RANDOM PIC OF THE WEEK
Here’s a picture that was sent to me of Andy Kaufman’s original Elvis suit. I’m glad to see it hasn’t deteriorated over time and has been nicely preserved! An amazing piece of showbiz history!
When I checked into the “Jack Lord Suite” in Anaheim, I couldn’t help but hum the theme from “Hawaii Five-O” the entire time!
Monday the 12th – BATMO-BOO-BOO! – I got a hotline call from “The Tonight Show” to record a bit from home and e-mail it in. Then I got ready to head in to work, so I hopped in the Gran Torino and sped off to Taco Bell to have one of those new Doritos tacos. YUM! (Jay had a funny line last week…he said “How fat are we getting when we have to have our junk food wrapped in OTHER junk food?”!) Then I went over to Gun World to pick up my two new purchases…a Smith & Wesson model 3913 9mm semi-automatic, and a Smith & Wesson model 25. I sat in the NBC parking lot, enjoying the warm weather, eating lunch and listening to 70’s satellite radio. It was good to be back to work after a week-long hiatus. The crew was in a great mood, well-rested and relaxed. I got a few shots of Flat Stanley at NBC. (My cousin Lynelle’s daughter in South Dakota sent me a Flat Stanley and I’ve been showing him good time around Hollywood.) On my way home I got a call from Edi and she wanted me to pick her up. So after stopping by her place, I drove by George Barris’ shop on Riverside in North Hollywood. Normally he has the 1966 Batmobile (which he created) in his front window. But as I drove by slowly to catch a glimpse of it, I noticed TWO Batmobiles! One in the front window and the other in a repair shop behind George’s place. I pulled the Torino in to show George and ask him about the second Batmobile. He said he doesn’t takes the “#1” out much (the #1 is the one they used during the filming of the TV show.) and that very day a film crew wrecked it! The back right fin was all crunched. George was beside himself! Too bad! He came out to check out the Torino and was amazed how clean it was. So the Batmobile in the front window was actually the #2. I saw my old pal Brett Barris (we worked together on the “Groovie Goolies” DVD boxed set) and chatted for a bit. We left the Barris shop and I totally spaced on Flat Stanley! How cool would it have been to get a shot of F.S. in the Batmobile? RATS! I drove off to Starbucks to get Edi some coffee and I noticed a bearded man walking down the street in a Batman hat. I thought he looked a lot like legendary comic book writer Len Wein. IT WAS LEGENDARY COMIC BOOK WRITER LEN WEIN! I hadn’t seen him since we did CONvergence together a few years back in Minneapolis. We chatted for awhile and I showed him the Torino. He said he was in the area doing an improv class. Could it be? The man who co-created such great characters as Swamp Thing and Wolverine, has been bitten by the acting bug? He took off for class and AGAIN! I forgot Flat Stanley!!! I dropped Edi off at home and then headed home to park the Torino. I went inside to do some work and take a nap. My allergies were bad and I was fighting another sinus headache. I got up from my nap and did some auditions in my home studio and e-mailed them into my agents. I decided to add a narration to my Flat Stanley presentation because I might just know a voice-over artist who could do it. Hmmm….! Later that night I watched “Hawaii Five-O” and had a pizza!
Tuesday the 13th – TORNADO TUESDAY! – I got up around noon to record another bit for “TTS” at home, and then I headed back to bed for a bit. When I got up I worked on my Robo-Elvis costume for a little while. Then I headed off to Voice Trax West to do my usual US Airways session. I stopped at CVS pharmacy on the way home to pick up some supplies, and I headed back home. My friend Edi’s daughter Emily Grace was going to do a voice-over audition for an animated pilot and I was going to record it in my home studio and give her a little direction. My pal Electric Bob came by wire up a new lighting fixture I was having installed. When all that was finished I sped off to NBC for the taping of “TTS.” When I got there I taped a quick comedy bit, and then we taped the show. I got home, grabbed a nap, and then spent all night on my computer working on music, doing stuff around the house, and finishing up some projects. My assistant Sara came over to watch an episode of “Hawaii Five-O” with me from the Season 9 boxed set.
