RANDOM PIC OF THE WEEK
While doing a random search for something totally unrelated, I happened upon this awesome picture of Andy Kaufman that I had never seen before. In the picture he’s wearing the outfit that I have in my collection. Boy, the comedy world was never the same after Andy left us.
Ever since the wrap party last Thursday night for “The Tonight Show,” I haven’t been able to get Sam Phillips’ “No Time Like Now” out of my head. Writer Dave Rygalski put together a farewell video to this song which featured many of the staff members. There was barely a dry eye in the house when it was finished. It’s a terrific song!
Monday the 3rd – THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! – When I got up at 10:30 I walked my dog Roxy, did some work on the computer, then sped off to Voice Trax West to do some more commercials for the chain of Children’s Hospitals I’ve been working for. We finished those up in about an hour, then it was off to an audition for a Samsung TV commercial in Burbank. Just as I came out of the audition my agent called and had me head over to NBC to record a comedy bit for “The Tonight Show.” When I got there a package was waiting for me. It was a framed photo of Jay and I that we had taken on the set a month or so ago. He sat down with every staff member on the set and had a commemorative photo taken. We also got copies of our big group shot we took. It was a good idea wearing my bright orange Tony Clifton shirt that day, because I can find me in the group with no problem. When we took our group shot for “The Jay Leno Show” it was like “Where’s Waldo.” I blended in a lot better on that one. Everyone’s starting to load out the contents of their office, and daily I would see somebody walk down the hall carrying a lot of boxes. I acquired some great photo cards that had been tossed in the trash. But these were actual screen-used pieces from a Jaywalking segment! The guest was Jimmy Fallon, who seems like a pretty nice guy. I wish him well with his new endeavor. Betty White was also on the show and she’s always a hoot! We wrapped up the show and I headed home. Only three left now. Brittney, Sara and I had dinner at Little Toni’s, then I came home to do some work and grab a nap on the couch. I got up and did my auditions and finished up Wally’s Week. I made some soup and settled into bed to watch another “Mannix” episode from the seventh season DVD set.
Tuesday the 4th – THE POSITIVITY STRUGGLE! – Just before I shot awake at noon, I was having more zombie dreams. I always do pretty well in those types of dreams, and I’m able to slip away from the zombies easily enough. But I can never seem to find a working handgun in those dreams. Either they won’t fire, or the chamber of the revolver is filled with bread and weeds, as was the case in my most recent dream. Weird, to be sure! Bread and weeds? I went back to sleep for a bit thinking it was all over, but the next dream picked right back up where the previous dream left off. I woke from that and decided to start the day. I did a quick session in my home studio, did some organizing, paid some bills, and got ready for work. I stopped by Guns Direct in Burbank to drop off my new Sig Sauer 226 Equinox and my Kahr .380 for cleaning and lubing. Then I headed over to “TTS.” My pal Edi was going to come to the show with her sister, but she wasn’t able to make it. She’s been dealing with a lot of personal stuff, so I kind of figured she wouldn’t make it. So, the tickets went to two lucky folks who got to see the third to the last show. The mood around the studio was very glum. It was starting to hit everyone pretty hard. It was all I could do to try and keep the mood light and positive with everyone I came in contact with. There was more packing and moving going on. On the drive home my head was full of stuff, hoping that I had helped my co-workers’ mood even just a little. I got all the way home and realized I had forgotten my guns at Guns Direct! So I drove back out of the garage and headed over to get them. My compact Kahr .380 had been giving me trouble and jamming quite a bit, so while I was at Guns Direct I bought a compact Sig Sauer .380. I’ll pick it up on February 14th. My California Handgun Safety Card had expired, so I had to take the test again. It was been five years already?! I only missed one question. To buy a handgun in the state of California you have to be 21, not 18. Which is illogical considering that if you’re 18 you can go into the military and get as many handguns as you want. It makes no sense. But I passed and got my new card. I headed home to meet up with Edi. I hadn’t seen her in a while so we needed to catch up. After she left I grabbed a nap on the couch, then got up to do auditions. I worked on the computer for a bit, fed and walked Roxy, and made a pizza and watched “Mannix” again.
