This particular story hits very close to home. In case you aren't familiar with it, he's one of these big shot Hollywood guys lots of indie people would give their eye teeth to meet. My own company apparently had talks with people who were trying to see about us getting meetings with them. I even met someone with a project who had a family member of his who'd offered to produce that project.
Now, stories about men harassing women in Hollywood are sadly old hat in my knowledge. I've heard about and known plenty to avoid, even within my own circle. I've even had guys ask me out who work in this industry in such capacities, to which I respond that they must have mistaken me for a star fucker or think I'm some skank who has to come across to get clients. I get very hostile and nasty about it to where I even added on a dating profile that you won't be dating me if you work in the same industry since I live by the saying "Don't shit where you eat."
As I've heard about more and more of this stuff and if you are hearing about this & thinking of working in this industry, you should ask yourself "At what price am I going to pay to get in this industry? Am I content with never moving into those upper echleons if I have morals and integrity for myself & refuse to play that shit? Can I be satisfied with where I am regardless?" In my case, after much thought my answer is "I'll make my way on my terms and in my way or I don't want it at all." I figure I'd probably end up biting that guy's dick off, hitting in some sensitive area (I've slapped a man for getting fresh before), ruining him big time. I'll bet some of these sleazebags would figure I'm way too mean and angry to let that shit stand or ever go away quietly. Also, as an attorney you have ethical duties not to cosign on societal BS or let other women get harmed; where I have opportunity to be the change and fuck over cretins, bet your butt I'll do it for someone who's got proof, credibility and so forth. You have to wield those swords carefully & know which one to pull out when and how far to swing them. Sometimes you just inform the people who are close or planning to work with that person; other times, you have to use public disclosure and the proper authorities.
This is a guy who was a "liberal hero" donating to queen Hillary and participating in that Women's March months back. So if you thought only conservatives and the ultra-right has cretins, you are dead wrong. I think it has to do with money and entitlement complexes as to why some guy does it. You can find plenty of beastly women as well such as queen Hillary and her anti-feminist, anti-women behavior towards her husband's victims as well as voters who didn't hand her the crown via their votes. It's like "Do I need more reasons to dislike rich people as a group? Must we further The Angry Redheaded Lawyer's classism concerns and assertions of moral superiority because she didn't have things handed to her in life & doesn't believe she can buy people?"
Hell, do I need more proof that rich guys are assholes I want zero to do with and if one ever did actually get love struck over me he'd have to fight against not just my own family's class prejudices but mine as well? I also feel the same way about MDs; they seem to think this lawyer is going to drop her drawers or respond to commands from them on dating sites. God help the MD or rich guy who isn't an asshole who tries getting my attention/interest. Most people's fairy tale mate would be discarded by me since I'd assume that person was arrogant or believed they could buy me.
Political labels mean shit since there are kind conservatives and asshole liberals. See above.
I think I have discovered the meaning of life despite not being screamingly old: it's happiness. You can't buy that, you can't teach yourself to do it or make yourself do it & it's something that if you haven't got, you'll be living in a prison regardless of what you do, what you have or where you come from. There are miserable rich people and happy poor people.
What I look at in these situations is the rule breakers and how they got places in spite of shit like this. I like to think not everyone who's rich or in Hollywood is a sexual predator or an entitled scumbag who thinks people can be bought & sold or moved around like pieces on a chess board. I think of people like Lucille Ball who had her own production company at a time when no woman was doing that & her husband was no white guy. She had to fight to get him on "I Love Lucy," in fact. Not a real redhead but that's the type of thing I look at in planning my life and career; since I know my path is different and the rules really don't apply to my reality, I simply plan my actions with that in mind. I read a post on LinkedIn about how these companies in Corporate America discriminate to this day against minority applicants based on looking at photographs & zip codes in the address on the resume. My brain went to "how do we fuck their system over & shame them?" Also, let's give them the finger then set up better businesses to compete and kill them by doing right what they royally screw up & fail at (and plenty of big companies fail at various things the right business owner could exploit).