Wednesday the 14th – BUSY HOUSE! – Electric Bob came by again to work on the light fixture, and my seamstress Kathy came by to take my measurements. I’m going to have her make me a Jesus costume for this Easter. I’ve been asked again to play Jesus this Easter Sunday at my church, and the past few years the costume they had for me had been getting more and more degraded. So, I’m making my own. I recorded a bit for “TTS” and e-mailed it in, and a little while later they called back with an updated script, so I did the new version and sent that in. But the script came in just minutes before I normally leave for work, so it was going to be a photo finish! I sped to work as fast as I legally could. We finished the show and I headed back home to grab a nap. I got up and did my auditions and e-mailed them to my agent, and then did some more work around the house. Sara went to get take-out food at Denny’s, and came over to watch the very last “Hawaii Five-O” episode from the Season 9 set. Next, I’m watching Kojack: Season 1! Who loves ya baby?!
Thursday the 15th – HEY MA! NO CAVITIES! – Electric Bob came by again to do some more work on the lighting fixture. I headed out to my semi-annual dentist appointment for my check-up and cleaning. NO CAVITIES! YAY! I came home and Electric Bob was just finishing up. I recorded some “TTS” comedy bits, and then got ready to head into the studio for an early call. While I was checking my e-mail at “TTS” a guy who owns Andy Kaufman’s first Elvis costume dropped me an e-mail with his web address. I saw it and I couldn’t believe it! Amazing! He collects all sorts of memorabilia, and a ton of Elvis stuff! In the evening I drove over to my old pal Carmen Grillo’s house to sing on a demo, so on the way I called this guy up on the phone and talked to him on my way to Carmen’s. The stories he had were amazing! I just had to know more! My friend Edi met me at Carmen’s and when I finished up with the song we went over to Jerry’s Famous Deli in Encino for dinner. We met up with her son Josh there. After dinner I went home to do my auditions and work around the house. Since I knew I’d be gone Friday and Saturday nights, I didn’t want to start watching Kojak right away. Why start on a new series only to be interrupted by two nights? So I bridged the gap with an episode of “The Saint” with Roger Moore. I absolutely love that show! He’s just so damn cool!
Friday the 16th – YOU GOTTA DOUBLE CHECK EVERYBODY! – Those words were the best advice I’ve ever gotten from my father. And it’s totally true! But more about that later. It was a gloomy day and the word was that we were in for a very cold, rainy weekend. Wonder Con in Anaheim started today, but because of work I wouldn’t be able to go until Saturday. Though I was going to drive to Anaheim later that night to check into my room. Normally, Wonder Con (the little brother of the San Diego Comic Con) is held in San Francisco. I went back in ’09 and had fun, but I don’t really enjoy San Francisco that much. Gloomy, cramped, small streets, etc. The Moscone Center in SF normally plays host to W.C., but since it’s currently being renovated, W.C. had to be moved elsewhere. It’s been rumored that Anaheim has been vying for Comic Con for years in case they ever outgrow San Diego. Comic Con outgrew San Diego about 8 years ago, but no location changes have been made as of yet. So this was Anaheim’s chance to show their stuff and woo the Comic Con people to either a) move Comic Con out of San Diego to Anaheim, or b) make Anaheim the permanent home of Wonder Con. More on that later too. I got up around noon and checked e-mails. The maids came by to clean Planet Wallywood. Normally they come on Saturday but I wouldn’t be here this weekend to let them in. Electric Bob came by to do some more work on the lighting fixture. I downloaded some rough tracks of the country song I wrote, and I was amazed. They did a great job! Though it’s a temporary mix, it sounded great! The vocals will be added next week. I got in early to “TTS” to record a comedy bit, then we taped the show. I love working on that show so much, because it’s always a challenge. Today I did the voice of Ronald Reagan, looping actual Reagan “tear down this wall” footage, and in the same bit I got to do the voice of Yogi and Boo Boo. Love it! On the way home I got some chili cheese dogs with sauerkraut at Der Weinerschnitzel and headed home to start packing for Anaheim. My friend Brittney Powell came over to get my housekeys so she could come feed Spook my cat while I was away. By the time I was finished with laundry and packing it was quite late. My assistant Sara and I didn’t get out of town until 10 or so, and we got to Anaheim around 11. I pulled into the hotel where I had my reservation and immediately got a bad feeling. (The name of the hotel will be deleted from this article since they have since made good with me) This “hotel” (which came highly recommended) was nothing more than a glorified “motel”…where the door to your room opens right out into the parking lot. No lobby, no hallways, no elevators…not a hotel in my understanding of the definition. I opened the door and there was no carpet, but floor tiles. The room was cold and unwelcoming. Plus, it only had one bed. The type of room I reserved on-line specifically said it had TWO beds, but the spot where the second bed should have been was replaced by a desk and a chair. WHAT? This hotel was definitely not my style in many ways, so even though I had already checked in, Sara and I went to look for alternate accomodations. Red Lion…SOLD OUT! Clarion…SOLD OUT! Sheraton…SOLD OUT! Everywhere we went, they said they were sold out. One hotel desk clerk mentioned that the Anaheim Plaza Hotel and Suites had four rooms left. I hurried back to my car to give Sara the options. We either…a) turn around and go home, b) rough it for one night and leave the next day after the convention, or…c) keep looking for another room. It was becoming apparent that this Wonder Con thing had become like it’s big brother. Cramped.