Wednesday the 5th – “THIS IS THE END. HOLD YOUR BREATH AND COUNT TO TEN.” – I got up at 10 and headed into NBC to attend the final crew meeting for “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” I could have slept in and missed it, but I’m really glad I went. It was very emotional and something I’ll never forget. When Jay came to the stage he got a standing ovation from the crew. Producer Debbie Vickers gave an emotional speech, and even Jay got a bit emotional when he started talking about his favorite book “A Christmas Carol.” Some of the crew spoke too, some of them barely able to make it through what they wanted to say. There was lots of love and laughter in the room. The end of the show isn’t about the money. Everyone will find other jobs because they’re the best in the business. It’s not about the show itself. It’s about missing those you work with, and very possibly never seeing them again. It was quite the mix of laughter and tears. There were lots of great stories from before I was with the show. What a history! What a family! But I feel it’s a lot like what I call the “Johnny Appleseed” theory. Before we were one big apple tree, producing beautiful apples every single day. Now, the tree has been scattered to the wind. It’s logical to assume that one third of the staff will probably retire. Another third will probably take jobs in other fields. But that leaves a third of the employees who will find jobs at other shows. So now instead of having one big apple tree, you have seeds scattered the four corners of the earth. And each seed takes with them the knowledge and experiences of being on the big tree. It’s safe to assume that every single person who gets on at another show, will refer their former co-workers for any opportunities that exist. “I worked with this great lighting guy!” or “I know this really great comedy writer!” etc. etc. etc. So now there are a hundred new opportunities, where only one existed before. So it’ll all work out, I’m sure. I got lunch at Subway and drove back to NBC. I just sat there in my parking space on the lot drinking in the final moments. A huge tent had been erected out behind Stage 11 for the wrap party. I finished my lunch and went inside. My old pal Doug Lund from KELO-TV has a blog on their website in Sioux Falls. He e-mailed me to see about doing a phone interview. I had some time before I was due to record some comedy bits, so I gave him a ring. It was fun chatting about the old days at the station, and giving details about the final days of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” When I finished up the comedy bits I walked around and chatted with the crew. I got a call to come back inside and do another bit a half hour before the show. Just before we taped, my old pal Fred Westbrook came into the studio to hang out. I had been wanting him to give me his personal tour of the old NBC studios for quite awhile now, but until today he hadn’t had the time. I opened the show then we walked around the lot. He worked there back in 1982 doing gameshows. He showed me where all of the shows he worked on were filmed, where he met Johnny Carson for the first time, and where some of the unique points of interest were. He pointed out where the architecture was the same as the old days, and where things had changed. We met up with Mike the photographer and he and Fred chatted for a long time. Mike had been with NBC since the 60’s, and he even shot stills of the 1968 Elvis Comeback Special! Mike and Fred had a lot of mutual acquaintances. I walked Fred back to his car then went back inside to wrap up the day. Only one more show left. Tomorrow was going to be a doozy! When I got home I relaxed in the Jacuzzi. My duck pals were swimming around in the pool, keeping a careful eye on me all the while. It was a beautiful, clear starry night. When I got back inside I turned on the fireplace and grabbed a nap on the most comfortable couch in the universe. I got up in time to record one of my comedy bits from the “TS” broadcast, and then I set about recording my auditions. Since I was with Fred all afternoon, I missed watching the taping. So I watched it on the air. It was a good one! I made some spaghetti and watched another “Mannix” episode. And it’s the first episode I’ve seen where he’s worn one of the jackets I own. COOL!
