Confessions of a Big Loser

Yeeooww!!  I've been informed that there seems to be a bit of heated discussion on my IMDB Message Board: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0791487/board/nest/15095668 (if link not working: www.imdb.com, type: Parry Shen, then scroll to bottom).  All the posts are too long to place here but you should read them for context, it's good stuff (well, maybe not for me).  Here's the first 2 that started it all off: 

This guy gets work in a few movies and then thinks he is the master of acting. He runs his own website. He talks like he is so gifted and knows more than Lee Strasberg or any other scholars out there.  Dude relax, you're just working like a zillion other actors out there. You are a closeted egotistical not very talented actor. - written by "hotspurcutio"

See, Marie?  This is the reason why I'm not a fan of mesages boards--because it can go either way.  But at the same time, it's kinda cool being that fly on the wall and hearing things people normally wouldn't say to your face. 

I agree, this kid sounds like he has a big ego. I know actors have to have some sort of ego, but there's a difference between healthy ego and pretention. How come none of the other actors in BLT has a website? Only Parry Allen Shen. Who in my subjective opinion wasn't even the best part of the movie.  Also just because you're working doesn't mean you are good. Look at Keanu Reeves.

Shen's website is all about him, its about bragging if you read between the lines. This kid is a celebrity wannabe, a star lover, he is NOT an artist. There's a big difference.  Let me go see if Sean Penn or Paul Newman has a website about their daily projects and paychecks.  

But Shen boy sucks. PLain and simple. Noone gives a *beep* about him. Wheres John Cho's website? His website is all about "look at what project I'm working on, look at what star I took a picture with." Look at me on the set!  Please, send that to your mom or grandmother.  Website or not, this Shen kid is a celebrity not an actor/artist. Big difference.  I'm not dissing him for getting work. Good for him, there's ton of more talented actors out there without an agent. But come on Shen boy, relax dude, BLT wasn't all that.

BTW: C Thomas Howell can act circles around Shen.  And as for all these people defending Shen, its actually Shen defending himself. Hilarious!  -written by: "moeeutaw"

I mean there's definitely truth to these posts.  And to tell the honest truth, "hotspurcutio" and "moeeutaw" have hit the nail on the head.  Yes, I am a closeted egomaniac.  A part of me gravitated to this business because I was the quiet guy.  An introvert at the core.  Still am and always will be.  And this business provided me with a medium to have a captive audience.  And I'm sure that factor has definitely found it's way onto my site and journal in some manner.  Most performers get into the business or standup comedy for that very reason-- to replace/mend a socially lacking trait -- otherwise, there's really no need for all that attention.  It's kind of like therapy.   That coupled alongside with my marketing background instincts to promote myself, makes for a potential receipe for a fresh batch of conceit nestled with a narcissistic chewy center.

However, I've been telling stories since I was a kid and love what I do.  It's a "good" hard work, fun as hell and I count my blessings everyday I'm able to make a living at this and not be some slave to a lifeless job baiting my life away.  I'm out there doing it and trying to make it happen everyday (even if it is in tiny films and even if I do "suck") and I don't think that's anything to be ashamed about. 

The site is meant for so many people: (casting, press, fans, aspiring actors and yes... my relatives too.)  But overall, I consider this journal an experiment -- literally seeing the journey of one actor.  So in that respect, I have to tell/show/"brag" about everything in order to tell the full story.  The good (photos with me on set with Jason Priestley) with the bad ("Tru Calling" getting canceled) to even the down-right embarassing (these posts on the IMDB) - no holds barred just as I promised in the left sidebar. 

And moreover, I hope the daily entries might excite readers into doing whatever it is they really want to do in life -- reminding them that they don't always have to play it safe.  The "If I can do it, so can they" psychology at work. 

The journal's goal for aspiring actors is so they can read weekly that there's someone else grinding it out with them everyday with good and bad days.  Not just the glamorous end result of the "job" that you always hear about on "Extra" -- but rather the actual journey it took (the technique, the auditions, the rejection, the booking, working on the set -- wallowing and/or celebrating the highs and lows together, each step of the way). 

Who knows where this is all headed?  It'll be a great Cinderella/rags to riches story if my career skyrockets in the future but if not, it's also a poignant and realistic story of yet another actor that tried his best but never "made it".  Either way, nothing like this has ever been done before because it's going to be publicly documented every step of the way.   

