This past week I  got to work the TV show Glee again for the second time. The first time we were on location at a local Los Angeles high school and this last time I got to work on the Paramount lot. Luckily for me, I live close enough that I just walked to set. They shoot everything here from Community to Dr. Phil to The Doctors and various movies like Footloose. It’s a smaller lot than say, Universal or Warner Brothers but I still managed to get lost twice looking for the bathroom.

Now, that I’ve worked the show again, I’ve got to see the entire cast. They all pretty much look and act like their characters. That is except for Jane Lynch who is truly nothing like her heartless role of Sue Sylvester. She was all smiles and joking with co-star Matthew Morrison who is waaay taller than I expected. I really can’t get over just how cool everyone on the cast and crew are. Eric Stoltz, our director donned a grey striped suit, an unusual uniform compared to the usual casual wear of a 14 hour day on set. I also learned how to hem up my bell bottoms with nothing but pins and double stick tape – Thanks Jimmy!

Pretty much every location and scene on the show is taped on the studio lot. The classrooms are fake, so are the halls, gym and auditorium. The attention to detail on this set is ridiculous. The posters, lockers, newspapers all have real stories and notes. There’s about 6 makeup chairs and the same amount of hair dressers – all of whom are super cool. Heck, I would be in a good mood too if I got to work Glee every day!

I truly love being on sets – in any capacity. It was a long 10 hour day but totally worth it, and this time, I DO get my close up!

Check me out in Season 3 – Episode 6! Just see if you can spot the ‘fro

UPDATE: So as it turns out, the story line of how Sue Sylvester gains her mean-streak was too intense for prime-time TV. Actually it was just too long to include in episode 6. The final episode was aired without those scenes and I heard they will be putting it (along with my cameo) into the Season 3 DVD as a special separate episode.

Sofar Sounds

Me and my friend, Erin checking out the Sofar Sounds

In January, I got to enjoy a private pop-up concert of about four lessor known indie-rock bands in some random chick’s living room.

We sat on the floor, crossed leg, knee to knee. Some stood. It was hot and cramped and BYOB.
It was pretty cool.
This was Sofar, or Songs for a Room.

It started in London a few years back (2009), some dudes got the bright idea to make music intimate again. Why not invite a few friends over and a few willing bands and have a mini concert? Why not do it in someone’s house and invite more friends? Why not invite some strangers? BFFs? Enemies? Even you, perhaps? However, you gotta be in the know…

My first experience was pretty rad. I got to attend the first Los Angeles Sofar which took place in the Hollywood area (the address is secret up until the actual day). I was seriously blown away by how awesome the music was. These were legit performers.

Notable performances by Saint Motel, Chief and Jessica Hoop among others. Jessica was nursing a cold so her voice wasn’t 100% by she still sounded amazing and had a great sense of humour.

A kick ass beat-boxer was supposed to make it too, but he was flying in that night and I don’t think he could make it in time. This is a fly-by-the-seat of your pants kind of thing, thus sometimes issues happen. It didn’t seem to damper anyone’s mood.

In attendance, was one of the creators who introduced each band and gave a brief history of the origins of Sofar. He said they are always looking for music lovers willing to open up their living rooms, to 100 or so strangers so they can hold the next one.

This thing is global-huge and I only anticipate it getting bigger.

Here’s a link to a video feature about Sofar on Reuters.
www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=123595601

Also, is a link to view some actual performances on http://www.sofarsounds.com

Enjoy, music fans!

Television is a drug. from Beth Fulton on Vimeo.

Look at me.
Look at me.
No, don’t look over there…
Look at me.
Last year I got rid of my cable service because it was sucking away too much of my time. I should have gone one step further and just gotten rid of my TV set altogether.
Instead I got a bigger one.
However, gone are the days when there was a TV in every room of my house and hundreds of channels of brain sucking nonsense. Now there’s just 5 or 6 working ones.
I’m much more focused now, right?
Well, not exactly.
I bet I spend much more time on the internet these days than I ever used to watch TV.
I used to be able to tell the time by what show was on. I was a TV junkie as a kid.
Now, I spend hours surfing the web, have absolutely no concept of time and when the sun sets, I seriously look back and wonder what I did with my day. I can’t even remember how those hours were spent. I could always look back at my History Tab but do I really want to waste more time reliving what was already wasted?
Technology is grand. For those who can manage it.
The weak, well, probably will have spent 30 years of their life looking at other people’s lives through a glass tube, or 13 or 15 or 17 inch screen.
Welcome ipad, iphone to my already dehumanized, techo-life.
This is probably why I subconsciously sought out a career as an actress.
If I can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?
That being said, stay tunned to watch me in an upcoming Webseries called The Sixth Minute…
Now,
Look at ME.