Thursday the 6th – TH-TH-TH-THAT’S ALL, FOLKS! – Of course, “Tonight Show” dreams woke me up at 10:30. I walked Roxy and tried to go back to sleep for a little while. It would be a very bittersweet day. I got my tuxedo out and cleaned up to go in to work for the finale. I had lots of well-wishers sending me messages via text and e-mail. It was the end of an era, to be sure. My assistant Sara and my pal Bodie Stroud would be my guests in the audience that day. Before I headed to NBC I got an e-mail with scripts for two comedy bits to record. These would be the last ever. Then I suited up in my tux and headed in. I stopped by McDonald’s to get a quick lunch, because I knew it would be awhile before I was able to eat. I spent the hour before the final show walking around shaking hands with those crewmembers I missed seeing during the previous days. I walked into the hallway where the dressing rooms are and saw my pal Troy Thomas, one of the writers. He loves my Sean Connery impression, so while I was in the tux I decided to give him a little Connery to lighten the moment. He was talking to a few other guys and we all started chatting about James Bond and Sean Connery. It took me awhile, but I realized that the guy in the baseball cap I was talking to was Garth Brooks! Just hanging around shooting the breeze! Even though it was a rainy day, people turned out in droves to see the final episode. One audience member joked that the raindrops were the tears of God, falling because of the horrible injustice that was happening at NBC in Burbank. I rehearsed the final opening announcement, and then took some photos for posterity. At 4:00, the band started, I hit the switch and said, “It’s the final Tonight Show, with Jay Leno!” It was an amazing show. I went out to the stage to enjoy seeing the final moments with my own eyes. It was literally standing room only. They had extra chair set up in the aisleways to accommodate the extra people. After the show Sara left for a bit to walk Roxy. So Bodie and I just stood on the floor of the stage drinking in all the sights and sounds. Jay was moving about the crowd like butter on a hot plate. Taking photos with anyone and everyone who wanted one last shot with the legendary comic. During a lull in the action he looked at me and said, “Hi Wally.” I could barely croak out a “Hi Jay!” It was going to be one of those nights. As Producer Debbie Vickers was heading backstage I quickly told her thanks, and that it was the job of a lifetime. She said, “It was great working with you, Wally!” Most everyone was in a hurry to get out to the party and get the drinks flowing, but I wanted to walk around the studio and digest everything as it got quieter and quieter. When I went to the party I found out that the evening’s entertainment would be Chris Isaak! I texted me pal Officer Mark (a HUGE C.I. fan) as I knew he would be super jealous! It was a terrific party celebrating a tremendous achievement. Photos were taken, fortunes were told, food and drink were served in plentiful quantities. I also got the chance to say goodbye to those I hadn’t seen earlier. I gave Jay a hug, thanked him and shook his hand and told him it was the ride of a lifetime. He said, “You did a great job!” Sara got a pic with Chris Isaak and Billy Crystal. I’m glad I wore the tux because we took a ton of photos! Sara took off around 8, but I hung around for a little bit longer. I went back inside to walk the studio one last time, and sit in the audio booth for a little while. I went back to the set, walked through the doors where the guests came through, sat at Jay’s desk and reflected on what a lucky schmuck I’ve been for the past four and a half years. At 9:00 I gathered up my stuff to leave. Unlike some of the other employees who had boxes and boxes of personal effects, I only had a half full bottle of gargle, and a half empty canister of foam ear plugs. So my loadout was an easy one. I bid farewell to Stage 11 on the Burbank Studios lot…until next time, that is. The rain had subsided, and the streets were wet and cool. The drive home was weird. I called a friend who had worked on a lot of shows in the past, and asked him how he handled the ending of a TV show. He had some good advice. I got home and shed the tux, donned my swimsuit and took a nice, relaxing dip in the Jacuzzi. I came back inside and did my auditions, and watched the final episode on TV. What a night. What a day. What a four and a half year ride! And to think….four years ago during the Winter Olympics I was elated. Because we were going from “The Jay Leno Show” to “The Tonight Show.” And now that the Winter Olympics are back again, I’m not as excited. But to every thing there is a season. I made a salad and watched “Mannix.”