My thought process is similar in doing my entertainment career. Give these pricks the finger, become known as a force who does it better & shames them horribly then make sure you don't do the same crap they do. Hold yourself to standards and give hand ups to the deserving and talented in the next generation. Teach others how to fight this shit & don't be a whining victim. I can rest easy with things I've done already and will keep doing though I feel I've not reached my apex yet. Never compromise your self-worth or your integrity or view yourself as "less than" because you didn't eat the old, moldy doughnut offered by these established companies.
Showing posts with label integrity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label integrity. Show all posts
Friday, October 6, 2017
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Instant Fame: Be Careful What You Wish For
A friend of mine is on a goal to become famous & recently did a music video he's trying to get You Tube views for. This friend is also a newer attorney & a Renaissance person. Unless he gives me permission, I'm not revealing his name or linking to his video. That's not really the point of this.
A friend of his asked him his views about singers being on shows like "American Idol" or "The X Factor." Since I have some particularly strong views on that, I chose to write a short response & got inspired to write a rant.
Little thing about reality TV: you will not become a legitimate source by doing it. I mentioned working with that well known talent agent before who hated reality TV just as much as I do.
First though, I should distinguish certain types of "reality TV" shows.
1. Cameras following someone on their job (think Dog the Bounty Hunter): these I take no issue with if we're not watching contrived situations. If there's no script or manufactured drama, these are more like documentaries on TV. I've actually read both Dog the Bounty Hunter books & he mentioned that they weren't doing the show to become celebrities.
That is the right attitude to have about this industry in general. To me, these are reality shows NOT "reality" shows.
2. Contest shows (think The Bachelor): I could care less. I have too much going on in my own life.
3. Throw people into a situation (think The Real World, Survivor or Jersey Shore): same as #2.
4. Revenge tactics or confrontation (think Cheaters or Disaster Date): I wish I'd come up with some of these since I think they're brilliant. Assuming you're not getting actors to play the real people, we all like seeing people squirm especially if they deserved it in some way. No problem w/these kinds of shows & I view them in the same lens as #1 if you're using real people.
5. Shows offering instant fame (think American Idol): that's the topic of this rant.
Let me make some distinction between American Idol & Star Search since they are different:
* American Idol offers recording contracts as prizes. Star Search did not. Star Search ONLY gave you exposure, which obviously did not help every single contestant.
* American Idol allows for audience voting. None of that on Star Search. You were simply judged on your actual skill, NOT how you looked in a low cut dress, your hard luck story or superficial crap that has zero relevance to your talent like how many teenage girls scream over you.
This "audience voting" has also been widely accused of being rigged, aside from the fact that you are charged money to do it so it's all based on the votes of rich & stupid people. I think you'd have to be an idiot to waste your money to vote on shows like American Idol. I bet you also would have paid some 900 number for phone sex & thought the women on the other end looked like the ones in the commercials. These days, if you're paying for texts, you'd better count on the fact that you could be corresponding with someone of your gender & not know it. Same logic in my book.
* The Star Search producers didn't manufacture things or tell people to hide their sexual orientation. This has happened with American Idol.
* Now if you have actual knowledge that Star Search did do this sleazy stuff, tell me. I was never on it & don't claim to be an expert. I'm just basing this on what I've seen reported in the press & don't know of these kinds of things happening on Star Search.*
I NEVER had a problem with a show like Star Search. I'd probably consider trying out for something with that format.
However, you will never see me audition for American Idol. Yes, I might have talent & enough people have said I should but there are many reasons why I wouldn't. If you are smart, you won't either:
1. Selling your soul: If you get on one of these shows & get the prize, you're forced to be what the show wants you to be. To Hell with anything YOU want to do, any look YOU want or even the details of your life. If it's not "friendly" to their demographic, you'll be forced to silence yourself & essentially be a robot. They're a business, first & foremost.
Rights in your music? HA! Branching into new areas? Yeah, right. Being married or not prancing around like trash if you're female? Get real!
Can you blame some celebrities for saying "enough is enough" & rebelling? I can't & it's why I can have some sympathy.
2. No credibility: For an example of this, watch the second season of Extras. Great show but in that season, the lead character gets his own series. Problem is, it's not his vision & panders to the lowest common denominator. David Bowie even makes fun of him in a song.
Remember when I said being on reality TV doesn't make you credible? It doesn't. You will never be taken as seriously as people like David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen or others who worked for years to get where they are & had the industry players come to them so they could be in control of their own careers. I, and others in the business, will always remember you as that person who won a reality TV contest & stepped over people who are more talented + willing to struggle for their art.
