Monday, October 09, 2006

Radio Man... FUCK YOU!!


So, Friday night, I'm watching the Yankee game (don't get me started) and I get a phone call from Amerifilms, at roughly 9pm, asking me if I can be in Manhattan by 1am for the new Will Smith movie 'I Am Legend'. She tells me she doesn't need me, just my car. They pay you for the car, and to have it washed, as they had to spray it down with some effects dust to make it look as if the car had been sitting on the street abandoned for over 5 years. Sure! Sweet!! I, of course, have to be there in case the car needs to me moved or whatever, not to mention I trust no one with my car, but that's' fine. They pay you for your time. I've stated before that I'm not into background work at all, but this was good for some pretty decent scratch. Just about triple what I'd get for walking back and forth over the same 12 square feet of movie set for 8-10 hours, not to mention I can wear whatever the hell I want.

All in all I ended up being on location for over 17 hours. It sounds a lot worse that it was. I actually had a great time, and got to see some friends I haven't seen all summer. It's been really slow. But on the upside, I didn't have to bring anything for wardrobe. Just me, the car, a book, and my pillow. I ended up sleeping in the car. And, by the way, if you ever have the opportunity to sleep in the driver's seat of a Hyundai Sonata, feel free to pass it up. You're not missing anything... Really... Honest Injun

So there I sat all night in my car waiting for the next morning. I slept a bit, and then I finally got up and got a bagel and a soda from the local bodega around 7:30-8am, and wandered a bit.... Talked to Mom on my cell for a short while, and then I met up with my friend Theresa who was also working the movie. I had talked to her on the phone earlier that night, but the production company had the cars split into two groups. I was over by Grand Central Station, and she was further west. She pulls up to the corner and I hop in. As luck would have it, there was a space open in front of my car, so I directed her there. We hung out for the majority of the day, mainly clowning with the rest of our friends, and bullshitting about the business. Good times...

Later on in the day, my friend Sam says, "Hey, Radio Man is here. I just saw him around the corner by Will Smith's trailer".

"Awesome", I said looking over at Theresa, "We'll have to go check it out"

Now, Radio Man is a bit of a New York celebrity amongst the TV/film industry, but more importantly, a bit of an eccentric. I've run into him on different sets here and there. Most recently on a Law & Order: Criminal Intent set. He's always struck me as a little "off", if you know what I mean. Not that it makes any difference, as there is no shortage of eccentricities in Manhattan, but that's the impression he gives me. He's met quite a few famous people though, and has had some lines, and even has his own web page here. In fact, rumor has it that Oprah Winfrey gave him a new bike. Which is pretty sweet, but I digress...

We head out around the corner towards craft services, and end up walking past him as he sat there on the ground with his portable radio around his neck as always. I looked at him and said "Hey, Radio Man... Howya doin?", to which he replied, "Go Fuck Yourself!!"... HA!!

Tell me that's not the greatest thing I've experienced in a month!!!

Theresa, who is walking next to me, pauses a second, then looks me dead in the face with her mouth literally gaped open, but by this time, my face is undoubtedly purple from an explosion of unbridled hysteria. She said, with a dumbfounded look on her face, "Did he just say that?"

"Oh yeah!!", I snorted, "You heard him right!"

So I'm laughing all the way to the corner, across Park Avenue, and into the Starbucks on the corner of 39th Street, and she's just going on and on about how unbelievable this whole thing is... I love my friends

We sat outside Starbucks on the corner bullshitting with some different friends, all of which insisted on hearing the story. We laughed and bullshitted some more about the business, and the union, and our strategies to success and whatnot, when all of a sudden Theresa says, "Hey, there goes radio man peddling away" as I watch him ride down 39th Street.

"Hey Radio Man!!!", I scream across all of New York.

"FUCK YOU!!" his voice echoed between the buildings, as we all fell over ourselves in hysterics. I love New York.

Good times... Good times!

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