Believe me, I wish Sean Penn and other actors better than me would share their insights--then I could shut up, stop writing mine and read theirs.  Don Cheadle's (www.doncheadle220.com) Zach Braff's (www2.foxsearchlight.com/gardenstate/blog/) sites are pretty decent but there's still literally nothing out there for aspiring actors to learn the things they can't from a classroom.  

Thanks "mvebf" and "shenmarketing" for recognizing and articulating some of that in your posts (although "shenmarketing", you could've picked a better handle--because even I have to admit, it does looks like my own people wrote your post defending me!  You're killin' me here...).  But as "shenmarketing" said, I never claim to know it all, I'm just relaying what works for me.  Whenever I do an entry or teach a class, I always go into it thinking: "Is this something I would've wanted to know when I started out?"  And I can only use the limited number of projects I've done as examples, hence the multiple references to "BLT".   

I think my readers enjoy the clear, no BS format rare in these days of political double-speak and spin doctoring -- so I'm going to continue doing it until more actors like Pacino, Streep and DeNiro have the time and cajones to give back educationally in the same manner.  But until then, you're stuck with me. 

So, my apologizes to anyone else who may have felt the same -- the message isn't meant to be condecending or in a bragging manner-- so don't hate too much because the intentions are good; just trying to make it easier for the next guy/gal.  But on the other hand, a good head deflating's needed every now and then.   

And to show I'll try to work harder on it and am not just posting this in order to have readers rush to my aid and stroke my bruised ego with supporting comments, I'm suspending all comments and eprops for this entry... Damn, I'm awesome. 

The Never-Ending Audition 

AND a special bulletin from TIME Magazine 

On Nov 19th of last year, I wrote an entry about a day when I had four auditons.  I described how I prepped, broke down the scripts, printed out Mapquest directions, etc. -- only to have not booked a single one of those jobs.  http://www.xanga.com/item.aspx?user=ParryShen&tab=weblogs&uid=158163898 

Well, flash foward two months later and last week I had a callback for one the projects.  The callback went even better than the audition due to some great direction from the director having me implement some improvisation.  But... I didn't hear anything for another week.  Until yesterday my agents said that they're going to make an offer by the end of this week. 

Sheesh.  I'm tellin' ya.  I've never been through such a long casting process.  Actually, scratch that.  Justin Lin had me waiting for 4 months after my "BLT" audition before he told me I got the part.  So it just goes to show, you never know when these things will pan through.  

The film's called "Hatchet".  Yes.  Another horror film.  I don't know what it is.  Maybe instead of the Asian C. Thomas Howell, I'm the Asian Jamie Lee Curtis?  The actor in the title role will be played by Kane Hodder (Jason in the "Friday the 13th" films).  However, the film shoots during a really dicey time - Mid-April.  My little girl's due April 29th....I dunno.  We'll have to see what the shooting dates are.    

And to reply to several reader's inquires... Yes, I am very well aware of Hot 97's Tsunami Parody Song.  The reason why I've yet to comment on the topic is that other sites like AngryAsianMan.com and xanga.com/Mike2cents do a much better job of the political scene and are usually where you'd go to look for similar serious issues.  While my site's more of the "casual/light/oh-I-didn't-know-that" fare that I'd like to keep for the folks who tune in.  It's like if all of a sudden, subscribers to People Magazine found a Time Magazine article in it's pages--they'd be like, "Hey, I didn't ask for this".  But always know that, if it's on your mind, chances are it's on mine. 

So for those who don't know, a few weeks ago Hot 97's "Miss Jones in the Morning Show" came up with and aired a little ditty that went a little something like this:

(Sung to "We are the World")

There was a time, when the sun was shining bright
So I went down to the beach to catch me a tan
Then the next thing I knew, a wave 20 feet high
Came and washed your whole country away

And all at once, you can hear the screaming chinks
And no one was saved from the wave
There were Africans drowning, little Chinamen swept away
You can hear God laughing, 'Swim you bitches swim.'