PS – I did not make this video. It struck me as cool. I Just thought I’d share it’s coolness. Enjoy.

Target Kaleidoscopic Fashion Spectacular from LEGS MEDIA on Vimeo.

Here’s the description:

“On August 18th, 2010 Legs Media and Mother NY took over the southern facade of The Standard Hotel. Backed by the score of a 30 piece orchestra, we turned 155 rooms with 66 dancers inside into giant animated pixels, bringing a 20 minute live experience to the streets. Target even distributed 1,500 binoculars and had the music available on a toll-free number for those not close enough to hear. Familiar faces were in attendance to experience the truly extraordinary display.”

I recently climbed a HUGE mountain and overcame a really big hurdle in my on-going quest for GLEE.

Yep. Add me to the list of Gleeky show fans who dream of singing re-mastered show tunes in the halls of a fake high school, while jumping on a mattress or dancing in a Gap.

My one caveat is that I have had no formal singing training. Aside from singing in the shower, karaoke, in my car or in my boyfriend’s ear (at any random moment when I usually burst out in song… which happens often… sorry boyfriend), I don’t get to sing much in front of people. I have always loved singing and would love to do it for a living… In an acapella group, in a lounge, on a stage, on a street corner, wherever.

Sometimes people do everything in their daily life accept the one thing they truly dream of doing. Maybe it’s because we are afraid that we might actually get it.

I never quite knew how to break into singing and my parents sure didn’t know much about proper singing lesson’s either. Plus, I was too busy trying to figure out how to break into acting (which is an entirely different animal).

When acting, I rarely get nervous on a stage, at an audition or during a reading. I just performed the Vagina Monologues and it was the most exhilarating experience of my life. You would think performing in front of 300 people night after night would make one nervous. I relished every moment.

I DO however, get nervous when I sing.

In an attempt to battle my fears, I thought, “Hey, why not do a signing audition… just for fun, to see what it might be like!?” After all, the unknown is very scary, but once you do something once, it does get easier with practice.

Ok then, time to practice.

This week, I got to audition for Six Flags Magic Mountain’s six-person acapella dance group – their version of Glee.

As the days approached leading up to the audition, I found myself wanting to back out. I could not think of a good up-tempo song or ballad to sing. I told my friends about the audition, I told my teachers… I wished I hadn’t… I wanted to back out.

RULE #1: Verbalize your goals. The Universe (and your friends) will hold you accountable.

Oh, Crap. So, now I’m accountable!

I was REALLY nervous leading up to it – to the point that I still couldn’t decide on a song to sing. I truly considered not even going! It would be so much easier to just stay home and watch Glee on Hulu and continue to daydream with Ben and Jerry at my side.

Then I reminded myself that the reason wanted to audition was to get out of my scared shitless little shell and to “practice” singing in front of people just to see what the audition would be like. It was just for fun after all and I was creating unnecessary pressure on myself. Of course I was. Of course we do.

It was pouring cats and dogs outside. An hour until I had to be there and I almost didn’t make it. I was a ball of nerves.

Crap!!! What do I do? What do I do!?

So. I went. The whole drive to Valencia (about 45 minutes north from where I live) saying to myself, “Crap, crap, crap!”

I thought about my song choice up until the moment I took the stage… they had us all audition in front of one another in a big auditorium (about 60 other people auditioning just that day alone!).

Some people were as good as you would expect at a Six Flags audition… one guy actually sang “She Bangs” in ode to William Hung. It was memorable. However, some people were indeed real professionals. A good handful of singers really blew the lid off the place. Watching everyone else go before me (I was #47 out of 60), it wasn’t necessarily the best thing for my already fragile ego. I was cold and wet (still raining). I was a shaking nervous wreck. I found a hidden spot in the back of the auditorium and actually did some breathing and relaxation techniques and they calmed me down. (Thanks teach!)

Then I remembered… wait a tic, oh yeah! Don’t I love to do karaoke and rock it out every time!? I always kick-ass and bring down the house. So, why don’t I pretend this is just like that? Sell the song and show some attitude! I can do this.

I ended up singing Fly me to the Moon and I Want to Hold your Hand. Not exactly high energy, contemporary pop songs, but the jurors liked my renditions and I made it to ROUND TWO: Yippie!

About 25 of us were asked to stay and learn a choreographed dance. Uhm… I don’t really, er, dance…. I considered just leaving right then and there…

When it doubt, fake it right? – I did, I gave them all smiles and energy oozing out my ears… it worked!