We couldn’t just go back home, because I was scheduled to do the Cartoon Voice Actor’s Panel for my good pal Mark Evanier on Saturday at 3:00. I went back to our hotel and explained the issue. The room I reserved on-line wasn’t the room I got. He did us a favor and called the Anaheim Plaza Hotel and Suites and put me on the phone with the desk clerk. He said he had one room left, The Pacific Suite, the best room in the house. I told him to put my name on it as I was coming right over. I left my card with the desk clerk at our hotel asking the manager to call me in the morning to arrange a full refund. But before I left, I took my camera into the room and took video of the layout, in case my assertion met with managerial skepticism. I even had one of the hotel security guys come with me to be an eyewitness. I had to have proof after all, in case there were any doubts. It was misting out and the rain was getting ready to arrive. Sara and I hauled our luggage over to the Anaheim Plaza Hotel and Suites and I checked in. It looks like the room hadn’t been redecorated since 1975. But I LOVED it! We jokingly called it the “Jack Lord Suite,” because of its retro, “Hawaii Five-O” kind of vibe. The thermostat wasn’t digital like in the modern rooms, but had a knob to increase the velocity of the fan, and a switch that moved from HEAT to COOL. The plumbing was retro too, but in great shape. I was actually kind of digging it! The desk clerk said that the hotel was built around the time Disneyland was built, and it was undergoing constant renovations to keep it modern. By now it was about 1:30am and we were hungry. So we found a place that delivered pizza until 3am and had a pizza delivered. We ate and hit the hay. I’m sure glad we switched rooms, but boy! You sure have to double check EVERYBODY!
Saturday the 17th – ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE! – I woke up and looked outside to what looked like a hurricane. It was raining and wind was blowing the trees like crazy! Though we were just a few blocks from the convention center, there was no way we would be walking! I thought about taking a cab, but what cab driver is going to want to take you three or four blocks. They wouldn’t make any money that way. So I decided to chance it and drive my car over. BIG MISTAKE! The parking at the Anaheim Convention Center was completely full, and all traffic was being routed out to Angel Stadium. One of those light-up signs flashed directions. TURN LEFT AT KATELLA AVENUE. THEN ZH0Q[YQOJ…That’s right! Part of the directions on the light-up sign were all crazy. Turn left at Katella and then WHAT!? In traffic it took us a half hour to get to Angel Stadium, pay the fee and park the car. Luckily the rain had let up a bit, but it was still cold. I was pissed! I swore “NEVER AGAIN!” If Anaheim had any hopes of winning a comic con again, they were quickly becoming dashed upon the rocks of despair. Panel or no panel, I just wanted to turn around and go home. We waited in line another half hour for a bus. But instead of having bus after bus waiting to take the waylaid con-goers, it was one bus…then a wait…then one bus…then a wait, etc. The two buses before ours were nice. Made by Mercedes Benz. But the bus that we got was a dreary old city bus. The kind that has seats, but also hand straps so people can stand up and hold on. A cattle car! So I was sitting there in my seat staring at some guy’s crotch that was in my face the whole time. To make matters worse the bus driver was stopping and starting and lurching and jerking the bus around. A little 4 years old girl sitting across from me threw up! Greeeeaaaat. Just what I needed to make the trip more exciting. Meanwhile, my friend Bob texted me that he got parking right by the convention center. My friend Alex said she got parking next to the convention center. Why did WE have to go to Angel Stadium and ride this horrible bus. Just think, I could have bribed a cabbie with $50 to take us to the convention center and we’d have been there by now. Ugh! Anaheim was blowing this whole deal. It was an organizational nightmare! Come to find out, in addition to all of us comic book nerds who were trying to gain access to the convention center, there was a girl’s volleyball tournament going on at the same time. NO WONDER the parking was packed. So in addition to dealing with people on the street trying to get to Disneyland, you now also have volleyball folks and comic book folks all vying for the same piece of real estate. This is the best planning Anaheim can do? I told Sara to enjoy