[Chorus]
So now you're screwed, it's the tsunami,
You better run and kiss your ass away, go find your mommy
I just saw her float by, a tree went through her head
And now your children will be sold to child slavery

Some backers of the song claim, "People have a right to speak their minds".  Yeah, but at the same time there's a line of decency and being a human that's been crossed.  Chink and Chinamen jokes, hahaha, whatever-I get it.  But ask the most raunchiest/cutting edge/Chris Rock/in-your-face comedian if they'd ever do a joke about Child Rape... and all you'd find in response is: silence.  Hey, that's what child slavery's all about and what the end of this song implies is oh-so-hilarious. 

Take a listen: http://students.washington.edu/jeesuk/longer_hot97_tsunami.mp3 .  And then sign this: http://www.petitiononline.com/endhate/petition.html.  I'm signature 14177.  So far everybody's voices have been effective since the show's been temporarily suspended.  But keep the pressure up and don't let 'em off the hook!  Their on-air apologies were as lame and empty as a 2 year-old saying "Sorry" and not knowing the reason why.  Miss Jones and her crew even donated a week's salary toward the relief effort as a gesture--but you know what?  Anybody can say that--I need to see actual documentation from the Red Cross!  (Aww, you see?  Now ya'll got me started and I can't stop...this is People Magazine, folks!)  Rapper Jin even released his own song to lash out at the Parody Song and there will be a protest and rally being planned by Councilman John Liu's office in front of the Hot 97 Studio (395 Hudson Street) on Friday, January 28th in NYC.

Here's Jin's anti-MissJones track repeated this morning and they also interviewed Jin himself here. 

Evolution of a Stage Name (and a bad one at that...)

After surfing through my updated website below, several people have asked why I'm sometimes credited as: "Parry Allen" .  It's long story but it fills up an entry I suppose.  *Sigh*, here we go...

In 1997, I booked a lead in this direct-to-video feature called, "Shrieker".  Looking at the cover, you can kinda gather why I wanted to distance my name from the project.  The film itself wasn't horrible but then again, it's not in the "Store" section on my site.  So, for the sake of protecting my "career", I had to come up with a fake stage name.  (The reason for the "quotations" is because it was my first film ever, the term "career" had to be used loosely).

I always liked how Nic Cage came up with his name.  Born Nicholas Coppola, Nic wanted to distance himself from his famous surname.  He was a big comic buff and always liked the character Luke Cage from the comic "Power Man and Iron Fist".  Hence: Nic Cage was born.

I thought, "Hmm, I like comics.  Let's see what I can do":  Parry Parker (Peter Parker)?  Nope.  Parry Wayne (Bruce Wayne)?  Nope.  Parry Kent (Clark Kent)?  Nope.  How about Parry Allen (Barry Allen aka The Flash)?  AND it ryhmed with the original name!  Ah ha!  Genius!!  Hence: Parry Allen was born.  Hmm, just doesn't have the same ring, does it?

Incidentally, "Barry Allen" was the fake FBI name Leo DiCaprio's character used in "Catch Me if You Can" that ultimately led Tom Hanks' character into realizing Leo was just a kid -- but I digress.

But all that is now moot since someone on the IMDB figured out that Parry Shen and Parry Allen was one and the same person --  AND now the name "Parry Allen" will be forever attached onto all my bios out there!

Flash foward 8 years and do you see me changing my name on that SaberTooth Tiger project?  Nope.  'Cuz over those 8 years I've learned one truth and that's: As an Asian American actor, in general, it's almost impossible to do something to hurt your career -- because the general public isn't even paying that much attention to you in the first place.  But unfortunately on the flipside, it's almost impossible to do something to advance your career -- because the general public isn't even paying that much attention to you in the first place.  

So recently, my mantra's been this: Go out -- do whatever you think is right for yourself and let the chips fall where they may.  And all the whilst, have fun doin' it!

Evolution of a Website

My revamped website is up today.  This has been a project that's been in the works for a few months now.

I wanted to streamline my site into something a little more timeless so that I wouldn't have to change it project to project.  I wanted something I could keep the same for a few years while just easily adding in new updates over time.  Clicking the xanga banner above will take you to: www.parryshen.com .