Then I made it to ROUND THREE: Sight read a song and harmonize in a group.

Uhm… Yeah, I don’t really read music. Then, I had a flashback to when I was 11 years old, playing the violin in class and the instructor asked us to play the song one-by-one because “someone” was off key in the group. Oh, good God, here we go again….

However, I stood next to another Alto until I learned the harmony… That worked. In the end, I was just having lots and lots of fun in the process and that’s all that mattered.

The short of it, I lived to see another day… And I’m that much closer to being ready for when Ryan Murphy calls

A girl who has never sung in front of an audience in an audition type format, who has never learned any kind of choreography and learned any kind of dance moves (except for the Running Man, that is), who has never been able to read sheet music, let alone harmonize with a group… has LIVED to see another day. Whew!

I dream of singing, but then I wake up and I forget all too well that it is a passion that I need to nurture. Gotta’ nurture your babies people. I realized today how long my dream of singing has been put aside to make way for other not as fun things. Well, no more.

2011 is a year of Bad-Ass-Ness. Going after your goals. (but for real this time, yo!)

There’s a lot I need to learn, but I am much more aware now of what steps I need to take to make my dream a reality. I’m sure we all have something that we wish we were doing right now instead of working at that crummy day job or watching TV. This is your life. Go live out your dreams.

If you allow self-doubt to creep in, you will indeed fail. But if you can put aside your fears long enough to get you on that stage, behind the mic, in front of the camera, etc., you will be one step closer to achieving your dreams.

Moral: Get out of your own way… slap yourself in the face and get over your fears… you just may actually surprise yourself!

Feel free comment or share an experience you recently had in achieving Bad-Ass-Ness this year!

Photo copyright Jill Greenberg

A marvelous little 6-year-old girl I know, tried out for her very first audition last week. She had never done any kind of singing or acting before, but was simply curious to try it out and maybe live out her Hannah Montana fantasies. She told her mom she wanted to have a go for it.

Then she got there.

They asked her to sing, and she got scared and had a meltdown.

After my boyfriend told me this story about his niece, my just heart broke. I know all too well that sometimes we let our fears get the best of us… sometimes we just want something so badly, we ache and we get scared and we can do nothing but cry. It sucks royally, but is a crucial step in learning how to overcome one’s fears and self-doubt. That experience will prove to be a turning point in her life that she will remember forever. It is indeed a scary thing to sing in front of people… you are baring your soul and sharing something very personal to an often times rude and judgmental audience. As a kid you may not understand it fully, but your gut knows… you get up there… and you feel like you are going to poop your pants.

Her story took me back. I remember crying uncontrollably on the steps of my childhood home when I was maybe 8 or 9 years old. My mom ran over frantically and asked where I was hurt, I cried, “Yes, Ma, it hurts SO bad… I want to be an actress!! Waaaaah!!”

Uh, oh. Yeah, this is when I got the bug.

I could totally relate to this little girl and her experience. Nerves happened to me when I was a kid and I cried more so, after being rejected time and time again. I don’t cry on auditions now but I still get stressed out. My fears are continuously being confronted to this day as I continue pursue my goals as an actress and more recently, a singer. It’s all part of the process. As an adult we know that fear is still there, but we allow our passion to take over. Now, when we cry, it’s because we deeply love what we do.

Stay tuned for my next post and find out if my stage fright got the best of me on my recent GLEE inspired audition…

A few months ago, I was given a cooking product called The Flavor Wave. Not knowing anything about it, but willing to try any random cooking product (being the foodie that I am) I jumped at the opportunity!

It is not a microwave, nor a slow cooker, nor a toaster oven, but I feel it lies somewhere in-between the three. The Thane product website states that The Flavor Wave uses “halogen heat, infrared waves, and convection cooking, so food is cooked faster and juicier. Fats and oils are removed and food is always cooked to perfection.”

Ok. Whatever. I don’t really care how it works. Alls I know is that I made  a pizza in it, garlic bread, filet mignon, french fries and a whole freakin’ chicken that turned out so juicy and crispy. Yum to the ‘O.

Plus, the best part about doing this infomercial testimonial was that I got paid in Flavor Wave! I’m actually cooking a chicken in it as I write this blog.

I especially love the story that Ryan Gosling has about being fired from Lovely Bones. (@ 47:42) He apparently had such a different idea for the main character than the director had – gaining more than 60 lbs for the part! He shows up the first day on set weighing 210 lbs and Peter Jackson was like “whaaa? wtf?!” Ryan was re-cast by Mark Wahlberg and left “fat and unemployed”. It just goes to show, even hot, talented actors get screwed sometimes too!

