Ignorant Bastards

I've been talking with other actors about the rampant ignorance that so many have about this business.  Even those within the business are ignorant!    Newflash for ya peeps:  Most, yes, most actors in New York are not in the union!  This does not mean they are not very talented.   Please stop equating union status with legitimacy. 

I have been an actor for years and have worked with super talented, very beautiful, extremely handsome people.  Most are not in the union!  Most have talent that far surpasses what I see from the under fives, the day players, the guest stars on prime time television shows.

So please, if you have had the good fortune of being in the union and find yourself on television in bit parts or guest starring parts, please don't think you're better than non-union actors.  It's mind-boggling to me how rampant this diseased thinking is. 

One Connecticut housewife, stagemom recently took me to task and said I should have gotten into the union already.  According to her "getting into SAG is easy."   Is she kidding?  An actor I know whose credits consist of glorified extra roles or bit parts on TV shows actually said to me, "You've been doing this too long not to be auditioning for major roles in movies."  Is he kidding?  In a recent Backstage, the head of casting for a network expects New York actors to have done Law and Order or have had some "real" theatre credits or he starts "to wonder."  Is he also kidding? 

It's one thing when an Aunt from Texas or a friend in finance is clueless about the business.  I find it cute when they say things like "How do you remember all those lines?"  But when industry people and fellow actors put your talent and career down with ignorant comments because you are not in the union or you haven't been on Law and Order, it is downright discouraging.   

--Jim Todd

Comments

[Anonymous]

Dear Jim,

Absolutely on the money. The same thing exists in the Musicians Union - there are some really fine players in the Union and some not so fine.

There are also some amazing musicians who are not members of any union.

It's also not a surprise, I think that though people talk about the "competition" in New York being very tough, we should all know that the "competition" isn't always fair.

Cliques and nepotism do exist in all pursuits, artistic and otherwise in this world and it's only concentrated here in NYC.

And I think we all know that the "casting couch" phenomenon is not dead in the music world or other performing arts worlds.

Not to be glum and cynical and give up hope, though, as sometimes talent, experience, dedication to one's craft and hard work do prevail.