May 24, 1999
Commercial auditions. OH, those wacky commercial auditions. How many have I had in the last seven-and-half years? 100? 200? And how many commercials have I been in? 20? 10? Well, that number is easier to count... ZERO. I spoke with my commercial agent today about it. I just don't get it. She told me today that it's not uncommon for people who succeed theatrically to be unable to achieve the same success commercially. Her take on the problem is that the commercial clients aren't looking for "actors," they're looking for someone who can immediately communicate whatever their commercials' messages are. In some cases that requires a certain look, in others, a certain style, but seldom does it just require a simple acting performance.
So did I take that information and turn in the performance of my life this afternoon? Well, no. I think I may have reverted back to my usual style of trying to create a believable little scenario. My character wakes up at the Comfort Inn and gets random assistance from the employees of the hotel -- the maid, the gardener, the janitor -- all giving him pointers about his presentation that morning. It was a cute spot and I thought I did some cute work. And part of me believes that now that my show has been picked up, I must have been brimming with confidence. Surely that came through in my audition, right? So, will I get it? I doubt it. I just don't think I have an interesting enough face and style to be the harried, travelling businessman. That's a different aura than this mid-Western turned Ivy League law school look I bring into the room.
Back to the drawing board.