Friday the 7th – NO REST FOR THE WICKED! – I slept all the way up to noon, and when I checked out my e-mail and cell phone there were several messages about a session I missed that morning. What? Apparently I was booked on a cartoon at 9am Friday morning, but somebody forgot to tell ME! A week earlier they checked my schedule for Friday, I said it would be fine, but never heard back from them. Come to find out, they booked all the other actors based on my availability, but forgot to book me for the session. I felt badly but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. They recorded all the other actors and they’ll have to pick me up next week. I guess I’m just not very good at reading minds. The coordinator sent me a very apologetic e-mail. I was just glad it wasn’t my fault. I would’ve felt like a real heel. I answered other e-mails and texts, and scanned some checks for a bank deposit. I found out my pal Mike from Chicago was in town and wanted to have a late lunch. So I arranged to have my assistant Sara come over to sit with my maids, who were due at 2:30, and I headed off to the lunch meeting at Jerry’s Famous Deli. I was happy to see that Mike had lost about 50 pounds. We caught up on his new plans and had fun chatting. Then I took off for the bank to make a deposit, and then headed over to CVS to get some photos printed. I dropped off my tux shirt at the cleaners to get cleaned and pressed, then stopped by my mailbox to pick up some packages. I ordered 100 drink tumblers to hand out in my 2014 promotional package. In order to refresh the memories of casting directors and producers in the voice-over field, since I had been a little off the radar doing “TTS” the past four years, I’m sending out a fun package of swag, including my new VO demos. My pal Scott Sebring has created a really great insert that goes inside the outer plastic sleeve of the tumbler. I got home to unload the packages, then turned back around and went to Jerry’s Famous Deli again for a dinner meeting. My pal Mark Starks was in town visiting from Michigan, and Johnny Green (of Johnny Green and the Greenmen) was there too. Johnny was in a “Batman” TV episode back in 1968, and he has a ton of fun stories about that and other adventures. Mark and Johnny came over to Planet Wallywood for a quick tour, and when they left I grabbed a nap. The week had officially caught up to me. I was exhausted! I ended up sleeping FOUR hours on my couch! I got up to feed and walk Roxy, then grilled some hot dogs and watched a 2-part “Mannix” episode.
Saturday the 8th – TOO CUTE! – At 2:00 I sprang awake to walk Roxy over to the groomer’s. She was in desperate need of a bath. I walked back home and slept another couple of hours. I picked up Roxy, then came home to enjoy a quick dip in the Jacuzzi with my duck friends swimming in the pool nearby. My friend Bob came over around 6:30 so I could record some voice-over stuff for his skits in the upcoming Dr. Who convention. Then it was time for movie night. Sara was out sick, but we managed without her. My pal Amanda drove in and helped out. We watched the Blu Ray release of “Harvey” starring Jimmy Stewart. What a great film! Then while dialing around on the TV we came upon “King Kong VS. Godzilla.” Hilarious! But when we stopped on Animal Planet, Amanda and I were transfixed. A show called “Too Cute” is just that. TOO CUTE! It features three different families of puppies and charts their progress as they grow up. I think this is my new favorite show! I could watch that all day! I did some work on the computer, then got some screen shots of Mike Connors wearing one of the “Mannix” jackets I own. I fed Roxy then took her out on our late night stroll. I came inside to make a salad and watch an episode of “The Saint,” since it was my weekly Saturday Night Saint and Salad night. When “The Saint” finished I was flipping around on the TV dial. Nothing of worth was on. NOTHING! I’m not sure how some of these “shows” even got on the air. I’m not sure why I even pay for DirecTV each month. It was literally one stupid show after another, channel after channel. Some of the shows I came across seemed more like a bad SNL sketch, than an actual show. I think if it weren’t for “Too Cute,” and some of the music channels, I would get rid of my satellite TV altogether.
Sunday the 9th – PRODUCTIVE SUNDAY! – I walked Roxy as soon as I got up at 2, then went back to bed to sleep until 5. It was time to get up for evening church. After church I did some work on the computer, took a dip in the Jacuzzi and grabbed a nap. I get 8 hours of sleep a day, but it’s always divided up into chunks. I got to bed at 10am and slept until 2 (4 hours), then got another 2 hours from 3-5 (6 hours), then got another few hours on the couch (8 hours). For some strange reason, I can’t stay asleep for a full 8 hours. My mind wakes me up after about four hours and kicks me into gear. When I woke up from the nap I did a bunch of auditions, then cleared out some old 3 ring binders in my bedroom closet. I’m putting together a “Jay Leno Show” and “Tonight Show” storage bin of all the stuff I’ve acquired over the four and a half years of working on the show. Scripts, schedules, mementos, gifts, photos, clothes, etc. I decided to put all the paper things into binders for safe keeping. Furthermore, I want to have them all filed in order of appearance, by date. That’s going to be a TON of work, but it’ll be worth it in the end. I also did some laundry and washed the dishes. After I fed and walked Roxy at 3am, I took off to get some much-needed grocery items and some dinner-to-go at Denny’s. I came back home and ate while watching another episode of “Mannix.”
And how was YOUR week??!!
