those crazy actors and just went insane
making noise and hooting and hollering throughout the whole act. I was on camera and this was ridiculously fun
and I was going to get paid at the end.
The shows were both a blast, throughout the entire filming
Wayne Brady was very interactive and personable with us all as individuals and
that really made me have a lot more respect for this guy who I already held in
wide regards for his talents in improv. It was at this moment that I decided I
was going to experience L.A. in a way that not many people do. A feeling that I had felt in the past and
as a child had arisen once again in me when the lights and the camera’s turned
on. I was going to live like there was
not tomorrow and this would be some of the most positive moments of my life. The lights went down and we were ushered out
and lined up one by one, I was handed my hundred dollar bill and I headed towards
the sunset, to my temporary home under the stars. It was at this moment that I realize that no
matter how bizarre life was right now, I was grateful.
Thanks for reading on with me and I hope you
continue to read. Like and Share on Facebook TILLY'S
~tilly
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