Lies, Lies, They're All Lies!!

I had an audition for Gerber on Friday. Not my finest hour. I got there, signed in, the casting associate gave us all instructions, I read the sides, worked on them, and felt good. I got into the audition room and casting started interviewing me (which I didn't know they planned to do). First they asked me if I had any children. I said "No, but I can borrow one." As the eldest of seven girls, I've been around my share of babies, that's for sure! They got a laugh about that, and proceeded to ask me other questions: did we have a childrens table at Thanksgiving, did I have lots of friends with children, did I see the babies in my family often? I don't consider myself an improv actor, but I do know the "yes, and" game. When someone says something to you, if you say "no, but" that will end the game, but if you say "yes, and", the game keeps moving forward and becomes more and more fantastical as it goes.

Well...I decided that "yes, and" would be the way to go. After all, I've had these interviews before, and have learned that "what plans do you have this weekend?" is more of a way to assess my personality than because anybody really cares about my weekend plans to groom my garden and scrub my floors.

So, "yes, and" it was. I was quick, I was glib, I was charming...I was lying. Though I do it on occasion to spare peoples' feelings, I really don't like to lie. I have enough things to think about, and remembering who I lied to about what is not something I want to add to my list. Lying always makes me uncomfortable, but in that moment, I knew the truth was not interesting enough, and that if I told the truth, I wouldn't be allowed to continue in the game.

It was all downhill from there. I got stuck in the fact that lie after lie had just rolled off of my tongue, and couldn't focus on much else. I was wooden. I had 3 lines and screwed two of them up in both takes. Definitely not my finest hour.

Usually, when people ask me how my auditions go, my answer is "It went well. They pretty much all go well at this point." And it's the truth. They're supposed to go well--this is what I do for a living. Well, this was a terrible exception.

Watch, now I'll book it. Show business (and life) can be funny that way.

Or maybe that's just wishful thinking.

At any rate...Next.

--Nicole J. Butler

Comments

[Sis Ivd]

You didn't REALLY lie, you just dressed up a few facts!

[Nicole J. Butler]

Ummmm hmmm...

[susan]

This reminds me of an anecdote from "Dinner for Five" (back in the days when I had free cable)... I can't recall the actor's name, but he was doing BG work and the director mistook him for a stuntman and he just went with it - untrained - and ended up taking punches and falling and actually getting hurt... but he kept pretending he was OK because once he was in it, he couldn't cry uncle and admit he was just an actor. And he did end up getting noticed (I so wish I could remember his name!)... all because of a big fat lie ;)

[Stacey Jackson]

Umm...I commented on your blog on the blog below yours. It's Monday morning stupidness smacking me in the head again!

[Nicole J. Butler]

Sis Ivd- thanks for trying to cheer me up! Yeah I dressed them up alright - and gave them a tummy tuck, a boob job, and some botox.

Susan--WHAT? OMG, that is hilarious! Talk about committed! Show-biz will DRIVE you to some crazy lengths, won't it?

Stacey--that's okay, it's MONDAY, lol. Now if you had done that on a Friday, I'd have to talk about you... ;o) (I'm SO j/k.)

Thanks y'all.