In The Beginning

May 25

When I began my career I was under the impression that everyone had to like me and I had to be friendly and look really good. I kinda missed the point I think. Modelling is where I started, but an audition is an audition and needs to be treated professionally, of course, but there’s no need to suck up to the auditioners. Please don’t!

While I was still feeling my way around this business (while certainly holding down another paying job so I could eat!), my agent called me for an audition. At the time, I was living in Los Angeles. I made sure I looked my best and got to the audition on time and found a long line of actors/models sitting in the hallway waiting for their names to be called. Ever been there? Ugh!

My name was finally called and I walked into a room filled with American Clients (I think they travel in pods), a camera, and a casting director. Oh shit! I smiled and did what I was told. There was no dialogue as it was a TV commercial and only took a minute or two before the opportunity was over. It was an ad for Johnson & Johnson. Well, I actually happened to use J&J baby powder back then. So, since the audition was so quick, as I left I felt it only to my benefit to say “I have that on today.” BAD CHOICE! BAD! Perhaps too friendly for a room of bored casting people. AND, feeling sorry for the others sitting waiting, I later found out the commercial was for a feminine hygiene product. Yup, tampons. I was certainly red-faced!

So much for my friendly smile and chatter about the awesomeness of their product. Awk! I crawled back to my car, speeding away hoping no one knew I was alive.

So kids — no need to schmooze. Go in, do your job, shut up, and leave!!