I loved my previous site as well but felt the splash page was dating me project-wise (basketball in hand: homage to my character in "BLT"-btw: that's really me palming the ball, it took forever to get that shot so I'll throw my shoe at anyone who says it was photoshopped).  I also needed more menu options to allocate the content a bit better and make things easier to find.  (Ex: I wanted to separate "Press" clippings away from "Updates"  - before they were all under "News".  And Autograph Info away from the "Photo" section.  Also, the photo with me in the blue shirt has become my signature shot that I use for all publicity and headshots.  You can view my previous site here: http://bloopie.com/dave/parryshen/ .

This site even predates the one above.  Again, nothing wrong with this one either.    Still clean and simple the way I like it but as I booked more and more roles, I garnered more attention and fans.

So now, I had to take into consideration stuff I didn't have to before like: FAQ's, Autograph Info, Speaking Enragement info, Store info, etc.

When someone first suggested to have a website done, I was really hesitant and felt it was just too self serving.  I always responded, " I'd rather a really enthusiastic fan come up with one instead." 

But honestly, it has been the best thing ever to handle the business side of things.  Even if I do look like a narcissistic bastard.  

For press inquires:  "We need a bio."  A: Check my Website.  "We need a photo."  A: Check my Website.  "What are you doing next?"  A: Check my Website. 

For Industry folks: "How can we get in contact with you or your agent?"  A: Check my Website.

For Programming inquires: "Can you come speak at my college?"  A: Check my Website. 

And for the question I get asked at least once a week: "How do I get into the Business?"  A: Check my Website, Faq answers #1 and #2. 

It may seem a clinical way of doing things but it's always been my mindset to run your career as you would a business.  This way it's the most expedient and efficient way for as many people to get what they need from Parry Shen, INC. -- leaving me with more time to do what I'm here to do in the first place: Act.

I've recently expanded the mention of my site on my headshots, so that producers/directors can now view my demo reel online as well (to be added next month).  But with that said, it was vital to keep my site looking that much more professional. 

Most agencies forbid actors to put their websites on their headshots or resumes for that very reason - they look unprofessional.  They have links to their friends/favorite sites, cussing, inappropriate photos or just look very amatuerish. 

The tricky issue I had to deal with on my site was that I also wanted to infuse my personality for the fans that visited the site.  So I "hid" stuff like this journal under "Updates" and didn't make it an obvious menu option when you first visit the site.  This way, only the true fans/supporters would be rewarded for their "digging" while also keeping it professional-looking at a glance. 

So if you do have a site created for yourself as an actor, it helps to think:  "Would a business like Proctor & Gamble have something like this on their site?"  If not, then yours probably shouldn't either.  Something even as simple as this is great: www.eddiemui.com .  Straight, simple, to the point and looks put together. 

Thanks to all those who have contributed in any fashion to my sites: (Vic Chao-for suggesting it in the first place, Dennis Amith-Site #1, Dave Liu-Site #2, Linda Lee-for your input, Amy Yip and Cat-Site #3)     

The Right Stuff

I've been meaning to state this for the record weeks ago and with Teri Hatcher's Golden Globe win yesterday, I thought now would be the perfect time:  Teri Hatcher totally deserves the success she's been having with "Desperate Housewives".

As a TV/Film sponge, I've been keeping tabs on Teri's career since I was a teenager.  And following her gigs for the past 20 years, I've always felt that I experienced all her career 's and 's with her.   I got excited for her when a project could take her to the next level and winced for her when projects tanked.  And instead of being chalked up as another pretty face whose 15 minutes came and went, she always stuck with it and kept chipping away.

I first noticed her in 1986 when she played a mermaid on "The Love Boat" and had a recurring role as Penny Parker -- the ditzy but lovable heroine in constant distress on "MacGyver".  A few years later, things started picking up for her when she had a memorable role in 1989's "Tango and Cash" as Sylvester Stallone's little sister, Kiki (btw: a very cool and underrated movie).  She booked a few small gigs here and there -- and then fours years later, in 1993, the big one hit.  The career maker:  "Lois & Clark".  Hatcher instantly became a TV darling and was launched onto the covers of magazines.  She was critically lauded for her spot on performance as sassy Daily Planet Reporter, Lois Lane.

In fact, this photo of her wrapped in nothing but a red Superman cape became the most downloaded image on America Online. 

But then came the challenge every TV Star faces: "What project should I do during my hiatus to change this sqweaky clean image and branch out?" 