3. You're a whore: Simple as that. I view many reality TV shows as one step above doing porno. How many people have you seen successfully cross into the mainstream from adult film? Very few. You can say the same for people on "reality" TV. The people doing reality shows (the lack of quotation marks is on purpose) don't tend to make public spectacles of themselves in the name of getting famous.
So if you're looking for instant fame, you'll certainly get it by being on a "reality show" but that doesn't mean you'll get respect, integrity or any credibility. Those you have to work for & earn. It also doesn't mean you'll be happy with your art. That also requires work. Look at how many starving artists we've had. Some weren't even recognized or respected until they died.
If you're an indie person, some of the only things you have are your vision, your principles and your integrity. I don't think success/making $ from your work = being a sellout (calling someone a sellout for that reason means you're a hater) but if you're violating your principles or doing things you're uncomfortable with, then you've earned the label. For many I know, their principles aren't for sale. Mine certainly aren't.
A friend of his asked him his views about singers being on shows like "American Idol" or "The X Factor." Since I have some particularly strong views on that, I chose to write a short response & got inspired to write a rant.
Little thing about reality TV: you will not become a legitimate source by doing it. I mentioned working with that well known talent agent before who hated reality TV just as much as I do.
First though, I should distinguish certain types of "reality TV" shows.
1. Cameras following someone on their job (think Dog the Bounty Hunter): these I take no issue with if we're not watching contrived situations. If there's no script or manufactured drama, these are more like documentaries on TV. I've actually read both Dog the Bounty Hunter books & he mentioned that they weren't doing the show to become celebrities.
That is the right attitude to have about this industry in general. To me, these are reality shows NOT "reality" shows.
2. Contest shows (think The Bachelor): I could care less. I have too much going on in my own life.
3. Throw people into a situation (think The Real World, Survivor or Jersey Shore): same as #2.
4. Revenge tactics or confrontation (think Cheaters or Disaster Date): I wish I'd come up with some of these since I think they're brilliant. Assuming you're not getting actors to play the real people, we all like seeing people squirm especially if they deserved it in some way. No problem w/these kinds of shows & I view them in the same lens as #1 if you're using real people.
5. Shows offering instant fame (think American Idol): that's the topic of this rant.
Let me make some distinction between American Idol & Star Search since they are different:
* American Idol offers recording contracts as prizes. Star Search did not. Star Search ONLY gave you exposure, which obviously did not help every single contestant.
* American Idol allows for audience voting. None of that on Star Search. You were simply judged on your actual skill, NOT how you looked in a low cut dress, your hard luck story or superficial crap that has zero relevance to your talent like how many teenage girls scream over you.
This "audience voting" has also been widely accused of being rigged, aside from the fact that you are charged money to do it so it's all based on the votes of rich & stupid people. I think you'd have to be an idiot to waste your money to vote on shows like American Idol. I bet you also would have paid some 900 number for phone sex & thought the women on the other end looked like the ones in the commercials. These days, if you're paying for texts, you'd better count on the fact that you could be corresponding with someone of your gender & not know it. Same logic in my book.
* The Star Search producers didn't manufacture things or tell people to hide their sexual orientation. This has happened with American Idol.
* Now if you have actual knowledge that Star Search did do this sleazy stuff, tell me. I was never on it & don't claim to be an expert. I'm just basing this on what I've seen reported in the press & don't know of these kinds of things happening on Star Search.*
I NEVER had a problem with a show like Star Search. I'd probably consider trying out for something with that format.
However, you will never see me audition for American Idol. Yes, I might have talent & enough people have said I should but there are many reasons why I wouldn't. If you are smart, you won't either:
1. Selling your soul: If you get on one of these shows & get the prize, you're forced to be what the show wants you to be. To Hell with anything YOU want to do, any look YOU want or even the details of your life. If it's not "friendly" to their demographic, you'll be forced to silence yourself & essentially be a robot. They're a business, first & foremost.
Rights in your music? HA! Branching into new areas? Yeah, right. Being married or not prancing around like trash if you're female? Get real!
Can you blame some celebrities for saying "enough is enough" & rebelling? I can't & it's why I can have some sympathy.
