May 2, 2004
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DOH! Speak of the Devil!
I guess the TV/Film Gods didn’t like me revealing all that stuff about commercial residuals and such because a few days ago I received these two letters in the mail on the same day. One said:
Dell Computers- “Boot Camp”
Effective as of April 20,2004 or at the end of current cycle, the above commercial in which your services are utilized, is being withdrawn from use. Please be advised that this withdrawl notice only covers this commercial; it does not release you from contractual obligations with regard to other commercial advertising the same or other products of service of this advertiser, its subsidiaries or affiliates.
And the other letter said:
State Farm Insurance –“New Car/Old Stuff”
An examination of the above commercial in its final form reveals that you have been downgraded. Therefore in accordance with the provision in the applicable union contract a check will be forwarded to you from Talent Partners in the amount of an additional base pay or session fee, whichever is applicable.
The State Farm commercial they’re referring to is the one where they let me go because they thought I looked too young when I got on set. ”An examination of the above commercial in its final form reveals that you have been downgraded” – Um, yeah. I was fired before I could even get in front of a camera, so I’d say it’d be pretty hard for me to actually BE IN the commercial at all, dontchathink? But it’s cool they’re tossing in another session fee for free–someone over there must’ve been feeling hella guilty about hiring and then firing me in less than 12 hours.
And for those of you that were up in a fit that I was in a Dell commercial, we’ll now one’s gone.
They send you these letters so that you can audition again for those products. If you book a Budweiser commercial, you have a “Alcoholic Beverage” conflict and can’t do another one for Coors until your commerical is over. For example, I still can’t audition for other “Computer” competitors like Compaq because I still have one more Dell running. However I no longer have a “Insurance Company” conflict.
Whew. Two commercials terminationed in one day. And from one that I got fired from…again. You can’t even make this stuff up, folks. Didn’t I tell you it’s fleeting? Well, I’ve got one more up the sleeve and hopefully you’ll still see my smiling mug selling camcorders for Circuit City come the end of the month. And then all the “Why are you in a Circuit City commerical” mail will start flooding in…sigh, you can’t please everyone right?
Comments (30)
aww, i know everything will get better. =]
aww… that’s okay, you’ll be up and running again in no time! your boyish good-looks and your charm will win people over! Hehe, I used to work at circuit city… anyways, you should come to an island that no one knows you and everyone is friendly and charming. I suggest Hawaii! Then you can pretend it’s an island all your own! *Winks* Hehe, take care!!!
~*Sheila*~
Dear Mr. Shen,
I am a huge fan of BLT, i bet you can tell through my xanga profile pic. Also, one of my buddies is your website designer.
But I always had three questions – one about the movie, one about you, and the other just about Asian Americans that I wanted a prominent Asian American to answer.
1. does virgil die?
2. did you get also get a lot of girls before you became an actor? The latter is a question my friends and I have wondered
3. Do you feel that Asian American are still underrepresented and is Asian American activism in vain?
Thanks
can’t wait to see you in your new projects
hahahahaha parry shen is the man
guess u’ll have to save up till u find another gig or something
good job with all the sucess man. for an old fart, you look pretty young hahah. hopefully, you won’t take all the commercial gig away from me. peach out bro!
its okay parry! just keep on truckin!
wow am i actually one of the top 10?! holy! lol… well i didnt really understand what those letters to you meant… considering all the big words like… subsudsubsidaries wutever lol… i always wondered if any of those commercial people like it when you tell wut happens and ish… hahaha… well atleast you can make a new insurance commercial?
i just wanted to say that your writing style makes your entries very enjoyable to read…. i bet your screenplays have lots of great, witty dialogue…. speaking as a fellow teacher I have to say that writing is one of those things that’s becoming a lost art, so I always notice when someone writes with a distinct and enjoyable style…
curse the TV/Film gods. but like you said, you still have other commericals. just keep doing your thing and i hope to see that movie of yours soon.
fuck white boys. Its time for revolution
Good luck with the CC gig. Don’t let the hatertalk bring you down. They all seem to be armchair quarterbacks trying to dictate what you should and shouldn’t do.
Now if they start criticizing your acting style…
how about a reality show?
thanks for letting us in on a few tidbits of the entertainment business at your expense. what do you plan on doing if your acting career backfires? love how you’re down-to-earth, like you’re one of us. hey, here’s a word to describe you:
piquant (pknt, -känt, p-känt), adj. – Charming, interesting, and attractive.
lol
I guess not!
= Psh…who wants to work for that INSURANCE COMPANY ANYWAY?? They missed out on a great actor/ commercial dude.
Hey Parry!
This is Tom. I met you yesterday at the CAPA Festival held in Union Square. I was the guy wearing the University of Virginia Law School shirt.
I’m trying to figure out how to upload the picture of you and Julia onto my xanga page. As you can see, my page is currently empty!
Just wanted to thank you for being so gracious. Best of luck in the future!
Tom Wang
sorry to hear of your downgrading. i’m organizing boycotts in new york!
you’re going to be in a circuit city commercial?! man you disappoint me shen how very disappointing my disappointment knows no end boo i say boo-urns anyway it was cool meeting you at that asian heritage festival your hair was wild and fiery like you passion for the asian community seriously man comb your hair. you know i’m joking right? ok just making sure so you don’t cry yourself to sleep keep up the good work mr. shen!
Dell, Circuit City… Asian…. hmmm. I think I see a pattern.
i’m sorry .. that was a bummer. i can’t wait for the circuit city one. again, crazy. i’ve learned so much from these past 3 posts.
missjennohx 2:23 PM
SxyAznPrincess88 10:36 PM
ParryShen 10:05 PM
spinksy 5:50 PM
TorontoGirl 9:16 AM
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the film and tv gods shouldn’t have gotten all that mad about it… that’s the same old stuff you hear us non union extras talking about on the sets… i’m sure those film and tv gods just want those commercials to end so that you can score a larger paying gig with one of the conflicting companies.
good luck w/ all that sir
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good luck with the new commercial ^_^
i never got to see that Dell commercial. my lil cousin is always saying “oh your boy was just on tv for Dell”
my luck is just not there is it?!
Parry, since you get a billion of these comments, you may never even read this, but anywhoo…This is Linda from U of I…the water bottle girl from the discussion lead by Andrew
If by chance you read this and want to see pics that you, Sung, and Roger took with some of us, drop by my Xanga. I’m sorry to hear about your Dell commercial withdrawal… If I see your Circuit City commercial, Ipromise not to write you any “Why are you in a Circuit City Commercial” mail 
hey parry everything will work out! i know it will. oh and i love blt!!