Some projects work brilliantly ("Friends" star, Jennifer Aniston in "The Good Girl", "St.Elsewhere" star, Denzel Washington in "Glory").  And some just don't ("Saved by the Bell" star, Elizabeth Berkley in "Showgirls").  Hatcher's sexed up roles in "Heaven's Prisoner's", "2 Days in the Valley" and "The Cool Surface" fell into the latter category.

Eventually, "Lois & Clark" did what's known as "jumping the shark" (Definition: An industry coined term after the show "Happy Days" sealed its fate into cancellation by resorting to Fonzie jumping over a shark while wearing water skis, swim trunks and a leather jacket for ratings).  Just look at him.  He almost looks like he's saying, "Eyyy!  What's it gonna take to get off the air!?!"

Running out of storylines, the show "jumped the shark" by having Lois discover Clark Kent's Superman alter ego PLUS had them hooking up (hence repeating Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepard's "shark jump" after their characters hooked up on "Moonlighting" and was cancelled -- told you I was a TV/Film sponge)!  With the sexual and will-she-find-out-who-he-really-is? tension now gone, the show had nowhere left to go and was canceled shortly thereafter.  Hatcher's last big hurrah was as a Bond girl in 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies".  But by then, her show was over and fickle Hollywood was onto the next "it" girl. 

For the next seven years, Hatcher really didn't do much.  She was raising her daughter, went through a divorce with actor Jon Tenney and was probably feeling crappy like John Travolta, pre-"Pulp Fiction", thinking, "Man, now what?" 

Now here's the part where I really feel her (ie: My Dell Ads):  She then agrees to do these horrendous, cheeky commercials  -- hawking RadioShack products and forced to banter cutesy, crappy dialogue with her partner in crime, Howie Long.  I'm positive she probably received a slew of flack from "Lois & Clark" fans screaming, "Why?!" and "So sad!"  And if you don't think she couldn' t hear the sympathetic snickers behind her back from the other actresses in the audition room for the last seven years, then I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. 

But you know what?  She did whatever it took to stay in the game; to get more 'at bats'.  Waiting... just patiently waiting for that right pitch.  'Come on... that's right... straight down the middle...'

And then...WHACK! 

Last year she was watching the Globes with her girlfriends and daughter at home -- this year she picked up the award for Best Actress in a Comedic Series.  She said it herself in her acceptance speech, '...I've had so many false starts in my career... thank you (ABC) for giving me a second chance when I couldn't have been more of a "has been"...'   The fact she said that leads me to believe she's probably heard that from other folks more than once.

Now, I don't have an inkling if she's pleasant in person or whatever... all I know is that I respect her mettle.  Some may think she was a shoe-in with the total package:  the looks, the charm, the talent, etc.  But people with those characteristics are a dime a dozen in this town.  And if any actor, or anyone, just had an ounce of her tenacity that's allowed her to constantly jockey for a new gig every few months/years for the past 20 years in the face of other people's quiet whispers constantly fueling self-doubts, they'd have more than enough to make it in this or any other business.

RESUME 101

Okay, another one of those: Lesson-for-aspiring-actors-but-will-also-hold-the-interest-of-the-casual-passerby.

Besides your headshot, your resume the other half of your calling card.  This is pretty much the standard format divided up into Film/TV/Stage.

So when you first start out, you obviously won't have a lot of credits -- so what's an actor to do?  You've gotta lie.  Yes.  There, I said it.  A lot of people (casting directors, producers and agents alike) will strongly disagree with this but honestly... they're lying.  All those people don't go through the same day-to-day that actors go through, so it that prospective comes from a real cushy and removed position when they say that. 

Now don't get me wrong, if you've done absolutely nothing proactive to further your career and have just blatantly lied -- you'll eventually be found out anyway and won't be able to back up what you say you can do and be wasting everyone's time -- including yours.

When I say to lie, I mean to embelish.   If you're a secretary, you're going to put down "Administrative Assistant", right?  Same here.  You've gotta find a way through the door of that agent/casting director/director to show him/her what you've got.  And them seeing a blank sheet of paper won't help you very much. 

But if you're really serious, chances are you've done lots of college or community plays.  Don't put the college or town name down.  It's more impressive to list the name of the theatre instead (like I did with "Biloxi Blues") which I did in college.  If you haven't done a lot of plays, at least have read the play you claim to have done -- casting people/directors may ask you about the storyline. 