2. No credibility: For an example of this, watch the second season of Extras. Great show but in that season, the lead character gets his own series. Problem is, it's not his vision & panders to the lowest common denominator. David Bowie even makes fun of him in a song.
Remember when I said being on reality TV doesn't make you credible? It doesn't. You will never be taken as seriously as people like David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen or others who worked for years to get where they are & had the industry players come to them so they could be in control of their own careers. I, and others in the business, will always remember you as that person who won a reality TV contest & stepped over people who are more talented + willing to struggle for their art.
3. You're a whore: Simple as that. I view many reality TV shows as one step above doing porno. How many people have you seen successfully cross into the mainstream from adult film? Very few. You can say the same for people on "reality" TV. The people doing reality shows (the lack of quotation marks is on purpose) don't tend to make public spectacles of themselves in the name of getting famous.
So if you're looking for instant fame, you'll certainly get it by being on a "reality show" but that doesn't mean you'll get respect, integrity or any credibility. Those you have to work for & earn. It also doesn't mean you'll be happy with your art. That also requires work. Look at how many starving artists we've had. Some weren't even recognized or respected until they died.
If you're an indie person, some of the only things you have are your vision, your principles and your integrity. I don't think success/making $ from your work = being a sellout (calling someone a sellout for that reason means you're a hater) but if you're violating your principles or doing things you're uncomfortable with, then you've earned the label. For many I know, their principles aren't for sale. Mine certainly aren't.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The Gloria Glitter Show
Check this out. This is a venture I'm going to be getting involved in & I'm to be performing in it in the near future through creating a character of my own. Considering I don't have the same level of experiences & credits as most actors I know, it's a huge accomplishment for me to get this opportunity. I figure it's also something I'll get to say I did that a lot of people never did & wished they could.
Oh, and the viewpoints on this blog also don't represent the views of anyone involved with this show.
Lately, it seems my only good fortune is coming from the entertainment industry. I think fate must be screaming at me that my stuff there is going to pay off.
Part of the reason I went into the legal field was the uncertainty & difficulties of being an entertainer of any sort. I figured that I didn't need to spend more of my life being broke since I already did that as a child. Now everything I'm doing in the legal field seems to be falling apart unless there's some entertainment industry connection or creative bend to it.
So as I was writing yesterday, I came up with some great questions I'd like to ask career advisers & the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" crowd:
1. What do you do when your integrity just won't let you work for a scam artist or get treated like a serf?
2. How does one get a job working for someone else in the legal field without compromising personal integrity or ethics?
I just don't see stuff like that happening unless you form your own company & make your own rules. Maybe I'm also too moral, too honest for certain jobs. I feel if you don't keep your personal integrity or adhere to your basic principles of behavior, you're just asking for trouble. I like being able to sleep at night, you know?
So I'll probably practice my singing & continue writing. At least now I can probably write a killer book based on my life experiences & use the rage, depression, and personal fears I've had to confront in writing instead of hurting people.
Oh, and the viewpoints on this blog also don't represent the views of anyone involved with this show.
Lately, it seems my only good fortune is coming from the entertainment industry. I think fate must be screaming at me that my stuff there is going to pay off.
Part of the reason I went into the legal field was the uncertainty & difficulties of being an entertainer of any sort. I figured that I didn't need to spend more of my life being broke since I already did that as a child. Now everything I'm doing in the legal field seems to be falling apart unless there's some entertainment industry connection or creative bend to it.
So as I was writing yesterday, I came up with some great questions I'd like to ask career advisers & the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" crowd:
1. What do you do when your integrity just won't let you work for a scam artist or get treated like a serf?
2. How does one get a job working for someone else in the legal field without compromising personal integrity or ethics?
I just don't see stuff like that happening unless you form your own company & make your own rules. Maybe I'm also too moral, too honest for certain jobs. I feel if you don't keep your personal integrity or adhere to your basic principles of behavior, you're just asking for trouble. I like being able to sleep at night, you know?
So I'll probably practice my singing & continue writing. At least now I can probably write a killer book based on my life experiences & use the rage, depression, and personal fears I've had to confront in writing instead of hurting people.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The "Casting Couch"
We all know about the casting couch: sleep w/me & I'll make you a star. It's a huge part of the movie "Chicago" & the stories are legendary. Seems like you'd better put out to be a success, right?