These are pretty long, so get some popcorn and sit back and take notes!
The shorter highlights are available on youtube as well.

Ah, the things we do for our career! Well, at least we can laugh about it, right?

I feel I must finally speak my truth about this Brazilian nightmare. And get the facts out to my fellow women considering it.

Being a mixed chick, my hair on any given day can be a curse and a blessing. Over the years, I have learned to love my hair and appreciate the gift of “the fro”. I had been rocking a naturally styled afro for the past 5 years and had finally gotten to the point of manageability and had a cut and style that worked for me. After 20 years of crying to my mom, “why isn’t my hair blond and straight!?” I learned to love it and I did.

Hence the pictures below. I was happy, my agents were happy, and I received frequent compliments and questions such as: “Oh my gosh, is that a wig!?” and “How long does it take you to do that!?” and the ever popular, “Oooh, can I touch it!?”

all natural, before the brazilian straight

I was often stopped on the street and starred at. Not too many people were embracing their natural curl and so, I was a rarity. (This was before this natural look was “in”).

Why then, you ask, would I ever dare change it?

Well, I will explain. There comes a time in a girl’s life when she needs to change things up. When your lifestyle is the same, your love life is the same, your work is the same, and you need to just well, spice things up. So I did what any woman would do in this situation… I went shopping!

And well,  that wasn’t enough, so, plan B… I got my hair done.

The Brazilian Blowout

June 2010: I wanted to finally find out what the fuss was all about. The Brazilian Blowout was advertised in almost every salon and everyone had different deals going on. I did my research and got myself a coupon and went to Juan Juan Salon in Beverly Hills. My usual stylist was there, so I trusted them to do a good job, which they did. They shampooed me and  then I was in the chair for about 40 minutes with the Brazilian straight product. The chemical fumes burned my eyes and made me cry all over the place. I couldn’t breathe. I had to get up and walk around, I was antsy and suffocating. “The price of beauty!” I said to myself and mustered the strength to get through it. The fan they put on to alleviate the stench only made it worse. I felt bad for the beauticians who have to deal with this stuff all day. So much for minimal chemical.

After the timer went off, two trained stylists flat ironed my hair with the product ON. I was told that because of my extreme kinkiness I would have to keep the product on for 3 days, and on the third day wash it out completely.

*Note : This is a different Brazilian product than the one that is washed off during styling. I have since learned, that there are different products, which all react and work a different way.

moments before the salon

in the chair - 40 minutes with the product on

When I left the salon, my hair was bone straight. When I got it blow dried, it was fantastically conditioned, silky smooth and luxurious. When I left it alone right out of the shower, my curls were loose and light. I had always wanted “easy” manageable hair, and here it was at last!

layered and flat ironed after the product

straight after the product

The Brazilian Blowout cut my styling time in half and I was able to, for the first time, straighten my own hair with the blow dry/flat iron. The gorgeous effect lasted about 1-2 months max. You have to use sulfate free shampoo, which I did, and it keeps the product on longer. They also recommend a deep conditioning treatment once a week, which I also did.

after blow drying

after 1 month - drying naturally

October 2010: It has since been 4 months. My hair is pretty much destroyed. I have spent over $100 dollars in conditioning and styling products to bring moisture and life back into my hair. It will not absorb anything. It is dry and harsh and even more frizzy than before. Only now, there is no natural curl, so it is a big unmanageable poof.

The Brazilian Straight makes your hair great at first, but once it starts to come out, your hair goes into  a funky, embarrassing, puberty-like faze. I have been wearing hats for the past 3 weeks. My loving, supportive boyfriend has helped me though some rough mornings. It has been a hard hair transition back to my natural hair and I’ve got at least 2 months to go.

now, dry, coarse, unruly and unmanageable!

Perhaps, if you were going to get it done frequently, like every 2 months, perhaps it might be worth, but the high sticker price of $200-350 per treatment, is hardly affordable for the average office grunt, plus the high is so short-lived.

I spoke with a stylist the other day who say he no longer does the Brazilian Blowout on his clients because of the horrible feedback he got from them after it grew out. It actually makes the hair worse.

For the first time in my life, I found myself in a wig store, trying on afros, wishing I had mine back. I couldn’t believe It has come full circle and I have learned the hard way, to love what you got.

I was afraid of being defined by my hair, so I tried to take control. I think that in the end, the old mantra is so very true: You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. The day I lost my afro, was the day I lost… me.

Let me leave you with these inspiring lyrics. “Don’t need a trip to the beauty shop/cause I love what I got on top. It’s curly and it’s brown and it’s right up there. You know what I love/that’s right/ my hair! I love my hair, I love my hair.”