If you've done student films, put the name down of the student director's production company (or his name as Director) instead of listing "USC Student Film". 

Some people who've done extra work, can put "Featured".  It's not uncommon for an extra to get bumped up on the set into a minor role and given a line or two and then get cut out later.  Just don't claim to have been in big films or TV shows if you aren't even in the Screen Actors Guild Union (SAG).  Or worse, claim to have been in a project that the casting director you're reading for... casted.  Over time, you'll slowly phase out your fake/embelished credits with real ones.  It was a cool moment a few years ago where I realized, "Hey, all of these are real!" 

In the "Television" section, "Guest Star" is a major role on the show.  "Recurring" is more than one episode on a show.  "Co-Star" is 5 lines or under.  "Series Regular", self-explanatory.

Then list any lanuages or special skills you possess.  Anything that might be that something extra to book you that specialized role.  And then at the end of the "Special Skills" section, I always like to put a fun tidbit to get conversation started in a room.  I can't tell you how many Casting Directors/Producers ask me to recite the alphabet backwards before I start the audition.

Your agency representation/manger/contact info goes in the top left corner.  Your stats go in the top right corner (height, weight, eye color, hair color).  I usually opt out of the stats because I'm Asian and you can assume I've got black hair and brown eyes - that and I've got a color headshot.  So the only thing potentially hindering me would be my height.  Let them see my photo, credits and bring me in.  Let me show them what I've got instead of  the casting director reading: " 5' 7" " and dismiss me right off the bat.   

If you have no TV credits, don't put a "Television" section and leave it blank.  A section with only "Theatre" is just fine.

There's no shame in having no credits when starting out but there is shame presenting it in poor fashion.  'Cuz that you CAN control.    

The Year that was: Two-Thousand and Four:

If you haven't been a rabid reader of this journal since February, here's a major recap of the Highs and Lows of my 2004:

The "Highs":

The year started off with a bang booking a State Farm Insurance commercial only to be fired once I got on set for looking "too young".  As mentioned above, February marked the debut of this journal where I got to keep in contact with all of you (and my parents).  It was a great idea stemmed from "smileygurl9" after I visited the University of Maryland.  That month also had "BLT" nominated for a Spirit Award (the Oscar for Indie Films) .  Although we didn't win, it was a great bookend to the entire journey of the film.  "BLT" was also in a film festival which brought me to Taiwan and Hong Kong in March -- and introduced me to a lot of good food there.  

While my Dell Commercial continued to play nationwide and also catching me occasional flack from "BLT" loyalists, the film also brought me out to speak at over 20 different universities across the country (pictured: a tiny me in front of 600+ students at University of Florida).  I spent the summer teaching the masters acting program at my alma mater, SUNY Buffalo.   I won $2800 Canadian in blackjack from a casino in Niagara Falls.  Did some voice work on "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Spiderman 2".  Booked a recurring role on "Tru Callling" only to be canceled 6 episodes in.  One day in Sept after coming back from shooting in Vancouver, my wife Kim met me at the airport with balloons and a sign reading, "SHEN -Daddy to Be" (which is how I found out she was pregnant for the second time - I'll explain later).  I shot a bunch of "SNL" comedy sketches for "Asia Street Comedy".  Direct-to-video films I'd done, "The Hazing" and "The Deviants" finally came out on DVD.  Kim and I purchased a brand new home to be fully built sometime in mid-2005.  A film I did with Katie Holmes called "First Daughter" opened to a whopping nationwide audience of 6 viewers.  I shot "Smilodon", a Sci-Fi channel movie, in Fiji for 3 weeks, co-wrote a feature film and am currently awaiting the news of its sale.  All in all, '04 was a pretty great year filled with challenging/interesting work and lots of new faces. 

The One "Low":

The only major dent occured in April when Kim had a miscarriage 10 weeks into the first pregnancy.

That night, 5 hours after it had happened at the hospital, I had to hop on a flight to speak at the University of Illinois - Champaign Urbana with my "BLT" co-stars, Sung Kang and Roger Fan (pictured on right). 