How many people do you think I slept with to get where I am? Come on, guess. Two, ten, one? Give up?
ZERO. Seriously, zero. I got where I am based on being a professional, good at my job & people believing in my abilities. I'm also not the only person who can say that. Plenty of people have gotten somewhere without having to sleep with anyone.
An actress I know from the film company who's already awesome impressed me even more when she proclaimed on her Facebook that she would NEVER sleep with people to get to the top. Jace Nicole is the sort of actress that you should feel honored to be compared to: aside from being a great actress & conducting herself as a professional in all my dealings w/her, she has integrity. Integrity is important to me & I respect anyone who has it. Showing me you have it makes you go up even more notches in my book.
No one should think for a second that ALL film & TV companies have a casting couch. I don't see my film company ever doing that. If they did, I'd be the first person trying to stop it & it's my job to make sure nothing underhanded is going on. A lawyer is supposed to keep you honest.
Nor do I think the CEO would put up with it. For one thing, I doubt he & this actress would be friends if he would. Second, no one wants to work w/someone who's only talent is sexual. Knowing this man is one of the most professional people I've seen in the industry, I have no doubt he'd stop it in 2 seconds. I have always avoided even the appearance that I got something b/c of sexual favors. I make no secret of being happily married & that I don't mix business w/my personal life. Didn't even date law school classmates based on this principle.
I recently learned of a situation I had a connection to where there was indeed a casting couch. It makes me sad that any woman would think she has to do that to get ahead. For all I know, it may still be going on. That's a HUGE problem for me as a lawyer & a person with ethics. I feel concerned that anyone who did that will think that I or my company are the same way. We're NOT!
So it's not my place to judge in life & I don't mean to be judgmental when I say "I wouldn't do it." I don't live inside anyone else's head so I can't speak to their experiences, lifestyles or struggles.
What I can say, though is if you really have the talent then you don't need sex to get ahead. Just network like a fiend & if you impress the right person, they'll take notice. I know getting in is tough but it's not worth losing your self-respect or integrity to get famous, okay? The people worth working with don't play this game.
How many people do you think I slept with to get where I am? Come on, guess. Two, ten, one? Give up?
ZERO. Seriously, zero. I got where I am based on being a professional, good at my job & people believing in my abilities. I'm also not the only person who can say that. Plenty of people have gotten somewhere without having to sleep with anyone.
An actress I know from the film company who's already awesome impressed me even more when she proclaimed on her Facebook that she would NEVER sleep with people to get to the top. Jace Nicole is the sort of actress that you should feel honored to be compared to: aside from being a great actress & conducting herself as a professional in all my dealings w/her, she has integrity. Integrity is important to me & I respect anyone who has it. Showing me you have it makes you go up even more notches in my book.
No one should think for a second that ALL film & TV companies have a casting couch. I don't see my film company ever doing that. If they did, I'd be the first person trying to stop it & it's my job to make sure nothing underhanded is going on. A lawyer is supposed to keep you honest.
Nor do I think the CEO would put up with it. For one thing, I doubt he & this actress would be friends if he would. Second, no one wants to work w/someone who's only talent is sexual. Knowing this man is one of the most professional people I've seen in the industry, I have no doubt he'd stop it in 2 seconds. I have always avoided even the appearance that I got something b/c of sexual favors. I make no secret of being happily married & that I don't mix business w/my personal life. Didn't even date law school classmates based on this principle.
I recently learned of a situation I had a connection to where there was indeed a casting couch. It makes me sad that any woman would think she has to do that to get ahead. For all I know, it may still be going on. That's a HUGE problem for me as a lawyer & a person with ethics. I feel concerned that anyone who did that will think that I or my company are the same way. We're NOT!
So it's not my place to judge in life & I don't mean to be judgmental when I say "I wouldn't do it." I don't live inside anyone else's head so I can't speak to their experiences, lifestyles or struggles.
What I can say, though is if you really have the talent then you don't need sex to get ahead. Just network like a fiend & if you impress the right person, they'll take notice. I know getting in is tough but it's not worth losing your self-respect or integrity to get famous, okay? The people worth working with don't play this game.
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