it because we’d most likely never see Wonder Can back in Anaheim again. It’s almost like Anaheim was blindsided by all of the turnout. The convention was sold out for the day, but we got off the bus and went in to get our passes. I was still stunned by the whole miserable experience, but it started to wear off as I started seeing all kinds of friends. I saw Gregg Berger and Laraine Newman, my cohorts from “The Garfield Show,” Pat Jankiewicz, Scott Zillner, Bill Farmer, my movie night pals James and Mark. And I ran into a guy I hadn’t seen in about 6 years. We were in the Beetlejuice show at Universal Studios together. So it was fun to catch up, though everything was so hectic we didin’t have much of a chance to. We exchanged cards and headed off on our separate ways. Seeing him made my day though! By the time the panel rolled around at 3:00 I was feeling much better. And the great audience helped my spirits as well. In addition to Gregg, Laraine and Bill, we were joined Alicyn Packard on the panel. What fun! It was weird doing a panel with Mark Evanier though and not having the late Earl Kress present. Earl passed away last year sadly. After the panel I talked with some friends and hung out. My friend Jeremy came by with some of his friends and we went off to eat. Except for a slice of cold pepperoni pizza in the morning, I hadn’t eaten all day. So we went to the Hilton Hotel food court to get lunch. But the lines for the fast food were about 30 people deep. We wouldn’t get our food for another hour. Plus there wasn’t anywhere to sit. So all 6 in our party went to the hotel restaurant called Mix. There we got to relax, sit and talk, and the hamburger I had was DARN good! We got back to the con and did some shopping. I got a Caddyshack hat for my pal at “TTS” signed by Cindy Morgan, I got my “Black Samurai” movie poster signed by Jim Kelly, bought a Captain Kirk bathrobe, and a fez like the ones they wore in the Laurel and Hardy film “Sons of the Desert!” I looked at my phone and it was 6:30. The convention closed at 7! So we had to hustle through the aisles to see everything. We did our last bit of sightseeing and I texted my friend Katelyn who said she would drive us to my car at Angel Stadium so we wouldn’t have to take another pukey Anaheim bus. Thank God! She picked us up in front of the Hilton and we headed to the Angel’s parking lot. Sara and I got in the car and we both said, “Never again!” On the way back to the hotel we discussed whether or not we wanted to brave it a second day. The weather was still saying rain for Sunday. Should we cut our losses and go home tonight, or try a second day of more potential madness?! I was exhausted so I laid down fully dressed (I was THAT tired!) and slept for an hour or so. When I got up Sara had packed up all of our belongings. I guess I knew what her answer was. She wanted to leave. As did I. I checked out of the hotel and though I had to pay for the entire night, since we were checking out so late, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting back home and away from puking kids, volleyball players, rain, clogged Anaheim traffic, and burnt out traffic signs. We hit the road at 10:20 and made it to L.A. by 11. We were cooking down the road. We couldn’t get out of Anaheim fast enough! Though we encountered pockets of rain on the way home, the traffic was great! I relaxed and decompressed, petted Spook, and got ready to enjoy the rest of the evening in my own bed! I cuddled up with some of my world famous Buffalo Mac, my cat Spooky and another episode of “The Saint,” secretly feeling sorry for all those poor suckers who were going to brave the convention for another day.
Sunday the 18th – BLOWING OFF STEAM AND GUNPOWDER! – I slept all day but got up in time for evening church. When it was over my pal Mark Ackerman stopped by to tweak my TV set-up in my bedroom. I just had a new TV and remote system installed a few weeks earlier and he was there to work out a few bugs. Then my friend Amanda showed up, so all 3 of us went to the shooting range to shoot my new guns. The model 25 shoots like a dream and emits a delightful blast of gunpowder smell with each shot. It’s very accurate! The model 3913 took some getting used to, so one of the range guys came out and helped me adjust my shooting technique. Once he did that, I was shooting better with it. We ate dinner at the Coral Cafe afterwards and then I headed home to do my auditions. I stated Season 1 of “Kojak” and it was amazing. I think I’m going to really enjoy watching this show.
And how was YOUR week??!!