Just keeping from breaking down during that entire speaking engagement and posing for the photos, signing autographs afterwards was probably the toughest performance I've had to muster to date.  But from reading this guy's entry, I guess everything looked normal:  http://www.xanga.com/item.aspx?user=aLbiEEE&tab=weblogs&uid=84766647 .  To make matters harder, the very next day I had to fly into Virginia to speak at Virginia Tech and then head over to NYC to emcee a CAPA event and after THAT speak at Dartmouth University. 

I wound up being gone for over a week on the East Coast.  I felt so horrible being away that entire time but thank goodness Kim was under her parents' watch the entire time.  When Kim was first pregnant we desperately wanted a girl but after the miscarriage, it's amazing how our tune changed to just praying for a healthy baby the second time around.

All the things that can occur in just one year.  The breadth and range.  And how much you can wind up forgetting, the good and bad, if you don't document it in some way.  I almost forgot I went to Taiwan until I skimmed over my old entries! 

Here's to everyone having more "Highs" than "Lows" in 2005.            

Toot My Own Horn Day

I've had several great fans/supporters who've sent me links to message boards or blogrings they've created for me and I've never really known what to do with them.  I always thought it was  kind of weird and presumptuous for me to post them up here basically saying, "Hey guys, come here if you want to talk about me!" 

However, I also don't want to dismiss the work and/or time these people took to make them.  So thank you Miemo, Destiny and Marie!  You ladies are awesome! 

So if you, *ahem*... Love, Support or Sweat Me... here are a few places one might go to proclaim those things if one were so inclined to  :     

          - *i LoVe//SuPPoRt//SwEat// Parry Shen!!*  What does, Better Luck Tomorrow, The New Guy, a Dell Commercial, Caroline in the City have in common? PaRRy ShEn!!!! 

           - .::[I <3 P A R R Y S H E N ]::.....if youre a huge fan of Parry Shen's work (BLT, The Hazing, The New Guy, First Daughter, The Deviants, etc) or if you're just simply ADDICTED to his xanga....THIS IS WHERE YOU BELONG!!!!!!!

           - http://parryshen.proboards3.com/ ...Chat about Parry on the shows and films he has been in.

Wrapping up Fiji - Part II 

Okay, last of these photos and we'll get back into the groove of things.

These are some photos of my co-stars, Natalie and Bonnie Piesse (who plays a young Luke Skywalker's Aunt in Episodes II & III)  respectively, from another island called MalaMala.  The sky and water were so clear that it's sick.  There are approximately 300 islands in Fiji, 221 of which are uninhabited.  So there were tons of different day trips to "uninhabited" islands -- even though they're perennially inhabited with tourists on day trips to see this "uninhabited island"!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact, this photo below is of Mago Island that you can buy for the bargain price of $15 Million USD.  The listing for it is here along with everything that it comes with: http://weblogs.sol3.net/keith.barrows/articles/MagoIsland.aspx

 Only don't get too attached to it.  Because Mel Gibson bought it for himself while he was in town during the weeks we were there shooting.

He parked his lear jet across from our hotel and was then helicoptered over to Mago Island so that he could give it 'a once over' before laying down the $15 Mil from his back pocket.

 

It was cool to see flyers around town, like these, looking for extras in our little film to play "investors" for the fictitious Primal Park.

 

 

 

 

 

One day we all saw these Diesel slingpacks for $7.50 USD in a store window and had to get them.  The entire cast got them and we all chose a different color.  We looked like some sort of "Power Ranger Backpackers" wearing them around town.  It was too good of a deal that I had to repeatedly ask the cast members if "Diesel" was spelled correctly on the bags.  "'I' before 'E', except after 'C', right guys"?  Didn't want to get stuck with a "Prad-o" bag.  

And check out below how decked out the cabs are in Fiji.  All the cabbies seemed to try and out-do each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And if you're ever in Fiji near the town of Nadi (where the main airport is), go to this restaurant and chow down.  It's been there for 40 years and goes under 3 names: The Legend, The Namaka Inn or Babuji's (though we re-named it Baba-Booey's) 

I know good food and this place has some of the best stuff I've ever grubbed on and I'm not even a big fan of Indian Food. 

 

Try the chopped up roasted fish appetizer (pictured on right) and vegetable curry.  Ask the owner to give you the "SaberTooth" movie production menu and he'll hook you up good.

 

 

And guys, if the owner asks you what beer you want to drink, say, "Fiji Bitter" and NOT "Fiji Gold".  He thinks "Fiji Gold" is for sissys.  I just barely passed; changing my mind at the very last second.  Whew!

On the other hand, you might want to stray away from fish like this:

I ordered a Snapper Dinner at the hotel and this fish head with teeth was presented to me in between the two portions of the Snapper's body. 

Isn't it interesting how cultures differ on the definition of: "Appetizing Selling Point"?

I wound up sticking that lime in the Snapper's mouth to put those choppers to good use but didn't take a photo of it because I thought seeing the head was strange enough and I didn't want to cause further confusion. 

And not to sound Ethnocentric but like in every country you might visit abroad, every now and then you'll encounter a restaurant sign that has lost a little something in the English translation.  "Hmm, now moisturized with exactly what again?"

Here's our SaberTooth Tiger/Smilodon puppet used when the Smilodon needs to come into close contact with the actors (ie: being mauled).  By the way, on an epsiode of "Friends", when Ross discovers the book he's written is located in a remote section of the library where folks only go to make out,  he decides to stand guard. 

And when he catches a couple there, they try to cover by saying they're looking for a book, to which Ross sarcastically pulls a book from the shelf and says, "Hmm, perhaps you're looking for this book about the Smilodon Fatalis?"  So it is really a word!  Honest!

And finally as you can see, it was very lonely during lunchtime for Amanda and me.

Why the cast and crew didn't want to sit with us while eating their meal is beyond me. 

Well, let's see what the finished product of all this craziness results in when it airs!

Biggest lesson learned here: No matter how bad or cheeky the project, you ultimately make the experience what it will wind up being.  If you're going in with the mindset of having a good time or a bad time, either way you'll be right.  So why not choose the former instead of the latter? 

Wrapping up Fiji - Part I

Here's the last of my Fiji Photos - just a mish-mosh of random images on the island. 

This was from one of the uninhabited beaches we visited: www.batiluva.com.

The photo I took before I settled in this hammock is postcard material and looks like it should be the art for a Corona advertisement.

The photos below are from the First Landing Resort's bathroom (shower floor and wall respectively) where we shot at.  It inspired me to smash up some tile and mosaic one of the bathrooms in my new house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the beach in front of the First Landing Resort where you'll see in the film.  It's where my co-stars and I make our first appearance when we get off a seaplane (which will be computer generated behind us). 

So when we were shooting the scene without the plane and just wading knee deep in water holding our luggage, I asked the director, "So, did we just swim here from America with our luggage or something?"

And when I was told the seaplane and pilot would be later inserted behind us, I asked, "So then shouldn't one of us be flipping off the imaginary pilot for not sending us to shore on a dingy?"  Gotta always be thinking about the reality of the scene... even in a SaberTooth Tiger movie.

The photo above shows the beach at high tide and the one to the left is of the low tide.  My co-stars, Billy and Amanda, are sitting where all that water was and picking out seashells. 

The pictures below were taken at Traveler's Beach.  A popular hangout for backpackers and known for their great shows at night.  This was a competition between 5 fire twirling guys. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guy pictured here was really good but I also have video footage of the next four guys accidentally setting themselves on fire, dropping the flaming sticks toward the audience, etc.

 

 

Check out the crazy roots on this tree.

 

 

 

I love this photo of all these kids just hanging out.  The guy in the cap on the right was like the "Godfather" of these guys just snoozing away while the others played around.  It took him forever to wake up for this photo op.

 

 

The photo on the right is of a typical market in Fiji.  I have no idea how they stacked those tomatoes but everyone did it like it was no big deal.  But I just kept thinking, "Geez, everyday they've got to stack 'em up and then take 'em down.  Stack 'em up and then take 'em down."

I had to post one more photo of this kid intently watching our FX guy mixing some more fake blood.  We've probably traumatized him for life. 

And I would be irresponsible if I didn't mention that beautiful communities such as these have been drastically altered in SouthEast Asia from the Tsunami 2 weeks ago. 

In fact, had the tidal waves gone East of Sumatra instead of West (towards Africa) these Fijian Islands would've easily been submerged while we were still there.

Start off the year with any size contribution to: www.redcross.org to help pitch in the effort towards getting some sort of normalcy back in these people's lives.  Stuff like this could happen to any one of us.